In their first game following a successful Western Canada road trip, in which they notched six of a possible six points to bring their winning streak to four games, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at Honda Center on Sunday evening.

The Ducks entered play just two points out of the second wild card spot, with a game in hand on the Utah Mammoth, which was somewhat surprising, given that prior to their win streak, they had only won one of their previous eight.

Game #18: Ducks vs. Penguins Gameday Preview (11/08/26)

Ducks Boast NHL's Top Power Play, Analyzing the Top Unit's Success

The Pens entered play on the second half of a back-to-back, as they snapped their own four-game winless streak against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. In the standings, they were just two points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, who sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Following a first period benching that lasted the remainder of the Ducks’ 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Friday, Sam Colangelo was replaced in the depth chart by Frank Vatrano. That represented the only line/pair change for head coach Joel Quenneville.

Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:

Killorn-Carlsson-Caulfield

Gauthier-Granlund-Sennecke

Myatovic-Washe-Vatrano

Malott-McQueen-Nesterenko

LaCombe-Helleson

Mitchell-Luneau

Mintyukov-Warren

For the fourth time in five games, Laurent Brossoit got the start for the Ducks, with Ville Husso serving as backup. Lukas Dostal was scratched and given the night off. Brossoit stopped 31 of the 33 shots he faced. Arturs Silovs got the start for Pittsburgh and saved 20 of 24.

“Overall, some positive things: the power play, killed some penalties, that five-on-three early. They got some power plays at the end, but LB (Laurent Brossoit) was pretty good today,” Quenneville said after the game.

Game Notes

Over 15 minutes of this game was played on special teams, which is how Anaheim’s been generating the majority of their offense, and this game was no different, as they tallied three goals on four opportunities. Discipline at key moments (like at the end of a game or while already down a man) will be important to iron out, as power plays can only bail a team out so often.

Laurent Brossoit: The Ducks have been struggling to get timely, important saves from their expected No. 1 starter, Lukas Dostal, to this point in the season. Brossoit has now won all four games he’s started for the Ducks since he was recalled from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, and in this game, when the Pens were pressing to climb back into the game at various points, he was there to meet every challenge.

Notably, he was efficient with his puck tracking, found perimeter shots through and around traffic directly in front of him, and swallowed the vast majority of shots, getting freezes as opposed to fighting those shots off and putting potential rebounds back in play.

Cutter Gauthier: After his third hat trick in five games, Gauthier is now on pace to finish the season with 73 goals. That’s obviously unlikely to happen, but his ability to provide the Ducks with needed instant offense is undeniable, and next to Mikael Granlund, who can find him with deceptive passes from throughout the offensive zone and on the rush, they represent one of the more deadly setup/finishing duos in the NHL.

In this game, Gauthier attacked downhill, found soft ice, scored on a no-look power play goal, and each seemed more effortless than the last. His release is as deadly and heavy as anyone’s in NHL history, and he’s remarkably deceptive with it.

Top Four Defensemen: According to TOI, the Ducks’ top four defensemen, as it stands, are Jackson LaCombe, Drew Helleson, Pavel Mintyukov, and Tristan Luneau. All four were counted on to provide offense when the team needed to get out to a lead and defend a late lead while fending off a pressing Pens attack.

LaCombe played his third consecutive game of logging over 30:00 TOI. Over 11 of those minutes came on special teams, and at 5v5, he was tasked with taking on the challenge of matching up against Pittsburgh’s top line of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Rickard Rakell. He notched three assists, and provided a safety net as a reliable breakout option, provided smart pinches, and blocked several shots at key times in the game.

Helleson, LaCombe’s partner, played one of the better games of his career, as he was difficult to compete against in tight areas, boxed out the front of the net, and made simple, effective decisions with the puck. Tristan Luneau was creative and dynamic with the puck on his stick at the point. His activations and mobility at the blueline were a consistent threat that opened up several other opportunities for his teammates.

Pavel Mintyukov has seen a confidence boost since his three-point performance against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Notably, he’s less frantic during retrieval sequences, and rather than losing a battle or sending a weak rim up the wall, he’s skating pucks out of danger, changing the angles on outlets, and/or leading exit sequences.

For the second game of their four-game homestand, the Ducks will host the Nashville Predators on Wednesday at 7 pm PST.

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-4 Win over the Canucks

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-3 Win over the Senators

Takeaways from the Ducks 7-6 Loss to the Sabres

BOSTON (AP) — Elias Lindholm, Mikey Eyssimont and Morgan Geekie each scored a goal in an opening period that started out testy, carrying the Boston Bruins past the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Sunday.

Jeremy Swayman made 40 saves, 17 coming in the first period, for the Bruins, who improved to 7-0-0 at home by winning their fourth straight game a day after placing young star James Hagens on injured reserve.

JJ Peterka added a goal for Boston, which owns a plus-21 goal differential at TD Garden. David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha each added two assists.

Carter Verhaeghe scored a power-play goal for the Panthers, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 32 shots. Florida has lost three of four games.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, SABRES 1

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tomas Hertl scored two goals and Vegas won their third straight game, over Buffalo.

Hertl scored both of his goals in the third period to help put the game away for the Golden Knights, who finished their road trip 3-0-1.

Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner also scored for Vegas while Adin Hill made 27 saves.

Beck Malenstyn scored and Colten Ellis made 21 saves for Buffalo, which has lost two of its last three games.

Marner opened the scoring with a short-handed goal at 12:17 of the second period following a turnover by Tage Thompson.

Eichel, who was the Sabres first-round draft pick in 2015 and traded to Vegas in 2021, made it 2-0 one minute and 26 seconds later with his eighth goal of the season. He has seven goals and three assists in eight games against Buffalo in his career.

JETS 4, LIGHTNING 3

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Mark Scheifele scored on a 5-on-3 power play with 1.6 seconds left and Winnipeg beat Tampa Bay after blowing a late three-goal lead.

Scheifele scored on a one-timer from the high slot off a feed from Cole Perfetti.

After Brayden Yager gave Winnipeg a 3-0 lead on a power play at 8:10 of the third with his first NHL goal, the Lightning tied it in a 4:07 burst. Brandon Hagel scored with 9:38 to go, and Pontus Holmberg struck twice — with 5:59 left and 5:33 remaining.

Perfetti, Morgan Barron and Brayden Yager also scored for Winnipeg (7-8-3), and Stuart Skinner made 18 saves. The Jets have won three in a row after dropping nine straight.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 21 shots for Tampa Bay (11-4-2) in the opener of a three-game trip The Lightning had won three in a row.

DEVILS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 0

TORONTO (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his first shutout with New Jersey and the Devils beat Toronto.

Acquired from the Winnipeg Jets last month after demanding a trade, Hellebuyck became the first goalie in franchise history to win each of his first five games with the club.

The Devils are set to play at Winnipeg on Tuesday night, with general manager Sunny Mehta saying Sunday night that Hellebuyck will not play. Hellebuyck had his first shutout of the season and the 46th of his NHL career.

Timo Meier scored twice for New Jersey (13-5-0), which has won nine of its last 10 games. Nico Hischier, with a goal and an assist, and Connor Brown, into an empty net, provided the rest of the offense. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had two assists.

Anthony Stolarz stopped 25 shots for Toronto (8-9-2). The Maple Leafs have lost three straight and five of their last six in regulation.

FLAMES 4, FLYERS 3, OT

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matt Coronato scored at 4:08 of overtime to give Calgary a victory over Philadelphia.

Zane Parekh, Zach Whitecloud and Joel Farabee, while short-handed, also scored for the Flames (8-9-1). Yegor Sharangovich had two assists.

Flames goalie Devin Cooley, in his first game back after missing five because of a lower-body injury, made 32 saves.

Denver Barkey, Noel Acciari and Owen Tippett scored for Philadelphia (4-10-5), and Sean Couturier added two assists. Dan Vladar stopped 22 shots.

Farabee tied it on a short-handed breakaway midway through the third period.

DUCKS 5, PENGUINS 2

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cutter Gauthier continued his scoring rampage with his third hat trick in eight days, and captain Mikael Granlund had a goal and three assists in the Ducks’ fifth consecutive victory, over Pittsburgh.

Gauthier’s empty-net goal in the final minute gave him three goals and an assist for the Ducks, who became the first team since the 1988-89 Los Angeles Kings to score at least five goals in eight consecutive games.

Gauthier extended his goals streak to six games and his points streak to a career best-tying eight games with his fourth multi-goal performance during this electric sequence, including three of his four career hat tricks. He has scored eight of his 13 goals in this six-game stretch on power plays.

Jackson LaCombe had three assists and tied a Ducks record with an assist in his 10th consecutive game. Laurent Brossoit made 32 saves for his fourth victory in four starts in Anaheim’s net.

Kris Letang and Rickard Rakell scored 6-on-4 power-play goals in the third period after Pittsburgh had fallen behind 4-0. Evgeni Malkin had two assists and Arturs Silovs stopped 20 shots for the Penguins, who snapped a four-game skid Saturday night at Los Angeles in the opener of their California trip.

Pregame

Ville Koivunen picked up a day-to-day undisclosed lower body injury in last night’s game, Andrei Kuzmenko steps into his spot in the lineup. Arturs Silovs rotates in to get the start in goal.

The Anaheim Ducks are going with these lines.

The Ducks also brought some of the actors from the Mighty Ducks movies and woo, these Hometown Remix sure hit the ‘90s nostalgia sweet spot. There’s been some mixed reviews and spotty acceptance of some of the team’s choices, would have to imagine this concept is about as universally loved as it’ll get. That front crest is so much better than Anaheim’s typical webbed foot D looking thing and the color scheme of the green/yellow/purple is just iconic. Hard to believe after all these years this is the first movie-inspired jersey the NHL team has gone with.

First period

Great start for the Pens, including the Crosby line and then the Lizotte line getting plenty of pressure and time in the offensive zone. The good will goes out the door when Erik Karlsson steps up and Beckett Sennecke and the puck both get behind him for a breakaway, though Sennecke skies the shot to avoid issues.

Kaedan Korczak takes the first penalty of the night. Pittsburgh holds on until one second remains on it, Mikael Granlund is the first to a rebound kicked in his direction and the return effort hits the back of the net. 1-0 Anaheim.

Shortly after that, the Pens are back to the penalty box, it’s Crosby this time for a cross-check. No goal on it this time.

Pittsburgh gets their footing back under them, another good shift by the top line and after that Ben Kindel is tripped by Tristan Luneau to grant the first Pens power play. Not much comes of it.

Well, it was a good opening and closing five minutes for Pittsburgh, then the penalties came and their defensive structure got (pardon the pun) a little loosey goosey against the Ducks, giving up two 3-on-1 rushes that they were able to survive in the middle of the period.

Second period

Pittsburgh gets some power plays early, Rickard Rakell gets held and then just 23 seconds into the power play, Tommy Novak has his lip opened up by an Alex Killorn high stick, leading to 1:37 of a 5v3 advantage for the Pens.

Jackson LaCombe blocks away a sure goal with his skate, there’s a whistle with 41 seconds left in the 5v3 and Pittsburgh elects to use their timeout very early in the game in order to get their top players a breather and talk strategy.

It doesn’t pay off, they try to move the puck and find Kindel, his shot misses the net. From there the team bumbles around, finding ways to lose the puck and getting no where.

Pittsburgh gets called for a penalty, the Ducks strike again for their second PPG of the night. Cutter Gauthier makes a slick no look shot that fooled everyone in white thinking he would probably be passing. 2-0.

The bottom starts dropping out, Granlund finds Gauthier with a nice pass that again exposes the Pens’ defensive structure with only one player anywhere near the net. Gauthier scores his second goal of the night, right along the ice again. 3-0.

Repeated missed opportunities and repeated Gauthier goals put the Pens down 3-0 and it doesn’t even feel that close at the second intermission.

Third period

Blake Lizotte goes off for a tripping minor early in the period, the Ducks try to set Gauthier up for the hat trick, that doesn’t work. The second group comes out and Tristan Luneau shoots from the point with traffic and Silovs doesn’t catch up in time. 4-0 on the third PPG of the game for Anaheim.

The Pens get a power play with over 13 minutes to go and pull Silovs to make it a 6v4 advantage. Kris Letang joins the top power play and it pays off with Letang’s first goal of the season. 4-1 game.

Pittsburgh keeps pushing to get back in the game. Silovs is pulled again with 7:40 to go when the team gets an offensive zone faceoff. They force Anaheim into an interference penalty. Silovs stays on the bench for the team to try another 6v4 power play. It works again, this time with Crosby making a short pass over for Rickard Rakell to smack in. 4-2 game with 6:18 to play.

The push continues with the fight against the clock. The Pens pull Silovs for a third time with about three minutes to go and nearly score during a net-front scramble that again sees a Duck defender block a shot that was going into the net. The empty net luck finally runs out, Gauthier scores from long-range to get his hat trick and set the final score at 5-2.

Some thoughts

• Rutger McGroarty was called up for an extra body in lieu of the Koivunen injury but didn’t play. He did play Friday and Saturday in the AHL and then make the cross-country trek to join the NHL club, it can be annoying when young players are recalled and not dressed but this decision made some sense. (Of course, it’ll make less if/when McGroarty doesn’t play again on Wednesday if he’s still with the NHL club by then).
• Anaheim has the second ranked power play in the NHL, not a great idea to send them to the power play twice in the first ten minutes of action!
• The Pittsburgh PK rotation in play is interesting, and not really a good interesting. Karlsson ended up at the top of the box, where a forward would usually be. The next PK, it was Korczak who ended up in the same spot. This required forwards to be down low and have to defend near the net, which doesn’t seem like the most sound strategy. That it happened twice for a defenseman fine with rotating out far from the net within a few minutes stood out as noteworthy.
• Great Bob Grove stat (well not so great for Blake Lizotte): Lizotte has lost 11 straight defensive zone faceoffs while on the PK. That’s a big issue since Lizotte typically takes the first PK faceoff and those draws are in the d-zone. Overall, the non-Crosby faceoffs of the first period were two wins and nine losses, which was at five wins and 14 losses by the end of the second. Immediately losing puck possession so consistently has mounted into a major problem for this team. When Lizotte was in the box, Kindel took the duty of the first PK faceoff, he lost and broke his stick in the process – the puck ended up in the net seconds later.
• It’s very petty but it doesn’t stop me from doing a little smile when remembering Gauthier elected to not want to sign with the Flyers after they drafted him. Maybe a little less happy when he starts snapping goals in left and right, but better it happens 2x a season instead of four.
• Tonight had shades of the Vegas game for last week when Pittsburgh got a long 5v3 power play in a perfect spot to change the game (though down 1-0 in the second period tonight is of course a little different than a tie game late in the third like back then) only to not score. Then watch the opponent get a power play and quickly score a back-breaking goal. Not exactly the type of deja vu that you want to go through.
• Just from the box score, a 2/5 night for the power play will look better than this one actually was, given the long 5v3 that went south at a key time of the game. It doesn’t help that aforementioned great Ducks power play was even better, going 3/4 and putting the game out of reach until a comeback effort that was too big of a hole and too little time for the Pens to have a real shot.
• Liked the idea for the coaches to call the timeout early on in the game and try to give the players another crack at it. Having Novak back in the room getting repairs on his lip didn’t help matters, but at this point there’s still three future Hall of Famers on the ice in that situation. They have to find a way to get it in the net.
• At least Letang got the power play something for the night with a goal. Nothing fancy, just a slapshot from the middle of the ice. Keeping it simple and putting pucks on target is the best thing they can do right now. Great stat from the SNP crew that tonight’s goal was only the second regular season goal for Letang in calendar 2026 (and the last was way back on January 1st!). Letang did score two goals in the playoffs.
• Malkin had two power play assists tonight. He did get a PPA last night vs LA which was his first of the season in that ledger and his first power play point since way back on the second game against Montreal on 10/3. He’s had some injury issues, nice to see three PPA this weekend after being dry all year to that point.
• A sixty minute game can’t be boiled down as simply as two plays, but it’s hard to avoid the final pre-empty net score of 4-2 and the fact two Ducks defenders blocked shots going into empty nets. It’s almost impossible to imagine Penguin players doing the same, most of them tend to end up out of picture view to the net when the goals go in. That, of course, wasn’t the true difference in why one team won and the other lost, though it does stand out just the same.

Not a new feeling, the Penguins are just missing that little extra bit right now that it takes to win games. Usually that comes from the power play failing gloriously and the defense getting out of sorts leading to goal(s) against. Both of those elements have been on display regularly this season and certainly were a big part of the story tonight. In theory, they’re pretty close, yet they fail to get there so regularly that it is a very real gap between winning and what they’re typically capable of. One more on the road on Wednesday night in San Jose before returning home.

The play by Luke Hughes on Saturday night still stands out. Not the fight with Matthew Schaefer, although that’s noteworthy as well. The play does involve Hughes and Schaefer, though. 

It’s the overtime play where Hughes closes in on Schaefer, who has a chance to end the game with a breakaway goal. Then, Hughes breaks up the scoring chance, steals the puck, and sends it up the ice to his brother Jack Hughes for the overtime winner. 

The play might have been a penalty, or at least a borderline call. It’s how Schaefer felt afterwards, expressing frustration on the ice. However, that play speaks to the improvements Hughes has made on defense, allowing the New Jersey Devils to win that game 5-4 and become one of the top teams in the NHL. 

Hughes is where this week’s Devils notebook should start. After all, it’s been quite the week for the young defensemen. He’ll get a deep dive, but first, some thoughts on the recent 4-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Maple Leafs Remind The Devils Of The Woes They Addressed

The 4-0 final indicates that the game was lopsided. The play was even at the start but the Devils wore the Maple Leafs down and pulled away. The pace and how the Devils took over was a reminder of many issues that had to be addressed this season to become a contender. 

The noticeable one was a slow defense, which the Devils fixed and the Maple Leafs stil have. Throughout the latest game, Jack Hughes and the fast-paced skaters blew by the Maple Leafs defensemen, many of which are veterans in their 30s who have lost a step. 

Outside of Luke Hughes, the Devils defense is older yet doesn’t play that way. One reason why is the Declan Chisholm addition, as the 26 year old defenseman adds a burst of speed to the third pair, and he gets ice time when the matchups call for it. 

Speaking of wearing the opponent down, the Devils managed to do so to the Maple Leafs despite playing with 11 forwards. Another issue general manager Sunny Mehta addressed this offseason was the depth and he wanted the forward unit to have multiple lines that could come at teams. They have throughout the season and they wore down the Maple Leafs. 

The other key is in the net. The Maple Leafs thought their fix was signing Sergei Bobrovsky, which is fair considering his playoff success. The problem is that they are relying on two goaltenders who have slowed down in the regular season with injuries and don’t have a workhorse who can get them throught the season. It’s costing them as the Maple Leafs lost their third game in a row and sit at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

The Devils meanwhile addressed their issues in the net with the Connor Hellebuyck move. It’s a risk considering his playoff woes but his success in the regular season has boosted the Devils. His 23-save shutout against the Maple Leafs was his best start as a Devil and proved why he was worth making the move to acquire. He gives them stability in the net while the rest of the roster makes them an early season Cup contender. 

Luke Hughes Leaning Into His Strengths To Become An Elite Defenseman

Hughes has always been a great skater, which has typically helped him offensively. According to NHL Edge, his 30 bursts in the 20-22 miles per hour range are tied for sixth-most among defensemen in the NHL. He is not only fast but also accelerates and joins plays in a hurry. 

This season, he’s leaning into his speed to impact the games defensively. The play in overtime against Schaefer is a prime example, as he chases down the Islanders defenseman and breaks up the scoring chance. It’s also become a common occurrence for Hughes, where he’ll close in on the skater with the puck and either break up a rush chance or a shot in the slot. 

WHAT AN ELECTRIC ENDING IN OT ON THE ISLAND ‼️ pic.twitter.com/2tWoQj5vvP

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2026

Moreover, it allows Hughes to play in the right position or, more accurately, circle back into position in the defensive zone. It’s something Keefe has preached to the defense throughout the season, and noticed during the hot streak. “I think that the guys away from the point of contact or away from the puck have worked to get back to position and have been more disciplined to be in position so that if something happens, if a puck gets through, somebody's there to clean it up,” Keefe noted after the Oct. 24 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. 

While Hughes is an aggressive defenseman, often joining the play on offense, he has the speed to make up for it on the defensive end, and it’s reflected in his 1.4 defensive point shares, which are second-most on the Devils behind only Brett Pesce.

Devils Extra Layers Of Offense Speak Volumes To Their Upside The New Jersey Devils scored three unanswered goals to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime, and it was a reminder that their offense can come at teams in waves and give them a high upside.

Speaking of Pesce, another factor is the improvements from Hughes. Young defensemen who are learning the position but have the skill offensively need a veteran on their pair to both cancel out their mistakes and teach them firsthand. Pesce has done that in the past, and it’s paying off this season. 

It’s also a reminder that Hughes needed time to learn the position. Defensemen typically need NHL action and games to develop. Hughes is 23 and closing in on 250 games (he’s nine away, following the game against the Maple Leafs). 

Devils & Maple Leafs Showing Offensive Resurgences: How Did They Bounce BackThe New Jersey Devils head north to face the Toronto Maple Leafs as the second game of a back-to-back. Expect plenty of offense.

Along with the speed is the puck-handling ability, a quality that turns defense into offense. It’s something many defensemen were taught at the development level, where possession and the ability to move the puck out of the defensive zone and into the offensive zone are prominent in Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Schaefer’s play. The Devils' young defenseman has focused on his puck handling to help the defense and offense. 

“He's controlling the pace, he's controlling the puck, and he wants the puck on his tape,” Connor Hellebuyck stated after the game against the Blues when asked about Hughes and his defensive play. “Guys like that, they have a way of really pushing the other team back,” Hellebuyck added. When Hughes is on the ice, the opponent is on their heels and can’t forecheck the way they typically would, knowing the pressure the defenseman can generate the other way. 

What about his play on the offensive end? His career-high for goals came in his first full season in the NHL, scoring nine in 2023-24. Hughes has six goals and 11 points through 18 games. It’s a credit to his willingness to shoot and take on a more aggressive mindset in the offensive zone. 

Devils Upcoming Road Trip Will Test Their Ability To Win In Multiple WaysThe New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets all present unique challenges for the New Jersey Devils. How will they handle them?

Hughes won’t be in the Norris Trophy conversation. Likewise, he’s not one of the handful of elite defensemen in the NHL. However, the best teams in the NHL often have an elite number-one defenseman. The Devils look like they found their answer in Hughes. 

Timo Meier’s Fight To Be A Team Player

In the game against the St. Louis Blues, Timo Meier dropped the gloves with Jake Neighbours after the Blues skater delivered a big hit on Nico Hischier. Meier was given a game misconduct for instigating the fight. 

After the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe said something interesting about fighting and the way it’s changed recently. “The guy who threw the hit is often the first one to get his gloves off and throw the first punch. That’s happening a lot around the league.” It suggests that when a player delivers a hit, even if it’s clean, they are anticipating a fight right away. 

I reached out to multiple former NHL enforcers turned scouts (as an aside, a surprising number of former enforcers are now scouts) for their thoughts on this. Here are three takeaways about what’s happening in the league. 

1. The player who delivers the hit is anticipating a fight, whether it’s a clean hit or not. They might not drop their gloves, but they have their head on a swivel, knowing someone is likely coming after them. 
2. When a hit happens, it’s easy to miss it. However, the skaters must make a snap decision. Either they can play on or drop the gloves and stick up for their teammates. They must make this decision with the game being played at warp speed, and ignoring the hit for a few seconds can make the skaters look like bad teammates.
3. It’s why most players will stand up for their teammates and drop the gloves regardless of the hit. Meier wants to be known as someone who will stand up for his captain, and likewise, the coaching staff wants to see players respond. The opposite was on display last season when Radko Gudas injured Auston Matthews with a knee-on-knee hit, and the lack of a response from the Maple Leafs was a bad look. 

Auston Matthews leaves game, Radko Gudas gets game misconduct for knee-to-knee hit | ESPN NHLAnaheim’s Radko Gudas would receive a game misconduct penalty for a knee-to-knee hit on Auston Matthews in the second period against Toronto. Matthews would ...

A problem is how these fights are officiated. Meier was given a game misconduct for instigating. It’s a side effect of fighting returning to hockey and referees not being used to seeing them, certainly not as often as they used to. 

Moreover, the NHL has turned over many of the older officials recently, many of whom have retired, for younger refs. The pros are that they can skate with the players and keep up with plays. They see more. The downside is that they are making more calls both because they see more and don’t have the same feel for the game. They’ll make the right call by the book but not for the flow. 

That’s also been a trend in the NHL. The refs are making more calls and calling more penalties. The Devils game against the Edmonton Oilers had a combined nine penalties called, which disrupted the flow of the game and made it longer. It’s a fine line between making the right calls and managing the game, making sure it’s not too long (plus, allowing the players to police the game themselves). The younger officials are still learning where the line is and how to control a game because of it. 

As for Meier, it’s been a frustrating season for him. It’s what made his two-goal night against the Maple Leafs a relief. He’s been playing the right way yet hasn’t had the puck luck. He was due for a big game and finally got it. 

Quick Hits

The Utica Comets swept their back-to-back this weekend. The Devils' American Hockey League affiliate is 8-2 and has the best winning percentage in the North Division (third-most points). They are a good team, and oddly enough, they mirror how the Devils are built.

The Comets have four forward lines that come at teams in waves, a young rising star on the defense (in this instance, it’s Devils prospect Anton Silaev), and steady goaltending. It’s great for the Devils' future and the present. 

With Anthony Mantha out and missing time, the Devils might turn to one of the Comets to add depth for the time being. Stefan Noesen is the go-to call-up considering his time with the Devils, and he’s a depth veteran. Riley Tufte is a power forward who can slide in on the fourth line. Then there’s Lenni Hämeenaho, a 23-year-old forward who leads the AHL team with eight points in 10 games, the one fans will want to get a glimpse of.

The Devils' 4-3 win over the Oilers was in a shootout. It’s always fascinating to see who goes in the shootout and how coaches decide who takes a shot. Every team has the usual suspects (for both teams, it was Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl), but then some coaches must guess, rely on instinct, or rely on what the players say. 

The Devils went with Evan Rodrigues for the third attempt and Arseny Gritsyuk for the fourth and game-winner. “Putting together historical data, stats, and how guys have done. Rodrigues is right up there with our top guys, especially if you just factor in recent years,” Keefe stated on the selection, adding Gritsyuk has a small sample; he’s only taken one shot in the NHL, but he’s done well in the KHL previously, and obviously he's the hot hand.” It’s something Keefe had in his back pocket for the Devils' first shootout, and it worked. Chances are the next time the Devils are in a shootout, they’ll go with Hughes, Bratt, and Grityuk. 

The upcoming week will be an interesting one, to say the least. It starts with the big news on Sunday night that Hellebuyck won't start the Tuesday night game against the Jets, a game many anticipated he would get the nod for, as it's the first time he makes the trip back. There will be plenty of coverage of it here at The Hockey News. 

The Calgary Flames found a way to get the job done Sunday night, overcoming three separate deficits before Matt Coronato played overtime hero in a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

With overtime needed to decide a winner, Coronato buried the game-winner with just 51.7 seconds remaining, sending the home crowd home happy.

It was a relatively quiet opening period until the Flyers broke through at the 12:46 mark. Sean Couturier put a shot on Devin Cooley, who kicked out the initial attempt, but Denver Barkey was right there to collect the rebound and fire it past the Flames goaltender to make it 1-0 Philadelphia.

The Flames responded with some sustained offensive-zone pressure and found an equalizer at 15:26. Zayne Parekh showed off his skating ability, walking through two Flyers defenders before driving toward the net and ripping a shot into the far-side top corner past Dan Vladar. Yan Kuznetsov and Yegor Sharangovich picked up the assists as Calgary tied the game 1-1.

Philadelphia regained the lead early in the second period. Just 2:16 into the frame, Noel Acciari got his stick on a rolling point shot from Nick Seeler, redirecting it past Cooley to put the Flyers ahead 2-1. Couturier collected his second assist of the night on the play.

Once again, the Flames had an answer.

At 5:59, Aydar Suniev found Zach Whitecloud, who stepped into a wrist shot and picked the blocker side of Vladar with a well-placed attempt. It was Whitecloud’s first goal of the season, tying the game 2-2. Sharangovich added his second assist of the night.

The Flyers took their third lead of the game at 15:07, capitalizing on the power play. Owen Tippett found a loose puck in the slot, spun around and fired it past Cooley to give Philadelphia a 3-2 advantage.

The Flames needed another response, and they got one from an unlikely situation.

At 8:27 of the third period, Martin Pospisil turned the puck over at centre ice, allowing Joel Farabee to jump on the opportunity. Scoring against his former team, Farabee broke in alone on Vladar, made a slick move to his backhand and slid the puck underneath the goaltender’s pad for his seventh goal of the season.

The game was tied 3-3.

Vladar came up with two enormous pad saves in the late stages of regulation to keep the game even and send the contest to overtime.

With 51.7 seconds remaining in the extra frame, the Flames found their opening. Calgary moved quickly up ice, with Matvei Gridin feeding Coronato, who made no mistake, firing the puck past Vladar to secure the 4-3 victory.

The Flames completed the comeback and picked up two points in front of their home fans.

Three Takeaways

1. Zayne Parekh continues to impress

Parekh’s first-period goal was another example of the skill and offensive instincts that make him such an exciting young defenceman. He walked through two Flyers defenders, used his skating ability to create space and finished with a terrific shot into the far-side corner.

He’s been putting together more consistent efforts on both sides of the puck, although there’s still some learning to do. There were moments Sunday when he looked a little disconnected, but the talent is undeniable. The more experience he gets, the more comfortable he’ll become.

2. Cooley gives the Flames a chance

It was good to see Devin Cooley back between the pipes for Calgary. Despite allowing three goals, he battled throughout the night and made several important saves to keep his team within reach.

One of the highlights came shortly after Philadelphia’s second goal, when Cooley came up with a terrific glove save. He’s shown an ability to stay locked in regardless of what’s happening in front of him, and that kind of composure gives the Flames a chance to win games.

3. Sharangovich finds the scoresheet

Yegor Sharangovich turned in a productive night offensively, recording a pair of assists in the victory.

He’s a player the Flames need to generate offence from, and he was involved in several key moments Sunday. His work on Parekh’s goal and Whitecloud’s equalizer helped Calgary stay within striking distance throughout the game.

The two assists were a welcome contribution from a player who can be an important part of the Flames’ offensive attack.

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matt Coronato scored at 4:08 of overtime to give the Calgary Flames a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday night.

Zane Parekh, Zach Whitecloud and Joel Farabee, while short-handed, also scored for the Flames (8-9-1). Yegor Sharangovich had two assists.

Flames goalie Devin Cooley, in his first game back after missing five because of a lower-body injury, made 32 saves.

Denver Barkey, Noel Acciari and Owen Tippett scored for Philadelphia (4-10-5), and Sean Couturier added two assists. Dan Vladar stopped 22 shots.

Farabee tied it on a short-handed breakaway midway through the third period.

Up next

Flyers: At Vancouver on Monday night.

Flames: Host the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

TORONTO (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for his first shutout with New Jersey and the Devils beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0 on Sunday night.

Acquired from the Winnipeg Jets last month after demanding a trade, Hellebuyck became the first goalie in franchise history to win each of his first five games with the club.

The Devils are set to play at Winnipeg on Tuesday night, with general manager Sunny Mehta saying Sunday night that Hellebuyck will not play. Hellebuyck had his first shutout of the season and the 46th of his NHL career.

Timo Meier scored twice for New Jersey (13-5-0), which has won nine of its last 10 games. Nico Hischier, with a goal and an assist, and Connor Brown, into an empty net, provided the rest of the offense. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each had two assists.

Anthony Stolarz stopped 25 shots for Toronto (8-9-2). The Maple Leafs have lost three straight and five of their last six in regulation.

Meier opened the scoring at 8:28 of the second period when he was left alone in front after a faceoff in the offensive zone. The winger doubled the advantage with 7:16 left in the period when a Hughes' shot deflected off Meier and past Stolarz.

Hischier made it 3-0 on a power play at 9:49 of the third, and Brown iced it into the empty net. Hischier assisted on Meier’s first goal to become the third Swiss-born player in NHL history with 500 career points, joining Roman Josi (799) and Kevin Fiala (528).

The Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 was honored before the puck drop. Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk and Cindy Curley are set to be enshrined in the player category Monday. Brian Burke will go in as a builder.

Up next

Devils: At Winnipeg on Tuesday night.

Maple Leafs: Host Colorado on Tuesday night

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Everyone knows by now that the Edmonton Oilers can't seem to keep their goaltenders healthy.

Edmonton entered training camp with three goaltenders, and just 10 games into the season, two were injured, forcing the Oilers to use four different goaltenders and dress an emergency backup.

At least things are starting to improve.

Devon Levi returned from a groin injury on Saturday, Tristan Jarry is healthy after missing Thursday's game against Anaheim with an illness, and Frederik Andersen remains sidelined with an injury he suffered during the offseason.

The Oilers had some decisions to make about their goaltending heading into October, and injuries have taken care of most of them.

Levi won six of his first seven starts before suffering a groin injury against Carolina on Oct. 22. He apparently felt something wrong during the third period, though it was of little concern to him at the time.

“I wasn't going to get out of that game unless I was dead,” Levi said.

Probably not what the medical staff wanted to hear.

Levi missed seven games, leaving Jarry responsible for most of Edmonton's starts. The 31-year-old recorded consecutive shutouts against Calgary and the New York Islanders, as well as some pretty reliable goaltending during their road trip through New York.

“With Dev hurt, I knew I'd get a little bit more work,” Jarry said following the Islanders game. “So just being able to take care of that opportunity and kind of just run with it… It's been fun, to say the least.”

Edmonton Goes 2-0 vs Vancouver: Oilers and Elks Both Pick Up WinsMcDavid’s historic pace and a stellar return for Devon Levi fueled an Oilers victory, while the Elks punched their ticket to the Grey Cup on a golden night.

Matt Tomkins also got an opportunity to play, making 27 saves in Edmonton's 4-1 win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The 32-year-old Edmonton native entered that game with just six NHL starts and no league appearances since April 2024.

Then Jarry got sick.

Edmonton dressed Tomkins and emergency backup goaltender Brett Epp against Anaheim on Thursday night, since Andersen and Levi were still unavailable.

Having an emergency backup sitting on the bench in November probably wasn't something Stan Bowman expected when he put together this roster.

Fortunately, Levi returned on Saturday night against Vancouver, stopping 20 shots in Edmonton's 4-2 win. Jarry was healthy enough to serve as his backup, and Tomkins was reassigned to Bakersfield.

“It was a tight game,” Levi said afterward. “I love playing those games, going into the third period (tied) 1-1, knowing that I’m probably going to have to come up with one or two (big saves). Love it, man. So it was a fun game.”

Oilers Waive Highly-Touted Blue Line ProspectFinnish standout Atro Leppanen heads to the AHL after an injury-stalled preseason, positioning the record-setting offensive defenseman for a potential NHL debut later this hockey season.

“He's got all the characteristics of a gamer,” Jason Dickinson said. “He fights hard, he battles hard, he's been itching to get back. It's definitely good for us to have him.”

Edmonton now has two healthy goaltenders who have been playing well, and Andersen's eventual return will give the organization more hope.

Jarry has earned more opportunities with his recent performances, Levi has won seven of eight games, and Andersen was originally expected to be the starter.

The Oilers are 12-3-3 through 18 games, and their goaltending has been reasonably reliable despite everything that's happened, but four goaltenders and an emergency backup before 20 games is getting a little ridiculous.

Maybe somebody really should check for a curse.

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