The NHL’s Eastern Conference race for the final wild-card berth is coming down to a select few teams, and two of those teams are headed in different directions: the New York Rangers, who have lost their last three games and are 3-5-2 in their past 10 games, and their arch-rivals, the New York Islanders, who have won three straight games and are 6-3-1 in their past 10 games. The Rangers look to be out of gas as they attempt to edge out the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot. At the same time, the Islanders are one spot closer to ousting the Canadiens, sitting an identical two points behind Montreal but with a superior point percentage to the Rangers.

Not all the news is good news in the Isles’ favor. As per Tankathon, the Islanders have the fifth-toughest remaining schedule, while the Rangers have the 14th-toughest schedule. But it’s the way the Rangers have lost of late that is so disheartening for Blueshirts fans. The Rangers have generated just five goals in their past three losses to Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto, and their loss to the Maple Leafs came on the second night of a back-to-back series of games for the Leafs. The Rangers were rested and in their home building against Toronto, but they came out flat and unable to take advantage of the Leafs. And while they’re only two points behind Montreal, the Rangers don’t look like a team that believes in itself right now.

The Islanders, on the other hand, have beaten the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Canadiens in their current win streak. And the Isles have scored four goals in each of their past three wins – a good harbinger of what they’re capable of as they try to sneak into the playoffs for the second-straight season.

There are others still in the race for the final wild-card spot, but like the Rangers, they’re all struggling to be at their best currently. The Columbus Blue Jackets are 2-7-1 in their past 10 games, the Detroit Red Wings are 2-8-0 and the Boston Bruins are 3-6-1. None of those teams look like they’re hungry enough and focused enough to rise through the ranks and land the last wild-card berth. And that’s why it could prove to come down to the Rangers and Islanders.

The NHL’s schedule-maker has set the table for what could be a season-defining game between the Rangers and Isles. On April 10, the Islanders and Rangers square off against each other at UBS Arena – and considering the Isles have a 0-3-0 record this season against the Rangers, you’d think the Rangers would have the psychological advantage heading into that game. But if the Rangers continue to falter in the games leading up to that final showdown, that game may not matter.

In any case, the wild-card race could come down to the final week of the regular season. And while it could be a case of someone – maybe the Islanders or Rangers – backing into a wild-card berth, there could be a team that seizes the opportunity now before them and finds a way to thrive the rest of the way this season en route to a playoff spot.

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The Montreal Canadiens enjoyed a day off on Friday after their overtime loss to the New York Islanders, but they will be all hands on deck on Saturday as they are set to host the Colorado Avalanche at the Bell Centre.

It will be the second and last game between the two sides this season. The first occurred in Denver in early January when Jakub Dobes recorded a 2-1 shootout win against a hazardous Colorado attack. The youngster finished the game with a .955 save percentage.

While Samuel Montembeault has been fantastic for the Canadiens since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, he’s let in a couple of softies over the last two games, and it will be interesting to see if Martin St-Louis decides to give him a rest on Saturday night.

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However, the Becancour native has only faced the Avs twice in his career, winning the only decision he was involved in. He has a 1.88 goals-against average against them and a .935 SP, which are pretty good numbers.  However, that’s a pretty small sample; the same can be said for Dobes.

There’s no word yet on which goaltender will be defending the Avalanche’s net. Mackenzie Blackwood was on duty the last time the two teams met, and he was as good as Dobes until the shootout. He has faced the Canadiens six times and has a 4-0-2, with a 2.26 GAA and a .931 SP. As for Scott Wedgewood, he has lost his only duel with the Canadiens and has a 4.45 GAA and a .778 SP. He was on duty for the Avs last game and beat the Senators 5-1 on Thursday night.

The Canadiens have won their last three games against Saturday night’s visitors but only four of the previous 10 meetings between the two sides. Montreal is 6-1-3 in its last 10 games, while Colorado is 8-1-1.

Given Colorado's good attack, the Canadiens will need their attack to be ready to go on Saturday night. Patrik Laine is the Habs’ most productive player against the Avs, scoring 18 points in 20 games. Nobody else is in the double digits, but to be fair, the two teams do not face each other regularly. Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher both have eight points against them, the former in as many games, while the alternate captain has faced them 15 times, but he has been red-hot over the last two games. Speaking of the alternate captain, he only needs one more points to join Pierre Mondou in 28th place of the top scorers with the Canadiens. Cole Caufield has four points in five games against the Avs, while Lane Hutson has an assist in his only tilt with Colorado.

Patrik Laine

First member of the Canadiens with 14 PP goals thru 38 games played in a season since Mats Naslund in 1985-86#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/3ROAU89EdM

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) March 21, 2025

As for the Avs, Nathan MacKinnon leads the pack with 17 points in 18 games, followed by Mikko Rantanen, who has 14 points in as many games, and Cale Makar, who has 10 points in eight games. Former Hab Artturi Lehkonen has four points in as many games.

The Canadiens are currently in the second wildcard spot in the Easter Conference, three points behind the Ottawa Senators, who will be taken on the severely depleted New Jersey Devils on Saturday. The New York Rangers and the New York Islanders are both trailing Montreal by two points; the former will be taking on the Vancouver Canucks, while the latter will be battling the Calgary Flames; both teams will play in the daytime, meaning Montreal will know where they stand before puck drop.

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A long and grueling road trip for the Florida Panthers will finally come to an end on Saturday in Washington D.C.

Despite averaging less than two goals per game, the Panthers have squeaked out a couple of wins so far and can close out the trip with an even .500 record if they can take care of business against the Washington Capitals.

That will be no easy task.

Washington has been leading the Eastern Conference basically the entire season, currently holding a 12-point edge over second place Carolina in the Metropolitan Division and 13 points clear of Florida, who leads the Atlantic Division.

The Capitals are also playing some very good hockey this month.

They are currently riding a 8-1-0 stretch, with their most recent win clinching the Caps’ spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Even with all the success, much of the focus this season has been on star forward Alex Ovechkin as he chases down history.

Entering play Saturday, Ovechkin has 888 career goals. He needs only seven more to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal scoring record of 894.

Here’s a fun fact: there is only one active NHL goalie who has allowed more goals to Ovechkin than Sergei Bobrovsky.

Marc-Andre Fleury has been scored on by Ovie 28 times, the most of any goaltender, active or retired.

Bobrovsky has seen Ovechkin score on him 16 times.

Florida’s backup goalie, Vitek Vanecek, has never been scored on by Ovechkin, at least not in an NHL game.

The two were teammates for a couple seasons in Washington, but practice goals don’t count toward this historic total.

Florida is not expected to have any lineup changes from Thursday’s win in Columbus.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Saturday’s battle with the Caps:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Evan Rodrigues

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Jesper Boqvist

A.J. Greer – Nico Sturm – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola – Tobias Bjornfot

Nate Schmidt – Uvis Balinskis

Scratches: Tomas Nosek, Brad Marchand, Dmitry Kulikov

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In what was a must-win game for both of the teams on the ice Friday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins sure came ready to play.

And they got contributions from everywhere in their lineup - including a big boost from a somewhat unexpected source.

On a bobblehead night for Pittsburgh Penguins' legend Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh ousted the Columbus Blue Jackets, 6-3, with six goals from six different players. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was solid as well, stopping 45 of 48 Columbus shots and shutting down their attack off the rush with several key saves.

But he wasn't the biggest story of the night.

To open the scoring, Evgeni Malkin capitalized just over five minutes into the contest, as he poked in a redirected pass from Connor Dewar and Philip Tomasino from along the goal line. That goal got the Penguins off to a good start.

And the big catalyst for the rest of the evening happened minutes later. Nearing the midway point of the period, Penguins forward Boko Imama and Columbus forward Mathieu Olivier dropped the gloves for their second boxing match of the season.

They made great theater out of it, too, as both players threw down the gloves in dramatic fashion, had a slow-burn squaring-off as they approached, and exchanged punches back-and-forth throughout the fight, which was eventually broken up by the referees.

Both teams seemed to build off that momentum, as Noel Acciari scored a garbage goal about two minutes later, Columbus forward Boone Jenner scored 16 seconds after Acciari, and Rickard Rakell put home his 32nd of the season 46 seconds after Jenner.

Less than two minutes into the second period, Justin Danforth added a Columbus goal to make it 3-2. But Imama struck again - this time, in the goal column.

He took a feed in the slot from Danton Heinen, and he found the upper-left corner of the net for his first goal of the season and just the second of his NHL career to make it 4-2. Imama didn't even realize he scored at first, and he threw up both his arms in elation when he realized it went in.

WE'RE LOKO FOR BOKO 😜 pic.twitter.com/YULX0jLxM2

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 22, 2025

"I mean, 'Hayesy', he's the one patrolling the line, and he pretty much told us what he wanted to happen," Imama said. "I just kind of followed his direction, and he was right. The puck just came out - perfect pass from 'Heino' - and all I had to do was to put it on target, and it went in."

Later in the period, Sidney Crosby made a ridiculous redirection on a Matt Grzelcyk shot-pass to make the score 5-2. The goal was Crosby's second on the night, which puts him just four points shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky's point-per-game seasons record at 20.

Columbus did get some momentum at the beginning of the third period, as Kent Johnson put one home just three minutes and 45 seconds into the period. However, Nedeljkovic and the Penguins were able to shut it down, with Bryan Rust potting an empty-netter with less than two minutes to go to seal it off at 6-3.

The Penguins got contributions from everywhere. But Imama was the catalyst for all of it, and it couldn't have happened for a better guy in the room.

"He's a terrific person," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "He brings so much positive energy to the rink every day. It's hard not to smile when you're around him. He's just an enthusiastic person, he loves hockey, he loves being at the rink, loves being part of the team... and he loves being a Penguin."

They're trying to make the most of the opportunity here that's in front of them. That energy is contagious amongst the group. It's inspiring.

---

Here are some thoughts and observations from this one:

- Imama's fight brought some energy to an otherwise slow game. And the crowd went absolutely nuts both when he fought and when he scored his goal.

He's someone I'd like to see stick around. He shouldn't be an everyday player - younger, more future-oriented guys guys should get some opportunities next season instead - but he's completely fine to have around as a 13th or 14th forward.

His roster spot isn't one that should be blocking any younger guys, anyway.

- Malkin's line seems to have found some chemistry late in the season. Him and Tomasino have been working pretty well together, but I think the addition of Dewar has brought some much-needed forechecking prowess to that line.

Dewar goes to the dirty areas, is good along the wall, and brings energy to the line. Tomasino and Malkin - although both very skilled - play a lot on the perimeter, so it's always good to have that hardline, north-south guy to complement them.

Really good work by Dewar leading up to the Malkin goal. And Malkin really seems to have his gallop right now, too. This was a good game for them.

- Leading off of that, Tomasino continues to look pretty good next to 71. 

I'll keep saying it: He needs to stay put on that line. He's found a different level on it.

- It was a bit strange seeing Kris Letang play on his off-side Friday. 

And you could tell it was a bit strange for him, too.

He didn't play a bad game. There were just a few times he was a bit out-of-position and - likely, out of reaction - committed a little to far to the right side.

All in all, he didn't look all that out-of-place. And he and Conor Timmins seemed to mesh well together.

- I was just about to say that Grzelcyk had quieted down a bit offensively since the Mar. 7 trade deadline. And then he went and made that pass on Crosby's goal.

Grzelcyk shot it from the blue line and Crosby tipped it in for his 25th of the season 🫣 pic.twitter.com/NWWE6bapF6

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 22, 2025

Well, the other half of what I was going to say still stands: Even though he had been relatively quiet, I don't think that's a bad thing. He's cleaned up many of the glaring defensive zone mistakes that were present in his game for most of the season. They still happen, but they're not nearly as loud, and they're not nearly as frequent.

Don't be surprised if the Penguins offer Grzelcyk an extension to stay for another season or two. The coaching staff is happy with the work he's put in this season to find his game again, and he's been effective on the power play, in transition, and in the attacking zone. They like him quite a bit.

- What else can you say about 87?

Honestly, it's pretty incredible that we're talking about the two greatest players of a generation - Crosby and Alex Ovechkin - breaking what were long thought to be "unbreakable" Wayne Gretzky NHL records, but here we are.

Ovechkin needs just six more goals for the goal record. Crosby needs just four more points for the point-per-game seasons record.

Enjoy this, folks. This is truly one of the greatest times in history to be a hockey fan.

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ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Wild announced on Friday the signing of defensive prospect Stevie Leskovar from the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). 

Leskovar, 20, has one goal and five points in 33 OHL games this season. He is a very physical shutdown defenseman for the Steelheads. He has 70 penalty minutes in 33 games this year as well. 

The 6-foot-4 defenseman was drafted with the 174th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 216-pound native of Cambridge, Ontario, has recorded four goals, 16 assists, 20 points, and 237 penalty minutes in 158 career OHL games across four seasons. 

It will remain to be seen what kind of career Leskovar carves out but I would imagine he becomes a solid physical defenseman for the Iowa Wild (AHL) and the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL). 

The Pittsburgh Penguins are well-aware of how every game matters from here on out.

And they will have a crucial matchup against a division rival - and a team they are chasing in the standings.

The Penguins will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in Pittsburgh on Friday. They have won six of their last 10 games against Columbus, and the Blue Jackets bested the Penguins in a shootout, 4-3, on Jan. 7 - which was their first win in Pittsburgh since Dec. 21, 2015.

Columbus currently sits three points back of the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, while Pittsburgh is eight points back. Needless to say, this is a must-win game for both teams - and a clean two points is nearly essential.

Alex Nedeljkovic will get his first start in goal since Mar. 7, when the Penguins lost to the Vegas Golden Knights, 4-0. Sullivan stressed the importance of making sure both of their goaltenders get reps down the stretch, but he also realizes he needs to ice the guy who gives them the best chance to win.

"The reality is with the amount of games that we've just played and that we have moving forward, it requires us to get both guys involved," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "So, when we make these types of decisions, we're thinking in terms of helping the team win the game right in front of us... but, also, there's a little bit of 'big picture' decision-making. 

"How do we set both of these guys up for success, so when they do go in the net, they have the ability to give us a chance to win? Ultimately, if we can set them up for success, it's going to help the Penguins have success."

Nedeljkovic should certainly be tested, too, as Columbus has five players with 20 or more goals on their roster. They are also getting a lot of offense from their blue line - including from Zach Werenski, who is having a career year with 20 goals and 69 points in 67 games. 

"They generate a lot of offense from their defense," Sullivan said. "If I'm not mistaken, they might be second in the league in terms of goals scored by their defensemen. And Zach's a big part of that... he's a difference-maker as far as a defenseman with the way he drives offense."

Here is the rest of the lineup for the Penguins on Friday, which includes Kris Letang in a new home on the left side of the top defensive pairing alongside Conor Timmins:

How we're lining up tonight vs. CBJ ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yYanM7mhNU

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 21, 2025

The Penguins have points in 16 consecutive home games against Columbus, and captain Sidney Crosby enters this game just six points shy of his 20th consecutive point-per-game season, which would break Wayne Gretzky's previous record of 19.

You can track Crosby's progress here.

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For Calgary Flames winger Matt Coronato, this week has been about more than just hockey; it's been a homecoming. As the Flames make their way through the New York area, Saturday’s game against the Islanders is particularly meaningful for the young forward.

Coronato, who grew up on Long Island as a passionate Islanders fan, is getting the rare opportunity to play in front of the family, friends, and mentors who helped him reach the NHL.

“It's awesome to get to have so many people come and watch and be a part of it,” Coronato told the Calgary Flames website team on Friday. “So thankful for so many people that helped me get to this point.”

With wins in Manhattan and New Jersey after a trip-opening loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs,  Coronato has already been in the area for a few days, making the most of the Flames’ schedule. With multiple games in close proximity, his support group has been able to watch him play live—something they haven’t had many chances to do as he chases his hockey dream.

“For them to be able to come to a few games this week has been really special,” Coronato added.

While the homecoming is a highlight, there’s no time to slow down. The Flames are in the thick of a heated battle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and every remaining game is crucial. With back-to-back wins to start this trip, they’ve positioned themselves well, but they know the job isn’t done yet.

“It’s been a great trip so far - two big wins,” Coronato said. “So, every game is so important right now. So, it'd be really big to finish this road trip off the right way.”

Coronato has played a key role in Calgary’s success, ranking fourth in team scoring with 18 goals and 35 points in 63 games. His elite shot and ability to find open space have made him a dangerous offensive weapon, and he’s been feeling confident with the puck on his stick.

“It’s great to see some pucks go in,” he said. “And I think when we're working and playing the right way, the offence will come.”

As the Flames continue their playoff push, Coronato’s homecoming serves as both a personal milestone and a reminder of just how far he’s come.

“Yeah, it’s cool,” he said. “It’s been nice being here this week, having all the support from family and friends. Definitely been enjoying it.”

Between the Stanley Cup Playoff race and the NHL GM Meetings, there was a lot to get to on this week’s episode of The Hockey Show.

That’s why hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork brought in some extra muscle to help go over everything.

Joining the show this week were Amazon Prime NHL host Adnan Virk, NHL Insider David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period and special guest host Jonathan Zaslow of ESPN Radio and the Zaslow Show 2.0. 

Among the tropics from the GM meetings that we discussed were potential rule changes, making cut-proof attire mandatory, extending overtime, changing the playoff format and the fact that power play opportunities across the league are down significantly this season.

We also touch on CBA negotiations, the idea of an NHL-KHL showdown floated by President Trump and how there is a real possibility that all seven Canadian NHL teams can make the playoffs this season.

Our wins and fails of the week included an OHL player losing his cup mid-game, an all-goalies game in Seattle, an empty-net blunder by Vegas, a referee assist and the conundrum that is Matt Rempe.

We also, as always, spend a full segment breaking down the latest happenings in and around the Florida Panthers. 

You can check out the full episode in the video below:

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Dmitry Kulikov considered week-to-week, so Panthers will lean on Tobias Bjornfot

ST. LOUIS -- For the St. Louis Blues, now comes the hard part.

It's one thing to be the hunter trying to chase down those in front of them for the Western Conference wild card, but now to be the hunted, which the Blues (35-28-7), who host the Chicago Blackhawks (20-40-9) on Saturday at 2 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM), are, being chased by three teams (Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Utah Hockey Club) makes the final 12 games that much more interesting.

But what it does is not change a thing.

"That's a pretty myopic vision right now," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said after a very brief practice Friday. "We have the Blackhawks at (2 p.m.) tomorrow. We're going to get ready for them.

"It's going to come down to the last game because there's just not enough games left and not enough point separation to be able to take a breath, and that's great. What we've been doing, it's what we're used to. Our mindset's in the moment. I sound like a broken record, but that's what we have been focused on."

That's the message relayed to the players, and they have had it ingrained in them since making this 11-2-2 run.

"Yeah 100 percent, that's the message," said forward Dylan Holloway, who scored in the third period to give the Blues a 3-2 lead. "We can't get too high or too low. It was a big win tonight, but we've got more games coming. It's tight. ... It's as tight as it's ever been, and we've just got to keep going."

But boy, that will be a task after such an emotional 4-3 overtime win on Thursday at home against the Canucks when Philip Broberg scored at 3:42 of overtime to put the Blues one point ahead of Vancouver, two ahead of Calgary and four ahead of Utah. The Canucks have a game in hand while the Flames have two games in hand.

"They have a tough schedule coming at some point, where they're not going to be able to take a breath," Montgomery said. "Coming up, we're going to have a couple of two days off in between games. That's going to be really beneficial, but until we get there, we've just got to push through and we've done that. Our mental toughness, the way we prepare, the way guys are going out shift after shift playing really good hockey has been very impressive."

Nonetheless, there was so much to like for Montgomery in a game that had so many range of emotions, both good and bad.

"I just the think the way we played," he said. "We were committed to playing the right way. Vancouver pushed in the second, and then we pushed back in the last eight and a half minutes of the second. The third period, I think it was a combination of nerves and it's not an excuse, but the density of the schedule we made some decisions that I don't think are common for us lately, more common in January. It's just an opportunity for us to reset, recharge the batteries and get ready for another two big games here."

The Blues had their team photo day at Enterprise Center on Friday and skated for a shade under 15 minutes.

Oskar Sundqvist was the lone absentee from the skate due to a maintenance day, but Montgomery said the forward would be available to play on Saturday.

The Blues will be going for their second-ever season series sweep of the Blackhawks; they own a 6-2 win at the 2025 NHL Discover Winter Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Dec. 31 and a wild 6-5 shootout win at Enterprise Center on Feb. 8.

The Blues' only season sweep was in 2919-20 when they went 4-0-0.

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Pavel Buchnevich

Dylan Holloway-Brayden Schenn -- Jordan Kyrou

Mathieu Joseph-Oskar Sundqvist-Zack Bolduc

Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker

Cam Fowler-Nick Leddy

Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk

Ryan Suter-Tyler Tucker

Joel Hofer is projected to start in goal; Jordan Binnington would be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Alexandre Texier and Matthew Kessel. Colton Parayko (knee) remains out. Torey Krug (ankle) is out for the season.

- - -

Blackhawks Projected Lineup:

Ilya Mikheyev-Frank Nazar-Connor Bedard

Teuvo Teravainen-Jason Dickinson-Nick Foligno

Joe Veleno-Ryan Donato-Tyler Bertuzzi

Landon Slaggert-Lukas Reichel-Patrick Maroon

Alex Vlasic-Wyatt Kaiser

Ethan Del Mastro-Connor Murphy

Alec Martinez-Artyom Levshunov

Arvid Soderblom will start in goal; Spencer Knight will be the backup. 

Healthy scratches include Philipp Kurashev, TJ Brodie and Louis Crevier. Laurent Brossoit (knee) and Colton Dach (elbow) are out.

On Thursday night, Connor Hellebuyck became the first NHL goalie to reach 40 wins in the 2024-25 NHL season when the Winnipeg Jets beat the Edmonton Oilers in overtime.

It’s the second time in his career that the 31-year-old has reached that plateau, and it’s quite a feat. The only other active netminder with multiple 40-win seasons is Marc-Andre Fleury, whose career has been 11 years longer. 

One other challenger could also get to 40 this season: the goalie who was also drafted 111 picks ahead of Hellebuyck in 2012, Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Tampa Bay Lightning have 14 games remaining, and Vasilveskiy currently sits at 33 wins. 

Look back at the last decade, and Vasilevskiy is the only goalie whose body of work comes close to touching Hellebuyck’s. He won 44 games in 2017-18 and hit 39 in two other seasons, and their career performances have been almost identical. Both have save percentages of .917, and while Vasilevskiy’s career goals-against average is 2.53, Hellebuyck’s is just a few ticks higher, at 2.57.

When it comes to Vezina voting, Hellebuyck holds the edge. He already has two wins under his belt, from 2020 and from last season, when he collected 31 of 32 first-place votes from the league’s GMs. As well as his strong lead in the win category, which the GMs value highly, Hellebuyck is also first with his .924 save percentage, which ties his career high, along with his career-best 2.06 GAA and his 34.4 goals saved above expected per moneypuck.com. 

Washington’s Logan Thompson is the only other stopper over 30 GSAE, and Hellebuyck nearly doubles Vasilevskiy’s 18.1.

Hellebuyck and Sergei Bobrovsky are the only active goalies with two Vezina wins. If the voters reward Hellebuyck again this spring as expected, he’ll be just the 13th goalie in NHL history to win three times and the first to collect back-to-back awards since Martin Brodeur did it in 2007 and 2008.

But there’s one notable achievement missing from Hellebuyck’s resume: a Stanley Cup. 

To date, his best playoff run was his first. In 2018, the Jets bested the Nashville Predators in a seven-game second-round slugfest before losing to Fleury and the first-year Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference final. 

After last year’s chaotic first-round loss to the Colorado Avalanche, the Jets look like they’ve done everything right in preparing to erase that memory. Thursday’s win in Edmonton got them to 100 points for the second-straight year, and they’re on their way to clinching their first division title since returning to Winnipeg and the first conference championship in the history of the Jets/Thrashers franchise.

That positioning will protect them from a first-round matchup against one of the Central’s other strong contenders. Instead, they’ll meet whichever bubble team ultimately snags the second wild card in the West. 

Having home-ice advantage for at least three rounds should also pay big dividends. The Jets’ record of 25-5-4 at Canada Life Centre is one of the best in the NHL, and that’s also where Hellebuyck has played his best hockey. He’s 22-3-3 on home ice this year, with a save percentage of .934 and a 1.74 GAA.

While most NHL players were re-charging their batteries in February, Hellebuyck was logging some of the most intense minutes of his career with Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off. And while there’s always a risk attached when top teams shift into cruise control in an attempt to rest up for the playoffs, the Jets are comfortable enough that they don’t need Hellebuyck to stand on his head over the next four weeks. 

Right now, he’s near the top of the list of total minutes played — as usual. But the Jets are one of nine teams that have already completed 70 games.

And while Eric Comrie’s record is a moderate 8-8-1, he has delivered quality minutes, with a .914 save percentage, 2.39 GAA, and 2.4 GSAE.

Other than a 10-minute pull by the concussion spotter in Seattle last weekend, Comrie has delivered complete games in all his other starts this year — helping to keep Winnipeg’s rotation stable and predictable, which Hellebuyck appreciates.

“The way that I usually handle it is telling the other guy, ‘You’re not coming out, no matter what,’ ” he said. “Make him feel good, that no matter what’s gonna happen, he’s in.”

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The Los Angeles Kings concluded their two-game road trip with a split 1-1 record after a commanding 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. This victory capped off a six-win out-of-seven-game stretch and was a good rebound from their disappointing 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday.

Road Trip Recap

A balanced effort across the roster marked the Kings’ latest trip to Chicago. Trevor Moore opened the scoring in the first period, giving Los Angeles an early lead. Alex Turcotte made it a two-goal cushion in the second period, depositing his eighth goal. 

Thursdub 🙌#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/pe4N9W5sar

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 21, 2025

Despite a Chicago surge that began when rookie sensation Connor Bedard got the Blackhawks on board, Joel Edmundson's empty-netter ultimately secured the win for the Kings. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper backstopped the Kings with 17 saves, extinguishing Chicago's limited scoring opportunities.

The victory followed Monday night's disappointing 3-1 defeat to the Wild that saw LA’s five-game winning streak snapped. The Kings could not penetrate Minnesota's tight defensive approach in that contest. 

Strength Against Strong Competition

Even though the Kings lost to the Wild, who have been playing solidly this season, Los Angeles is still an excellent team against top-heavy teams in the league. 

At 22-15-3 against teams with a record of better than .500, the Kings have consistently been able to push elite competition. Their success comes from the combination of defense-based structure and scoring at the correct times, exemplified in the Kings' latest victories over playoff contenders like the Washington Capitals, the Winnipeg Jets twice, and even the Vegas Golden Knights on three separate occasions this season. 

Quinton Byfield's extra-session heroism vs. Nashville on March 15 demonstrated the Kings' resiliency. During that span, Byfield extended his goal streak to six consecutive games.

Looking Ahead

The Kings are home now for a highly critical three-game homestand. They will start with back-to-back games this weekend against. Carolina and Boston before finishing off against the Rangers on Tuesday night. 

LA will also finish the season playing 11 of its remaining 15 games at home, which will be a big test in deciding where it will finish in the Pacific division and who its matchup will be come playoff time. 

Updated Pacific standings after tonight’s games.

Kings finish with 11 of their remaining 15 games at home starting with a back-to-back this weekend vs Carolina and Boston. pic.twitter.com/BdlaKo0FVb

— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) March 21, 2025

With the Western Conference standings tightening up, Los Angeles must continue playing defense with discipline and convert on prime scoring chances to stay atop the pursuit.

Byfield and Moore are also guys to watch. Byfield is emerging as a consistent scoring threat, and Moore has rekindled his goal-scoring ability. Kuemper's ability to keep his cool in the net will also be key, particularly against high-scoring teams like Winnipeg and Edmonton.

With momentum restored after the win in Chicago, the Kings can ride their good play back home to Crypto.com Arena. As the playoff push intensifies, Los Angeles' performance against quality teams determines its postseason standing and capacity to perform when it counts most.

The Chicago Blackhawks took a tough loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. The 3-1 final didn’t indicate how much LA dominated Chicago at United Center. 

The score was closer than it should have been because of Spencer Knight's play. He made 31 saves on 33 shots against a playoff-bound Kings team loaded with talent. Without Knight playing lights out, this game would have been ugly. 

Both goals that Knight gave up came within a minute of each other in the first period. One was a perfectly placed wrist shot by Trevor Moore and the other was a deflection by Alex Turcotte. Outside of those, he was perfect and you can’t ask for much more. 

The most notable fact about Knight’s game against the Kings is that he started it. The loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday was hardly his fault, but he did allow six goals. Interim head coach Anders Sorensen went right back to him, and it paid off. 

This isn’t the first time that Knight has gone back-to-back, either. Last week, he made two consecutive starts for the first time in his Blackhawks career. This is contrary to Sorensen's statement that he would rotate with Arvid Soderblom when Knight was first acquired. 

It seems like Knight is the number one goalie in Chicago moving forward. Being a first-round pick, Stanley Cup champion, and main piece in the Seth Jones trade, Knight has the pedigree needed to be the main guy. 

The Blackhawks have a back-to-back this upcoming weekend. Saturday is a road tilt against the St. Louis Blues, and Sunday is a home match against the Philadelphia Flyers. Soderblom will go against the Blues and Knight will get the Flyers. 

"Good. Today he gave us a chance to stay in the game in the first period." Interim head coach Anders Sorensen said of Knight and how he's been playing. "Really good down low, reads the play, handles the puck well. There is lots to like."

Although Sorensen is likely not going to be the head coach next year, he is giving a hand in developing him right now. Sorensen has confidence in Knight as he continues to start him despite what he said when the deal to get him was first made. 

The organization is showing Spencer Knight that he is their guy and that they are going to ride with him through thick and thin. A champion can be built with that mentality if the right players are involved. 

If Knight can truly be a high-end number-one goalie for a long time, the Blackhawks have an incredibly important piece locked down. 

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

San Jose Sharks rookie defenseman Luca Cagnoni made his much-anticipated NHL debut on Thursday following the 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Cagnoni became the first defenseman from the 2023 NHL Draft to play in the NHL. The Sharks rookie told reporters he did not know that postgame.

"I mean, I've been saying it all week since the call-up, it's pretty surreal," Cagnoni said postgame. "Definitely where I started my career, like not getting drafted in the WHL. It's a pretty special moment, even for my family. Probably them the most. To see me go through it and them being by my side, It's pretty special to have them here."

Cagnonii confirmed. pic.twitter.com/98ibHdI5hb

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) March 21, 2025

Cagnoni led all Sharks players in ice time with 23:15. He was paired with Vincent Desharnais on defense, and head coach Ryan Warsofsky liked what he saw.

"The game started slowing down for him in the second and third period," Warsofsky said. "Luca helps from a puck-moving standpoint."

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LAS VEGAS -- Golden Knights center William Karlsson skated down the right side of the ice and without hesitation, with defenders around, fired a ridiculous backhanded pass to hard-charging Reilly Smith as he approached the net.

It was the type of play that reminiscent of what Golden Knights fans were used to seeing during the team's first six years of existence. If only Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman wasn't there to stonewall Smith, a raucous crowd of 18,225 would have lost it to see two of their favorite original misfits connect for a goal after skating together for the first time since Smith's return.

After the Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, Smith was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Last offseason he was traded to the New York Rangers.

Smith was reacquired by the Golden Knights earlier this month, just before the deadline, and Karlsson returned to the lineup for Thursday night's 5-1 win over the Bruins.

"Yeah, one thing I did well there on that shift, especially that pass to Reilly," said Karlsson, who had an assist and played 20 shifts for a total of 15:57 on the ice. "I had a lot of speed on my boots. Too bad it wasn't meant to be."

Vegas goal!

Scored by Brett Howden with 14:13 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by William Karlsson.

Vegas: 3
Boston: 0#BOSvsVGK#VegasBorn#NHLBruinspic.twitter.com/d9FVuEB5ea

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) March 21, 2025

Karlsson said he'd like to work on his sharpness, but was otherwise pleased with his speed and ability to see the ice and play in all facets of the game.

"Pretty good, pretty good," Karlsson said. "Good to be back out there with the fellas and the body felt pretty good, so can't complain. I think I adjusted pretty quick. I didn't feel like it was super fast out there, and it felt like it usually is."

Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy agreed.

"I figured his pace would be there," Cassidy said. "That's why he missed time, to correct some of that. And I think he's feeling really good, his body and his legs and that part of it. It's the rust of playing with people around you. It's hard to get that, especially this time of year, we're not practicing that much. So I liked his game a lot, thought he did some good things ... grabbing pucks down low in our end, playing good defense and being in the right spot. I think he made a couple plays to Smitty, good on the kill, power play."

One area Cassidy said Karlsson will benefit over the others is the excitement of wanting to be back on the ice, while others may be feeling normal end-of-the-season fatigue.

"(He) does have a little bit of catching up to do, but you know, sometimes that's not a bad thing," Cassidy added. "He's excited to play, where other guys have played a lot and ... it's the mental grind. He doesn't at least have to go through that. It's the excitement of being back in the lineup. So you know, there's always a positive to it."

AROUND THE BEAT

From The Hockey News' Julian Gaudio: Golden Knights' Pavel Dorofeyev Records A Hat Trick As He Hits The 30-Goal Mark

From Sin Bin Vegas' Ken Boehlke: Karlsson’s Return Offers First Look At Post-Deadline Healthy Forward Lines

From The Athletic's Jesse Granger: Alex Ovechkin 7 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record after scoring vs. Flyers

From Las Vegas Review-Journal's Danny Webster: Golden Knights’ consistent star continues chase for 100-point season

From Las Vegas Sun's Jack Williams: Golden Knights always believed in Dorofeyev's offensive potential

FORMER KNIGHTS

Logan Thompson appears to have regained his winning touch for the Capitals, after a brief lull. Thompson is 5-0-0 since March 3, with a 2.36 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. The undefeated streak follows a 2-2-2 showing from Feb. 1 through March 1.

Jonathan Marchessault goes into the final several weeks of the season looking for a spark, as he's got just one goal and three assists over his last 13 games for the Predators. The Golden Knights visit Nashville on March 29.

Erik Haula had a goal for the Devils in Thursday's 5-3 home loss to the Flames. It was just his seventh goal of the season. Haula had 16 goals last season, and 14 the year before, his first in New Jersey.