Three Canadian teams are in action on Tuesday, but two will face elimination. The Vancouver Canucks are still thanking the hockey gods after Colton Sissons somehow missed an empty net in Game 4, leading to Elias Lindholm’s overtime winner.
The Jets looked like they would be firmly in the driver’s seat against the Avalanche after Game 1. But it may likely be a series to forget for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck who hasn’t allowed fewer than four goals in a game this series.
As for the Leafs, at least Mitch Marner and William Nylander aren’t bickering on the bench anymore. But that won’t stop people from wondering what was said in Game 4. Nylander was mic’d up according to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston.
We needn’t forget about the Islanders as well, who needed overtime in Game 4 to extend their playoff lives. But one more mistake will prove fatal against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Odds are from BetMGM and update live. Buy tickets to see your favorite team on StubHub.
How to watch: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, SN
Bruins lead series 3-1
Series odds: Panthers -10000, Lightning +1600
• Auston Matthews was a no-show at Leafs practice on Monday. He missed the third period of Saturday night’s Game 4 due to an illness he’s been playing through. Monday’s practice lines looked pretty indicative that the Leafs are preparing not to have him in their lineup on Tuesday.
• Brad Marchand was also not present at Bruins practice on Monday. If he isn’t available for Tuesday night’s game, he’d be a big loss. Marchand leads his team with three goals (Jake DeBrusk is also tied for the team lead with three goals) and eight points through four games in this series, recording at least one point in every game.
• Have we seen the end of Ilya Samsonov in this Leafs-Bruins series? If so, it means Joseph Woll could start Game 5. In five career playoff appearances for Toronto, Woll has a record of 1-2 with both his losses coming in overtime. His other two games were relief appearances. If the Leafs go back to Samsonov, he’ll have to work to do if he wants to improve his 1-3 record with a less-than-ideal .883 save percentage.
• You can’t blame the Bruins for going back to Jeremy Swayman again for Game 5. Swayman continues to be lights out against the Leafs, with a perfect 3-0-0 record this postseason to go with a 1.34 goals-against average and a .956 save percentage.
How to watch: 7:30 p.m. ET on TBS, SN360
Hurricanes lead series 3-1
Series odds: Hurricanes -10000, Islanders +1600
• Semyon Varlamov will start Game 5 for the Islanders. Varlamov’s Game 4 win was his first-ever Stanley Cup playoff win in four tries. All four of his career playoff games have been against the Hurricanes. In both games against Carolina on the road, Varlamov was 0-2, posting a .905 save percentage and allowing six goals between both games.
• The Islanders need Mathew Barzal to stand out in this series if they want to give themselves a chance. His two goals in Game 4 were his first of this year’s postseason. It snapped a four-game playoff goalless drought. All four games, dating back to last year, were against Carolina.
• Four Hurricanes players have four points each, but only one of them hasn’t registered a goal: Andrei Svechnikov. The Russian forward only has one Stanley Cup playoff goal in his last 12 postseason games.
Colorado Avalanche at Winnipeg Jets — Game 5
How to watch: 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, SN
Avalanche lead series 3-1
Series odds: Bruins -275, Maple Leafs +225
• So, how bad has it been for Vezina Trophy nominee Connor Hellebuyck this postseason? 1-3 record with an .870 save percentage and a 5.22 goals-against average. If you want to go beyond this series, Hellebuyck only has two wins in his last 13 playoff games.
• On the flip side, Alexandar Georgiev — who ended the regular season with the most wins of any goalie — has turned his game around after Game 1. Here are his stats in the last three games: a 3-0 record, .938 save percentage and a 1.67 goals-against average.
• Artturi Lehkonen is a proven playoff performer, twice scoring goals to send his team to the Cup final in his career. In this series, he’s scored a goal in every game, so far. His four goals this postseason are halfway to the eight he scored in 2021-22, the most goals he’s ever scored in one postseason.
How to watch: 10 p.m. ET on TBS, SN360
Canucks lead series 3-1
Series odds: Golden Knights -450, Stars +350
• The Vancouver Canucks won Game 4 with Arturs Silovs in net, the third goalie they’ve used in this series. The last time a team won three games in a series three different goalies? The 2004 Vancouver Canucks, who won games with Dan Cloutier, Johan Hedberg and ‘Big Bald’ Alex Auld. How did that series end for Vancouver? That’s not the point.
• If you’re trying to remember the last time the Canucks won a playoff series at home, you have to go back to 2011 when they beat the San Jose Sharks in five games. The 2020 bubble playoffs were the last time Vancouver won a playoff series in any fashion.
• The Predators are trying to stave off elimination in Game 5. They are 6-15 in elimination games.
• Despite having nine different goal-scorers, Filip Forsberg is the only Predators forward to have scored more than one goal for his team through four games in this series.
(Photo of Matthew Knies and Pavel Zacha: Rich Gagnon / Getty Images)
