NEW YORK (April 17, 2024) – The National Hockey League today announced the dates, starting times and national television coverage for the Eastern Conference Game 1s of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round, which begins Saturday, April 20. The complete First Round schedule will be announced when available. All times listed are ET and subject to change.

$2.5M

from Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,

The Pens needed both the Red Wings and the Caps to lose Tuesday in order for their regular-season finale against the New York Islanders to matter Wednesday night. But that didn’t happen. So for the second consecutive season, the Pens will miss the playoffs after making them every year from 2007-22....

So the Pens had their chances to do better against the teams they needed to edge in order to make the playoffs. That’s to say nothing of losing 6-3 in Detroit on Oct. 18.

Or, instead, we could focus on the three games the Penguins lost with multi-goal leads against Calgary, Colorado and Columbus since the calendar flipped to March. Or any game they could’ve won if their 31st-ranked power play (14.6%) wasn’t so bad. Or if they could’ve been at least average among playoff-contending teams when it came to winning games in 3-on-3 overtime instead of failing to win in that period 12 times.

The point is, any time a pro sports team needs to rely on help to qualify for the postseason and fails to get it, it’s not about the help letting them down. It’s about what the organization itself didn’t do to secure a spot on its own.

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from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

Derek Lalonde wanted to make sure the Detroit Red Wings appreciated just how much they accomplished.

He addressed them minutes after they were eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday in the regular-season finale. They won their game against the Montreal Canadiens, 5-4 in a shootout, but the Washington Capitals also won their game and have the tiebreaker on Detroit. It was a bittersweet way to finish — win, but lose.

Lalonde related what he told players: "Be proud of their effort. Leave this rink with their head up. Positive narrative about the group. All year long, especially down the stretch, they played for each other. It was all about the team. We take seven of our last eight points the way we did. We won 14 games trailing in the third period.

"This stings, but they did move this proud organization forward from where it’s been, and we have to keep pushing forward."

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from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,

It was a book on terminally ill patients — On Death and Dying — that introduced us to the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

Brian Kulina never read the book.

He doesn’t have to.

He’s an Arizona Coyotes fan.

“One day you wake up and you’re bargaining: ‘Maybe it would be different if this thing happened ... ?’” Kulina said this week, as he prepared to attend Wednesday’s franchise finale against the Edmonton Oilers at the tiny, sold-out Mullett Arena on the Arizona State University campus.

“Then you see something, and you get angry. And then you get sad,” he said. “We're running through the gamut, and where it's all coming from is, we feel like we were directly lied to.”

There will be plenty of time for Coyotes Nation to recline on its collective therapy couch and process the loss of its team to Salt Lake City. But for now, finding acceptance means avoiding the Coyotes' NHL.com web page.

The day before dropping the puck on what is 99.9 per cent certain to be this franchise’s last game here, the Coyotes' web page sports a banner across the top reading: BREAKING: Coyotes Announce Commitment to Win State Land Auction & Build Privately Funded Arena.

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from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News,

It will be the eighth consecutive season the Wings miss the playoffs.

"It’s hard, gutting," captain Dylan Larkin said. "We're pretty sad in here, just to see it come to an end. It's very sad, very hard."

The Wings found out about Washington's victory just before the shootout.

"We are you going to do, you know?" said an emotional Larkin.

Still, the way the Wings closed the season earning seven of a possible eight points and displaying amazing resiliency was a big step forward for the organization and may indicate better days ahead.

"Be proud of their effort, leave this rink with your head up," said coach Derek Lalonde of what his post-game message was. "It's a positive narrative about the group all year long, especially down the stetch. They played for each other. It was all about the team.

"I feel awful for the guys because they literally gave everything they had. It's gut-wrenching for the group. I'm proud of them, I don't know what more this group could have done."

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Below watch the post-game interviews.

* The fierce race for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference came to a close Tuesday after a chaotic finish that saw the Capitals capture the final berth into the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* The Panthers and Canucks both earned wins Tuesday to clinch the Atlantic and Pacific Division, respectively. All four division titles have now been accounted for.

* The stage was set for three playoff matchups during Tuesday’s eight-game slate, with the Panthers set to face the Lightning, the Bruins confirmed to clash with the Maple Leafs and the Rangers slated to battle the Capitals.

* As the penultimate day of the 2023-24 regular season arrives, attention switches to the Western Conference as three matchups remain undetermined and a conference title still needs to be clinched – two of the six clubs still without a First Round opponent play during Wednesday’s four game slate: Dallas and Edmonton.

1-1 after 20 minutes. Late goals by Seider could change the momentum.

Habs took a 3-1 lead inn the 2nd, Veleno score for the Wings to make it 3-2 after 40 minutes.

Sprong tied the game at 3-3 early in the third but Montreal went up 4-3 with just over 7 minutes to play.

Perron scores with 3 ticks left on the clock, to overtime again.

No scoring in OT and in the shootout, Kane with the only goal to win 5-4 but Detroit will miss the playoffs again due to a Washington win.

Team Stats

Detroit goals are below.

Good evening and welcome to all. It’s game #82 with outcomes yet to be decided, and, as long as the Red Wings take care of their own game, then the rest doesn’t matter. The team, and the fans, are well aware that it’s all or nothing.

Reimer is in goal tonight. No other changes to the lineup have been announced.

It’s the Red Wings vs the Canadians in an Original Six matchup. The puck drops around 7:00 PM and will be broadcast/simulcast on Bally Sports Detroit and TV20 (WMYD in Detroit), and on the Red Wings Radio Network 97.1 (The Ticket in Detroit). Also available on ESPN+/NHLPP, TSN2, RDS, SPORTSNET+, and SCRIPPS.

It’s a Live Blog!

As the hockey season draws to a close, anticipation is mounting for the playoffs. April 22 is the date when it’s all due to kick off in the race to win the Stanley Cup.

It’s a race that 16 hopeful teams will enter. But only one is going to emerge victorious.

Wings win, Caps lose? Wings win, Caps win? Wings lose, Caps win? Both teams lose?

There are more scenarios but you get the picture.

My gut says Wings win, Caps score late to tie game, Flyers win in OT.

via the NHL PR department,

Macklin Celebrini (North Vancouver, B.C.), a center from Boston University who was named the 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner on Friday, remains No. 1 among North American skaters for the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft as the NHL Central Scouting Bureau today released its final rankings. Anton Silayev (Sarov, Russia), a 6’7” defenseman, moved up one spot to become the top-ranked international skater.

NEW YORK (April 16, 2024) – The National Hockey League has set an all-time record for total attendance in a single season.

More fans have experienced live the 2023-24 regular season, acclaimed for scoring feats not seen in decades and competitive races right to the wire, than any other in the League's 106-year history.

The eight-game Monday slate pushed the total attendance figure for the 2023-24 regular season to 22,560,634 (1,294 GP), surpassing the previous high of 22,436,532 set in 2022-23. NHL games have played to 97% capacity at the 36 host venues, which include the 32 home arenas plus Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Avicii Arena in Stockholm, T-Mobile Park in Seattle and MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

The 18 games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season, which concludes Thursday, April 18, will add to the record total.

from Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press,

Yes, the Canadiens are a proud and storied franchise. But they are not a good team. They have one win in their past seven games. If Lalonde and the Wings can’t find a way to win Tuesday night, they really don’t deserve to be in the playoffs and they certainly don’t deserve credit just putting up a fight.

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Below watch the extended game highlights in two parts.

from Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now,

Lucas Raymond was struggling to catch his breath at the same time he was breathing life into the Detroit Red Wings’ playoff hopes Monday night

Raymond and Dylan Larkin had been on the ice for most of overtime when Larkin broke out with the puck on his stick.

“Just saw Larks up ice. I thought he was going for a breakaway first but he was probably pretty tired,” Raymond said. “Then I just tried to jump up. I was pretty tired, too. Then I just tried to get off a shot. Happy it went in.”

Raymond converted Larkin’s cross-ice feed at 4:35 of overtime for his 31st goal of the season to give Detroit a 5-4 win against the Montreal Canadiens. Raymond’s 30th goal — coming with 1:17 left in regulation — extended postseason hopes to at least Tuesday. If the Red Wings beat the Habs in the second game of a home-and-home in Montreal Tuesday and the Philadelphia Flyers defeat Washington, then Detroit qualifies for the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

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from Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News,

* With just 72 hours remaining in the regular season, we still have four teams in the race for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with the Capitals, Red Wings and Penguins – three teams within one point of one another – all claiming victories Monday.

* Connor McDavid continues to thrill the hockey world: this season it’s with the first 100-assist campaign produced in 33 years, with The Great One the last to do so.

* Both New York teams secured clinches Monday as the Rangers earned the 2023-24 Presidents’ Trophy, while the Islanders became the 15th team to secure a spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* The Capitals and Red Wings will have an opportunity to clinch the final berth into the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs as part of an eight-game Tuesday. Washington will do so with a win, while Detroit will do so with a victory and a Capitals loss of any fashion.

* The 2023-24 campaign set an attendance record Monday after the season total reached 22,560,634, surpassing the previous record set in 2022-23 (22,436,532).

* NHL Central Scouting will release its final rankings for the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft today at 11 a.m. ET on NHL.com and Media.NHL.com.

It was 4-2 after 40 minutes but the Wings scored twice in the 3rd to force overtime.

Lucas Raymond wins it in OT.

Teams Stats

Below are the Detroit

Good evening and welcome to all. We are all aware that it’s all on the line tonight. Simply put, win, or set a tee time.

Lyon is in goal. Ras and Copp are out. No mention of Walman. No other changes to the lineup have been announced.

Correction; Copp is in.

It’s the Canadians vs the Red Wings in an Original Six Matchup. The puck is set to drop around 7:00 PM and will be broadcast/simulcast on Bally Sports Detroit Extra and on TV20 (WMYD in Detroit) and on the Red Wings Radio Network WWJ Newsradio (950 AM in Detroit). Also available on ESPN+/NHLPP, SCRIPPS, SPORTSNET+, and RDS.

It’s a Live Blog!

NEW YORK (April 15, 2024) – Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi and Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending April 14.

from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

The last time the Detroit Red Wings’ home finale meant something was eight years ago at Joe Louis Arena.

Tonight, Little Caesars Arena will be the site of the team’s most important game since 2016 with the Montreal Canadiens in town (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit Extra).

And the Red Wings expect a boost from the home crowd as they try to stay alive in the playoff chase.

“The atmosphere here has been remarkable for the two years I’ve been here,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “Last year when we didn’t have quite the same team after the deadline and we still had energetic crowds, found ways to win games down the stretch. This is new territory for our fans, too, to be involved this late with these meaningful games and they’ve certainly showed up and hopefully a boost tonight.”...

“I’m sure it’ll be on fire here,” Patrick Kane said. “The Joe was one of my favorite places to play as a road opponent. Coming in here and playing at the LCA, being on this side of it and playing as it being your home rink, I think it’s a special place to play. I love playing here, I think the fans have been great. The atmosphere is awesome.”

Kane has seen from his many years in Chicago at the boisterous United Center how much difference the crowd can make.

“I think you see it especially in playoffs,” Kane said. “You talk about home-ice advantage. I think it’s really a thing because everyone likes playing in front of their home crowd. You get that energy, that support behind you, it really helps motivate you and take that next step as a player. This is like a playoff game tonight, so I’m sure we’ll be using them as much as possible.”

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NEW YORK / CHICAGO (April 15, 2024) – The National Hockey League (NHL) today debuted its new campaign for the 2024 Stanley Cup^® Playoffs that highlights some of the crazy things fans do in the name of love for their teams. Three spots will launch today on the NHL’s digital and social media platforms before making their national TV debut tonight during game broadcasts, including the 9:30 p.m. ET Minnesota Wild-Los Angeles Kings game on ESPN.

TORONTO—, Prime Video and NHL Productions reveal the trailer for the upcoming original hockey documentary Saving Sakic, premiering on April 16 for Prime members in Canada (April 17th on ESPN+ in the USA). The documentary follows the high-stakes saga that ensued when Colorado Avalanche Chairman/CEO Charlie Lyons was blindsided by an attempt to sign away the captain of his team, Joe Sakic. With only seven days to raise $15 million to save his star, Charlie finds a lifeline from an unexpected place - Hollywood.