2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: Updated Bracket, Schedule, and April 19 Highlights
Four first-round Game 1s played out Sunday in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. Each winner took a 1-0 series edge.
Sunday results
| Matchup | Score | Series |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings | 2-1 | Avalanche lead 1-0 |
| Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | 4-3 (OT) | Canadiens lead 1-0 |
| Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins | 4-3 | Sabres lead 1-0 |
| Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth | 4-2 | Golden Knights lead 1-0 |
Game recaps
Avalanche 2, Kings 1
Colorado broke a scoreless opening period with a late second-period goal. Artturi Lehkonen scored first, then Logan O’Connor added a third-period wrist shot. Artemi Panarin replied on the power play late, but Los Angeles could not equalize. Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves for the Avalanche.
Canadiens 4, Lightning 3 (OT)
Juraj Slafkovský recorded a hat trick and finished the game in overtime. Josh Anderson opened the scoring for Montreal. Brandon Hagel scored twice for Tampa Bay, including a third-period equalizer. Jakub Dobes stopped 20 of 23 shots in net for the Canadiens.
Sabres 4, Bruins 3
Buffalo rallied from a two-goal deficit early in the third. Tage Thompson scored twice late to spark the comeback. Mattias Samuelsson gave the Sabres the lead and Alex Tuch added an empty-net goal. Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves for Boston, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen faced just 20 shots.
Golden Knights 4, Mammoth 2
Utah led 2-1 after two periods, but Vegas dominated the third. Mark Stone tied the game, and Nic Dowd supplied the go-ahead goal. Ivan Barbashev added an empty-netter to seal the win. Carter Hart finished with 32 saves on 34 shots.
Upcoming schedule
See 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: Updated Bracket, Schedule, and April 19 Highlights on Filmogaz.com.
- Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins — Game 2, 7 p.m. ET (Flyers lead 1-0).
- Carolina Hurricanes vs. Ottawa Senators — Game 2, 7:30 p.m. ET (Hurricanes lead 1-0).
- Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars — Game 2, 9:30 p.m. ET (Wild lead 1-0).
- Anaheim Ducks vs. Edmonton Oilers — Game 1, 10 p.m. ET.
The first round resumes with these matchups on the schedule. Expect tighter games as teams adjust to playoff intensity.
