NHL Player News

Hart stopped 20 of 21 shots in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Avalanche in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

Hart and a tight defensive performance from the Golden Knights was enough to get the sweep over the Presidents' Trophy winners. Hart has now won six straight games, and he's allowed just 10 goals in that span. Overall, he's at a 12-4 record with a 2.22 GAA and a .922 save percentage over 16 playoff outings. He'll have some time to rest ahead of the Stanley Cup Finals, which will see Vegas oppose either Carolina or Montreal.

Blackwood is expected to defend the road net against Vegas on Tuesday in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, according to Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette.

Blackwood made three appearances in Colorado's second-round series against Minnesota, surrendering six goals on 47 shots en route to a 1-0 record. Scott Wedgewood has struggled in three playoff defeats versus Vegas, allowing nine goals on 73 shots. As a result, the Avalanche will turn to Blackwood in an attempt to stave off elimination and force Game 5 back in Colorado on Thursday. The Golden Knights have amassed 3.73 goals per game this postseason.

Hart is scheduled to start at home in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Avalanche on Tuesday, SinBin.vegas reports.

Hart surrendered three first-period goals in Game 3 on Sunday, but the Golden Knights were able to erase the deficit and earn a 5-3 win to put the Avalanche on the brink of elimination. It marked the first time Hart had given up at least three goals since Game 4 in Anaheim in the second round. The 27-year-old is in peak form, as he's posted a .948 save percentage and a 1.78 GAA during his current five-game winning streak. Forcing a Game 5 will probably be tough for the Avalanche, as Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin are contending with lower-body injuries, and their statuses for Tuesday's matchup have yet to be revealed.

Dobes stopped 35 shots Monday in the Canadiens' 3-2 overtime loss to the Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Montreal was outshot 38-13 on the night, but Dobes did everything he could to keep his team in the contest, only for Andrei Svechnikov to sneak a shot past him through traffic late in the first OT period. Dobes has had an outstanding postseason run, posting a 2.50 GAA and .910 save percentage in 17 games, but the 24-year-old netminder will need more help in Game 4 on Wednesday if the Habs are going to avoid being on the brink of elimination.

Andersen made 11 saves Monday in the Hurricanes' 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Carolina continues to play stingy defense and limit chances against Andersen, and the veteran netminder had little chance on a Montreal power-play goal early in the second period that tied the game at 2-2. He shut the door the rest of the way before Andrei Svechnikov found the OT winner. Andersen's 2.77 GAA and .804 save percentage in the ECF are alarming, but it's been good enough to get the 'Canes two wins away from the Stanley Cup Finals. He should be between the pipes again for Game 4 on Wednesday.

Dobes will tend the home twine in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Hurricanes on Monday, per Eric Engels of Sportsnet.

Dobes is coming off a 23-save effort in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Hurricanes in Game 2. The 24-year-old netminder has yet to lose back-to-back games during the 2026 postseason, and through 16 starts overall, Dobes is 9-7 with a 2.51 GAA and a .909 save percentage. As for the Hurricanes, they have not lost on the road during the playoffs.

Andersen is expected to defend the road net in Game 3 against Montreal on Monday, per Peter Dewar and Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site.

Andersen had to make only 10 saves in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He has posted a 9-1 record this postseason with a 1.55 GAA and a .927 save percentage through 10 appearances. Montreal has registered a mere 24.1 shots per game in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, yet has scored 51 goals over 16 contests.

Wedgewood stopped 18 of 22 shots in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The fifth goal was an empty-netter.

Wedgewood was given the nod again in Vegas despite losing the previous two games on home ice. The Avalanche gave him a 3-0 lead in the first period, but the Golden Knights charged back and took the contest. This is the first time Wedgewood has lost three straight games all year. He's down to 7-4 with a 2.47 GAA and a .904 save percentage over 11 playoff outings. With Wedgewood's struggles against the Golden Knights, head coach Jared Bednar may consider turning to Mackenzie Blackwood with the Avalanche's season on the line in Game 4 on Tuesday.

Hart stopped 32 of 35 shots in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Avalanche in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.

Hart gave up all three goals in the first 13:15 of the opening frame. Head coach John Tortorella stuck with the goalie, and Hart responded well to pick up his fifth straight win. This was his first instance of allowing more than two goals during the streak. Hart is up to 11-4 with a 2.30 GAA and a .921 save percentage over 15 playoff outings. Hart and the Golden Knights have a chance to close out the series on home ice in Game 4 on Tuesday.

Wedgewood will be between the road pipes in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals versus the Golden Knights on Sunday.

Wedgewood started the playoffs with six straight wins, but he's faltered lately, going 1-3 over his last four outings while allowing eight goals on 70 shots. However, head coach Jared Bednar is showing trust in the 33-year-old netminder, as Colorado's bench boss could have elected to go with Mackenzie Blackwood since Wedgewood was in net for the first two games of this series, both of which were losses. The Avalanche are getting a huge boost to their lineup Sunday -- Cale Makar (upper body) is giving it a go in his usual spot on the No. 1 pairing next to Devon Toews.