The Daily Seal

The NHL playoffs started off with a bang
Paris Allen-Szalno, Daily Seal Student Writer

Introduction

The chase for the Stanley cup began on Saturday, April 18th. The teams that played were Buffalo vs. Boston, Tampa Bay vs. Montreal, Carolina vs. Ottawa, and Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia in the first round. In the second round 

One of the biggest stories so far is the Philadelphia Flyers. Even though they were a “wild card” team, they have absolutely dominated their rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins. 19-year-old rookie Porter Martone has become the talk of the league after scoring game-winning goals in both Game 1 and Game 2—making him the first teenager in NHL history to ever do that.

Current Leaders (As of April 24, 2026)

• Some teams are very close to moving on to the second round:
• Colorado Avalanche: Leading their series against the Los Angeles Kings 3–0 
• Carolina Hurricanes: Leading the Ottawa Senators 3–0 
• Philadelphia Flyers: Leading the Pittsburgh Penguins 3–0 
• Buffalo Sabres: Leading the Boston Bruins 2–1 

Some standout players

David Pasternak- leads the league in playoffs despite his team being down 2-1.

Juraj Slavkovsky scored a hat trick in game one and leads all players with 3 power play goals.

Joel Eriksson Ek- a physical force for the wild, currently tied for the lead in total points.

Frederick Andersen- the primary reason Carolina leads 3-0, he has been nearly perfect in the net.

As the first round enters its do-or-die phase, the pressure shifts from the scoreboard to the locker room. For the Avalanche, Flyers, and Hurricanes, the mission is simple: finish the job and rest up for Round 2. But for their opponents, the next 60 minutes will define their entire year.

Buckle up. The real season is just getting started!