The Stanley Cup playoffs continue on Thursday with the Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators, Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers have won three consecutive games and now lead the series 3-2, while the Senators have won the last two and are only one game behind the Maple Leafs. The Stars-Avs series has been close the entire way, but Dallas is up a game and has a chance to advance with a win, just like all teams up 3-2 today, including the Golden Knights, who have the best odds to win the series at -700.

The Oilers (+700), Stars (+800), Golden Knights (+800) and Maple Leafs (+900) are at three, four (tied) and six to win the Stanley Cup in the odds, respectively. The Hurricanes (+425) and Panthers (+500) lead the pack, but it’s still (almost) anyone’s to take.

Viewing guide for Thursday
GameTime (ET)TV Stream

Maple Leafs at
Senators

7 p.m.

US: TBS
CAN: TBD

Max

Golden Knights at
Wild

7:30 p.m.

US: ESPN, FDSNNO, SCRIPPS
CAN: TBD

Stars at
Avalanche

9:30 p.m.

US: TBS, Victory+, ALT
CAN: TBD

Kings at
Oilers

10 p.m.

US: ESPN, FDSNW
CAN: TBD

Games on TBS can also be streamed on Max. 

Watching in person? Get tickets on StubHub.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators

Maple Leafs lead series 3-2

Series odds: Maple Leafs -350, Senators +280

With their backs against the wall, the Senators kept their season alive. Thomas Chabot opened the scoring in the second period, and Dylan Cozens added to it with a short-handed goal. It was the second consecutive game without a power-play goal from the Maple Leafs, who went 0-for-4 in Game 4 and 0-for-3 in Game 5.

Toronto amped up the pressure in the third to come back from a 0-2 deficit. The Maple Leafs attempted 22 shots, but only nine reached the net. Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk capped off the night with empty net goals in the last three minutes of play to take the game 4-0. Linus Ullmark put up his best playoff performance ever, with three goals saved above expected — that qualifies as both a quality start and a stolen win.

Can the Senators stave off elimination for the third straight game, or will the Maple Leafs close this series out? Toronto still holds a 3-2 series lead, so there isn’t much to worry about — other than past demons.

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Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild

Golden Knights lead series 3-2

Series odds: Golden Knights -700, Wild +500

With a 3-2 overtime victory over the Wild, the Golden Knights are one game away from Round 2.

William Karlsson opened the scoring with a short-handed goal, set up by Jack Eichel. This was only Eichel’s second point of the series, and his first primary helper. Kirill Kaprizov responded seconds later with a power-play goal to tie the game. But Mark Stone, assisted again by Eichel, pulled Vegas ahead later in the first frame.

Filip Gustavsson surprisingly exited the game before the third period, giving veteran Marc-Andre Fleury a chance to play against his former team. He held Vegas off in the third period, and Matt Boldy scored the tying goal to force overtime for the second straight game. And unlike Game 4, it was Vegas that won in extra time. Brett Howden scored the winner to give his team a series lead for the first time since Game 1.

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Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche

Stars lead series 3-2

Series odds: Stars -210, Avalanche +170

Just when it seemed like Colorado had the juice in this series, the Stars struck back. Dallas opened the scoring early in Game 5, as Wyatt Johnston netted his first goal of the series nine seconds into play. With 45 seconds left in the period, Thomas Harley made it 2-0.

The Stars added to their lead just 1:12 into the second, with Mikko Rantanen’s first goal of the series, and first ever against the Avs. With goals from Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado tried to claw its way back in. But Johnston’s power-play goal gave the Stars some separation later in the second frame, then Mason Marchment’s tally made it 5-2. Jake Oettinger was solid in net, and unlike in Game 4, he had a lot of support from the team in front of him.

Now the pressure is on the Avalanche to rebound on home ice to extend the series, which could be even trickier if Miro Heiskanen returns for Game 6. He is traveling with the team to Colorado, but his status is still up in the air.

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Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers

Oilers lead series 3-2

Series odds: Oilers -400, Kings +310

The Edmonton Oilers are back in the driver’s seat and one win away from eliminating the Los Angeles Kings in the first round for the fourth consecutive year. The Oilers won a commanding Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead with a dominant performance that Daniel Nugent-Bowman said was the team’s best of the season. And they didn’t need top-level play from Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl to get it done, either.

The Kings couldn’t win at home, something they had done much of the regular season and in Games 1 and 2, and failed to make a statement against their familiar opponents, even with stellar goaltending from Darcy Kuemper.

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(Photo of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid: Gary A. Vasquez / Imagn Images)