NHL Stanley – Minnesota and Anaheim closed out their first-round matchups, setting up what comes next in the Western semifinals.
A late burst of goals decided two first-round series, and the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket is reshaping fast.
In the Western Conference. the Minnesota Wild ended an 11-year wait for a first-round series win. beating the visiting Dallas Stars 5-2 to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.. The Wild wrapped their series 4-2. highlighted by Quinn Hughes. who found the scoresheet twice in Game 6. including a pivotal goal that helped seal Minnesota’s progress.. Jesper Wallstedt made 22 saves for the victory, while Matt Boldy added two empty-netters.
This matters because Minnesota’s breakthrough changes the competitive outlook of the West, with a team that had long struggled to get past the opening round now set for a major second-round test.
Earlier on Thursday night. the Anaheim Ducks forced a changing of the guard by winning their first playoff series in nine years.. Anaheim topped the back-to-back Western Conference champions, the Edmonton Oilers, 5-2 to close the series 4-2.. A three-goal swing in the first period played a defining role. with goals from Ryan Poehling. Chris Kreider. and Cutter Gauthier helping Anaheim build a 3-1 lead.. Gauthier also scored on the power play, and later secured an assist as the Ducks stretched the advantage.
The Ducks’ offense kept pushing after Edmonton trimmed the margin. with Troy Terry making it 4-1 late in the second period.. Edmonton added another reply in the third, but Anaheim responded again with an empty-net goal to finish the job.. Lukáš Dostál turned aside 25 shots. while Poehling. Gauthier. and others contributed in a way that reflected a balanced push from start to finish.
For the playoffs picture, Anaheim’s advance is a reminder that momentum in a series can swing quickly, and that special teams and depth scoring can be decisive when the games tighten.
With those results, attention now turns to the remaining first-round matchups still aiming to reach the next stage.. Tampa Bay visits Montreal at 7 p.m.. ET with the Canadiens leading the series 3-2, while Buffalo travels to Boston at 7:30 p.m.. ET with the Sabres also holding a 3-2 edge.. Meanwhile, Vegas takes the ice against Utah at 10 p.m.. ET, with the Golden Knights up 3-2.
At the same time, the next-round bracket is beginning to take shape. Minnesota will face either Vegas or Utah, while Anaheim’s next opponent will come from that same West series.
Misryoum will keep tracking which teams close out their matchups as the schedule runs, and how these early-round results translate into the push for the second round.