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The Canadiens won their first playoff game in overtime.
Three other series got underway.
Here are the highlights and results:
Day 2 of the #StanleyCup
Playoffs saw three teams secure a comeback win, including the @BuffaloSabres
who recorded the second-latest, multi-goal comeback victory in regulation in NHL history.
#NHLStats
: https://t.co/v9zwSqVgAY
pic.twitter.com/qctr77lWR4— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) April 20, 2026
“I'm coming for you and I'm going to kill you”: A Knights player threatens to kill an opponent
The Knights-Mammoth series also kicked off last night.
Vegas got off to a strong start in the series with a 4-2 win. Utah had taken a 2-1 lead in the game, however.
Carter Hart would probably like to see that play again.
Carter Hart tried to deflect a weak shot into the corner but it went off Kaedan Korczak and INTO THE NET
pic.twitter.com/0Rl2vHkj3H
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 20, 2026
Vegas then scored three unanswered goals.
First, captain Mark Stone tied the game.
MARK STONE ON THE DOORSTEP!!
#StanleyCup
: @espn
: @Sportsnet & @TVASports pic.twitter.com/smr6evU6lF
— NHL (@NHL) April 20, 2026
Noah Hanifin scored the game-winner.
HANIFIN TO DOWD AND THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS ARE IN THE LEAD!!
#StanleyCup
— NHL (@NHL) April 20, 2026
And, Karel Vejmelka's poor exit allowed Ivan Barbashev to score his first goal of the playoffs.
Vejmelka didn't even make it to the bench before Vegas gained possession and shot it into the empty net
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 20, 2026
The Knights' other goal was scored by Nic Dowd.
At the end of the game, he threatened to kill Logan Cooley.
“I'm coming for you, and I'm gonna f**king kill you.”
Nic Dowd with some choice words for Logan Cooley after the game
pic.twitter.com/UU9r5OiIbU
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 20, 2026
Yeah…
John Tortorella's team leads the series 1-0.
The two teams will face off again on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m., still in Nevada.
The Sabres' first playoff win since 2011
The Sabres are back in the playoffs for the first time in 1,000 years.
Let's just say their first game got off to a rough start. They gave up the first goal to the Bruins in the opening minutes.
MORGAN GEEKIE AND THE BRUINS STRIKE FIRST ON THE ROAD
pic.twitter.com/8wVL0UxPoJ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 20, 2026
Early in the third period, Boston struck early to double their lead.
Elias Lindholm scored his 14th career playoff goal.
ELIAS LINDHOLM MAKES IT 2-0 BRUINS EARLY IN THE 3RD
pic.twitter.com/KQSdou7u2i
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 20, 2026
The Sabres never gave up.
The regular-season leading scorer, Tage Thompson, scored two goals in 3:42 to send the game into overtime.
TAGE THOMPSON SCORES BUFFALO'S FIRST GOAL OF THE #STANLEYCUP PLAYOFFS!
— NHL (@NHL) April 20, 2026
TAGE MF THOMPSON 
LITERAL ICE IN HIS VEINSSSSSS pic.twitter.com/v9ofwY4HeR
— GG (@wheresGin) April 20, 2026
And less than a minute after Thompson's second goal, Mattias Samuelsson sent the KeyBank Center into a frenzy with a third unanswered goal.
What an atmosphere in Buffalo. Wow!
MATTIAS SAMUELSSON BLOWS THE ROOF OFF OF KEYBANK CENTER AND THE SABRES LEAD IN GAME 1!!!!!!!#LETSGOBUFFALO pic.twitter.com/asuF8clMcg
— The Rink Report (@the_rink_report) April 20, 2026
Alex Tuch rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal. Final score: 4-3. The Bruins scored in the final seconds, but it was obviously too late.
Lindy Ruff's squad now leads the series 1-0 and has won its first playoff game since 2011.
On Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., the two teams will face off again in Buffalo.
The Avalanche Holds On
This afternoon, the Avalanche hosted the Kings in a series that shouldn't go past Game 5.
The odds held true in this first game. Colorado held on and won 2-1.
The Colorado Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings to get Game 1 victory!!! #colorado #goavsgo #kings #LosAngeles #nhl pic.twitter.com/JcFvPeyT9x
— Gate 7 Sports (@Gate7sports) April 19, 2026
Artturi Lehkonen scored the first goal.
His 27th career playoff goal.
ARTTURI LEHKONEN OPENS THE SCORING FOR THE AVALANCHE
pic.twitter.com/hAZE3k7mJU
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 19, 2026
Logan O'Connor, who had a goal disallowed earlier in the game, bounced back.
He doubled his team's lead.
Colorado goal!
Scored by Logan O'Connor with 14:10 remaining in the 3rd period.
Assisted by Jack Drury.
Colorado: 2
Los Angeles: 0#LAKvsCOL
#GoAvsGo
#GoKingsGo
pic.twitter.com/xgppa0frnt— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 19, 2026
Artemi Panarin, in his first playoff game with the Kings, narrowed the gap.
It was, however, too little, too late.
Power play goal for Los Angeles!
Scored by Artemi Panarin with 02:22 remaining in the 3rd period.
Assisted by Alex Laferriere and Brandt Clarke.
Colorado: 2
Los Angeles: 1#LAKvsCOL
#GoAvsGo
#GoKingsGo
pic.twitter.com/zH2BiZuuin— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 19, 2026
Jared Bednar's team leads the series 1-0.
On Tuesday, both teams will be back in action, still in Denver.
Overtime
– Bad penalty by the former Canadiens player.
Armia with a high-sticking penalty just 30 seconds later…
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 19, 2026
– The top scorers from Day 2 of the playoffs.
– The Oilers and Ducks kick off their series tonight. The Wild, Flyers, and Hurricanes will look to take a 2-0 lead against their respective opponents.
