The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have already brought significant drama and unexpected moments, including players returning after long injury absences and others pushing through various physical challenges.
As Thursday arrives, two teams hold a dominant 2-0 lead in their respective series. Historical data strongly favors their position: in best-of-seven series, teams that take a 2-0 lead have gone on to win the series 86% of the time.
Will this historical trend continue for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets? Or can the Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Blues capitalize on home ice advantage to earn crucial victories?
Elsewhere, can the Florida Panthers secure another road win against the Tampa Bay Lightning? And who will gain the critical edge in a pivotal Game 3 between the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild?
Below are previews for tonight`s games, featuring key statistics and insights, along with a summary of Wednesday`s results and Arda Öcal`s Three Stars of the Night.
Matchup Notes
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Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning
Game 3 (FLA leads 2-0)
With the Panthers now up 2-0, the series odds have shifted, positioning Florida as the clear favorite.
Matthew Tkachuk`s return after over two months out was impactful, scoring two goals in Game 1 to help the Panthers take the lead in the “Battle of Florida.” Matthew and his brother Brady both scored goals on the same day, marking the 83rd instance of brothers doing so in Stanley Cup playoffs history. The most recent prior occurrence was Marcus and Nick Foligno on April 21, 2023.
Sergei Bobrovsky continues to be a playoff force for the Panthers. His win in Game 1 was his 45th career playoff victory, placing him fifth among goalies born outside North America. The leader in that category is his opponent, Andrei Vasilevskiy, with 66 wins.
Nikita Kucherov, the league`s leading point-scorer in the regular season, was limited to just one assist in Game 1. Will Tampa Bay`s top offensive threat be contained again?
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Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators
Game 3 (TOR leads 2-0)
The Maple Leafs, seeking just their second playoff series win in two decades, are halfway there in this “Battle of Ontario.” Notably, this marks the first time the Leafs have held a 2-0 series lead in a best-of-seven since their 2002 series win against the New York Islanders.
Max Domi became the overtime hero for Toronto in Game 2, scoring his first playoff OT goal. His father, Tie Domi, despite playing 98 playoff games, never achieved this, aligning with his reputation more as a physical player than a scorer.
Toronto`s key offensive players continue to lead. John Tavares (two goals, two assists), Mitch Marner (one goal, three assists), William Nylander (one goal, two assists), and Auston Matthews (three assists) occupy the top spots on the team`s playoff scoring list entering Game 3. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz has also performed strongly, becoming the sixth netminder in franchise history to win his first two playoff starts with the Leafs.
For Ottawa to mount a comeback, a standout performance from goaltender Linus Ullmark will be crucial. The 2023 Vezina Trophy winner has a save percentage of .800 through two games, having allowed nine goals on 45 shots. During the regular season, Ullmark was excellent against Toronto, allowing only two goals on 50 shots across two wins for the Senators.
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Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild
Game 3 (series tied 1-1)
Game 3 is often pivotal in a tied series. Historically, the winner of Game 3 when a series is tied 1-1 has gone on to win the series 66% of the time (240-123 record in Stanley Cup playoff history).
The Wild started strong in Game 2, scoring three goals in the first period and maintaining control against the Golden Knights. Kirill Kaprizov showcased his Hart Trophy-level talent, scoring two goals and adding a remarkable assist on Matt Boldy`s goal. Kaprizov`s second goal tied him with Marian Gaborik for second place in Wild history for playoff goals, trailing only Zach Parise.
For Vegas, Tomas Hertl, often known for his playoff performances, has made an immediate impact, scoring a goal in each of the first two games. He is the fourth player to score in his first two games with the Golden Knights, joining Mark Stone, William Karlsson, and Jonathan Marchessault.
The Knights are hoping goaltender Adin Hill can rebound. His save percentage is .833 through two games this series, a dip from his .931 in three games last postseason and .932 during their 2023 Stanley Cup run.
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Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues
Game 3 (WPG leads 2-0)
Adding to the historical challenge for the Blues, Presidents` Trophy winners (like the Jets) who have won the first two games of a best-of-seven series have advanced 95% of the time since the 1985-86 season.
St. Louis will need to limit Kyle Connor, particularly in close games. He has scored the game-winning goal in both games of the series so far, increasing his career total to five and surpassing Paul Stastny for the most in Jets 2.0/Atlanta Thrashers franchise history.
Blues rookie Jimmy Snuggerud, who played collegiately earlier this spring, became the second rookie to score a goal this postseason, joining Carolina`s Logan Stankoven.
Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, who led the Blues in regular-season scoring and both tallied goals in Game 1, were held off the scoresheet in Game 2.
Arda`s Three Stars from Wednesday Night
1. Gabriel Landeskog
LW, Colorado Avalanche
Sometimes the statistics are secondary. The return of the Avalanche captain to the NHL for the first time since hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2022 was a significant moment, celebrated across the hockey community. A truly welcome sight!
2. Adrian Kempe
RW, Los Angeles Kings
Kempe had a strong performance with two goals and two assists as the Kings dominated the Oilers 6-2, securing both home games before the series moves to Edmonton.
3. Logan Thompson
G, Washington Capitals
Thompson made 25 saves, including crucial stops on dangerous chances in the third period, helping the Capitals defeat the Canadiens 3-1 and take a 2-0 series lead.
Wednesday`s Scores
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Washington Capitals 3, Montreal Canadiens 1
(WSH leads 2-0)
This game proved tighter than some analysts expected. Montreal`s Christian Dvorak opened the scoring in the second period, but the Capitals quickly responded with two goals within a minute from Connor McMichael and Dylan Strome. Washington held onto the lead, aided by key saves from Logan Thompson. McMichael sealed the win with an empty-net goal just before the final buzzer, ensuring the Capitals take a 2-0 lead heading to Montreal for Game 3.
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Dallas Stars 2, Colorado Avalanche 1 (OT)
(DAL leads 2-1)
The major headline was the emotional return of Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog after a three-year absence. Valeri Nichushkin`s first-period goal ignited the crowd. However, the veteran Dallas Stars responded; captain Jamie Benn tied the game midway through the third period, and Tyler Seguin scored the game-winner at 5:31 of overtime.
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Los Angeles Kings 6, Edmonton Oilers 2
(LA leads 2-0)
After being eliminated by the Oilers in the first round for the past three postseasons, are the Kings finally poised to overcome their rivals from Alberta? Scoring six goals per game, as they have done so far, would certainly help. Brandt Clarke opened the scoring with a power-play goal. Quinton Byfield, Andrei Kuzmenko, Adrian Kempe (with two), and Anze Kopitar also found the back of the net. The Kings` power play has been exceptionally effective in this series, converting on five of ten opportunities.
Rupert Hartwell 
Benedict Kingsley