Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 2-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators.  

Monday was the definition of low-event hockey. The Senators won the even-strength scoring chances battle 19-4, while also claiming the even-strength high-danger scoring chances by a count of 7-6. In the end, the only goal scored on a goaltender was a fluke as both Kevin Lankinen and James Reimer were sharp in this one. 

The heatmap shows just how low-event this game was. Neither team was able to generate consistent chances from inside the crease, with most shots coming from distance. While the defensive coverage was decent, the Canucks struggled to generate second-chance opportunities on Monday. 

To wrap this game up, Curtis Douglas led the team in even-strength xGF% at 56.26%. Vancouver's newest forward logged 6:52 of even-strength ice time and won the shots battle 3-1. Douglas also threw four hits while playing a fourth-line role in his debut. 

The Canucks continue their home stand on Thursday against the Nashville Predators. This will be the third meeting between Vancouver and Nashville, with each team having picked up a win so far. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.   

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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Canucks Adam Foote Provides Injury Update On Evander Kane

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‘I Think It Could Be A Perfect Fit For Me’: New Canucks Forward Curtis Douglas Speaks On New Opportunity In Vancouver

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Just the facts

• When: Tonight, 7 PM
• Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA
• How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Know your enemy

• 26-23-14, 66PTS, 6th in the Pacific Division
• Artemi Panarin: 21G-44A-65PTS; Adrian Kempe: 25G-30A-55PTS; Kevin Fiala: 18G-22A-40PTS
• Darcy Kuemper: 15-13-9, 2.72 GAA, .896 save percentage

Game notes

• After a disappointing, frustrating, annoying, etc. game in Pittsburgh on Sunday, the Bruins return home to TD Garden looking to extend their home winning streak to 13 games.
• Like the Bruins, the Kings are aiming for a wild card spot if they want to make the playoffs this season. They’re four points out of third in the Pacific, but just a point out of the second wild card spot.
• The Kings played on Monday night, beating the Blue Jackets in Columbus in OT. That game saw the Blue Jackets tie it with under two minutes to go in the third, but Adrian Kempe did the Bruins a small favor and won it midway through OT.
• That game was played at the odd Monday (non-holiday) start time of 4 PM, as it was a rescheduled game that was postponed in late January due to weather. The league likely did both teams a favor with the earlier start time, as Los Angeles had to travel to Boston and Columbus had to travel to Tampa.
• Anton Forsberg started Monday’s win for the Kings, meaning we’ll likely see Darcy Kuemper tonight.
• The Bruins and Kings already played the LA edition of this game this season, with the Bruins beating the Kings 2-1 in OT in late November. Morgan Geekie scored both Bruin goals that night.
• Kevin Fiala remains the Kings’ third-leading scorer, in spite of the Olympic injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. He was having a good one for the Kings, as he was just about on pace to equal his career-best total of 35 goals last season.
• Artemi Panarin has been pretty good for the Kings since arriving from New York, with 2G-4A-6PTS totals in six games.
• The Kings were busy at the trade deadline, sending Corey Perry to Tampa and acquiring Scott Laughton from Toronto. Laughton made his Kings debut on Monday in Columbus, registering a goal and an assist.
• The Kings have a relatively stingy team defense, allowing 2.92 GA/G. That’s good for ninth best in the NHL.
• Los Angeles has been a pretty good road team this season, checking in with a 16-8-7 record away from Crypto.com or whatever it’s called now Arena.

See ya tonight!

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (31-17-14, 78 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ Carolina Hurricanes (40-17-6, 86 points, 1stplace Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

How to Watch: Local broadcasts on FanDuel Sports Network South and SportsNet Pittsburgh, streaming on ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins are heading out West later this week to play some late-night games against the Vegas Golden Knights (Thursday, 10 p.m. ET), Utah Mammoth (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET) and Colorado Avalanche (Monday, 9:30 p.m. ET). Then it’s back for a rematch with the Hurricanes in North Carolina next Wednesday.

Opponent Track: The Hurricanes are still on top of the Metro, and they’ve won seven of their last nine, but they’re coming off a 5-4 regulation loss in Calgary that featured a wild five-goal third period last Saturday.

Season Series: The Penguins won this last matchup 5-1 on Dec. 30. Next up is that road game next Wednesday March 18, followed four days later by a 3 p.m. ET Sunday matinee in Pittsburgh on Mar. 22.

Hidden Stat: The Penguins haven’t won in Carolina since March 2019. The visitors are 0-4-4 in eight matchups over that span.

Getting to know the Hurricanes

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson

DEFENSEMEN

Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker

Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin

Goalies: Brandon Bussi, Frederik Andersen

Potential scratches: Shayne Gostisbehere (day to day)

Injured Reserve: Charles-Alexis Legault, Pyotr Kochetkov, Nicolas Deslauriers

• Gostisbehere missed the Hurricanes’ Saturday loss to the Flames with a lower-body injury. Mike Reilly will likely slide out of this lineup if he is able to go.

Season stats
via hockeydb

• Nicolas Deslauriers has yet to make his Hurricanes debut since his trade from the Philadelphia Flyers. If the Canes decide to slot him into the lineup Monday night, he would slot into their fourth line.
• The Hurricanes have historically been a tough matchup for the Pens, but the Penguins could take some lessons from the Flames. Calgary got beaten on face-offs (52.5 percent to 47.5 percent) and 5-on-5 scoring chances (24 to 21) while holding strong on hits (26-20) and getting some nice saves from Dustin Wolf to claim a 5-4 win over the Canes on Saturday.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Egor Chinakhov – Rickard Rakell – Bryan Rust

Anthony Mantha – Tommy Novak – Ville Koivunen

Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Avery Hayes

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Ryan Shea / Kris Letang

Sam Girard / Ilya Solovyov

Goalies: Arturs Silovs, Stuart Skinner

Potential Scratches: Evgeni Malkin (suspended), Ryan Graves, Connor Clifton, Kevin Hayes, Justin Brazeau (day to day)

IR: Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany (AHL conditioning loan)

• Jack St. Ivany is headed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning loan, per Seth Rorabaugh.
• Justin Breazeau’s status is uncertain after he was sidelined against the Bruins on Sunday with a day-to-day upper-body injury.
• Today should also lead to more information on whether Sidney Crosby is joining the team for the upcoming five-game road trip. Dane Muse said Sunday that decision would be made after the matchup against the Boston Bruins.
• Evgeni Malkin is set to miss the third game of his five-game suspension tonight. He won’t be eligible to return until the Penguins rematch against the Hurricanes next week.
• It’s a milestone game for Kyle Dubas, who has served as general manager for 600 career games, per Pens PR. A win tonight would tie him with Steve Yzerman for the 14th-most wins through that milestone with 326 victories.

The Islanders’ final out-of-time-zone road trip comes to a conclusion tonight in St. Louis, with a golden chance to go .500 on a four-game trip that began with a couple of stinkers in Southern California.

The Blues are in the middle of a cratering season that has brought Brayden Schenn to Long Island. However, they are now on a 4-0 post-Olympic run — including a 4-0 win over the Ducks, with a Jonathan Drouin slumpbuster — that has lifted them a few points above the not-Vancouver line, sending the fanbase into panic over the potential spoiling of their lottery odds. Their youth movement is underway, with Jake Neighbors (who praised Schenn’s influence on his way out) a young power forward now getting a letter, and 2023 first-rounders Otto Stenberg and Theo Lindstein getting called up before this game.

Ilya Sorokin will get the start for the Isles. This one is a TNT/HBO broadcast.

First Islanders Goal picks go here.

Islanders News

• This week in Islanders Anxiety features our own Jenny, daughter of a Drouin-loather and fresh off a globe-spanning, time zone-disorienting flight from the other side of our planet, discussing the moves, games and watching the Islanders over breakfast. [LHH]
• Brayden Schenn’s old teammates will miss him and the impact he had on their (the youngers’) careers. He’s ready to get an “emotional” return out of the way. In the Year of Our Bossy, 2026, a player has wiaved his NTC to come to the Islanders so he could join a “competitive” team on the rise. [Newsday | Athletic]
• His new teammates were immediately pleased to see him in action. [Post+]
• Bo Horvat gives his side of his $2,500 for unsportsmanslike conduct against Eklund’s brother: the dude took his stick and threw it down the hall, so he asked for it back and popped his visor up. [Newsday]
• The Tri-State Hockey podcast with Arthur Staple welcomes its first-ever guest: Mathieu Darche, fresh off the trade deadline, being up front about what he’s thinking and doing, leaning into the current core’s age while waiting for the next wave of prospects. On the Schenn trade, he admits it’s “fairly aggressive for where we are.” On the Pageau extension, he says he even reached out to the other UFAs like Anders Lee to let them know why he was negotiating with this one mid-season. [YouTube]
• No surprise, Matthew Schaefer is your Calder favorite. [NHL]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores included the Senators picking up another win and the Blue Jackets picking up an OTL point.

• Bylsma: At the trade deadline, communication between coach and GM on needs is critical. [NHL]
• How Matthew Knies went from being The Future to a possible Future Trade Bait in Toronto. [Sportsnet]
• There’s a good chance Brad Marchand won’t play again this season. [Sportsnet]

Here are your Pens Points for this Tuesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins begin a difficult stretch of games on Tuesday, with a five-game road trip against several likely playoff teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, and Utah Mammoth. Pittsburgh recently earned some important points despite Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s absences. Is it too dramatic to call this a season-defining swing? [PensBurgh]

There are about 20 games left on the regular season schedule for most teams, and for those teams in the Eastern Conference, many of whom are fighting alongside Pittsburgh for a playoff berth, like the Columbus Blue Jackets or New York Islanders, the playoff race is tightening by the day. These points are worth their weight in gold. [PensBurgh]

The Pittsburgh Penguins loaned defenseman Jack St. Ivany to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for a conditioning assignment on Monday. St. Ivany has not played since Jan. 25 after suffering a left-hand injury that required surgery. [Trib Live]

News and updates from around the NHL…

The Florida Panthers’ playoff odds remain questionable at best, and one of their heart-and-soul players, Brad Marchand, continues to deal with a lower-body injury, which may end his season altogether. [Sportsnet]

Ottawa Senators forward Dylan Cozens is playing an important role in his team’s push for the playoffs, providing scoring and physical play on the second line as the team battles for a postseason spot. [NHL]

It has been anything but a positive year for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are on life support, trying to find any way to save what rapidly appears to be a lost season. However, some within the locker room are hoping this was just a down year, a blip on the radar. [TSN]

After a few weeks of bad injury news, the Pittsburgh Penguins were due for something positive in that department. 

And they finally got some good news on Monday.

The Penguins announced that defenseman Jack St. Ivany was loaned on conditioning to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins of the AHL. The 26-year-old right-side blueliner was injured in Pittsburgh's Jan. 25 matchup against the Vancouver Canucks when he broke his hand blocking a shot, which required surgery. 

St. Ivany's initial timetable was supposed to be eight weeks, and according to the NHL's media site, he is no longer listed on injured reserve for the Penguins. 

St. Ivany, 26, has played in only 17 NHL games this season due to injury. He missed the first few months of the season with a lower-body injury after getting going down during training camp in addition to the broken hand sustained in January. 

He has seven assists in 17 games with Pittsburgh this season as well as a goal and five points in five games with WBS. He has nine total points in his 50-game NHL career and has yet to score a goal at the highest level. 

It's unclear at this point where St. Ivany will report after his conditioning stint, as the Penguins already have eight defensemen on their NHL roster. Since he is technically on the NHL roster, he would have to pass through waivers in order to be re-assigned to WBS after his conditioning stint. 

Brazeau Ruled Out V. Boston, Newly Acquired Forward To Make Penguins' DebutForward Justin Brazeau is the latest Pittsburgh Penguin to fall victim to injury, but it opens up space for their newly acquired forward to make his team debut Sunday against the Boston Bruins

---

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After their 2-0 loss on Monday night, Vancouver Canucks Head Coach provided an injury update on Evander Kane. The 34-year-old did not play after being listed as a game-time decision after morning skate. Kane was not on the ice at either morning skate or during pre-game warmups. 

"He's been fighting through an injury," said Foote. "A discomfort, upper-body. Just see if we can settle it down."

Kane has played 61 of Vancouver's 64 games this season. He has 11 goals and 27 points along with 78 penalty minutes. Kane is in the final year of his contract and is schedule to become a free agent on July 1. 

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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

NHL Player Agent Provides Projection For 2028-29 Salary Cap

‘I Think It Could Be A Perfect Fit For Me’: New Canucks Forward Curtis Douglas Speaks On New Opportunity In Vancouver

Canucks Prospect Josh Bloom Called-Up To The AHL

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.

The Vancouver Canucks kicked off their eight-game home stand with a 2-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Kevin Lankinen was solid on Monday night, as he allowed just one goal 23 shots. As for Ottawa goaltender James Reimer, he stopped all 16 shots for his first shutout of the season. 

Overall, the Canucks put forth a strong effort on Monday. They arguably should have left the ice with at least one goal as they were unlucky at times in the game. While the game was not the most entertaining, it was a step in the right direction from a process perspective as Vancouver fought until the final whistle. 

All the focus from this game will be on the Senators first goal. The Canucks felt the play should have been blown dead as the puck hit Shane Pinto's glove before Ridly Greig scored. Vancouver did challenge the play, but it was unsuccesful as " The Situation Room supported the Referee’s on-ice decision that the puck deflected off Shane Pinto’s glove, and was therefore not deemed a hand pass prior to Ridly Greig’s goal."

As for the Canucks best player in this game, that was Lankinen. He made some big saves down the stretch, which included stopping all six shots he faced in the third period. Ultimately, Lankinen did his job and was a big reason why Vancouver had a chance to push for the tying goal late.

Zeev Buium was also a standout from Monday night. He logged over 20 minutes and finished with two shots on goal. Buium was also able to showcase his speed and skating ability throughout the night as he helped the Canucks with controlled entries into the offensive zone. 

"I think we competed really hard," said Buium post-game. "I think we fought till the end, which is good to see. I don't think we gave them much either. Kinda had a weird goal obviously there but I thought we played really hard."

While the result did not go Vancouver's way, fans should at least be happy with Monday's effort. Yes, there were mistakes, but more importantly, the Canucks fought until the end and showed grit throughout the night. In the end, Monday was another successful tank game as Vancouver put forth a strong effort while still falling in regulation. 

Stats and Facts:

- Canucks are shutout for the fifth time this season

- Curtis Douglas threw four hits in 6:52 of ice time during his Vancouver debut

- Aatu Räty's 67% in the faceoff dot led the team

- Filip Hronek led all players in ice time at 26:01

Scoring Summary: 

1st Period:

No Scoring

2nd Period:

10:11- OTT: Ridly Greig (10) from Shane Pinto and Artem Zub

3rd Period:

18:40- OTT: Brady Tkachuk (17) from Tim Stützle and Artem Zub (ENG)

Up Next:

The Canucks continue their home stand on Thursday against the Nashville Predators. This will be the third meeting between Vancouver and Nashville, with each team having picked up a win so far. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. 

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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

NHL Player Agent Provides Projection For 2028-29 Salary Cap

‘I Think It Could Be A Perfect Fit For Me’: New Canucks Forward Curtis Douglas Speaks On New Opportunity In Vancouver

Canucks Prospect Josh Bloom Called-Up To The AHL

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.

The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Utah Mammoth at the United Center on Monday night. Coming off a tough overtime loss to the Dallas Stars one night prior, they didn't have much time to dwell on it before getting a chance to bounce back.

Before the game started, the Blackhawks honored Troy Murray, who passed away over the weekend after a long, courageous battle with cancer. These tributes to an all-time great Blackhawks alumnus continued throughout the game during stoppages. 

Drew Commesso was called into battle in place of the ill Spencer Knight. Arvid Soderblom started each of Chicago's last two games, and he was dressed as the backup for this one. 

In the first period, Andre Burakovsky had an opportunity to score a goal and end his slump, but he tucked it just wide. Frank Nazar and Sam Rinzel made nice moves to set it up, but it wouldn't go. 

This is notable for the Blackhawks because Burakovsky is getting chances to make an impact offensively. It isn't necessarily a bad process keeping him off the scoresheet, which suggests that one goal could get him back on track. 

At 9:43 of the first, Barrett Hayton scored to make it 1-0 Utah. It was a neat redirect of a Nick DeSimone shot that beat Commesso. 

Just a few minutes later, at 13:46, Andrew Mangiapane scored his first goal as a member of the Blackhawks, which was his 8th of the season overall. Since coming into the lineup, he's been a sparkplug, and now he has his first tally. 

The momentum didn't last long for Chicago, however, as Dylan Guenther gave Utah the lead back at 16:26. Clayton Keller, one of Team USA's Gold Medal-winning Olympians, made an incredible pass to set up the play for Guenther. That 2-1 score made its way through the first intermission. 

In the second period, after a long while with a lot of chances but no scoring, the Blackhawks finally broke through and tied it. It was Andre Burakovsky making up for that mishap in the first period. His goal at 15:35 of the middle frame was his 11th of the season. 

Connor Bedard assisted on Burakovksy's goal, giving him the most career assists by a player under 21 in Chicago Blackhawks history. For a century-old franchise that has had a lot of incredible players come through at a young age, this mark proves how special Bedard is and will be. 

The 2-2 tie held through the second intermission, setting up an incredibly exciting end to the game. The Blackhawks were presented with another chance to earn a win when the game was close late. 

Although each team had chances to score and win the game in the third period, both Vitek Vanecek and Drew Commesso stood tall. Overtime was required. 

In the extra frame, the Blackhawks were awarded a power play. With the man-advantage, Frank Nazar scored to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 win. Over the last couple of games, he's been one of Chicago's best forwards, and now he has an overtime game-winning goal. 

The Blackhawks emerged victorious in a game in which they faced some adversity and needed a clutch moment at the end. This is one to build on as they begin to close out the season. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌 pic.twitter.com/QUOWa1AYzx

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 10, 2026

screaming, crying, Burakovsky🚨 pic.twitter.com/Yap6HDfx3m

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 10, 2026

got franked 👊 pic.twitter.com/B6WVZrbNB6

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 10, 2026

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Blackhawks will be back in action again on Thursday. They will once again face the Utah Mammoth, wrapping up their season series with their newest division rival. This is not the next game for the Mammoth, however, as they will face the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night in between. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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.

The Ottawa Senators wrapped up their five-game road trip in impressive fashion Monday night, defeating the Vancouver Canucks 2–0 and finishing the trip with a strong 4-0-1 record.

James Reimer made 16 saves for the shutout, while Ridly Greig scored the eventual game-winner midway through the second period. The victory moved Ottawa to within three points of the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

It wasn’t an easy night, though. Despite sitting in last place overall, ten points behind everyone else, the Canucks made the Senators work for everything. And they tried to make life particularly miserable for Tim Stutzle, knocking him around physically in an attempt to slow him down.

Ottawa controlled much of the early play and outshot Vancouver 24–16, but Kevin Lankinen kept the game scoreless through the first period with several solid stops.

The game’s turning point came midway through the second period on a play that came with a lengthy review.

After a shot came toward Shane Pinto, the Ottawa forward instinctively raised his arms to protect his face. The puck deflected off arm and landed on Ridly Greig’s stick, leaving the young forward with a mostly open net.

Vancouver challenged for a hand pass, but after review, the officials allowed the goal to stand.

The Canucks nearly found an equalizer in the third period on what looked like a sure tap-in, but Jordan Spence made a terrific defensive play, reaching his stick in at the last moment to knock the puck out of harm’s way.

From there, Ottawa did what good teams do late in games; they locked it down. Reimer didn't face a ton of shots, but there were a number of tricky, well timed saves, the kind that the Senators haven't always gotten in tight games this season.

Brady Tkachuk eventually iced the win with an empty-net goal in the final seconds. Stutzle drew an assist on it to extend his point streak to 13 games as the Senators completed a successful road trip, collecting nine of a possible ten points.

Ottawa returns home Wednesday night to face the Montreal Canadiens to kick off a stretch where they'll play five of their next six games at home..

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

The New York Rangers’ dominant 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night was led by the impressive play of some of the team’s young talent.

Given the Rangers’ retooling direction, at this point of the season, the growth of the young players is most critical, even more so than wins. 

Sullivan has already admitted to a shift in his philosophy in terms of his utilization of players, which centers around giving the youth more of an opportunity to thrive and put them in an abundance of situations they aren’t necessarily accustomed to at the NHL level.

“That’s part of it; putting these guys in certain situations and seeing what they're capable of, Sullivan said. “That was part of that process.”

There is no one player who has benefited from this shift in philosophy more than Gabe Perreault. 

Perreault has flourished since returning from the Olympic break, and it’s been evident that he’s beginning to not only adapt to the NHL, but the game is slowing down for him at a rate where he’s able to dictate plays through his impressive vision and hockey IQ. 

With J.T. Miller landing on injured reserve, Sullivan has given Perreault an opportunity to operate with the Rangers’ first power-play unit. 

On Monday night in Philadelphia, the 20-year-old forward showcased his skills on the man advantage, recording one goal and one assist, headlined by a no-look pass to Mika Zibanejad for a goal. 

“Game by game, I think I get more and more confident,”  Perreault said. “That kind of helps with getting other players’ trust, the coaching staff, and believing and being confident in myself as well.”

While the play of Noah Laba has always been a bright spot for the Rangers, he’s quietly emerging as one of the team’s most impactful forwards as of late. 

Outside of Laba’s two points on the night (one goal, one assist), he played the game with a ferocious physical edge, specifically on the defensive side of the puck.

Sullivan continues to make it a priority to give Laba an increased role on the penalty kill, and so far, he’s liked what he’s seen. 

“We're trying to give him a more prominent role here on the penalty kill in particular, and just give him more reps, and giving him more of an opportunity to continue to grow in that area,” Sullivan said of Laba. “We're trying to put him in a more prominent role there.”

When the Rangers claimed Tye Kartye off waivers from the Seattle Kraken last week, it was relatively unknown what he would provide for the Rangers and the exact role Sullivan planned on inserting him into. 

Sam Carrick Feels ‘Relieved’ About Trade To Sabres Upon his arrival in Western New York, Sam Carrick has already made an immediate impact for the Buffalo Sabres. 

Through five games with the Blueshirts, Kartye has found his place, playing in a third-line role and slotting in on the penalty kill.

He had arguably his best performance against the Flyers.

The 24-year-old forward recorded his first goal as a Ranger, while also assisting on Laba’s goal in the first period. 

Kartye’s reliable two-way game is what stands out most about his overall game, as he’s turning out to be a sneaky addition for the Rangers.

“I really like Tye’s game,” Sullivan emphasized. “He's got a simple game. He plays north, south, he checks well. There's a physical dimension to his game. He finishes checks, he's abrasive, he's willing to take hits to make plays. We've really liked how he's fit in.”

The Rangers’ fate this season likely remains the same, with the playoffs far out of reach. 

However, it's certainly encouraging to see this sort of contribution from New York’s younger talent.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mika Zibanejad had two goals and an assist, and the New York Rangers scored on three power plays in a 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.

Noah Laba and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal an assist. Gabe Perreault and Vladislav Gavrikov also scored for the Rangers, who won for the third time in five games. Igor Shesterkin finished with 32 saves.

Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier scored for the Flyers. Dan Vladar allowed six goals on 24 shots and was replaced by Samuel Ersson at the start of the third period. Ersson made three saves in relief.

The Rangers pounced early and scored in bunches. Laba converted from close range 1:04 into the game when Vladar failed to control the puck after a glove save. Zibanejad scored his first at 13:07 while charging down the slot, and Lafreniere posted New York's first power-play goal with 38 seconds left in the first.

Michkov got the Flyers on the board at 3:54 of the second, but the Rangers stormed back. Perreault scored with the man advantage less than three minutes later. Zibanejad scored on the power play and Gavrikov added a goal — in a 20-second span — at the end of the period.

Couturier scored at the 15:28 of the third.

New York defenseman Uhro Vaakanainen, in action after being scratched for five games, saw 15 minutes and 18 seconds of ice time. Matt Rempe (upper body), J.T. Miller (upper body) were sidelined for the Rangers, and forward Taylor Raddysh is away from the team for his father’s funeral.

Travis Konecny and Nick Seeler were back in action for the Flyers. Konecny, who leads Philadelphia with 23 goals and 57 points, missed three games with an upper-body injury. Seeler missed 2 games with a lower-body injury sustained in a win over Toronto a week ago Monday.

Up next

Rangers: Host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Flyers: Host the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.

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

The Calgary Flames fell 7–3 to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Monday night.

It marked the Flames debut for Victor Olofsson, while Matvei Gridin returned to the lineup following his recall from the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League. Devin Cooley got the nod in goal for Calgary.

Despite goals from Gridin, Blake Coleman and Yegor Sharangovich, the Flames couldn’t overcome an early deficit and a pair of quick third-period strikes from Washington.

Capitals Jump Out Early

Washington wasted little time opening the scoring. Just 2:46 into the first period, Cooley stopped an initial shot but the rebound bounced straight to Hendrix Lapierre, who quickly snapped it home to make it 1–0.

The Capitals doubled their lead midway through the frame. After sustained pressure in the Calgary zone, a loose puck slid to the side of the net where Tom Wilson gathered it and wired a shot into the top corner at 9:13.

Washington added one more before the intermission. Justin Sourdif won a battle along the boards and fed Connor McMichael alone in the slot. McMichael ripped a shot past Cooley at 17:43, sending the Capitals to the dressing room with a 3–0 advantage.

Flames Surge Back in the Second

Calgary mounted an impressive response in the middle period.

Gridin got the Flames on the board after a crisp passing play. Olli Maatta moved the puck to Ryan Strome, who slid a cross-ice feed to Gridin for a one-timer that beat Logan Thompson.

Late in the period, the Flames struck twice while shorthanded.

First, Mikael Backlund intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and sprung Coleman on a breakaway. Coleman made a smooth backhand-to-forehand move before tucking the puck past Thompson at 17:39.

Still killing the same penalty, Calgary tied the game moments later. Joel Farabee chased down a loose puck deep in the Washington end and set up Sharangovich trailing into the slot. Sharangovich buried the chance at 18:55, recording the sixth-fastest shorthanded goal in franchise history and sending the game into the second intermission tied 3–3.

Capitals Regain Control

The third period swung back in Washington’s favour.

On a power play at 10:52, a scramble in front of the Calgary net led to McMichael collecting a loose puck and roofing his second goal of the night to restore the Capitals’ lead.

Just 23 seconds later, Washington struck again. Sourdif forced a turnover and fired a shot that deflected off traffic in front and into the net, giving the Capitals a two-goal cushion.

Ethan Frank added an empty-net goal at 17:14 and then a breakaway goal from Ryan Leonard (19:44) sealed the 7–3 win for Washington.

Three Takeaways

1. New additions making an impact

Strome and Maatta each picked up assists, extending their point streaks to start their Flames tenures and continuing to contribute offensively.

2. Gridin showing growth

Gridin looked comfortable in his return to the NHL lineup. The young forward generated multiple scoring chances and finished with his fourth goal of the season, bringing his total to eight points in 18 games.

3. Momentum swings decided the game

Calgary’s two quick shorthanded goals completely shifted the momentum in the second period, but Washington responded with two goals just 23 seconds apart in the third — a sequence that ultimately proved to be the difference.

With a record of 7-1-2 in their last ten games, Ottawa Senators head coach Travis Green probably isn't thrilled about having to mess with his lineup.

But the injury bug has forced his hand. 

Green announced on Monday that his best defenseman, Jake Sanderson, is listed as week-to-week with a probable shoulder injury suffered on Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken. So, that means one lineup change, but it also knocks over several dominoes.

Nikolas Matinpalo, who's only played two NHL games in 2026, will dress on Monday night for the Senators' game in Vancouver, and Sanderson's absence also means that other defensemen are forced to move higher up in the blue line batting order.

But don't talk to the Canucks and their fan base about the challenges of adjusting to lineup changes. Quite frankly, they don't want to hear it.

Since December, through various trades, the Canucks have said goodbye to team captain Quinn Hughes, along with Kiefer Sherwood, Tyler Myers, Conor Garland, Lukas Reichel, and David Kampf.

As a sidebar, it's quite remarkable that the Canucks held on to veterans Teddy Blueger and Evander Kane at the deadline when both are UFAs this summer. They're not in the team's rebuilding plans and probably don't want to be.

Get something for them.

After winning 50 games and finishing first in the Pacific Division two seasons ago, Vancouver is now the worst team in the NHL, and it isn't particularly close. The Canucks are 10 points behind the second-worst team, the New York Rangers.

James Reimer is expected to start for the Senators against Kevin Lankinen for Vancouver. Stephen Halliday is sitting for a third straight game, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see the 23-year-old back in Belleville soon to get some playing time.

Here's how the Sens and Canucks will line it up on Monday night (9 pm, Prime, RDS)

Senators projected lineup

Drake Batherson - Tim Stutzle - Claude Giroux
Brady Tkachuk - Dylan Cozens - Ridly Greig
Nick Cousins - Shane Pinto - Michael Amadio
Warren Foegele - Lars Eller - Fabian Zetterlund

Thomas Chabot - Artem Zub
Nikolas Matinpalo - Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven - Jordan Spence

James Reimer
Linus Ullmark

Canucks projected lineup

Jake DeBrusk - Elias Pettersson - Nils Hoglander
Liam Ohgren - Marco Rossi - Brock Boeser
Evander Kane - Aatu Raty - Drew O’Connor
Max Sasson - Teddy Blueger - Linus Karlsson

Elias Nils Pettersson - Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson - Tom Willander
Zeev Buium - Victor Mancini

Kevin Lankinen
Nikita Tolopilo

According to NHL.com, Kane missed game-day practice, and Brock Boeser left early, but both are expected to play. If one of them can't go, 6-foot-9 Curtis Douglas will draw into the lineup. The former Belleville Senator was picked up off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

Salary cap inflation is always something to monitor. The cap is currently set at $95.5 million, but is expected to raise signifcantly over the next few seasons. Next year, the cap is projected to be $104 million while the 2027-28 ceiling is projected at $113.5 million. 

Recently, NHL player agent Allan Walsh provided an update via social media on what the 2028-29 salary cap could look like. Walsh wrote via "X", "Analyzing NHL HRR projections and the current revenue slack that exists in the system, hearing the NHL is projecting a Salary Cap Upper Limit of approx $123M in 2028-29. We are currently at $95.5M. (That’s an almost $30M rise of the Cap within 3 years)."

At the time of writing, the Vancouver Canucks only have seven players signed for the 2028-29 season. Those players are Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, Marcus Pettersson, Kevin Lankinen and Thatcher Demko. The Canucks will also have a $2,126,667 penalty that season as the Oliver Ekman-Larsson buyout will not be complete.

According to PuckPedia, Vancouver currently has $52,226,667 commited for the 2028-29 season. If no players are moved, that would count for just over 40% of the projected $123 million. The Canucks are projected to still be in a rebuild in 2028-29, meaning some contracts already signed could be on the move before the season starts. 

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