NHL

10:54 PM ET TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning are back-to-back Stanley Cup champs — and they did it in a nine-month span. “This group, no matter what happens from here on out, this group is going to be etched in history forever, and that’s pretty F’ing special,” captain Steven Stamkos said. “I’m so

10:58 PM ET The Colorado Avalanche have opened as the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup in the 2021-22 NHL season, according to Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill. The Avalanche, who won the Presidents’ Trophy for the NHL’s best record this season, are +500 to win next year’s Stanley Cup. The Vegas Golden Knights,

12:41 AM ET TAMPA, Fla. — Brendan Gallagher wore the Montreal Canadiens‘ Stanley Cup Final loss on his face. There were the red welts on his cheeks, battle scars from intense confrontations with the Tampa Bay Lightning through five games. There were his red and puffy eyes, still visible under a pulled-down hat. “Sorry,” said

11:09 PM ET Evil has prevailed. Tampa Bay has captured a second straight Stanley Cup. The Great Lightning Heist has been completed. This is how we’re supposed to react to this victory, right? That the “cheaters” won? That the team that was $18 million over the salary cap after reuniting with star winger Nikita Kucherov

5:07 PM ET The Columbus Blue Jackets confirmed that the errant fireworks mortar blast that killed goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks on July Fourth occurred at the house of goaltending coach Manny Legace — and followed the wedding of Legace’s daughter earlier that day. In a news conference on Wednesday, team president John Davidson said the team

7:02 AM ET The Stanley Cup will be in the building again on Wednesday night. Do the Tampa Bay Lightning get to raise it this evening, or is this series heading back to Montreal again? Check out the ESPN NHL Playoffs Daily to catch up every day of the postseason until the Stanley Cup is

9:28 PM ET Associated Press EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Defenseman Christian Wolanin has agreed to a one-year, $750,000 contract extension to return to the Los Angeles Kings. Wolanin was eligible for unrestricted free agency. The Kings announced the deal on Tuesday. Wolanin, 26, appeared in three games with Los Angeles after the Kings acquired him

7:00 AM ET Stephen Johns sat out the 2021 NHL season, and he knew his career was over. It’s not that the 29-year-old didn’t want to play hockey anymore; he simply couldn’t. The Dallas Stars defenseman once spent 22 months sidelined dealing with post-concussion syndrome. Though he had been cleared to return to the ice,

12:43 AM ET The Montreal Canadiens were on the brink of elimination in the Stanley Cup Final on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, blew two leads in Game 4 and burdened with a four-minute penalty kill as they headed into overtime. Daunting for most teams. Perfectly on brand for the Canadiens. “Nothing has been

12:10 AM ET The Montreal Canadiens stayed alive in the Stanley Cup Final with a 3-2 win in overtime in Game 4, avoiding a sweep and sending the series with the Tampa Bay Lightning back to Florida for Game 5 on Wednesday night. Miss any of the game? We’re here with the top takeaways. More:

9:01 AM ET Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died Sunday at the age of 24. The team said Kivlenieks died as the result of a “tragic accident,” suffering an apparent head injury in a fall. “Medical personnel were called immediately, but he succumbed a short time later,” the team said in a statement. “We

7:00 AM ET The Stanley Cup will be at the Bell Centre. Will the Tampa Bay Lightning be celebrating on the ice tonight, or can the Montreal Canadiens extend the series and begin staging their comeback? Check out the ESPN NHL Playoffs Daily to catch up every day of the postseason until the Stanley Cup

1:09 AM ET ESPN News Services Facing the prospect of a second consecutive Stanley Cup celebration in isolation in Canada, the Tampa Bay Lightning insist they’re focused on completing a sweep of the Montreal Canadiens and not the prospect of winning at home in front of family and friends. However, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said

1:34 PM ET The Tampa Bay Lightning can raise the Stanley Cup over Montreal ice after Game 4 on Monday as they lead the Canadiens 3-0 in their series. While seeing an opponent celebrating a championship in Bell Centre isn’t ideal, defenseman Jeff Petry kept the bigger picture in mind. “We don’t want to see

2:46 PM ET The Tampa Bay Lightning are one win away from sweeping the Stanley Cup Final, but if they clinch the series in Game 4 on Monday, families of players and staff will not be on the ice to celebrate. The Canadian government did not grant additional exemptions for family members to cross the

4:26 PM ET Veteran forward Mikhail Grigorenko, on the cusp of unrestricted free agency in the NHL, decided to return instead to the KHL on Saturday, agreeing to a three-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the league announced. Grigorenko, 27, a 2012 first-round selection of the Buffalo Sabres, had four goals and 12 points for the

12:58 AM ET The Tampa Bay Lightning are one win away from being the first team in 23 years to sweep the Stanley Cup Final, but good luck trying to catch them looking that far ahead. “We’ve put ourselves in good position, obviously, but the fourth one is the hardest to get,” defenseman Victor Hedman

11:43 PM ET The Tampa Bay Lightning moved within one victory of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, with an emphatic 6-3 win at the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 on Friday night. Miss any of the game? We’re here with the top takeaways. More: Cup Final schedule | Playoff Central Stanley Cup Final Game 3 in