Today’s NHL Stanley Cup Playoff games:
MTL vs. TBL – PIT vs. PHI – UTA vs. VGK
REFEREES
Furman South #13
Jean Hebert #15
Games ’25-26 (RS/PO)
76 / 3
63 / 3
Career Games (RS/PO)
486 / 6
887 / 118
First NHL Game
4/6/17
3/30/11
First Playoff Game
4/18/26
4/16/15
Birthplace
Sewickley, PA
Bouctouche, NB
Goals/Gm
6.1 (22) | 5.4 (42)
6.6 (4) | 6.0 (23)
PP Opp/Gm
5.5 (29) | 4.8 (42)
5.9 (14) | 5.5 (14)
PPG/Gm
1.2 (23) | 1.0 (41)
1.4 (6) | 1.2 (13)
Penl/Gm
6.8 (34) | 6.2 (38)
8.0 (4) | 7.6 (6)
PIM/Gm
17.3 (29) | 6.2 (33)
19.3 (8) | 18.7 (5)
% of Penl on Home
50.4% (8) | 50.0% (8)
50.1% (11) | 50.0% (4)
% PP Opp for Home
49.5% (33) | 50.0% (36)
52.3% (17) | 50.0% (39)
Penl Diff.*
1.2 (31) | 1.1 (39)
1.3 (21) | 1.2 (34)
Home Win %
59% (21) | 60% (30)
58% (23) | 67% (7)
Home Rec.
40-26-10 | 40-26-8
39-27-9 | 46-21-7
OT/SO Games
23.7% (24) | 20.0% (20)
15.9% (37) | 20.0% (29)
Team Records
25-26
24-25
23-24
25-26
24-25
23-24
MTL
3-3-0
1-1-0
1-2-2
3-1-0
1-2-0
2-1-1
TBL
3-2-0
3-3-0
1-0-1
4-3-0
4-2-1
6-0-1
LINESPERSONS
Scott Cherrey #50
Kilian McNamara #93
Games ’25-26 (RS/PO)
42 / 3
76 / 3
Career Games (RS/PO)
1275 / 174
352 / 3
First NHL Game
10/6/07
10/25/21
First Playoff Game
4/15/11
—
Birthplace
Drayton, ON
Lake Worth, FL
South and Hebert worked MIN/DAL Game 1, OTT/CAR Game 2, and PHI/PIT Game 4.
Standby Official: TJ Luxmore (#21)Series Officiating Supervisor: Brad Meier
REFEREES
Gord Dwyer #19
Pierre Lambert #25
Games ’25-26 (RS/PO)
70 / 3
75 / 3
Career Games (RS/PO)
1383 / 130
582 / 11
First NHL Game
11/19/05
11/17/16
First Playoff Game
4/16/14
4/21/24
Birthplace
Lower Sackville, NS
St-Hubert, QC
Goals/Gm
6.2 (15) | 5.9 (27)
6.1 (21) | 5.8 (37)
PP Opp/Gm
6.2 (9) | 5.3 (28)
5.5 (28) | 5.5 (15)
PPG/Gm
1.2 (19) | 1.1 (32)
1.0 (34) | 1.3 (11)
Penl/Gm
7.5 (17) | 6.6 (29)
7.0 (28) | 6.7 (23)
PIM/Gm
19.1 (9) | 6.6 (26)
15.9 (33) | 15.8 (24)
% of Penl on Home
47.3% (36) | 50.0% (29)
49.7% (17) | 50.0% (14)
% PP Opp for Home
54.2% (6) | 50.0% (14)
51.1% (27) | 50.0% (32)
Penl Diff.*
1.6 (1) | 1.4 (13)
1.0 (40) | 1.3 (15)
Home Win %
51% (34) | 64% (14)
52% (30) | 67% (5)
Home Rec.
31-30-9 | 44-25-4
12-11-0 | 44-20-9
OT/SO Games
17.4% (34) | 20.0% (35)
20.3% (32) | 20.0% (14)
Team Records
25-26
24-25
23-24
25-26
24-25
23-24
PIT
2-2-1
3-2-0
2-3-0
1-1-1
3-1-1
2-1-0
PHI
3-1-0
2-3-1
1-1-1
3-0-1
3-2-1
3-3-1
LINESPERSONS
Matt MacPherson #83
Travis Gawryletz #67
Games ’25-26 (RS/PO)
77 / 3
78 / 3
Career Games (RS/PO)
1039 / 128
584 / 16
First NHL Game
10/11/11
11/8/17
First Playoff Game
4/17/14
4/17/23
Birthplace
Antigonish, NS
Trail, BC
Dwyer and Lambert also refereed ANA/EDM Game 1, MIN/DAL Game 3, and UTA/VGK Game 3.
Standby Officials: Francis Charron (#6) Tommy Hughes (#65)Series Officiating Supervisor: Shane Heyer
REFEREES
Jake Brenk #26
Francois St. Laurent #8
Games ’25-26 (RS/PO)
76 / 3
59 / 3
Career Games (RS/PO)
662 / 16
1147 / 98
First NHL Game
11/12/15
11/10/05
First Playoff Game
5/2/22
4/13/11
Birthplace
Detroit Lakes, MN
Greenfield Park, QC
Goals/Gm
6.2 (16) | 6.1 (18)
6.8 (1) | 5.8 (35)
PP Opp/Gm
6.3 (7) | 5.6 (13)
5.8 (15) | 5.9 (7)
PPG/Gm
1.6 (1) | 1.2 (16)
1.4 (7) | 1.2 (21)
Penl/Gm
7.7 (12) | 7.5 (7)
7.6 (15) | 7.2 (12)
PIM/Gm
17.8 (25) | 7.5 (13)
18.5 (16) | 16.4 (17)
% of Penl on Home
46.4% (35) | 50.0% (31)
49.3% (10) | 50.0% (17)
% PP Opp for Home
54.1% (8) | 50.0% (11)
50.1% (32) | 50.0% (29)
Penl Diff.*
1.4 (13) | 1.3 (14)
1.5 (5) | 1.4 (4)
Home Win %
62% (13) | 62% (20)
63% (11) | 63% (18)
Home Rec.
37-22-4 | 43-25-5
35-20-4 | 36-21-2
OT/SO Games
23.7% (24) | 20.0% (9)
20.3% (31) | 10.0% (40)
Team Records
25-26
24-25
23-24
25-26
24-25
23-24
UTA
2-0-0
2-3-0
4-2-0
2-0-0
1-1-0
1-3-0
VGK
3-3-1
0-1-0
1-2-0
2-0-1
2-0-0
0-2-1
LINESPERSONS
Jonny Murray #95
CJ Murray #68
Games ’25-26 (RS/PO)
64 / 3
78 / 3
Career Games (RS/PO)
1617 / 207
355 / 7
First NHL Game
10/7/00
10/14/21
First Playoff Game
4/16/09
—
Birthplace
Beauport, QC
Pittsburgh, PA
Refs Brenk and St-Laurent also worked MTL/TBL Game 1, PHI/PIT Game 3, and ANA/EDM Game 4.
Standby Official: Chris Schlenker (#3)Series Officiating Supervisor: Brad Watson
The NHL officials selected to work the opening round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
NHL Officials Selected for 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Games: PS (Preseason); RS (Regular Season); PO (Playoffs)
Stats/Numbers: ’25-26 avg. (’25-26 rank) | ’24-25 avg. (’24-25 rank)
Number in orange/parentheses indicated referee’s rank among active officials.
* Penalty Differential represents the absolute value of the variance of penalty calls by team per game. If Team A takes two more penalties (or two fewer) than Team B, this is a 2. Lower numbers indicate less variance between total penalties in a game – that is, a closer number of calls for both teams.
We’ve also got new rules, new refs, promoted officials, and an updated pronunciation guide for 2025-26.
