Whichever way you look at it, Jakub Dobes has now taken over as the Montreal Canadiens’ number one goaltender. Hockey is a results business, and the Czech netminder does nothing but deliver results. With Saturday night’s win, the 24-year-old now has an 18-5-3 record. To put it bluntly, he has won twice as many games as Samuel Montembeault, who has a 9-5-3 record.
Granted, Dobes’ goals-against average (2.92) could be better and so could his save percentage (.894), but behind a Canadiens’ team that is now a well-oiled scoring machine (189 goals for, third-highest total in the league), they are enough.
With the week the young netminder has had, the net must be his to lose. He now has an 8-0-1 record in his last nine games, and considering how tight the standings are, the Canadiens need results. They need points, and Dobes is the man who gives them the best chance of getting them.
Montembeault has had more than enough chances to reclaim his spot, and he’s failed to do so. The Canadiens cannot afford to gamble on him anymore. Unless there’s a back-to-back or Dobes has an awful game, there’s no reason for the Habs to go back to Montembeault. Kent Hughes said in his mid-season review that the goaltender who plays the best will play the most, and by that logic, the net has to be Dobes’.
Granted, in an ideal world, an NHL team has two goalies who can perform, but you need to play with the hand you were dealt. As for needing a veteran in net in the playoffs, well, Montembeault may be 29, but he’s only ever played three playoff games, last season when the Canadiens were eliminated in five games by the Washington Capitals. He was injured in the third match, which means that Dobes, who was his backup, also has three games of playoff experience, and he’s the one who picked up the sole win (even though Montembeault started the game).
There’s been no sophomore slump for Cutter Gauthier, who leads the Anaheim Ducks in goals and points through 54 games.
Ahead of tonight's matchup against Las Vegas, my Golden Knights vs. Ducks predictions see Gauthier making his mark against a team struggling to keep the puck out.
Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Sunday, February 1.
Golden Knights vs Ducks prediction
Golden Knights vs Ducks best bet:Cutter Gauthier Over 0.5 points (-150)
The Vegas Golden Knights may lead the Pacific Division, but they’re far from flawless — particularly in net.
Vegas currently ranks 28th in team save percentage and has struggled mightily to keep the puck out of its net. The Golden Knights had hoped goaltender Carter Hart would provide some stability, but he struggled mightily before getting injured.
Adin Hill has only further exposed those issues. Since rejoining the team, he’s endured a miserable stretch, allowing 21 goals over five starts.
Put it all together, and the Golden Knights have surrendered 3.4 goals per game over their last 20 contests and 3.5 over their past 10. Now they head into a road back-to-back against a potent Anaheim Ducks offense led by Cutter Gauthier.
Gauthier has feasted on teams that struggle defensively, hitting the scoresheet in 11 of his last 14 games against Bottom-10 teams in points allowed.
That stretch includes a two-point performance against Vegas in late November, when Gauthier piled up six shots and a ridiculous 14 shot attempts.
Anaheim will lean heavily on Gauthier to get back on track, and I expect him to deliver once again.
Golden Knights vs Ducks same-game parlay
Mason McTavish is centering Gauthier on the top line and should see increased opportunity with phenom Leo Carlsson sidelined.
Tomas Hertl has hit the scoresheet in eight of his last 10 games against Bottom-5 teams in goals against, piling up 13 points over that span.
Newcomer Rasmus Andersson has also been firing the puck since arriving in Vegas, recording multiple shots on target in all five games with the Golden Knights.
Golden Knights vs Ducks SGP
Cutter Gauthier Over 0.5 points
Mason McTavish Over 0.5 points
Tomas Hertl Over 0.5 points
Rasmus Andersson Over 1.5 shots
Golden Knights vs Ducks odds
Moneyline: Golden Knights -125 | Ducks +105
Puck Line: Golden Knights -1.5 (+205) | Ducks +1.5 (-250)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-120) | Under 6.5 (+100)
Golden Knights vs Ducks trend
Cutter Gauthier has points in five of his last six games. Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Ducks.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Ducks
Location
Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
Date
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Golden Knights vs Ducks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Brandon Hagel has had more thrown on his plate this season due to Brayden Point's absence and has taken full advantage of it, producing 18 points and 52 shots over 15 games.
My Bruins vs. Lightning predictions see Hagel rising to the occasion once again in a Stadium Series matchup between two Atlantic Division foes.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Sunday, February 1.
Bruins vs Lightning prediction
Bruins vs Lightning best bet: Brandon Hagel Over 2.5 shots (-140)
Brandon Hagel has averaged 3.5 shots on 7.7 attempts through 15 games without Point, clearing 2.5 shots in 11 of them.
Those numbers are all well clear of what Hagel managed with Point healthy (2.7 shots, 6.1 attempts).
Hagel has a nice matchup to build on his outputs further. The Boston Bruins rank 20th in shot suppression and 22nd in shot share at 5-on-5, so Hagel’s line — which also features Nikita Kucherov — should be able to tilt the ice and spend a lot of time in the offensive zone.
It’s a great power play spot as well. The Bruins have given up shots at the third-highest rate while killing penalties over the last 10 games. Not to mention, Boston ranks 28th in shot suppression vs. wingers during that same period of time.
Hagel recorded six attempts the last time these two sides played, and that was with Point in the lineup. For reference, Hagel has three or more shots on goal in 81% of his games this season when generating six or more attempts.
Bruins vs Lightning same-game parlay
Hagel leads the Tampa Bay Lightning in expected goals and scoring chances since Point went down. He's piling up the looks around the net, and that should continue against the Bruins — especially on the man advantage.
Kucherov leads the team in helpers by a country mile and is setting up Hagel for a lot of his chances each night.
While Victor Hedman is expected to return today, Darren Raddysh produced 27 points over 22 games without him and figures to still play a large role offensively. Raddysh produced multiple assists in three of his last four following two days of rest.
Brandon Hagel has registered at least three shots in five of his last six against Boston. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Lightning.
How to watch Bruins vs Lightning
Location
Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Date
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Puck drop
6:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Bruins vs Lightning latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
VANCOUVER — Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly sustained an upper-body injury at some point during the second period of the club’s 3-2 shootout victory against the Vancouver Canucks. While it is not yet known exactly what caused the injury, Rielly did not play in the final five minutes of the second period and remained sidelined for the duration of the game.
“Upper body right now,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said regarding Rielly’s status. “He’ll be looked at tomorrow (Sunday).”
D Morgan Rielly will not return to tonight’s game (upper body).
Rielly has recorded seven goals and 24 assists through 54 games this season. Despite his production, he has struggled defensively, sitting tied with John Tavares for the team’s worst plus/minus at -17. This underperformance reflects Toronto’s current struggles as they sit near the bottom of the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
With Rielly out, the Maple Leafs leaned heavily on their remaining five defensemen. Oliver Ekman-Larsson logged a massive 28:10 of ice time, while Jake McCabe played 27:40.
With the game going to overtime and the #Leafs without Morgan Rielly for the last 5 minutes of the second period and the rest of the game:
Oliver Ekman-Larsson played 28:10 Jake McCabe played 27:40
Defenseman Marshall Rifai made his season debut but saw limited action, logging just 9:40. Essentially operating with only two defensive pairs in the third period, the Leafs' blue line managed to lock things down, outshooting Vancouver 18-5 in the final frame.
“Obviously, Mo is a leader on our team and a heck of a player, so I don't know the extent of what happened, but I hope it's nothing serious,” goaltender Joseph Woll said. “As far as the five guys stepping up, I think in the third period we really didn't give up much. They did a great job, from the forwards all the way through the back end.”
The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for Toronto. While the Maple Leafs are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, the short-term win provides a boost to team morale—even if the points slightly hinder their positioning at the bottom of the standings.
Welcome to this edition of "From The Archive". In this recurring series, we open The Hockey News' vault and display some of the top Vancouver Canucks related articles from the past. Today's article comes from Volume 79, Issue 4, where Sammi Silber wrote about defenceman Zeev Buium just months before he was traded to the Canucks.
Top 100 21 And Under: 11. Zeev Buium, Volume 79, Issue 4, October 31, 2025
ZEEV BUIUM WASN’T EASED into the pro game.
The Minnesota Wild prospect was thrust directly into Stanley Cup playoff action following his two-year run at the University of Denver, playing in four post-season games against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 19-year-old picked up an assist and four penalty minutes while averaging 13:35 in ice time, but more importantly, he gained a better understanding of the standard of play the NHL requires. “I just kind of saw what it takes,” Buium said. “You play an 82-game season, that already takes everything out of you, and you’ve got to find a way mentally and physically to get through each round. That kind of set me up to understand what my summer was going to look like and how hard it is to play in the NHL.”
He also had the chance to learn from some of the best, with Marc-Andre Fleury leading the way as a mentor in his first days with the team. Of course, as tradition would have it, Fleury had a prank up his sleeve for the youngster. “My first day, I was sitting in for the video, just in the front row where everyone else told me to sit,” Buium said. “Then he came in and told me that’s his spot…He was great. Obviously, someone I watched a ton growing up, and he’s a legend.”
Buium also had a longtime friend to compare notes with, as U.S. National Team Development Program teammate Ryan Leonard also found himself thrown into post-season action just weeks after his own NCAA career came to an end. “We both know that it’s hard, and it was a big adjustment,” Buium said. “You’re playing different roles. It was just different, so we talked a little bit. But when we get back together, it’s kind of just about the memories and what’s going on in each other’s lives.”
Overall, Buium described his NHL taste as the hardest hockey experience of his young life. “It was challenging,” he said. “I mean, nothing I thought I couldn’t do but definitely challenging and a big adjustment.”
The six-foot, 183-pounder thrived at the NCAA level, putting up 50 points in 42 games as a freshman and following that up with 48 in 41 as a sophomore. But now, he’s a smaller fish in a bigger pond, and there are growing pains that come with that.
That’s why this off-season, Buium spent a lot of his time in Minnesota, taking in the area and training. A lot of that work happened in the gym as he tried to better prepare for what he’ll face full time at the highest level. “My biggest focus,” Buium said, “was putting on more muscle and weight and understanding it’s a tough league. Your body is going to go through a lot physically, and you need to put yourself in the best shape possible to be successful.”
That set me up to understand what my summer was going to look like and how hard it is to play in the NHL– Zeev Buium on getting into NHL playoff action
Buium, who was drafted 12th overall in 2024, is a speedy, skilled and crafty defenseman who always seems one step ahead of the play. He makes a great first pass, takes good care of the puck and finds the open space with ease, and he doesn’t shy away from being creative, either.
He tries to model his game after several players, but he said he’s learned a lot from watching Quinn Hughes in particular. “It’s amazing to watch him,” Buium said. “I mean, I think watching hockey, I take something from everyone’s game and try to put it into mine.”
At the end of the day, though, Buium wants just to be himself.
“I’m my own player,” he said.
The Hockey News, Volume 79, Issue 4 (Photo Credit: The Hockey News Archive)
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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In a nationally-televised matchup, the Ducks look to sweep the season series against the Golden Knights.
The first two games of the three-game series have gone the way of the mallards, with both results coming in overtime. Jacob Trouba beat Akira Schmid through the five hole on Nov. 8 and Cutter Gauthier replicated the extra frame outcome on Nov. 22 after taking advantage of a Mitch Marner turnover.
Both teams are currently navigating injuries, especially in the center category. The Ducks have been without Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish while the Golden Knights are missing Brett Howden and William Karlsson. Karlsson suffered injury in that Nov. 8 game against the Ducks and has not played since. He is unlikely to return for the remainder of the regular season.
Nov 22, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Face off between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Anaheim is expected to have one, if not two of their players return from injury on Sunday. Troy Terry is expected to be in the lineup after missing the last 11 games with an upper-body injury. Terry has tried to return from the injury several times already, but ultimately felt unfit to play.
“It’s been frustrating,” Terry said. “Just annoying and frustrating, I would say. But it’s been a process and I feel confident going into (Sunday), so I’m excited.”
McTavish has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury, but participated fully in team practice on Saturday, centering Jeff Viel and Cutter Gauthier.
When asked if he would be ready to play in Sunday’s game, McTavish responded with “I feel good. It’s up to (the training staff).”
With Terry and potentially McTavish back in the fold, Anaheim would return two of their top offensive talents. With Carlsson still weeks away from returning after undergoing a procedure to treat a Morel-Lavallée lesion, the team has been a bit short of offensive creativity with the trio of Terry, McTavish and Carlsson out of the lineup.
Jan 29, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Anaheim Ducks Center Mikael Granlund (64) skates up ice against the Vancouver Canucks in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Morris-Imagn Images
Simplicity on defense and a streamlined approach on offense helped spur the Ducks to a seven-game winning streak, but a winnable game in Edmonton that was lost during a four-minute stretch and an offensively-devoid performance against the Canucks has been the latest wobble. They’ll look to get back in the saddle against Vegas, who is 1-2-2 in their last five games.
“They have some high-end forwards, and they’re just a good team,” Terry said. “(Can’t give) them rush chances. I think we’ve had success in their end. Establish the forecheck and just trying to do whatever we can to establish a ground game going down there.”
“They’re a really experienced team,” McTavish said. “Really big. You’ve got to really get to the inside, and put an emphasis on that. That’s something we can do. We can get to the inside really quick, too, so we can catch them off guard sometimes, but they’ll be ready to go. It’ll be a good one.”
Ducks Projected Lines
Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke Chris Kreider - Ryan Poehling - Troy Terry Jeff Viel - Mason McTavish - Cutter Gauthier Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Jansen Harkins
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas Pavel Mintyukov - Ian Moore
Lukáš Dostál (projected)
Golden Knights Lines
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone Pavel Dorofeyev - Mitch Marner - Braeden Bowman Jonas Røndbjerg - Tomáš Hertl - Keegan Kolesar Cole Reinhardt - Reilly Smith - Alexander Holtz
There are just three games on the NHL schedule for Sunday, but that doesn't mean there's a shortage of valuable player props. Today's slate features the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium as part of the Stadium Series.
Read more below in my NHL picks for Sunday, February 1.
He's registered at least a point in six of the last seven games and in 10 of the last 12. Perry's averaging over a point-per-game since the New Year, and books are notably undervaluing him.
The vet posted two assists against the Philadelphia Flyers last night, and he's playing at his best point pace in a decade.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh has undoubtedly been the most improved player in the NHL this season. He has 47 points in 46 games (already a career-high), hitting the Over for shots in four straight and in seven of the last nine.
The D-man had a sizeable uptick in shot volume around mid-December, and he's tied for fifth among defensemen in shots since December 13. Raddysh faces a Bruins team that ranks 27th in shots allowed.
Taking one player prop from each game may appear to be a spiny task, but there's value in each one of them.
Anaheim Ducks leading scorer Cutter Gauthier has been a shooting machine this season, as his 202 shots trail only Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.
He's hit the Over in eight of the last nine games, and despite Vegas ranking third in the league in shot suppression, Gautier has eight shots in two games played against them in 2025-26. The forward also has 18 shots in his last four games.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
His goal at 5:57 of the first period, which gave the Islanders a 2-0 lead in an eventual 4-3 regulation loss to the Nashville Predators, was his 15th of the season:
15th goal of the season for the 18-year old, Matthew Schaefer.
With that goal, Schaefer passed Vladimir Malakhov (14 goals in 1992-93) for the second-most in a season by an Islanders rookie defenseman. Only Denis Potvin (17 in 1973-74) has more.
The 20-year-old was a healthy scratch for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks, with William Nylander returning to the lineup for the first time since Jan. 15.
It was the 12th time this season that Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has benched Cowan.
The rookie's game has dipped since having five points in eight games, from Jan. 6 to 19. In his last five games since Jan. 21, Cowan has registered only one assist and is sporting a minus-four rating.
"To me, I think he's lost a little bit of his swagger. That's a big part of his game, and I'm not seeing that right now from his game," Berube continued.
"He may be worried about making mistakes and just little things like that that probably are affecting him and getting in the way of him being successful right now."
It's not just the points and plus-minus that you notice about Cowan, though.
The young forward hasn't stood out much compared to the first half of the year, when he scored seven goals, with the last coming on Jan. 12 in a huge overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche.
At the time, he was showing glimpses of being the "big time" player, like he was with the OHL's London Knights. But his game has tapered off, likely in part due to the difficult schedule and Toronto's overall play.
Entering Saturday's game against the Canucks, the Maple Leafs had lost six consecutive games. (The last time Cowan was a healthy scratch was Dec. 27 against the Ottawa Senators.) Cowan has 17 points in 43 games this season.
"I think a young player like that, when a team is not at its best and winning and playing good hockey, it's going to affect those guys a little more," said Berube.
Whenever Cowan returns to the lineup, he should play more than 10 minutes per game.
The forward has gotten time on every line for Toronto throughout his first season in the NHL, which is a positive. However, in the same breath, Cowan hasn't played more than 13 minutes since Jan. 10 against the Canucks — 11 games ago.
If Toronto ends up becoming a seller at the trade deadline — which it sounds like they will be — Cowan should take on a larger role whenever Toronto ships out its players.
Playing in the NHL, of course, is an incredible experience for a young forward like him. He needs to play more than the ice time he's gotten recently, though.
And maybe Cowan gets a brief stint with the AHL's Toronto Marlies during the Olympic break. But whenever he's playing at the NHL level, he should be playing more than bottom-six minutes.
ST.
LOUIS – A
chance to take five of a possible eight points on a four-game
homestand with the Olympic break on the horizon was on the table for
the St. Louis Blues.
A
team that has no margin for error was, in the words of coach Jim
Montgomery, “we wanted it to come easy,” in the first two
periods, and it proved costly.
The
Columbus Blue Jackets won their season-high fifth straight and
seventh in eight games since Rick Bowness took over as coach on Jan.
13, winning on the second of back-to-back games, 5-3 against the
Blues at Enterprise Center on Saturday.
The
Blues (20-26-9), who were coming off an entertaining 5-4 win over the
two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Thursday,
fell into some bad habits in a game that closed out a four-game
homestand seeing them go 1-2-1.
Jimmy
Snuggerud had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to four
games, Jonatan Berggren also had a goal and an assist and Brayden
Schenn had two assists. Jordan Binnington fell to 2-11-1 in his past
14 starts after making 18 saves.
“I
think in the first two periods, we wanted it to come easy,”
Montgomery
said.
“We were not skating, working, hitting like we have the last
handful of games. And then in the third, we did. We pushed and it
ended up being too little, too late.”
Here
are the game observations:
*
Fourth straight loss facing opponent playing second of back-to-back –
The Blues have had the good fortune, or so it should wind up being
that way, of facing a team that should be lower on energy.
The
Blue Jackets played on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, a 7:38
p.m. puck drop mind you. They didn’t land in St. Louis until
shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, probably didn’t get into
their hotel until around 2 a.m., then turn around to play less than
24 hours later in a 6:08 p.m. puck drop.
The
Blues got the start they wanted, grabbing the early lead when
Snuggerud scored in his second straight game, working a nice
give-and-go with Schenn before beating Jet Greaves in alone at 7:11
for a 1-0 lead:
“I
just think we're hoping for things to go right and when they don't,
we wait for a push and the reality in this league, that's not good
enough,” Schenn
said.
“We have to find ways to dig in for one another. Realistically, you
can't come back every third period. If
you
actually play the right way for the first 20-30 minutes of the game
when you've got a team on a back-to-back, you will eventually tilt
the ice and hem them in, like we did (in the third), but we're always
chasing games. We just don't have enough drive to come out and push
teams out early on.”
They
held the lead for a whole 37 seconds before Isac Lundestrom tied it
1-1 off a fortuitous bounce initially that led to a blown coverage
after a good stick lift by Boone Jenner on Pavel Buchnevich.
Columbus
led 2-1 after the first and outshot the Blues 10-7 after initially
being outshot 6-2.
*
Blues didn’t protect the front of the net – It’s an area that
had seen some improvement of late, but the net front coverage and
allowance of ice between the hash
marks was off the mark, if you will.
All
three of the remaining Columbus goals either came off missed plays
that ultimately led to goals with net front traffic.
Denton
Mateychuk gave Columbus their first lead 2-1 at 12:54 of the first
when the Blue Jackets cycled the puck cleanup up high, then the
defenseman’s shot from the top of the left circle made it through
with Dmitri Voronkov providing the net front coverage in front of
Binnington and getting through the Blues goalie when Colton Parayko
tipped the puck through:
Kent
Johnson’s goal at 8:30 of the second period made it 3-2 when Ivan
Provorov’s clean wrister from the left point found its way towards
Binnington and Johnson was there without any resistance to tip it
home:
And
what turned out to be the game-winner, Damon Severson’s high slot
blast that made it 4-3 at 16:01 of the second came off a Dalibor
Dvorsky giveaway just inside the O-zone blue line, and when Parayko
tried pushing the puck up the lefthand boards, it was picked off by
Zach Werenski, who fed his partner, and Severson’s shot came with
traffic in front again:
“That
Columbus team, by good friend Rick Bowness is doing a really good
job, they’re really big and they play a heavy game; they go to the
net front,” Montgomery said. “We’ve played them twice and
they’ve scored three goals in both games, rebound tips, just
mucking it up. Something that we’ve been trying to preach to do a
little more of ourselves, and I think we’ve gotten slightly better
at it but not at their level.”
*
Berggren finding his niche – Yes, Berggren went through a nine-game
stretch without putting up a point, but he now has three in two
games, including goals in back-to-back games, and it’s not for a
lack of creating.
he
Swede, claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 16,
tied the game 2-2 with a power-play goal at 3:15 of the second, a
nice shot from the inner portion of the right circle:
Berggren
is being given top-six minutes, but in the past two games has played
on the third line, so he’s a regular in the top nine. He’s been
creating plenty of opportunities, and there’s been a lack of finish
by his teammates by his creativity, but there’s something about
this kid I like.
“The
guys have done an easy job for me to come in and play my game,”
Berggren said.
“I feel like even if I haven’t produced these couple games, I’ve
created a lot, and that’s all I can do. Lucky now, the puck goes
in. Hopefully it keeps going like that.”
*
Blues
didn’t build on momentum of scoring – All three times the Blues
scored on Saturday, they had the opportunity to build and add to the
fatigue of an opponent that played the night before.
But
each time that the Blues scored, Columbus found an answer.
They
tied it 37 seconds after Snuggerud gave them the lead; Johnson’s
goal came 4:45 after Berggren tied it in the second, and when Tyler
Tucker’s goal tied the game 3-3 at 13:35 of the second, Severson
put Columbus ahead 2:26 later.
“I
feel like this is a game we probably should have won,” Berggren
said. “… We lacked execution. We didn’t move our feet and stuff
like that. I think the last 10 games, we’ve done a really good job
doing.”
*
Blues had a good push in the third period, needed more close-in range
attempts – Down a goal, the Blues were going to have to get on the
hunt, and they did. The shot clock read 15-4, and at one point it was
14-1, but it seemed that many of the chances that were heading
towards Jet Greaves, the Columbus goalie was seeing well or shots
dented the logo in the middle.
“Good
comeback in the third and we probably should have scored,” Berggren
said.
“There
were some good looks,” Montgomery said. “I would like them to be
closer to the net. I didn’t like, especially on the power play,
they were shooting from the top of the circles instead of the hash
marks. We’re not attacking the goal line, having someone on the
back door trying to bang it home, or we’re not executing the play
when it’s there. I thought we had good looks, but I would have
liked them to be a little more dangerous.”
*
Schenn, Snuggerud with Dvorsky line has been humming well – The
trio combined for a nice first goal, and the
trip has combined for 16 points the past five games.
It’s
a situation with the older vet and the two young pups linking up
well.
“Just
enjoying playing with them,” Schenn said. “For me personally, I
remember in a situation, I had Danny Briere on my line and guys like
Wayne Simmonds and Vinny Lecavalier (with the Philadelphia Flyers).
If I asked them questions, they were always giving me an answer, be
hard on me sometimes, and that’s how you learn. They’re both
playing really well right now, they both have a bright future,
they’re both very receptive to getting better and that’s what you
want.
“Lots
of chatter on the bench and what we can do better rather than I’m
not the yeller and screamer at my linemates, never have been. I think
it’s more dialogue of finding ways to be better as a three-man
group whoever you’re playing with that night. Both of – I don’t
want to call them kids – but both young guys are playing well right
now.”
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Prior to their game on Saturday against the New York Rangers, the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrated their 2016 Stanley Cup champion team, as 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the championship run.
Many of the members of that 2016 team were in attendance for the ceremony, including former GM Jim Rutherford, former head coach Mike Sullivan, Conor Sheary, Patric Hornqvist, Carl Hagelin, Marc-Andre Fleury, Nick Bonino, Trevor Daley, Eric Fehr, Tom Kuhnhackl, Pascal Dupuis, Chris Kunitz, Jeff Zatkoff, and Ben Lovejoy, in addition to current Penguins' players that were part of the squad in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust.
After the ceremony concluded - it was moving and emotional enough to make Crosby and others tear up - the Penguins capped off their sixth-straight win by defeating the Rangers, 6-5, sending everyone but New York home happy. They held down their spot at second in the Metropolitan Division, and they have the sixth-best points percentage in the NHL.
As special as this year's Penguins feel, that 2016 group had a lot of special moments to offer during their quest for the Stanley Cup. Here are the top-five moments from that 2016 Cup run.
Perhaps the most memorable moment from the 2016 run was not even necessarily the the most memorable goal from the Stanley Cup playoffs. But it was certainly the most memorable goal call.
Of course, Nick Bonino's game-winning goal against the San Jose Sharks in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final wasn't the first time that Hockey Night Punjabi play-by-play announcer Harnarayan Singh gave the iconic "BONINO BONINO BONINO!" call, as he also did so during Bonino's overtime game-winner in Game 6 against the Washington Capitals (which, we'll get to later).
But this particular call was the one that went viral and is the most memorable of the bunch, and Singh recreated the call during the Victory Parade, as the Penguins fully embraced it.
5. Zatkoff's W, Patric's hat trick
The intrigue of the 2016 run started right from the jump in Game 1 of the first round against the Rangers. With both Fleury and Matt Murray unavailable to start Game 1, the Penguins turned to Zatkoff, who had never before appeared in a playoff game and had only 14 regular season appearances for them that season.
Well, Zatkoff shined, allowing just two goals on 37 shots and beating Henrik Lundqvist in his playoff debut. He did start Game 2 as well but dropped that contest, allowing four goals on 27 shots.
And the other story in Game 1? That was Hornqvist, who recorded a hat trick and added an assist on a second-period Crosby goal to give the Penguins the 5-2 win and go up 1-0 in the opening-round series.
4. Set-up for Sheary
Sheary's big overtime goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Sharks put the Penguins up 2-0 in the series and helped set the stage for them eventually going on to win the series in six games.
Speaking of set, it was revealed afterward that it was a set play devised by the captain just before the drop of the puck in the faceoff dot. Crosby instructed defensemen Letang and Brian Dumoulin to switch spots so he could win the faceoff back to Letang, who would find Sheary with a pass near the slot area.
And, well, the play transpired exactly how Crosby had drawn it up.
This guy isn't one of the five best players of all time by accident.
Crosby had a few moments of his own on the way to his first Conn Smythe trophy. And the most memorable was his overtime game-winner against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final.
With the Penguins trailing in the series, 1-0, a loss would have put them in a precarious position. But Crosby wasted no time when the game shifted to the extra frame, as he took a pass from Bryan Rust in the low slot area and wristed a "curveball" top-shelf over Andrei Vasilevskiy's shoulder, tying the series.
The Penguins went on to win in seven games and go to their first Cup final since 2009, when they beat the Detroit Red Wings.
Perhaps the biggest story of the 2016 playoffs was the HBK Line, which consisted of Hagelin, Bonino, and Phil Kessel. The trio combined for 20 goals and 56 points in 24 games, and there was no one play bigger than Bonino's overtime goal in Game 6 against the Capitals.
The third line gained the zone, and Bonino got the puck to Hagelin in the right corner. Hagelin then got it to Kessel in the left corner, who fed Hagelin in the low slot area. Bonino was there to pick up the loose change in front, and the Penguins celebrated a second-round win.
This was also one of the more legendary calls by Doc Emrick.
Well, we'll cheat a little bit here and make this a bit of a double moment, as one does not happen without the other.
Near the midway point of the second period in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final - and with the Penguins up in the series on the Sharks, 3-2 - Letang took a feed from Crosby, who was behind the net, low in the right circle. He found the gap between Sharks' goalie Martin Jones and the post, putting the Penguins up, 2-1, and providing the eventual Cup-clinching goal for the Penguins.
They went on to win, 3-1, after an empty-net goal by Hornqvist, taking home the fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history and capping off a dominant run.
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, Saturday was a special night for a plethora of reasons.
Prior to their late afternoon tilt against the New York Rangers, the Penguins honored the members of their 2016 Stanley Cup champion team, as this year marks its 10th anniversary. Many of the players on that team returned, too, including Pascal Dupuis, Carl Hagelin, Patric Hornqvist, Ben Lovejoy, and others. Even the Rangers brought two returnees in forward Conor Sheary and former Penguins' head coach Mike Sullivan, now bench boss of the Rangers.
The ceremony was special enough to make captain Sidney Crosby shed tears. But, to top it all off, the Penguins came away with yet another victory at the end of it.
Sidney Crosby has all the feels looking back at the 2016 @penguins team that won the #StanleyCup 🏆
Despite a late push by the Rangers, the Penguins emerged victorious by a score of 6-5 to earn their league-best sixth consecutive win. Once again, Pittsburgh got contributions from up and down their lineup, with Anthony Mantha and Noel Acciari reach registering two goals en route to the win.
Mantha kicked off the scoring two and a half minutes into the game when he tipped a shot by linemate Rutger McGroarty from near the left point. Acciari one-timed his first on a feed from Blake Lizotte less than four minutes later after a hard-working shift by the fourth line, as Lizotte forced a turnover and made a nice play to keep the puck in the zone, Connor Dewar made a diving play to get the puck deep, and Connor Clifton had another zone keep prior to the goal.
The Penguins controlled most of play in the second period as well. At the very end of a power play, Rickard Rakell failed to put the puck in the net on a shot from the low slot, but he pounced on his own rebound and fed a perfect, behind-the-back backhand pass to a waiting Mantha at the net-front, who put it in right after the man advantage expired to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead.
However, the Penguins took a late penalty for too many men near the end of the second, and Alexis Lafreniere made them pay with his 11th of the season to cut the Penguins' lead to 3-1.
But the Penguins responded early in the third on a power play of their own, as Rakell put one in at the net-front to give Pittsburgh back the three-goal lead, with Erik Karlsson registering his 700th assist on the play. Acciari scored his second of the game and sixth of the season - surpassing his goal total from last seaosn - just 20 seconds later to make it 5-1.
Things got a bit hairy after that, though. Approaching the midway point of the period, the Penguins got another power play, but Vincent Trocheck capitalized on a shorthanded breakaway opportunity to bring the score to 5-2. Then, with less than five minutes to go, Vladislav Gavrikov scored to cut the Rangers' deficit to only two.
With goaltender Jonathan Quick pulled, Ben Kindel did put the puck into the empty net to make it 6-3 with two and a half minutes remaining, scoring his fourth goal in the last three games. But with more than a minute remaining, Lafreniere scored another one, and then Will Cuylle scored with 10 seconds left to bring the game to within one.
The Penguins iced the puck after the center draw with a little more than three seconds left on the clock, but Acciari won the defensive zone draw to give the Penguins the narrow 6-5 victory.
Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this one:
- Let's start with the 2016 ceremony because this was a really cool moment.
Sullivan got a nice ovation from the crowd. So did Hornqvist and Hagelin. But, of course, none other than Marc-Andre Fleury got the biggest ovation, as he usually does when he steps foot in the city of Pittsburgh these days.
But the tribute video itself was moving and emotional, so much so that it brought Crosby to tears. And Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Fleury. And others. Even Penguins' head coach Dan Muse admitted he got chills during the video.
The Penguins always do these things right, and in front of a sellout crowd, boy, they got it right. The 2016 squad joined the team in the locker room after the game and went to dinner afterward. Just a really nice evening that was made better with a win.
Even if the Penguins came away with the win, it wasn’t a perfect game. A few defensive lapses led to goals against late in this one, and their first power play unit was, once again, largely struggling.
Most things have been going right for this team in the month of January. But they're still surrendering a lot of third-period goals, and their power play is a bit dysfunctional right now, as it only has one goal in its last 15 opportunities.
Those are both things they need to clean up if they expect to keep winning hockey games in the stretch run of the season - especially during their gauntlet in the month of March.
- Mantha is on quite the tear right now. And, coincidentally, so is Kindel.
Mantha has five goals and eight points in his last four games and 10 points in his last six. Kindel has four goals and five points in his last three games. That third line has been the Penguins' best for the past three games, and it's largely because these two have developed some legitimate chemistry - even if they didn't directly connect on a goal Saturday.
With 19 goals and 40 points, Mantha is well on his way to a career-best season, and Kindel is on his way to more production in what has already been a wildly impressive rookie season. These guys give them so much depth in their lineup, and the Penguins need them to continue putting up numbers for them.
- Let's not forget the third guy on that line right now, either.
McGroarty has had himself two really nice games since being recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS). He's been good defensively, he's been forcing turnovers, hanging around the net front, and - quite simply - working his behind off.
He looks like a much different player than he was a few weeks ago. I asked McGroarty if he'd be going back to WBS over the break, and he confirmed he would be to get more games in because he's missed so much time to injury this season. This will definitely benefit him.
But it really is a shame that there is not room for McGroarty in the NHL lineup when Bryan Rust returns from his suspension. This is a guy that probably belongs in the NHL, but there is no one that can be pried from their current lineup.
Without a doubt, he'll be the first player they call on when they need a player. But he's earning himself a bigger look with his play right now.
- As great as Stuart Skinner has been for the Penguins lately, this was not his best outing.
He surrendered five goals on 20 shots, and he was very shaky late in this one, even if the Penguins' defense wasn't doing him any favors. He did look good early on, when the Rangers pressed early in the game, and he made a few nice saves. But he also didn't really get much of a workload until the end of the game, either.
Skinner himself admitted that he didn't like his warm-up, and he wasn't happy with what transpired late in the game. However, if there was a game for Skinner to be off his game, it was this one, as the Penguins' offense gave him that cushion.
- Acciari deserves flowers for his play this season. Not only has he shown some legitimate offensive prowess akin to his 20-goal campaign with the Florida Panthers in 2019-20, he has continued to be a key part of that fourth line's ability to both drive play and be reliable on defense.
It's not an exaggeration to say this fourth line is hockey's best. As good as Lizotte and Dewar have been, Acciari has been equally as good. And he deserves credit for that.
- The Penguins will play the Ottawa Senators at home Monday before facing the New York Islanders Tuesday and the Buffalo Sabres Thursday to close out their pre-Olympic schedule.
These are important games, particularly the one against the Isles. The Penguins would be wise to take at least two out of three here in order to give themselves some cushion, once again, for their gauntlet in March.
The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their eight-game homestand on Saturday with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both goals were scored by rookies as Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Tom Willander found the back of the net. As for Nikita Tolopilo, he had a strong game in net, stopping 39 of the 41 shots he faced.
In the end, Vancouver was lucky that this game made it to overtime and eventually a shootout. The Canucks were outshot 18-5 in the third, with Tolopilo being the main reason the game finished regulation 2-2. Post-game, Head Coach Adam Foote was asked about what happened in the third period and why his club was unable to generate shots on goal.
"Well, we played against a desperate team," said Foote. "They're going for it. They were pinching on us. It seemed like a few board battles, we didn't get pucks out that we should have gotten out. That's what happens when you play a team as desperate as they are."
As for Tolopilo, he was the story of the night. He came up clutch for the team in regulation and even stopped Auston Matthews in overtime on a penalty shot. Post-game, center Elias Pettersson said, "Yeah, he's really good for us. Keeping us in the game, all game long.
Another storyline from this game was the ice time of Lekkerimäki. Despite scoring, the 21-year-old did not play the final nine minutes of regulation or overtime. Post-game, Foote explained why the coaching staff decided to sit Lekkerimäki with the game tied late.
"It's more of the defensive side," said Foote. "He's getting there for sure. The more time he's with us, the more he will know certain things, and the trust will be there. It's just slight movements defensively. It's just being young. It's not even a mistake. The longer he is here. He's a smart guy. He'll get that pretty quick.
Lastly, one skater who had a strong game overall was Willander. He scored his sixth of the season and played 16 minutes. Post-game, Willander spoke about the performance and what has changed over the past few games.
"I think actually over the last two games, starting last game, our defensive play has been a lot more solid," said Willander. "And I think we're finding our system a little bit better. We kind of talked through that a lot, and we're starting to find exactly what we're supposed to do in different situations. And I feel like we go better together defending as a five instead of more of man-to-man, so I think it's going the right way."
Jan 31, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) battle with Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) and goalie Joseph Woll (60) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Ultimately, this was not a great performance, but thanks to Tolopilo, it resulted in Vancouver picking up a point. As for the atmosphere, it was great as Canucks and Maple Leafs fans launched duelling chants throughout the game. In the end, though, this homestand can be considered a success from a tank perspective as the team only picked up five of a possible 16 points.
Stats and Facts:
- Elias Pettersson records his 80th blocked shot of the season
- Vancouver ends its eight-game homestand with a record of 2-5-1
- David Kämpf went 15 for 21 in the faceoff dot
- Nikita Tolopilo is the sixth rookie in franchise history to stop a penalty shot
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
No Scoring
2nd Period:
1:55- VAN: Jonathan Lekkerimäki (2) from Liam Öhgren and Pierre-Olivier Joseph 13:34- TOR: Nicolas Roy (5) from Nicholas Robertson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson 14:45- VAN: Tom Willander (4) from Evander Kane and Elias Pettersson
3rd Period:
2:26- TOR: Max Domi (9) from Auston Matthews
Overtime:
No Scoring
Shootout:
TOR: William Nylander
Up Next:
The Canucks hit the road for two straight, starting on Monday against the Utah Mammoth. Vancouver has already faced Utah once this season, which resulted in a 4-1 loss to the Mammoth. Game time is set for 6:30 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.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Linus Ullmark made 26 saves in his first start for Ottawa since taking a leave of absence Dec. 28, Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists and the Senators beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Saturday night.
Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Cozens scored his 100th NHL goal for Ottawa. The Senators have won three in a row.
Timo Meier scored, and Jake Allen made 30 saves for New Jersey. The Devils have lost three of four.
The Devils were without Jack Hughes. He’s out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Up next
Devils: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Senators: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.
The Florida Panthers came up short on Saturday in the first of a three-game homestand.
Playing just their third game in Sunrise over the past several weeks, Florida took a lead into the third period only to lose 2-1 to the Winnipeg Jets at Amerant Bank Arena.
Despite skating without key forwards Brad Marchand (undisclosed) and Anton Lundell (upper-body), Florida played a strong game during the opening periods and took an earned lead into the late stages of the contest.
That lead was off a snipe by young forward Eetu Luostarien that came moments after Florida came off the power play.
As Jets’ defenseman Logan Stanley was sprinting out of the penalty box after serving a two-minute minor for cross-checking Florida forward Mackie Samoskevich, Evan Rodrigues corralled the puck at the blue line and fed an open Eetu in the right circle.
It didn’t take long for Luostarinen to wind up and fire a laser of a wrist shot past a screened Jets’ goalie Eric Comrie’s glove and into the net at the 14:40 mark of the first period.
Florida held onto that lead into the third period, and it wasn’t until nearly the halfway point of that final frame that Winnipeg finally was able to light the lamp.
After Gabe Vilardi made a couple nice moves to get to the Cats’ net, a streaking Cole Perfetti found a rebound and beat Sergei Borbovsky to knot the score at one at the 8:34 mark of the third period.
That’s how the score would remain until there was just 4:14 on the clock.
On what appeared to be a harmless zone entry, Winnipeg made a couple quick passes to completely bewilder the Panthers and take a 2-1 lead in the game’s final minutes.
It was a great passing sequence, with Gus Nyquist finding Kyle Connor entering the zone and then Connor going to the back of the crease where Mark Scheifele was waiting to slam home what proved to be the game-winning goal.
Photo caption: Jan 31, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (91) scores against Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Corey Perry Over 0.5 points
Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots on goal
Cutter Gauthier Over 2.5 shots on goal
