The second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs has reached a critical stage, with elimination games now on the schedule every night. Thursday features a double dose of win-or-go-home action.
First, the Washington Capitals, facing elimination down 3-1, host the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET). Following that, the Winnipeg Jets are in a similar predicament, also trailing 3-1 as they welcome the Dallas Stars (9:30 p.m. ET).
Can either team force a Game 6 and extend their playoff lives?
Matchup Notes
Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals
Game 5 | 7 p.m. ET | TNT
Holding a commanding 3-1 series lead, the Hurricanes are heavily favored (-4000) to advance, while the Capitals face long odds (+1300). Carolina also has the third-shortest odds (+325) to win the Stanley Cup, significantly better than Washington`s longest odds (+7500).
Historically, teams with a 3-1 series lead have won 91% of the time. Carolina has a perfect 8-0 record in best-of-seven series when they`ve held this advantage.
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen was outstanding, recording a 21-save shutout in Game 3 and not allowing a goal until the third period of Game 4. His shutout streak of 123:24 ranks fifth in Whalers/Hurricanes franchise history.
Seth Jarvis`s goal in Game 4, which put the Hurricanes up 2-0, was his 16th career postseason goal, setting a franchise record for a player before turning 24.
For Washington, Alex Ovechkin has been relatively quiet this round. However, his power-play goal in Game 4 moved him up two all-time lists: he now ranks 12th with 77 career postseason goals (surpassing Mario Lemieux) and sits alone in fifth place with 31 career power-play goals (breaking a tie with Nicklas Lidstrom and Joe Pavelski).
Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets
Game 5 | 9:30 p.m. ET | TNT
After their Game 4 victory, the Stars` odds to win the series significantly improved to -1200, while the Jets are now at +600. Dallas`s odds to win the Cup also shortened to +275, compared to Winnipeg`s +4000.
The Stars franchise has an impressive 13-1 record in best-of-seven series when leading 3-1. Their only loss in this scenario was as the Minnesota North Stars against the Detroit Red Wings in 1992.
Mikael Granlund`s hat trick in the Stars` Game 4 win included two power-play goals. He is only the second player in North Stars/Stars history to achieve this, following Dino Ciccarelli in 1982.
Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen continues to be a dominant force in the postseason, leading all players with 19 points and nine goals. He is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP (+375).
With the Game 4 win, Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger became the third netminder in franchise history (North Stars/Stars) to win five consecutive home games to start a postseason run. He joins Ed Belfour (six straight in 2000, five in 1999) and Cesare Maniago (five in 1968).
The Jets will be looking for a boost from being back on home ice. They have struggled on the road this postseason, going 0-5 and being outscored 25-8.
Kyle Connor enters Game 5 needing one goal to tie Paul Stastny (2018) for second place on the franchise`s single-postseason goal-scoring list. Mark Scheifele`s record of 14 goals in 2018 appears safe unless the Jets stage a remarkable comeback to reach the conference finals.
Öcal`s Three Stars from Wednesday
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1. Panthers DefensemenBeyond their defensive responsibilities in keeping the Maple Leafs offense in check, three different Panthers defensemen scored goals in Game 5. This achievement tied a franchise record for the most goals by defensemen in a single playoff game.
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2. Kasperi Kapanen
RW, Edmonton OilersKapanen netted the series-clinching overtime goal against the Golden Knights. Notably, his goal was reportedly considered a long shot (+4000) at the start of the game. Junior hockey fans will also recall he scored the golden goal for Finland at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship against Russia.
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3. Florida Scores by CommitteeDemonstrating their depth, an impressive 14 different Panthers players registered at least one point in Game 5. This set a new franchise record for the most players with a point in a single game, surpassing the 12 players who recorded a point in Game 3 of the same series.
Wednesday`s Recaps
Florida Panthers 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 1
FLA leads series 3-2 | Game 6 Friday
While this series had previously been tight, Game 5 was a dominant performance by the Panthers. They effectively stifled the Maple Leafs` offense while creating numerous scoring chances themselves. Aaron Ekblad broke the deadlock late in the first period after sustained pressure. The Panthers pulled away in the second with goals from Dmitry Kulikov, Jesper Boqvist, and Niko Mikkola, and added two more in the third from A.J. Greer and Sam Bennett. These were the first postseason goals for Kulikov, Boqvist, Mikkola, and Greer. Nicholas Robertson scored a late consolation goal for Toronto, but it was far too late to impact the outcome. Florida now has the chance to clinch the series at home in Game 6.
Edmonton Oilers 1, Vegas Golden Knights 0 (OT)
EDM wins series 4-1 | Faces DAL or WPG next
Throughout this series, the Oilers benefited from scoring depth beyond their top stars, something the Golden Knights lacked. For the second straight game, no Vegas player could beat Stuart Skinner in the Edmonton net, meaning a single goal would decide the winner. It took 67 minutes and 19 seconds, but Kasperi Kapanen scored the opportunistic goal in overtime to win the game and the series. This was Kapanen`s second career overtime playoff winner. The Oilers advance to the Western Conference Final for the second consecutive year, where they will face the winner of the Dallas Stars-Winnipeg Jets series.
