Three teams returning home with 0-2 deficits in their series all pulled out wins to get back into their series on Friday. In fact, I would argue that Friday was the day that the 2025 playoffs really started to get good.

Montreal 6, Washington 3 (Capitals lead series 2-1)

This was an eventful, spirited game where it seemed like the Montreal fans were ready to blow the roof off as the Canadiens started to pull away. The best game of the playoffs so far, in my humble opinion. Olé, olé olé olé!

Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook led the way for the Habs, with each scoring a goal while adding an assist. The points were Newhook's first of the playoffs. Caufield also led all players with 11 shots on goal, which was his highest shot total all season. The Habs as a team outshot the Capitals 40-21, so full marks for a deserving win.

This was also a unique game because both starting goalies left with injuries. Sam Montembeault departed in the second period, possibly from making a save a few minutes earlier. Meanwhile, Logan Thompson needed to be helped off the ice in the third period after Dylan Strome collided into him on the Canadiens' fifth goal. Thompson could not put any weight on his leg as he left the ice, so his injury looks especially concerning. That means we could be looking at a Jakub Dobes/Charlie Lindgren goaltending matchup for Game 4 on Sunday, which could make things even more interesting. In the meantime, expect the teams to be secretive when it comes to disclosing injury information.

Patrik Laine missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury. Laine, who can be as hot and cold as any player, finished the regular season with just one point in his last nine games. He has an assist in two games in the series so far. Laine's absence meant that Ivan Demidov was added to the Habs' top power play. Although he had a goal and an assist in his two regular-season games, the 19-year-old Demidov has yet to find the scoresheet in three playoff games.

The playoffs are always better when there are classic feuds. One between Tom Wilson and Josh Anderson boiled over at the end of the second period, with each player receiving 10-minute misconducts for their part in the shenanigans.

WE HAVE FIGHTS ON THE BENCH ???? pic.twitter.com/bq9FEKbpqU

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 26, 2025

Arber Xhekaj's presence was certainly a contributing factor in the physical nature of this game. Although he logged just 10 minutes, Xhekaj delivered four hits as he entered the Habs' lineup for the first time in this series. Anderson led the Habs with six hits, while Brendan Gallagher and Emil Heineman each had five.

New Jersey 3, Carolina 2, 2 OT (Hurricanes lead series 2-1)

Simon Nemec's goal early in the second overtime secured the first win in the series for the Devils. The goal was the first NHL playoff point for Nemec.

SIMON NEMEC WINS IT IN DOUBLE OT!! 😱

His first #StanleyCup Playoffs goal is the @Energizer overtime winner! pic.twitter.com/IcTUqDhTUE

— NHL (@NHL) April 26, 2025

Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer scored New Jersey's other goals in this game. Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho scored for the Canes, with Aho also finishing with an assist.

Jonas Siegenthaler returned to the Devils' lineup for Game 3 after being out since early February with a lower-body injury. Siegenthaler logged 27:09 for the Devils in the lengthiest game of the playoffs so far.

For skaters, these long overtime games are all about icetime. Brian Dumoulin led all players with 36:29 in icetime, also filling numerous multicategory boxes with a plus-3, five blocked shots, and four hits. Dumoulin may turn out to be a rental for the Devils, as he was acquired at the deadline and is on the final year of his contract. He has made a case for the Devils to re-sign him, taking on additional responsibility with both Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon out of the lineup. Dumoulin logged 24:50 and 23:48 in the first two games of the series. That's proof that you can never have too many d-men during the playoffs.

The Devils as a team blocked 33 shots in this game, with Brett Pesce leading the way with six blocked shots.

For a game that went to double overtime, the shot total wasn't excessive. Jacob Markstrom stopped 25 of 27 shots he faced in earning a win, while Frederik Andersen stopped 34 of 37 shots against.  

Edmonton 7, Los Angeles 4 (Kings lead series 2-1)

Evan Bouchard's power-play goal turned out to be the game-winning goal in a game that was more tightly contested than what the score showed (the last two goals were into an empty net).

The power play where Bouchard scored resulted from a failed video challenge from the Kings. Coach Jim Hiller decided to challenge Evander Kane's goal just moments earlier – a goal that was allowed upon a previous video review called by the officials. If this is the turning point of the series, then Hiller and his staff committed a major blunder. I didn't see a kick of the puck into the net OR goaltender interference.

After a review for a kicking motion AND a challenge for goaltender interference, Evander Kane gets his first of the playoffs.

The official call is that Kane kicked the puck to his stick and was able to shoot it before it went in. pic.twitter.com/Aw0y3ZgMVJ

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 26, 2025

As I said on X, a rule that I think should be changed is that teams should not be able to challenge a play that had previously been reviewed by the officials – regardless of whether the challenge is for a different reason. Two separate video reviews of the same play seem unnecessary. Big time delay of game. I know not everyone agrees and it's about getting the call right using the proper procedure, but I'll put that out there anyway. Look at the video once, then make your decision.

Both Bouchard and Connor Brown scored two goals for the Oilers, while Connor McDavid scored a goal while assisting on two others. Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each registered two assists.

In his second game back after missing the entire regular season plus Game 1 of this series, Kane finished with a goal and an assist with four shots and five hits. That seems like the Kane of old.

The storyline entering this game was the fact that backup Calvin Pickard was tasked to start Game 3 after Stuart Skinner had allowed 11 goals over the first two games. This was a similar scenario from last season, where Pickard replaced a struggling Skinner for a relief appearance followed by two starts in the second round against Vancouver. Pickard finished with neither a quality start nor a really bad start, allowing four goals on 29 shots. The goaltending situation has some fantasy implications, as another subpar playoff performance from Skinner could mean that the Oilers decide to move on from him. Skinner has one year left on his contract, entering UFA status in 2026.

Drew Doughty, Trevor Moore, and Adrian Kempe each finished with a goal and an assist. Kempe has been on fire during the playoffs with four goals, five assists, and 14 shots over the three games. His nine points currently leads all playoff scorers, so you should be in good shape if you have him in your playoff pool.

Andrei Kuzmenko put up five points and nine shots in the first two games of the series. Yet in Game 3, Kuzmenko was held without a point and finished with a minus-4. In fact, the AK line of Kuzmenko, Kempe, and Anze Kopitar finished with a combined minus-11 with 27.8 SF% (shots for) and a 27.3 CF% (shot attempts for) in Game 3. They can obviously play better than that. Yet of the three games played on Friday, this one smells the most like a series to me since this line now looks less unstoppable than it was in the first two games.

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Brandon Hagel has been suspended for one game for a bodycheck described as interference on Aleksander Barkov during Game 2. It's possible that the suspension would have been longer during the regular season, but it looks like Hagel will only miss Game 3. Regardless, Game 3 will be a crucial game for the Lightning if they hope to have any chance of getting back into the series with their cross-state rival.

As for Barkov, he appears questionable for Game 3 today. Coach Paul Maurice said on Friday that Barkov "hasn't been ruled out but hasn't been cleared for Game 3." Barkov missed the final 10 minutes of Game 2 following the hit.

Also, Aaron Ekblad has served his 20-game suspension and is expected to return to the Panthers' lineup for Game 3.

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