NHL Playoffs: Eastern and Western Conference Teams Advance

Why it matters locally: The Florida Panthers' victory and advancement in the NHL playoffs directly impacts sports fans across the state, particularly in South Florida, as the team continues its pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

The Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-1, eliminating them from the playoffs and advancing to the next round. Sam Reinhart led the Panthers with two goals. Carter Verhaeghe contributed one goal and two assists. Matthew Tkachuk recorded three assists for Florida. Anthony Cirelli scored the lone goal for the Lightning. The Boston Bruins secured a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, taking a 3-1 series lead. Brad Marchand scored one goal and assisted another for the Bruins. David Pastrnak also tallied a goal. Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves for Boston. William Nylander scored the Maple Leafs' only goal. The Colorado Avalanche beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-1, securing a 3-1 series lead. Valeri Nichushkin scored a hat trick, netting three goals for the Avalanche. Artturi Lehkonen and Cale Makar each added a goal and an assist. Nathan MacKinnon contributed two assists. Adam Lowry scored the only goal for the Jets. The Vancouver Canucks defeated the Nashville Predators 2-1, also taking a 3-1 series lead. Elias Lindholm and Dakota Joshua each scored a goal for the Canucks. Casey DeSmith stopped 29 shots. Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators, and Juuse Saros made 17 saves.