The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (39-23-7-1) played their 70th game of the season on Wednesday night, dropping a tightly contested 3-2 affair to the Providence Bruins, who broke a tie in the standings between the two clubs.
After the victory, the Bruins (40-23-5-3) now sit in the third seed in the Atlantic Division with 88 points, while the Penguins slip down to the fourth seed with 86 points.
In the first, Atley Calvert tallied his ninth of the year to open the scoring at 10:32. Harrison Brunicke and Mathias Laferriere had helpers.
The visiting Bruins tied the contest with the only goal in the second period, a Dan Locnelis tally at 14:06. After getting outshot 15-10 in the first, Providence had the advantage in the second, 16-10, with the teams tied on the scoreboard.
At 7:50 of the third, Emil Bemström scored his team-leading 23rd goal of the season to restore his team's one-goal lead. Boris Katchouk and Nate Clurman set up his lamplighter, the Penguins' final tally of the night.
During a Clurman interference penalty kill that started at 10:06, the Bruins evened things up again at 10:59 with a Patrick Brown goal, before securing the one-goal victory at 19:33 with a Riley Tufte lamp lighter.
Somehow, Providence almost equalled their two-period shot total (26) with 20 in the third period, while limiting WBS to just six. The home team got fewer opportunities as the games progressed, going from 15 to 10 to six shots on goal.
In goal, Michael DiPietro picked up the win thanks to 29 saves on 31 shots, while Penguins' Joel Blomqvist was far busier, making 43 saves on 46 shots.
Regarding special teams, the Bruins went 1-for-3, while the Penguins failed to capitalize on their two opportunities.
WBS will play two more times before beginning their quest for the Calder Cup, facing the Hershey Bears on Friday and then the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday.
The 26-year-old forward is coming off the best season of his NHL career. He scored 33 goals — 16 more than the previous campaign. He actually became the first B’s player not named Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand or David Pastrnak to score 30-plus goals since Loui Eriksson did it in 2015-16.
It’s not like Geekie padded his stats by scoring a bunch of power-play goals, either. He was highly effective at 5-on-5. In fact, his 26 goals at 5-on-5 this season were tied for the second-most in the league and led the Bruins.
Geekie is able to become a restricted free agent in July, so the Bruins do have some control over his future. He’s also eligible for arbitration if the two sides have trouble reaching a new contract.
Geekie is hoping that process is not needed.
“We hope it doesn’t come to that. Obviously, no one wants to go to arbitration. It’s not a fun time for anybody,” Geekie told reporters Thursday during the team’s end-of-season media availability.
“I’m gonna prepare like I’m gonna be at training camp on Day 1. It’s not something I’m going to give too much thought about. I’ll leave it up to my agent and Don (Sweeney) and Cam (Neely), just go about my business and things will play out how they’re gonna play out. I love playing in Boston. My family loves it here. It’s one of those things I really hope works out, and we’ll see where it goes.”
It sounds like term will likely be important to Geekie in his next deal.
“Any time you can stick around — like I said, I love it here. I’d love to be here as long as I can,” Geekie said. “That’s definitely a goal, especially with a family now, being able to be in one spot would be awesome.”
Geekie also added: “If it was up to me, I’d like to stay as long as I can. I can’t say enough good things about the organization and the guys and the culture here. I would love to stay as long as I could.”
Players who score 30-plus goals are not easy to find, and they are expensive. Geekie’s current contract that will soon expire is a two-year deal worth $2 million per season. He deserves a large raise in his next contract. And when you consider the Bruins’ lack of scoring depth, re-signing Geekie needs to be a top priority.
The Bruins are projected to have around $28 million in salary cap space this summer, per PuckPedia. Geekie and defenseman Mason Lohrei (also an RFA) are Boston’s most notable internal free agents.
On a team with stars like Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, and Kevin Fiala, the name Alex Laferriere may not be well known among NHL fan bases, but Kings' head coach Jim Hiller would probably say it should be.
"He's going to be a really important player for us in the playoffs because he going to bring physicality and he started that tonight," said Hiller, following LA's 5-4 win against Colorado on April 12th.
The 23-year-old native of Chatham, New Jersey has shown an ability to mix it up since his NHL debut on October 11th, 2023, when he dropped the gloves against the Avs' Logan O'Connor.
First time I've seen a family celebrate a guy fighting in his NHL debut like Alex Laferriere's family pic.twitter.com/j6i0aHfQLs
While Laferriere is certainly no enforcer, he never shies away from contact. His 124 hits are good for third on the team behind Tanner Jeannot (211) and rookie Samuel Helenius, who has already made an impressive 145 hits in just 49 games played.
Offensively, Laferriere has made it a habit to improve on his numbers every year, even going back to his college hockey days at Harvard. In his first season with the Crimson in 2021-22, Laferriere recorded 31 points (14 G 17 A) and was the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Hockey Rookie of the Year. Laferriere had an even better sophomore year when he struck for 42 points (21 G 21 A) and helped lead Harvard to the NCAA hockey tournament.
At the NHL level, Laferriere is showing the same knack for consistent improvement. He had 23 points for the Kings (12 G 11 A) in 81 games in his first season but has come close to doubling that output in 76 games this year. Laferriere has 19 goals and 23 assists heading into LA's final regular season game against Calgary on April 16th. Should he score against the Flames, it would give the Kings six 20+ goal scorers, a testament to LA's scoring depth.
All in all, Alex Laferriere has emerged as a key component for the LA Kings this season. With the injured Tanner Jeannot still listed as week-to-week, the Kings will need Laferriere to continue to ramp up his physical play. His mix of grit and offensive upside will be needed if the Kings intend on finally vanquishing the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.
It was back in September — long before the Montreal Canadiens went on a Cinderella run that resulted in a wild card berth in their final game of the regular season — that Nick Suzuki revealed to The Hockey News that this year might just be more than another rebuilding year.
In other words, forget about getting another top-5 pick in the draft. The Habs captain was more interested in grabbing a playoff spot.
"Personally, I feel like you can’t just keep stockpiling prospects," Suzuki said back then. "I want to be in the playoffs. I’ve been in the playoffs twice now and they haven’t been on normal circumstances, so I haven’t got to play at the Bell Centre in front of a sold-out crowd. That’s definitely something I’m itching for this year."
On Wednesday, Suzuki scratched that itch.
The Canadiens have done the improbable — if not the seemingly impossible.
That they did it before the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings ended their playoff droughts should not be lost on the Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks or any other franchise that preaches a long rebuild in order to get back to the playoffs. Yes, the Canadiens haven't been in the post-season since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2021. But compared to the Ottawa Senators, who missed for seven years, this return to the playoffs feels very premature.
No one was picking the Habs to be a wild card when the season began. Now, they will face the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round, where the Canadiens are the "underdogs."
However, bet against them at your own peril.
"We wanted to make playoffs no matter what and we did it. That was our main goal all the time," Suzuki told reporters after the playoff-clinching 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night. "You can't talk loud about it. It was our little goal that we kept between us and, yeah, it happened."
Mission Accomplished, The Canadiens Are Back In The PlayoffsThe puck dropped on the Montreal Canadiens’ 82nd game of the season at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night, with the Carolina Hurricanes in town. Martin St-Louis’ men had already failed to clinch a playoff berth in their last three games, and expectations were high in Montreal, especially since the visitors decided to rest some of their regular players. Rod Brind’Amour even went as far as using Jesperi Kotkaniemi as his top-line center.
It happened mostly because of Suzuki, who since the March 7 trade deadline has scored the fifth-most points of any player in the NHL. But the Canadiens probably wouldn't have qualified without the unlikely contributions from their youngsters.
Defenseman Lane Hutson, who is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy, led all NHL rookies with 66 points in 82 games. Juraj Slafkovsky, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2022 draft, had a breakout year with 51 points. Cole Caufield, who is still only 24, led the team with 37 goals. Even 18-year-old Ivan Demidov, who has played in two games since coming over from Russia, has contributed with a goal and an assist.
And then, there were the players who everyone thought would have been gone by now.
Instead of trading Jake Evans at the deadline, the team signed him to an extension. On Wednesday, he rewarded that decision by scoring the empty-netter that sealed the win. Marc Savard, another player who was rumored to be moved, led the team with 180 blocked shots.
"Top to bottom, we have really deep forwards," said Suzuki. "I think our young D will just keep getting better. We’re adding probably some young guys that will make the team and give us a boost. From the first line to the fourth line, I think we could be one of the deepest at that position."
Add it up and Montreal looks like they could be one of those dark horse teams that goes further than anyone expected. By making the playoffs, they've already done that.
Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, this game means very little other than keeping a five game winning streak alive, and going out on a winning note. The Montreal Canadiens beat the "resting" Hurricanes in regulation, which means the Jackets are out. They left it in the hands of other teams to get them in, which is not a recipe for success.
The Blue Jackets still have this game to play, and will do so in front of their faithful fans who will fill the arena to the rafters.
There are still a few things to play for.
A six game winning streak.
Zach Werenski needs 1 assist to tie the single season assist record, and two to pass Artemi Panarin.
Boone Jenner is one goal from 200 in his career.
Columbus will have five players who will play 82 games - Kuraly, Provorov, Olivier, and Fantilli. In 23-24 they had just one - Provorov.
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 19.5% - 22nd in NHL
Penalty Kill - 76.9% - 22nd in NHL
Goals For - 261 - 8th - 3.22 GPG - 9th
Goals Against - 266 - 25th - 3.28 GPG - 25th
Islanders Stats
Power Play – 14.8% - 31st in NHL
Penalty Kill – 77.8% - 31st in NHL
Goals For - 261 – 8th – 2.73 GPG – 27th
Goals Against – 266 – 25th – 3.10 GPG – 19th
Series History vs. The Islanders
Columbus is 17-7-5 at home and 26-22-8 in 56 all-time games against the Islanders
The Jackets are 2-1 vs. NYI this season.
Who To Watch For The Islanders
Bo Horvat leads the Isles with 29 assists and 57 points.
Anders Lee leads the team with 29 goals.
Ilya Sorokin is 30-24-6 with a .907 SV%.
Marcus Högberg is 2-5-3 with a .887 SV%.
CBJ Player Notes vs. Islanders
Boone Jenner has 15 points in 31 career games against New York.
Zach Werenski has 13 points in 23 games.
Sean Monahan has 16 points in 19 games against the Islanders.
Injuries
Kevin Labanc (shoulder) is on Injured Reserve as of Feb. 21 and is out for the season (25 Games)
Elvis Merzļikins (upper body) has missed 4 games.
Jake Christiansen (upper body) has missed 3 games.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 321
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
Let us know what you think below.
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The puck dropped on the Montreal Canadiens’ 82nd game of the season at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night, with the Carolina Hurricanes in town. Martin St-Louis’ men had already failed to clinch a playoff berth in their last three games, and expectations were high in Montreal, especially since the visitors decided to rest some of their regular players. Rod Brind’Amour even went as far as using Jesperi Kotkaniemi as his top-line center.
Although Juraj Slafkovsky is only 21, he skated in his 200th NHL game on Wednesday night. He started the game with 50 points, tied with the career high he had established last season, but he didn’t have to wait too long to top it, registering an assist on the game’s opening goal scored by Kaiden Guhle.
While he took a silly penalty in the second frame, as has often been the case lately, he played a great game. He was on the ice for three of the Canadiens’ goals, blocked three shots, and landed a hit. His physical play also led to Nick Suzuki's goal, and when he learns to play like that on a consistent basis, he will become a real threat for opponents.
This Habs goal by Nick Suzuki doesn’t happen without the big hit & board battle win by Juraj Slafkovsky
In the second frame, rookie blueliner Lane Hutson got an assist on Kaiden Guhle’s second goal of the game, it was his 60th helper, tying Larry Murphy’s record for the most assists in a season by a rookie defenseman. If his name wasn’t already penciled in as the Calder Trophy winner, it should be now.
Guhle Bounced Back
After a disappointing game on Monday in which he took a penalty that became the turning point, Kaiden Guhle played a massive role in the Canadiens’ win. He scored two goals, landed seven hits, blocked three shots, and logged nearly 24 minutes of ice time.
On nights like these, it’s easy to see why Kent Hughes decided to make Guhle the first young core piece of his defense. He can do it all, excel on defense, contribute to the offense, and pump up the team with his physical play.
It Wasn’t Perfect, But It Was Enough
While the 4-2 scoreline could lead to believe the Canadiens dominated, it wasn’t the case. There was an agonizing stretch for Canadiens’ fans in the second frame when the score was tied 1-1 and during which the Hurricanes dominated even though they were icing a watered-down version of their roster. It was a display reminiscent of the loss against the Chicago Blackhawks.
With 8:49 left in the second stanza, the Canes had a 12-2 edge in shots on goal for that frame, and the Habs looked like they were playing nervously. The captain took charge four minutes later, and Suzuki scored a big goal to give Montreal a lead that Guhle doubled minutes later. Then, in the final frame, after the Canes had gotten back to within one, there was a lot of defending, and the Habs really needed to work to close out the game, with the coach cutting his bench and using his more defensive players.
In the post-game presser, the bench boss was almost beaming with pride:
The last two minutes after we scored in the empty net, I could breathe a bit, and I was thinking about plenty of things, my dad came to mind, my mother too. My dad was a huge Canadiens fan […] As soon as I could, I went to see my dad in the room and gave him a big hug, I think he was even more stressed than our players.
- Martin St-Louis about the way he felt.
St-Louis was visibly proud of his team and can now look forward to experiencing the playoffs in Montreal while being on the home side. It will be the first time since spring 2017 that the Canadiens will participate in the playoffs in front of a real crowd. There was that magical run to the Stanley Cup Final back in 2021, but the building wasn’t full thanks to COVID. If tonight’s anything to go by, the atmosphere when the Canadiens take on the Washington Capitals in just over a week should be electric.
Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.
Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
Alexandar Georgiev is moving on.
“I’ve already had a conversation with the GM, and he said they’re going with a different group for next year,” the pending unrestricted free agent shared, after stopping 25 of 27 shots in the Sharks’ season-ending 3-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
It was the Sharks’ 11th-straight loss.
Georgiev, 29, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Mackenzie Blackwood trade on Dec. 9.
It was a trying campaign for Georgiev, who had led the NHL in wins over the last two years.
Ousted by the team that he thought he’d be leading into the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, the veteran netminder had to try and find his game on perhaps the worst defensive team in the league.
The Boston Bruins were the most disappointing team in the NHL this season, and the question now is: How do they retool their roster and get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs as quickly as possible?
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is about to face the biggest test of his career. He has to achieve two objectives at once.
The first is a quick retool that includes substantial roster improvements so the remaining prime years of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Jeremy Swayman are not wasted. The second is for Sweeney to have an eye toward the future and dominate the 2025 NHL Draft.
Sweeney likely will have a top-five pick in every round this year, which he has never had during his decade-long tenure as B’s general manager. His draft record is average at best, and that must improve for the Bruins to have any sort of success both in the short- and long-term.
Here are five ways the Bruins can try to fix their roster and contend again next season (and beyond).
Jeremy Swayman regains his previous form
The easiest way for the Bruins to get back on track and make the playoffs next season is for starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman to play at the top 10 level he’s shown for most of his career.
Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa and the rest of the staff need to figure out what went wrong with Swayman and which adjustments need to be made.
Expectations for Swayman went way up after his stellar 2024 playoff run and the offseason trade of Linus Ullmark that made the 26-year-old netminder the undisputed No. 1 in Boston’s crease.
Swayman’s 2024-25 season started with a contract dispute that resulted in him missing all of training camp and the preseason. He finally reached an eight-year, $66 million deal with the B’s a couple days before Opening Night.
Swayman was able to play a career-high 57 games without any injuries, but his performance dipped dramatically. His .920 save percentage from 2020-21 through 2023-24 was the sixth-highest among all goalies. He fell to a career-low .892 save percentage and a 3.12 GAA this season, while also ranking 92nd of 102 qualifying goalies with a minus-9.2 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.
Last season, Swayman ranked fourth in goals saved above expected (plus-18.4).
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It was stunning to see Swayman go from leading the 2024 playoffs in save percentage and GSAA, and then play so poorly this past season.
Swayman is not as bad as he looked in 2024-25. We have multiple seasons of data to support that. And it’s not like the team defended well in front of him, either. But he can’t play this poorly again. He’s the league’s fifth-highest paid goalie. The Bruins don’t have the offensive firepower to overcome bad goaltending, so it’s on Swayman to return to the top 10 level he’s played at for most of his career.
Develop young talent
It’s impossible to retool, especially in a quick manner, without good young players coming through the system. You can’t plug all your roster holes in free agency and the trade market. It’s too expensive and just not feasible.
Teams have to draft and develop young players who make a meaningful impact at the NHL level. And as a bonus, these players are on cheap, team-friendly contracts.
The Bruins have not developed many NHL regulars in recent years, and the ones they have — John Beecher, Jakub Lauko, etc. — are not impact players. Only seven of the 36 players selected by the Bruins in the last seven drafts have played in an NHL game. Only two of those seven — Beecher and Mason Lohrei — have played more than 100 games.
Lohrei has the potential to be a top-four defenseman someday. He’s a gifted offensive player and an excellent skater. He tallied 33 points in his first full season with the B’s. It’s important for the Bruins to give him every chance to improve.
The Bruins also need to figure out the best development path for Casey Mittelstadt — a 26-year-old center acquired in the Charlie Coyle trade. Fraser Minten, who was acquired in the Brandon Carlo trade, has the makings of a very good middle-six forward. Will Zellers, a prospect acquired in the Coyle deal, led the USHL with 44 goals and shows great potential as a scorer.
Fabian Lysell, Boston’s 2021 first-round pick, finally played in the NHL this season and put together a couple encouraging performances late in the year. His speed and skill are desperately needed. Poitras has shown flashes of being a good NHL player despite a disappointing 2024-25 season.
Fabian Lysell wins a foot race to a loose puck and sets up Marat Khusnutdinov for his fifth goal of the season.
It’s OK to make big moves in free agency and the trade market once in a while, but there has to be a steady flow of young players coming up through the system. That’s how you build championship depth.
Find a legitimate top-six center
The Bruins were able to survive at center last season without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, both of whom retired after the 2023 playoffs. That wasn’t the case this season. The lack of suitable replacements for Boston’s two longtime centers was a massive problem.
Making matters worse for the Bruins is that there aren’t any good internal options. Matthew Poitras had a nice rookie season in 2023-24, but he underwhelmed this year, tallying one goal in 33 NHL games. He spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL. Poitras still has potential as an NHL player, but thinking he could fill a top-six role any time soon would be foolish.
There aren’t any other prospects capable of stepping into that position, either, which highlights the importance of the Bruins using their 2025 first-round pick on the best center available.
Elias Lindholm was expected to be a top-six center, especially when he signed for top-six money (seven years, $54.25 million) on Day 1 of free agency last summer. Lindholm largely underwhelmed, often producing at the level of a No. 3 center. He has tallied 65-plus points only once since 2018-19.
The trade market is the best place for the Bruins to find a top-six center in the near future (more on that below).
Swing for the fences in trade market, free agency
The Bruins will have around $28 million in cap space this summer, per PuckPedia. They need to re-sign right wing Morgan Geekie and defenseman Mason Lohrei — both restricted free agents — but Sweeney does have some financial flexibility to chase big-ticket additions in free agency and/or the trade market.
The No. 1 player who could hit unrestricted free agency is Toronto Maple Leafs wing Mitch Marner. The 27-year-old forward is an elite offensive player who has averaged 95.3 points over the last four seasons, including a career-high 100 this year. It’s unknown whether the Leafs will let Marner get to free agency, but if he does hit the open market, the Bruins would be wise to make a run at him.
A center is Boston’s No. 1 need, but Marner is one of the league’s top playmakers. His 73 assists ranked tied for third-most with Connor McDavid.
Nikolaj Ehlers also could become a UFA. The Winnipeg Jets forward has scored 20-plus goals in eight of the last nine seasons, and he’s hit the 60-point mark in each of the last two seasons. The Bruins need a top-six left wing with Brad Marchand no longer on the roster, and Ehlers certainly would be able to fill that role.
The best center who could become a UFA is Florida Panthers veteran Sam Bennett. He scored 25 goals — the second-highest total of his career — in 76 games. He’ll be 29 years old in June. Bennett is a solid player and a winner, but he’s not the type of player who the Bruins should spend major money to acquire. Marner is far better offensively and a little younger.
Outside of Marner, there aren’t any real game-changers in free agency. So that leaves the trade market as perhaps the best place to make substantial upgrades.
The Bruins, as a result of their trade deadline deals, have a lot of good trade assets to use in the offseason. For starters, they have more early-round draft picks coming up than they’ve owned in a long time. That haul includes four first-round picks and five second-round picks over the next three drafts.
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Top-six forwards are quite expensive to acquire via trade, and the Bruins might have to be creative to find a good deal. But the Bruins now have some talented prospects and a bunch of future draft picks, so they have the ammo to make a bold swing.
Hire the right coach
Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images
University of Denver’s David Carle could be a popular NHL head coach candidate this year.
The Bruins have had some really good head coaches over the last 10 years, but they’ve ended up firing all of them.
They fired Claude Julien during the 2016-17 season, which, in fairness, made sense at the time. They fired Bruce Cassidy after the 2022 playoffs and he won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights the very next season. They fired Jim Montgomery 20 games into this season and he helped the St. Louis Blues drastically improve and make the playoffs. Montgomery might actually receive some Jack Adams Award (coach of the year) votes.
This next hire — assuming it’s not interim head coach Joe Sacco — has to be able to develop young players and fix the special teams. The Bruins had the 29th-ranked power play and the 24th-ranked penalty kill this season.
The Bruins could look at an internal candidate such as Jay Leach, who has four years of assistant coach experience in the NHL. He also has four seasons of AHL head coaching experience with the Providence Bruins. Jay Pandolfo is the Boston University head coach, but before joining the Terriers, he was a Bruins assistant coach for several seasons. He would be a good candidate to pursue.
University of Denver head coach David Carle, who has done a tremendous job with that program (two national titles), should be ready for an NHL job. If the Pittsburgh Penguins move on from Mike Sullivan, would the B’s be interested in bringing back the Massachusetts native? Sullivan is an excellent coach who has won two Stanley Cup titles in Pittsburgh and also coaches Team USA.
The next coach will be the third that Sweeney has hired as GM. If he gets this one wrong, he might not get a fourth chance.
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 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Canucks wrapped up their season with a decent night from an analtyics perspective. Vegas won the even-strength scoring chances battle 18-17, while also holding a 7-6 advantage in even-strength high-danger chances. Overall, Vancouver was able to stay in this game for two periods, but were unable to hold off the Golden Knights during the third period.
The heatmap is a good representation of why the Canucks only scored one goal on Saturday. Vancouver elected to take most of their shots from distance, and struggled to create second-chance opportunities in the crease. The hope is that next season, the Canucks can become a team with a stronger net-front presence, which should lead to more goals and chances.
To wrap things up, Nils Höglander had a strong game for Vancouver. During his 13:22 of ice time, he recorded an assist and finished with an xGF% of 61.85. In the end, Höglander finished the season on a high and showed that he deserves a spot in the top six next year.
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the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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The Calgary Flames (40-27-14) will travel to the City of Angels
to face the Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9) for their final regular-season game.
This game was originally scheduled for Jan. 8, but was postponed
due to the wildfires in Los Angeles.
With the playoff pursuit now over, the Flames are expected
to set shape their future by suiting up Zayne Parekh, Sam Morton, Hunter Brzustewicz
and Aydar Suniev for their debuts against L.A. Full article on these skaters
here.
The Kings on the hand have already qualified for the Stanley
Cup Playoffs and are slated to face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round.
Several of their top players have been listed as day-to-day including defensemen
Drew Doughty, Joel Edmundson, Mikey Anderson, center Anze Kopitar, wings
Quinton Byfield and Tanner Jeannot. It will
not be a surprise to see them not in action, in hopes of being rested and ready
for the post-season.
HEADS 2 HEAD
At even-strength, Calgary’s save percentage is the third-highest
against Los Angeles. They average 30.5 shots on goal per game against the Flames, which is the ninth
in the league. The Kings’ power play is ranked tenth based on the performance
of the last 30 days. With L.A. not being at full strength, expect those numbers
to be different.
Dustin Wolf is expected to suit up for his ninth-consecutive
game and to his relief, his final of an outstanding season.
Meanwhile, the Kings’ save percentage is the fifth-best
against the Flames of all teams. However, Calgary averages a league-low 23
shots on goals per game to L.A. Both those numbers could look also look different with a younger Flames lineup. It will also be interesting to see how the power
play turns out. Before a rare two-power-play-goal night against Vegas on
Tuesday, the Flames were 3-for-20 in the man-advantage.
TALE OF THE TAPE (SKATERS)
TALE OF THE TAPE (GOALIES)
Puck drops at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles tonight at 7:30
MT/9:30 ET.
The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their 2024-25 season with a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Pius Suter scored the only goal while Kevin Lankinen stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced through two periods. Nikita Tolopilo was credited with the loss, as he made six saves on eight shots in the third period.
Despite a strong first period, Vancouver was unable to gain momentum as they were outscored 4-0 in the second and third periods. The Canucks could not match the Golden Knights speed, as they fell for the 16th time this season in regulation at home. In the end, it felt as though the only people in Vancouver who had energy in the third were the fans, as they started multiple chants near the end of the game.
Games like Saturday are a good reminder of how much the Canucks need to improve their roster ahead of next season. Yes, getting players like Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, and Tyler Myers will help, but the difference in speed and skill was on full display during the 4-1 loss. Despite neither team having anything to play for, Vancouver was still outshot 29-17, with the team once again recording more missed shots (20) than those that hit the net.
Shifting off the ice, Saturday was long-time equipment manager Pat O'Neill's final game with the organization. O'Neill has been working in the NHL for over 40 years, and has been with the Canucks since the late 80's. Not only did O'Neill receive a standing ovation, but every player on the Golden Knights roster ensured they went by the bench after the game to shake his hand.
"He's just a terrific person," said Quinn Hughes post-game. "We've had some great years, some tough years here through the six years I've been here. He's one guy that, no matter what, you come in and he's got a smile on his face. He's the same person to everyone. He acts the same every single day. So he's a legend in Vancouver, a pillar for the organization. He's seen so much, so many great players, great people, coaches and captains. He's definitely a legend here, and he'll be missed. I talked to him today. I know he's planning to still be around the rink a little bit. It's gonna be probably hard to go cold turkey for him, but yeah, just a tremendous, tremendous human being."
In the end, Vancouver's season ends with more questions than answers. They will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five seasons, and may be on the verge of losing key contributors in free agency in Brock Boeser, Pius Suter, Derek Forbort and Rick Tocchet. Ultimately, the next few months will be challenging for the organization as this management group looks to build a roster that can compete for a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Stats and Facts:
- Pius Suter sets a new career high with 25 goals - Conor Garland hits the 50-point mark for the second time in his career - Kiefer Sherwood finishes the season with 462 hits - The Vancouver Canucks finish the 2024-25 season with a 38-30-14 record
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
8:23- VAN: Pius Suter (25) from Conor Garland and Nils Höglander
2nd Period:
18:33- VGK: Victor Olofsson (15) from William Karlsson and Shea Theodore
3rd Period:
7:59- VGK: Pavel Dorofeyev from Victor Olofsson and Ben Hutton 10:45- VGK: Jack Eichel (28) from Ben Hutton and Brett Howden 18:28- VGK: Cole Schwindt (1) from Shea Theodore (ENG)
Up Next:
Year End Media- Friday, April 18, 2025
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NHL Public Relations announced the schedule for the Opening Day of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday evening. Playoffs are set to begin on Saturday, April 19th, and will broadcast two games on Saturday evening.
Per an email from NHL PR, game 1 of the first round series between the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars is set for Saturday, April 19th at 6:30 pm MT/8:30 pm ET. The series will begin in Dallas at American Airlines Center for the first two games before both teams travel to Denver to play out games 3 and 4 at Ball Arena. TNT, TruTV, and Max will broadcast the games in the United States, while Sportsnet, SN360, and TVA Sports will host the game broadcast in Canada.
This will not be the only game set to air on Saturday. The series between the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets is set to begin with game 1 in Winnipeg at Canada Life Centre. Puck drop is set for 4:00 pm MT/6:00 pm ET. The game will be on Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports in Canada. In the United States, the game will be on TNT, truTV, and Max.
The Carolina Hurricanes had a memorable night Wednesday even despite a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens as the team had a pair of rookies making their NHL debuts.
Forward Skyler Brind'Amour, son of head coach Rod Brind'Amour, and defenseman Domenick Fensore got to suit up for their first NHL games after both putting in good years in the AHL.
"I think they acquitted themselves well," Rod Brind'Amour said. "I really do. It's a tough environment to walk into, but I thought all of them did a nice job."
Brind'Amour, 25, logged 15:28 centering William Carrier and Logan Stankoven and finished the night with a block and a hit as well as going 8-for-10 in the dot.
"There's been a lot of emotions," Brind'Amour said on his debut. "Kind of all over the place. It was a lot of fun. Obviously it's the best league in the world so it's tough to jump in and get your feet wet in that kind of environment with playoffs on the line for them, but it was really cool to be able to do that and really grateful for everybody that's helped me get to this point."
There were still a few learning moments for the rookie, namely the opening goal where he found himself accidently screening Pyotr Kochetkov.
"He was fine," Rod Brind'Amour said. "Had the one big mess up on the first goal, covered the wrong guy and kind of took him too far in and then screened the goalie on a long shot, which as I said, if there's no screen, it's not going in. But other than that, I think he handled himself pretty well.
"I was happy for him because he's earned it. He's earned it, played solid. He's not a guy who's going to score three, four goals a night, but I think he was good on the faceoffs and that's kind of the little things that he does, kill penalties, that kind of role and I think he did a good job."
Fensore, 23, played 17:13 and had five shots on goal, a block and two hits.
The defender showcased his smooth skating, being unafraid to carry and transition the puck and his defending was nothing to scoff at either.
"It's been kind of crazy," Fensore said. "Got the news yesterday and flew here last night. Just being jumped into a big game like this was pretty special."
Both players also got time on the penalty kill, which was a perfect 3-for-3 on the night for Carolina.
In total, the pair brought the Canes' rookie number to five in Montreal as they skated also alongside Bradly Nadeau, Scott Morrow and Logan Stankoven and they all will probably have the chance for one more game too in Ottawa on Thursday.
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ST. LOUIS -- The quest for the Stanley Cup begins on Saturday for the St. Louis Blues, who will open their Western Conference First Round series against the Winnipeg Jets at 5 p.m. (CT).
The game will be televised on TNT, truTV and Max in the U.S. and Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports in Canada for those Blues fans north of the border. Of course, it can also be heard on ESPN 101.1-FM.
Games 1 and 2 will be played at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, with Games 3 and 4 slated for Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Game 5, if necessary, would be back in Winnipeg; Game 6, if necessary, would be in St. Louis and Game 7, also if necessary, would close the series in Winnipeg.
The NHL will release its full playoff schedule soon and the remainder of dates between the Blues and Jets will be released.
It's the first time the teams have squared off in the playoffs since the Blues, as the third seed in the Central Division, knocked off the No. 2-seeded Jets in six games in 2019, en route to the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship.
Winnipeg took three of the four matchups this season, with the Blues going 1-2-1, with their lone win on Dec. 3, 4-1. The Jets won the most recent matchup, 3-1, April 7 in Winnipeg.
The Blues (44-30-8) finished as the second wild card from the Western Conference, while the Jets (56-22-4) won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time ever and claimed the Central Division title.
Carolina Hurricanes forward and top prospect Bradly Nadeau registered his first NHL point Wednesday night in the team's 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
It was just the second career NHL game for the 2023 first-round pick, having made his debut in the final game of the season last year.
"I thought, as the game got on, he was actually starting to be really noticeable," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Made a couple of nice plays, had a good tip there on the goal. Had a couple shots on the power play there. He did a good job."
Nadeau grew more and more noticeable as the game went on and finally, late in the third period, the winger was fighting for position in front of the Montreal net and managed to get his stick on a Dmitry Orlov shot.
The puck nearly found its way into the net on its own, but it needed a little help and luckily Tyson Jost was there to poke it home.
"There's a lot of emotions that go through it," Nadeau said on picking up his first NHL point. "Obviously your team scored, so you're back in the game there and then also you get your first NHL point. I think just a lot of emotions, but hopefully it's one of many."
The New Brunswick native has shown a penchant for producing at every level of his career so far and I don't think it will be too long before we see him doing it consistently at the NHL level either.
"Every chance you get to play for an NHL team you kind of embrace and play as hard as you can," Nadeau said. "Learn from mistakes and the experience. Had a lot of fun. Unfortunately we came up short, but I think there was a lot to like."
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WBS Penguins Sign Three Players For 2025-26 SeasonThe Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins continue their quest for the Calder Cup this season, but the club is also looking towards the future, agreeing to contracts with three NCAA players for next season.
Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images
