CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks have struggled in the second half of back-to-back situations. Heading into Sunday, that put some emphasis on playing well against the Vegas Golden Knights. 

One night prior, the Blackhawks defeated the Washington Capitals on the road in a shootout. Although they've been better again since coming back from the holiday break, not getting blown out in this situation was important to them as a group. 

This game was the first of "The Banner Years" chapter for the Blackhawks' centennial season. Throughout the chapter, they will be celebrating the era that saw them win three Stanley Cups in six years. 

Fittingly, Brandon Saad scored the first goal of the game to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 1-0 lead. Saad, of course, won two Stanley Cups with Chicago in 2013 and 2015. 

Just under two minutes later, Tyler Bertuzzi scored to tie the game. This was Bertuzzi's 20th goal of the season, and it was a great wrist shot. 

43 seconds into the second period, Jack Eichel drove the puck to the net and Mark Stone found the rebound before shooting it home to give Vegas a 2-1 lead. 

There wasn't a whole lot of scoring after that. Things were quiet on the scoreboard until Tyler Bertuzzi put in his second of the game at 11:36 of the third period. Ryan Greene's never-say-die mentality allowed him to make a cross crease feed to Bertuzzi, who slid it into the open cage. 

With there being no more goals in regulation, the Blackhawks went to overtime for the second game in as many days. That is also the fourth time in six games that Chicago has seen the game reach the fourth period. 

In overtime, Tyler Bertuzzi completed the hat trick for the 3-2 win. The puck narrowly crossed the goal line, and then the hats started to fly onto the ice. 

While the crew was still cleaning up all of the hats, the officials were reviewing the play for offside. It was a strange scenario to see both teams stay on the ice with all these hats and the Blackhawks celebrating, but the goal was upheld. 

Now, the Blackhawks are 3-0-0 in their last three games. All of this good play is coming with Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar out of the lineup. Before the game, head coach Jeff Blashill said that Bedard would be back before the Olympic break, but he couldn't confirm the same update for Nazar. 

One night after Spencer Knight played well to help the Blackhawks to a win, Arvid Soderblom did the same thing. He made 13 saves on just 15 shots, but Vegas has some supreme shooters who had their chances. 

Chicago finally exercised some demons when it comes to the second half of back-to-back situations. They were winless in these coming in, but this time, they locked it down against a great team and finished the job. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

make that 2⃣0⃣ goals this season for Tyler Bertuzzi👏 pic.twitter.com/0Ro521z5Xg

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 5, 2026

we got a tie game folks‼️ pic.twitter.com/2vOneQvGin

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 5, 2026

a tyler bertuzzi hat trick overtime winner for your feeds😀 pic.twitter.com/CEPsIdOAjh

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 5, 2026

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Blackhawks are back in action on Wednesday night. This will be a national broadcast against the St. Louis Blues on TNT. 

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Approximately two weeks ago, it felt like the Pittsburgh Penguins' season was starting to slip away. The team was mired in an eight-game losing streak, and - at one point - they found themselves just three points out of last place in the Eastern Conference. 

And now, they're just four points out of first place in the Metropolitan Division. 

On Sunday, the Penguins roared back from a three-goal deficit and beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 5-4. Rickard Rakell tied the game with 12.8 seconds left in regulation with the extra attacker, and captain Sidney Crosby ended it two and a half minutes into overtime on a backhanded breakaway shot. 

Goaltender Arturs Silovs was a bit shaky early on, but he came up with some huge stops late in the third period to keep it a one-goal game. He stopped 21 of 25 Columbus shots.

And as for the Penguins? They had 43 shots on goal and 92 shot attempts - which was a tell for how dominant they were for all but approximately 10-15 minutes of this game, when Columbus scored all of their goals. 

The Penguins got started early in this one, and it was courtesy of Ville Koivunen, who was back in the lineup in place of Rutger McGroarty after a healthy scratch against the Detroit Red Wings. Just 1:50 into the first period, Koivunen was hanging around the net-front, and he buried a rebound to put Pittsburgh up, 1-0. 

Then, Columbus took control of the momentum for a spell. Dmitri Voronkov, Mason Marchment, and Kirill Marchenko scored three consecutive goals for the Blue Jackets before the end of the first period, and Zach Werenski added a goal just 47 seconds into the middle frame to put Columbus up, 4-1. 

'You Can Never Be Satisfied In This League': McGroarty Taking Strides At NHL Level With PenguinsPittsburgh Penguins' forward Rutger McGroarty is learning every day at the NHL level - and he only figures to get even better with more experience at the highest level of hockey.

Not long after the Werenski goal, the Penguins started to tilt the ice the other way a bit, even if it took them a bit to capitalize on an opportunity. That finally happened late in the second when Noel Acciari took a feed from Connor Dewar after a turnover by the Jackets at the blue line, putting it past goaltender Jet Greaves to bring the game to within two. 

And in the third period, the Penguins simply took over. Tommy Novak scored a power play goal a little more than three minutes in to make it 4-3, and the score remained that way for a while despite a heavy onslaught by Pittsburgh. Columbus had some chances late that Silovs was able to neutralize, and the Penguins finally got possession in the offensive zone with two minutes left in the game so they could pull Silovs. 

Aside from one zone clear, the Penguins maintained possession for nearly the entirety of the two minutes and were generating chances left and right. Finally, Rakell took a feed from Anthony Mantha in the low slot area, and he sniped it past Greaves to force overtime in the waning seconds of regulation. 

YES, WE BELIEVE IT 🤯

THE PENGUINS TIE THE GAME WITH 14 SECONDS REMAINING!! pic.twitter.com/zUofQP77wk

— NHL (@NHL) January 4, 2026

Possession switched back and forth during the overtime period, but eventually, ex-Blue Jacket Yegor Chinakhov - playing in his first game against his former employer - reset and had the puck near the defensive blue line. He connected with Erik Karlsson on the offensive blue line, who saw a fresh-from-the-bench, breaking Crosby. 

He slipped a pass right on the tape, and Crosby didn't miss. 

In December, the Penguins often found themselves on the other side of blown three-goal leads. This time, they were the beneficiary, and the result was earned after how dominant a performance they had. 

They also now find themselves tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the Metro, and with a Carolina Hurricanes win to the New Jersey Devils Sunday, they're just four points back of the division lead with a game in hand.

Here are some takeaways and observations from this big comeback win for the Penguins:

- If you're not entertained by the product on the ice this season, you're just nuts. 

Prior to the holiday break, fans were writing eulogies for this team, fair or not. But the crazy thing is that, no matter how dark things got in December, the Penguins were never that far out of a playoff spot, even in the aftermath. No one in the East really pulled away, and that happened at the best possible time for Pittsburgh. 

Because since the break? They've accrued more points than any team in hockey, and they're on a five-game winning streak - their longest such streak since Nov. 4-14 of 2023. And, sure, oftentimes, mediocre teams can go on winning stretches. 

Make that FIVE WINS IN A ROW for the Penguins for the first time since November 4-14, 2023 👏

Since the NHL's holiday break, no team has more wins (5) or points (10) than Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/9CTamK2VBR

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) January 4, 2026

But given how the Penguins have played in these games - and how they've played some of the best teams in the league at five-on-five for most of the season - it's becoming more and more difficult to say that the Penguins being as competitive as they are this season is some kind of fluke. Because, if you think about it, even in the games against the Utah Mammoth and San Jose Sharks - when the Penguins surrendered three-plus-goal leads - Pittsburgh was the better team for the majority of those games before falling apart. 

At the end of the day, this is, at worst, a slightly above average five-on-five team with remarkably good special teams (despite a penalty kill slide in December) and questionable goaltending. But it just so happens that the Penguins have also been a much better team when they're not riddled with injuries, as they have gotten some important supporting cast members back in the lineup in recent weeks. 

This is not a bad hockey team. I think this is a good hockey team with inconsistent goaltending as its fatal flaw and a tendency to lapse defensively at times. The Penguins aren't dominating games by accident this season. When they play simple and stay committed to defense - especially as they did against Detroit on Saturday - this is, plainly, a good hockey team.

And it will be an even better one once Evgeni Malin makes his return to the lineup. 

Takeaways: Penguins Put Up Defensive Clinic Against Red Wings, Sweep Home-And-HomeThe Pittsburgh Penguins put together arguably their best performance of the season on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.

- Of course, the captain deserves all the flowers after this game for notching the game-winner and becoming the most productive overtime player in NHL history with 50 OT points. 

But an immense amount of credit for the Penguins even getting to that point is owed to the work of Erik Karlsson, especially late in this game. 

Immediately preceding Rakell's game-tying goal, Karlsson executed a tough zone keep at the blue line and got the puck to Crosby, who fed Mantha down low to ultimately set up Rakell's chance. Then, in overtime, Karlsson made a one-on-one defensive play to stymie a breakaway opportunity, which would have been a high-danger chance. He did the same thing against Detroit in overtime on Thursday during an OT two-on-one. 

Just like the Penguins' play dipped in the month of December, so did Karlsson's. But he and defense partner Parker Wotherspoon are back in full force, and they generated 34 chances for and just four chances against the entire night. 

Yeah, that's good. And the Penguins are a markedly better team when their top pairing is humming.

'It's A Dream Come True For Me': Rakell, Karlsson Thrilled To Represent Sweden At Olympic GamesPittsburgh Penguins' players Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell will have the opportunity to represent Team Sweden at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy - and it's an opportunity years in the making for both of them.

- Good for Rakell to get a goal like that. I think he really needed it. 

Rakell is, by nature, a goal-scorer, so when the puck isn't going into the net with frequency for him, he tends to grip his stick a bit tight. Prior to registering an empty-net goal against Detroit on Saturday, he had just one goal and five points in the 10 games since returning from injury. 

So, when he sniped that shot from the low-slot area to tie the game, that had to feel pretty good.

When he is on, Rakell is a threat every time he's on the ice, and especially in the offensive zone. Hopefully, this tally will get him going and give him back the goal-scoring touch that we've become so accustomed to seeing during his tenure in Pittsburgh.

- Speaking of "good for him" sentiment, good for Chinakhov getting that assist on the OT winner against his former team.

Prior to the game, Columbus head coach Dean Evason declined comment on Chinakhov, who - allegedly - had a rift during his time there. Nationwide Arena also posted a "tribute" after a whistle, and not even during a TV timeout, to "honor" a former first-round pick who played more than 200 games with the team and, at times, looked like a very promising player. 

None of that had to feel awesome for Chinakhov, so I'm sure there were few happier humans in the building than him when Crosby's shot found the back of the net. It was a pretty good night for him otherwise, too. I like what I've seen so far.

- Following the game, multiple players praised the work of the Penguins' fourth line and attributed the Acciari goal as a turning point of sorts. 

I have to say I agree.

For a while in the second period, it was looking like one of those games where the Penguins were going to have an abundance of chances and nothing to show for it. But Acciari's late goal gave them some much-needed life, and that carried over into the third.

I fell like I'm saying it after every game now, but this fourth line is such a difference-maker for the Penguins. They are a much different and much better team with the trio of Acciari, Dewar, and Blake Lizotte on that checking energy line. 

- Ben Kindel recorded two assists in this game, and he won 13 of 17 faceoffs as well. He also made a costly play on Columbus's second goal. 

I think, lately, there has been some very good moments for Kindel as well as some learning moments. As a whole, I didn't think this was his best 200-foot performance, but he continues to display instincts on both sides of the puck that are typically not there with 18-year-old centers. 

Oh, and he's definitely here to say, as the Jan. 3 game was the Penguins' 40th, meaning Kindel has not only year one of his entry-level contract, but he's also lost a year of restriced free agency (and, therefore, team control). 

I'm quite intrigued by the addition of Chinakhov to that line, as he provides some size, defensive ability, physicality, and finishing touch for that line. I think both McGroarty and Koivunen have looked like solid complementary pieces in his two games with Pittsburgh, too.

But Chinakhov is the exact kind of player who can help Kindel rack up a whole lot more points. Chance creation has never been an issue with that third line, but the finishing has been the problem. Chinakhov could fix that. And if he does, it's going to create a matchup nightmare for other teams, as the Penguins will have four lines that are very hard to play against. 

Chinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsKyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, and it could be a sign of things to come over the next several months.

- Since this was a largely positive performance, I don't want to focus too much on negatives. But I'll start with a bit of commentary on the goaltending (and, maybe, this isn't all that negative).

Silovs did not look comfortable for the entire first half of this game. The last two Columbus goals, especially, were not good looks for him, and he looked very slow and unsure of himself post-to-post. At times, he looked surprised that a puck ended up in his glove. 

But he was brilliant in the third period when it counted most. 

Yes, Silovs has not had a good run of games since November, and it's something that the Penguins need to keep a close eye on if they hope to make the playoffs. But one thing about Silovs is that he tends to get it together in the game's biggest moments and make saves when the stakes are highest.

He's been better on breakaways. His last shootout against Montreal - a win - was an improvement. He stands tall when teams pressure late in games and doesn't seem to crater much.

It's still hard to say whether or not he can find enough consistency to be a starter at the NHL level. But he sure knows how to make saves when he absolutely has to. 

- I haven't loved Jack St. Ivany's game since his return. And I'm not convinced he should be playing instead of Connor Clifton or, even, Harrison Brunicke, who is playing at the World Junior Championship (WJC) for Team Canada and who the Penguins need to make a decision on immediately after the tournament. 

Penguins' Rookie Defenseman Loses Some Chiclets At The World Junior Championship - Community PostThey say it's hard to find a hockey player who has all of their real teeth intact.

Even though Clifton hasn't done anything special this season, I thought he was, at least, serviceable before exiting the lineup in favor of St. Ivany. I'd give him another run of games if the plan is to send Brunicke back to the WHL after the WJC. 

- When Malkin is ready to return, it will be interesting to see what happens with this roster. 

The easiest and most likely outcome is that at least one of McGroarty or Koivunen will be sent back to the AHL. They are waivers-exempt, and everyone else in the lineup is playing too well to swap out at this point in time. One or both of them going back will also, likely, depend on what decision they make on Brunicke, as the Penguins are only carrying seven defensemen right now. 

That said, I don't think Kevin Hayes is going to find his way into the lineup for the same reasons that the kids won't. Of course, it's more palatable for Hayes to be a 13th forward and not see much ice time than it is for two developing players, but if Koivunen plays the way he did Sunday or either young guy keeps making a case for himself, it could make things tough for management. 

Pittsburgh Penguins' New Year's Resolutions: 2025 EditionThere were some ups and downs for Pittsburgh Penguins' players in 2025. So what can they resolve to accomplish in 2026?

I don't think there's an easy answer. My guess is that Brunicke goes back to the WHL - there's no point in losing a year of restricted free agency if he isn't going to play very much - and that the Penguins elect to keep 14 forwards. But I'm not sure it's the best thing for either Koivunen or McGroarty to, mostly, be sitting in the press box - in that case - when they could be getting regular minutes in the AHL. 

It will be interesting, especially if the Penguins keep winning hockey games with the lineup as-is. 

- Fun little note: As Rakell was scoring the game-tying goal, Bryan Rust was flattened to the ice at the net-front. In celebration of Rakell's goal, he laid face-down on the ice where he was planted, and he pumped his fists behind his head a few times in celebratory fashion. 

It made me cackle quite a bit. Funny moment for a fun team. 

the way rusty celly’d while laying on the ice for ricky’s goal took me out so bad, his fist pumps 😭 pic.twitter.com/QdRX8WYqAO

— matt⁵⁸⁷¹ (@fleurysblocker) January 4, 2026

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The Florida Panthers are on the cusp of welcoming one of the best players in the league back into their lineup.

All-Star forward Matthew Tkachuk will be joining the Panthers on their upcoming road trip with the hopes of making his season debut with the Cats.

Florida will visit Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Buffalo, Carolina and Washington over the course of 11 days, with the only back-to-back coming at the very end of the trip, and a four-day break preceding it. 

Tkachuk has not played since Game 6 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final, undergoing surgery for a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia after helping the Panthers win their second straight Stanley Cup.

Speaking during the first intermission of Florida’s 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, Tkachuk said that he excited to get back with his teammates on the road and continue working toward getting back in the lineup.

“Hopefully it’s not much longer before you’re seeing me back out there with the boys,” he said with a grin.

“Whether I’m playing on this six-game road trip, if it were to happen, it would probably be toward the end of it, just because I am still in the non-contact jersey. I don’t even have a target right now. It’s going to be nice to be on the road, get in the routine and figure it out from there.”

Tkachuk has gotten a few full team practices under his belt, wearing a gold jersey that is meant to signify a player who has not been cleared for regular physical contact.

The hope is that he will soon be able to shed that jersey for a blue or white one and start banging around and truly testing his healed injuries.

“I'd been going pretty hard for, I don't even know, like, over a month by myself, so it’s been way easier to be out there with the guys,” Tkachuk said. “You kind of forget what it's like to have the stick on puck, or a body in the lane, or the quick two-on-one, so that's why starting to mix in a little bit of pushing, and once guys are able to bump into me and hit me, that'll feel more real.”

Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice has been very consistent during his team with the team that when a player is returning from an injury, he wants them to get in one or two full practices without limitations before penciling them back into the lineup for a game.

That could be a challenge only because Florida’s potential opportunities to practice are limited due to their game schedule.

Starting with Friday’s Winter Classic, the Panthers have a game every other day until Jan. 13, the day after they play in Buffalo.

However many more days it may take, Tkachuk is clearly getting close to on the brink of cracking the Cats’ lineup.

It’s an exciting time for Tkachuk and the Panthers, who have already shown the kind of boost they can get simply by adding another body to their forward ranks.

As we all know, the deeper this team gets, the more dangerous they become.

“Every box that has had to be checked so far, has been,” Tkachuk said. “I guess the last one before playing is taking off the no-contact jersey, which we'll have another few skates here and a couple calls, and figure it out from there, but we're feeling pretty good right now.”

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Photo caption: Oct 28, 2024; Buffalo, New York, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) waits for the faqceoff during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

Edmonton Oilers forward Andrew Mangiapane has become a popular name in the rumor mill as of late. It is understandable, as he has had trouble finding his fit with the Oilers and has also been the subject of multiple healthy scratches. 

Now, Mangiapane has been connected to one of the Oilers' division rivals. 

During the latest edition of Saturday Headlines, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Anaheim Ducks are among the teams interested in Mangiapane. 

"I do think there's interest in the player," Friedman said about Mangiapane. "I heard Anaheim was one of the teams kind of poking around."

Hearing that the Ducks have interest in Mangiapane is understandable, as they could use another forward in their top nine. Furthermore, while the Ducks still hold a playoff spot, they have also been struggling lately. At the time of this writing, the Ducks have lost each of their last five games and eight out of their last 10 games. Thus, they could use a boost right now. 

Yet, while Mangiapane has struggled with the Oilers, there could be some risk in trading him to a division rival like the Ducks. This is especially so when noting that the Ducks are just one point behind the Oilers right now. 

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens between the Oilers and Mangiapane from here. In 40 games so far this season with Edmonton, he has posted five goals, 11 points, and a minus-17 rating. 

The Chicago Blackhawks currently have a 16-18-7 record and are seventh in the Central Division. With this, there is certainly a good chance that they will be sellers at the 2026 NHL trade deadline. 

The Blackhawks have multiple pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who have the potential to generate interest around the league. One of them is center Jason Dickinson, as he is the type of two-way forward that playoff teams like to add to their depth ahead of the playoffs.

Now, based on a recent move in the NHL, the possibility of Dickinson's trade market starting to heat up should not be ruled out. 

The San Jose Sharks made a significant move on Jan. 4, as they re-signed forward Alexander Wennberg to a three-year, $18 million contract extension. Wennberg was one of the top centers creating chatter in the rumor mill due to his pending UFA status, but that can now be forgotten with him extending with the Sharks. 

With Wennberg now off the board for contenders, more teams could start to keep an eye on Dickinson. While Dickinson does not produce the same kind of offense as Wennberg, he is still a notable pending UFA center on a struggling Blackhawks club. With this, teams in need of help at center certainly could look to bring him in as a rental. This is especially so when noting that he kills penalties. 

In 28 games this season with the Blackhawks, Dickinson has recorded four goals, four assists, eight points, and 31 hits. 

Gabriel Landeskog suffered an upper-body injury in the second period, and the Colorado Avalanche went on to lose 2–1 to the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday.

Artturi Lehkonen scored the lone goal for Colorado, with Josh Manson and Brock Nelson each recording an assist.

In net, Scott Wedgewood made 23 saves on 25 shots, while the Avalanche penalty kill was perfect, going 3-for-3 against the Panthers.

However, the struggles on the power play continued and the Avs went 0/4 on the man advantage. The loss snapped a 10-game winning streak for Colorado and marked just their third regulation loss of the season. 

Reigning Conn Smythe recipient Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad scored for the Panthers. Daniil Tarasov made 27 saves in relief of regular starter Sergii Bobrovsky. 

Gabriel Landeskog needed assistance leaving the ice after crashing hard into the post. pic.twitter.com/3PeGwYxuKz

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 4, 2026

First Period

Jack Drury took a diving swipe at a loose rebound nearly two minutes into the game, but Tarasov came up with the save. Less than a minute later, Brent Burns fired a shot from the point in an effort to set up Parker Kelly for a deflection in front, but Tarasov’s reflexes were sharp once again.

Just over four minutes into the period, a scary moment unfolded when Mackie Samoskevich blasted Wedgewood in the mask with a hard wrist shot, sending the goaltender down to the ice. After being evaluated by the trainer, it was determined that Samoskevich’s shot—clocked at approximately 83.9 mph—had cracked Wedgewood’s mask. As a result, Wedgewood was forced to switch to his Nordiques mask, the same one he wore in the previous game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Bennett opened the scoring at 6:33 when Sam Malinski turned the puck over in the defensive zone. Bennett pounced, deked, fired a shot on Wedgewood, and buried his own rebound to give Florida a 1–0 lead.

With 8:25 remaining in the period, Jeff Petry attempted to beat Wedgewood top shelf, but his wrist shot glanced off the goaltender’s glove and rang off the crossbar.

On the very next sequence, Colorado answered. Lehkonen redirected Josh Manson’s one-timer past Tarasov to tie the game 1–1, with Brock Nelson setting up Manson for the initial shot.

Florida defenseman Uvis Balinskis was whistled for interference on Lehkonen, giving the Avalanche a power play. Colorado failed to convert, and moments later Landeskog was sent to the box for roughing after accidentally catching former Avalanche forward Evan Rodrigues in the face with the butt end of his stick. Landeskog was visibly upset with the call at first, but after seeing the replay from the penalty box, he could only laugh at himself.

Former Av A.J. Greer then drew an interference penalty with under a minute remaining, sending Manson to the box. Manson was livid on the bench, but the Avalanche penalty kill was forced back to work to close out the period.

Second Period

Early in the second period, Landeskog suffered a frightening fall after catching his left skate caught a weird edge, and sent him crashing ribs-first into the Panthers’ net. The captain remained down as the trainer rushed onto the ice, and Landeskog ultimately needed assistance from both the medical staff and Nathan MacKinnon to get to his feet. The arena fell nearly silent before rising in applause as he was helped off the ice and into the dressing room.

Samoskevich was later called for holding Samuel Girard, but Colorado’s power play again came up empty despite generating several quality looks. Florida then handed the Avalanche additional opportunities when Petry high-sticked Zakhar Bardakov, followed by a lapse in discipline from Rodrigues, who cross-checked Parker Kelly in a brief case of #17-on-#17 harassment.

That sequence gave Colorado its fourth power play of the game, but special teams continued to frustrate. Panthers forward Brad Marchand stripped the puck and broke in alone, forcing Wedgewood to make a key save—though his stick shattered in half during the play.

Florida regained the lead late in the period when Ekblad unloaded a 90-mph slap shot from the right circle through traffic, beating a screened Wedgewood. The Panthers carried a 2–1 lead into the third period.

Third Period

Just over two minutes into the third, it was announced that Landeskog had suffered an upper-body injury and would not return.

Nearly seven minutes into the period, Girard was sent off for slashing after catching Anton Lundell with his stick. The Avalanche penalty kill went back to work for the third time, and Wedgewood came up with a crucial stop on Petry’s one-timer with 30 seconds remaining in the kill, setting up an important defensive-zone faceoff.

With roughly 2:15 remaining, Wedgewood headed to the bench for the extra attacker. Moments later, MacKinnon blasted a shot that struck Tarasov’s mask and popped straight up and out of play. Tarasov effectively used his mask like a soccer header, a heads-up play that prevented Colorado from tying the game.

Bednar called timeout with 1:06 left on the clock. But the Avs were denied an 11th straight win and suffered just their third regulation defeat on the year.

Next Game

The Avalanche (31-3-7) square off against the Tampa Bay Lightning (25-13-3) at Benchmark International Arena. Coverage begins at 5 p.m. local time. 

The Florida Panthers picked up a big win over a tough competitor on Sunday night in Sunrise.

Looking to avoid a third straight defeat, Florida dug in and came up with one of their gutsiest efforts of the season, handing the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche only their third regular loss of the season by a 2-1 final score.

Florida got on the scoreboard first, and it was thanks to a great all-around play by Sam Bennett.

Directly off a faceoff in the Avalanche zone, defenseman Zam Malinski carried the puck from one corner to the other with Bennett hot on his trail.

Bennett stole the puck with a nice stick check, quickly taking it to the net and getting a shot on Scott Wedgewood.

The rebound sat in the crease for a moment and Bennett wacked it into the net before Wedgewood could pounce on it, giving Florida an early 1-0 lead and extending his career-best point streak to nine games.

Colorado tied the game at one with 8:09 to go in the period when a long shot by Josh Manson was deflected by Artturi Lehkonen on its way to the net.

It would take until late in the second period, but Aaron Ekblad would be the one to give Florida their lead back.

Similarly to their first goal, Ekblad capitalized on a turnover, picking up a puck while moving back into the Avs’ zone and blasting a shot past a screened Wedgewood to send Florida into the intermission with a 2-1 lead.

From there, the Panthers clamped down defensively, holding Colorado to just five shots on 12 attempts during the final frame.

A couple of those shots came off the stick of Nathan MacKinnon in the final minutes, but Daniil Tarasov came up big for the Cats and helped seal the victory.

Tarasov finished with 27 saves, including 10 off Colorado’s 11 high danger shots on a night the Avs’ expected goals was 3.04.

On to Toronto.

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Photo caption: Jan 4, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) makes a save against Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson (11) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)