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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore, right, celebrates his goal with center Tomas Hertl, left, during the first period in Game 6 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Mark J. Terrill)<\/p>\n
Now a veteran of more than 50 NHL playoff games, Jack Eichel does not think the approach should be any different the deeper he and the Vegas Golden Knights venture into the postseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know we need to be better, and you want to continue to elevate your game both individually and as a team the further you go,\u201d Eichel said. \u201cThat\u2019s our goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Easier said than done. Big boy hockey has arrived in the third round, with three of the top five favorites still playing in the conference finals. Vegas faces league-best Colorado in the West, while unbeaten beast-of-the-East Carolina gets Montreal after the Canadiens beat Buffalo in overtime of Game 7 on Monday night.<\/p>\n
Western Conference final: Colorado vs. Vegas<\/p>\n
Game 1: Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)<\/p>\n
Favorite: Colorado (2-5)<\/p>\n
The Avalanche won the Presidents\u2019 Trophy for the best regular season and spent 156 consecutive days atop the NHL standings since Nov. 1, the longest run in four decades. They swept Los Angeles in the first round and beat Minnesota in five games, rallying to put the Wild away in overtime after falling behind 3-0 on the road.<\/p>\n
Now, the difficulty level rachets up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would expect Colorado\u2019s stiffest challenge is going to come here in this next series because Vegas has been around the block,\u201d former player and coach-turned-TNT analyst Ed Olczyk said. \u201cThey\u2019ve got an experienced coach. They\u2019re getting goaltending that they didn\u2019t get for a lot of the regular season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Backstopped by Carter Hart and led by Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights are in the West final for the fourth time in their nine years of existence. It\u2019s their first under coach John Tortorella, who took over in late March and oversaw a 7-0-1 run to finish the season and more success in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe feel really good about ourselves,\u201d Tortorella said. \u201cIn playoffs, it\u2019s not just the X\u2019s and O\u2019s and all. It\u2019s how you feel, and the confidence level you have. I think we\u2019re in a good spot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colorado counterpart Jared Bednar is not worried about how his players will handle the spotlight getting brighter. The Avalanche are four years removed from their 2022 Stanley Cup run, while Vegas won it in \u201923.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have the exact same expectations as Vegas does,\u201d Bednar said. \u201cWe have very similar experience, too: probably close to half the roster winning a Stanley Cup a couple years ago, no success since, and here we are facing each other. So, pressure on us is no different than the pressure on them.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the injury front, Vegas captain Mark Stone has been out since leaving Game 3 against Anaheim with an undisclosed injury. Avalanche star Cale Makar has been dealing with an apparent right arm or shoulder injury while fellow defenseman Sam Malinski and forward Artturi Lehkonen missed time late in the Minnesota series.<\/p>\n
Eastern Conference final: Carolina vs. Montreal<\/p>\n
Game 1: Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT (TNT, TruTV)<\/p>\n
Favorite: Carolina (4-11)<\/p>\n
The Hurricanes are the first team to sweep through the first two rounds since the NHL went to four best-of-seven series in 1987. Their gift is 11 full days off before starting the East final.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously that\u2019s not great,\u201d Olczyk said. \u201cThat\u2019s not ideal, but you\u2019d rather have that than play back-to-back seven-game series and probably having guys being taped up to just get out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carolina captain Jordan Staal feels the same way, shrugging of the concern about rust and saying, \u201cIf anyone in the league was in a playoff series and they had the opportunity to win in four or seven, they would pick four.\u201d<\/p>\n
One more victory would tie the 1985 Edmonton Oilers for the longest winning streak to start a playoffs.<\/p>\n
With back-to-back champion Florida not making it after injuries derailed the Panthers\u2019 season and other perennial contenders like Toronto and Tampa Bay out of the way, the sea has parted for the Hurricanes to get over the hump. They\u2019ve won at least a round in each of Rod Brind\u2019Amour\u2019s eight years as coach but have not yet reached the Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re perfect \u2014 no blemishes,\u201d Olczyk said, pointing to the goaltending of Frederik Andersen and strong scoring depth as contributing factors. \u201cI felt that it was them: It was Carolina and everybody else. And could they do it when they were the favorites and when the path was opened, could they take advantage? And they have taken full advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Alex Newhook scored his second Game 7-winning goal in as many rounds, the Canadiens are back in the third round for the first time since 2021, when divisional playoffs were in place to get through pandemic border restrictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to give it our best. We\u2019re going to keep rolling and see what happens,\u201d Newhook said. \u201cWe\u2019re a confident group. We knew what we were capable of all year. I think we believe that we can keep going and bring this thing all the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
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