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  • David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterOct 13, 2024, 02:43 AM ET

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    • College football reporter.
    • Joined ESPN in 2012.
    • Graduate of the University of Delaware.

Change can be scary. It’s easy to look around at the college football landscape in 2024 — realignment, playoff expansion, NIL, the portal, lawsuits, Michigan’s offense — and think the whole thing’s gone haywire. The sport certainly looks little like it did 25 years ago or, really, 25 months ago.

And yet Saturday offered us a vivid reminder that change can be a good thing. It can be refreshing and rewarding and exhilarating. It can show us a path forward we never would’ve imagined, but once it exists, we wonder how we ever lived another way.

It can give us the absolute fireworks of Oregon 32, Ohio State 31.

It can give us the dizzying back-and-forth of Penn State 33, USC 30.

It can give us playoff previews, star-making performances and Big Ten football that looks more like Pac-12 After Dark.

Let’s face it, the Big Ten has a track record of easing into most seasons like an old man into a warm bath. The traditional powers of Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan tend to backload the slate in favor of MAC showdowns, Rutgers beatdowns and the occasional slugfest against Notre Dame. So many of the league’s recent seasons have played out like the “Surf Dracula” meme about prestige TV. The whole season is spent explaining how Dracula bought his surfboard before we ever see him catch a wave. So it is with the Big Ten: a long slog of pointless diversions before The Game.

Not in 2024, though. Not with Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA joining the conference.

Now, we have real stakes before the ground freezes in Ann Arbor.

Now, we have epic battles that look less like the traditional heavyweight slugfests between two aging boxers plodding their way toward a 12-round decision and more like a toddler’s birthday party — controlled chaos, where every moment requires some entertainment lest someone set the curtains on fire and a parent eventually has to step in when a game of pin the tail on the donkey goes awry.

How different is the Big Ten this year? Iowa put up 40 points, Wisconsin seems to have figured out the Air Raid and Purdue showed signs of life in Week 7. Heck, Michigan had the week off but still threw for 50 yards more than its season average. But the main events came in Los Angeles and Eugene, Oregon, and boy did they deliver.

For the opener Saturday, Penn State erased a 13-point second-half deficit, delivered a drive for the ages to tie the game at 30, then connected on a kick to win it in overtime.

Drew Allar threw three picks, but that’s not what anyone in Happy Valley will remember. Instead, it’ll be the two magical completions he made on fourth down on that game-tying drive — 17 yards to Julian Fleming on fourth-and-7 at his own 44, then a nifty escape from a collapsing pocket to hit Fleming again on fourth-and-10 at the USC 39.

Tyler Warren caught 17 balls for 224 yards, a thing receivers in Michigan didn’t think was possible in a full season. He was somehow always open throughout the first three quarters, forcing USC to adjust just enough to leave Fleming free for those big grabs down the stretch.

It was a game in which Penn State showed more offensive creativity than it had during the entirety of Allar’s first season at the helm in 2023.

That it all fell apart for USC because of Lincoln Riley’s brutal clock management on the final drive — somehow getting off just five plays in the final two minutes, possibly because the Trojans are on Pacific time while the Big Ten refs only operate on Central time — and a missed kick in overtime does nothing to make it less of an epic.

But then there was the headlining act at Autzen Stadium, where both Oregon and Ohio State absolutely looked the part of top-five teams, there were seven lead changes in the final 40 minutes of action, and in a running theme that must’ve completely baffled any Florida State fans watching, a player named Uiagalelei made one critical play after another down the stretch.

The game had its share of ridiculousness: a missed PAT, an onside kick that resembled an NBA out-of-bounds play, a player ejected for spitting, and, again, some brutal late clock management.

More than anything, though, it had two of the best teams in the sport playing at their peak.

Freshman Jeremiah Smith looked like a superstar once again, catching nine balls for 100 yards and a score. Emeka Egbuka was just as good. And QB Will Howard threw for 326 yards, but his lack of clock awareness in the final 30 seconds of the game proved Ohio State’s undoing.

Dillon Gabriel had 373 yards and three touchdowns. Evan Stewart, oft criticized for his lack of physicality, absolutely devoured Ohio State’s secondary to the tune of 149 yards. With star edge rusher Jordan Burch out with an injury, Matayo Uiagalelei had 5 tackles, a sack, 2 TFLs and 2 QB hurries in the win.

None of this is to suggest there’s no need to complain about this new era of college football. For every Ohio State-Oregon we’ll get this season, there will be a Rutgers-UCLA. And for all the excitement in Autzen on Saturday, the game likely meant little beyond flip-flopping spots in the top 25 for Oregon and Ohio State. Odds are, these two will see each other again — in the Big Ten title game or the College Football Playoff or at Chip Kelly’s annual above-ground pool party.

That’s the thing about change. It’s never all good or all bad. It’s just different — sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, and always just another step on an ever-evolving ride. The point is to enjoy it all while it lasts because, if the past year has taught us anything, it’s that nothing lasts forever, but there are still so many memories to be made in those amazing moments, like Week 7, when the world slows down just long enough for us to realize how good we have it.

Jump to:
Alabama survives | Red River | Big 12 race
Midseason awards | Vibe shifts
Heisman five | Under the radar

Alabama survives — barely

It’s been a long week in Tuscaloosa. After the loss to Vanderbilt, the Tide faithful have been left shell-shocked — parting their bangs at a reasonable point, dipping sourdough into their Dreamland BBQ sauce, utterly melting down when calling in to Finebaum.

But what was essentially a “sad middle-aged dad considers life after divorce” week came oh-so-close to melting down into a full-blown “We’re getting hair plugs and a Cybertruck” scenario as Alabama saw a 14-0 lead evaporate against South Carolina, then struggled deep into the second half.

Want a truly wild stat to fully grasp how different this season has been at Alabama? The Gamecocks took a 19-14 lead midway through the third quarter after a 16-play, 85-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 1-yard run from Raheim Sanders. It was the third touchdown drive of 16 plays or more against Alabama this year, after Wisconsin and Vanderbilt both had 17-play TD drives. From 2014 through 2023, Alabama’s defense surrendered exactly one such drive (against Ole Miss in 2020).

But set aside the esoteric stats and concentrate on something more troubling: After the Tide couldn’t get off the field late against Vandy last week, they had the same struggles against South Carolina on Saturday. Leading 27-19 with just 1:54 to play, Alabama allowed the Gamecocks to march the length of the field on six plays for the score. Only a failed two-point try kept the game from being tied.

The Gamecocks weren’t done, though. They perfectly executed an onside kick with 43 seconds left for a chance to win, but poor clock management and a passing game that resembles a roomful of toddlers running into the walls for fun doomed the effort.

So, Alabama survived 27-19, which staved off full-blown anarchy for now. But a week after its defense imploded against the Commodores, its offense mustered just 313 yards — the Tide’s fewest against an unranked SEC foe since facing LSU in 2021 — and its special teams nearly cost the game.

In other words, Finebaum should be good again on Monday.

Texas owns the Red River

Coming off the field at halftime, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables was stopped for his TV interview and was asked a simple question: With his Sooners trailing 21-3, would Venables make a QB change away from Michael Hawkins Jr.?

Venables answered instinctively: “No, he’s been — ” then caught himself, thought about it for a second, and concluded, “He’s been — OK.”

It was like when a coworker says, “How’s it going,” and you reply, “Good,” even if your car is currently on fire.

So yes, Hawkins was OK, insofar as he did not set Venables’ car on fire, but by virtually any other standard, the Sooners’ offense remains an unmitigated disaster. Oklahoma mustered just 237 yards of offense in a 34-3 loss, averaging less than 5 yards per pass and less than 3 yards per rush.

On the other side of the Red River Rivalry, Texas benched Arch Manning in favor of some guy it found selling deep-fried Beef-N-Cheddars at the state fair. It was like going to see Taylor Swift and instead getting Katy Perry. One is a goddess. The other was upstaged at the Super Bowl by a felt shark.

Anyway, Quinn Ewers played well, completing 20 of 29 passes for 199 yards and accounting for two touchdowns. It almost seems unfair for Texas to have two good QBs when Oklahoma is forced to use three toddlers in a trench coat.

Regardless, Texas is now 6-0 with two dominant wins against top-25 opponents and has totally upended any “Texas is back” jokes, which now seem completely anachronistic. Gen Z ruins everything.

Big 12 leaders keep winning

Attempting to decipher the pecking order in the Big 12 is basically like looking at those old Magic Eye posters — just stare deeply for an extended period of time, then announce you saw a sailboat or Iowa State.

In other words, it’s complicated.

Week 7 did little to offer more clarity, aside from pushing Colorado to the back burner either because the Buffs lost or, more likely, because the standings are biased against Coach Prime.

In Morgantown, Carson Hansen ran for 96 yards and scored three times, as Iowa State beat West Virginia 28-16 to move to 6-0 on the season.

In Provo, BYU moved to 6-0 also, upending Arizona 41-19 on the strength of four takeaways.

In Tempe, the surprise team of the Big 12, Arizona State, stunned Utah 27-19. Cameron Rising, whose latest facial hair style makes it look as if he spent the past week marauding on the high seas, threw three picks in the game and did little to rejuvenate the Utah offense. Instead, it was Kenny Dillingham’s crew moving into a power position in the Big 12, and he was ready to celebrate afterward.

With Arizona State at 5-1, Dillingham has to be among the favorites for Coach of the Year honors, and he’s clearly the runaway winner for “most likely to have a drawer full of glow sticks in his office.”

And then there’s Kansas State, which is also 5-1 after defeating Colorado 31-28 on Saturday.

Deion Sanders was upset by the late kickoff time — 10:15 p.m. ET — because everyone knows TikTok traffic dips by 16% after 9 p.m.

Travis Hunter‘s first-half injury added to the woes, but Shedeur Sanders still nearly rallied the Buffaloes to a win, pulling ahead 28-24 on a touchdown throw with 3:12 to play. But Kansas State answered less than a minute later, as Avery Johnson found Jayce Brown for the game winner.

In retrospect, rushing for minus-29 yards might’ve been a problematic offensive strategy for Colorado after Hunter went down, but running the football is just so boing. Well, not so much when DJ Giddens does it. He rushed for 182 yards in the win for K State, but how many followers does he have? Case closed.

Midseason awards

Seven weeks of the college football season are in the books, which means it’s time to hand out some midseason hardware. So, put on your best evening gown or tuxedo T-shirt and get ready for the red carpet.

Best actor in a drama or football game: Ole Miss

No team in the country has the acting chops of the Rebels. They’re the Meryl Streep of college football. Or, at least the Vin Diesel.

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Ole Miss’ Matt Jones fakes injury

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart tells running back Matt Jones to go down with an injury.

Already this season, Ole Miss has seen players require an injury stoppage due to narcolepsy, the meat sweats and every side effect listed in the Jardiance commercial.

Indeed, the fake injuries have caused a bit of a stir, and this week, the Rebels admitted fault, releasing a statement noting they would “conduct ourselves properly” moving forward.

It’s sad to see such expert thespians retire from the profession, but as Lane Kiffin noted, Ole Miss is still big. It’s the game that got small.

On the field Saturday, Ole Miss led LSU until the final 23 seconds, when Aaron Anderson drilled a 23-yard kick to send the game to overtime in spite of several Rebels players falling to their knees before the snap, fanning themselves dramatically and declaring, “I do believe I have a case of the vapors!”

Nevertheless, Ole Miss settled for a long field goal in overtime, while Garrett Nussmeier hit Kyren Lacy for a 25-yard game-winning touchdown.

The win moves LSU to 5-1 on the year, ensuring Brian Kelly’s meeting with his anger management counselor on Monday will involve far less screaming into a pillow than usual.

Best Plucky Underdog (player): Desmond Reid

The Pitt tailback is 5-foot-6, 170 pounds and somehow is the most electric all-purpose player west of Travis Hunter.

On Saturday, Reid ran 16 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns, added a 19-yard catch and also lifted a 1983 Chevy Malibu over his head to entertain the crowd at halftime.

Reid keyed Pitt’s 17-15 win over Cal with a 72-yard touchdown run, moving the Panthers to 6-0 on the season.

But Reid and Pitt aren’t the only amazing underdog stories this season.

Pitt, BYU, Arizona State and Indiana were a combined 14-34 last year. Through Week 7, they’re a combined 23-1 and absolutely drenched in Banana Boat.

Best Plucky Underdog (team): Louisiana-Monroe

ULM upended Southern Miss 38-21 on Saturday, moving to 5-1 on the season.

Ahmad Hardy ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns in the win, marking the first time ULM has won five games in a season since 2019.

In the Book of Revelation, this start for the Warhawks comes just after the locusts but just before the horsemen, so the good news is we’ve all got some time to put our affairs in order.

Best idea whose time has come: Goalpost lasers

Washington pulled to within a touchdown late in the first half courtesy of a controversial made field goal.

The kick certainly looked wide right, but that’s hardly the point. The bigger issue is why, in 2024, we’re still arguing about this. After all, didn’t Jimbo Fisher advocate for goalpost lasers a decade ago? Somewhere Saturday, Fisher was pointing at his TV like DiCaprio in “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood” before sitting back down onto his couch made out of money and lighting a cigar with a $100 bill.

Regardless, Iowa went on to win 40-16, which is yet another reminder that, if the Hawkeyes can hang 40 on someone, surely we can figure out a way to measure if a field goal above the uprights is good or not.

Best performance in a superhero movie: Army‘s Bryson Daily

The Black Knights moved to 6-0 with an emphatic 44-10 win over Trent Dilfer’s flaming husk of a UAB football program Saturday, and Daily was the indisputable star. He ran for 136 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 102 yards and a score and also delivered a truck stick that was the equivalent of Thor’s hammer.

For the season, Baily has racked up 20 touchdowns without a turnover, while also saving several infinity stones and successfully halting that pipeline project set to run through his fortress of solitude.

But still, danger lurks in the distance. Blake Horvath and Navy are also undefeated, setting up a showdown between these two bitter enemies in Commander In Chief Cup: Endgame. Coming this December.

Week 7 vibe shifts

Each week, the college football ecosystem sustains its share of seismic disruptions, but plenty of other, more subtle stories fly beneath the radar. We try to capture them here.

Trending up: Vanderbilt‘s bowl odds

Diego Pavia threw for two touchdowns, and Vandy went 8-of-13 on third down to escape Kentucky 20-13 on Saturday.

It was a woeful offensive game all around, with Pavia throwing for just 143 yards and Kentucky QB and noted Foghat enthusiast Brock Vandagriff throwing for just 158.

Nevertheless, Vandy is 4-2 through six games for the first time since 2008 and now needs to just beat Ball State and win one of its final five SEC games (Texas, at Auburn, South Carolina, at LSU and Tennessee) to make its first bowl since 2018.

Trending down: Florida‘s bowl odds

The Gators had their shots against Tennessee on Saturday, but after five possessions in Vols territory in the first half — including four in the red zone — they managed just three points. Still, Tennessee’s own offensive struggles continued after last week’s ugly loss to Arkansas, with sophomore Nico Iamaleava effectively offering up the QB equivalent of that sound ketchup makes when you squeeze a nearly empty bottle.

The upshot of it all: Florida scored with 29 seconds to play to send the game to overtime but missed a field goal try and ultimately fell 23-17.

Afterward, Billy Napier said it was for the best the game didn’t go to additional overtime periods, because he’s working the overnight shift at a convenience store and his boss docks his pay if he shows up more than 15 minutes late.

The loss is particularly problematic for the Gators, who are now 3-3 with only two remaining games against teams currently unranked. That makes getting to a bowl game an uphill battle that will require beating both Kentucky and Florida State and pulling an upset somewhere along the way against Georgia, Texas, LSU or Ole Miss.

Trending up: Our AARP membership

In the fall of 2005, a time we’re pretty sure was, like, six months ago, the QB depth chart for the Arizona Cardinals included starter Kurt Warner and backup Josh McCown.

On Saturday night, the QB matchup in the UTSA–Rice showdown: E.J. Warner (Kurt’s son) and Owen McCown (Josh’s son).

Both QBs were exceptional. McCown threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Warner threw for 347 and accounted for three scores of his own.

But it was ultimately Warner who stole the show, engineering an eight-play, 65-yard drive in the final two minutes, capping it with an 18-yard TD to Matt Sykes for the game winner with 4 seconds to play. Rice prevailed 29-27, and we’re going to just go ahead and cover our furniture with plastic and start yelling at kids to get off our lawn.

Trending down: Maryland and Rutgers

The Terps and Knights are essentially the Big Ten’s version of the Philadelphia Phillies — much more enjoyable before the calendar turns to October.

On Friday, Maryland was whitewashed by Northwestern, 37-10, thanks to four turnovers.

On Saturday, Rutgers was demolished 42-7 by Wisconsin, allowing more than 300 rushing yards to the Badgers.

Maryland had started 3-1 but has now lost two straight. Rutgers started 4-0 but has also lost its past two.

And this is all part of a far longer trend line. In the past five seasons, those two have opened 3-1 or better nine times. In August and September games since 2020, they’re a combined 29-6. And if they could spend the rest of the season playing Akron and Temple, there’d be a lot to like about both teams. Unfortunately, October begins conference play, and the Terps and Knights fall off a cliff. From Oct. 1 on, the two are a combined 22-46. The story goes all the way back to Maryland and Rutgers joining the Big Ten in 2014. Before Oct. 1, their win percentage is .687. After Oct. 1, it’s .258.

On the upside, Greg Schiano loves pumpkin spice season, so he’s got that going for him.

Trending up: Interesting road trips

On Saturday, Missouri — once the No. 6 team in the country — played on the road at UMass.

Yes, that UMass.

This is the rough equivalent of Gordon Ramsay shoveling fistfuls of nachos grandes into his face while sitting in his 1994 Ford Tempo at the Taco Bell drive-through. In other words, utterly great.

And true to form, UMass didn’t disappoint the home fans who showed up for the big game, making it through almost an entire 10 minutes of football before the game was sufficiently out of hand. The fans also got to see Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz showcase the SEC’s latest technology, which sadly became sentient at halftime, realized it was watching UMass football and immediately activated its self-destruct mode.

Missouri ultimately won 45-3, while the bulk of the team hit the road midway through the third quarter so it could enjoy some of the majestic New England foliage.

Trending up: Frontiersmen on the sideline

Jacksonville State downed New Mexico State 54-13 on Wednesday, moving to 2-0 in Conference USA play. More importantly, however, this member of the Gamecocks staff raised a barn, enjoyed a raucous Rumspringa and churned some of the best butter south of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Trending up: Motivational pharmacology

Last week, Minnesota coach PJ Fleck credited his team’s upset win over USC to a brilliant bit of symbolism, when he had his team take an “antidote of confidence” — or, more literally, a capsule filled with Sprite.

For Week 7’s showdown with UCLA, Fleck’s plan to build on the motivational gambit by having the team down Mountain Dew: Code Red and Pop Rocks was less successful, as the Gophers fell behind 10-0 at the half. But Max Brosmer rallied the team late, and Minnesota escaped 21-17.

Now riding a winning streak, Fleck plans to have his starters chug a gallon of milk in an hour right before kickoff.

Trending down: The Calgorithm

The vibes around Cal were off the charts for the first month of the season, thanks in large part to a brilliant social media presence that involved an esoteric mix of politics, Photoshop and some stuff they found in one of Jerry Garcia’s old coats.

But what Cal has learned in these past three games is that there is no positive counterpoint to the power of #goacc.

After a 3-0 start, including a win at Auburn, Cal has lost three straight ACC games.

A recap:

Outgained Florida State by 126 yards but lost by five. It’s still FSU’s lone win of the year.

Led Miami by 20 with 14 minutes to go but lost by one.

And on Saturday, held Pitt to just 277 yards of offense, gaining seven more first downs than the Panthers, and lost by two.

The ACC life ain’t for the faint of heart, but just remember, Cal: You’re also not getting any TV money for this.

Our Heisman favorites dealt with an off week, an injury and a pregame meal that was mostly Spam in Week 7, so the results weren’t entirely exciting.

1. Miami QB Cam Ward

The Hurricanes were off in Week 7 after narrowly escaping in each of the past two weeks thanks to Ward’s heroics. Instead, Ward spent Saturday teaching school children how to talk smack to D-linemen and do that “Zombieland” hand gesture he makes after touchdowns.

2. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

Boise State struggled for a good part of its game against Hawai’i late Saturday, but of course Jeanty powered the Broncos with 217 yards en route to a 28-7 win. At this point, Jeanty’s season is like one long episode of “Jackass” — like, let’s see if Jeanty can win without any other offensive support, or run for 200-plus with eight defenders in the box on every carry or score five touchdowns while covered in bees. And somehow, he makes it all look reasonable.

3. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel

Gabriel has been exceptional all season, but until Saturday, it was easy enough to overlook the success because Oregon had been — well, boring. But Saturday was never dull, and Gabriel was a big reason why, throwing for 341 yards and two scores, rushing for 32 and another TD in the 32-31 win. Should Gabriel win the Heisman this year, he’ll be the first player to both secure the trophy and social security benefits in the same year.

4. Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter

It’s hard to believe anyone playing 120 snaps a game would get hurt, but that’s exactly what happened to Hunter against Kansas State. He left in the first half with a shoulder injury and did not return, leaving Colorado to try to rally back from a deficit with only Shedeur Sanders and 21 guys who will be played by non-union background actors when they make the movie of this season.

5. Army QB Bryson Daily

We’re still keeping Navy’s Blake Horvath in the mix, too, but the Middies were off this week, so Daily gets a solo mention. He totaled 238 yards and five touchdowns in a 44-10 win over UAB on Saturday, and the U.S. Department of Defense announced it would be replacing all propaganda pamphlets on the front lines with Daily’s box scores.

Under-the-radar game of the week

On Saturday, Illinois survived a scare from Purdue, taking home the prized trophy of a cannon of some sort.

The Illini led 27-3 early in the second half and 40-28 with just 5:05 to play, but Purdue roared back in the final 2 minutes of play to take a 43-40 lead. Devin Mockobee scored on a 2-yard rush with 1:35 to play, Illinois recovered the onside kick, then Mockobee scored again on a 13-yard pass with 46 seconds to go.

But Purdue has firmly established it can’t have nice things, and promptly allowed Illinois to set up a 38-yard kick to send the game to overtime. The two teams traded touchdowns in OT, but Purdue’s 2-point try fell incomplete, giving Illinois the 50-49 win.

Purdue is now 1-5 overall and 0-3 in Big Ten play this year, and now the only trophies the Boilermakers currently retain are the Old Oaken Bucket (vs. Indiana), the Golden Deep-Dish Pizza (vs. Minnesota) and a dead pigeon (vs. Rutgers).

Under-the-radar play of the week

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart delivered an emphatic blow against Mississippi State QB Michael Van Buren Jr. while trying to get defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann’s attention during the Bulldogs’ 41-31 win Saturday.

The form is solid. Smart takes off his hat before contact, so he can’t be called for leading with the crown of his helmet. He hits Van Buren square and knocks the QB back. And the hit sends a clear message that Smart isn’t going to take no for an answer.

It was actually some of the best defense shown by the Dawgs, who never were in any real danger, but also never quite could put Mississippi State away.

Scouts from the Eagles are rumored to be interested in selecting Smart on Day 2 of next year’s draft.

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Two-time Cup winner Sullivan out as Pens coach

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April 28, 2025

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Two-time Cup winner Sullivan out as Pens coach

Mike Sullivan, who led the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, is out as the team’s head coach, it was announced Monday.

Sullivan was the longest-tenured coach in Penguins history after just completing his 10th season. The 57-year-old, who also coached Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, was under contract in Pittsburgh through 2026-27.

In a statement, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said the decision was “the best course forward for all involved” as Pittsburgh navigates a transitional period.

“On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” Dubas said. “Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”

The Penguins have missed the playoffs for three straight seasons as Dubas works to retool the team into a contender while Crosby is still competing at a high level. Crosby just completed his 20th straight season in which he posted a point-per-game scoring pace, and he was voted by his peers in the NHLPA as the league’s most complete player. The captain is under contract through next season on a two-year extension he signed prior to the 2024-25 season.

Sullivan was elevated to Penguins head coach in 2015 after leading the organization’s AHL team in Wilkes-Barre. With 409 wins in Pittsburgh, he leaves as the Penguins’ all-time wins leader.

With Sullivan’s departure, there are now seven head-coaching vacancies in the NHL. The Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken and New York Rangers are also searching for new coaches right now. According to sources, Sullivan has been atop the Rangers’ wish list.

Sources also said Sullivan is keen on coaching again next season and will be a top candidate for several of the vacancies. Sullivan worked as an assistant coach with the Rangers and as both an assistant and head coach with the Bruins earlier in his career.

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Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Round 4 of the Battle of Florida, pivotal Game 5 for Avs-Stars

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April 28, 2025

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Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Round 4 of the Battle of Florida, pivotal Game 5 for Avs-Stars

Home teams are on a tear in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, going 21-10 thus far. Will that trend continue Monday?

The early matchup is Game 4 of the Battle of Florida, and the festivities have become heated; Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was given a major penalty for his hit on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2, and subsequently suspended for Game 3. In that game, Matthew Tkachuk leveled a hard hit on Jake Guentzel but did not receive the same punishment. What will transpire in Game 4?

In the nightcap, the clash of West titans continues, as the Colorado Avalanche look to keep the momentum going after their 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 on Saturday.

Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Sunday’s games, and the Three Stars of Sunday Night from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers
Game 4 (FLA leads 2-1) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN

Teams that hold a 2-1 series lead have gone on to win the best-of-seven matchup 69% of the time in Stanley Cup playoff history. The Panthers have won two out of three best-of-seven series when holding a 2-1 lead, and the Lightning are 6-7 all time when trailing 2-1.

Jake Guentzel had three points (goal, two assists) in Game 3, and his 40 career playoff goals are third most among active U.S.-born players, trailing Patrick Kane (53) and Chris Kreider (48).

With his win in Game 3, Andrei Vasilevskiy now has 67 for his postseason career, second most among active goaltenders (behind Marc-Andre Fleury, who has 92), and one behind Andy Moog for 11th on the all-time list.

Matthew Tkachuk scored his third goal of the series in Game 3, and became the third player in franchise history with 20 career playoffs goals (Carter Verhaeghe 26, Sam Reinhart 22); he is also the third Panther to record 50 playoff points for the club (Aleksander Barkov 62, Verhaeghe 54).

Aaron Ekblad‘s return from suspension didn’t go so well. According to Stathletes, Ekblad and Gustav Forsling played 10:50 together at 5-on-5, and the Lightning scored three goals while they were on the ice.

Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

With the series tied 2-2, history is on the Stars’ side: Colorado is 11-12 when a series is tied 2-2. Dallas has gone 18-14 in the same scenario.

Nathan MacKinnon is up to 52 career playoff goals, which is six away from tying Peter Forsberg for second in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history; Joe Sakic is first with 84.

Gabriel Landeskog made his return to the ice in Game 3 for the first time since the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, and scored a goal in Game 4, the 28th playoff goal of his career.

Mikko Rantanen (formerly of the Avs, now of the Stars) has only one point (an assist) through four games, but it’s not for a lack of trying; he has 12 shots on goal, which is second most on the team this postseason (Roope Hintz has 13).

Stars goalie Jake Oettinger was pulled in Game 4, just the fourth time in 49 career playoff starts he has played 40 minutes or less. Since 2022, Oettinger has the second-most postseason wins (25), behind Sergei Bobrovsky (34).

Arda’s three stars from Sunday night

Svechnikov potted a hat trick to lift the Canes to a 5-2 win against the Devils in Newark, giving them a 3-1 series lead. Svechnikov is the only Hurricanes/Whalers player in franchise history (45 seasons, 205 playoff games) with a hat trick in the playoffs (he now has two).

His two goals in the third period tied the game at 3, setting the stage for the Oilers to win in OT and tie up the series. Bouchard is now the fourth defenseman to have back-to-back multigoal games in Stanley Cup playoff history.

After two points over the first three games of the series, Neighbors scored a goal and added two assists as the Blues emphatically tied the series with a 5-1 victory in Game 4.

Sunday’s scores

St. Louis Blues 5, Winnipeg Jets 1
Series tied 2-2 | Game 5 Wednesday

Although he is the overwhelming favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goalie in the regular season, Connor Hellebuyck is not having a great time this postseason. He was pulled in the third period of this loss after giving up five goals on 18 shots. Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor opened the scoring in this game, but the Blues charged back with five straight goals off the sticks of Jake Neighbours, Tyler Tucker, Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk and Robert Thomas. The home team has won every game in this series. Will that continue in Game 5 in Winnipeg? Full recap.

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0:51

Tyler Tucker puts the Blues ahead with a goal

Tyler Tucker scores in the second period to give the Blues a 2-1 lead over the Jets.

Carolina Hurricanes 5, New Jersey Devils 2
CAR leads 3-1 | Game 5 Tuesday

After the Canes went up 3-0, the Devils punched back with two second-period goals, and Carolina starting goalie Frederik Andersen was knocked out after a collision with New Jersey’s Timo Meier. However, that was as close as the Devils would get, as Brent Burns added a goal at 14:14 of the third, and Andrei Svechnikov finished off his hat trick with an empty-net goal to seal the deal. Full recap.

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2:05

Andrei Svechnikov scores his second career playoff hat trick

Andrei Svechnikov lit the ice with his second career playoff hat trick in Game 4 vs. the Devils.

Washington Capitals 5, Montreal Canadiens 2
WSH leads 3-1 | Game 5 Wednesday

The Bell Centre was rocking again for this one. Washington’s Dylan Strome started the scoring at 1:25 of the second period, but the Canadiens answered back with two power-play goals (from Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield) to take the lead heading into the third. However, the Caps proved they were the better team, tying it 6:39 into the third, taking the lead 10 minutes later and then pumping in two empty-netters to put it out of reach. Full recap.

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0:39

Andrew Mangiapane’s big-time goal gives Caps a lead in the 3rd period

Andrew Mangiapane notches a big-time goal to give the Capitals a lead late in the third period.

Edmonton Oilers 4, Los Angeles Kings 3 (OT)
Series tied 2-2 | Game 5 Tuesday

Another back-and-forth contest for these two teams. The Kings held a 3-1 lead heading into the third, thanks to goals from Trevor Moore, Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala. But the Oilers came back, thanks to a pair of goals by Evan Bouchard (both of which were assisted by Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid) to send the game to overtime. Draisaitl then scored the winner on the power play with just 1:42 left in the extra session. Full recap.

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Leon Draisaitl’s OT winner evens the series for the Oilers

Leon Draisaitl nets the winning goal in overtime to give the Oilers a dramatic win over the Kings in Game 4.

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Stanley Cup takeaways as Round 1 heats up: Who is poised to move on — and why

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April 28, 2025

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Stanley Cup takeaways as Round 1 heats up: Who is poised to move on -- and why

  • Multiple Contributors

Apr 28, 2025, 08:00 AM ET

Round 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs is hitting the nitty-gritty stage, as elimination games will be coming from all corners of North America this week.

The storylines are many, from goaltenders being pulled and trying to regain their form to heavy hits stirring emotions even more than they already were.

ESPN reporters Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski identified their top takeaways as all 16 teams remain alive — at least for the time being.

Read more:
Full schedule
Intel on all 16 teams
Top 50 players
Wyshynski’s bracket
Contender flaws

Are Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets in trouble … again?

Even with their Game 4 loss Sunday to the St. Louis Blues, the Winnipeg Jets are tied in their series as they look to get out of the first round for the first time in three seasons. But things aren’t trending well for Winnipeg as two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck again received an early exit.

In Game 3, Hellebuyck allowed six goals on 25 shots before being pulled, then gave up five goals on 18 shots Sunday. Watching how Hellebuyck would respond to being pulled in Game 3 was clearly a point of interest.

Every Western Conference series has seen one goalie have an early departure. This started with Stuart Skinner being removed in Game 2 in the Oilers’ 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, while Thursday saw both Hellebuyck and Vegas’ Adin Hill get yanked in their team’s defeats. It happened again Saturday with the Stars relieving Jake Oettinger to start the third period in their 4-0 loss to the Avalanche.

Hellebuyck’s recent history with trying to bounce back from consecutive playoff defeats has been an issue. After he won the opening game in last year’s first-round series, he and the Jets lost four straight. The same thing happened in 2023 when they faced the Golden Knights. In 2021, Hellebuyck lost all four of his starts against the Montreal Canadiens.

The last time Hellebuyck snapped a two-game losing streak in the playoffs came in 2019, when he guided the Jets to wins in Games 3 and 4 against, you guessed it, the Blues, who would go on to win the Stanley Cup that season. Hellebuyck needs to show he can turn things around — in a hurry. — Clark

There’s been no better “salt in the wound” moment in the 2025 postseason than Blues fans chanting “WE WANT CONNOR!” after Hellebuyck was pulled from Game 4 in the third period, having given up five goals on 18 shots.

Superior trolling. Winnipeg fans would be proud.

Why wouldn’t they want Hellebuyck back in the crease? He’s just the seventh goalie in NHL history to allow four or more goals in six straight road playoff games, a streak that includes series losses to Vegas and Colorado. He became the second reigning Vezina Trophy winner ever to be pulled in consecutive playoff games, joining the Flyers’ Ron Hextall in the 1988 divisional series.

Hellebuyck has a .817 save percentage and a 4.24 goals-against average in four playoff games. Over his last three postseasons, Hellebuyck has a 4-10 record with an .866 save percentage and a 4.27 goals-against average.

Over his last three NHL regular seasons, Hellebuyck has 121 wins in 187 games with a .922 save percentage and a 2.29 goals-against average. That guy hasn’t even come close to showing up in the playoffs statistically.

Yet anyone that’s watched the Blues’ 16-goal parade against the Jets knows not all of this is Hellebuyck’s fault. “You watch the replays of the goals that went in and there are deflections, screens, pucks bouncing off us and in,” defenseman Luke Schenn said.

Screening Hellebuyck has been the path to success for teams in the playoffs. Around half of the Blues goals have come with traffic in front of him.

“If there’s people getting to the net, we’ve got to get them out of there before they get their screens. We’ve gotta box out earlier. There’s a lot of coverage stuff,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said.

Hellebuyck is a victim of his own domination. We expect the guy considered to be the best goalie in the world to be able to fight through screens and cover for defensive breakdowns.

Arniel was clear that he’s “100% confident” in Hellebuyck in the playoffs. “There are things that we have to do to help him and he knows he has to do things to help us,” he said.

But Arniel also said that if Winnipeg is going to win two out of the next three games, “our best players have to be better than their best players.” And there’s no question that Jordan Binnington has been the better goalie in this series than Hellebuyck.

On Monday, the NHL will announce the finalists for the 2024-25 Vezina Trophy, which Hellebuyck has won twice and will probably win again in June. It’s the award given annually to the best goalie in the regular season. Connor Hellebuyck is in real danger of having his career defined by what he’s failed to do after those initial 82 games. — Wyshynski

Ottawa has life — until Toronto proves it can close

1-12.

That’s the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ record in playoff elimination games going back to 2017.

It’s an unflattering figure, just like the Leafs’ 0-1 record in this series in attempting to close out the Ottawa Senators.

There’s that old cliché that the final win of a series is the toughest to get. The Leafs have spent almost a decade proving that’s true. And Toronto certainly had its chances to sweep the Senators into summer mode in Game 4 on Saturday night. The Leafs had a four-minute power play in overtime, albeit without John Tavares available after he exited earlier to be assessed for a possible injury.

Still.

Toronto was 5-for-9 with the extra man in the first three games of the series; the Leafs were 0-for-4 on the power play in Game 4. They gave up a shorthanded goal to Shane Pinto in the first period to boot. Not ideal.

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Jake Sanderson sends Ottawa fans into a frenzy with Game 4 OT winner

Jake Sanderson celebrates with his teammates after netting the game-winning goal in overtime for the Senators vs. the Maple Leafs.

Now, Ottawa is due ample credit for how it persevered to earn an overtime victory. The Senators went up 2-0 in the first period, only to see that lead evaporate by the second. David Perron put Ottawa up again and the Leafs tied it to force the extra frame. The Senators could have shrunk in the face of that daunting four-minute power play (with or without Tavares) and instead they stood tall. And Jake Sanderson‘s goal gave Ottawa the chance to play on.

Have the scales tipped in Ottawa’s favor? The Senators have nothing to lose here; they have the luxury of playing loose. Toronto is saddled with expectations born of too many prior postseason disappointments. But this Leafs team is built differently, right? And so Toronto can’t — or won’t — let one demoralizing defeat turn into two, will it? — Shilton

Maybe don’t challenge, coaches?

In the regular season, coaches who challenged scoring plays for interference won more than they lost, with a 56% success rate on 126 challenges. Which means the risk — getting a delay of game penalty if they’re wrong — was worth it.

That’s an acceptable risk in an 82-game season. But in a seven-game playoff series, you’ve got to be sure — and so far in the 2025 postseason, coaches would have been better off not challenging.

The first challenge was a somewhat desperate one from Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch in Game 1 against the Kings. Defenseman Jake Walman was ruled to have shot the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. He was convinced that wasn’t the case, and the Oilers — trailing 5-3 at that point in the third period — backed up Walman by challenging the call. It was ruled there was “no conclusive evidence” that the puck went off the glass “after a thorough examination of all available replays.”

So Edmonton got a delay of game on top of a delay of game, although Los Angeles couldn’t convert on the ensuing 5-on-3 power play.

The other coaches weren’t as lucky. Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper unsuccessfully challenged goalie interference on Nate Schmidt‘s goal that gave Florida a 3-1 lead in Game 1. The league ruled Eetu Luostarinen was making a play on the loose puck in the crease before Schmidt’s goal, which by rule isn’t interference. The Lightning were given a delay of game penalty. Matthew Tkachuk scored 14 seconds into the ensuing power play to make it 4-1 and put the game out of reach.

But the most ill-conceived challenge of the playoffs was from Kings coach Jim Hiller in Game 3 against Edmonton, seeking to overturn an Evander Kane goal that made it 4-4 at 13:18 of the third period. I’m still trying to figure out what they saw that inspired the challenge, and why the Kings would gamble with giving Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl a chance to break the tie by handing them a power play — which they did, when Draisaitl assisted on Evan Bouchard‘s eventual game winner.

“We got a good look at it. We took plenty of time. We felt it was goalie interference, so we challenged it. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose on those. Tonight we lost, and it cost us big time. No other way around it,” Hiller said, stating the obvious.

So far in the playoffs, the cost has outweighed the benefit. — Wyshynski

Are the Golden Knights about to turn the corner?

Being a franchise in a championship window that already has produced a title is naturally going to spark a conversation about what can be done to win a second. For the Vegas Golden Knights? The whole has been greater than the sum of their parts, not that the parts themselves are to be taken lightly.

The Golden Knights won a Stanley Cup in 2023 by receiving contributions throughout their lineup. That’s exactly what happened Saturday in their 4-3 overtime win that was the difference between them being tied at 2-2 versus facing a consecutive first-round exit with an elimination game on home ice.

Look at how Vegas was able to win. Shea Theodore scored the opener on the power play with Nicolas Roy also scoring a power-play goal that tied it at 2-2. Adin Hill made the necessary saves that allowed the Golden Knights to navigate overtime before Ivan Barbashev scored the winning goal. All three goals were from players who hadn’t scored in the first three games of the series, while Hill rebounded from allowing four goals on 21 shots in Game 4.

Everything Barbashev, Hill, Roy and Theodore did speaks to how the Golden Knights can tap into their depth. Could Game 5 lead to similar results for star Jack Eichel and captain Mark Stone? Both players, who were held to no points entering Game 3, were also pointless in Game 4 but showed signs of promise considering they combined for 10 shots on goal. That’s the same number of shots they had in the first three games combined. — Clark

No love lost in the Battle of Florida

Of course it all starts with Matthew Tkachuk.

Florida’s feistiest forward already was giving Tampa Bay fits in their first-round series with three goals in the first three games. Then came another crushing blow — literally — when Tkachuk smacked Bolts forward Jake Guentzel at center ice and earned a game misconduct as Florida fell 5-1 in Game 3.

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Fracas ensues after Tkachuk’s late hit, Cirelli’s empty-netter

Matthew Tkachuk gets a five-minute major for a late hit prior to Anthony Cirelli’s empty-net goal.

Naturally, debate ensued over whether Tkachuk deserved supplemental discipline for the hit — Guentzel was in the process of passing the puck and had released it when Tkachuk made contact. There will be no suspension for Tkachuk — and how that decision will sit with the Lightning, well, we will find out in Game 4 on Monday night.

Players on both sides exchanged pleasantries following Tkachuk’s hit on Guentzel, and it was clear the physical ante was upped in more ways than one. The Lightning played a statement game Saturday, scoring five unanswered goals to get themselves back in the series. Now we can only wonder how the bad blood will seep into the rest of it.

Discipline is key in a long playoff run; it’s even more critical for Tampa Bay given the Panthers’ strong power play (30%) so far in the postseason. The Lightning getting that win and now being further bonded by the way Tkachuk leveled their leading playoff goal scorer adds new layers of intrigue to what lies ahead in this bout of Atlantic Division rivals. — Shilton

Everyone loves Tom Wilson (except those that hate him)

After their Game 4 win, Washington Capitals goalie Logan Thompson was asked how important teammate Tom Wilson was to the team’s success. Wilson was seated next to Thompson, who turned and grinned widely at the hulking forward.

“No need to make his head any bigger,” said Thompson, who then proceeded to further inflate it.

“He’s been huge for us. The heart and soul of this organization, right? When he’s making plays, big hits, we feed off that. Especially in our home rink, I think the whole building feeds off it. He’s a huge part of this team. We love him,” the goalie said, before expanding his arms to mimic Wilson’s head filling with praise.

Wilson deadpanned: “That’s it?”

Like Logan Thompson, there are many who love Tom Wilson. There are also legions of fans and opponents who loathe him for a history of injurious hits and other unsportsmanlike conduct. Montreal fans and players were not enamored with Wilson in Game 3 when he fought Josh Anderson in a brawl that spilled into the Capitals’ bench and then pretended to sob while calling out an unidentified Habs player as a whiner.

“Things escalated,” said Anderson after the game.

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Canadiens-Caps brawl spills into the bench at end of 2nd period

The Canadiens and Capitals close the second period with a massive brawl in which Josh Anderson and Tom Wilson spar into the bench.

Wilson was more controlled in Game 4 — by his own admission, he wanted to stay out of the box to make a difference on the ice and didn’t take a penalty in the game. In the third period, his impact was felt quite literally: Wilson demolished Montreal defenseman Alexandre Carrier with a center-ice check moments before the Capitals controlled the puck and Brandon Duhaime scored to tie the game at 2-2 with 13:21 left in regulation.

“It’s been a physical series both ways. Getting hit. Giving hits,” said Wilson, who added an empty-netter in the 5-2 win. “It was a big hit. The boys were able to score right after. That’s the way that hockey goes.”

Wilson has played in the postseason for the Capitals since 2012-13. He’s experienced the high of the Stanley Cup championship in 2018 and the lows of postseason collapses. It’s to Washington’s credit that they haven’t given oxygen to a Montreal upset bid, thanks to their Game 1 OT win on an Alex Ovechkin goal and their third-period comeback in Game 4 that gave them a 3-1 series lead.

“It’s a group that’s had different guys step up throughout the year. I don’t think there’s any panic when we’re down a goal. We believe in ourselves,” Wilson said. “We got it done. It’s really fun to come to the rink.”

No one’s scarier when he’s having fun than Tom Wilson. — Wyshynski

More to Landeskog’s Game 4 performance than just his goal

Any questions about how Gabriel Landeskog would fit into a Colorado Avalanche lineup that has dramatically changed since he last played nearly three years ago have been answered at various times this postseason. But in a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 4 on Saturday, he provided a clear reminder of what the Avs had been missing.

Landeskog scored 11 goals and 22 points in 20 games when he led Colorado to the third Stanley Cup in franchise history in 2022. His goal and assist in Game 4 against the Stars pushed his career totals to 28 goals and 69 points in 71 postseason contests.

Part of what has allowed Landeskog to consistently find success within the Avs’ setup — whether scoring himself or setting up his teammates — is how he positions himself on the ice, from working in the corners to gain possession to finding a way to get in the slot. Those traits played a role in his one-timer from the slot, off a feed from Brock Nelson, that gave the Avs a 3-0 lead.

Yet the sequence that might have best summed up what Landeskog provides came on Samuel Girard‘s goal that gave Colorado a 4-0 advantage. Landeskog, who received a secondary assist, gave the puck to Nelson, who then found Girard. As Girard was getting ready to shoot, Landeskog went to the net front and battled with 6-foot-7 Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel to gain position and screen goalie Casey DeSmith.

Landeskog’s presence not only helped the Avs knot the series as the scene shifts to Dallas, it is a key element that could push Colorado onward as the playoffs continue. — Clark

Goalie clinic turned to controversy in Hurricanes-Devils

New Jersey’s run might already be done if not for goalie Jacob Markstrom. Carolina could hardly be this commanding if not for netminder Frederik Andersen.

That’s been a significant storyline in the series so far, how two top-tier goaltenders have held their respective teams in balance. In Game 4 on Sunday things took a turn, though, when Andersen was bowled over in his crease by Timo Meier and had to exit the game, being replaced by young Pyotr Kochetkov.

There was no penalty called on the play that sent Andersen to the locker room. And to add insult to injury, Meier turned around and scored on the incoming Kochetkov to narrow the Hurricanes’ lead to 3-2. Ouch.

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GK Frederik Andersen exits the game for the Hurricanes

Frederik Andersen exits the game after a collision, causing backup goalkeeper Pyotr Kochetkov to enter the game.

It’s no secret Andersen has had a rough go with injuries. He missed 39 games in the regular season following knee surgery and was finally appearing at full strength — and health — for the playoffs. Now his status is murky, and the Devils can take advantage — thanks in large part to the marvelous Markstrom.

New Jersey has had poor luck with its blueline health, playing without Brenden Dillon or Luke Hughes since Game 1 and losing Johnathan Kovacevic in Game 3, and it’s Markstrom who has made up for his club’s deficiencies. The veteran has stood tall against Carolina’s attack to give New Jersey every opportunity to take a lead — and hold it — but the Devils’ scoring woes (they had just five through the first three games) haven’t exactly supported Markstrom’s cause. No matter. The Devils goaltender has still produced an impressive .929 save percentage in the postseason, putting him just behind Andersen in that category atop the playoff leaderboard for starting goalies.

And Andersen has earned his place at the peak. He’s been rock solid for Carolina and closed the door on New Jersey time and again. Andersen’s heroics in Game 3 allowed the Hurricanes a chance to come back and win in double overtime. (His stop on Meier in the second period was particularly outstanding.)

The way these two have gone toe-to-toe is playoff goaltending at its best. We should be talking about who can sustain their excellence long enough to be the deciding factor in a series victory. Now it’s a question of who will be available for the Hurricanes going forward — Andersen or the upstart Kochetkov? The answer could have long-term implications for Carolina. — Shilton

Can the Oilers beat the curse of the Western Conference?

OK. Maybe “curse” is too strong a word in this case. However, being the team representing the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final has come with its fair share of issues over the last few postseasons.

It started in 2020 when the Stars won the Western Conference playing in the Edmonton bubble. They lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning and failed to make the playoffs the following season. Of course, there was no Western Conference champion during the 2020-21 season because of the pandemic.

Fast-forward to 2022. The Avalanche won the West and the Stanley Cup. But a year later, they were eliminated in the first round. In 2023, the Golden Knights captured their first title only to get knocked out in the first round in 2024. Entering the weekend, the Oilers were trailing 2-1 in their series against the Kings after losing the first two games in Southern California.

The Kings-Oilers series has been bizarre beyond the fact this is the fourth straight time they’ve played in the first round. A last-minute goal in a 6-5 thriller in Game 1 was followed up by the Oilers giving up six goals for the second consecutive game in a 6-2 loss, which was followed by another high-scoring contest with the Oilers winning 7-4 in Game 3. It’s a safe bet something else bizarre could happen, like the Oilers either falling prey to the curse or breaking it. — Clark

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