Saturday night’s matchup between the Ottawa Senators and the visiting New Jersey Devils is a game that neither team can afford to lose.

New Jersey enters the game nine points back of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, while the Senators sit 10 points out. It’s not where either club expected to be on the final day of January, and Saturday's loser will almost lose sight of the playoff leaders completely.

Ottawa comes in riding momentum after two of its most complete performances of the season, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche by a combined score of 12–3.

Linus Ullmark was the backup goalie, so he wasn't a direct factor in either win. But the team was pleased to see him return from his month-long personal leave of absence. Six days after returning to the lineup, Ullmark is expected to play his first game since December 27, when he was pulled during a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Senators will also welcome back forward Stephen Halliday after he missed Wednesday’s win over Colorado with an upper-body injury. Halliday was in the midst of his strongest NHL performance to date last Sunday against Vegas, recording two goals and an assist, before suffering the injury. To make room for Halliday’s return, Ottawa has reassigned Xavier Bourgault to the AHL’s Belleville Senators.

Ridly Greig, who missed Friday’s practice, is expected to be available for Saturday’s game.

Senators projected lineup (Subject to change)

Drake Batherson — Tim Stützle — Claude Giroux
Brady Tkachuk — Dylan Cozens — Ridly Greig
Nick Cousins — Shane Pinto — Michael Amadio
Stephen Halliday — Lars Eller — Fabian Zetterlund

Jake Sanderson — Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot — Jordan Spence
Tyler Kleven — Nick Jensen

Linus Ullmark
James Reimer

Scratched: Kurtis MacDermid, Nikolas Matinpalo Injured: David Perron (sports hernia)

Status report

While the Senators are close to full health, the Devils may be without at least one, and possibly both, of their top two centres. Jack Hughes will miss the game with a lower-body injury, though head coach Sheldon Keefe described the issue as “not serious.”

Fellow centre Nico Hischier is under the weather and will be a game-time decision. Forward Cody Glass is expected to return after missing Thursday’s game against Nashville.

Devils projected lineup (Subject to change)

Timo Meier — Dawson Mercer — Jesper Bratt
Lenni Hämeenaho — Cody Glass — Arseny Gritsyuk
Evgenii Dadonov — Paul Cotter — Conor Brown
Maxim Tsyplakov — Luke Glendening — Juho Lammikko

Brett Pesce — Dougie Hamilton
Brenden Dillon — Simon Nemec
onas Siegenthaler — Jonathan Kovacevic

Jake Allen
Jacob Markstrom

Scratched: Colton White Injured: Luke Hughes (shoulder), Zack MacEwen (ACL), Stefan Noesen (knee), Jack Hughes (lower body), Nico Hischier (illness)

Seattle Kraken rookie Berkly Catton will miss the final three games before the Olympic break. 

The 20-year-old was on the receiving end of a head-to-hip collision on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He left the game after skating in just 3:12 of ice time.

Earlier today, via the Kraken’s PR on X, the team announced that he will miss the final three games with what has been deemed an upper-body injury. The Kraken have not clarified whether the injury he sustained was to the head or neck. 

Either way, Catton won’t see game action until at least Feb. 25 when the Kraken return from the break to take on the Dallas Stars.

The former 2024 eighth overall pick has notched five goals and 11 points in 40 games this season. 

The Kraken have three vital games before the Olympics begin. The Kraken will be on the road for all three games, taking on the Vegas Golden Knights tonight before important playoff seeding battles against the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings. 

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After an ugly loss to the Sabres, the Kings (23-17-13) bounced back with a hard-fought road performance with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers (24-20-10) on Saturday, with a clutch winner from Quinton Byfield. 

Critical Call Dooms Kings To 4-1 Loss Against The Buffalo SabresOne overturned call was the deciding factor in tonight's game, as the Kings were left chasing a 4- 1 loss to the Sabres.

After building an early two-goal cushion in the first period, the Kings held on despite a Flyers push before sealing the game in an extra period. 

TWO POINTS pic.twitter.com/GJIi5McAPu

— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 31, 2026

Kempe Strikes Twice In Opening Period

The Kings came out flying, establishing offensive pressure early and capitlzing on the Flyers early mistakes. Adrian Kempe opened the scoring midway through the first period, finishing off the nice feed from Alex Laferriere and Corey Perry, giving LA the early 1-0 lead. 

Just over three minutes later, Kempe struck again, this time off a setup from Perry, burying the quick-release shot from the slot. The Kings dominated possession in the early frame, outshooting the Flyers and keeping Philadelphia from generating offensive pressure. 

Darcy Kuemper was sharp in the early frame, turning aside several shots as the Kings took a 2-0 lead into the second period. 

FEELING EXTRA JUICY TODAY pic.twitter.com/2ieOnVuiDG

— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 31, 2026

Flyers respond with Second-Period Push

Philadelphia came out with urgency in the second and cut the deficit just 39 seconds into the frame. Trevor Zegras finished off a crisp passing sequence, beating off Kuemper to make it 2-1 and swing momentum toward the home side. 

The Flyers controlled long stretches of the period, generating pressure off the forecheck and forcing the Kings into extended defensive zone shifts. 

Despite scoring early in the period, the Flyers had only one goal in the second, and Los Angeles entered the third ahead by one, but the momentum had clearly shifted. 

Flyers tie it

Early in the third, Philadelphia capitalized on a Los Angeles turnover and tied the game 2-2. Travis Konecny snapped a shot past Kuemper just 25 seconds into the period, bringing the Wells Fargo Center crowd to life and setting the stage for a tense finish. 

From then on, both teams traded chances in a fast, physical third period, generating quality looks, but the Flyers' goaltender, Dan Vladar, anchored down in the crease, and neither team could score. 

Byfield Delivers in Overtime

Overtime featured end-to-end action, with both teams looking to steal this game. Philadelphia nearly ended it when Konecny rang a shot off the post, but the Kings survived and countered. 

Byfield finished with the overtime winner, skating on the right side off the ice to beat off the Flyers' goaltender and score the dagger to escape with a much-needed win to get Los Angeles back in the win column.

"I was thinking shot all the way."

Good mindset from QB in that situation as he buried the game-winner.

Jim Hiller pointed to seeing that mentality more of late & the quality in his shot when he rips it.

"Just really good shots. Nice finish, nice goal. Shoot the puck, kid!" https://t.co/0Ka3i0HruG

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) January 31, 2026

Key player stats 

Adrian Kempe led the way with two goals and three points, continuing his strong stretch and extending his point streak to six games. Byfield finished with the overtime winner, while Perry chipped in two assists ina strong playmaking performance.

Kuemper had a solid game, stopping 19 of 21 shots to earn the win. Despite giving up those two goals very early in the second and third periods, he still came up big in the clutch. 

Kopitar returned today for the first time since Jan. 5, when he exited the game against the Minnesota Wild with an upper-body injury. In the 11 games, Kopitar missed, Los Angeles went 4-3-3 without him, clearly missing him, and tonight, though, despite coming back and playing 16 minutes on ice, he wasn't much of a factor. 

It was definitely some rust shown for Kopitar, finishing with just one shot on goal, and was a -1 on ice, so hopefully he gets back to his regular self at the end of the Kings road trip. 

The Kings will look to build on this overtime victory as they are now 3-1 on their six-game road trip and will continue it tomorrow afternoon against the Carolina Hurricanes at 12 P.M. PT. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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The Detroit Red Wings discussed the importance of coming out strong against the high-flying Colorado Avalanche, who have been the NHL's best team thus far this season. 

Instead, the Avalanche broke out of a mini-funk by taking it to the Red Wings on the scoreboard. 

The Avalanche defeated the Red Wings by a 5-0 score, tallying twice in each of the first two periods before adding another in the final frame.

Final pic.twitter.com/R3dV5aTAxz

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 31, 2026

The Red Wings have now dropped three straight games after having picked up five of six points during their recent three-game road swing. 

As time ticked away in regulation, only a few thousand fans hadn't already gotten a head start on the traffic after watching a downer of a contest, and they let their frustrations be known with some noticeable booing. 

Detroit had a chance to take an early 1-0 lead when leading goal-scorer Alex DeBrincat broke in on a two-on-one opportunity, but sailed a shot over the net. 

Just minutes later, Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns, who is the oldest player in the NHL, rushed down the right wing and roofed a shot past the glove of John Gibson, breaking the ice. 

Colorado soon increased their lead at the midway point of the frame after superstar forward Nathan MacKinnon beat Gibson on a screened shot from the slot.

Not long after the second period began, a missed defensive assignment left Ross Colton all alone in front of Gibson, and he scored a slam-dunk–style goal off a feed from behind the net by Brock Nelson, extending Colorado’s lead to 3–0.

MacKinnon scored again later in the period following a turnover in front of Gibson. Left alone at the side of the net, he took a feed from Artturi Lehkonen and had a wide-open goal to fire at, and he made no mistake. 

After making 13 saves, Gibson was replaced for the third period by Cam Talbot, who allowed Parker Kelly to bang home his own rebound for Colorado’s fifth goal.

Colorado's MacKenzie Blackwood made 28 saves for his third shutout of the season. 

The Red Wings and Avalanche will face one another again on Monday evening, this time at Ball Arena in Denver. 
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.  

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After losing their last two losses against the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, the Colorado Avalanche got back in the win column against the Detroit Red Wings today, by a final score of 5-0. Mackenzie Blackwood earned a 28-save shutout and Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals to put him at 40 on the season.

Let’s take a look at the action from this afternoon!

First Period

The Avs would score first, and they would be the only team to score in this game, for that matter. Brent Burns would be the one to get the scoring going, as Nathan MacKinnon would find him with a great pass as Burns went flying into the zone down the wing, and Burns picked his spot against John Gibson, making it 1-0.

After that, Colorado wouldn’t slow down for the rest of the game, as MacKinnon would get his first goal of the afternoon, by putting a puck on net from the top of the zone, and Gibson was never able to pick it up through traffic.

Second Period

Ross Colton would score his second goal in as many games next, as Brock Nelson was able to find him all alone in front of the Detroit net with a phenomal pass to set Colton up for a tap-in goal.

MacKinnon would score his second of the afternoon next, as Detroit would turn the puck over in their own zone to Artturi Lehkonen, and Lehkonen found MacKinnon with a great pass, and MacKinnon put a one-timer past Gibson for his 40th on the season and to make it 4-0 Colorado after two periods.

Third Period

Parker Kelly would add another goal in the third period to make it 5-0, as he was able to walk down right in front of the Detroit net, and had the patience to outwait Gibson, and score his 12th goal of the year. The Avs only needed 21 shots on goal to earn a 5-0 win in Detroit.

Takeaways

Safe to say that looked more like Colorado Avalanche hockey, especially when compared to the last two games against the Senators and Canadiens. The Avs definitely had more jump today, and it certainly showed in the final score. It was really nice to see players from all over the lineup contribute, as both your top players and depth guys managed to get on the scoresheet this afternoon. It was also awesome to see Ross Colton score a goal for the second game in a row, especially with how much he’s struggled to score as of late. Colorado will get to see Detroit once again in a couple of days, and the Red Wings likely will want some revenge for being shut out in their home arena. Hopefully, the Avs can withstand that and sweep the regular-season series against Detroit on Monday.

Upcoming

The Red Wings visit Denver on Monday for the conclusion of the home-and-home as well as the regular-season series between the Avs and Wings. Puck drop will be at 7:00 p.m. MT.

The Philadelphia Flyers still do not appear to have a clear or cohesive plan when it comes to utilizing Matvei Michkov and harnessing his talents.

Michkov, 21, has seen his sporadic offensive production come in spurts this season. The Russian phenom scored against Boston on Thursday night and racked up two goals and an assist against Colorado on Jan. 23, but for all his skills, still sits at 28 points on the season.

In Thursday's game against Boston, one where the Flyers trailed for all but the first 9:49, Michkov received just 12:49 of ice time--the least of any Flyers player besides Nick Deslauriers (12:12).

In the Flyers' very next game against Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, Michkov played a season-low 10:21, still ahead of only Deslauriers (10:21) and Garnet Hathaway (9:02).

To spell it out, the Flyers are using their 2023 No. 7 overall draft pick like a fourth-liner and continue to pay the price offensively.

With Trevor Zegras going cold for much of the last month, Travis Konecny has been the sole consistent proprietor of offense for a team spinning its wheels and tumbling out of the playoff picture.

The Flyers are just 2-6-2 in their last 10 games and now find themselves seven points back of third in the Metropolitan Division and nine points back of the second wildcard spot; either of which would get them to the postseason.

NHL Rumors: Flyers Have Target To Consider In Canucks ForwardThe Flyers could use another bottom-six center and should consider targeting this Canucks forward because of it.

The reality is that the Flyers are 21st in the NHL in goals per game (2.91) and 22nd in goals against per game (3.2).

Benching Michkov or limiting his ice time to play a more responsible and detailed game isn't working for the team or player, and we're about to be in February, here.

An argument can be made as to whether the Flyers coaches are having Michkov return to the bench early, or if the 21-year-old is doing that on his own accord, since the shift totals are generally not too far off from those of his teammates who double as penalty killers.

Either way, isn't that bad? That the coaching staff either wants Michkov to keep his shifts short, or Michkov himself is either actively avoiding the possibility of making a mistake or doesn't feel he can make a difference?

The state of Michkov's athletic conditioning has been a point of contention, well, training camp, but as I said above, it's about to be February. He's not a fast skater anyway, and his entire game is built on making dexterous plays in small areas or in open space.

Bailey: The Flyers Still Have No IdentityThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> went from rebuilder to playoff dark horse... or so they thought, and now the team and its loyal but increasingly impatient fans are paying the price.

It would be hard to believe that his conditioning is so poor that his average 5-on-5 shift length against Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon was 31 seconds, according to Natural Stat Trick, which was comfortably lower than virtually every other Flyers forward.

Sean Couturier, who is not a world-renowned skater, averaged a 47-second shift at 5-on-5, second only to Travis Konecny's 48-second average.

Regardless of which of the three points above is the most accurate or believable, Michkov has objectively regressed in a season where the Flyers had much greater aspirations, both on a player development level and on the team level.

The best use of the remaining three months of the season would be remedying the worsening issues at hand while developing a plan to start over in the offseason.

PITTSBURGH — Players with an upside are the top target of this Rangers retooling initiative, and the club made its first pickup via the waiver wire on Saturday. 

Defenseman Vincent Iorio is headed to New York after the Blueshirts claimed him off waivers from the Sharks, the team announced.

At 23 years old, Iorio has 30 career NHL games of experience and is thought to have potential as a mobile right-handed blueliner. 

His 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame also makes him an intriguing addition to the Rangers defense corps.

The waiver claim comes less than a week after defenseman Carson Soucy was dealt to the Islanders.

In anticipation of more trades before the March 6 trade deadline, which could include the departure of another member of the back end in Braden Schneider, the Rangers filled an expected need. 

Drafted 55th overall by the Capitals in 2021, Iorio registered a career high and skated in 21 games for the Sharks this season.

He only appeared in nine contests over two seasons for the Capitals before the organization waived him in October. 

During the 2024-25 AHL season, Iorio’s 20 points in 67 games with the San Jose Barracuda ranked third among his fellow D-men.

The Buffalo Sabres take on the Montreal Canadiens for the final time this season on Saturday. Both clubs are tied for third place in the Atlantic Division with 67 points and Buffalo has won the last two meetings against the Habs, after losing at the Bell Centre in October. The Sabres have two games in hand on second-place Detroit and hope to move within one point of the Wings, who lost to the Colorado Avalanche Saturday afternoon. 

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media following the morning skate Saturday morning and provided updates on injured defenseman Jacob Bryson and winger Jordan Greenway. Bryson suffered. Bryson suffered an upper-body injury in Montreal last week and was placed on injured reserve, but took to the ice and is considered day-to-day. 

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Greenway, who has struggled with the lingering effects of a mid-body injury that was surgically repaired last offseason, has not played since the contest at the Bell Centre on January 22nd. Earlier this week, Ruff had indicated that the injury is not preventing the big forward from skating, but that he would likely be undergoing further medical evaluation. 

Alex Lyon, who set a club record with his 10th consecutive victory against Los Angeles on Thursday, occupied the home net at the morning skate and is expected to start, while Jakub Dobes is the likely starter for Montreal. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

Stunned to the very core, the Beleaguered Blueshirts have to wonder whether –  s the fabled Chicken Little predicted.

You have to wonder – kidding, of course – whether the American Hockey League would allow an even-up trade, Hartford Wolfpack for the New York Rangers? (Just a joke Jim.) 

Losing all four games to the Islanders this season – last one on Thursday night had to be the utter humiliation.

Remember, The Hockey News Yearbook pegged the Blueshirts to finish fourth in the Metro and the Islanders seventh. (Doesn't look like that scenario will happen, does it?)

Most compelling will be the Rangers latest passion play unfolding today in Pittsburgh. Let's not forget The Hockey News Yearbook also had the Penguins in eighth place; ergo the cellar, where the Seventh Avenue Skaters happen to be shoveling coal. (Oops! It hit the goal post.)

Here's the fact that blows up in the Blueshirts' mug. Last summer the Pitt brass dumped Mike Sullivan and hired former Ranger aide Dan (Dan Who?) Muse to rule the Penguins' bench.

The result is that the musical Muse has his Pens hellbent for a playoff berth and  while we know where Salad-Quote-Sully has his losers,

Even with Sidney Crosby, Geno Malkin and Kris Letang, Sully could do nothing. Zippo, nada playoffs for three straight years; four if you count this Sighted-Sub-Sank-Same imitation of a major league team.

Now, all of a sudden, the trio of future Hall of Fame Penguins are swimming up to a winning iceberg that almost resembles a Stanley Cup.

The Maven asked his favorite Pitt hockey guru Vince Comunale to compare Muse with New York's Great Pretender, Sullivan.

"Muse lets his guys play to their strengths – and not try to fit them into a style that Sullivan wanted to play," says Comunale. "Dan has put his players in roles where they can thrive."

Sully has put his players in a position where they don't know Madison Square Garden from The Planet Mars.

And if you don't believe me, check out the game today at PPG Paints Arena. WARNING: It may move you to tears!

The Marty Party is on hold for at least one game.

Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas is out of today’s lineup due to a lower-body injury but is listed as day-to-day.

The 27-year-old skated in Thursday’s 7-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, where he fired three shots on goal but failed to register a point.

In Wednesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, Necas absorbed a hard reverse hit from Artem Zub, which left him sprawled on the ice. He was briefly evaluated in the tunnel before returning to the contest. It remains unclear if today’s injury is connected to that incident.

Martin Necas 🔁 Artem Zub • #HFhits#NHL#GoAvsGo 🆚 #GoSensGo • 2026 JAN 28
Vid via @sportsnet / u/noclip pic.twitter.com/XcnZr8TrGE

— HockeyFights.com (@hockeyfights) January 29, 2026

The Avalanche currently lead the Detroit Red Wings 2-0 after one period.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will miss at least four weeks with a fractured foot.

The club announced the extent of the injury on Saturday before the surging Penguins faced the New York Rangers. Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse said Letang, who is in his 20th season, injured the foot during a 6-2 victory over Chicago on Thursday.

Letang's absence comes with the Penguins surging into the Olympic break. Pittsburgh is 6-0-2 in its last eight games to move into second place in the Metropolitan Division.

The 38-year-old Letang has three goals and 22 assists in 50 games this season for the Penguins. He is currently three points shy of 800 for his career.

Letang's injury comes at a potentially fortuitous time for Pittsburgh with the NHL set to take an extended break for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan Cortina, which start next week. The Penguins not participating in the Olympics will be off from Feb. 6 to Feb. 25.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Nothing has seemed to phase the Buffalo Sabres over the last seven weeks, as the hottest club in the NHL has gone 20-3-1 since early December, in spite of a variety of injuries to key players. One player who seemed to help spur Buffalo’s 10-game winning streak was center Josh Norris.

The 26-year-old forward missed two months after suffering an upper-body injury in the season opener against the NY Rangers, and averaged nearly a point-per-game in 19 games before suffering a rib injury in a victory over Philadelphia on January 14. 

Norris skated at the Sabres morning skate prior to their Saturday matchup against Montreal, a sign that he is close to returning to the lineup, but with just four games remaining before the Olympic hiatus, some consideration has been given to holding Norris out until after the break in late February. 

"I don't know. We've talked about both situations, but I think if you're ready to go, then you're not just going to sit out. So when I feel like I'm 100%, then I'm going to play." Norris said."(It was) a hockey play, happens all the time during the game, and just happened to catch me at the wrong point." 

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

After Saturday’s key matchup with the Habs (who are tied with the Sabres at 67 points), Buffalo has back-to-back road games in Florida against the Panthers on Monday and Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, before their final contest before the break against Pittsburgh next Thursday. 

"Obviously, (it’s) a great step getting him back out there. He's been skating a few days on his own, (today was the) first day with the team, and then he’ll get a practice in tomorrow, and just keep evaluating and see where we're at." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said. "If you're not chomping (at the bit), you're in the wrong place, for sure. When you're hurt, you want to get back.....You want to get back as soon as you feel you're healthy enough to play." 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

Hockeytown turned into Shutout City.

Nathan MacKinnon recorded a three-point night, scoring two goals and adding an assist to become the first NHL player this season to reach 40 goals, Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 28 shots for his 17th career shutout, and the Colorado Avalanche blanked the Detroit Red Wings 5-0 on Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena.

But that wasn’t the only milestone of the day. Brent Burns, the oldest active player in the NHL, scored to tie Bobby Orr for seventh on the all-time goals list among defensemen. Ross Colton found the back of the net for the second straight game, and Parker Kelly also lit the lamp for Colorado.

Detroit finished the night with more shots on goal, 28–17, but this time it was Colorado’s opponent getting the goalied treatment. John Gibson allowed four goals on 17 shots in the loss.

Nathan MacKinnon has a goal and an assist halfway through the first period!

Wait for the Detroit fan's reaction 😬

Watch Avalanche-Red Wings on ABC and the ESPN App 🏒 pic.twitter.com/kGHpnP7V7p

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 31, 2026

First Period

Burns got the party started just 6:44 into the game after MacKinnon shoveled a pass to him following a broken play at the point. Burns walked the puck in and snapped a shot over Gibson’s glove to give Colorado the early lead.

What a shot by Brent Burns for his ninth of the season! 🎯

The oldest player in the NHL still has it!

📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/F3Mtwvw4fl

— NHL (@NHL) January 31, 2026

Shortly after, Josh Manson was sent to the box for holding Andrew Copp, but Colorado’s penalty kill—struggling in recent games—successfully killed off the infraction.

MacKinnon then took control, maneuvering around two defenders and circling the offensive zone before finding an opening. He fired a wrister off the post and in to make it 2-0, giving him a goal and an assist just over 10 minutes into the game.

Colorado continued to apply pressure, and with about nine minutes remaining in the period, Kelly ripped a slap shot that rang off the post, leaving the Avs inches away from a 3-0 lead. With 3:15 left in the period, Kelly was sent to the penalty box after former Av J.T. Compher stepped on his stick and went down, drawing a tripping call and giving Detroit its second power play of the night.

Second Period

1:24 into the second period, Brock Nelson, after being knocked to the ice along the boards, recovered the puck and fed a perfect pass to Colton, who beat Gibson to make it 3-0. After going 20 games without a goal, Colton has now scored in back-to-back contests.

Ross Colton with goals in back to back games?? #GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/RUze3Pepmi

— Locked on Avalanche 🏔️🎙️ (@LOPN_Avalanche) January 31, 2026

Just over a minute later, the Avalanche went on the power play after Erik Gustafsson tripped Kelly and sent him airborne. Despite several chances—including a MacKinnon setup for Valeri Nichushkin on a backdoor tap-in—the Avs were unable to convert.

Following a neutral-zone turnover, Colorado countered quickly, with Artturi Lehkonen setting up MacKinnon for a one-timer from the left circle. MacKinnon blasted it past Gibson for his NHL-leading 40th goal of the season with 6:27 remaining in the period.

With 2:47 left, Compher gave the Avalanche another power play after tripping Kelly. Earlier in the game, Kelly had been penalized for tripping Compher. The Avs nearly broke their power-play drought, but MacKinnon missed a wide-open net that would have completed the hat trick. Detroit responded with a 2-on-1 rush, but Emmitt Finnie rang a shot off the post. Moments later, a fight erupted behind the net, with Nelson and Compher assessed matching minors.

Third Period

Blackwood was outstanding all night, but his best save came around the seven-minute mark of the third period, when he robbed James van Riemsdyk with a clean glove save. A fortunate bounce left the puck on van Riemsdyk’s tape, but the shot went straight into Blackwood’s glove.

On the very next play, Colorado put the game out of reach. Kelly jammed one home to make it 5-0. Jack Drury dumped the puck in from the point, Joel Kiviranta got a stick on it and slid it to Kelly, who attempted to deke past Gibson. The initial shot was stopped by the pad, but Kelly stayed with it, whacking away on the backhand until the puck crossed the goal line.

The goal was Kelly’s 12th of the season, continuing what has been a career-best campaign.

With five minutes left in regulation, the Red Wings had outshot the Avalanche 27-20, but they still hadn’t scored. It wasn’t for a lack of effort—they were simply getting goalied.

The Avalanche badly needed this win after a pair of subpar performances. Now, the focus shifts to whether Colorado can build another winning streak and recapture some of the early-season dominance that made them so dangerous.

Next Game

It's a rematch! The Avalanche (36-8-9) will square off against the Red Wings (32-17-6) again, but this time at Ball Arena on Monday. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time. 

The Colorado Avalanche will be looking to close out this road trip with a win, but it’s been a frustrating stretch.

Colorado Avalanche

After blazing out to a 31‑2‑7 start, the Avalanche have struggled mightily over their last 12 games. Since a comeback victory at Carolina on January 3, they’ve gone just 4‑6‑2. Where they once lost by three goals only once in their first 44 contests, the Avs have now dropped four games by three or more goals in their last eight games — including a lopsided 7‑3 defeat to Montreal on Thursday evening.

The Avs take on the Detroit Red Wings from Little Caesars Arena at 11 a.m. local time and with one less extra player. Martin Necas suffered an injury in the Montreal game and will not start today. That adds insult to injury as captain Gabriel Landeskog and star defenseman Devon Toews remain out of the lineup with injuries.

Avs Projected Lineup

Forwards

Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Valeri Nichushkin

Ross Colton - Brock Nelson - Victor Olofsson

Parker Kelly - Jack Drury - Joel Kiviranta

Taylor Makar- Zakhar Bardakov - Gavin Brindley

Defensemen

Sam Malinski - Cale Makar

Josh Manson - Brent Burns

Keaton Middleton - Sam Girard

Goalies

Mackenzie Blackwood

Scott Wedgewood

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings have gone 6‑2‑2 over their last ten games. However, Detroit has dropped their last two contests, falling 3‑1 to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and losing 4‑3 in a shootout to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Despite the setbacks, right winger Patrick Kane reached a major milestone, recording the 1,375th point of his career to become the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history, surpassing former Red Wing Mike Modano.

Defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who missed his fifth consecutive game on Thursday night due to a lower-body injury, was placed on injured reserve and will remain sidelined through the Olympic break, which concludes for the Red Wings on February 26. 

On Thursday, the Wings recalled forward Sheldon Dries and defenseman Justin Holl from their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. However, Holl was just sent back to the AHL this morning without playing a single game, so it appears they're going to stick with Erik Gustafsson. 

Wings Projected Lineup

Forwards

Marco Kasper - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond

Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - Patrick Kane

Emmitt Finnie - J.T. Compher - James van Riemsdyk

Elmer Söderblom - Michael Rasmussen - Mason Appleton

Defense

Jacob Bernard-Docker - Moritz Seider

Axel Sandin-Pellikka - Ben

Johansson - Travis Hamonic

Goalies

John Gibson

Cam Talbot

It’s been two years since the Vancouver Canucks acquired Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, and a 2024 first-round pick. While Lindholm departed from the Canucks organization only a few months after being acquired, some pieces acquired by the Flames have remained within their organization. Here’s a look at where all five pieces of this trade are now. 

Elias Lindholm Would Be A Welcome Piece In Vancouver’s Centre Depth

Lindholm’s first year as a member of the Boston Bruins, who he signed with during the 2024 off-season, didn’t exactly go as planned. The centre finished the season with 17 goals and 30 assists throughout a full 82 games — not ideal considering his past offensive abilities with the Flames. However, it appears things are starting to shift for Lindholm now, as the centre has put up 11 goals and 26 assists in 44 games this season. While this point total puts him ahead of any Canucks so far this season, Lindholm is also currently playing in a first-line centre role alongside David Pastrňák and Morgan Geekie. His linemates if he were still in Vancouver would likely be much different. 

Andrei Kuzmenko Is On His Fourth NHL Team In As Many Years

Vancouver was the first NHL team that Kuzmenko played for before he was traded to the Flames in January 2024. However, since then, the forward also made his way to the Philadelphia Flyers before finally appearing to settle down with the Los Angeles Kings. Kuzmenko played alright during his first 22 regular season games with the Kings, scoring five goals and 12 assists, but proved to the Kings why they acquired him with a three-goal, three-assist effort in six playoff games. As a result, Kuzmenko signed a one-year, $4.3M contract with Los Angeles that will make him a free-agent at the end of this season. He currently has 11 goals and 10 assists in 47 games throughout 2025–26.      

Hunter Brzustewicz Is Carving Out Some NHL Playing Time With The Flames

After making his NHL debut on April 17, 2025 against the Kings, it looks like Brzustewicz is getting his first look at an extended period of NHL minutes. The defenceman made his season debut for the Flames on December 10 and has stuck in Calgary’s lineup primarily since then. With Jake Bean on the IR and Zayne Parekh taking part in a conditioning stint after dealing with an injury, Brzustewicz has been playing on the Flames’ third-pairing, putting up a goal and an assist throughout 18 games. In his 23 AHL games played with the Calgary Wranglers this season, Brzustewicz has four goals and eight assists. 

After Some Time With The Flames Organization, Joni Jurmo Has Returned To Finland 

Jurmo is the last player who was sent to Calgary in exchange for Lindholm. The defenceman spent one season with the Flames organization before making his return to Finland, where he currently plays for Kiekko-Espoo in Liiga. His time with the Flames was split between the Wranglers and the Rapid City Rush in the ECHL, the latter of which saw him score two goals and eight assists in 12 games. After this season, Calgary put Jurmo on unconditional waivers with the purpose of terminating his contract despite his deal carrying only one more year on it. 

Vancouver’s 2024 First-Round Pick Turned Into A Surprising Prospect  

The most intriguing part of Calgary’s return in the Lindholm trade may very well be the first-round pick they snagged from Vancouver during it. The pick, which ended up at 28th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, was ultimately used by the Flames to select forward Matvei Gridin. Gridin played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL and Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL before joining the Flames organization in 2025–26. He scored his first NHL goal in his NHL debut on October 8 against the St. Louis Blues, playing in a total of four games before being sent down to the Wranglers. Calgary has since called Gridin up, with the forward having played with the team since the middle of January. 

There are pros and cons for both teams when it comes to the repercussions of this trade. On one hand, Lindholm was one of the Canucks’ top performers during their 2024 playoff run, but ultimately was with Vancouver for less than six months. Calgary has only retained two parts of this particular trade, though they acquired two big pieces to their forward core when they traded Kuzmenko. Overall, Calgary was the team to win this trade given the pieces they have managed to keep as well as those they acquired in return for those that were flipped. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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