Ex-Canucks Shine in 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 1 Wins for Vegas and Montréal

The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have seen the Vancouver Canucks eliminated from contention, but some of their former players are making significant impacts with their new teams. Notably, Nic Dowd and Alex Burrows played pivotal roles in the Game 1 victories for the Vegas Golden Knights and the Montréal Canadiens, respectively, showcasing their talents on hockey’s biggest stage.

In the first standout performance, Nic Dowd contributed to the Golden Knights’ 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Although he logged just 13:18 minutes of ice time—ranking seventh among forwards—Dowd’s crucial moment came when he outpaced two Avalanche players to score an empty-net goal, effectively sealing the victory for Vegas. This play was particularly vital, as the Golden Knights faced intense pressure from Colorado in the closing minutes. Dowd’s effectiveness was further highlighted by his impressive 62.5% success rate in faceoffs, including the one that led to his goal.

Meanwhile, the following day, it was another former Canuck who made headlines, although his impact was felt off the ice. The Canadiens secured a surprising 6-2 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes, a team that had previously not allowed more than five goals in any playoff series this year. After the game, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis praised the contributions of Alex Burrows, emphasizing his role in preparing the team for the matchup against Carolina.

“We knew for a long time that if we got through Buffalo, we were playing Carolina. Obviously, our analytics people, but Alex Burrows does a lot of that grunt work for us,” St. Louis explained. Burrows, a former assistant coach with the Canadiens, stepped down from that position in July 2024 but has remained with the organization as a player development coach, contributing to both the AHL’s Laval Rocket and the Canadiens over the past eight seasons.

As the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, the Conference Finals will resume tonight at 5:00 PM PT, with the Avalanche hosting the Golden Knights for Game 2. The Canadiens and Hurricanes will meet again on Saturday at 4:00 PM PT, as the excitement of the postseason intensifies.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.