12:26 PM ET ESPN News Services Callers to 911 said Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks was hit in the chest by an errant fireworks mortar blast at a Michigan home that, sources told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, belonged to goaltending coach Manny Legace. According to The Associated Press, three calls were made to 911 in

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 down 0-3 in the Stanley Cup Final to the Tampa Bay Lightning, blew two leads in Game 4, and were amid a four-minute penalty kill as they headed into overtime. Daunting for most teams. Perfectly on-brand for the Canadiens. “Nothing has been easy for us all year. It

12:20 PM ET The Montreal Canadiens are scrambling their lines and their lineup for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, facing a potential sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night. Opting for a faster lineup, the Canadiens are scratching 20-year-old forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who has eight points in 19

9:01 AM ET Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks died on 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.

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

8:30 AM ET Every week, we’ll provide a recap and accompaniment to the latest episode of Quest for the Stanley Cup, the NHL docuseries about the playoffs available exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. This week we dive into Episode 5, titled “Chasing the Champs.” Describe this episode in 10 words or fewer The most

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