Expert Hockey Picks and Previews

Game 3 shifts to Grand Casino Arena on Wednesday night, with the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild tied 1-1 in this first-round Western Conference series. Puck drop is set for 9:30 PM ET on TNT, and the tone of the matchup changed fast after the first two games. Minnesota rolled in the opener, then Dallas answered with a 4-2 win

Flyers return home in search of 3-0 lead over Penguins In a first-round playoff series between Pennsylvania rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers threw the first punch — and the second. Holding a 2-0 edge in the best-of-seven series, the Flyers look to take a commanding lead on the Pittsburgh Penguins when the teams reconvene for Game 3 Wednesday in Philadelphia. After

Montreal heads back into Benchmark International Arena on Tuesday night for Game 2 with a 1-0 series lead after stealing the opener in overtime. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET on ESPN2, and this is a tight Atlantic Division matchup in every sense. The Canadiens finished 48-24-10 and grabbed the No. 3 seed, while Tampa Bay went 50-26-6

Boston heads into Game 2 in a real pressure spot now. The Bruins finished the regular season 45-27-10 with 100 points and grabbed the first wild card in the East, but they are already down 1-0 in this series after blowing a 2-0 third-period lead in Buffalo on Sunday. The Sabres, meanwhile, went 50-23-9 for 109 points, won the Atlantic,

Utah heads into Game 2 needing a response after Sunday’s 4-2 loss, and that is really the story here. The Mammoth earned the West’s top wild-card spot at 43-33-6, but they have dropped four of their last five overall and now face a tougher ask at T-Mobile Arena with Vegas already up 1-0 in the series. Puck drop is set

Game 2 of this Western Conference first-round series shifts back into a pretty familiar pressure spot for Los Angeles. The Kings head into Ball Arena on Tuesday night for a 10:00 PM ET start on ESPN, already down 1-0 in the series after a 2-1 loss on Sunday, and that matters because Colorado has already taken all four meetings between

Kings hope physical play will help solve Avs in Game 2 The Los Angeles Kings believe they have a plan heading into Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night in Denver. After averaging 20.1 hits during the regular season, the Kings delivered 49 during the 2-1 loss to Colorado in Game 1

Golden Knights feeling good vibes heading into G2 vs. Mammoth After scoring three consecutive goals in the third period to pull out a 4-2 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series with Utah on Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights had good reason to feel positive. After all, the Pacific Division champions still have yet to lose

Lightning in need of better execution to avoid 2-0 hole vs. Canadiens The Tampa Bay Lightning are under no false illusions after losing the opening clash of their Eastern Conference first-round series. The Lightning were not good enough and expect much better of themselves when they play host to the Montreal Canadiens for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series Tuesday.