Stanley Cup playoffs daily: How many teams will force a Game 7?
The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have reached the point where every night could end in season-ending heartbreak for a team. On Wednesday, it happened for two teams, the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. On Thursday, that could happen for four teams.
Thursday night begins with the Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings facing a 3-2 deficit. On the flip side, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers could all punch their tickets to the second round by earning one more victory.
How will it all shake out?
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Wednesday’s games and the Three Stars of Wednesday Night from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators
Game 6 (TOR leads 3-2) | 7 p.m. ET | TBS
With their loss in Game 5, the Maple Leafs are now 1-14 in potential series-clinching games over the past 20 years — the lone win was Game 6 of the 2023 first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Senators’ stars have shown up this postseason. Brady Tkachuk has points in each of the past four games, including a goal and two assists in Game 5. Tim Stutzle also had a goal and two assists, and he has points in six of eight games against Toronto this season (regular season and playoffs combined).
Linus Ullmark made 29 saves for his first career playoff shutout, and this was Ottawa’s second-largest shutout win in franchise playoff history (the Senators won 5-0 against the Maple Leafs in 2002).
The Maple Leafs need to get their power play revved up again. They have gone 0-for-7 in the past two games, compared to 5-for-9 in the first three.
While the Leafs’ offense dried up in past postseasons, the Core Four (Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares) is helping make sure that’s not the case in 2025. The quartet leads the team in scoring, and all four are at or above a point-per-game pace.
Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild
Game 6 (VGK leads 3-2) | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
The winners of Game 5 in best-of-seven series tied 2-2 have gone on to win the series 79% of the time, a trend to which the Golden Knights would like to add.
Mark Stone continues to climb the Golden Knights’ career leaderboard. His goal in Game 5 gives him 33 in his playoff career with Vegas, three shy of Jonathan Marchessault‘s franchise record.
On the other hand, Jack Eichel needs to recapture his regular-season aura. Through five games, he has just three assists after leading the Golden Knights in scoring in the regular season with 94 points.
Prior to his regular-season injury, Kirill Kaprizov was among the leaders for the Hart Trophy as league MVP. He has been on a heater this postseason, with nine points (five goals, four assists) through five games. That’s the most points through five games to start a postseason in Wild franchise history.
Marc-Andre Fleury — who entered Game 5 when Filip Gustavsson left due to illness — has now appeared in the playoffs in 18 different seasons, breaking a tie with Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy for the most such seasons in NHL history.
Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche
Game 6 (DAL leads 3-2) | 9:30 p.m. ET | TBS
The Stars have a 21-3 series record when leading 3-2 in a best-of-seven series, while the Avalanche have a 2-15 series record when trailing 3-2 in a best-of-seven series.
Wyatt Johnston‘s goal nine seconds into Game 5 is tied for the fifth-fastest goal to start a game in Stanley Cup playoff history. Johnston leads the Stars in scoring this postseason, with five points (two goals, three assists) through five games.
Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists in Game 5, and he became the seventh player in NHL history to score a playoff goal against a team with which he scored 100 or more postseason points.
With a goal and an assist in Game 5, Nathan MacKinnon registered the 35th multipoint game of his postseason career, third most in Avalanche/Nordiques history.
Cale Makar has been very quiet by his standards, with just two assists through five games. Prior to this postseason, he had scored 80 points in 72 career postseason games, including 29 in 20 games en route to the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in 2022.
Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers
Game 6 (EDM leads 3-2) | 10 p.m. ET | ESPN
The Oilers have a 14-1 series record when leading a best-of-seven 3-2, while the Kings have a 5-9 series record when behind by the same margin.
Edmonton is the third team in Stanley Cup playoff history with three straight comeback wins after facing a 2-0 series deficit, joining the Golden Knights in 2021 and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
The three players tied for the playoff scoring lead are in this series: Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (two goals, eight assists) and Leon Draisaitl (three goals, seven assists) and L.A.’s Adrian Kempe (four goals, six assists).
The switch to Calvin Pickard was a smart one for the Oilers; he has the ninth-best save percentage (.904) this postseason, compared to Stuart Skinner (last, at .810).
Anze Kopitar has 26 playoff goals, tied with Jeff Carter and Dave Taylor for the third most in franchise playoff history, behind Wayne Gretzky (29) and Luc Robitaille (41).
Arda’s three stars from Wednesday night
Thompson made 28 saves and allowed only one goal to backstop the Caps to a 4-1 win and a 4-1 series win, Washington’s first series victory since winning the Cup in 2018.
0:37
Caps fans love Logan Thompson’s save late in the 3rd
Logan Thompson makes a crucial save for the Capitals to secure their 3-1 lead over the Canadiens.
He had a four-point night, including the insurance goal in the third period, to propel the Cats to capture the Battle of Florida, with a 6-3 final in Game 5 and a 4-1 series win, eliminating Tampa Bay.
Connor had a goal and two assists as Winnipeg keeps the home-team-wins-every-game trend alive in this series, as the Jets defeated the Blues 5-3 to take a 3-2 series lead. With his second game with three or more points this postseason, he became the third player in Thrashers/Jets 2.0 postseason history with multiple games with three-plus points in a single postseason, joining Blake Wheeler (three in 2018) and Paul Stastny (two in 2018).
Wednesday’s scores
Washington Capitals 4, Montreal Canadiens 1
WSH wins series 4-1, plays CAR in next round
Although a Canadiens win in Game 3 meant there would not be a sweep in the series, the Capitals made sure to get the job done before a trip back to Montreal. Alex Ovechkin started the scoring in the first period, joined by Jakob Chychrun in that frame and Tom Wilson in the second. Emil Heineman scored in the third to bring the score to 3-1, but Montreal got no closer before Brandon Duhaime‘s empty-net goal to seal the deal. Full recap.
1:58
Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals: Game Highlights
Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals: Game Highlights
Florida Panthers 6, Tampa Bay Lightning 3
FLA wins series 4-1, plays winner of TOR-OTT
Both teams came out strong in the first period, with Lightning goals by Gage Goncalves and Nick Paul and Panthers goals from Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell. The tide turned in the second, with the Panthers taking a 4-3 lead on goals by Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett, with the Bolts scoring one off the stick of Jake Guentzel. In the third, it was all about the Panthers’ defensive system refusing any efforts from Tampa Bay, while Eetu Luostarinen scored off a patient feed from Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart added an empty-netter. Full recap.
1:59
Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning: Game Highlights
Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning: Game Highlights
Winnipeg Jets 5, St. Louis Blues 3
WPG leads 3-2 | Game 6 Friday
The scoring began quickly, as Kyle Connor netted a goal for Winnipeg 1:23 in, and Nathan Walker answered for the Blues at 3:42. Winnipeg carried a 2-1 edge into the second thanks to Nino Niederreiter‘s first of the postseason. After Jimmy Snuggerud tied it with his second career playoff goal, Dylan DeMelo and Vladislav Namestnikov netted goals to put Winnipeg up 4-2. The score would remain the same until Adam Lowry‘s empty-netter made it 5-2; Walker would add a goal with less than a minute left to pull the game back within two, but that was it. Full recap.
2:00
St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets: Game Highlights
St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets: Game Highlights
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Andrea Adelson
Florida State freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard was released from the hospital Thursday, nearly six weeks after he was shot in the back of the head while driving his aunt home.
In a statement, Florida State said Pritchard is alert, responsive and able to communicate. He is being moved from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital to Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville for the next stage in his recovery.
On a video posted to Instagram Stories by quarterback Tommy Castellanos, the entire FSU team cheered Pritchard as he was wheeled on a stretcher out of the hospital for the trip to Jacksonville.
“We are thankful for the efforts, thoughts and prayers of so many people and ask that you continue to support Ethan and his family as this process continues,” the school said in a statement.
Pritchard was shot Aug. 31 in what the authorities have described as a case of mistaken identity. He was dropping his aunt and a child off following a family party in Havana, Florida, about 16 miles from Tallahassee, near the Georgia state line.
Four people were arrested last month in connection with the shooting.
“I am so thankful for everyone who has prayed for my son,” said Earl Pritchard, Ethan’s father. “There have been a lot of ups and downs over these last 39 days, and it is remarkable that Ethan and I were able to leave the hospital together today.”
Earl Pritchard also thanked Florida State coach Mike Norvell for checking in every day and being a constant presence in the hospital.
“His players and staff have continued to make us feel part of the team,” Earl Pritchard said. “I can’t fully express how much those moments have meant to me and Ethan.”
Earl Pritchard also thanked the hospital and Florida State sports medicine staffs as well as the staff at Seminole High in Sanford, Florida, where Ethan played, for the support.
“I also want to thank Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young and the FDLE for their hard work and dedication to pursuing justice for Ethan,” Earl Pritchard said. “My heart is filled with gratitude for the outpouring of support for so many people, and I’m so appreciative for every single one of you.
“Ethan has a long journey ahead of him, but I know he will continue to fight and he will do so with the full support of our FSU and Seminole County families and all who have been impacted by his story.”
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Alden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers removed high-earning reliever Tanner Scott from their National League Division Series roster on Thursday and replaced him with fellow left-hander Justin Wrobleski, a move that makes Scott ineligible for the next round.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed after Wednesday’s 8-2 loss in Game 3 that Scott was unavailable, a big reason why Clayton Kershaw was forced to come back out for what became a five-run eighth inning by the Philadelphia Phillies. Scott underwent what Roberts described as a lower-body abscess incision on Wednesday night.
“Minor procedure,” Roberts said before Thursday’s Game 4. “I don’t know a whole lot about it, to be quite honest with you, but I do know that he’s recovering well.”
The Dodgers signed Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract over the offseason, but his first year in L.A. has been a massive struggle. Scott, 31, posted a 4.74 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP while allowing 11 home runs in 2025, the same amount he allowed over the previous three years combined. By the time the postseason rolled around, Scott had fallen out of favor. Roberts did not utilize him in any of the first four playoff games.
Scott started to show signs of an issue during Tuesday’s workout in L.A., Roberts said, though he added: “I don’t think we knew exactly the extent of it.” He described Scott’s procedure on Wednesday as “an “urgent matter.” The hope is Scott can still contribute, in some way, to the Dodgers’ playoff run.
“I still feel that the World Series, if we’re fortunate enough to get there, earn our way there, then he’ll be available,” Roberts added.
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