Updated May 1, 2026, 10:26 p.m. ET
The first round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs is nearly complete with five teams advancing to the second round and one series set in each conference.
The rest of the field can be determined with three Game 6s being played on Friday, May 1.
The Montreal Canadiens (3-2) host the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Buffalo Sabres (3-2) visit the Boston Bruins and the Vegas Golden Knights (3-2) are at the Utah Mammoth. If Game 7s are necessary, those will be played on Sunday, May 3.
One second-round series will open before then with the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the Philadelphia Flyers at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday on ABC. The Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators and the Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
The Colorado Avalanche will open at home against the Minnesota Wild in the other known series. The Avalanche swept the Los Angeles Kings and the Wild beat the Dallas Stars in six games.
Here are Friday’s games with live results, latest odds and full first-round schedules:
NHL playoff games today
*All times Eastern
Stream the NHL playoffs on Fubo
Golden Knights-Mammoth game underway
Golden Knights lead the series 3-2. The winner of the series will face the Anaheim Ducks in the second round.
Sabres win, head to the second round
Buffalo beats Boston 4-1 to advance. The Sabres will have to wait until Sunday to find out who their opponent will be.
Lightning beat Canadiens in overtime
Gage Goncalves scores at 9:03 of overtime to keep the Lightning series alive. Game 7 will be on Sunday.
Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov called for OT penalty
Big kill needed for the Lightning. They do kill it and Jakub Dobes makes a big save on Kucherov after he comes out of the penalty box.
Overtime underway in Lightning-Canadiens game
Montreal moves along with a win. Tampa Bay forces Game 7 with a win.
Lightning, Canadiens going to overtime
Still scoreless. Canadiens advance if they score.
Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov called for goalie interference
He crashes into Andrei Vasilevskiy with 4 minutes left. Tampa Bay going on a power play. The Lightning get some chances but penalty is killed. Scoreless with 1:16 left.
Bruins get one back, trail Sabres by goal
David Pastrnak scores on a one-timer on a 2-on-1 break with Pavel Zacha. It’s 2-1 Buffalo now.
Lightning, Canadiens scoreless through two periods
One reason is that Montreal forward Phillip Danault cleared a puck that was about to go over the goal. Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has looked good, too.
Sabres up 2-0 on Bruins through first period
Alex Tuch and Mattias Samuelsson have the goals for Buffalo. Tage Thompson has two assists. Shots are 12-6 Buffalo.
Sabres go up 2-0 on Bruins
Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson beats Jeremy Swayman through a screen.
Sabres lead Bruins in first period
Alex Tuch has given Buffalo a 1-0 lead. The Sabres advance with a win.
Lightning, Canadiens scoreless through one period
Shots are 9-7 Tampa Bay, but the Canadiens will start the second period on a power play.
NHL playoff odds for Friday’s games
All odds via BetMGM as of 3 p.m. ET, Friday May 1
- Spread: Lightning (-1.5)
- Moneyline: Lightning (-115), Canadiens (-105)
- Over/Under: 5.5
- Spread: Sabres (-1.5)
- Moneyline: Sabres (-120), Bruins (+100)
- Over/Under: 5.5
Vegas Golden Knights at Utah Mammoth odds
- Spread: Golden Knights (-1.5)
- Moneyline: Golden Knights (-115), Mammoth (-105)
- Over/Under: 5.5
NHL playoff bracket 2026
All times p.m.. ET. x-if necessary
Eastern Conference
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Ottawa Senators
Hurricanes win series 4-0
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers win series 4-2
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins
Sabres lead series 3-2
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens lead series 3-2
Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings
Avalanche win series 4-0
Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild
Wild win series 4-2
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth
Golden Knights lead series 3-2
Edmonton Oilers vs. Anaheim Ducks
Ducks win series 4-2
How to watch NHL playoffs
NHL playoff games will be broadcast in the United States by ESPN, TNT and their affiliated networks.
