with files from Patrick Williams
Day 13 of the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs sees two teams with a chance to advance to the division finals:
Cleveland gets the first shot at the road as they take a 2-1 series lead in Game 4 at Syracuse this afternoon (3 ET, 
).
Hudson Faschinga 10-year veteran with 548 games of experience between the AHL and NHL, scored his first goal of the postseason at 10:05 of overtime to give the Monsters a 4-3 victory in Game 3 on Friday.
The protector Guillaume Richard scored twice – his second two-goal game of the season – once Riley Bezeau added a goal for Cleveland, its fourth in its last six playoff games dating back to last spring’s run to the Calder Cup Finals with Charlotte. Luca Del Belluz again Dysin Mayo they got two assists each, too Zach Sawchenko (2-0, 2.31, .923) made 31 saves.
Syracuse’s goals in Game 3 came Spencer Kersten, Nick Abruzzese again Ethan Gauthier. For Kersten and Gauthier, it was their first Calder Cup Playoffs goals. Brandon Halverson (1-1, 1.78, .932) turned over 28 shots.
Both teams are looking for their first power play goal of the series: Syracuse is 0-for-8, while Cleveland is 0-for-6.
It’s a quick turnaround for both teams in Winnipeg as the Moose host the Griffins (3 ET, ) after game 1 yesterday afternoon.
Captain Mason Shaw converted on the power play with 2:26 left in regulation to send Manitoba to a 1-0 victory. Shaw’s goal was to support everything Domenic DiVincentiis it would be necessary, as the goaltender made 39 saves to shut down the AHL’s second-leading offense.
“They’re a top team for a reason,” DiVincentiis said. “We have a lot of hope in that room and this game just showed that. But we have to be ready for them for the rest of the series.”
The shutout was the first by a Moose goalie in the Calder Cup Playoffs in 15 years. Eddie Lack posted two shutouts for Manitoba during the 2011 postseason.
On the other hand, Michal Postava he drew a Game 1 performance and made 22 saves. Postava has two shutouts in its last four regular season games, and hasn’t allowed more than three goals in any outing all year.
He and him Sebastian Cossa shared the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award as the Griffins allowed the fewest goals in the league during the regular season.
“Michal, he’s got it, he’s been the best for us. [in Game 1],” Griffins head coach Dan Watson said. “Both guys have to be ready. Whether we go back with Michal or (with) Coss, both guys need to stay ready because this series ends very quickly.”
Toronto hosts Laval in Game 3 of their series at the Coca-Cola Coliseum (4 ET, ) after the Marlies got the split on the road with a 6-2 victory Friday night.
After the goals from Laurent Dauphin again Joshua Roythe Rockets led 2-0 just 12:22 into Game 2. But Toronto scored six unanswered goals, and their special teams included four power-play goals and an empty-netter shorthand.
The Marlies had gone 3-29 against the Rockets in nine games this season before Friday.
“Since we are down 2-0, we are on the road, we could not close the tent,” the head coach of Toronto. John Gruden said. “It says a lot about our leadership. I can’t stress that enough.”
The four power play goals were the most by the Marlies in a game since January 12, 2024, against Belleville.
“We’ve got to take advantage of those moments,” Gruden said, “because if you don’t they’ll continue to be comfortable and they won’t be afraid of our power play.”
Rookie Easton CowanThe Maple Leafs 2023 first-round pick played 66 games in the NHL this season, recording a goal and two assists in Game 2. He skated with veteran forwards Logan Shaw, Vinni Lettieri and Bo Groulx and defenseman William Villeneuve on the power play.
“We’ve only been together a couple of games, so it’s telling, watching the video,” Cowan said of the unit’s chemistry. “Gio (training advisor Mark Giordano) has done a really good job so we will continue to listen to him. He knows his stuff so we’ll be fine.”
Last night’s 2-1 win puts Chicago on the brink of advancing with a 2-1 lead in Game 4 against Texas this afternoon (4 ET, ).
Ryan SuzukiThe first playoff goal proved to be the game winner, too Cayden Primeau (2-1, 1.90, .928) made 27 saves.
Noah Philp had another goal for Chicago in Game 2 – his first of the playoffs.
“We stuck to our game plan,” said Philp. “When we play together and play easily that’s when we are at our best and we did that for most of the game.”
The Wolves, who have won five straight at home, are looking to close out their first series win since winning the Calder Cup in 2022.
Jack Becker scored Texas’ lone goal in Game 3, a tally early in the third period that cut the deficit to two goals in half. Rémi Poirier (1-2, 2.24, .907) stopped 26 shots in the loss.
“We were on their heels sometimes in the third,” the Stars coach Toby Petersen said. “Our guys came out flying and got new life, new energy. In the end it’s not enough.”
The quick turnaround – about 17 hours between the final horn and the puck drop – doesn’t allow either team to waste time thinking about last night.
“Now they are focused on getting to Game 5,” said Petersen. “It’s a desperate time. There’s no reason we can’t come out and give it our all and hopefully have our best game of the year.”
A 110-point regular season doesn’t mean it’s playoff time, when everyone starts the series 0-0.
The Providence Bruins dropped their postseason opener at Springfield, 3-2, on Friday night. The Bruins host Game 2 tonight (7:05 ET, ); including two home-and-home losses to Utica to close the regular season, Providence has lost three straight for the first time in 2025-26.
But recent playoff history shows the Bruins’ tendency to regress. Last spring, Providence won four games while facing elimination, including two wins against Springfield to eliminate the Thunderbirds.
In Game 1 of this series, the B’s won 1-0 on a Thunderbird goal. Drew Callinwho made his Providence debut in Game 1. Callin, who skated in four games with Bridgeport during the regular season, spent most of the year with Worcester (ECHL).
But Springfield responded with goals Akhil Thomas again Thomas Bordeleau – both mid-season acquisitions – lead, and Dylan Peterson added an insurance marker 3:21 into the third. Peterson’s goal stood up as the difference from behind Matej Blümel scored for the Bruins with 37 seconds left in regulation.
Since losing 8-1 in Game 1 in the first round in Charlotte, Springfield has won three straight – despite giving up the first goal of the game in each contest. The Bruins were 40-4-0-0 in the regular season when they scored first.
“We talked about this last series,” the Springfield coach Steve Ott he told his team after Game 1. “We’re moving on to the next game.”
