As the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs shifts to the home arenas of the teams currently trailing in their series, some teams are on the verge of elimination.
Will those facing 2-0 deficits – the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Edmonton Oilers – be able to rebound in Game 3? This game is pivotal, as historically, teams holding a 2-0 series lead win 86% of the time, and those with a commanding 3-0 lead secure the series victory 98% of the time.
Below are previews for Friday`s key playoff matchups, including statistical insights. Also included are summaries of Thursday`s game results and the top performers from the night.
Friday`s Game Previews
Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens
Game 3 (WSH leads series 2-0) | Friday, 7 p.m. ET
Despite their 2-0 series advantage, the Capitals have a surprising historical weakness in this scenario, holding a losing 4-6 record when up 2-0 in best-of-seven series.
Washington`s goaltender, Logan Thompson, has been a standout performer, boasting a .951 save percentage and 1.47 goals-against average for the series. He was particularly crucial in Game 2, stopping all 14 Montreal shots fired in the third period.
Capitals forward Connor McMichael delivered a strong Game 2 performance, scoring his first career multi-goal playoff game with two tallies.
Montreal`s scoring efforts have been distributed among players including top forwards Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, alongside veteran Christian Dvorak, whose goal in Game 2 marked his third career playoff tally.
On the Canadiens` side, goaltender Sam Montembeault has also been vital, maintaining a respectable .921 save percentage and 2.49 goals-against average despite the series deficit.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils
Game 3 (CAR leads series 2-0) | Friday, 8 p.m. ET
Carolina continued an impressive pattern by taking a 2-0 lead, marking the fifth consecutive first-round series where they have established this advantage.
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen made 25 saves in Game 2, securing his 13th playoff win for Carolina. He is now just one victory shy of tying Arturs Irbe for second place in franchise history for postseason wins.
Forward Seth Jarvis continues to be a significant contributor for Carolina. His goal in Game 2 was his 14th career playoff goal, tying him with Sebastian Aho for the most postseason goals scored by a player aged 23 or younger in franchise history.
New Jersey faced injury concerns in Game 2, with key players Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon not participating. Hughes` absence was particularly notable given he ranked second on the team in average ice time during the regular season.
Despite suffering two losses, Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom has performed capably, stopping 66 of 71 shots for a .930 save percentage.
Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers
Game 3 (LA leads series 2-0) | Friday, 10 p.m. ET
While the Edmonton Oilers are known for their offensive power and potential for comebacks, the Los Angeles Kings now benefit from history, holding a strong 7-1 series record when leading 2-0 in best-of-seven matchups.
Los Angeles` power play has been a crucial factor in their success, scoring a goal in seven consecutive games (including the end of the regular season) and going an efficient 5-for-10 in this series. This offensive efficiency helped the Kings score six goals in each of the first two games, a scoring pace not matched in the playoffs since the 2014 San Jose Sharks (who did it against the Kings).
In Game 2, Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar made history by becoming the first pair of Kings players since Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey in 1992 (also against the Oilers) to record four or more points in the same playoff game.
For Edmonton, goaltender Stuart Skinner experienced difficulties, being pulled in Game 2 after allowing five goals on 28 shots. He is now one of only three Oilers goalies (joining Grant Fuhr in 1984, 1985 and Andy Moog in 1981, 1983) to concede five or more goals in consecutive playoff games. Notably, the Oilers went on to win the Stanley Cup in the years Fuhr accomplished this.
Edmonton`s top players, including Connor McDavid (four points) and Evan Bouchard/Leon Draisaitl (three points each), have contributed offensively, but the team`s scoring depth has been lacking. There is speculation that coach Kris Knoblauch might adjust the team`s lines heading into Game 3.
Thursday Night`s Top Performers
Here are the standout players from Thursday`s playoff action:
1. Pavel Buchnevich
LW, St. Louis Blues
He was instrumental in St. Louis` 7-2 victory over Winnipeg, recording a hat trick and an assist to help his team avoid falling behind 3-0 in the series.
2. Kirill Kaprizov
LW, Minnesota Wild
Scored two power-play goals in the win against the Golden Knights. According to research, only Mario Lemieux and John Druce had more power-play goals in their first 22 playoff games.
3. Nate Schmidt
D, Florida Panthers
Registered his second consecutive game-winning goal, becoming the first defenseman in Panthers franchise history to score two game-winners in a single postseason.
Recap of Thursday`s Games
Here are the results from Thursday night:
Florida Panthers 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 0
Florida leads series 2-0
Sergei Bobrovsky recorded a shutout by stopping all 19 shots faced, while defenseman Nate Schmidt scored the game-winning goal for the second straight contest. A major storyline was Brandon Hagel`s hit on Aleksander Barkov, which resulted in a major penalty and forced Barkov out of the game.
Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Ottawa Senators 2 (OT)
Toronto leads series 3-0
For the second consecutive night, these teams required overtime to decide the outcome, with Toronto again emerging victorious to push Ottawa to the brink of elimination. After traded power-play goals, Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit scored the winner just over a minute into the extra frame.
Minnesota Wild 5, Vegas Golden Knights 2
Minnesota leads series 2-1
In a notable turn of events, the Wild have taken a series lead against the heavily favored Golden Knights. Kirill Kaprizov added two goals, bringing his postseason total to four. Minnesota has scored five goals in each of the last two games, accumulating 12 goals total for the series.
St. Louis Blues 7, Winnipeg Jets 2
Winnipeg leads series 2-1
St. Louis kept their playoff hopes alive, avoiding a 3-0 deficit. They scored three goals in the first period, including the beginning of Pavel Buchnevich`s hat trick. Buchnevich finished with four points, and Cam Fowler (five points) and Robert Thomas (four assists) also had significant offensive contributions.
