The Florida Panthers looked to break out of a recent funk on home ice when they welcomed the Nashville Predators to Sunrise.

Despite playing a strong overall game, Florida once again fell just short, this time giving up a late tying goal and then falling in overtime by a 2-1 final score.

The Panthers got the scoring started late in the first period on a nice passing play by two of the hottest Cats.

Sam Bannett slid a sneaky pass to a cutting Carter Verhaeghe in the Predators zone, and a quick backhand-forehand move later, Florida had a 1-0 lead at the 16:26 mark.

For Verhaeghe, the goal was his third over his past four games, a streak in which he’s racked up seven total points.

It was a big night for the one they call Swaggy, as his wife Casey gave birth to their first son, Rory, earlier this week.

Bennett has also been cooking of late. The assist was his eighth point over his past eight games.

Florida’s 1-0 lead remained on the scoreboard for the majority of the evening.

With 6:19 left in the third period, Ryan O’Reilly scored on the rebound of a Michael Bunting shot from a sharp angle to knot the score at one.

The Predators completed the comeback during overtime on a rush play that saw Gus Forsling go tumbling into his own goal.

Despite Florida’s net being dislodged, Steven Stamkos was able to shoot the puck into the cage as it slid toward the back boards, and since it was Forsling that knocked the net off, the goal was deemed legal.

On to Columbus.

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Three takeaways: Panthers mettle to be tested as shorthanded roster struggles to stay afloat

Panthers lose fourth straight at home, fall into cellar of Eastern Conference

Photo caption: Dec 4, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) shoots the puck but cannot score after a save by Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The Colorado Avalanche are facing off against the New York Islanders for the second time of the season. Last time it was a 4-1 win for the Avalanche on Nov. 16 but this time, the Islanders were out for revenge, and that they got. It was a tough night for the Avalanche but a great one for the Islanders.  They outshot the Avalanche 42-38 and capitalized on multiple chances leading to the 6-3 loss.

Period 1:

Heading into the game, this will be Devon Toews' 500th career game played in the NHL. The Avalanche once again are off to a sluggish start, and the Islanders capitalize on it. Mackenzie Blackwood loses track of a saved puck, and a whole scrum breaks out as sticks come flying in trying to either jam the puck in or bat it out, and it's Kyle McLean who finds the loose puck and bats it in to make it 1-0.

The Avalanche challenge for goaltender inference, as it looks like Blackwood was knocked down and had a stick stuck in his pads while he was down, but the challenge is unsuccessful. Thankfully, the Avalanche continue their strong penalty kill and kill it off, while the Islanders' power play continues to struggle.

Martin Necas is called for holding, but again, the Islanders fail to capitalize on the power play. However, it's Anders Lee with a nice short-side snipe that beats Blackwood under his glove to make it 2-0 with under two minutes left to play. The period ends with the Avalanche outshooting the Islanders 18-16, but it hasn't looked great for the majority of the period.

Period 2:

Artturi Lehkonen is called for cross-checking, but 30 seconds into the power play, Mathew Barzel is called for tripping, and it's 4-on-4. Bo Horvat can find the rebound of Matthew Schaefer’s shot and buries it, beating Blackwood five-hole to make it 3-0 Islanders. Just over 20 seconds later, Adam Pelech sends a shot that bounces off Blackwood’s glove weirdly and bounces under him and goes through his five-hole again, making it 4-0.

ADAM PELECH NETS ONE! #LGI | @FORDpic.twitter.com/u43IwvVFSZ

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 5, 2025

Though the Avalanche weren’t going just to lie down, Sam Malinski sends a wrister to the net, and Valeri Nichushkin, with good net front presence, can tip Malinski’s shot in, making it 4-1 and giving the Avalanche a little bit of life. That goal is just what they needed as the Avalanche get a little bit of puck luck as Martin Necas' shot bounces off Travis Mitchell and in, making it 4-2. Cale Makar is called for tripping, and Mathew Barzal on the power play burns them as he skates through Jack Drury and Brent Burns and finishes the play with a nifty back-hand shot to make it 5-2.

BARZZZZZZYYYYY #LGI | @FORDpic.twitter.com/WkCSadCn2i

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 5, 2025

Period 3:

Just over a minute into the period, Makar is able to walk down the slot and find Lehkonen on the goal line, who rifles one past Sorokin to make it 5-3. Schaefer is called for delay of game, but the Avalanche can’t score on their second power play of the night. Blackwood stops Anthony Duclair, who had a great breakaway attempt. Blackwood is pulled with just over three minutes left in the period, down two goals. 

Fight for the next. pic.twitter.com/YElXWWg9IX

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 5, 2025

Scott Mayfield is called for tripping, and the Avalanche gets a 6-on-4 opportunity with Blackwood pulled. Casey Cizikas picks off a cross-ice pass and sends it into the empty net to make it 6-3 and force the Avalanche to their second regulation loss on the season.

The Avalanche are back in action on Saturday, December 6, against the New York Rangers in New York.

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MacKinnon Outshines Sickness, Evokes Boxing Legend’s Relentless DriveNathan MacKinnon is far from the first elite competitor to confront illness and nevertheless prevail.

Talk continues to build around Winnipeg as the likely host for the NHL’s next Heritage Classic, and new rumors suggest the Winnipeg Jets may face the Montreal Canadiens if the event is officially approved. Nothing has been confirmed by the league, but speculation has intensified in recent days as the NHL considers bringing back its outdoor game series.

The rumors around the event began on the October 22 edition of Hockey Night in Canada. During the weekly headlines segment, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman told host Ron MacLean that the league was looking at reviving the Heritage Classic and that Winnipeg had emerged as a strong candidate. Friedman did not expand further but said, “looks like there’s going to be one next year and the whispers from out west is that Winnipeg is going to be a serious contender to host it.”

Since then, Winnipeg has consistently appeared as the expected host city, though no official announcement has been made, and the opposing team remains unconfirmed. Recent unverified reports point to the Montreal Canadiens as the likely opponent for the Jets, but neither the NHL nor either club has commented on the speculation.

NEWS: The 2026 NHL Heritage Classic will be October 25th between the Canadiens and Jets at the 32,000-seat Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg, home of the CFL’s Blue Bombers. #GoHabsGo#GoJetsGo

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) December 4, 2025

If selected, Princess Auto Field, the home stadium of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, would be the venue. The stadium previously hosted the 2016 Heritage Classic when the Jets met the Edmonton Oilers. Winnipeg lost that game 3-0, with Edmonton led by a young Connor McDavid who recorded an assist.

The Jets last appeared in a Heritage Classic in 2019 in Regina, where they defeated the Calgary Flames in overtime at Mosaic Stadium. That win evened Winnipeg’s outdoor game record at one victory and one loss.

Winnipeg’s history of hosting large events and its strong fan base have kept the city in regular consideration for NHL outdoor games. The league typically confirms Heritage Classic details several months in advance, and for now the possibility of a Jets–Canadiens matchup remains only a rumor but a potential exciting matchup for a standalone event.

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ELMONT, NY --New York Islanders No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer reached the 20-point mark on Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche. 

He recorded the primary assist on Bo Horvat's goal at 6:58 of the second period and now has eight goals and 12 assists on the season:

Schaefer 🍎 helps Horvat 🚨to his 17th goal.

Schaefer has 20 points. #islespic.twitter.com/Nh24SpzpWZ

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) December 5, 2025

With the assist, he tied Montreal Canadiens' Ivan Demidov and Anaheim Ducks' Beckett Sennecke for the rookie point lead (20). 

The Kings are coming off a 3-1 loss against the Washington Capitals. That is the Kings' 4th loss in the last 6 games. The Kings' power play also continued to struggle, so they are looking to play better on the man advantage tonight against the Blackhawks, which may prove to be a difficult task, as the Blackhawks have the 5th-best penalty kill in the NHL. The Blackhawks are coming off a 4-3 Shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights and are looking to avoid losing two in a row heading into tonight's matchup. 

Projected Kings Lines: 

Here are the projected lines for the Kings tonight: 

Trevor Moore - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe

Kevin Fiala - Quinton Byfield - Joel Armia

Alex Laferriere - Phillip Danault - Andrei Kuzmenko

Warren Foegele - Alex Turcotte - Corey Perry

Mikey Anderson - Joel Edmundson

Brandt Clarke - Drew Doughty

Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci

Darcy Kuemper

Anton Forsberg

Projected Blackhawks Lines

Here are the projected lines for the Blackhawks tonight: 

Ryan Greene - Connor Bedard - Andre Burakovsky

Tyler Bertuzzi - Frank Nazar - Oliver Moore

Teuvo Teravainen - Jason Dickinson - Ilya Mikheyev

Colton Dach - Ryan Donato

Alex Vlasic - Louis Crevier

Wyatt Kaiser - Artyom Levshunov

Matt Grzelcyk - Connor Murphy

Sam Rinzel

Spencer Knight

Arvid Soderblom

Injuries and Line Changes

The Kings are seemingly fully healthy, with Drew Doughty, Warren Foegele, and Phillip Danault all returning to the lineup. The Blackhawks are without Nick Foligno, who is out tonight with a left-hand injury. The Blackhawks are also running 11 Forwards and 7 Defensemen, a common theme this season. 

Key Factors

The Kings will have to try to contain one of the best young forwards in the NHL, Connor Bedard, who has been on an absolute tear this season for the Blackhawks, with 17 goals and 38 points on the year, and in his last 5 games, he has 4 goals and 7 points. The Kings will have to be smart defensively, especially with how electric Bedard has been. For the Kings, they will be looking to their superstar player to be the difference-maker, as he has 2 goals and 3 points in his last 5 games. 

The goaltenders in tonight's matchup are very interesting, as both Kuemper and Knight have been very solid this season, with Knight taking a massive step forward in his play. Knight this season has played 18 games, with 8 wins, 1 shutout, a 2.52 GAA, and a .917 SV%. For the Kings, Kuemper has been very solid, playing 18 games with 8 wins, 1 shutout, a 2.37 GAA, and a .908 SV%. So the matchup between these two goalies is going to be very interesting. 

If the Kings can clean up their power-play chances in this game, it could be the deciding factor for them tonight. In the last 10 matchups between these teams, the Kings are 7-1-2, and while Chicago has played much better this season, I predict the Kings will win 3-1 tonight and get back on track. 

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Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, a bonafide first-ballot future Hall of Fame player and arguably the greatest American-born forward in NHL history, is closing in on yet another milestone in his illustrious career.

With 1,359 career points, Kane trails Mike Modano by just 16 points (1,374) for the most by an American-born player in NHL history. He inched closer to Modano's record and actually tied him in a key category in the process.

During Detroit's 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday evening, Kane registered a pair of assists and equaled Modano's mark of 358 career multi-point games. 

Patrick Kane factored on two of five @DetroitRedWings goals and boosted his points total to 495-864—1359, 15 shy of tying Mike Modano for first among U.S.-born players. #NHLStats

Tune in 🌎: https://t.co/dT34F4MhkCpic.twitter.com/r2xIoqajtk

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) December 3, 2025

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

As he moves closer to becoming the highest-scoring U.S. player in NHL history, Kane said that he would love it if Modano were to be in attendance to watch his record be broken. 

"It would be really cool, I've been a big fan of Mike since his playing days," Kane explained earlier in the week. "When I met him when I came into the League, it was really a surreal moment for me. Loved the way he played, his flair and style, his jersey flapping when he was skating, and just how effortless he played."

"His highlights were something I watched growing up, so it would be cool to have him in attendance."

Modano himself indicated that he would like to witness Kane surpass his scoring record in person. 

"I knew years ago that he might be one that if he stayed healthy, that he would be the guy that kind of goes after it," Modano said. "I'd love to be there and definitely would make the effort to be there for that one."

Red Wings fans will recall Modano’s brief stint in Detroit at the end of his Hall of Fame career. The Westland native signed a one-year deal to join his hometown team before the 2010–11 season.

However, a lacerated right wrist suffered in a November 2010 game sidelined him for several months.

While Kane hasn't found the back of the net recently, he's had no shortage of good chances to score and is producing at nearly a point-per-game basis with 16 points in the 18 games he's played. 

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The San Jose Sharks have made a roster move, as they have assigned forward Pavol Regenda to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. 

Regenda was called up to the Sharks' NHL roster back on Dec. 1. From there, he scored a goal in each of his two games with the Sharks following being recalled. Yet, with this latest roster move, he is heading back to the AHL. 

Regenda will now be looking to make an impact after being sent back down to the Barracuda's roster. In 19 games so far this season with the AHL squad, the 6-foot-3 forward has recorded three goals, four assists, seven points, 10 penalty minutes, and a plus-2 rating. 

In 21 career NHL games over three seasons split between the Anaheim Ducks and Sharks, Regenda has recorded three goals, two assists, five points, and 22 hits. 

There are a number of former Buffalo Sabres players scattered throughout the NHL, having a varied level of success this season. Periodically, we will check in to see how their players are faring. Today we start with ex-Sabres playing for the eight teams in the Pacific Division. The Anaheim Ducks do not have any former Buffalo players currently on their roster, but here are those on the other seven clubs.

Calgary 

Devin Cooley - G: The former Rochester Amerk played 14 AHL games for the Sabres AHL affiliate in 2023-24 and was called up to Buffalo, but never played a game. Currently, as Dustin Wolf’s backup, Cooley has a 3-3-2 record, but a sparkling .920 save % and 2.17 GAA. 

Edmonton 

Matthew Savoie - F:  The Sabres 2022 first-rounder scored 54 points for AHL Bakersfield after being traded to Edmonton in the Ryan McLeod deal in the summer of 2024. Getting his first legitimate crack at the NHL, the 21-year-old has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 27 games. 

Curtis Lazar - F: Lazar played in Buffalo for 71 games between 2019-21, and for his seven NHL clubs he has one goal in 11 games this season.  

Los Angeles

Joel Armia - F: The Sabres 2011 first-rounder spent three years in Winnipeg and seven seasons in Montreal before signing as a free agent in Los Angeles. The 32-year-old has 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in 26 games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Guerin Gathering Info On Possible Olympic Options 

San Jose 

Jeff Skinner - F: After being bought out by the Sabres in 2024, the former 40-goal scorer played for Edmonton and saw his first career postseason action. The 33-year-old had four goals in 17 games before being injured last month, but is expected to return to action this week.  

Seattle

Brandon Montour - D: The Cup-winning blueliner had 18 goals in his first season with the Kraken, and is having another solid offensive year thus far, with 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 20 games. 

Vancouver

Tyler Myers - D: The former Calder Trophy winner was part of the Evander Kane deal in 2015 and, after five years in Winnipeg, is in his seventh season with the Canucks. The big righty has seven points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 27 games.

Evander Kane - F: The talented but undisciplined winger wore out his welcome in Edmonton after four years and was traded to the hometown Canucks last summer. In 27 games, Kane has 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists), but there are reports that he has already worn out his welcome. 

Vegas

Jack Eichel - F: The former Sabres team captain reached the 90-point plateau for the first time last season, and this season is on pace to set a career-high, with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 26 games. Eichel will be on Team USA for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina next February.

Brayden McNabb - D: The stay-at-home blueliner won a Cup with the Golden Knights and, in his ninth season with Vegas, has one assist in 26 games. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram  @MikeInBuffalo

The Winnipeg Jets are a curious team.

While they're without star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who had knee surgery two weeks ago, this is still largely the same group that won the Presidents' Trophy last season as the NHL's top regular-season team.

And yet, after they lost to the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout Wednesday night, the Jets have gone 2-5-1 after Hellebuyck last played on Nov. 15. Their .313 points percentage in that span is tied for last in the league.

This speaks to Hellebuyck's immense value to the Jets – he is the defending Hart Trophy winner, after all. But scratch beneath the surface, and you'll see that there are clearly multiple other issues that are plaguing Winnipeg right now.

Yes, the Jets have allowed the 11th-most goals against per game during Hellebuyck's absence, while they conceded the eighth-fewest goals per game beforehand. Goalie Eric Comrie has a .891 save percentage and 3.14 goals-against average in seven starts, while Thomas Milic has an .882 SP and 3.65 GAA in two appearances.

But they also have the seventh-worst offense in the NHL since Nov. 16 at 2.50 goals-for per game. And their special teams have also been a problem in that span. Their 15-percent power-play success rate and 78.9-percent penalty-kill rate each rank tied for 20th.

Hellebuyck's injury is projected to keep him on the sidelines until late December or early January. Winnipeg is only two points out of a playoff spot with two games in hand. But this team has too much talent, even without Hellebuyck, to be in this predicament.

Free-Falling Jets Take Just Three of a Possible 10 Points on Lengthy Road TripJets stumble on another lengthy road trip, snagging minimal points. Can a crucial home stretch spark a turnaround for the struggling team?

The Jets' next stretch includes games against the desperate Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. That won't be a cakewalk by any means, with the Avs, Stars and Caps sitting in the top three of the standings.

In the highly competitive Central Division, Winnipeg's challenge is considerable and constant. They need to be consistent in a way they haven't been since they came out of the gate 9-3-0. Even a .500 points percentage stretch likely won't push them back to the top of the division.

Some of their challenge falls at the feet of the Jets' secondary scorers.

Only four forwards have at least 0.50 points per game – Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Gabriel Vilardi and Nino Niederreiter – and they need much more production out of players beyond their top line. Veteran center Jonathan Toews is a high-profile addition to the Jets, but the 37-year-old has three goals and nine points in 26 games. 

Winnipeg wants more out of the second-line center spot they signed Toews to occupy, but he's been out of the league for two seasons before making his comeback this year.

Clearly, they need more out of their bottom six forwards and from their defensemen other than star Josh Morrissey.

The Jets have $4.28 million in salary cap space – which is projected to balloon to $13.6 million at the March 6 trade deadline. But if they wait too long to spend that cap space, Winnipeg could be stuck closer to the bottom of the Central standings. So Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has to balance his longer-term needs with his immediate goals.

In any case, Winnipeg's focus has to be on either ratcheting up its defensive game without Hellebuyck or getting out of this scoring slump. All NHL teams will only do as well as they can when their key players are healthy and in the lineup, but they have enough skaters right now to get the job done.

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Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry has been given the No. 8 spot on Lyle Richardson's NHL Trade Targets Rankings for Bleacher Report. 

Jarry has been the subject of trade rumors before, and it has carried over to the season. Because of this, it makes sense that he is being considered among the top trade candidates in the NHL right now. This is especially so when noting that the Penguins are retooling and Jarry is in the middle of a bounce-back season. 

In 11 games so far this campaign, Jarry has recorded an 8-2-0 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.57 goals-against average. This is after he had a 16-12-6 record, a .892 save percentage, and a 3.12 goals-against average in 36 games last season for Pittsburgh.

With how well Jarry is playing this season, it would be understandable if he generated interest from clubs looking for goaltending help near the deadline. Yet, the Penguins could also very well decide to keep him around if he keeps playing well. This is because he is signed until the end of the 2027-28 season, carrying a $5.375 million cap hit. 

In 304 career games over 10 seasons with the Penguins, Jarry has recorded a 160-99-31 record, a .909 save percentage, and a 2.74 goals-against average. 

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The Detroit Red Wings managed to pick up a badly-needed victory on Tuesday evening, taking down the Boston Bruins by a 5-4 final score at Little Caesars Arena to halt what was a four-game winless skid. 

Their metal will now be put to the test once again as they've embarked on a six-game road trip that will begin on Thursday evening against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

For head coach Todd McLellan, he's looking forward to the challenge that this road trip represents for his club. 

"It's going to be a big challenge," McLellan said of the next six games. "The travel, the buildings that we go to, the teams that we're going to play, everyone's a little different, so we have to prepare each and every night. But I think the opportunity that lies ahead of us is two-fold."

"One, to have a successful trip and build, and then two, to find our game and continue to build on it. I'm looking forward to it, and it starts here tonight against a real good team." 

The Red Wings defeated the Blue Jackets on Nov. 22 by a 4-3 final score in overtime thanks to a two-goal third period comeback effort that was capped by Alex DeBrincat's winning tally in the extra session. 

However,  Detroit's next four games weren't as fruitful. They dropped contests to both the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning on home ice, which were highlighted by multiple defensive miscues that their opposition took advantage of. 

Red Wings forward Elmer Soderblom, whom they'd like to contribute more offensively as he only has a single goal in the 14 games he's skated in, said Detroit isn't going to be taking Columbus lightly. 

"I'm Happy For Him": Todd McLellan Talks Up John Gibson After Win Vs. Bruins Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan was happy for goaltender John Gibson on Tuesday night after he picked up his first win since Nov. 13.

“They have some skilled players and some physicality,” Soderblom said of the impending matchup against Columbus. “Always good battles against this team. I think we always have tight games, so it’s going to be fun.”

Following Thursday's game, the Red Wings will travel to Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Chicago before returning home on Nov. 16 against the New York Islanders. 

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The Wraparound is here to discuss a new batch of NHL and hockey topics in bite-sized segments.

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Stephen Kerr discussed in this episode:

0:00: Which team in the Central Division is under the most pressure to translate their hot start into playoff success?

4:45: Can Steven Stamkos get his offense back on track in Nashville or elsewhere?

10:05: How concerning is the lack of depth scoring for the Detroit Red Wings?

13:28: How will Adam Fox's injury impact the Rangers' playoff chances?

17:41: Should the Montreal Canadiens look to make an upgrade in net?

22:40: Will Tyler Bertuzzi be a long-term fit for the Chicago Blackhawks?

25:39: Exploring potential trade partners for Quinn Hughes and the Vancouver Canucks

Should The Canadiens Find An Upgrade In Net? by The Wraparound

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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The crossroads of the Buffalo Sabres 2024-25 season was exactly one year to the day of the club beginning their six-game road swing, that may determine whether they remain competitive for an Eastern Conference playoff spot or not. On December 3, 2024, the Sabres led Colorado 4-0 after 20 minutes and 4-1 entering the third period before the Avalanche rallied with four third-period goals to win 5-4.  That loss failed to end a three-game losing skid and excelerated a 13-game crashdive that caused the club to miss the playoffs for a 14th straight season. 

The 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers was much less dramatic, but began the Sabres critical road swing on a discouraging note. Early momentum from a Jason Zucker power play goal was squandered by a Buffalo penalty killing unit that was second in  the NHL entering the game and by a questionable review request for goalie interference by head coach Lindy Ruff on Travis Konecny’s tying goal. 

 "We felt that (Owen Tippett's) stick got into our goalie's blocker, whether that was going to be enough or not, you couldn't really tell." Ruff said after the game. "It looked like his body was inside the paint, but skates weren't."

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Guerin Gathering Info On Possible Olympic Options 

The failed review led to another Flyers power goal from Trevor Zegras and a reeling Sabres squad allowed a third Philadelphia goal by Bobby Brink within a span of 59 seconds. Buffalo had several opportunities in the contest to close the gap, but were unable to beat Samuel Ersson, who made 27 saves. According to Ruff, the club’s top players did not come through, including team captain Rasmus Dahlin, who was ejected for a major boarding penalty and game misconduct for a hit on Zegras in the second period.

"The top guys failed the test. (Tage Thompson) took a bad penalty. We had a bad clear (from Alex Tuch), we had plenty of opportunities to get back in the game,” Ruff said. “If you look at a couple of chances, even Tage had one on the goal line that Samuelsson set him up. We weren't sharp. We've talked about consistent play, we failed the test on consistent play."

The loss ended the Sabres two-game winning streak and has them just one point ahead of last-place Florida in the Eastern Conference. 

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On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in Florida, as Pittsburgh looks to hold onto its playoff positioning and Tampa looks to extend its Atlantic Division lead. 

But there is another storyline as well.

For the fifth time, the Penguins will face their former teammate Jake Guentzel, who was dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes at the 2024 trade deadline and was subsequently traded to then signed by the Lightning the following summer. In four games against Pittsburgh, Guentzel has notched no goals and three assists. 

At the time, the Guentzel trade definitely seemed to be one focused on quantity rather than quality, although the jury is still out on that with a few promising prospects dealt as part of that trade. 

---

In fact, let's revisit where the Guentzel trade tree has extended so far:

- Mar. 8, 2024: Penguins acquire forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius, and conditional first-round and fifth-round draft picks from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith

- Jun. 29, 2024: Penguins use conditional first-round pick acquired from Hurricanes (condition not met) to draft defenseman Harrison Brunicke 44th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. 

- Jun. 30, 2024: Hurricanes acquire 2025 third-round pick from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Guentzel

- Jul. 1, 2024: Guentzel signs seven-year, $63 million contract with Lightning

- Mar. 6, 2025: Penguins acquire forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Bunting and a 2026 fourth-round pick

- Mar. 7, 2025: Penguins acquire a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Schenn

- Jun. 28, 2025: Hurricanes use third-round pick acquired from Lightning to draft defenseman Roman Bausov 87th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft

Penguins' Prospect Earns Two Honors In Same WeekThere are a lot of <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' prospects making noise in the pipeline this season, and the organization's prospect pool is looking deeper than it has in quite a long time.

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Winner: Tampa Bay Lightning

There's no doubt that Tampa Bay is the clear winner in this trade tree scenario, as they ended up acquiring a perennial 30-40 goal-scorer for only a third-round pick due to his unrestricted free agent status. No matter how you slice it, Tampa has - so far - come out on top of this trade tree

Biggest loser: Carolina Hurricanes

It's certainly not ideal to lose Guentzel to a trade for unrestricted free agency rights and net only a third-round pick in return. Carolina not only lost a perennial 30-40 goal-scorer, but they also lost a potential top-six winger in Koivunen and the second-round selection that led to the Penguins getting Brunicke, who has a ceiling as a top-pairing defenseman. Carolina lost this one, and they lost big.

New 'Kid Line' Might Be Just What Penguins NeedThe Pittsburgh Penguins debuted their new "kid line" of Rutger McGroarty, Ben Kindel, and Ville Koivunen against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday - and it paid off.

Jury's still out: Pittsburgh Penguins

It's very hard to replace a point-per-game, perennial 30-40 goal-scorer. Even with unrestricted free agency, trading a player of that caliber typically requires at least a first-round pick, which Penguins' GM/POHO Kyle Dubas failed to secure.

However, the Penguins probably got first-round value out of Brunicke, Koivunen's stock has risen since joining the organization, Lucius is playing well at the NCAA level, Novak has been a serviceable player for Pittsburgh, and they still have some picks at their disposal - which is good news, considering how Dubas and Wes Clark have fared in drafting up to this point.  

Regardless, it will be interesting to see how this trade tree continues to play out and if there are any more surprises in store with it. 

Pittsburgh Penguins At Tampa Bay Lightning Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchThe Pittsburgh Penguins will face one of the toughest teams in the NHL on Thursday night.

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