After falling 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, the Islanders find themselves out of a playoff spot, giving every game going forward that must-win feeling.
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, in tandem with goaltending coach Sergei Naumovs, has a major decision to make about who starts each game.
Now, there are a few different mindsets.
With the Blue Jackets now the team the Islanders are trying to catch in the standings, giving Sorokin that game feels automatic.
So that would mean backup David Rittich should get Montreal, right?
Not exactly.
With the way Roy works — most NHL teams, really — the focus is always on the next game on the schedule, nothing else.
The Islanders aren't focused on Columbus. All their focus is on beating Montreal.
So, Sorokin should get that game and go from there.
There is a world where Sorokin gets both games of the back-to-back.
It's not a decision that will be made prior to Saturday's result. But the reality is, Sorokin gives the Islanders the best chance to win, even on short rest.
Sorokin has not played both games of a back-to-back this season, while Rittich did so on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, when Sorokin was out injured.
However, Sorokin has played both games of a back-to-back before. Last season, Sorokin played both games of a back-to-back four times, going 2-2-0 on the front ends and 3-1-0 on the second ends.
The Buffalo Sabres brought in multiple new players ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. Sam Carrick was among them, as the Sabres acquired the veteran forward from the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Now, early on in his Sabres tenure, there is no question that Carrick is playing some strong hockey for the Atlantic Division club.
In seven games with the Sabres since the trade, Carrick has four goals, one assist, 11 hits, a 60.0 faceoff winning percentage, and a plus-3 rating. With this, he has been providing the Sabres with solid secondary scoring, grit, and help at the dot early on in his time with the club.
Carrick also just had a strong game for the Sabres in their 5-0 win over the San Jose Sharks, as he scored two goals.
With this, it is hard not to be happy with what Carrick is providing the Sabres early on. If he continues to play this well down the stretch, he will end up being an excellent addition for Buffalo.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — For Hunter Haight, the moment finally came after a long wait. Despite the loss, in the Minnesota Wild's (39-19-12) game against the Chicago Blackhawks (26-30-12).
Skating in just his sixth NHL game of the season, and his first in over two months, Haight recorded his first career NHL point. A milestone that every young player imagines long before it becomes reality.
“Yeah, definitely something you dream of as a kid,” Haight said. “It’s nice to get the first one.”
The buildup to the moment wasn’t without its quirks. Haight joked that he avoided a tough morning skate bag skate after being informed of his call-up ahead of time.
Kirill Kaprizov was on the ice for morning skate, testing out his injury. He came off the ice and later told the staff he was not going to play. The Wild then let Haight know to get off the ice and that he would be playing.
“They actually let me know before that happened, so I was able to get off the ice,” he said with a smile.
Once the puck dropped, Haight didn’t look out of place. In addition to his first point, he put together a couple of strong shifts and even drew a penalty, small details that reflect growing confidence at the NHL level.
Still, the milestone came in a losing effort, something Haight kept in perspective.
“I mean, I think we did a lot of good things,” he said. “At the end of the day, our chances didn’t go in and theirs did. Just move on to the next one.”
In the second period, he set up Nico Sturm for the goal, which put the Wild within one. It happeded to be the first ever point for the rookie in his second professional season.
“It’s great. Really happy for Hunter," Wild head coach John Hynes said. "He’s developed his game. I think (Greg) Cronin and those guys have done a good job down there with him and you’ve seen progressive growth from him. This is basically the end of his second year pro. So, he looked quick, strong and confident. He was pretty good in the faceoff circle."
Haight's mindset has been shaped during his time in the American Hockey League with Iowa, where Haight has spent the bulk of the last two seasons developing his game. While the numbers may not always jump off the page, the growth behind the scenes has been steady.
“Yeah, for sure, I think I’ve been developing these last two years pretty well,” Haight said. “The American League obviously helps with that. So, yeah, no, it’s good.”
For prospects like Haight, the AHL serves as a proving ground, a place to refine details, adjust to the pro pace and build the habits needed to stick at the NHL level.
His performance in this call-up, capped by that first point, is a sign that the development path is starting to translate.
"You see that with young players, where they get opportunities, then they go back down," Hynes said. "I think he’s put in some work. I think the coaching staff has done a good job with him, and it’s nice to see a young guy come up and play the way that he did. So, that’s good for him.”
It may have taken time to get back into the lineup, but for Haight, the first NHL point is now in the books and likely just the beginning.
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The New York Islanders went up against a desperate, desperate Ottawa Senators team on Thursday night, and that ultimately was their downfall in a 3-2 loss.
From the moment Senators captain Brady Tkachuk asked Islanders captain Anders Lee to fight, you knew just how badly Ottawa wanted to get the energy flowing.
While the Islanders found themselves with a lead twice, Ottawa's desperation fueled comebacks before a will for two points saw Tkachuk smack home the winning goal with 11.1 seconds in regulation. The result wasn't a shock. That doesn't make it any less devastating.
The Islanders were playing for overtime, given how critical just one point was to staying in a playoff spot.
The Senators needed two.
And they played like it.
“Maybe a little bit of just trying to hang in there and get a point and get to overtime,” Islanders forward Mathew Barzal said postgame. “Credit to them. Tonight was a must-win for them, and they showed it.”
Ottawa outshot the Islanders 11-1 in the third period.
Brayden Schenn's goal at the 2:02 mark of the third period was the only shot of the frame. The Islanders' shelling up rather than playing aggressively is something we saw more often over the last few seasons, but rarely this season. There's a difference between sitting back and being forced to.
Last Saturday, in the Islanders' 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames, they were under siege for most of the third period but held on to the lead.
That's a big difference from being tied. The Islanders learned a valuable lesson: Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Ottawa took a chance by being aggressive throughout the third period and in the dying seconds, when they could have easily killed the clock for a game-deciding one-point lead, with the chance for two.
Over the next 13 games, they can't be outmatched desperation-wise.
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 6–2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Canucks were heavily outplayed by the Lightning on Thursday night. Tampa Bay won the even-strength scoring chances battle 27-20, while also picking up a win for even-strength high-danger scoring chances by a count of 11-7. Overall, it was a disappointing effort from Vancouver, who have not won back-to-back home games all season.
The heatmap shows why the Lightning were able to have success on Thursday. Tampa Bay owned the Canucks crease, with three goals being scored from in tight. In the end, the Lightning were able to win battles in front of Kevin Lankinen all night, which is why they were able to put up six on Vancouver.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, March 19, 2026, Natural Stat Trick
To wrap this game up, Victor Mancini had a strong night from an analytics perspective. During his 15:34 at even strength, the Canucks held an 8-2 shots advantage and won the even-strength scoring chances battle 8-4. At this stage of the season, it is positive to see a young player stepping up, as Mancini could be a part of Vancouver's upcoming rebuild.
Mar 19, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) checks Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli (71) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Canucks continue their homestand on Saturday when the St. Louis Blues visit Rogers Arena. These two teams have already played twice this year, with each picking up a road win. Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Mar 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon (5) passes the puck in the third period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
“The Hockey Hall of Fame said it will not give Jack Hughes the puck from his gold-medal-winning goal for Team USA in the Milan Cortina Olympics. ‘Unfortunately, in the easiest words, it was never Jack’s puck to own,’ Philip Pritchard, vice president of the resource center and curator for the Hockey Hall of Fame, told ESPN on Wednesday.” [ESPN]
Jack Hughes tallied a goal and two assists and helped to push the Devils to a glorious 6-3 win over the Rangers on Wednesday. [Devils NHL]
“Dougie Hamilton is still the closest thing (the Devils) have to a true No. 1, but he is not the player he was in his prime. That’s why the Devils need Luke Hughes to take a step forward in his development. He has not had the best season, but these final 15 games offer him a chance to build some momentum heading into the offseason.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
FWIW: “Teams that showed serious interest in Matthew Knies included Anaheim, Chicago, Montreal, New Jersey and Utah. Everyone has denied that the Canadiens went far down the road, but … we’ll see. There were some teams who didn’t believe the Maple Leafs were serious about it, but now recognize the possibility.” [Sportsnet]
Hockey Links
“As if we needed more proof that Matthew Schaefer is well on his way to becoming a generational talent, he just etched his name in the NHL history books. With his game-opening goal against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, the New York Islanders blue-liner became the youngest defenceman in NHL history to record 50 points at 18 years, 195 days.” [Sportsnet]
“NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, the league’s chief decision maker when it comes to, well, everything, has long been the most vocal proponent of the current playoff system, which doesn’t seed teams 1 through 8 in each conference. After this week’s three-day general manager meetings wrapped up on Wednesday, Bettman maintained his satisfaction with the current format.” [The Athletic ($)]
“Eric Tulsky declined comment, but it was Carolina’s general manager who had an exchange with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman about head contact during this week’s GMs meetings. (Bettman wouldn’t comment, either.) It happened Tuesday. According to several sources, Bettman raised the topic, saying there is an owner who feels strongly the league needs stronger enforcement on this issue. He asked the GMs if they agree with the current standard/interpretation of Rule 48: Illegal Check to the Head. There was a second or two of silence before Tulsky said he supported the owner’s position, leading the commissioner to say something along the lines of, ‘Well, I guess we know which owner this was.’” [Sportsnet]
Forward Alex Debrincat scored the game-winning goal late in regulation of Detroit's 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena, which was his 34th tally of the season.
Detroit badly needed a regulation victory over Montreal, who entered the contest with a two-point lead in the tightly-packed divisional standings.
DeBrincat, who has become one of the most clutch goal scorers for the Red Wings, took advantage of a fortuitous bounce when Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson misplayed the puck in the waning moments of the third period.
DeBrincat then took the puck, deked goaltender Jakub Dobes, and roofed a backhander for his 34th goal of the season.
Having grown up in the nearby Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills, DeBrincat knows all too well the history of the Red Wings, and he's doing his part to ensure that postseason hockey returns to Detroit for the first time since before his NHL career began.
As far as his game-winning goal is concerned, he'll chalk it up to being in the right place at the right time.
“I was just trying to pressure the D, I think he (Mike Matheson) caught an edge or something, and it came right to me, so after the breakaway, I think I was coming from the right side," DeBrincat said in the dressing room after his game-winning goal. "I was trying to get it to my backhand."
"A lot of times, goalies overextend that blocker, so you can go right under it,' he continued. "I’m lucky it went in, and it was kind of a lucky bounce to get that puck anyway.”
Thanks to Detroit's win, they won their three-game series against the Canadiens and also exacted some revenge for Montreal's 5-1 win on Oct. 9.
The work continues for the Red Wings, who will host the Boston Bruins on Saturday evening.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 05: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) looks on during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres on March 5, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
Kris Letang’s declining performance has become a hot-button topic for Pittsburgh Penguins fans, and for good reason. Despite the workout/exercise regimen and career accomplishments, he is not the player he was five or 10 years ago. Poor decision-making and defensive struggles have made him a liability at even strength and are contributing to some of the Penguins’ worst on-ice results. But is there any solution in sight? [PensBurgh]
The NHL, if nothing else, is a copycat league, as opposing teams look for the best ways for long-term success, on and off the ice. The Penguins’ surprising turnaround under Kyle Dubas has come from a series of moves that have revitalized the roster. However, other rebuilding teams like the New York Rangers may have trouble replicating the Penguins’ model because the “blueprint” isn’t easily repeatable; success relies on multiple moves all working out at once. [PensBurgh]
The Penguins made a few roster transactions on Thursday. First, the team reassigned rookie forward Avery Hayes to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. [Trib Live]
They followed that up by recalling defenseman Ryan Graves to the NHL club following the completion of a conditioning assignment with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. [Trib Live]
After being acquired via trade from the Nashville Predators in March 2025, forward Tommy Novak has carved out a valuable, versatile role for the Penguins, contributing offensively and fitting on multiple lines. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews underwent MCL surgery in New York on Thursday. [ESPN]
The New York Islanders plan to relocate their AHL affiliate from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Hamilton, Ontario, bringing pro hockey back to the city for the first time in years. [TSN]
Ryan Johansen has officially retired after 13 NHL seasons, he announced on Thursday. The former fourth overall pick finishes his NHL career with 110 goals and 252 assists for 362 points in 533 games. [Sportsnet]
Twenty-seven days left in the regular season. Teams are fighting for playoff positioning. And you're hopefully doing the same in your fantasy hockey leagues.
Stay focused. Check all the updates. Boost your lineups. Win.
Consider the upcoming 14 entries. Because one of them could be the player who pushes you to glory.
(Rostered rates as of Mar. 20)
Forwards
Troy Terry, ANA (Yahoo: 46%): It's nice when a point-per-game player returns after a long injury layoff and you can pluck him off the wire before others notice. And all Terry has done since returning is notch a goal, three assists and nine shots in two outings while rejoining the Ducks' top line and power play. Get him ASAP.
Anthony Mantha, PIT (Yahoo: 43%): Pittsburgh continues to surprise as an Eastern Conference contender after huge wins in Utah and Colorado, and a 6-5 OT loss at Carolina on Wednesday. The usual suspects have been key, though a couple others have also contributed to the cause. Mantha is enjoying a career season having already eclipsed his previous points peak (48) by five while also racking up 12 goals, 12 assists, three PPPs and 45 shots from his last 23 contests. His man-advantage value will probably diminish once Sidney Crosby goes back on the lead unit, yet, there's too much output over other areas to ignore him.
Jamie Benn, DAL (Yahoo: 19%): Benn went scoreless through 12 outings during January, but he's since accumulated 16 points across the last 15 to go with 21 shots and 28 hits. He's also been active while up a man with all five of his PPPs coming over this stretch. Benn may slide down the depth chart when Mikko Rantanen returns, though he's good for plenty of contributions in the meantime and a stable roster spot within a dangerous forward group.
Brock Boeser, VAN (Yahoo: 20%): It was expected that Boeser would've been dealt at the deadline, yet nothing materialized. And that's since turned into something positive for the Canucks as he's posted four goals, six assists, 19 shots and 11 hits on 18:25 a night. Boeser has built a rapport alongside Marco Rossi combining in all attacking situations. Boeser is primed to keep the run going the rest of the way with Vancouver possibly looking to shop the winger during the summer.
Frank Nazar, CHI (Yahoo: 20%): Nazar is settling back into a groove following a month-long upper-body issue and a few barren scorelines. In the last eight games, he has 10 points, 16 shots, three PPPs and 59 faceoffs, and is averaging 19-plus minutes while centering Chicago's second trio and first man-advantage. As long as Nazar remains healthy, he'll continue to put up promising fantasy numbers.
Matt Savoie, EDM (Yahoo: 6%): It's rare to see a player earn a repeat in this column after only two weeks, though Savoie's inclusion is justified based on him moving up to the Oilers' top-ranked PP after Leon Draisaitl was ruled out for the rest of the regular season. And if that wasn't enough to entice poolies, he's also recently joined Connor McDavid at five-on-five and has found the scoresheet during three of the last four contests. No one with that type of upside should be available in more than 90% of Yahoo leagues.
Connor Brown, NJD (Yahoo: 3%): Brown has been on a tear during March via three goals, eight assists and 16 shots. He also teamed up with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt as part of New Jersey's second line and lead power play (three PPPs from the last three). Regression could be coming for Brown since he's already near his upper limit in terms of scoring, but he's currently hot and well-positioned within the roster.
Bo Groulx, TOR (Yahoo: 2%): Raise your hand if you're not a Leafs fan and knew who Groulx was when he debuted for Toronto last week. Anaheim's 2018 second-rounder had been unstoppable through most of five AHL campaigns, including 50 points over 54 matchups that led to the latest call-up. Groulx definitely hasn't looked out of place for the Blue and White as he's tallied four points, seven shots, 18 hits and 40 faceoff wins. And there shouldn't be any risk in taking a chance on him with the club looking ahead and Auston Matthews done for the year.
Defensemen
Esa Lindell, DAL (Yahoo: 34%): Lindell has been an even-strength fixture on the Stars' blueline alongside fellow Finn Miro Heiskanen while taking on secondary power-play and lead shorthanded roles. And going back 12 games, he's recorded six assists — one of those a PPA — 11 shots, 25 blocks and a plus-11 on 22:50 per game. Lindell may not be the biggest fantasy producer, but he does enough overall and assumes significant responsibilities to fit somewhere in your lineup.
Sean Walker, CAR (Yahoo: 19%): After a nice scoring run earlier this season, Walker cooled down by only notching six helpers across 38 appearances. And since Feb. 28, he's gone off for nine points, 22 shots, 14 hits and 18 blocks. Walker benefits from partnering with K'Andre Miller while logging major minutes, though his offense could drop when Shayne Gostisbehere eventually returns. Probably best to monitor his situation before picking him up unless you're specifically looking for nonscoring contributions.
Vladislav Gavrikov, NYR (Yahoo: 17%): Gavrikov was last featured here during December as he was deputizing for Adam Fox on the Rangers' top PP. So when the latter finally came back after the Olympic break, it was assumed Gavrikov's attacking stats would suffer. Not only has he provided five goals and five assists from the last 12 outings, but two of those points came while up a man. And that's only part of Gavrikov's all-around effort covering a decent amount of shots and significant ice time.
Cole Hutson, WAS (Yahoo: 9%): In case you missed it, Hutson made his NHL debut on Wednesday. He signed a three-year deal with Washington on Sunday after excelling in the NCAA for Boston University. While there was hype going into Hutson's first pro matchup, no one could've predicted he would score an empty-net PPG or receive more man-advantage minutes than Jakob Chychrun. The Caps probably won't rush him, yet he's extremely talented and will probably get enough scoring chances as a favorable addition in most fantasy formats.
Goaltenders
Jakub Dobes, MTL (Yahoo: 35%): The Habs hold on to the third spot in the Atlantic Division mainly thanks to an offense that's scored 57 times over the last 15 games. On the other end, they rank bottom-10 for GAA using a three-goalie setup. Dobes has dominated the starts for most of 2026, where he's gone 10-3-1 while posting a 2.91 GAA and .893 save percentage. Sam Montembeault struggled in his last two outings and hasn't made an appearance since. Jacob Fowler was recently recalled and is being eased into the group. That leaves Dobes as Montreal's lead netminder for the foreseeable future.
Frederik Andersen, CAR (Yahoo: 32%): Andersen endured many absences throughout his career, yet has been mainly available this season. Rookie Brandon Bussi, 27, has been a revelation for the Canes, while Pyotr Kochetkov could return for the playoffs after last appearing in December. Andersen is currently in a rotation with Bussi while winning five of his last six matchups despite allowing a combined 18 goals during that stretch. Bussi has also slipped a bit the last three weeks with a 4.05/.835 line, though he remains Carolina's No. 1. Either goaltender should do well in fantasy as the club excels at suppressing shots on net. Andersen represents a solid selection on his own or as insurance for those who already have Bussi.
The Vancouver Canucks picked up their 39th loss of the season as they fell 6-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Vancouver received goals from two of their Swedish forwards as Liam Öhgren and Linus Karlsson found the back of the net. As for Kevin Lankinen, he stopped 24 of the 30 shots he faced in the loss.
Thursday night was a good example of how far away the Canucks currently are from some of the league's best. The Lightning controlled the game all night and demonstrated why they are a favourite in the Eastern Conference. While it was only a one-goal game after the first, it was no surprise that Tampa Bay skated away with a victory.
"A team that we inspire to be, said Jake DeBrusk post-game when asked about the Lightning. "They play together always. I remember playing against them, even playing playoffs against them, but obviously got some different guys now. But yeah, they play as a group. And, you know, they have the results for a reason. And you know, like I said, that's something that we need to get to."
One of Vancouver's main issues in this game was protecting the front of the net. Tampa generated plenty of traffic in front of Lankinen, resulting in three goals scored from just outside the crease. Post-game, Head Coach Adam Foote spoke about the defensive issues that plagued his team on Thursday.
"Yeah. I mean, if he gets there, you can't be double-screen," said Foote. "We talked about that every day. And sometimes you lose your positioning, or where you are. I mean, you know, the one screen, the guy gets there, it could be from out of the corner. We talked about extending coverage. We didn't extend. They move the puck, you get beat to the net. So it's a fly-by screen, so things like that. It's just they take advantage of that. That's what NHL players do. They take advantage of little things like that. And, you know, we've got to learn from that quickly and hold our ground. And you know, these mistakes have to stop. You know, I call it extended coverage. One, two, three, you're not getting easy ice. We called the timeout because it looked like we kind of got a little bit rattled. I think the one where Kucherov called the reverse, and we got hemmed in our end instead of moving it forward. You don't want to bring it back against a savvy team like that, a veteran team. But also with Kucherov on the ice, you want to make sure you're playing North."
Mar 19, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) reacts as Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli (71) celebrates his goal in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
In the end, Thursday's loss goes into the learn and move category. The only real takeaway was that the Canucks have a long way to go before they are competitive again. Thursday was also a reminder of how good Nikita Kucherov is, as his three-point night puts him at 114 points on the season.
Stats and Facts:
- Brock Boeser ties Tony Tanti for ninth all-time in franchise history for points
- Jake DeBrusk led the team with five shots on goal
- Filip Hronek led all players in ice time at 23:55
- Aatu Räty led all players in hits with six
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
17:37- TBL: Jake Guentzel (30) from Charle-Edouard D'Astous and Ryan McDonagh
2nd Period:
00:49- TBL: Darren Raddysh (18) from Nikita Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli 4:16- TBL: Yanni Gourde (9) from Darren Raddysh and Pontus Holmberg 5:31- TBL: Nikita Kucherov (38) from Erik Cernak and Anthony Cirelli 12:06- VAN: Liam Öhgren (7) from Brock Boeser and Marco Rossi
3rd Period:
7:04- VAN: Linus Karlsson (13) from Marco Rossi 7:35- TBL: Anthony Cirelli (17) from Brandon Hagel and Erik Cernak
Up Next:
The Canucks continue their homestand on Saturday when the St. Louis Blues visit Rogers Arena. These two teams have already played twice this year, with each picking up a road win. Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
After ending their five-game road trip 3-1-1, the Los Angeles Kings (28-24-16) returned home tonight to host the Philadelphia Flyers (33-23-12), but their loss today once again showed why they can't be trusted at Crypto.com Arena.
The Kings are now 10-15-8 at home this season with their loss today to the Flyers, and even though they had a good road trip, losing against a shorthanded team that was playing a back-to-back tonight is not a good sign.
Los Angeles had a great first period, once again showing good defense early on, holding Philly to three shots, and scoring the first goal to lead 1-0 after 20 minutes. The Flyers looked like a team playing on a back-to-back early, barely generating anything while the Kings dominated possession, but they picked up steam as the game progressed.
But the second period, which has been a struggle for Los Angeles all season, continued tonight, giving up three goals in the period, only the fourth time in 12 games that the Flyers have scored more than two goals in regulation time since coming out of the Olympic break.
The sloppy play, which allowed too many rush chances and led to errors, cost the Kings tonight against a shorthanded team.
A very winnable game for the Kings after a bad second period, they came back and forced overtime, but couldn't win the shootout, resulting in a heartbreaking loss in their return home.
The opening period was a quiet one until the final minute, when, off a Flyers turnover, Alex Laferriere found Quinton Byfield, who created space to score for Los Angeles, giving them a 1-0 lead to end the first.
Once again, LA outshot its opponent in the first period 6-3, played with great energy, defense, and forechecking, and looked poised to win after two days of rest.
However, the second period was something else. Both teams traded goals within the first 40 seconds of the period. Philadelphia got things started just 23 seconds into the second, tying the game 1-1 after converting on the slot with traffic in the middle.
The Kings, however, countered the Flyers. 21 seconds later, Anze Kopitar buried the rebound after Brandt Clarke missed the shot. Kopitar converted and gave the Kings back their lead.
The Flyers didn't go away, though, once again putting pressure on the Kings. Philly tied the score after a scramble in the crease. Darcy Kuemper attempted to cover it but failed.
The replays showed that it was a loose puck, and LA decided not to challenge the call and played on.
The Flyers pulled ahead a few minutes later to take their first lead of the night after Travis Sanheim scored from the center point through traffic. Kuemper was without his stick on the play, allowing Sanheim to pull the Flyers ahead with a shot.
Los Angeles had trouble protecting the puck in the second period and made too many errors, giving the Flyers rush chances to convert. Despite it being an even shooting period, with both teams taking 11 shots, Philly was the much better team.
LA made a push in the final period, and it was Breadman, Artemi Panarin, who scored the first power-play goal for the Kings at the 9:32 mark to keep the Kings alive.
It was a quiet third period for the Flyers. Los Angeles did a good job bringing back the energy they were playing with earlier in the game, and outshot the Flyers 6-4, allowing zero goals.
Los Angeles forced overtime, where neither team could get a shot up. Despite LA controlling the puck for much of the possession, they struggled to generate offense, forcing a shootout.
In the shootout, the Kings would lose both rounds, while the Flyers converted both times, defeating LA to split the season series 1-1.
Key Notes
Despite the Kings getting a point tonight, it's a heartbreaking loss because the Edmonton Oilers, Seattle Kraken, and San Jose Sharks all lost tonight, which would've created more separation for the Kings in the standings. But now they have a small lead over the Sharks, Seattle, and Nashville for the final playoff spot.
Overall, this was a very inconsistent game for the Kings. They played a great first period, an ugly second period, and came back in the third, but couldn't close out the game when it mattered most.
Artemi Panarin finished with one goal, one assist, and two points, scoring that clutch goal in the third period to force overtime. Anze Kopitar got a standing ovation from the home crowd after his historic achivement a few nights ago on the road, finishing with one goal tonight.
The Kings will continue their two-game home stand on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres at 1:00 PM PT.
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Nikita Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and two assists and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the NHL-worst Vancouver Canucks 6-2 on Thursday night.
Kucherov moved into sole possession of second place in the NHL scoring race with 114 points, one behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. Tampa Bay is second in the Atlantic Division, four points behind Buffalo.
Jake Guentzel, Darren Raddysh, Yanni Gourde and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves for his NHL-leading 32nd victory.
Liam Ohgren and Linus Karlsson scored for Vancouver, and Kevin Lankinen stopped 24 shots.
Guentzel opened the scoring late in the first period to become the third Lightning player to reach 30 goals this season, after Kucherov and Hagel.
After establishing position at the net front, Guentzel tipped a shot from the top of the zone by Charle-Edouard D’Astous over the glove of the screened Lankinen.
Less than a minute into the second, Raddysh made it 2-0 with a big one-timer. Gourde followed with a tip of Raddysh's shot at 4:16, and Kucherov deflected the puck off the leg off a Canucks defenseman and into the net for his 38th of the season at 5:31.
Ohgren scored for Vancouver with 7:54 remaining in the second, putting in a low shot,
In the third, Karlsson batted the puck over Valisevskiy. Twenty-two seconds later, Cirelli restored the Lightning’s three-goal edge, then Hagel capped the scoring with his 32nd.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Karel Vejmelka stopped all 28 shots he faced for Utah, while Vegas counterpart Adin Hill was chased after allowing three goals without making a save in the Mammoth's 4-0 victory over the Golden Knights on Thursday night.
Vejmelka had his second shutout of the season and eighth in five NHL seasons to help Utah move six points ahead of Los Angeles for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Mammoth built on a 6-3 home victory over Dallas on Monday night that snapped a four-game losing streak.
Third in the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights lost their second straight to finish a homestand 2-2. It fell apart quicky for Hill.
Clayton Keller scored from close range on Utah’s first two shots on goal and Jack McBain followed on the third. Barrett Hayton scored into an empty net with 48 seconds to go to cap the scoring.
Keller pushed his season goals total to 22. The U.S. Olympian took a feed from John Marino and knocked one in off Hill from the left side at 2:52, then got the puck on a rebound off the boards and put it in from the right side at 6:05.
McBain connected at 8:12 to end Hill’s night, taking Barrett Hayton’s pass on a break and scoring on a wrist shot from the high slot.
Akira Schmid took over in goal for Vegas, stopping all 14 shots he faced.
Lawson Crouse assisted on Keller’s second goal and fought Vegas’ Jeremy Lauzon in the second period.
The San Jose Sharks were back in action on Thursday night as they hosted the red-hot Buffalo Sabres in the two teams’ final meeting of the regular season. The Sabres had a dominant victory during their last meeting with the Sharks, winning 6-3. As a result, the Sharks were looking to avenge their previous performance.
The Sharks were buzzing early on, maintaining quite a bit of offensive pressure and limiting dangerous chances on the rush. Kiefer Sherwood nearly gave the Sharks an early lead five minutes into the game when his shot from the slot forced Buffalo’s goaltender, Alex Lyon, to stretch across the crease to make the save. The game started off very fast paced, going all the way to the first TV timeout before there was a stoppage of play.
Roughly nine minutes into the game, Alex Nedeljkovic got his first major test of the night when Jack Quinn and Jason Zucker each had a chance. Nedeljkovic denied Quinn’s shot, before Macklin Celebrini blocked Zucker’s follow-up chance.
Alex Wennberg took the Sharks’ first penalty of the night 11 minutes into the first period, when he high-sticked Tage Thompson. The Sharks killed off the penalty.
Macklin Celebrini got a breakaway chance with roughly six minutes remaining in the first, but was hauled down by the Buffalo defense. To the dismay of the SAP Center crowd, no penalty was called on the play.
A couple of minutes later though, the Sharks would get their first power play of the net when Zucker was called for high-sticking. Celebrini danced through the weakened defense to generate the Sharks’ best scoring opportunity of the power play, but Lyon was able to stonewall him, keeping the puck out of the net.
After 20 minutes, the game remained deadlocked at 0-0. When the second period started, the Sharks were without a key player, as Tyler Toffoli was ruled doubtful to return.
The Sharks got their second man advantage of the night when Owen Power took down Pavol Regenda in the corner, almost a quarter of the way through the middle frame. Nothing came of the man advantage, as the Sabres killed it off fairly easily.
Will Smith nearly gave the Sharks the lead around the halfway point of the game, as with 12 minutes remaining in the second period, he hit the crossbar. Sherwood had a solid scoring chance moments later, but was denied by Lyon.
Noah Ostlund gave the Sabres the lead with 10:55 remaining in the second, scoring off a rebound. The initial shot was taken by Josh Doan, the puck then hit the boards behind Nedeljkovic and bounced right to Ostlund. Sam Carrick added a second Sabres goal just 36 seconds later.
The Sabres’ captain, Dahlin, joined the goal-scoring party to make it 3-0 just over a minute later.
As the second period neared its end, the Sharks caused a major net-front scramble. While it seemed like the Sharks couldn’t be denied, Lyon and the Buffalo defense found a way to shut the door.
The Sabres’ three goals in the second period came on just three shots, showing that the Sharks were suppressing shots fairly well, but the ones that they did give up were quality chances. Buffalo carried their three-goal lead into the second intermission.
On the Sabres’ first shot of the third period, Tage Thompson would score a five-hole goal to make it 4-0. As a result, the Sabres had scored a goal on four straight shots.
As time ticked away, the game started getting a bit more chippy. Around the halfway point of the period, Vincent Desharnais and Sam Carrick started going at each other, with Carrick eventually knocking off the giant Sharks defenseman's helmet.
Barclay Goodrow was called for slashing with 6:20 remaining in the game, giving the Sabres an opportunity to extend their lead even further. The Sharks penalty kill remained perfect though, killing off the penalty with little cause for concern.
Sam Carrick would score one final goal for the Sabres, making it 5-0 late in the third.
The Sabres would ultimately walk away victorious with a 5-0 victory over the Sharks. The Sharks will be back in action on Saturday, as they’ll host the Philadelphia Flyers in a matinee game with a 1 P.M. puck drop.
Filip Forsberg recorded his 30th goal of the season as the Nashville Predators picked up a critical playoff race win over the Seattle Kraken, 3-1, on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena.
It's the first time Nashville has won back-to-back games since Feb. 2, tying them with Seattle for the final Wild Card spot. The Kraken have the tiebreaker with more regulation wins.
Ryan Ufko opened the scoring, netting his second goal of the season off a one-timer feed from Brady Skjei to make it 1-0 Nashville in the first period. It was Ufko's fourth point in five games.
Seattle responded in the final two minutes of the opening period as Frederick Gaudreau tipped in a cross-ice feed from Chandler Stephenson to tie the game.
In the second period, Jamie Oleksiak was called for interference on Steven Stamkos, putting the Predators on the power play. Ryan O'Reilly scored the game-winning goal, putting away a Forsberg rebound to make it 2-1 Nashville.
Forsberg iced the game on an empty net goal with a little over a minute left in the game to record his sixth 30-plus goal season and the third straight season he's put up that tally.
Justus Annunen picked up the win, making 25 saves on 26 shots. His start was unexpected as Juuse Saros was ruled out due to a day-to-day, upper-body injury, which was sustained in the morning skate.
Milwaukee Admirals goalie Matt Murray was called up at the last minute and arrived in the middle of the game to back up Annunen.
If the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks both lose in regulation tonight, the Predators will be in a three-way tie for the final Wild Card spot. A win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday would push them over the threshold.
