The second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs is complete, highlighting true winners and losers from each series.
Winner: Mitch Marner Shatters Playoff Reputation
With his reputation as a playoff performer under scrutiny, Mitch Marner delivered when it mattered most. He recorded 11 points in six games against the Anaheim Ducks, including a hat trick in Game 3 and a two-point performance in Game 6 to close out the series.
Including his stellar three-point effort to close out the Utah Mammoth in Game 6, Marner now has 14 points in his last seven games and leads the Golden Knights in scoring this postseason.
Loser: Alex Tuch Goes Ice Cold
Alex Tuch was a force for the Buffalo Sabres in the regular season and the first-round series against the Boston Bruins. However, he went cold at the worst possible moment in Game 7 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Tuch failed to record a single point in the seven-game series. The Sabres were outscored 8-1 with him in the game at five-on-five despite putting 26 shots on net — the most of anyone on the team.
Winner: Jakub Dobes' Coming-Out Party
Since Carey Price stepped off the ice in April 2022, the Canadiens have been searching for stability in goal. The 24-year-old Jakub Dobes has provided exactly that.
In Game 7 against the Sabres, Dobes made one big save after another, including a crucial stop in overtime on Tage Thompson during an odd-man rush. He posted a .913 save percentage with a high-danger save percentage of .870.
Dobes gives the Canadiens a shot at upsetting the Carolina Hurricanes in the next round if he maintains this level of play.