Updated 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket, Schedule and Top Highlights from April 20

Welcome the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks to the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Game 1 between the two Western Conference teams highlighted a loaded Monday slate in the NHL postseason. It is the final series to get underway, and there were also three Game 2s across the league.

Here is a look at all the results.

Monday Round 1 Results

• Game 2: Philadelphia Flyers 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 0 (Flyers lead series 2-0)
• Game 2: Carolina Hurricanes 3, Ottawa Senators 2 in Double Overtime (Hurricanes lead series 2-0)
• Game 2: Dallas Stars 4, Minnesota Wild 2 (Series tied 1-1)
• Game 1: Edmonton Oilers 4, Anaheim Ducks 3 (Oilers lead series 1-0)

Tuesday Round 1 Schedule

• Game 2: Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. ET (Canadiens lead series 1-0)
• Game 2: Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres, 7:30 p.m. ET (Sabres lead series 1-0)
• Game 2: Utah Mammoth at Vegas Golden Knights, 9:30 p.m. ET (Golden Knights lead series 1-0)
• Game 2: Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche, 10 p.m. ET (Avalanche lead series 1-0)

Monday Highlights

Flyers 3, Penguins 0

The Pittsburgh Penguins had home-ice advantage heading into their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers.

It hasn't done them much good.

Philadelphia seized a 2-0 lead in the series with a 3-0 victory on Monday. Goaltender Dan Vladar set the tone from the start and stopped all 27 shots he faced after holding the Penguins to just two goals in Game 1.

Vladar and the Flyers defense was the story, but the visitors also got timely offensive contributions when Porter Martone and Garnet Hathaway each scored in a five-minute stretch during the second period.

Owen Tippett had an opportunity to all but ice it with a penalty shot in the third period, but Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner turned him away to keep the home team within striking distance.

It was part of a strong showing from Skinner (20 saves on 22 shots), who was not on the ice when Luke Glendening clinched it with an empty-netter. Still, the Penguins never put things together on the attack.

Hurricanes 3, Senators 2 (double-OT)

Playoff hockey is always an emotional roller coaster.

But Monday's game was even more of a roller coaster than usual for Jordan Martinook.

The Carolina Hurricanes left-winger buried the game-winning goal in the back of the net in double-overtime to give his team a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators and a 2-0 lead in the series.

That alone would have been emotional, but it came in the ensuing period after he missed a penalty shot that could have won it in the first overtime. Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark turned him away on that attempt, which capped off a stunning sequence of events.

It started when the Senators were called for a delayed penalty and continued when Mark Jankowski appeared to score the winning goal for the Hurricanes before Ottawa could touch the puck to stop play. However, the goal was overturned for offside, so the officials went back to the penalty.

That set up Martinook's penalty, and he couldn't convert.

Yet he did convert his opportunity in double-overtime after Logan Stankoven and Sebastian Aho each scored in regulation for the victors. Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen also deserves plenty of credit for stopping 36 of the 38 shots he faced in a dominant performance.

Stars 4, Wild 2

There is only one series tied at one game apiece, and it is the one between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild.

After dropping the first contest at home, the Stars bounced back with a much-needed 4-2 victory to even the Western Conference battle.

The drama came in the final minutes of the third period when the Wild earned a power play while facing a 3-2 deficit, but Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger and the defense stood strong.

Oettinger ended up saving 29 of the 31 shots he faced, including some high-pressure ones during that power play. That set the stage for Wyatt Johnston to score an empty-netter to clinch the win.

It was Johnston's second goal of the game, as he also opened the scoring in the first period. Matt Duchene and Jason Robertson also scored for Dallas.

Two goals from Brock Faber weren't enough for the Wild, but they can at least take solace knowing they earned a split in the first two and will have home-ice advantage moving into Game 3.

Oilers 4, Ducks 3

The Edmonton Oilers' playoff quest to reach a third straight Stanley Cup Final started off with a dramatic 4-3 home win over the Anaheim Ducks.

It seemed like Edmonton was going to cruise when Jason Dickinson and Kasperi Kapanen each scored in the first period to jump out to a 2-0 lead. However, Anaheim dominated the third period to take the 3-2 advantage thanks to two goals from Troy Terry and another from Leo Carlsson.

That shifted all the pressure to Edmonton's side with the Ducks in position to steal home-ice advantage right away in the series.

The Oilers responded.

First, Dickinson tied it with his second goal of the game. Then, Kasperi Kapanen scored the game-winner with fewer than two minutes remaining.

It was up to the Edmonton defense and goaltender Connor Ingram to stand strong from there, and it did despite a golden opportunity for the Ducks when Mikael Granlund had an open net in the closing seconds. 

He couldn't connect, and the result was a win for Edmonton.