Anton Frondell had an assist in his NHL debut, Nick Lardis and Frank Nazar each had a goal and an assist and the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Ilya Mikheyev and Tyler Bertuzzi also had goals for the Blackhawks, who scored four straight goals and snapped a two-game skid. Arvid Soderblom made 44 saves.
Anders Lee, Simon Holmstrom and Calum Ritchie scored for the Islanders, who lost for the third time in four games. David Rittich allowed three goals on 12 shots before being replaced by Ilya Sorokin, who made 11 saves.
Lee opened the scoring in the first minute of play, deflecting Mathew Schaefer’s shot past Soderblom. But the Blackhawks responded with four goals, including three in the first period.
Nazar and Bertuzzi failed to convert on a two-on-none breakaway, but Nazar quickly grabbed the loose puck and found a darting Lardis to even the score at 1.
Frondell, the third overall selection in the 2025 NHL draft, set up Mikheyev at 18:06 of the first period to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.
Bertuzzi deposited a rebound in the final minute of the opening period to extend the Blackhawks’ lead to 3-1.
Holmstrom and Ritchie each scored in the third to trim the Islanders’ deficit to one goal, but New York was unable to tie it despite getting 23 shots in the final period.
Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo left with an upper-body injury in the second period and did not return. Ryan Pulock did not play for New York for the second straight game.
Up next
Blackhawks: Visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 24: Martin Necas #88 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates after scoring a goal past Arturs Silovs #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 24, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pregame
No Evgeni Malkin tonight due to an undisclosed upper body injury, Ville Koivunen back in the lineup like he never left (though he did for a few days). Arturs Silovs in net.
Colorado gets on the board first, 4:57 into the game. Nathan MacKinnon pressures Parker Wotherspoon, gets the better of him and then is off to the races. Not going to catch that guy. MacKinnon gives Silovs a shoulder shake to throw the goalie off balance then snaps a perfectly placed high shot to finish the individual effort.
Sam Malinski gets two shots, the second goes off the post and in. Traffic in front for Silovs was too much with all the puck movement. 2-1 COL back in front.
Noel Acciari trips a player 200 feet away from his net, it gets called. It only takes the Avalanche five seconds to strike off the opening faceoff. Cale Makar feeds Martin Necas who hammers it home. 3-1 game.
The tough period continues, a quick pass from behind the net hits Parker Kelly in front for a quick shot. Silovs is off his angle and gets beat to the far side. 4-1.
The Avs weren’t messing around that period. They smelled blood and ruthlessly converted. Sometimes it was players like MacKinnon or Makar showing why they’re among the league’s best, sometimes it was just situational. Either way a tough go early for the Penguins.
Second period
It appears the Penguins claw back a little on a great effort by Justin Brazeau to fully extend and use all his reach to swing a puck into the net. Colorado challenges for goalie interference and, well, another call against the Pens in this department. There’s the slightest contact at the beginning of the sequence but nothing that seems to prevent the goalie from playing his position and then further contact outside of the crease. Who knows anymore.
Pittsburgh gets a four minute power play when Nazem Kadri high sticks Tommy Novak but it’s not going their way tonight, passes without scoring and the Avs even have a rush the other way.
Late in the period, Colorado sends another dagger. Devon Toews bombs a shot in off an offensive zone draw, Silovs lets the rebound thud off the middle of his pad and Necas gets to it first. 5-1.
Deflating period for the Pens to not get yet another GI call go their way. Even then the score would have been 4-2 and still in a major hole but without it the game is elementary at this point.
Third period
By league rule a third period must be played, game sputters along. Colorado gets a long power play and some 5v3 time for a chance for MacKinnon to pad stats and get back in the scoring race but he and they can’t score.
The Pens’ first line gets on the board to at least get Sidney Crosby a point. Bryan Rust’s forechecking effort ends up having the clearing attempt flutter right to Crosby in front of the net. Crosby uses his skate to settle the puck, kicks it to his stick and bumps a pass over for Rickard Rakell to finish off from in tight. 5-2 game.
It’s into ‘pull the goalie cuz who cares’ territory, Colorado doesn’t waste much time to hit the open open. 6-2.
Some thoughts
The first Pittsburgh goal had a lot going on, Kris Letang (finally) recorded his 800th career point after sitting on 799 since March 1st. Sam Girard notched his 200th career assist. And Chinakhov set his new career-high for goals in a season with 17.
Noel Acciari’s penalty with the catalyst to spiral this game out of control. The broadcast didn’t like the call against Pittsburgh (shocker) and it was unfortunate that was the only penalty of the period, considering it didn’t create or deny a scoring chance or even alter possession too drastically. It’s a play sometimes the refs don’t always call, but it’s an obvious trip in the offensive zone by a player reaching. That’s more on Acciari for putting himself in the position than the refs to ring him up for it.
The other really big swing was the reversed goal in the second. This summer during the offseason, I swear I’m going to find a bunch of clips that the league reviewed (Pittsburgh goals and around the NHL) and then leave it up to the reader to decide if it was deemed a good goal or no goal. At this point, you might as well flip a coin. The process is subjective and by nature never going to be perfect but the discrepancy from night to night on what’s permitted and what’s not has had zero consistency.
An old hockey saying goes ‘you can’t give a good player a bad pass’ and let’s just say Ben Kindel gave Ville Koivunen a bad pass on a 2-on-1 in the second period. Kindel did have to lift the puck off the ice to get it over a stick to get there but it didn’t look like a knee-high grenade when it got to Koivunen. Tough play if the puck bobbled a little as it got to him but in this league that’s one a player has to handle (especially when the recipient is known for making skilled plays with his hands).
One player where there’s no doubt about quality is Chinakhov. For a player whose reputation was one of inconsistency coming into the team, it’s funny but that’s actually been a very positive element for him. He shows up every game, and more often than not he’s finding the scoreboard via a goal or assist more often than not.
In the big picture, the Penguins get two points out of four from Colorado this season, a team that looks like they are on their way to winning the Presidents Trophy. You can do worse than that. It was also somewhat of a ‘no harm, no foul’ kind of night, since three of Pittsburgh’s biggest rivals at the moment for playoff spots (NYI, BOS, DET) also lost in regulation and all lost to teams out of the playoffs, no less. Definitely were worse outcomes on the night, though it could have been better since Columbus defeated Philadelphia and CBJ passes the Pens for second place in the division. That’s largely ceremonial aside from home ice, seeing Chicago upset the Islanders and the Bruins drop a game to Toronto are welcome sights at this point.
More damaging than the loss itself could be the underlying problems displayed. The broadcast was harping on fatigue but every team is playing a lot this season. The Penguins have now surrendered 48 goals in the last 11 games (4.36 GA per game). That’s not fatigue as an over-arching factor, that’s a goal suppression problem via team defense and goaltending woes. It’s a glaring issue at the moment.
The immediate path ahead doesn’t get easier, the Pens have to head to Ottawa to face a hot Senators team that always seems to give them troubles anyways.
The Florida Panthers were back on home ice Tuesday as their tumultuous season continues to wind down.
Despite holding two separate three-goal leads during the third period, Florida had to take the game to a shootout, picking up a 5-4 victory over the visiting Seattle Kraken.
The game remained scoreless into the second period, but that’s when the Panthers took advantage of an odd-man rush to strike first.
Noah Gregor, who had just been called up by Florida from AHL Charlotte the day before, led a 2-on-1 into the Kraken zone with Nolan Foote.
A nice saucer pass from Gregor led Foote to the net, and his quick forehand shot tricked through Joey Daccord to give Florida a 1-0 lead at the 2:32 mark of the middle frame.
That’s how the score would remain until early in the third period.
A backhand shot by Vinnie Hinostroza deflected off Eetu Luostarinen on its way toward the net, and the puck trickled through Daccord and into the net to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead with 14:44 to go.
Just over two minutes later, Carter Verhaeghe lost the puck while trying to make a move past Daccord, only to retrieve it below the goal line and fire a shot that deflected off the goalie’s pad and into the net to make it 3-0 Florida.
On the very next shift, a long shot by Ryker Evans from just inside the Panthers blue line went wide of Sergei Bobrovsky’s net, but the puck hit off the back boards and went directly back where it came from.
The quick, unorthodox rebound went right back into the goal crease, deflecting off the skate of Bobrovsky and into the net, cutting Florida’s lead to 3-1 with 11:50 on the clock.
Another odd-man rush led to another goal by the Panthers’ fourth line.
This time, Gregor’s cross-zone pass deflected off Kraken defenseman THISGUY and past a sliding Daccord, restoring Florida’s three-goal lead with 7:39 to go in the game.
Once again, the Kraken responded quickly.
Less than two minutes after Gregor’s goal, Seattle star Matty Beniers cut toward Bobrovsky and dangled around an attempted poke-check by the Cats’ tendy, popping the puck into the yawning cage and cutting Florida’s lead to 4-2 with 5:43 remaining.
Jordan Eberle made it a one-goal game just over two minutes after that, beating Bobrovsky over the glove on a breakaway to make it 4-3, and then on the ensuing shift, Bobby McMann tied the game on an almost identical breakaway shot with 3:22 still to play in the third period.
Both goals were unassisted.
The game ended up going to overtime, but five minutes of 3-on-3 wasn’t enough to find a winner.
Hinostroza scored a pretty goal and Bobrovsky stopped all three Kraken shots as Florida picked up the bonus point in the shootout.
Photo caption: Mar 24, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Nolan Foote (25) celebrates after scoring against the Seattle Kraken during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Tony DeAngelo #77 of the New York Islanders looks on in the first period during the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Tony DeAngelo left Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Blackhawks 12:46 into the first after pulling up while back-checking and did not return, with the Islanders citing a lower-body injury.
Coach Patrick Roy said he will be reevaluated Wednesday.
Tony DeAngelo of the New York Islanders looks on in the first period during the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. NHLI via Getty Images
DeAngelo was hustling back to defend a 2-on-0 Chicago rush following a Mat Barzal turnover in the first period, but pulled up and stopped moving easily.
He attempted to defend the rest of the play, but did so ineffectively as Nick Lardis scored to tie the game at one.
DeAngelo went up the tunnel right after that.
Isaiah George, who was recalled Tuesday to serve as the seventh defenseman with Ryan Pulock (lower body) still out, appears to be the next man up if DeAngelo is not ready to play against the Stars on Thursday.
Pulock skated with the other injured players in the morning but did not stay on the ice with the team for morning skate.
Martin Nečas delivered a statement performance with two goals, while Nathan MacKinnon continued his torrid scoring pace with his NHL-leading 46th of the season, as the Colorado Avalanche rolled to a commanding 6–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.
The game turned decisively in the closing minutes of the opening period, when Nečas, Sam Malinski, and Parker Kelly struck in rapid succession—three goals in just 1:55—to blow it open and silence the Pittsburgh crowd. The outburst not only seized momentum but also served as emphatic redemption for Colorado, which was on the wrong end of a lopsided loss to Pittsburgh just a week earlier in Denver. Cale Makar factored into the surge as well, recording an assist on Nečas’ first goal to bring his career point total to 499, putting him on the doorstep of another milestone.
A beauty of a goal from Nathan MacKinnon.
Colorado never looked back from there. MacKinnon’s goal further underlined his MVP-caliber season, while Ross Colton added an empty-net tally late to cap off the dominant effort.
Between the pipes, Scott Wedgewood was steady and composed, turning aside 27 shots to backstop the league-leading Avalanche. The win marks their third straight on a four-game road trip, with the finale set for Thursday in Winnipeg.
For Pittsburgh, Egor Chinakhov and Rickard Rakell provided the lone offensive breakthroughs. Kris Letang added a secondary assist on Chinakhov’s career-high 17th goal, reaching a significant personal milestone in the process—becoming just the 21st defenseman in NHL history to record 800 career points.
Artūrs Šilovs, meanwhile, endured a difficult start and was unable to recover, finishing with 23 saves as Colorado’s early surge proved too much to overcome. The loss is Pittsburgh’s third in its last four games, a setback that further complicates its position in an increasingly tight Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Penguins were also without veteran center Evgeni Malkin, who remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The 39-year-old had been instrumental in Pittsburgh’s dominant showing against Colorado last week, scoring twice in his return from a five-game suspension, making his absence all the more noticeable in this rematch.
First Period
At 3:57 of the opening frame, Colorado’s defensive coverage briefly unraveled, allowing Tommy Novak to slip undetected into open ice. He found himself in alone with a clean look, but Wedgewood stood tall, squaring up and turning aside the chance with a calm, technically sound stop to keep the game scoreless.
Just over a minute later, the Avalanche capitalized on a costly turnover. MacKinnon anticipated a pass from Parker Wotherspoon, jumped the lane, and exploded up ice on a breakaway. With confidence, he snapped a shot that rang cleanly off the crossbar and down across the goal line, giving Colorado a 1–0 lead with his league-leading 46th goal.
Pittsburgh responded 3:12 later in a sequence layered with irony. Samuel Girard—facing his former club after a deadline deal—helped initiate the play that led to Chinakhov’s equalizer. The winger stepped into a one-timer from distance and beat Wedgewood clean to knot the game at 1–1.
The tie didn’t last. With 4:36 remaining, Malinski restored the Avalanche lead with a determined individual effort. After being denied earlier in the shift by a sharp blocker save, he stayed engaged in the play, found a shooting lane through traffic, and snapped a shot past Šilovs for his first goal in 27 games.
Moments later, discipline issues proved costly for Pittsburgh. After Noel Acciari was sent off for tripping Josh Manson, Colorado’s power play struck with ruthless efficiency—needing just five seconds. Makar won the draw sequence and quickly fed Nečas, who hammered a one-timer past the goaltender for his 33rd of the season, extending his road goal streak to eight games.
Before the Penguins could regroup, the Avalanche struck again. Just 35 seconds later, Kelly capped off a relentless offensive surge, finishing a crisp one-timer off a feed from Logan O’Connor. The goal—his career-high 16th—pushed the lead to 4–1 and underscored Colorado’s overwhelming pace. For O’Connor, the assist marked a meaningful return, recording a point in his first game back after nearly a year sidelined by a second offseason hip surgery.
By the end of the period, the Avalanche had seized complete control, pouring in four goals and outshooting Pittsburgh 15–12 in a dominant, momentum-shifting frame.
Second Period
At the 7:05 mark, Wedgewood delivered arguably the save of the night, sprawling across the crease to rob Ben Kindel with a spectacular diving glove stop. Kindel—fresh off his heroics in the earlier NHL 26 simulation—could only look skyward in disbelief.
Moments later, Justin Brazeau appeared to cut into the deficit, jamming home a loose puck while down on his knees. However, after a brief review, officials overturned the goal, ruling his left skate had entered the crease before contact from Devon Toews disrupted the play and knocked the goaltender off balance. The decision drew visible frustration from the Penguins bench and head coach Dan Muse.
Colorado faced a test midway through the period when Nazem Kadri was assessed a double-minor for a high stick on Novak. Despite the extended penalty, the Avalanche penalty kill held firm, limiting quality looks and preserving the three-goal cushion.
Nečas struck again late in the period, capitalizing on a rebound opportunity with 2:31 remaining. After a point shot from Toews created chaos in front, he pounced on the loose puck and buried it to extend the lead to 5–1.
The final period took on a chippy, penalty-filled tone. Manson and Brent Burns were sent off, giving Pittsburgh a 5-on-3 advantage. Colorado managed to kill off one of the penalties, and shortly after, O’Connor and Anthony Mantha exchanged roughing minors as tensions escalated.
Pittsburgh’s discipline continued to falter, with Letang toecalled for tripping Gabe Landeskog and Bryan Rust for hooking Brock Nelson, handing Colorado a brief 5-on-3 of its own. This time, however, the Avalanche power play came up empty.
Rakell eventually broke through for Pittsburgh, making it 5–2 after an unusual bounce sent the puck over the back of the net. Sidney Crosby reacted instantly, one-touching a pass to Rakell, who finished before Wedgewood could reset—an opportunistic play the goaltender had little chance to stop.
With under four minutes remaining, Pittsburgh pulled Šilovs in a last-ditch effort, but Colton sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal, putting the finishing touches on a decisive 6–2 Avalanche victory.
Avs Extend Central Division Lead
The Avalanche not only picked up two points with the win, but also got help in the standings as their Central Division rivals both lost. The Dallas Stars fell 6-4 at home to the New Jersey Devils, while the Minnesota Wild dropped a 6-3 decision on the road to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Colorado now holds a 104-97 point advantage over Dallas, with Minnesota sitting in third place at 92 points.
Next Game
The Avalanche (47-13-10) square off against the Winnipeg Jets (30-29-12) at Canada Life Centre on Thursday. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. local time in Denver.
New York Islanders forward Victor Eklund (73) runs a drill during Development Camp at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y. on Monday, June 30, 2025.
After his season in the Swedish Hockey League with Djurgardens ended Saturday with a playoff loss to Malmo, first-round pick Victor Eklund will travel to North America this week and join the AHL Bridgeport Islanders, The Post has learned.
It’s not yet clear whether Eklund will make his debut over the weekend, with Bridgeport facing Laval on Saturday and playing in Providence on Sunday.
That will likely depend on how he feels after making the trip.
Eklund was quoted in a Swedish outlet, HockeyNews.se, after Djurgardens’ season ended, saying that he’d like to make the trip over and had spoken recently with Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche.
Coincidentally, his Djurgardens teammate and close friend, Anton Frondell, made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in their 4-3 win over the Islanders on Tuesday night and had an assist.
Islanders forward Victor Eklund runs a drill during Development Camp at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y. on June 30, 2025. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
Frondell was the third overall pick in last summer’s draft; Eklund went 16th.
Eklund finished the season with six goals and 18 assists over 43 games in the SHL, his first year in Sweden’s top division.
After taking some time to adjust to the higher level, Eklund’s game took an upward turn after World Juniors, where he played a leading role in helping Sweden to a gold medal.
Victor Eklund is set to join the Islanders’ AHL squad. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
“Vic, we’ve been playing together the whole year, we got to play with each other,” Frondell said. “Like always, he’s a hardworking guy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone work as hard as him or like to compete as much.
“He’s not that big, he’s not that heavy, but he runs over guys in the SHL. Especially in the playoffs, the last games against Malmo. Just running over guys, creating a lot of energy. That’s something, playing with him, I feel like he’s creating so much energy.”
The Islanders inked goaltender Josh Kotai, an undrafted free agent out of Augustana University, to a two-year entry-level deal, the team announced. Per PuckPedia, it is a two-way deal carrying a $965,000 AAV at the NHL level and an $85,000 salary in the minors.
Kotai, 23, had a .938 save percentage and 1.99 GAA with Augustana this season. He measures 6-foot-1, 165 pounds.
Matthew Schaefer’s 31:59 of ice set an NHL record for a teenage defenseman and marked a career-high.
The 2024-25 season was undoubtedly a tough year for Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In 55 games during this past season with the Sabres, he had a 24-24-5 record, an .887 save percentage, and a 3.20 goals-against average.
While Luukkonen had a season to forget for the Sabres in 2024-25, he is certainly proving his doubters wrong in a major way this campaign for Buffalo.
Luukkonen has been one of many reasons for the Sabres' major step forward this season, and the truth is in his stats. In 28 appearances this season for Buffalo so far, he has a 17-8-2 record, a 2.54 goals-against average, and a .911 save percentage. With numbers like these, there is no question that Luukkonen has been enjoying an excellent bounce-back season with the Sabres.
Luukkonen has always been staying hot as the season rolls on. In his most recent appearance on March 21 against the Los Angeles Kings, he stopped 26 out of 27 shots he faced. This was after he recorded a 29-save shutout against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 17. With this, he has been thriving with the Sabres.
It will now be interesting to see how UPL finishes off this campaign from here, but it is clear that he has had a nice season for the Sabres in 2025-26.
After an impressive sweep of a three-game road trip, the Flyers failed to build on it.
They lost to the Blue Jackets, 3-2, Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
In a meaningful game, it was another disappointing home loss for the Flyers.
Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale scored the club’s goals. Drysdale’s marker came late in the third period as the Flyers emptied their net for the extra attacker.
The Flyers (34-24-12) again couldn’t win four games in a row. They haven’t won more than three straight in over two years. The last time they did it was Feb. 6-12 of the 2023-24 season.
“There’s still a lot of hockey left, we still believe in our group,” Couturier said. “We’re going to refocus, get ready for next game, move on and try to get another winning streak going.”
Rick Tocchet’s club dropped to seven points back of the Blue Jackets (38-22-11), who took over second place in a tight Metropolitan Division. The Flyers went 0-2-1 against Columbus this season.
“It’s not like we were going to win out the rest of the year,” Travis Konecny said. “We lost one game against an opponent that was above us, it’s frustrating. But it is what it is. You just regroup. There’s nothing else you can do.”
• Dan Vladar made 16 saves on 19 shots.
The Flyers spoiled a strong first period by surrendering two goals in the opening 2:28 minutes of the second period.
“Couple of mistakes and now you’re chasing the game,” Tocchet said. “But the first period was great, it should have been 3-0.”
It looked like the Flyers had a poorly-timed line change on Mathieu Olivier’s game-tying goal. Zach Werenski handed the Blue Jackets the 2-1 lead when he skated through the slot untouched for a wide-open look.
“You come out for the second, you’ve got to be ready to play the same way and the same style that was working for you in the first,” Travis Sanheim said. “We got away from that and the structure.”
Mason Marchment dealt the Flyers a blow 4:38 minutes into the third period as he cushioned Columbus’ advantage. At that point, the Flyers were in a real hole and the energy in the building was gone.
Blue Jackets netminder Jet Greaves stopped 24 of the Flyers’ 26 shots.
In the first period, he denied Owen Tippett on a breakaway and Noah Cates on a penalty shot to keep the game scoreless.
But Couturier later put the Flyers ahead 1-0. He did an excellent job to win a puck race and keep the Flyers in the offensive zone before being rewarded with the goal.
The Flyers, though, let the momentum go early in the middle stanza.
“I think we just didn’t execute the first five minutes of that second, it cost us the game,” Couturier said. “Other than that, I thought we played a good game, it was tight game out there. It was just a bad couple of minutes there to start the period and it cost us.”
• The Flyers have too often come up short in big games on home ice.
They gain some steam, but then they lose it.
This month, they’ve dropped four of five games (1-3-1) at Xfinity Mobile Arena and have scored just 1.80 goals per game.
“You’ve got to embrace it, get the crowd on your side,” Tocchet said. “Don’t be nervous. I think especially the first period, I thought they were cheering for us, we were getting pucks on net, we had breakaways. That’s the stuff I think you get fans excited about; you’ve just got to sustain it.”
The Flyers had a chance to gain ground in the standings because a lot of scores went their way on a busy Tuesday night around the league. They’re five points back of the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot and six back of third place in the division.
“We’re in a fun spot, we’re playing in high-pressured games,” Konecny said after morning skate. “We know that there’s a good chance that if we keep playing the way we do, we could actually get in. At this point, we know that the teams ahead of us have the pressure and we’re chasing them. Just keep applying it, keep putting it on them and just enjoy the games.”
• Couturier (upper body), Denver Barkey (upper body) and Luke Glendening (lower body) all returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with injuries.
Tyson Foerster, while wearing a non-contact jersey, participated in morning skate and had rehab work after it. The 24-year-old winger is recovering from surgery he had on his arm in December.
Tyson Foerster, wearing non-contact jersey, getting in rehab work after participating at morning skate.
Foerster is recovering from arm surgery, which has him out for the rest of the season. But it looks like he’s making good progress. pic.twitter.com/0mCLvBYm3q
The Detroit Red Wings are once again proving their impact on the NHL’s growing popularity, setting another major benchmark in television viewership. For the second time this season, Detroit has played a central role in delivering one of the league’s most-watched games.
Saturday night’s matchup between the Red Wings and the Boston Bruins drew an average of 1.3 million viewers and peaked at 1.5 million. That audience made it the third-most watched NHL game of the season, continuing a trend of strong national interest when Detroit is in the spotlight.
The Red Wings were already responsible for the previous season high earlier this month, when their game against the New Jersey Devils brought in 941,000 viewers. That broadcast stood as ESPN’s most-watched NHL game in five years, excluding Opening Night and outdoor showcase events.
ABC delivered the 3rd most-viewed #NHL game this season
In a statement, ESPN highlighted the league’s broader growth across its platforms. NHL on ABC viewership is up 51 per cent compared to last season, while NHL games across ESPN networks are averaging 800,000 viewers through 37 broadcasts, which is a 26 per cent increase year over year.
Detroit’s role in those gains is no surprise as they've been long considered one of hockey’s marquee franchises, the Red Wings continue to show that when the team is competitive, fans across the continent pay attention.
That momentum could carry into another major audience draw on Tuesday night, when the Red Wings face the Ottawa Senators in a game loaded with playoff implications. With postseason stakes rising, Detroit may once again find itself at the center of one of the NHL’s most-watched broadcasts as the race intensifies.
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 11: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates with the puck against Mason Lohrei #6 of the Boston Bruins during the first period at TD Garden on November 11, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
In normal times, this would be a nice early playoff preview, with the Bruins and Maple Leafs preparing to meet in the first round for the 1,399th consecutive year.
Instead, the Leafs are just about the only Atlantic Division team not in the playoff picture (along with Florida), while the Bruins are hoping to hang onto their spot.
If you said before the season that the Leafs and Panthers would miss the playoffs but the Sabres and Bruins would get in, you probably would’ve gotten some funny looks.
Anyways, that’s all a bit premature at this point. Tonight’s task is to secure two points against a Toronto team that is just about done with this season.
Evgeni Malkin is out for the game with an upper-body injury. He appeared to injure his hand while blocking a shot during Sunday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was flexing it after blocking the shot, but still finished the game.
Penguins PR announced the news shortly before Tuesday's morning skate.
Forward Evgeni Malkin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not play tonight versus Colorado. pic.twitter.com/qIW9Oa8pxw
Ville Koivunen will replace Malkin in the lineup after he was brought up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton prior to the morning skate. He's set to skate on the third line with Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau.
Malkin has been outstanding for the Penguins this season, compiling 15 goals and 52 points in 50 games. He's in the final year of his contract, but hopes to remain with the Penguins next season.
Puck drop for Tuesday's game between the Penguins and Avalanche is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh.
The Buffalo Sabres finished their four-game Western road swing on a losing note, but earning seven of a possible eight points. After a day off, the Sabres practiced for nearly an hour at KeyBank Center in preparation for the opener of their four-game homestand against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. The Bruins play Toronto in Boston on Tuesday and will be playing the second of back-to-back games against Buffalo.
Head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media after practice:
Where do things stand with injured forward Jordan Greenway?
This time of year, it's important to have depth and we've got depth up front, and we'll see how (Jordan) progresses through practice. Will get him some physicality. I thought watching him skate, (he) really well. What he tried seemed to put him in a place he may be a player again........he just (had) a different type of treatment,he spent time with a guy out of town that is pretty familiar with what he's dealing with.
People are comparing this club to the Sabres Eastern Conference finalists in 2006 and 2007, how does this club compare?
I think you look at the line depth we had back then, it's almost identical. You could score one through four, every line brought a certain type of element. I mean, you look at this road trip with what our lines have done in every game. You get (Benson) scoring now, Carrick is tossing goals in. So that is very similar to what we had going on back then, for sure.
A couple of home games ago, the crowd in the third period started chanting, “Oh Ah, Sabres on the Warpath.” What is it like to hear that again?
I think it's really special. You look at the Tampa game coming back in that game after being up, and then you look at the Anaheim game, and this just sort of 'never quit, give it everything you got' mentality, and we just have to continue that from game to game. But I think the energy in our building has really been great for our group. I mean, it's probably the first time they've experienced that type of energy here, and probably everything that's around town, the excitement that's going on, so, I think, embrace it, but know there's a lot of work to do.
Why has the goalie rotation between Alex Lyon and UPL worked?
It really comes down to both playing well. And we just feel that with the schedule, the way it is, as many games as there are, it is really hard with travel and back-to-back to play one goalie. I think you have to be a special goalie (to play) 65-70 games. With 60 games, that's hard.......we've been fortunate that, not only two, we've had three. I mean, (Colton Ellis) has stepped in and given us good hockey too. That's been a big plus.
We've reached a stage where the Ottawa Senators have played so well, their fans don't need to pay as much attention anymore to the out-of-town scoreboard.
It's never very cooperative anyway.
With just a dozen games left in the season, Tuesday night’s showdown in Motown (7 pm: TSN5, RDS2) is the only focus.
The Senators (83 pts) and Red Wings (84 pts) are both within striking distance of the New York Islanders (85 pts) for the second wild card spot in the East. The Sens have also sneakily closed to within three points of Boston (WC2) and Montreal (A3),
For those who do like to monitor the league's scoreboard, the Islanders host Chicago on Tuesday, Boston faces Toronto, Montreal entertains Carolina, and Columbus (M3, 85 pts) is at Philadelphia. All games are 7 pm.
As for Detroit and Ottawa, a victory would be huge, setting up all kinds of interesting possibilities. But as exciting as they are, the Senators have far more than their share of challenges leading into this one.
Blue Line Crisis
The Senators have a defence corps that has been completely gutted by injuries.
Already without Jake Sanderson, Nick Jensen, and Dennis Gilbert, the Senators took two more hits in Monday’s 2–1 loss to the New York Rangers. Thomas Chabot and Lassi Thomson both left that game and will not play in Detroit. Head coach Travis Green says both will be out for a while.
In Chabot's case, it looks like it'll be a long while.
The 29-year-old had been carrying a heavy workload in Sanderson’s absence, was seen postgame wearing a sling and a brace on his right wrist after taking a cross-check from J.T. Miller.
Chabot's absence strips Ottawa of its two most relied-upon defenceman in a game where they need all hands on deck.
Thomson’s situation is also unfortunate, but more from the individual standpoint. Playing his first NHL game in over two years, the 2019 first-round pick left with a lower-body injury. With unrestricted free agency looming this summer, it was a significant career opportunity to show off his wares that was cut way too short.
Baptism By Fire
With the next man up motto now pushed way beyond what's reasonable, the Senators will have to hope the kids are alright.
Carter Yakemchuk and Jorian Donovan are expected to make their NHL debuts on Tuesday night.
After the Sens brought up Gilbert and Thomson earlier this month, it became clear that the Sens' preference was to let Yakemchuk keep developing in the AHL and then re-evaluate things in the fall. The 2024 seventh-overall pick has been developing steadily, but as a matter of policy, the organization has been deliberate in not rushing him.
With Plan A out the window (along with plans B through D), the Sens now had zero choice but to bring him up.
Yakemchuk, the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, arrives in Detroit on a high note, having just been named AHL Player of the Week. He has 10 goals and 36 points in 50 games as a rookie. But now he’ll be thrown directly into one of the most intense, hostile environments of the NHL season.
On top of their battle for a playoff spot, the Senators and Red Wings don't much like each other.
As for Donovan, the Ottawa native has not played a hockey game since March 7 due to injury and will jump straight into NHL action after a lengthy layoff. Rust is a concern, but so, too, is his readiness level, not to mention the emotional weight of the moment.
Donovan will make his debut for his hometown team, with his father, former Senator Shean Donovan expected to be in attendance.
No Easy Matchups
If there were ever a night to hope for controlled, sheltered minutes, this would be it. But that won’t be an option for Travis Green.
Detroit will, obviously, have the last change, allowing them to dictate matchups. So with both Yakemchuk and Donovan making their debuts, the Senators will be forced to rely on them in meaningful situations. Todd McLellan will be hoping to take advantage of the two rookies every time he sees them come over the boards.
Green also has no choice but to get the kids in there, just to give others a rest. He'll lean hard again on his top four D again (such as they are), but after they played every other shift for most of the last two periods just 24 hours ago, he can't overdo it either.
Playoffs Come Early
Late March hockey always brings extra urgency, and for these two teams and their fan bases, the playoffs have already begun.
For Ottawa, a win tightens the race and further reinforces the stick-to-their-game plan belief they've had all season. They're on an outstanding run of 13-3-2 that dates back to Jan. 25, which is the fourth-best record in the league during that time frame. Also in that window, the Senators have averaged 3.72 goals per game (5th in NHL), and allowed a league-best 2.22 goals and 21.2 shots per game.
Despite that, since we now see the end of the NHL racetrack off in the distance, there are two big questions. Have they left this playoff charge too late with not enough room for error? And will they be knocked off stride but this insane run of injuries on D?
As Green has preached all season, you can't worry about that stuff. They just need to stay focused on the process and the things they can control.
The Senators will have to find a way to deliver in their most important game of their season so far, and do so while everything is apparently stacked against them.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.
Back on Dec. 30, an Islanders' 3-2 shootout win in which Schaefer recorded an assist, Bedard was out with an injury.
"It's insane," Bedard said of what Schaefer has accomplished so far in his first NHL season. "I think he's leading defensemen in goals, which is incredible. I think, especially for him -- last year, he played 17 [OHL] games -- he comes in and just lights the league on fire. It's fun to watch."
Is Bedard looking forward to going up against Schaefer for the first time?
"I'm excited to see him out there today," Bedard said. "I don't know how excited I am to be chasing him around. He can fly. But no...whenever you play a great player -- it's the NHL, you're playing a great player every night -- but for the first time to against something like that [it's fun]. As a competitor -- I'm sure he'd say the same -- it's always fun when you get to compete against some of the best in the league. And so I'm excited to go against him, and then all their other guys."
It was clear the effect that Bedard had at 18, breaking into the NHL. Like Bedard, it's clear Schaefer understands his impact.
"He's an ambassador for the game. I think you see how he approaches things, and he just knows the impact he has on people," Bedard said. "So that's cool. And it's really, really fun to watch what he does. And, for just someone to step in like that and do what he's doing, it's incredible.
"You're in a spot, and obviously, he's living out the dream that we're all lucky enough to get to do. And he's embraced it well. He just understands the impact he has on kids and hockey in general. I mean, he's one of the faces of our game now. It just looks like he's having fun with it and enjoying every day. So that's all you can really hope for."
Bedard, a forward, recorded 22 goals and 39 assists for 61 points in 68 games.
Schaefer, a defenseman, has recorded 22 goals with 29 assists for 51 points in 71 games.
Here's what Blackhawks Jeff Blashill had to say about Schaefer:
"[His season] has been unbelievable," Blashill told reporters. "Just watching him play, he's been an outstanding player for this team. It's one thing to be a really good player as a young player. But it's another thing to be a really good player and help your team be in the playoff battle, which he's done. They got other good players for sure, but he's been a significant factor. I forsee him continuing to be...this doesn't look like a flash in the pan. He looks like an everyday NHL player with a really high ceiling."
The New York Rangers have recalled Adam Sýkora from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
Sýkora was selected by the Rangers in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and he’s spent the past three seasons playing in the AHL.
The 21-year-old forward has recorded 12 goals, 17 assists, and 29 points in 62 games with the Wolf Pack this season.
To this point, Sýkora is still waiting to make his NHL debut.
“I know I’m a different player from those the New York Rangers have drafted,” Sýkora said in September. “So, that’s kind of my path — forecheck, backcheck, all the skating, hard work, that’s kind of my job that gets me here. And I want to put it all together to get to the next level. Defensive things, penalty kill, blocking shots and a team player, helping and supporting each other. Be alive on the bench and support the other guys here.”
It’s unclear if he will slot into the Rangers’ lineup on Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In a corresponding move, the Rangers sent Connor Mackey back down to the AHL, opening the door for Drew Fortescue to make his NHL debut in Toronto.
