
Stanley Cup playoffs daily: What to watch in Sunday's four Game 1s
What to watch in Sunday's four Game 1s of the Stanley Cup playoffs
The Colorado Avalanche begin their 2026 Stanley Cup playoff run today. The Dallas Stars faced a tough loss in Game 1, raising concerns about their performance against the Minnesota Wild.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesIsaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
The Avalanche open their 2026 Stanley Cup playoff run today. Three series kicked off on Saturday, with the road team winning twice. In the Central Division, the Stars got clobbered. Could they be in trouble against Quinn Hughes and the Wild?
All that and more on this edition of Deenâs Daily â April 19.
We made it. The postseason are upon us, and the Avalanche play playoff hockey in just a few short hours.
Practice on Saturday was as upbeat and positive as youâd expect from the Presidentsâ Trophy winners, with what will be a fully healthy lineup for Game 1.
There was a surprise on the second line. Or maybe it wasnât much of a surprise given where he ranks on the team in goals, but Parker Kelly will likely open the postseason with Brock Nelson and Valeri Nichushkin. And as for the third line? Itâs going to be my favorite line to watch.
I chatted with all three of them after practice. They were all extremely excited to play together.
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Game 1 Recap â Senators at Hurricanes â (CAR leads 1-0)
Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk tried to set the tone for the series by challenging to a fight off the opening faceoff. It didnât work. The Hurricanes won 2-0, and the Sens had just nine shots through two periods before putting 13 on in the third. But it was too little late.
The Colorado Avalanche start their 2026 Stanley Cup playoff run today.
The Dallas Stars were clobbered in Game 1, raising concerns about their chances in the series.
In the NHL playoff series that started on Saturday, the road team won twice.
The Dallas Stars are facing the Minnesota Wild in the playoffs.

What to watch in Sunday's four Game 1s of the Stanley Cup playoffs

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I might be in the minority, but the Tkachuks doing stuff like that to start a game isnât doing it for me anymore. Iâm not sure why, as captain, you need to set the tone by taking yourself out of the game for five minutes. Ottawa needs Tkachuk on the ice, not in the box. How does that help his team?
Game 1 Recap â Wild at Stars â (MIN leads 1-0)
The Wild went into Dallas for Game 1 and escaped with a commanding 6-1 victory. Everything was working for the Wild, from their power play to penalty kill, goaltending, and offense. The Stars didnât quite get involved in this one the way we wouldâve thought.
It was a pretty similar start to how Dallas looked against the Avs in the opening game last year. The only thing is, without Pete DeBoer behind the bench, will they be able to rebound as quickly?
Game 1 Recap â Flyers at Penguins â (PHI leads 1-0)
How great is it to watch these two teams go at it in the playoffs again? The Flyers and Penguins didnât give each other much space to work with. They combined for just 37 shots, and the Flyers won 3-2 to snag the opening game. Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust scored for the Pens, the latter of which came with just 61 seconds left while trailing by two.
There was a lot the Penguins couldâve done better, and having a veteran group should be enough for them to rebound in Game 2. But at the same time, itâs promising for the Flyers that the young guys stepped up the way they did. Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale combined on the first goal, with Denver Barkey recording the secondary assist. Those were three forwards all making their playoff debuts.
And of course, Porter Martone had to put his stamp on this one by scoring what ended up standing as the game-winner.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now:Â Inside a stubborn loss, and what must change for Pittsburgh before Game 2.
**Carolina Hockey Now:**Breaking down the Hurricanesâ opening game shutout, and the decision to go with Andersen between the pipes.
San Jose Hockey Now: Macklin Celebrini is eligible to sign a contract extension a year early on July 1. Hereâs what he had to say about that possible scenario.
**Detroit Hockey Now:**The Red Wings arenât in the playoffs, but several former Wings are.