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The Detroit Red Wings had not scored a first-period goal since their victory over the New Jersey Devils on March 8, but they were able to remedy that drought on Friday evening. 

In fact, they did it three times.

First-period goals from Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, and Marco Kasper paced the Red Wings to a critical 5-2 road win over the Buffalo Sabres, enabling them to get back to within a point of the second and final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. 

For the Red Wings, getting off to a big start was key. 

"Everyone was asking me about the want or the need to score in the first period, so it was really big," head coach Todd McLellan said. "We caught them maybe a little bit flat, and you could see when they took it up in the second (period) and it was a different game. But the lead was something we needed." 

As McLellan noted, the Sabres upped their game in the contest's middle frame, limiting the Red Wings to only three shots while also finally solving John Gibson with a Tage Thompson goal. 

However, Detroit kept Buffalo at bay and secured an insurance tally from former Sabres defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker. Despite a Sabres goal from team captain Rasmus Dahlin soon afterward, Buffalo native and future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane sealed the victory with an empty net goal. 

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Kane made sure to not only emphasize the importance of the fast start but also credit Gibson, who made 28 saves. 

“It was a great start, I think we were really focused on the start tonight, and that obviously put us in a great position. Second period wasn't great, obviously, but kind of held down the fort, only gave up one. Gibby made some huge saves."

Gibson returned to the form that made him one of the NHL's best goaltenders since the beginning of December, turning aside several prime chances for the Sabres.

"He was unbelievable for us tonight, and a lot of bending but not breaking in the right moments in the game, and obviously the fourth goal was huge to give us a cushion," Kane said. "So, big team win. Coming into Buffalo against a good team, we should feel good about that one, but got to get right back to it tomorrow.”

The Red Wings are back in action on Saturday evening against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers. 

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home for the first of three straight games in the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena. This game features the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose Sharks - 32-21-7 - 71 Points - 2-6-2 in the last 10 - Lost 6 - 6th in the Pecific

Columbus Blue Jackets - 38-23-11 - 87 Points - 6-2-2 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 3rd in the Metro  

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• CBJ wrapped up a three-game road trip (1-2-0) with a 2-1 loss at Montreal on Thursday. Each contest was decided by a single goal.

• The Blue Jackets, who begin a three-game homestand on Saturday, have earned points in 12-straight home games (9-0-3), tied for the longest home points streak in club history (12; 9-0-3 from Feb. 11-Mar. 31, 2013). The team has also collected points in 16-of-17 contests at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (12-1-4).

• The club has earned points in 24 of its last 28 contests (20-4-4, 44 pts) to lead the league in wins (tied), points pct. (.786) and goals against per game (2.43) since Jan. 11.

• Columbus has allowed two goals or less in eight of the last nine games since Mar. 10 (1.78 GA/GP, 3rd in NHL).

• CBJ play their 15th of 16 back-to-back sets (18-6-4, .714 pts pct.) vs. San Jose (Saturday) and Boston (Sunday).

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Adam Fantilli has registered points in seven out of the last nine games (3-6-9) and in 13 of the last 17 contests (8-10-18). He is two points (21-32-53, 72 GP) from setting a single-season career high.

• Jet Greaves has earned points in 14 of his last 16 starts since Jan. 11 (12-2-2, 2.23 GAA, .915 SV% in 16 GP), while G Elvis Merzlikins has recorded points in 10 of his past 12 starts over that span (8-2-2, 2.50 GAA in 13 GP).

• Boone Jenner has registered 1-3-4 in the last five games and sits two contests shy of 800 for his NHL career (209-207-416, 798 GP).

• Mason Marchment has totaled 13-10-23 in 30 contests with the Blue Jackets.

• Mathieu Olivier has posted 3-1-4 in the past six games and ranks eighth-T in the NHL in goals since Jan. 28 (11 in 21 GP).

• Zach Werenski has recorded multiple points in three of the last five games (1-7-8). He has notched 21-56-77 and 25 multi-point efforts in 65 games in 2025-26 to lead NHL blueliners in points-per-game (1.18), multi-point efforts, and shots on goal (226) and sit second in points and third in goals. He's also tied Artemi Panarin's single-season club record for multi-point games (2018-19).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 20.0% - 17th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 78.2% - 21st in the NHL
• Goals For - 226 - 17th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 218 - 16th in the NHL   

Sharks Stats

• Power Play - 19.8% - 18th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 79.0% - 16th in the NHL
• Goals For - 210 - 19th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 250 - 30th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheSharks

• Columbus is 29-35-0-6 all-time, and 19-13-0-3 at home vs. San Jose.
• Columbus had its six-game points streak in the series (5-0-1) in the 5-2 loss in the last meeting at San Jose.
• The Blue Jackets have earned points in 10 of the last 14 games of the series since Mar. 4, 2018 (9-4-1).
• CBJ have won four-straight home games against the Sharks and five of the past six at Nationwide Arena.
• The home team has won four-straight and collected points in nine of the last 10 in the series (8-1-1).
• Six of the last seven games played at Nationwide Arena have been decided by multiple goals.
• The winning team has scored four-plus goals in 7 of the last nine matchups in the overall series.
• The teams have each recorded six shutouts and three hat tricks in the series, with CBJ recording the most recent in each category (Bobrovsky, 26 saves in a 4-0 shutout win at CBJ on Feb. 23, 2019; Carter, three goals in a 6-3 W at CBJ on Feb. 21, 2012).

Who To Watch For TheSharks

• Macklin Celebrini leads the team with 35 goals, 61 assists, and 96 points.

• Alex Wennberg has 31 assists and 45 points.
• Yaroslav Askarov is 19-17-3 with a SV% of .888
• Ohioan Alex Nedeljkovic is 13-13-4 with an .893 SV%.

CBJ Player Notes vs Sharks

• Charlie Coyle has 6 goals and 12 points against San Jose.
• Zach Werenski has 8 points in 14 career games.
• Mason Marchment has 6 points vs. the Sharks.

Injured Reserve & Other Injuries

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 34 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
• Damon Severson - Upper Body - Left the game early against the Montreal Canadiens.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 180

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play. 

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While the novelty of outdoor games might have worn off for those watching on TV, they remain an incredible experience for those in attendance, and Montreal is now the only Canadian team that has not hosted an outdoor game. In the latest edition of his written 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet's insider Elliotte Friedman reports that the Montreal Canadiens are working to fix that.

Furthering Renaud Lavoie’s report about the fact that the Habs are aiming to build a temporary outdoor stadium at Parc Jean Drapeau, Friedman reports that it would be able to seat 42,000 fans, and the organization aims to have that ready for the 2028-29 season. He also adds that a woman’s game would be part of the festivities. That would no doubt be a big success given how popular the Montreal Victoire have been since its inception.

Hutson's Excellent Season Has Him Climbing Up The Ladder In Canadiens History
Canadiens’ Secondary Scoring Gets Two Big Points
Canadiens Prospect Hage Opens Up About His Father’s Accident

The Canadiens have taken part in four outdoor games so far: the very first regular-season outdoor game in 2003, in which they battled the Edmonton Oilers, another Heritage Classic in 2011 against the Calgary Flames, a Winter Classic in Foxborough against the Boston Bruins, and the NHL Centennial game against the Ottawa Senators in December 2017. Montreal has a 2-2-0 record playing outside in the regular season. Next season, the Habs will feature in their fifth outdoor game, taking on the Winnipeg Jets on October 25 at the Princess Auto Stadium.

Having attended the game in Foxborough in 2016, I can attest to the special atmosphere, with 67,246 fans cheering on the archrivals. The Canadiens won that game 5-1, and the fans who had come down from Montreal for the event didn’t go home disappointed. The weekend would have been perfect had it not been for the life-altering injury Denna Laing sustained in the game between the Boston Pride and the Montreal Canadiennes the day before the Winter Classic. The forward suffered a spinal cord injury when she collided headfirst with the boards and has been in a wheelchair since. Last year, she was awarded the NHL Foundation Athlete Leadership Award for her leadership and advocacy for spinal cord injury awareness.

If and when the Canadiens manage to have a temporary stadium and the NHL schedules a game there, I highly recommend attending; you’ll have a wonderful time.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

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Just the facts

• When: Today, 5 PM
• Where: TD Garden — Boston, Mass.
• How to follow: NESN, NHLN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
• Opposing perspective: Hockey Wilderness

Know your enemy

• 41-20-12, 94PTS, 3rd in the Central Division
• Kirill Kaprizov: 38G-42A-80PTS; Matt Boldy: 38G-38A-76PTS; Quinn Hughes: 6G-64A-70PTS
• Filip Gustavsson: 26-12-6, 2.51 GAA, .911 save percentage; Jesper Wallstedt: 15-8-6, 2.73 GAA, .912 save percentage

Game notes

• The Boston Bruins are set to face off against the Minnesota Wild this evening in the first of a back-to-back weekend. They’ll head to Columbus tomorrow to take on the Blue Jackets Friday.
• It will also be the first of three games in four days for the Bruins as the season winds down with 10 games left.
• It’s still a tight wild card race and again, every point matters. The B’s are holding onto the first wild card spot with 88 points, one point ahead from the New York Islanders. Ottawa trails a wild card spot by a point with 86.
• The Bruins last saw the Wild on Dec. 14, 2025. The Bruins dropped that game, 6-2. In the game, the B’s allowed two power play goals and Kaprizov scored twice.
• The Wild have the edge on special teams this evening and it’s something the Bruins need to clean up down this stretch.
• Head Coach Marco Sturm said after practice they’ve switched positions “a little bit” on the power play to try to get it going. He said they’ve tried to let things ride out, saying maybe the units need another game and have taken things day by day. But he added the power play isn’t there yet and there’s been too many turnovers. “These guys, we need to be better. Hopefully we can get back on track here as soon as possible,” he said.
• The Bruins are also looking to tune up their penalty kill as they’ve allowed five power play goals by their opponents in the last three games. “We have to find out ways to come out even,” Sturm said.
• Recent point leaders: For the Bruins, David Pastrnak has nine points in his last five games with three goals and six assists. Pavel Zacha has four goals in that time. For the Wild, Brock Faber has six points with one goal and five assists in his last five games.
• The Wild last played on Thursday when they beat the Florida Panthers, 3-2.
• The Bruins had a visit from Patrice Bergeron yesterday skating with Morgan Geekie and Fraser Minton before yesterday’s practice.
• Per the nhl.com, the Bruins are projected to look like this today:

Lines:

Marat Khusnutdinov — Fraser Minten — David Pastrnak

Casey Mittelstadt — Pavel Zacha — Viktor Arvidsson

Lukas Reichel — Elias Lindholm — Morgan Geekie

Tanner Jeannot — Sean Kuraly — Mark Kastelic

Defensive pairings:

Jonathan Aspirot — Charlie McAvoy

Nikita Zadorov — Andrew Peeke

Hampus Lindholm — Mason Lohrei

In net:

Jeremy Swayman

Put it over the radio: New York’s Bravest and Finest will light the lamps on the ice this weekend.

The annual NYPD and FDNY hockey game — a grudge match filled with flying fists, punishing hits and high-octane play from the departments’ heroes — is a day circled on every first responder’s calendar.

“This is basically our Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final,” firefighter and goalie Nick Battaglia told The Post.

“The first two minutes of that game, everyone wants to kill each other. Nobody’s worried about the puck,” added NYPD general manager and former captain Charlie Venticinque. “If you have the puck, you’re getting tanked.”

The game sells out NHL arenas year after year, and this time at UBS Arena at 1:30 p.m. Sunday will be no different. Fans and family come ready to roar and even bring banners and signs for their kin to make it feel like the real deal.

Months on end, teammates in their mid-20s to late-40s have been doing whatever it takes to be in game, or rather fighting, shape.

They want to put on a show in the 52nd annual head-to-head meeting.

“Guys are missing work, missing overtime, missing things with their family, switching their tours around,” said newly anointed NYPD captain and defenseman George Antzoulis. “Guys are staying at work for three days straight, going from hockey back to work, sleeping in the office, sleeping in chairs, sleeping in their cars in the parking lot.”

It’s a labor of love, pride, and brotherhood, as tugging on that jersey — Antzoulis knows stepping on the ice with the “C” on his chest will be an emotional moment — represents something much larger than the individual athlete.

They’re always reminded of that in the locker room on game day.

Families of members lost in the line of duty have come in to inspire the players, as have the brass of both departments.

“You get chills,” said NYPD center and alternate captain Dan O’Donoghue, who was in Islanders rookie camp in 2010.

“Seeing the stands fill up, then you do the 9/11 remembrance, the bagpipes, and the national anthem … you try to take it all in. It goes really fast.”

Extra motivation to play through each whistle is hardly necessary — especially when the archrivals start chirping one another with cop and firefighter jokes.

When bone-crushing, open-ice hits mix in — O’Donoghue added that he’s “usually limping around the house a week or so after” — the gloves “organically” come off, said FDNY right wing Stephen Kelly.

“That passion runs through you. … We stand up for each other, we look out for each other,” he added, recalling a few past brawls that went viral online in the wild game for charity. “It’s just like your family at home. You’re going to defend them … whether you’re at work or on the hockey rink. That’s the fire department brotherhood.”

The temporary adversaries, many of whom grew up playing with or against one another, remember they’re all on the same team where it counts after the final buzzer.

“At the end of the day, everybody knows it’s a hockey game,” Kelly said.

The teams are now celebrities in the hockey world from their remarkable style of lambasting physical play — it gets the rowdy crowd going like an Islanders-Rangers game — as they travel across the country to face other teams and organizations.

The NYPD recently took on the Boston PD, and the FDNY typically lands in an Ontario firefighter hockey tournament, where the opposition is in a league of its own.

“Those departments, they recruit hockey players to be firemen,” firefighter forward Derek Kern said of the Canadians. “They have draft picks, they have guys that played in the NHL.”

FDNY’s high level of competition has paid off, as red hasn’t lost to blue in a decade.

They also hold a 31-18-2 all-time record against the NYPD, dating back to the first game at Madison Square Garden in 1974.

But the cops want to read ’em their rights this time around.

“We’re due. Man, we need one … it’s something I’m dying for,” Antzoulis said.

But if not, the captain is content having an unforgettable day with his brothers.

“There are 33,000 cops in the NYPD, and there are only 30 of us,” he said. “We’re the luckiest 30 in the world.”

Who: Dallas Stars (43-18-11, 97 points, 2nd place Central Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (36-20-16, 88 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 5:00 p.m. eastern

How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and Victory+, streaming on ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins have a back-to-back coming up that will have a major impact on the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Pens take on the New York Islanders on the road on Monday before matching up with the Detroit Red Wings at home on Tuesday.

Opponent Track: The Stars have hit a recent skid, going 1-4-1 in their last six games (coming on the heels of going 8-0-1 in the first nine games out of the Olympic break). When Dallas is good, they’re very good but that hasn’t been the case recently having lost four-straight games (0-3-1) with losses to Minnesota, Vegas, New Jersey and most recently a 2-1 regulation defeat to the Islanders on Thursday night. Between the Stars’ slide, combined with Colorado’s recent four-game winning streak, it looks like Dallas is heading towards the ‘first round matchup of doom’ this year in the Central Division against Minnesota in what could feature two 105+ point teams squaring off.

Season Series: Back before the Penguins exorcised their shootout demons, they lost a 3-2 shootout decision against the Stars on Dec. 7 thanks to a Mikko Rantanen shootout goal against Tristan Jarry.

Hidden Stat: The Stars clinched a playoff spot on Sunday, which marked the franchise’s fewest games to earn a playoff spot (70) since the team did it in 63 games during their 1998-99 Stanley Cup season (h/t NHL Stats).

Hidden Stat 2.0: Home ice hasn’t been that friendly to the Penguins, who have only won 16 out of the 35 games at PPG Paints Arena (with another “home” win in the standings counted in a victory in Sweden when the Pens were designated as the home team). Overall the Pens are just 16-11-8 this season in their true home arena.

Getting to know the Stars

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Jason Robertson – Wyatt Johnston – Mavrik Bourque

Michael Bunting – Matt Duchene – Jamie Benn

Sam Steel – Justin Hryckowian – Colin Blackwell

Adam Erne – Oskar Back – Nathan Bastian

DEFENSEMEN

Esa Lindell / Miro Heiskanen

Thomas Harley / Nils Lundkvist

Lian Bichsel / Tyler Myers

Goalies: Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith

Potential scratches: Roope Hintz (lower body)

Injured Reserve: Mikko Rantanen (lower body), Radek Faksa (lower body), Tyler Seguin (season-ending knee injury)

• Rantanen is nearing a return from injury, he participated in Thursday’s morning skate ahead of the NYI game (though he didn’t play). As of 12 days ago Rantanen was said to be 10-14 days away, so he’s right in the window for a possible return to action for today’s game.

• The Stars will be without Tyler Seguin for the rest of the season and the playoffs after placing him on LTIR in February amid his recovery from a torn ACL. They’ll still hope to get Hintz and Faksa back in time for the postseason, in addition to the impending return of Rantanen.
• Former Penguin Michael Bunting was one of the Stars’ additions at the trade deadline alongside defenseman Tyler Myers. Bunting has since slotted in on Dallas’ second line alongside Matt Duchene.
• Dallas could soon have two brothers on the same team for the first time since Jamie and Jordie Benn. The Stars recently signed Dylan Hryckowian, brother and former college teammate of third-line center Justin Hryckowian, to an entry-level contract.

Stars going dim

Generating offense has been an issue for Dallas during their current losing streak. They’re currently without two of their top-five point producers and stretching others into bigger roles has had an effect on output lately.

Season stats
via hockeydb

• Wyatt Johnston has recorded career highs in both goals and points while centering Jason Robertson, who is enjoying his fourth straight 80-point season in Dallas.
• It’s been an up-and-down season for Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, although he’s been strong as of late. The Stars are playing the Philadelphia Flyers on the road tomorrow, so they’ll have to decide whether Oettinger or former Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith will be getting the start in Pittsburgh tonight.
• DeSmith, by the way, has only played against Pittsburgh once in his career. That happened last year as a member of the Stars, where he stopped 35 of 39 shots but picked up the loss. Oettinger has a lot of career success against the Pens, boasting a 6-1-0 record with a .942 save% and 1.71 GAA.
• The Stars have been running one of the most formidable power plays in the NHL this season, although their top unit has recently taken a hit with the injury absence of Mikko Rantanen.
• Dallas has had some injury issues but they haven’t played many different players, just 27 skaters have dressed this season. By comparison, the Penguins have dressed 38 different skaters so far this season.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby* – Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Anthony Mantha

Ville Koivunen – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard / Kris Letang

Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton

Goalies:  Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner

Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Evgeni Malkin (injured)

IR: Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany

• The Pens canceled a practice yesterday, so we’ll have to wait and see for this morning on any updates on the status of Crosby. If Crosby can’t play, it’s possible that Joona Koppanen will be in the lineup as a bottom-six center. The team could also opt to shift Rickard Rakell or Noel Acciari to center for the day and insert a winger like Avery Hayes into the lineup. Depending on Crosby’s status it could be a very fluid situation with a couple different options on how they want to go about patching a lineup together.
• We’ll also await word on Evgeni Malkin, officially day-to-day with an undisclosed injury (believed to be in the finger/hand area). Malkin did not even travel with the team to Ottawa for Thursday’s game which might not bode well for his availability just a couple days later.
• Bryan Rust is currently in the midst of a career-long nine-game point streak (5G-8A) and has points in 14 of his last 15 games played (7G-12A) dating back to Feb. 28th, per Pens PR. Rust’s streak is the second longest active one in the league behind Boston’s David Pastranak (11).
• Sam Girard is set to play in career game No. 600 today. Not bad for a guy who won’t turn 28 until May.
• Whether or not the goalie rotation continues will be interesting as well, Skinner has been performing much better than Silovs lately — but the team has other considerations in mind with a massive set of games on Monday/Tuesday against NYI and Detroit. They may want to keep Skinner fresh and in rhythm for that Monday game by not leaning too hard on him today, which would make Monday his third game in five days. They may also not want Silovs to have his next action come on Tuesday and have him go a full week between starts by skipping him today. Lots to weigh and consider for that decision on who plays in goal today for the Pens with more variables in mind than simply this one game.

Erik Karlsson is deep into Paul Coffey territory for points in a single month — always a great sign for any defender. Across the NHL this month, only Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov (26) has more points than Karlsson with his 21.

The Islanders’ up-down, up-down form hopefully does not continue today when they host the Panthers for a 1 p.m. matinee in Elmont.

Florida split two games at home (lost to the Wild, beat the Kraken) after finishing a road trip with a 4-1 loss in Calgary. Yes, they are last-except-for-the-Rangers in the East, but the Cup champs are not pushovers and have not thrown in the towel, going 5-5 over their last 10 (just a game worse than the Islanders, by the way).

After squeaking by the Stars on Thursday, if the Islanders can pull off another win chances are it will be by one goal, which is how they’ve gotten 27 of their wins thus far this season.

Islanders News

• Five dudes who are key to the Isles’ playoff push. [Newsday]
• Here’s how they lined up at Friday’s practice. [Isles]
• The Isles ground out a win vs. the Stars, they’ll need that again this afternoon. [Post]
• The Skinny: “Schaefer has 22 goals, tying Barry Beck (22) for the second-highest total in a season. His next goal will tie Brian Leetch’s NHL record.” [Isles]
• It was team photo day, and the behind-the-scenes shots are all cute ‘n stuff. Kyle Palmieri and Alex Romanov sightings, plus Matt Martin in a suit and Matthew Schaefer hamming it up. [Isles]

Elsewhere

Just two games last night but the Red Wings won in Buffalo, in regulation, earning a valuable two points from one of their two games in hand.

• Sidney Crosby is out again. [NHL]
• The Panthers will be without Evan Rodrigues. [NHL]
• Bourne: The Maple Leafs haven’t had a clear plan and have suffered for it. [Sportsnet]
• In today’s episode of Tom Wilson is a POS…:

For the first time in franchise history, the Vegas Golden Knights will finish a season with more losses than wins.

Despite entering the year with a roster built around elite talent, headlined by players such as Jack Eichel and the high-profile addition of Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights have struggled to meet expectations. A 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena only added to a season defined by inconsistency, missed chances, and an inability to close out tightly contested games.

Goaltending Instability And The Root Of The Problem

One of the clearest issues throughout the season has been goaltending. While not the only reason for the team’s struggles, it has consistently been one of the most significant factors limiting Vegas from performing at its usual level.

To understand how things reached this point, it’s worth looking back at how the goaltending situation has evolved over the past few seasons.

The Golden Knights weren’t always unstable in net. In 2023, they captured the Stanley Cup with a more dependable structure in goal. However, Logan Thompson suffered a lower-body injury late in that season.

During his absence, Vegas turned to a rotation that included Laurent Brossoit, Adin Hill, rookie Jiří Patera, and midseason acquisition Jonathan Quick. Although Thompson was unavailable for the playoffs, he remained part of the championship team, and his name was eventually engraved on the Stanley Cup alongside his teammates.

The following season opened with Thompson and Hill sharing the net as a tandem. That arrangement changed when Hill dealt with a series of lower-body injuries, which allowed Thompson to step into the starting role. After some early inconsistencies, Thompson’s play improved notably following the Winter Classic, where he began to settle into a more consistent rhythm.

Heading into the playoffs, Thompson was named the Golden Knights’ starter and responded well early, helping Vegas win back-to-back games against the Dallas Stars on April 22 and 24. But as the series progressed, momentum began to shift. Thompson dropped the next two games, and while he delivered a strong performance in Game 3 with a career-high 43 saves, it came in a losing effort.

Facing pressure, the Golden Knights made the decision to turn to Adin Hill for Game 5. The move carried risk, largely based on Hill’s prior success as the goaltender who helped backstop the team to a Stanley Cup. The hope was that he could recapture that form and provide a spark.

Instead, the decision didn’t deliver the desired result. The change disrupted the stability in net, and Vegas was unable to regain control of the series, ultimately falling to the Stars in seven games.

Following the season, Thompson requested a trade, and the Golden Knights honored that request by sending him to the Washington Capitals during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for two third-round picks.

Fallout And The Current State Of The Position

Since that move, the Golden Knights have struggled to find consistent goaltending. Adin Hill has endured the worst season of his career, ranking near the bottom of the league statistically with a 9-9-4 record, a 3.07 goals-against average, and a .868 save percentage.

In contrast, Thompson has thrived in Washington, emerging as one of the league’s top goaltenders. He currently ranks 2nd among 94 goaltenders, posting a 25-20 record, a 2.40 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage. The difference in production has only intensified scrutiny around the decision to move on from him.

The organization also added Carter Hart, who arrived under the shadow of the Hockey Canada sexual assault investigation. His season, however, has been hampered by injuries and uneven play, and he has not been able to provide the stability the team was hoping for. Akira Schmid has filled in as well, but his performance has largely reflected that of a depth option rather than a true starter, further highlighting the uncertainty in net.

Entering the season, Vegas believed Hill and Hart would anchor the position. That plan has not materialized, and goaltending has become one of the team’s most pressing concerns.

Attention has naturally turned toward general manager Kelly McCrimmon. While he remains a respected executive and a Stanley Cup-winning architect, the current shortcomings—especially in goal—have raised legitimate questions. Accountability comes with the job.

Ultimately, McCrimmon is tasked with finding a solution. Whether through internal development, roster adjustments, or future acquisitions, the Golden Knights need to stabilize the goaltending position if they hope to return to contention.

Not every gamble works out, and when they don’t, the consequences can be significant. In professional sports, results drive everything. If McCrimmon is unable to guide the team back to consistent success, changes within the organization may eventually follow.

First game, first win, first goal.

The New York Rangers’ 6-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night was headlined by a number of NHL firsts for a few of the Blueshirts’ young players. 

The main storyline going into Friday night’s game was the highly anticipated debut of Drew Fortescue, who signed his entry-level contract with the Rangers last week after completing his junior season at Boston College.

Fortescue played a total of 17:23 minutes and recorded his first NHL point, assisting Jonny Brodzinski’s goal in the third period. 

“I thought he was solid,” Mike Sullivan said of Fortescue. “For the most part, he played the game with composure. He didn't just throw pucks away. He made some outlet passes. He had good poise. I thought he had a high-panic threshold. He didn't throw pucks away when he was under pressure, he protected it. He defended well. I think he's got a good stick, decent mobility. There's a lot to like about Drew's game. For such a young kid in his first NHL game, I thought he played really well.”

In his second NHL game, Adam Sýkora recorded his first NHL goal, on a two-on-one chance with Will Cuylle. 

The excitement from Sýkora was evident, as he celebrated with passion, and his teammates were ecstatic for the young rookie, who could be seen embracing him on the bench.  

“I couldn't describe the feeling,” Sýkora said about his first NHL goal. “You play the first game (Wednesday), then you have a goal. I just appreciate every moment here to be around these guys and... help them to win games. And just enjoy every second I got an opportunity to play here.”

Sýkora has spent multiple years playing with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, creating a reputation for himself as a player who plays with ferocious energy and a personality that is infectious. 

That same energy, both on and off the ice, has been felt since the Rangers called him up earlier this week.

“He’s a dog on the bone on the puck,” Sullivan said of Sýkora. “Doesn’t matter what the score is, he’s going to give you 110%… His personality is infectious. You could see the reaction of his teammates when he scored the goal. I think that speaks volumes of what they think of him as a person.”

Dylan Garand was able to notch his first NHL victory in a moment he says that he’ll never forget. 

The 23-year-old goalie made 27 saves on 28 shots, and in his two starts since taking over the backup goaltending job for the injured Jonathan Quick, Garand has caught the eye of Sullivan. 

Drew Fortescue Slated To Make NHL Debut For Rangers Against BlackhawksIt’s been about a year since Drew Fortescue, along with some of his Boston College teammates, were watching Gabe Perreault make his NHL debut for the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a>.

“I thought he looked really solid in there, and that's the second game in a row I felt that way so. 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,” Sullivan said of Garand. “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.”

While the Rangers may be eliminated from playoff contention with less than 10 games remaining in the 2025-26 season, this is an opportunity for the young players to make their mark with the organization and prove their worth moving forward.

“I think we're all hungry,” Garand said. “This is kind of, for some of us, our opportunity. Guys like me and [Adam Sýkora], we've been playing in Hartford for a long time and we finally get to play games. We're hungry and we're excited to try and help this team win in any way we can. It's a lot of fun right now.”

The Chicago Blackhawks took on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. This was the third game out of four on their East Coast road trip. 

The first game of the trip on Tuesday night was an impressive win over the New York Islanders, while they were blown out by the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. This game, the second half of a back-to-back, was a chance for the Blackhawks to bounce back. 

Earlier in the week, Anton Frondell made his NHL debut, while Sacha Boisvert did one game later. The excitement of their first games is in the past, and now it's about getting them to become contributors on the team. 

After losing to Philadelphia 5-1 on Thursday, they were beaten by the Rangers 6-1 one night later. It’s a young team, and it showed by being outscored 11-2 over two nights. 

Nick Lardis scored Chicago’s lone goal on Friday by getting himself into a good position so he could take advantage of a pretty passing play by every skater on the ice. That’s three goals in the last four games for Lardis, who continues to find the back of the net no matter what level he’s at.

From there, the Rangers scored six unanswered to skate home with a 6-1 victory. Although New York and Chicago are at the same level in the standings,  the former has veterans who can bring their A-game on any given night, which is usually enough to take down a young team like the Blackhawks. 

The excitement of two prospects joining the lineup has gone away, but they were both noticeable in the loss to the Rangers.

For Frondell, who led all Blackhawks forwards in ice-time, he had one play where he stripped US Olympian JT Miller of the puck and found Connor Bedard all alone in front of the net. The shot was saved, but more often than not, that effort will result in goals. It was one of many noticeable plays that Frondell had over the course of the match.  

As for Sacha Boisvert, he participated in his first career NHL fight. He mentioned that as a desire of his right when he signed, and now he has that checked off his list. 

The Blackhawks didn't go after JT Miller right away when he hit Artom Levshunov, but they handled it later on, and that eventually led to Boisvert's fight against Will Borgen. 

Making a name for himself in any way that he can is a key to earning a roster spot in 2026-27, and he’s done that through two games in limited ice time. As his role grows, so will his level of play. 

The Blackhawks poor results can mostly be attributed to bad puck possession and defensive decision-making. Shots aren’t the end-all, be-all, but giving up 39 or more in four of the last five games is not ideal.

The Rangers had just 10 against the Ottawa Senators a couple of nights ago, and they had 39 against the Blackhawks. There is a sincere difference in competitive level between the Blackhawks and other NHL teams right now. 

This is a tough stretch for the Blackhawks. No matter who is on the other side, a young team like them is going to struggle at times with all of their inexperience in the lineup. The core of the team must grind through and take that next step in their development, and it will only happen with reps like these. 

Wins over the Islanders are a glimpse into how good things can be, and defeats like these two late-week losses show how far away they are. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

#️⃣7️⃣6️⃣ with a goal in three of his last four games 🎉 pic.twitter.com/LoG0XEKmz3

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 27, 2026

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks will be back in action again on Saturday night when they cross the Hudson River to take on the New Jersey Devils. 

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

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If someone would have said prior to the start of the 2025-26 season that the Pittsburgh Penguins would be playing a large chunk of their second half without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, many would have drawn the conclusion that the season was going even worse than expected for them. And outside expectations certainly weren't very high to begin with.

In fact, even with Crosby and Malkin, most didn't expect the Penguins to be talking about potential first-round playoff matchups in late-March, let alone without their star forwards. But, here they are at second in the Metropolitan Division, and they've almost managed to make it through the toughest month of their entire schedule - and the toughest strength of schedule in the NHL - largely without at least one of them in the lineup.

And there have been many players who have stepped up in the absence of 87 and 71. Rickard Rakell has taken on first-line center duties and has seven goals and 15 points in the 16 games since the Olympic break - including six goals and 14 points in his last 11. Bryan Rust has seven goals and 19 points in those 16 games. Anthony Mantha has six goals and 11 points. Egor Chinakhov has six goals and 14 points. 

Even goaltenders Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner - despite some inconsistencies from both since the break - have done enough in a general sense to help keep the Penguins afloat and have come up with some big saves in big moments. 

But there is one player who has carried this team on his back, and he's separated himself as this team's MVP in not only this stretch, but arguably, for the entire season.

And that would be Erik Karlsson.

Karlsson, 35, was acquired by the Penguins in the summer of 2023 - GM and POHO Kyle Dubas's first summer with the organization - and his first two seasons in Pittsburgh, even if they weren't bad ones, were a bit underwhelming. And this is, especially, considering the fact that he was coming off an historic 29-goal, 101-point Norris Trophy campaign with the San Jose Sharks, which was the third of his hall-of-fame career. 

Takeaways: Several Penguins Step Up, Seize Two Points Against Ottawa Senators Despite Crosby InjuryEven with captain Sidney Crosby exiting early in the second period, the Pittsburgh Penguins found a way to outlast the Ottawa Senators through a shootout, beating them 4-3 and securing a massive two points.

This season, however, the best version of Karlsson has re-emerged. And not only is he leading the charge to get this Penguins' team to the playoffs for the first time in four years - and the first time during his tenure in Pittsburgh - he's also, arguably, the best player in hockey during this playoff stretch run.

Karlsson is tied for second in the NHL in points (21) since Mar. 1, and he is tied for second in the NHL in goals since Mar. 16 (six). And the crazy thing is that the only NHL defensemen within spitting distance are Buffalo Sabres' blueliner Rasmus Dahlin and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers, who each have 15 points since Mar. 1 and are 27th and 28th in the league since then.

These are elite forward numbers that Karlsson - a defenseman - is putting up. For the past month, his name has been up there with the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Martin Necas, Jack Hughes, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor McDavid. And it's not as if he's sacrificing defense to create offense, either, as Karlsson is playing one of the very best defensive seasons of his NHL career.

We're seeing vintage Erik Karlsson, folks 👀

• Six goals over his last six games
• Three-straight three-point games on the road
• Seven multi-point games over his last 10 outings
• Ranks second in the NHL with 22 points since February 28 pic.twitter.com/XEBB9nYCla

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) March 27, 2026

There is little debate that Karlsson is the very best player in the league right now. He is not just putting up elite, forward-level production game-in and game-out, and he is not just a product of what's happening around him. He has been, far and away, the best Penguins' player in the last month, and even if the players mentioned above are contributing to the cause, guys like Kucherov and Necas - the only guys who have more points than he does in March - have the benefit of other players like Jake Guentzel and MacKinnon, respectively, helping them lead their teams to comfortable playoff berths.

Fought for it 🫡 pic.twitter.com/X3TGVfmwEN

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 27, 2026

The Penguins are anything but comfortable. Although they completely control their own destiny, two points separate them and the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They are fighting for their playoff lives and continuously fending off teams below them in the standings, and they are doing it without Crosby and Malkin.

And that push, that fight, has been led by Karlsson. He is the x-factor. He is the difference-maker. He is the best player on the ice in nearly every single game at this point, carrying his team on his back and leading by example and by proxy. 

Simply put, the Penguins would not be in a playoff spot right now if not for Karlsson. He is playing some of the best hockey of his entire 17-year NHL career, and his unparalleled contributions have not gone unnoticed by his teammates.

Report: Penguins' GM Dubas Has No Plans To Trade Karlsson This OffseasonMuch of the conjecture around the <a href="http://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> has changed over the course of the 2025-26 season, as the team's playoff-hopeful performance has shifted them from sure sellers trying to collect every possible asset to a team that is, perhaps, beginning to come out of the lowest point of their rebuild.

“He’s doing so much for us," Rakell said. "And it’s not just scoring goals. It’s the way he breaks out pucks and keeping a close cap on their entries and just dictating the game. Then, obviously, everybody knows his game. When he’s confident, he’s one of the best defensemen in our league still. He shows that he can do it all.”

If the Penguins make the playoffs - and, especially, if they play a good chunk of these next 10 games without 87 and 71 and still manage to make it - Karlsson deserves an enormous amount of credit for that. He also deserves to talk a potential contract extension with Dubas and the gang this summer.

And when the calendar month of March concludes, Karlsson should certainly be recognized as the NHL's first star since there has been no one better in hockey on both an individual basis and in terms of dragging his hobbled team to the postseason. 

BREAKING: Sidney Crosby Exits Game Against Ottawa Senators With Lower-Body InjurySidney Crosby was injured and did not return in a standings-critical matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!     

Just under a year ago, Drew Fortescue was banging on the Madison Square Garden glass alongside his Boston College teammates as Gabe Perreault, a fellow Eagle, took his rookie lap ahead of his NHL debut. 

While watching Perreault skate under the pinwheel ceiling, Fortescue allowed himself to think — just a little bit — about how it could be him soon. 

On Friday, it was Fortescue’s turn. And, of course, some of his BC teammates made the trip to see it. 

“That’s what you dream about,” he said while recalling those few days last April, before the 20-year-old defenseman recorded his first NHL assist in the Rangers’ 6-1 win over the Blackhawks Friday night. “It was awesome [watching Perreault debut last year]. I mean, Gabe is one of our best buddies, so we were all in a hurry to get down there and support him. Ryan Leonard played the night before up in Boston, so we got to go to his first game [with the Capitals]. Then we made the drive down the next day, and it was just a memory. 

“Being able to be there and support one of your buddies for his first game is pretty special. And I know some of them are coming down for [the game], so I’m excited to see all of them, and it’ll be pretty cool.” 

Fortescue skated in his first professional game in front of what he described as “a lot” of friends and family. You could hear them all when he first took the ice for his rookie lap, and again when his name was announced for his secondary assist on Jonny Brodzinski’s second of his two goals. 

Since he signed his entry-level contract last weekend, the Pearl River native has expressed how fortunate he feels to start his career so close to home. 

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND RANGERS STATS

“Once I got to the bench after and I took a stop and kind of looked around and saw everyone,” he said after the game. “I was able to see some of my cousins and family members and my parents in the crowd, definitely was an unbelievable feeling, and a feeling that I’ll never forget.”

Asked why he felt now was the time to put Fortescue in the lineup, head coach Mike Sullivan said he wanted the Rangers rookie to get on the ice a bit with the team’s limited practice time, have some one-on-one time with defense coach David Quinn and watch some film first. 

Fortescue, who was the sixth rookie to make his NHL debut this season with the Rangers, ultimately skated on the left of Matthew Robertson on the third defensive pairing. 

“I thought he was solid,” Sullivan said of Fortescue. “For the most part, he played the game with composure. He didn’t just throw pucks away. He made some outlet passes. He had good poise. I thought he had a high-panic threshold. He didn’t throw pucks away when he was under pressure, he protected it. He defended well. I think he’s got a good stick, decent mobility. There’s a lot to like about Drew’s game. For such a young kid in his first NHL game, I thought he played really well.”

The Rangers have had six rookies make their NHL debuts this season, including three in the last week alone. 

Fortescue joins Adam Sykora, Dylan Garand, Jaroslav Chmelar, Brendan Brisson and Noah Laba. Robertson is also considered a rookie, but the 25-year-old made his debut in the second-to-last game of last season and has skated in 63 of 73 games thus far in 2025-26. 

“We’re going to do our best to set them up for success,” Sullivan said of all the youngsters in his lineup. “We’ve got them surrounded with veteran players that we think can help them when they’re on the ice, but these guys are all good players and they bring a lot of energy to the table. A lot of enthusiasm. The mistakes they make will be mistakes of enthusiasm, and we’ll work through those. We’ll work through those. 

“We’ll help them get better at it through the experience, and they’re going to make mistakes. That’s just the reality of it. I think it’s an opportunity here for us down the stretch to get these guys some real experience. We’re just trying to do it the right way.”

As the 2025–26 NHL regular season enters its final stretch, the Colorado Avalanche find themselves in a commanding position atop the league standings—and in firm control of the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.

Strong Position at the Top

Colorado improved to 48-13-10 (106 points) after a playoff-esque 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets, extending their winning streak to four games. With 11 games remaining, they’ve created separation not only in the Central Division—holding a nine-point edge over the Dallas Stars—but also in the race for the league’s top overall seed.

A win in the rematch would only tighten their grip.

“We’re still fighting for first place, so every win’s important until they put the mark beside our standings,” head coach Jared Bednar told NHL.com. “So, we have something to play for down the stretch run here. And we’ve had a good year, but we’re not comfortable—we’re still just kind of fine-tuning our game for going into the playoffs.”

The Math

Despite their strong position, the math behind clinching the Presidents’ Trophy remains intriguing. The Avalanche’s primary challenger, the Carolina Hurricanes, also have 11 games remaining and currently sit at approximately 96 points. If Carolina were to win every game from here on out, they would earn 22 additional points, finishing with a maximum of 118 points.

That sets Colorado’s magic number at 119 points—meaning the Avalanche will likely secure the Presidents’ Trophy with roughly six to seven more wins down the stretch. In practical terms, an 8–3 finish would comfortably secure the award, while a 7–3–1 record could also be sufficient depending on Carolina’s results. However, given the parity of the modern NHL, it is unlikely the Hurricanes will win all of their remaining games, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Leading the Avalanche is Nathan MacKinnon, who scored twice on seven shots Thursday night as Colorado defeated Winnipeg 3-2 at Canada Life Centre. It marked the first time in 330 days that Colorado had beaten the Jets on the road in the regular season, and MacKinnon’s two-goal performance pushed him to 47 and 48 goals on the year, extending his lead atop the NHL goal-scoring race.

Jets forward Mark Scheifele, despite being on the opposing side, offered high praise for MacKinnon’s impact and consistency.

“He’s absolutely fantastic. He’s an absolute horse out there. He’s a guy that works on his game so tirelessly,” he stated. “On the other side, he’s a fun guy to watch. Makes a lot of plays, a lot of little plays, even that a lot of people don’t notice. So, he’s one of, if not the, one of the best, if not the best player in the league. And he shows it every single night. And it’s impressive to watch.”

Different Stakes, Same Intensity

While the Avalanche continue to surge, the Jets are fighting for their postseason lives. At 30-30-12 (72 points), Winnipeg sits five points back of a Western Conference wild card spot with 10 games remaining.

“Every game is huge for us, no matter the opponent,” Jets forward Cole Perfetti added. “At this stage of the year for us, we need two points every single night, so it doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”

That urgency contrasts with Colorado’s position—but not their mindset. The Avalanche are not easing into the playoffs; they are sharpening their game while chasing hardware. Contributions like Logan O'Connor’s return from injury and continued offensive dominance from their top line only reinforce their depth and readiness.

The Avalanche don’t need perfection—they just need to keep winning enough games to stay in control. The Presidents’ Trophy may not be the ultimate prize, but it remains a significant milestone. And while the Stanley Cup is the true goal, capturing both is a rare accomplishment last achieved by the 2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks.

For Colorado, the opportunity to pursue both remains very much alive—and increasingly within reach.

Just call them the Baby Blueshirts. 

Drew Fortescue made his NHL debut in a youth-infused 6-1 win over the Blackhawks on Friday night, bringing the rookie count in the Rangers lineup to six amid the club’s youth movement as part of a larger evaluation period for the entire organization. 

There was a lot of young blood on the ice between the Rangers and Blackhawks, the second- and third-worst teams in the NHL that are only competing for better draft lottery odds at this point in the season. 

The Rangers’ youth undoubtedly shined the brightest. 

“I think we’re all hungry,” rookie goalie Dylan Garand said after capturing his first NHL win in his second career start. “This is, for some of us, our opportunity. Guys like me and [Adam Sýkora], we’ve been playing in Hartford for a long time and we finally get to play games. We’re hungry and we’re excited to try and help this team win in any way we can.” 

Fortescue notched his first point — a secondary assist — in his debut. 

Sykora scored his first NHL goal in his first game at Madison Square Garden. 

Garand has stopped 63 of the first 66 shots he’s faced through his first two NHL starts. 

Matthew Robertson notched the fifth goal of his career while skating in his 29th straight game. 

And Jaroslav Chmelar was relentless on his way to earning his first NHL assist on Jonny Brodzinski’s second-period score. 

The win snapped a season-high six-game losing streak for the Rangers, who are drinking in the youngsters’ energy to try to end this lost season on an encouraging note. 

“You can see the enthusiasm that the young kids bring to the lineup,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the Rangers’ largest win at home this season. “I think it’s infectious with our veteran guys. Obviously, excited for them. There were some milestones…It’s just fun. I’m happy for the players. To see the positive energy around the group was great to see.” 

After the game, Garand spoke like a player who knows he’s ready for the NHL. 

The 23-year-old netminder exuded palpable confidence after impressing in his first two NHL starts. 

Garand saved all three shots on goal from 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard in the first period Friday. While his first win came against an easier opponent, he looked composed even in the shootout loss to the Jets last weekend. 

“I thought he looked really solid in there, and that’s the second game in a row I felt that way so,” Sullivan said. “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.” 

The Rangers have been able to work Garand in amid Jonathan Quick’s upper-body injury, but the backup netminder is supposedly nearing a return. 

Asked if Garand had earned himself some more starts over the final nine games of the season, Sullivan said that would be “a fair statement just based on his performance to this point.” 

“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,” he said. 

Of all the milestone moments that unfolded Friday night, the Rangers seemed especially overjoyed for Sykora. 

Sullivan noted that the reaction from the Rangers bench, when Sykora buried Will Cuylle’s feed past Chicago goalie Arvid Soderblom, was indicative of the way he’s viewed as a person in the locker room. 

Sykora’s energy is simply infectious, Sullivan said. 

“This is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Garand said. “So glad to do it with a guy like Syky. I know him really well and I can speak on behalf of the guys from Hartford, we’re all so proud of him and so happy for him. He deserves it. He’s such a great guy, like, we all love him. It’s awesome to share this moment with him.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Jonny Brodzinski scored twice, Adam Sykora scored his first goal and Dylan Garand made 27 saves for his first NHL win as the New York Rangers downed the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1 on Friday night.

J.T. Miller, Matthew Robertson and Alexis Lafreniere also scored as the Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak.

The 23-year-old Garand, who made his debut Sunday at home against Winnipeg, a 3-2 shootout loss, allowed only a goal by Chicago’s Nick Lardis late in the first period.

Chicago has lost four of its last five.

Lardis finished off a passing play with Tyler Bertuzzi and Alex Vlasic late in the first. But Miller tied it less than a minute later with his 15th goal of the season.

Sykora, who debuted in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss at Toronto, beat Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom cleanly at 8:20 of the second. The 21-year-old Sykora was a second-round pick in 2022.

Brodzinski scored 16:07 into the second period, then added his second of the game with 4 minutes left.

The victory was just New York’s fifth home win in regulation. New York is 10-18-7 at the Garden.

Defenseman Drew Fortescue also made his Rangers debut. The 20-year-old defensemen — a third-round pick in 2023 —- assisted on Brodzinski’s second goal.

Soderblom made 33 saves.

Up next

Blackhawks: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

Rangers: Host the Florida Panthers on Sunday.