NHL Playoffs Buzz: Dorofeyev game-time decision for Golden Knights for Game 6

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Vegas Golden Knights

Forward Pavel Dorofeyev (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision when the Golden Knights face the Minnesota Wild in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round on Thursday (7:30 ET; FDSNNO, SCRIPPS, ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).

"We'll see how he is for tomorrow," Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said Wednesday. "We didn't skate today. But we'll have a better idea tomorrow."

Dorofeyev left the a 3-2 overtime win in Game 5 on Tuesday at 15:56 of the third period and did not return. He has one goal and one assist in the series after leading the team in goals with a career-high 35 and 52 points in the regular season.

If Dorofeyev can't play, the Golden Knights have options including Victor Olofsson, who played in the first three games of the series.

"If he can't go, we'll think about who goes in the lineup and go from there," Cassidy said. "I'm pretty comfortable with however it works out."

Vegas leads the best-of-7 series 3-2. -- Paul Delos Santos

Minnesota Wild

Filip Gustavsson is expected to start against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round on Thursday (7:30 ET; FDSNNO, SCRIPPS, ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).

The goalie left the 3-2 overtime loss in Game 5 on Tuesday after the second period due to an illness. He made 23 saves on 25 shots.

“All signs point towards (him playing),” coach John Hynes said. “It was an illness that kind of bothered him. But right now, he feels better, feels good. So obviously we'll monitor that tonight and tomorrow. But all signs are pointing to no significant issues with him.”

Gustavsson has started all five games in the best-of-7 series where he has a 2.63 goals against average and .919 save percentage.

Marc-Andre Fleury, who made his 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs debut, made six saves on seven shots in relief in Game 5.

“It's tough, right? Obviously, the game is tight. Gus was playing well. 'Flower' had sat there for awhile, and now he's getting ready to go in,” Hynes said. “So obviously, it's an uneasy feeling. But to be honest, if anyone can jump in that situation and play well, it's Flower. So that does make it a little bit better.”

Vegas leads the best-of-7 series 3-2. -- Jessi Pierce

Washington Capitals

Aliaksei Protas returned for the Capitals in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.

The forward had not played since April 4 because of a skate cut on his left foot. He was a full participant at practice on Tuesday.

"When he gets back in, you're hoping, and usually it's different for every player, you're hoping that they pick it up as quickly as possible," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said Tuesday. "It takes maybe a period, a couple of shifts to get acclimated to the pace of play and physicality and the things that are required in playoff hockey."

Protas was third on the Capitals with 30 goals and tied Pierre-Luc Dubois for third with 66 points in 76 regular-season games. His return could help particularly on the penalty kill, which has allowed five goals on 13 times short-handed in the series. Protas led Washington with three short-handed goals and tied Tom Wilson for third among Capitals forwards in averaging 1:35 of ice time on the penalty kill during the regular season.

"He's a big part of our penalty kill," Carbery said. "So, if and when he gets back in, he'll help that group significantly." --Tom Gulitti

Montreal Canadiens

Patrik Laine missed his third straight game because of an undisclosed injury when the Canadiens visited the Washington Capitals in Game 5 at Washington on Wednesday.

Defenseman Alexandre Carrier, who did not practice Tuesday and was day to day after he was injured on a hit by Tom Wilson in Game 4 on Sunday, was in the lineup.

Montreal trails 3-1 in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round series.

Goalie Sam Montembeault did not play after an undisclosed injury forced him to leave midway through Montreal's 6-3 win in Game 3 on Friday. He is day to day.

Jakub Dobes started and Cayden Primeau was the backup goalie for a second straight game.

St. Louis Blues

Tyler Tucker is day to day with a lower-body injury and will not play against the Jets in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN, FDSNMW).

The defenseman was injured with 4:17 left in the third period of the Blues' 5-1 win in Game 4 on Sunday when he toe-picked on the ice in the right corner of the defensive zone and landed awkwardly on both legs while trying to check Jets forward Brandon Tanev.

Tucker, who scored the eventual game-winning goal, needed to be helped off the ice and was favoring his right leg. He did not practice Tuesday.

Ryan Suter, who played all 82 regular-season games this season and Games 1 and 2 of the series before being a healthy scratch for Games 3 and 4, will return on a defense pair with Nick Leddy.

"He is going back in. I've got to give him credit," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of Suter on Tuesday. "I've got to say it was hard to do when you respect the player so much and what he's done in the League for years and how much he's helped us this year. You make a decision and you live with it. But that day I told him, that practice, he was unbelievable. He's a pro, and I know he's going to be good for us. It was just a gut feel, and putting him back in, we're getting our No. 1 penalty-killing defenseman back in."

The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2. -- Lou Korac