Casey Cizikas could sense it. The fourth line was close to breaking through. When the Islanders center spoke with head coach Patrick Roy before the game, he said, “It’s coming. We feel it.”
And in their 5-2 victory over the Panthers on Saturday, when the Islanders erupted for five goals in the second period to mark their best offensive frame of the season, Cizikas’ prediction came to fruition.
Marc Gatcomb started the scoring barrage with his second goal of the season. And to cap everything, Cizikas collected his ninth goal.
“It’s contagious,” Bo Horvat said of the fourth line. “I mean, you see how hard they work and the stuff they create just by hard work, and it doesn’t take talent to work hard — and they show that every single night that their work ethic and compete, it drives our group. It really does. It’s been fun to watch them.”
New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) attempts a shot past Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) and center Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the first period of a game at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
In his pregame news conference, Roy said that the fourth line deserved some goals. They deserved to get rewarded for how they’d been playing. Maybe they were just tense. Maybe they needed to loosen up around the net. But in a year defined by plenty of line shuffling, he expressed optimism in his current iteration of that group — with Cizikas centering Gatcomb and Kyle MacLean.
Gatcomb delivered his goal 5:28 into the second period, when he sped through center ice, veered down the right side and flipped a shot toward the net that snuck past Daniil Tarasov. It’s one that the Panthers backup goaltender likely wants back, Gatcomb said, but “that’s a huge momentum shifter.” And after three goals followed, Cizikas capped the frame with a goal after his second swing at a rebound turned into a goal.
That group has tried to do everything they can to contribute, Gatcomb said. Sometimes, and especially recently, it might not end up on the scoresheet. Cizikas had scored just once this month. MacLean hadn’t scored since Jan. 13. For Gatcomb, the goal drought started Dec. 9.
But Saturday, they collected five of the Islanders’ 18 high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick, capturing just how important depth production can be during the push for a postseason spot.
“You’re happy for them, because they play so well and they play so hard,” Roy said. “The intensity from the start of their shift to the end of their shift is the same. … I mean, it’s a tough line to play against.”
New York Islanders center Kyle MacLean (32) takes a shot during the third period of a game against the Florida Panthers at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
Brayden Schenn’s three-point afternoon marked his first multipoint game since joining the Islanders ahead of the trade deadline. He scored during the second period and assisted on the goals from Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman. Schenn also blocked three shots, the second most on the Islanders behind just Ryan Pulock.
“That’s what he’s been doing since he’s been here,” Roy said. “This afternoon, I mean, he had the points, but I mean, I feel like he’s been playing like this since he’s been here.”
Matthew Schaefer, who moved into a tie with Stefan Persson (1977-78) for most points by an Islanders defenseman during his rookie season (56), was on the ice for four of their five goals during the scoring burst.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to regain the NHL scoring lead as the Edmonton Oilers made a move up the Pacific Division standings, holding on to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Saturday.
Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist and Jack Roslovic and Matt Savoie also scored for the Oilers, who won their third game in a row and moved three points back of the division-leading Ducks.
The Oilers went 1-9-2 in their previous 12 attempts to win more than two straight.
Edmonton is now 27-5-5 when scoring first this season.
The Oilers remained without star forward Leon Draisaitl, out for the rest of the regular season with a lower body injury.
Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier scored for the Ducks, who had a four-game winning streak halted.
Connor Ingram recorded 29 saves to earn the win in the Edmonton net, while Lukas Dostal made 30 stops for Anaheim.
Evan Bouchard picked up a pair of assists for the Oilers to extend his points streak against the Ducks to 11 games. The 26-year-old leads all NHL defensemen with 86 points and looks poised to become the 13th blueliner in league history to hit the 90-point plateau.
Up next
Ducks: Return home to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
DENVER — The Winnipeg Jets rolled into Ball Arena looking to respond after a narrow 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Canada Life Centre just two nights prior—and they did exactly that, knocking off the NHL’s top team with a 4-2 win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Cole Perfetti delivered the decisive moment late in the third period, but the goal itself quickly became part of the NHL’s ongoing—and increasingly frustrating—goaltender interference debate.
With 5:11 remaining, Perfetti redirected a point shot from Josh Morrissey past Mackenzie Blackwood to give Winnipeg a 3-2 edge. It marked the Jets’ second deflection goal of the night, but all eyes immediately turned to Jonathan Toews, who never touched the puck but played a pivotal role in the sequence.
The Hockey News speaking on MacKinnon''s five-minute major from earlier in the season.
Toews was positioned inside the crease and appeared to make contact with Blackwood’s skate just before the puck crossed the line, though it likely had little to no impact on the play. Colorado challenged for goaltender interference, and given how similar plays have been ruled throughout the season, there was a strong expectation the goal might be overturned.
To the chagrin of the home fans, the officials upheld the call on the ice.
Brock Nelson scored his 33rd goal of the season on the power play, while Parker Kelly also found the back of the net. Gabe Vilardi and Cole Koepke added goals for Winnipeg. Blackwood made 19 saves, and Connor Hellebuyck was sharp as usual, stopping 21 shots in the win. Cale Makar recorded an assist in the contest as Colorado pushed but ultimately came up short.
A Loss in The Rematch
The Hockey News asked head Coach Jared Bednar whether it was difficult to prepare for a quick turnaround against a really good team they had just faced.
"It's actually easier," he stated. "Because normally what you do is finish the game, you break down the whole Winnipeg game, take what you liked out of it, take what you didn't like out of it, try to mix that in with your pre-scout playing the next opponent that you're already working on.
"You don't have to do that again when you're playing the same team twice. So, it's an easier job for the coaches as you go through it...it's mixed into the game review and then you're playing them again."
First Period
Both teams came out firing from the opening faceoff. Makar set up Gabe Landeskog for a one-timer from behind the net, and Landeskog ripped it from the left circle, but Connor Hellebuyck was there to make the stop. On the ensuing rush, Mark Scheifele charged in alone on Blackwood, who answered with a sharp glove save of his own.
At the 3:51 mark, Vilardi redirected a Josh Morrissey point shot past Blackwood for his 28th goal of the season, giving Winnipeg a 1-0 lead.
Just 3:27 later, the Avalanche earned their first power play when Dylan Samberg was called for hooking Logan O’Connor. Only 33 seconds into the man advantage, Nelson buried his 33rd of the season, tipping home a feed from Nazem Kadri to even the score at one. Makar picked up the secondary assist.
The first period ended tied 1-1, with Winnipeg holding a slight 10-9 edge in shots.
Second Period
Winnipeg regained the lead just 2:13 into the middle frame. Koepke corralled a loose puck, split Brent Burns and Ross Colton, and beat Blackwood five-hole to make it 2-1.
The Jets nearly added to their lead midway through the period when Sam Malinski lost his footing while handling a pass, creating a turnover that sent Winnipeg the other way. Blackwood came up with a key save to keep it a one-goal game.
Turnovers and odd-man rushes continued to trouble Colorado as the period wore on, forcing them to spend extended time defending. Devon Toews helped stabilize things late, getting a stick on a dangerous puck to send it out of play and earn a whistle.
With 1:55 remaining in the period, the Avalanche broke through. Josh Manson fired a shot from the point, and Parker Kelly got just enough of it in front to redirect it past Hellebuyck for his 17th goal of the season, tying the game at 2-2.
After two periods, the teams were deadlocked, with Colorado leading in shots 19-16.
Third Period
Artturi Lehkonen was penalized for tripping Scheifele early in the third period. However, Scheifele was also assessed a penalty for embellishment on the play.
Midway through the period, Perfetti and Kelly got tangled up after the whistle, leading to a scrum along the boards. Kelly appeared to get the upper hand physically before officials stepped in, and both players were handed roughing minors.
After those penalties expired, Colorado went back on the penalty kill when Josh Manson was called for high-sticking Toews.
Once the penalty expired, Winnipeg capitalized. Perfetti redirected a shot from the slot to give the Jets a 3-2 lead. Toews was deep in the crease and appeared to make contact with Blackwood, prompting Colorado to challenge for goaltender interference. The officials, however, ruled the goal valid and assessed Colorado a delay of game penalty for the unsuccessful challenge.
Connor sealed the win with an empty-net goal as Winnipeg closed out a 4-2 victory over the Avalanche, avenging their earlier loss just two nights prior.
Next Game
The Avalanche (48-14-10) take on the Calgary Flames (30-34-8) in the first of three meetings this season in their next game. That contest takes place Monday at Ball Arena. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. local time.
Central Division Race
The Dallas Stars defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the evening at PPG Paints Arena. The win moved Dallas to 99 points. The Avalanche remain ahead with 106 points with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
The Colorado Avalanche return home to Ball Arena to open a three-game homestand with a rematch against the Winnipeg Jets, aiming to tighten their grip on the top seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Colorado Avalanche (48-13-10)
Colorado enters tonight’s contest following a 3–2 victory over Winnipeg on Thursday at Canada Life Centre. It was the first time the Avalanche had scored a win against the Jets on the road in a regular season game in 330 days. After falling behind early on a goal from Mark Scheifele, the Avalanche responded with three unanswered goals—two from Nathan MacKinnon—to secure their first regular-season win in Manitoba since February 24, 2023.
The Hockey News talks about the Colorado Avalanche and Nazem Kadri at the trade deadline.
The game also marked the return of Artturi Lehkonen, who had missed 11 games due to injury. He played a key role in the game-winning goal, delivering a precise pass that MacKinnon redirected past Connor Hellebuyck early in the third period. Winnipeg challenged the play for goaltender interference, but the ruling on the ice stood. A late goal from Scheifele narrowed the margin, but Colorado held firm to complete a perfect road trip.
The win extended Colorado’s lead over the Dallas Stars to nine points in the Central Division, with a game in hand. With Dallas in action against Pittsburgh and the Minnesota Wild closing the gap, the pressure remains high as the regular season winds down.
Head coach Jared Bednar emphasized both the positives and areas for improvement following Thursday’s win:
“It was a good effort from our guys. We gave up a couple of goals on turnovers on the D-zone walls, so there’s a couple of things we want to improve on, but for the most part, I think, [at the] end of the road trip, we played hard; we were competitive. Special teams did a really nice job tonight, and from the goaltender out, I think we had everybody involved and were able to carve out a win against a really good team, a desperate hockey team.”
Despite their strong position, Bednar made it clear the team remains focused.
“We’re still fighting for first place,” he said, “so every win’s important until they put the mark beside our [name in the] standings, so we’ve had something to play for down the stretch run here. I think we’ve had a good year, but we’re not comfortable. We’re still just kind of fine-tuning our game before going into the playoffs […] but you’re playing hungry teams every night that are jockeying for position, trying to fight [their way] into the playoffs, trying to move up the standings, so there’s still lots to play for in the season, and lots of hockey, and we certainly don’t want [our] game deteriorating over the last month of the season before we get into the playoffs, so that’s our main focus.”
Mackenzie Blackwood made 22 saves in Thursday’s win, earning his third straight victory. If he starts again, he could tie his career high with 22 wins in a season. However, Bednar may opt to continue rotating with Scott Wedgewood, who has also found success against Winnipeg this year.
Bednar spoke highly of his goaltending tandem:
“[Blackwood] came out of the [Olympic] break playing really good, then he had a dip in a handful of his starts, and he’s gone to work, and I feel like his last handful of games here, he’s given us a great chance to win. He’s coming up with big saves when we need him, he’s been exceptional on the penalty kill, which always helps, so [I’m] pretty happy with the way both of those guys are playing in net right now.”
MacKinnon continues to lead the NHL in goals with 48, while sitting just four points behind Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov for the league scoring lead. Martin Nečas (34 goals) and Brock Nelson (32) provide strong secondary scoring, while Cale Makar sits one point shy of 500 career points. Nicolas Roy’s status remains uncertain after missing time since March 22.
Tonight marks the beginning of Colorado’s final extended homestand of the regular season.
Projected Lineup
Forwards
Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas
Ross Colton – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Artturi Lehkonen – Nazem Kadri – Logan O’Connor
Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Joel Kiviranta
Defense
Brett Kulak – Cale Makar
Devon Toews – Sam Malinski
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Goaltenders
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood
Winnipeg Jets (30-30-12)
Winnipeg’s playoff hopes remain uncertain as they sit five points outside the final Western Conference wild card position with ten games remaining. Despite earlier wins over Colorado and St. Louis, the Jets have dropped four of their last six, including Thursday’s loss to the Avalanche.
Their remaining schedule includes critical matchups against fellow wild card contenders such as Seattle, San Jose, St. Louis, and Utah—games that will likely determine their postseason fate. While a win against Colorado would be valuable, consistency against direct competitors will be essential.
Scheifele continues to lead the Jets in all major offensive categories (34 goals, 54 assists, 88 points), followed closely by Kyle Connor (32 goals, 82 points). Josh Morrissey remains the top-producing defenseman with 49 points. Neal Pionk has returned from injury, while Vladislav Namestnikov remains out.
With the stakes high, Connor Hellebuyck is expected to make his third consecutive start—his 50th of the season—as Winnipeg begins its final extended road trip. By its conclusion, the Jets’ playoff outlook may be firmly decided.
WINNIPEG, CANADA - MARCH 26: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates after scoring a third period goal against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre on March 26, 2026 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Wins in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and Winnipeg have made flying the friendly skies a first class experience for the first place Colorado Avalanche after completing this most recent road trip.
Tonight, the NHL’s best team books a return fair against the recently-vanquished Winnipeg Jets as the Avs begin a three game home stand in pursuit of the top seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
Colorado Avalanche (48-13-10)
The Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (30-30-12)
Time: 5:00 P.M. MDT/7:00 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Local Broadcast Area), ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – US), SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Canadian Broadcast Areas)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
As mentioned previously, the Avalanche come into today’s game fresh off a 3-2 victory over these same Winnipeg Jets on Thursday evening at Canada Life Center. Despite trailing early after a goal by Jets franchise center Mark Scheifele, the Avs would turn the tables with three unanswered goals—two courtesy of Nathan MacKinnon—en route to their first regular season victory in Manitoba since February 24, 2023. This game saw the return of Artturi Lehkonen, who had missed the previous eleven games due to injury. He factored in on the eventual game-winning goal with a great seeing-eye pass that MacKinnon deflected past Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck early in the third period. Winnipeg would unsuccessfully challenge the goal for goaltender interference, but the call on the ice withstood the challenge. A late goal by Scheifele made things interesting, but the Avalanche were able to stave off a Winnipeg push to complete the road trip sweep.
With this latest victory, the Avalanche increased their point lead over the Dallas Stars—who suffered a 2-1 regulation loss to the New York Islanders earlier Thursday evening—to nine points in the Central Division, and still hold a game in hand in their possession. They remain the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and League standings. Dallas will be in action against Pittsburgh today, and the Minnesota Wild, who have pulled within three points of Dallas, will face Boston. Dallas has a game in hand over Minnesota, but another regulation loss—a possible fourth loss in a row for Dallas—would open the door for Minnesota to pull within a single point of second place in the Central should they defeat the Bruins today.
The stakes in the standings are getting higher and higher, and the margin for error is growing thinner and thinner. The Avs control their own destiny, and completing the home and home series with Winnipeg with another victory will only tighten their grip on what’s been a near wire-to-wire run at the top of the standings.
Coach Jared Bednar said after Thursday’s game, “It was a good effort from our guys. We gave up a couple of goals on turnovers on the D-zone walls, so there’s a couple of things we want to improve on, but for the most part, I think, [at the] end of the road trip, we played hard; we were competitive. Special teams did a really nice job tonight, and from the goaltender out, I think we had everybody involved and were able to carve out a win against a really good team, a desperate hockey team.”
Bednar made it clear to say that, even with the Avs in control of their destiny as the regular season winds down, the remaining games still mean something. “We’re still fighting for first place,” he said, “so every win’s important until they put the mark beside our [name in the] standings, so we’ve had something to play for down the stretch run here. I think we’ve had a good year, but we’re not comfortable. We’re still just kind of fine-tuning our game before going into the playoffs […] but you’re playing hungry teams every night that are jockeying for position, trying to fight [their way] into the playoffs, trying to move up the standings, so there’s still lots to play for in the season, and lots of hockey, and we certainly don’t want [our] game deteriorating over the last month of the season before we get into the playoffs, so that’s our main focus.”
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 22 of 24 shots for the victory in Winnipeg for his third straight win. Should Bednar turn to him again today, Blackwood could tie his single season career high in wins (22) with another stellar performance. However, if Bednar continues to alternate between starting him and Scott Wedgewood, then look for Wedgewood to return to the crease. Both goalies have victories over Winnipeg this season, so Bednar won’t be lacking in confidence in either option as the four game series comes to an end today.
Bednar said this of Blackwood’s recent play and his goaltending tandem as a whole: “[Blackwood] came out of the [Olympic] break playing really good, then he had a dip in a handful of his starts, and he’s gone to work, and I feel like his last handful of games here, he’s given us a great chance to win. He’s coming up with big saves when we need him, he’s been exceptional on the penalty kill, which always helps, so [I’m] pretty happy with the way both of those guys are playing in net right now.”
MacKinnon remains the NHL’s goal scoring leader (48), but remains four points behind both Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov (both forwards have 114 points apiece at the time of this writing). Nečas now ranks second in team goal scoring (34), while Brock Nelson remains a close third (32). Cale Makar, who scored his 20th goal of the season against Dallas on March 18, needs only one point to reach 500 career points. It is currently unknown whether Nicolas Roy, who has not played since March 22 at Washington, will return to the lineup for today’s game.
Today’s game marks the first of a three game home stand at Ball Arena, the last extended stretch on home ice for the Avs this regular season.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Ross Colton – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Artturi Lehkonen – Nazem Kadri – Logan O’Connor Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Joel Kiviranta
Defense: Brett Kulak – Cale Makar Devon Toews – Sam Malinski Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Between the Pipes: Scott Wedgewood Mackenzie Blackwood
Winnipeg Jets
When Winnipeg hosted Colorado at Canada Life Center two weeks ago, their playoff hopes were hanging in the balance. As mentioned in this space back then, a successful back to back weekend could prove to be the turning point in their bid to secure a postseason berth on the heels of last season’s historic run that saw them secure the top seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Presidents Trophy as the best team in the NHL. Although Winnipeg did defeat both Colorado and St. Louis in those back to back games, Winnipeg then proceeded to lose four of its next six games—including their most recent loss to Colorado on Thursday evening—and now remain five points outside the last wild card spot in the Western Conference, currently occupied (somehow) by the Nashville Predators.
With ten games remaining on their regular season schedule, Winnipeg has a lot of work ahead of them. Four of those games are against teams also chasing a wild card berth: Seattle (one point ahead of Winnipeg), San Jose and St. Louis (both one point behind Winnipeg), and Utah (currently eight points ahead of Winnipeg and holding the first wild card position in the Western Conference). While the term, “must-win” is thrown around a lot in sports, these four games are games that Winnipeg absolutely cannot afford to lose. A win today against Colorado would certainly help their cause, but games against Dallas, Vegas, and the surging Columbus Blue Jackets are also monumental hurdles for Winnipeg to clear in their desperate push to sneak into the postseason. It’s not an impossible task, but the odds are growing longer and longer, and as much as Winnipeg must focus on their own performance, they’ll also need to get some help to keep the teams they’re chasing close enough to pass.
With his pair of goals against Colorado on Thursday, Scheifele continues leading all Winnipeg skaters in goals (34), assists (54), and points (88). Kyle Connor is second in all three categories (32G/50A/82PTS). Defenseman Josh Morrissey still leads all Winnipeg defensemen in all three categories (12G/37A/49PTS). After missing the previous game against Colorado two weeks ago, defenseman Neal Pionk played in his fourth game on Thursday night since his return from injury on March 21. Former Avalanche forward Vladislav Namestnikov will remain out of the lineup due to injury. With so much riding on the line for Winnipeg, it’s almost a given that Hellebuyck will make his third consecutive start—his 50th of the season—today.
Today marks the first of a four game road trip for Winnipeg, its final extended road trip of the season. By the time this road trip is over, they may know if they’re cleared for a postseason takeoff, or if they’ve been grounded on the runway.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Alex Iafallo Cole Perfetti – Adam Lowry – Gabe Vilardi Isak Rosén – Morgan Barron – Brad Lambert Cole Koepke – Jonathan Toews – Gustav Nyquist
The Chicago Blackhawks will be an interesting team to watch during the offseason. They are in a position to upgrade their roster if they wish to, and one specific area that they could look to improve is their top six.
Now, they are being viewed as a potential match for the NHL's top pending unrestricted free agent (UFA).
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Adam Gretz mentioned the Blackhawks as a potential fit for Buffalo Sabres star forward Alex Tuch if he ends up hitting the market this offseason.
"Chicago comes to mind, assuming he would want to join a team that is not quite a lock to contend right away," Gretz wrote about Tuch.
The idea of the Blackhawks signing Tuch is certainly interesting. He would give them a proven top-six winger and a star to play with center Connor Bedard. Furthermore, due to his strong two-way play, he would fit on the Blackhawks' power play and penalty kill if signed.
However, as good of a player as Tuch is, the Blackhawks also have several promising youngsters in their system who have good upside. Because of this, a long-term deal for Tuch could come with some risk for Chicago, even if he would be a strong fit on their roster in the short term.
In 70 games this season for the Sabres, Tuch has recorded 29 goals, 39 assists, 59 points, 75 hits, 78 blocks, and a plus-20 rating. This is after he had 36 goals and 67 points in 82 games with the Sabres in 2024-25.
In 2024, when the Senators acquired and then signed goaltender Linus Ullmark to a four-year contract worth $8.25 million, they believed they had fully solved their goaltending riddle. Almost two full seasons later, the position remains one of uncertainty.
Ullmark had a fantastic game against Pittsburgh on Thursday night in a 4–3 shootout loss to the Penguins. With another huge game lined up Saturday afternoon, it was assumed he would draw the start on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
However, as the Senators took the ice for warmup in Tampa, they were led by backup goalie James Reimer.
The Senators stormed out to an early 2–0 lead, but Tampa came back with four unanswered goals for a 4–2 victory. Make no mistake, the Senators were outplayed overall by the Lightning, even in the absence of Nikita Kucherov (illness) and Victor Hedman (personal leave). Goaltending was not the reason for the loss.
But if they had received the kind of goaltending performance they got on Thursday night, the kind that can steal games, who knows how the afternoon might have played out?
There was no pregame media availability, due to the early start, so fans on social media wondered throughout the game why Ullmark did not start. Senators head coach Travis Green was asked about it postgame and made it clear the decision wasn’t his.
“I want to play Linus every night," Green told Sens host Jackson Starr. "But he needed a rest and he wasn’t available to start tonight.”
Ullmark missed about a month of action earlier this season while dealing with mental health struggles, stepping away from the team on a personal leave of absence. He admitted to anxiety struggles during a game in Toronto on Dec. 27 and sought help the following day.
Ullmark said one of his biggest supports during that time was Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman. Hedman is now on a personal leave of absence himself and did not play in Saturday’s game either.
After letting 3 of 4 possible points slip away in the past two games, the Senators' playoff chances absorbed another body blow, but with nine games left, they still remain very much alive.
They'll be in Florida against the Panthers on Tuesday night.
With injuries continuing to pile up for the Pittsburgh Penguins - as has been the case all season long - the team keeps requiring the aid of players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), their AHL affiliate.
And it appears one forward prospect is about to get another chance to prove himself at the NHL level.
Ahead of their Saturday matchup against the Dallas Stars, the Penguins recalled forward Rutger McGroarty from WBS to help address their need up front, and they re-assigned forwards Avery Hayes and Joona Koppanen to the AHL. The recall coincides with the news that centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are both day-to-day and will not play Saturday.
Forwards Sidney Crosby (lower-body) and Evgeni Malkin (upper-body) will not play today versus Dallas and both remain day-to-day. pic.twitter.com/n3qZ9Lygfk
McGroarty - who turns 22 in two days - has seen a couple of stints at the NHL level after missing both training camp and the first month and a half of the season with an upper-body injury. In 20 NHL games this season, he has two goals and five points, and he has been used in various positions throughout the lineup.
Penguins' head coach Dan Muse confirmed ahead of Saturday's game that McGroarty will be in the lineup, and he will play on the third line - a "kid line" - with fellow rookies Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen.
In 26 AHL games this season, McGroarty has seven goals and 27 points. He has just a goal and two points in his last six games.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 11: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck against Esa Lindell #23 of the Dallas Stars in the first period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 11, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After picking up a massive 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday evening, the Detroit Red Wings have returned home to face the Philadelphia Flyers at Little Caesars Arena.
However, before the game, they announced a roster move.
Forward Carter Mazur has been called up from the Grand Rapids Griffins:
Mazur, whom the Red Wings selected in the third round (70th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, missed 48 games this season because of a lower-body injury, finally returning earlier this month.
He's appeared in 14 games so far this season in Grand Rapids, and has tallied 11 goals with four assists.
He made his NHL debut with the Red Wings last season, but lasted exactly two shifts before suffering a dislocated left elbow, sidelining him for the next several months.
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ELMONT, NEW YORK - MARCH 28: The New York Islanders celebrate after a second period goal against the Florida Panthers at UBS Arena on March 28, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
A sluggish first period where the Islanders gave up two goals in an afternoon game? I wouldn’t blame you if you turned your TV off after Matthew Tkachuk put the puck in the toy department with a between-the-legs shot.
But… you would have missed a five-goal comeback win, led by Brayden Schenn’s three points and Matthew Schaefer’s record-tying two assists. Schaefer now has 19 points in his last 18 games, and has a few more games to claim the Islanders record for himself and chase the NHL rookie defenseman goal record, too.
The Islanders put up 40 shots on Daniil Tarasov, and Ilya Sorokin turned away 19 of 21 shots in another solid win for him as he made some big saves to help the Islanders keep their second period momentum, especially.
The fourth line was super involved as well, with Marc Gatcomb’s and Casey Cizikas’ goals bookending the second period comeback. It was nice to see a big statement win as the playoff race continues be volatile; the Islanders are now (temporarily, at least) in second place in the Metro Division. The other afternoon game with Eastern Conference playoff implications went the Islanders’ way as well, with Tampa beating Ottawa in regulation.
Kyle MacLean had a great chance in front after a loose puck came to him right in front of the net, but Mike Benning blocked the shot.
Ilya Sorokin made a big save on Carter Verhaege, and Emil Heineman rang the bar on a shot from the crease.
Matthew Tkachuk left the zone early and got behind the defense, taking advantage of an Adam Boqvist turnover to make it 1-0 Panthers.
Then, Matthew Schaefer stopped him from getting a second after he beat Sorokin, but Ondrej Palat pushed it right into Tkachuk’s path, and he went between his legs to make it 2-0.
Casey Cizikas appeared to get one back for the Islanders, but the whistle blew before he could push the loose puck into the net.
With a few minutes left in the period, the Islanders then headed to the power play after MacLean was high sticked by Nolan Foote, but the Panthers had the best look, with Sorokin needing to stop Eetu Luostarinen’s shorthanded chance.
Second Period
Daniil Tarasov stopped a Brayden Schenn chance in front, and Ondrej Palat drew a penalty, though nothing good from the Islanders came out of it.
Shortly after the PP expired, Sorokin had to make a big stop on Noah Gregor right in front.
But then, Marc Gatcomb took a seemingly harmless shot that trickled past Tarasov to cut the Panthers’ lead in half.
Gustav Forsling went to the box for tripping Barzal, and Schaefer set up Simon Holmström to make it 3-2 on the power play. That was Schaefer’s second assist of the game, which gave him 56 points on the season, tying him with Stefan Persson for franchise rookie scoring lead for a defenseman.
Sorokin stopped a Mackie Samoskevich breakaway with some help from Adam Pelech, and then the Islanders had some dangerous chances, before Anders Lee set up Emil Heineman, who ripped it past Tarasov to make it 4-2. Schenn had the secondary assist on that goal, picking up his first 3-point game as an Islander.
Pelech was still in the room to start the third, apparently due to a skate issue that needed to be fixed, but he came back about midway through the third.
Foote hit the post after beating Sorokin early in the third, and Sorokin made another save on Forsling, but the Islanders were largely in control for the third.
Tarasov was pulled with a little over 5 minutes left, and Carson Soucy knocked Luostarinen down, giving the Panthers a power play. Samoskevich put it off the crossbar, and Ekblad’s shot was saved by Sorokin. Ekblad also hit the crossbar again as the power play expired.
The Isles were under some pressure with the Panthers net empty, but held on to the 5-2 lead, claiming a big two points in the playoff race.
Up Next
Next, the Islanders will host the Pittsburgh Penguins at UBS Arena. Games against the Penguins always have intensity, but given the playoff race stakes, this one could be one of the biggest games of the season as a potential first-round matchup preview.
With the stakes rising each day as the regular season barrels toward its end, this game qualified as one the Islanders needed.
The Panthers were just one of two opponents remaining that are truly out of the postseason race. Everyone else still had something to play for.
For 20 minutes, the Islanders failed to match the occasion. They trailed against a backup goaltender. And then their best offensive period of the season saved them.
The Islanders erupted for five goals during the second — with contributions from just about everyone — and cruised to a 5-2 win to climb into second place in the Metropolitan Division.
Matthew Schaefer handles the puck during the first period of the Islanders’ 5-2 win over the Panthers at UBS Arena on March 28, 2026. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
It marked their most goals in a period this season, fueled by their most shots on goal (24) in a period this season. Brayden Schenn (one goal, two assists) had his most productive game since joining the Islanders. Matthew Schaefer tied Stefan Persson (1977-78) for most points by a rookie defenseman in a season with two assists, giving him 56. The fourth line continued its strong play with Marc Gatcomb and Casey Cizikas both scoring.
Brayden Schenn (one goal, two assists) had his most productive game since joining the Islanders. Matthew Schaefer tied Stefan Persson (1977-78) for most points by a rookie defenseman in a season with two assists, giving him 56. The fourth line continued its strong play with Marc Gatcomb and Casey Cizikas both scoring.
“What I love about that period is when we made it a 3-2 game, we kept going at them,” head coach Patrick Roy said. “We didn’t lay off. We kept going and we score that fourth one and that fifth one. That’s the killer instinct that sometimes you like to have on your team.”
It was the type of win that flashes depth, the type of top-to-bottom contributions teams vying to do damage in the postseason need. Ten different Islanders skaters finished with a point.
Amid a rocky stretch, the Islanders will now enter a critical showdown with the Penguins on Monday with some momentum.
That wasn’t always a guarantee, though. By the time the horn sounded at the end of the opening period, they trailed by two goals, with Matthew Tkachuk accounting for both. On the first, the Panthers star sneaked behind Adam Boqvist. This was something Roy said the Islanders knew could happen going into the match. The Islanders defenseman made a pass to keep the puck in the offensive zone, and Tkachuk ended up with a breakaway, flipping the puck past Ilya Sorokin just over eight minutes into the game.
Brayden Schenn (10) celebrates his goal with teammates Matthew Schaefer (48) and Calum Ritchie (64) during the Islanders’ win over the Panthers. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
Then, around six minutes later, Ondrej Palat and Scott Mayfield collided in the defensive zone, and Tkachuk gained possession with a clear lane to Sorokin. He dragged the puck between his legs and sent a nifty shot into the net.
But everything shifted in the second. The Islanders dominated with 24 shots.
The Panthers only managed five — and never maintained consistent possession. At the 5:28 mark, Gatcomb cut through center ice and veered down the right side for a shot that managed to dribble past Daniil Tarasov.
Just under seven minutes later, Calum Ritchie hit Schenn driving to the net, and their trade-deadline acquisition flipped a puck in for his third goal since joining the Islanders. Simon Holmstrom followed on the power play, with Schaefer picking up his record-tying assist. Emil Heineman and Cizikas capped the scoring.
The Islanders’ message between periods? Don’t wait for the third period like they did in Tuesday’s loss to the Blackhawks, Schenn said, when their comeback attempt was too late to matter.
“You have to turn it on right now,” Schenn said of the message. “Come in and put pucks on net and get bodies there. [The Panthers are] obviously missing bodies, but they’re still gonna play the right way over there, and you have to play them hard and play the right way. And we did that, we got rewarded.”
The Islanders rolled in the second period in their win over the Panthers. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
There will certainly be tougher tests awaiting the Islanders as they try to sneak into the playoff field. A pair of upcoming back-to-backs — against the Penguins and Sabres, against the Flyers and Hurricanes — will challenge everything from goaltending plans to whether this burst of offense is sustainable.
But the reality facing the Islanders after the opening frame Saturday was dire. And they made sure it didn’t devolve into a loss that could haunt them three weeks from now.
“Gats threw it on net there, got a bounce,” Schenn said, “and then I think we obviously took the game over from there.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Brayden Schenn had a goal and two assists, Matthew Schaefer tied the rookie defenseman franchise scoring record and the New York Islanders rallied to beat the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers 5-2 on Saturday and keep pace in a competitive Eastern Conference playoff race.
Schenn, acquired at the trade deadline, scored the tying goal in the second period after U.S. Olympic gold medal-winner Matthew Tkachuk put Florida up 2-0 through 14 minutes. Fourth-liner Marc Gatcomb started the comeback and later assisted on Casey Cizikas’ goal that made it 5-2.
Schaefer with a pair of assists matched Stefan Persson from 1977-78 at 56 points. His next goal will tie Schaefer with Brian Leetch for the most by a rookie defenseman in NHL history.
Ilya Sorokin allowed only the two goals from Tkachuk and stopped the other 17 shots he faced. Swedes Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders, who have won two in a row since losing three of their previous four.
The injury-ravaged Panthers moved a step closer to getting eliminated from playoff contention. They’re without forwards Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell, Evan Rodrigues and A.J. Greer and have not had captain Aleksander Barkov all season after he tore ligaments in his right knee during training camp.
Up next
Panthers: Visit the Rangers on Sunday.
Islanders: Host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.
Schenn, acquired at the trade deadline, scored the tying goal in the second period after U.S. Olympic gold medal-winner Matthew Tkachuk put Florida up 2-0 through 14 minutes. Fourth-liner Marc Gatcomb started the comeback and later assisted on Casey Cizikas’ goal that made it 5-2.
Schaefer with a pair of assists matched Stefan Persson from 1977-78 at 56 points. His next goal will tie Schaefer with Brian Leetch for the most by a rookie defenseman in NHL history.
Ilya Sorokin allowed only the two goals from Tkachuk and stopped the other 17 shots he faced. Swedes Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders, who have won two in a row since losing three of their previous four.
Dylan Garand may be auditioning to be the New York Rangers’ backup goaltender for the 2026-27 season.
With Jonathan Quick banged up with an upper-body injury, the Rangers called up Dylan Garand from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League last week.
Despite previously being called up on a couple of occasions, Garand hadn’t played in an NHL game.
With the Rangers well out of the playoff picture, the team was more inclined to give Garand a look, and he has run with his opportunity.
In two games, Garand has posted a 1.44 goals against average and a .954 save percentage, while earning his first NHL win on Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.
“I thought he looked really solid in there, and that's the second game in a row I felt that way so,” Mike Sullivan said of Garand. “It's two really good starts for him and I'm happy for him because I know how hard he's worked to get to this point. It's great for our team, it's great for our organization... The feeling I've gotten behind the bench in the two starts that he's had is that he's completely in control and he has good composure in there.”
Going into next season, it’s unclear if Jonathan Quick will retire, and even if he does return to play another year at 40 years old going on 41 years old, it remains to be seen if the Rangers are open to re-signing the pending unrestricted free agent.
Quick is having what many deem to be a down year, recording a 5-16-2 record, 3.18 goals against average, and .889 save percentage. Through the 13-game stretch Igor Shesterkin missed due to a lower-body injury from January to February, Quick, who took over the starting role, held a 1-8 record and .853 save percentage.
Given some of Quick’s struggles this season and his durability concerns at his age, it is not far-fetched to assume that Garand could take over the backup role under Igor Shesterkin moving into the future.
“I’m not really thinking about that too much,” Garand said. “I’m just trying to live in the present moment, and any opportunity I get try to go in there and give the guys a chance to win and do my job. I’m having a lot of fun right now.”
Mike Sullivan confirmed on Saturday that Quick still isn’t cleared to return to game action, but even when he is, the Rangers don’t appear to be in a rush to send Garand back down to the AHL.
Has the 23-year-old goaltender earned more NHL starts to close out the 2025-26 campaign?
“That would probably be a fair statement just based on his performance to this point,” Sullivan emphasized. “As this moves forward, when eventually we get a healthy Quickie back, I think [Chris Drury] and I will sit and probably have a conversation around it.”
It would be wise for Sullivan and the Rangers to keep Garand around for the remainder of the season to see what they have in the young goalie.
The best way to analyze if Garand is capable of taking over the backup role is to throw him into more NHL games, and with the Rangers already eliminated from playoff contention, there’s no reason not to allow Garand to showcase his skills at this level.
“We’ve put him in two games so far. I will sit and talk with Dru (Drury) about a game plan moving forward,” Sullivan said. “Right now, we've got two healthy goalies that we're going to utilize, Dylan's part of it.
“I think he’s played extremely well in the two games that he’s played, which is real encouraging from our standpoint. He's a good young goalie. As far as what happens moving forward, I think that's going to evolve in time, and we'll talk through that as we go.”
