Former Canucks now on the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers have extended their post-season after facing elimination on Tuesday night.
Five former members of the Vancouver Canucks were on the verge of elimination on Tuesday night heading into their respective Game 5 matchups. In a surprising but exciting twist, all five have extended their post-season by at least one extra game.
The first players to successfully evade elimination were Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov of the Boston Bruins, who were down 3-1 in their first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres. They kept it close throughout Tuesday's Game 5 matchup as well, with this game going to overtime after Lindholm tied things up for Boston around halfway through the game. David Pastrňák ultimately scored the overtime winner, keeping the Bruins in the series for at least one more matchup.
Next up on the list of near-elimination saves were Vasily Podkolzin, Jason Dickinson, and Curtis Lazar of the Edmonton Oilers. Their first-round opponent, the Anaheim Ducks, managed to win three-straight to give themselves a 3-1 series lead by Tuesday night. However, the Oilers showed up big-time by defeating the Ducks by a score of 4-1. Podkolzin made his mark in this game by scoring the opening goal for Edmonton.
Lindholm and Zadorov, as well as Podkolzin, Dickinson, and Lazar will now set their sights on winning their respective Game 6 matchups to bring their series' to sudden-death for both teams. The Oilers will play in their next game on Thursday, April 30 at 7:00 pm PT, while the Bruins will play on Friday, May 1 at 4:30 pm PT.
Apr 28, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm (28) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn ImagesMake sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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