DOUGIE HAMILTON

Blackhawks Devils Hockey New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) celebrates after scoring past Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) in overtime of an NHL hockey game Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, in Newark, N.J. Dominik Kubalik and Kirby Dach forced the overtime, scoring in the final 3:53 of regulation with the Blackhawks' net empty. Dach got his goal on a rebound in close while Kubalik got his second in two games with 25.5 seconds left in regulation. DeBrincat tied it 51 seconds into the second period on a power play. The game was the first between the teams since the Blackhawks beat the Devils 2-1 on Dec. 6, 2019.

Jack Hughes scored his second goal of the game less than a minute into overtime and the New Jersey Devils beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 after blowing a late two-goal lead.

Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic still is not sure the team will be able to bring back Landeskog and Grubauer.“I don’t know,” Sakic said. The spotlight is also bright on the Carolina Hurricanes in their talks with defenseman Dougie Hamilton, the Washington Capitals finalizing a deal with captain Alex Ovechkin and Stanley Cup champion Blake Coleman's landing spot because he likely won't return to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Many of these situations need to be resolved one way or the other before free agency opens Wednesday. “If free agency starts and we know we need a defenseman, we can’t be patient and wait for Dougie to make a decision,” Carolina GM Don Waddell said Wednesday. “We’ve let Dougie know.

The end of the NHL draft only ushers in more questions about what's coming next this offseason.

Expect a fast and furious NHL offseason to unfold in the coming days and weeks.

Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos each had two goals and an assist, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-4 to open a commanding lead in their second-round playoff series.

Carolina won its fourth straight game with a chance to end a series. The Hurricanes are 12-10 in franchise history in clinching games, and they improved to 5-2 on the road in Game 6 with a 3-2 lead. Aho stunned the largest crowd to see an NHL game this year when he scored so quickly after overtime started for the fourth straight game in this series. Nashville fell to 1-10 in series when trailing 3-2, and the Predators now are 7-8 in Game 6s. CANES' HISTORYThis was just the sixth time Carolina has rallied from a multi-goal deficit to win a playoff game and only the second in a series-clinching game.

Sebastian Aho scored his second goal of the game 1:06 into overtime to send the Carolina Hurricanes to the second round with a 4-3 comeback victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night in Game 6.

Luke Kunin scored his second goal at 16:10 of the second overtime,and the Nashville Predators beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 Sunday to tie the first-round series 2-2.

TORONTO, ONT Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper took exception to the Columbus Blue Jackets being referred to as a blue-collar team. Is that a positive or a negative? Cooper said Monday, a day before his Eastern Conference second-seeded Lightning open the first round of the NHL playoffs against the seventh-seeded Blue Jackets. Thats in the history books forever, Cooper said, noting how both teams have made various changes to their lineups. Id call them a really good team.Familiarity is breeding respect among the East opponents entering the first round. The Islanders hold a 5-2 playoff series edge over Washington.