The New York Islanders' night of scoreboard watching last night can be summarized by one singular word: Oof.

The Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in regulation. The Philadelphia Flyers pummeled the New Jersey Devils. The Columbus Blue Jackets knocked off the Detroit Red Wings in a shootout.

By the time the carnage ended, the Islanders sat in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, three points outside both third place in the Metropolitan Division and the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot.

Moneypuck.com moved the Islanders' playoff odds down to just 19.4%.

That almost feels too generous.

The Islanders' tragic number is down to six.

The tragic number is a countdown to when the Islanders are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. 

Every regulation loss moves the number down by two. From here on in, every time Ottawa and Philadelphia win, it also moves the number down by two.

The number sitting at six signifies just how close the Islanders are to elimination.

If the Flyers and Senators win three of the last four, the Islanders are out. That's also assuming New York wins out.

One loss and all they'd have to do is go 2-2-0, and they'd clinch over New York.

Yes, the Islanders do play the Senators on Saturday afternoon.

But, Ottawa's other opponents to close the year are the Florida Panthers, the Devils, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Not exactly a killer's row. That's three mathematically eliminated teams and the Islanders.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, heads on the road to take on the Red Wings Thursday night, then heads to Winnipeg to face the Jets. They close with a back-to-back at home against the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens.

They're much likelier to stumble down the final stretch. Of course, the Blue Jackets also passed the Islanders last night, so it's worth observing their final stretch, too.

Columbus visits Buffalo on Thursday, then Montreal on Saturday. They close with two home games against the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.

Again, like Philly, there's a chance they'll stumble.

Even with the potential for some stumbling ahead of them, the Islanders themselves will be playing with the pressure equivalent to that of walking on a tightrope from the Empire State Building to the Chrysler Building with no safety net.

One trip, one misplaced step, and they'll come crashing down with no chance of making it.

Essentially, the Islanders must go 4-0-0, and hope two of Philly, Columbus, and Ottawa all succumb to the pressure.

The odds are no longer in the Islanders' favor after the entirety of March saw them control their destiny.

New head coach Peter DeBoer has hands full immediately.

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

The feelings of letdown inside the Detroit Red Wings' dressing room following their 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets were palpable.

Defenseman Justin Faulk, who scored twice, was very soft-spoken. Team captain Dylan Larkin, who scored in the first period and is also playing injured, was despondent.

The Red Wings were 16.1 seconds away from a badly-needed regulation victory, and instead, it was a pair of former Michigan Wolverines who snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. 

Adam Fantilli scored the game-tying goal late in regulation, followed by the shootout winner from Zach Werenski, giving the Red Wings their seventh setback in their last nine games, during which they've collected five of a possible 18 points. 

"Tough to let that one get away from us there at the end of the third and for them to get back in it," an obviously upset Faulk said afterward. "Obviously, a chance in overtime and (the) shootout is a coin flip. Tough to not seal that one up."

Faulk continued: 

“It’s tough," he said. "Like I said, it’s a tough time of year. It’s important to close out games, extend games. It’s not a good feeling right now to let that happen.”

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

Faulk scored a beauty of a goal in the second period, cutting through multiple Blue Jackets and beating goaltender Jet Greaves on the glove side. It gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead, only to have Columbus respond courtesy of Werenski on the power-play following a penalty to David Perron. 

He also scored off a one-timer later in the third period for what appeared to be the game-winning goal until the Blue Jackets spoiled the party late in regulation. The Red Wings iced the puck multiple times late in the frame with Greaves on the bench, leading to the game-tying goal. 

Larkin, who has endured both the seasons when Detroit fell well short of a playoff spot and the more recent years when they narrowly missed, hopes this loss didn’t signal the death blow for their centennial campaign.

“That’s a disappointing finish to that game. We’re going to have to find something," he said. "I hope that’s not the one, and I hope the Minnesota one isn’t the one that’s the final nail in the coffin. I hope we get some help and we have something to play for to get in.”

With a victory by the Ottawa Senators over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, they moved three points ahead of the Red Wings for the final Wild Card postseason spot. 

The Red Wings have four games remaining, beginning Thursday against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers. 

Until then, it's not a good feeling that the players have right now. 

“Not much right now, not much," Larkin said when asked about positives from the game. "That’s a letdown and in tough fashion again. Played a good 57 minutes, I don’t know. Good overtime. Not much to say right now.”

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

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.

Buffalo Sabres team captain Rasmus Dahlin has endured a year of personal challenges related to his fiancée Carolina, but has maintained a high level of excellence as one of the best defenseman in the NHL and as a leader of the first Sabres club to qualify for the postseason in 15 years.  On Wednesday, the 25-year-old blueliner was announced as the Sabres nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. 

Each NHL club’s chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominates a player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey". That group is narrowed down to three finalists, with the winner being announced during the postseason.   

 Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

  

Dahlin has 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) in 74 games, currently sixth in the NHL in defensive scoring, and was a stalwart on the blueline for Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. He is on pace to set career-highs in points and goals, in spite of missing a few games traveling back to Sweden to see after Carolina, who is fully recovered from a heart transplant last summer. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Professional Hockey Writers Association has announced its 32 nominees for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which will go to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. 

Chicago’s chapter of the PHWA has selected goalie Spencer Knight as the nominee for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Knight was the 13th overall pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2019 NHL Draft. After spending some time with the Boston College Eagles following a wonderful tenure with the United States National Team Development Program, he made his NHL debut with Florida in March of 2021. 

It was a strange decision for Florida to draft a goalie so high right before signing a future Hall of Fame goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky to a lucrative seven-year deal, but it worked out for them as they've won two Stanley Cups since. 

For a while, Knight had to work his way up. There were other goalies ahead of him on the depth chart besides Bobrovsky, so his playing time was limited outside of his first stint with Florida, where he appeared (and played great) in the postseason. 

There were some struggles for Knight on and off the ice along the way. For one, a decline in his play early on earned him a trip back to the AHL for a while.

In February of 2023, Knight entered the NHL Player Assistance Program to receive care. Since then, he has come back in a big way. 

On March 1st, 2025, Florida traded Knight to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he would be given a chance to start. Chicago quickly handed him the keys as the number one goaltender, and he has been incredible. 

Knight has kept the Blackhawks in a lot of games that they had no business competing in this year. His record of 18-23-11 reflects playing on a losing team, but he does have a 2.72 goals against average and .907 save percentage.

His ability to make high-danger saves and play the puck up to his defensemen makes him a valuable goaltender to have. His story of how he reached this point is inspiring. 

Team USA ultimately stuck with their same trio of goalies for the Olympics from the 4-Nations Face-Off, but Knight's name was in the mix. By 2030 in France, he will have a great chance to be their guy if he keeps on the same trajectory. 

For now, he should be proud of this nomination. He has clearly been dedicated to becoming an NHL goalie. Through all struggles on and off the ice, he persevered and is now one of the best in the game. This Masterton nomination proves it. 

Pit Martin (1970) and Bryan Berard (2004) are the only two Blackhawks to ever claim the Masterton Trophy.

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

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.

Brenden Dillon is the New Jersey Devils nominee for the 2025-26 Bill Masterton Trophy.

The trophy is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game. It is voted on by members of each chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). One player is appointed as a nominee for each of the 32 teams.

It is the first time in his 15-season career that he has been selected for the award. With the San Jose Sharks, he was the nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy as a "National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community."

Upon hearing the news of his nomination, the 35-year-old could not help but smile while sitting at his stall with The Hockey News, going as far as saying, “You got me all giddy, happy, and smiling.”

“I am honored,” he shared. “I am excited just to be recognized like that. I take a lot of pride in trying to represent those qualities every day.”

Dillon has appeared in all 78 games for the Devils this season, averaging 17:52 of ice time. He is credited with a team-leading 190 hits and five fighting majors. On the ice, he continues to play to his identity as a physical stay-at-home defenseman.

It is hard to believe that all of that was in question in late April of 2025.

It was then that Dillon found himself in a hospital in North Carolina after a collision with Carolina Hurricanes forward William Carrier in Game 1 of Round 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He recalled walking in and the doctor looking at him quizzically.

“He was like, What are you doing carrying a water bottle, let alone getting in and out of a car? That kind of scared me,” Dillon recalled.

The collision with Carrier led to Dillon getting artificial disc replacement surgery. Not knowing anything about neck or back injuries, Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel became a resource for the Devils’ defenseman, having undergone the same surgery, and gave him the confidence that he would be okay.

Of course, doubt still crept in.

“I am a different player than Jack Eichel,” Dillon said. “We have to play differently on the ice. For me, I only know how to play the game one way. I kind of told myself that if I am not able to play freely, how I would like to, there is not really going to be a future for me.”

With the support of his surgeons, the Devils’ medical staff, his teammates, and family, he persevered.

“There are a lot of incredible things about being in the NHL and being a professional athlete, but there are a lot of tough things, too,” Dillon said. “Your body is put on the line every single night. Some of them require surgeries or things to get fixed. You know, that not only affects you in the short term, but also 20 or 30 years down the line.”

“The mental side of things is a huge part, too,” he continued. “Even coming back this year, my first preseason game was a big mental test. Kind of, anxious and scared going into that. Then my first hit, and then my first fight. All these things are kind of being checked off the list. Here we are at game 78, and I feel like myself. I feel like I have been able to play the same way that I like to play.”

On Dec. 1, Dillon played in his 1,000th NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was a milestone that meant more than anyone could imagine, especially for an undrafted player.

“Having that game, that situation, and looking back on the previous three, four months, it was pretty emotional for me,” he said. “Just from where I have come from, my path to get to the NHL and then to have even more adversity, like that injury.

“Adversity has kind of been the name of the game for me,” he continued. “Having to prove people wrong, having to show and prove to everyone that I am okay. Proving to the doctors that I could play, and proving to the medical staff that I can do this. I am extremely grateful.”

Award voters from all 32 PHWA chapters will select three finalists for the Masterton. The winner will be revealed at a later date.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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.

Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 2-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

The Canucks were heavily outplayed by the Golden Knights on Tuesday. Vegas held a 28-14 even-strength scoring-chances advantage and won the even-strength high-danger scoring-chances battle 13-4. In the end, this looked like a game between teams from two different leagues, as Vancouver struggled to generate any offensive pressure at even strength. 

Few heatmaps look like the one from Tuesday night. The Canucks generated a total of 11 shots, which is why there is so much white on their side of the map. As for the Golden Knights, they crashed the net all night, which Vancouver had no answer for. 

To wrap up this game, the Canucks' best player was Nikita Tolopilo. Vancouver's goaltender allowed just two goals on 28 shots, and saved 1.74 goals above expected. In the end, Tolopilo was the only bright spot as he kept his team in the game until the final whistle. 

The Canucks hit the road for three straight in California, starting with a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. Vancouver still has two more games against the Kings, with the second meeting being the Canucks' home finale. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

‘To Have The Opportunity To Be A Part Of Success Here Would Be Really Special’: Teddy Blueger Speaks On Both His And The Canucks’ Future

Could The Canucks Lose Malhotra To The Maple Leafs This Off-Season?

Canucks Provide Update On The Status Of Filip Chytil For 2025-26 Season

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.

Danton Heinen (6), Zach Werenski (22-PPG), and Adam Fantilli scored the goals for Columbus in regulation, and Jet Greaves stopped 34 of 37 Red Wings shots to pick up a huge two points. The win is Greaves 25th win of the year and breaks a four-game losing streak for the young goalie. 

The game would be won in overtime by Zach Werenski, who had previously gone 0-for-3 in his career in shootout attempts. Werenski would win it in round 5.

The Blue Jackets won the game and gave Detroit a point, but they're mathematically still in the playoff chase. They didn't get much help, though, as the Senators and Flyers, both teams who are directly ahead of the CBJ, also won. 

The Blue Jackets started the first period off as they have routinely, even during the losing streak, by scoring the first goal early in the period. But the Wings would strike back when Dylan Larkin tied it on the power play with 9:33 left. 

Detroit would score first in the second to take a 2-1 lead, but then with 9:01 left in the period, Superstar Zach Werenski potted his 22nd goal of the season on the power play to tie the game at two a piece. 

The third period played out like the second, with Justin Faulk scoring his second goal of the game to give the Red Wings a 3-2 lead. With just over four minutes left in the game, you could just feel that the CBJ were going to take another tough loss. 

But when Zach Werenski fed a pass to young Adam Fantilli while Jet Greaves was on the bench for the extra attacker, and he blasted it by John Gibson, the entire game shifted in a second.

The Blue Jackets and Red Wings would go to OT, and then on to a shootout where Zach Werenski would beat Gibson in round five to send the Jackets on to Buffalo with a massive win. 

Quotes   

• Zach Werenski - "My laces were all messed up, and I couldn't really skate, so when they called me, I was like, 'You guys sure? I’m kind of on one leg here.' My foot was in the skate but pretty wobbly. I was kind of thinking what I was gonna do when I went out there, and then I was like, 'What am I thinking, just shoot it.'"

• Zach Werenski - "I saw my parents after the game in the stands, and my brother up there. Those are the moments that you play the game for. It definitely ranks pretty high up there for moments in a regular season game for sure."
• Adam Fantilli - "We need all of them, and we're going to try to get every single one before the season is over and put ourselves in the best position to get in the playoffs for our fans and for our city."
• Charlie Coyle - "For the fans watching, hopefully not too many heart attacks out there. But it's nice to come out on the winning side. It's huge, too, with only a couple of games left to spring us and something we can feed off of."
• Detroit's Dylan Larkin - “I hope that’s not the one, and I hope the Minnesota one is not the one that’s the final nail in the coffin. That’s a letdown, in tough fashion again.”

Final Stats 

Player Stats & Notes  

• Danton Heinen scored his 6th goal of the season. He took 3 shots and was a plus-1.
• Zach Werenski scored his 22nd goal and picked up his 58th assist. With two points, Werenski is now the franchise leader in multi-point games in a season with 26. He also now has 80 points and has become just the third American-born defenseman with back-to-back 80-point seasons. He also played 33:26 minutes and took 6 shots.
• Adam Fantilli scored his 23rd goal of the season and took 3 shots.
• Mason Marchment picked up his 24th assist and was a plus-2.
• Denton Mateychuk recorded his 18th assist.
• Kirill Marchenko tallied his 39th assist and had 3 shots.
• Jet Greaves made 34 saves and got his 1st career assist on the Werenski power play goal.

Team Stats

• The Jackets went 1/4 on the power play.
• The Columbus gave up a goal on the only power play Detroit had.
• Columbus won 54% of the faceoffs - 34/63
• The Blue Jackets had 20 hits and 21 blocks.

Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets are in Buffalo on Thursday to take on the Sabres. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.

Let us know what you think below.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

After losing their first match in nine games on Sunday night, the Montreal Canadiens were hosting the Florida Panthers’ C or D team at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Matthew Tkachuk was out of the lineup because he was on baby watch. Sergei Bobrovsky was acting as the backup. Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, and Evans Rodrigues were all out of action.

Meanwhile, Montreal had some fresh reinforcements with Kirby Dach, Alexandre Texier and Adam Engstrom entering the lineup. Brendan Gallagher was a healthy scratch, Joe Veleno was dealing with the flu, and Kaiden Guhle was given a day of maintenance. With Texier’s return, Alex Newhook moved to center, and Oliver Kapanen was demoted to the fourth line alongside Josh Anderson and Phillip Danault.

Zharovsky Picked Canadiens’ Prospect Who Had The Most Promising Season
Canadiens Take On The Defending Champions One Last Time
Canadiens’ Laine May Not Play, But He Supports The Team

Underperformance

Against a lineup that looked strangely like the one the Canadiens beat 10-2 in Carey Price’s last game, the Habs severely underperformed. Over 40 minutes, they had only tested Danil Tarasov 14 times, despite getting three power-play opportunities, and their only goal came on the man-advantage.

Over the course of the last four games, the Canadiens’ level of play just hasn’t been the same, even in the games they did win. As the coach likes to say, it’s not all about the result; it’s about the process, and the process has been severely lacking lately. The Canadiens have been coming out flat, and Tuesday night was no exception.

Speaking to the media after the game, Martin St-Louis acknowledged that his team was having a dip in performance and explained:

There’s always a part of fatigue that goes into it, and not just physically; there’s an element of mental fatigue. We had a sequence when we really had to push and get some points, and we were pretty much perfect…that’s really demanding, you need to stay alert, there’s a pressure that comes with it, a stress as well, when you get that check next to your team, does that make you decompress a bit? Is that what’s missing to keep the pace you had? More than likely, but the goal remains to go back to that level, knowing it might have been impossible, difficult to keep that level.

Chasing The Milestone

With Cole Caufield still looking for his elusive 50th goal of the season, his teammates were once again desperate to find him with the puck, and just like on Sunday night, it resulted in poor execution. Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky were constantly trying to feed him the puck, even if he was as covered as can be. At times, he was even covered by a couple of players, and they still looked for him.

The only one who wasn’t changing the way he was playing was Caufield himself, only taking shots when appropriate. He was even the one who fed Ivan Demidov for the Canadiens’ power play goal. Still in the second frame, we saw less of the first line. Caufield had 4:27, Suzuki 3:51, and Slafkovsky 4:04.

In the final frame, the Canadiens finally turned it on, so to speak, peppering the Cats’ net with 15 shots and scoring twice. In the frame, Caufield 5:54 of action, Suzuki 6:49, and Slafkovsky 7:12. Speaking after the game, the captain had this to say about the team not being very good tonight:

"It started with my line; I was pretty brutal all night until I had the easiest goal of probably my career there, so it started with us. We were a bit too casual and thought we were soft as a group...

- Suzuki on what went wrong 

About The Second Line

Putting Texier on the second line with Newhook and Demidov produced good results. St-Louis has often praised the Frenchman’s ability to extend the time spent in the offensive zone, and that’s exactly what he did, which allowed the Russian rookie to have more puck possession in the offensive zone. Spending more time there meant the defenders were more tired, and he proved quite a handful for them.

It’s also worth noting that Newhook took 14 faceoffs on the night and won 10 of them, a 71% success rate. The fact that he had been doing well in that aspect of the play of late was one of the reasons why the coach was comfortable putting him back at center.

De Lane à Nick, dans la dernière minute, contre la Floride, en avril...

Lane to Nick in the last minute against Florida in April...#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/cxePTXdSGi

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 8, 2026

In the end, the Canadiens did find a way to win with Lane Hutson manufacturing a last-minute Suzuki equalizer to take the game to overtime. While Montreal was unable to take advantage of the power play they got in the extra frame, they still came out on top in the shootout with Caufield and Texier finding the back of the net and Jakub Dobes shutting the door.

«NON!» -Jakub Dobes#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/xIZifMB2mj

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 8, 2026

With those two points, the Canadiens have now caught up to the Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning points-wise, with all three teams being on 102 points. Still, the Bolts are first in the division, followed by the Sabres and then by the Habs because of their number of regulation wins and their number of wins not in the shootout.

On Thursday, the Canadiens will take on Tampa Bay, and with the stakes being so high, it would be shocking if they came out flat. Perhaps that’s exactly what the doctor would order, a match against a direct rival with added meaning.

---

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

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

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

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their 2025-26 regular season award winners on Tuesday. No, team MVP is not Sidney Crosby, but a Swedish defenseman who has been on “God Mode,” elevating his play and positioning the Penguins for a playoff berth. See the full list here. [PensBurgh]

The Penguins say forward Blake Lizotte is making progress from an upper-body injury and has resumed skating, raising hope he could return sooner than expected, possibly before the end of the regular season. [PensBurgh]

Pittsburgh officially recalled goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton affiliate on Tuesday. [Trib Live]

Expectations should be tempered with Murashov once again on the NHL roster, and he very well could be Artur Silovs’ backup for a few games. However, with Stuart Skinner’s status still uncertain amid his injury, it is interesting to examine the possibility that Stuart’s misfortune turns into Murashov’s golden opportunity 10 years after Matt Murray arrived on the scene. [PensBurgh]

News and updates from around the NHL…

The New Jersey Devils are evaluating head coach Sheldon Keefe following the dismissal of general manager Tom Fitzgerald, with his future uncertain as the organization reassesses its direction. [Sportsnet]

The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Neil Glasberg and PBI Sports to assist with their search for a new head of hockey operations, according to TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston. [TSN]

Tampa Bay Lightning (48-24-6, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (46-22-10, in the Atlantic Division)

Montreal, Quebec; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Montreal Canadiens after the Canadiens defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 in a shootout.

Montreal is 15-9-1 against the Atlantic Division and 46-22-10 overall. The Canadiens have gone 19-5-1 in games they convert at least one power play.

Tampa Bay is 48-24-6 overall and 14-8-1 against the Atlantic Division. The Lightning have allowed 219 goals while scoring 277 for a +58 scoring differential.

Thursday's game is the fourth meeting between these teams this season. The Canadiens won 4-1 in the previous meeting.

TOP PERFORMERS: Lane Hutson has 12 goals and 63 assists for the Canadiens. Cole Caufield has nine goals and eight assists over the past 10 games.

Nikita Kucherov has 43 goals and 84 assists for the Lightning. Jake Guentzel has six goals and eight assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 9-1-0, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.5 assists, 4.3 penalties and 10.7 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game.

Lightning: 5-3-2, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.5 assists, 5.4 penalties and 12.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

INJURIES: Canadiens: Alexandre Carrier: out (upper body), Patrik Laine: out (abdomen), Joseph Veleno: day to day (illness).

Lightning: Brandon Hagel: day to day (lower-body), Max Crozier: out (abdomen), Anthony Cirelli: day to day (undisclosed), Dominic James: out (leg), Declan Carlile: out (undisclosed), Victor Hedman: out (personal), Pontus Holmberg: day to day (upper-body).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Typically, when NHL teams outshoot their opponent 28-10, they can expect to win. That is, in fact, what happened on Wednesday when the Vegas Golden Knights wrapped up their season series against the Vancouver Canucks with a 2-1 victory— but the win didn’t come easily.

“It certainly wasn’t pretty. But we found a way to lead, and we found a way to win,” said head coach John Tortorella postgame.

The Golden Knights took it to the Canucks right from puck drop. In the first period, they outshot Vancouver 10-2 and generated seven high-danger scoring chances while only allowing one.

“I think we started the game really well,” said Nic Dowd following the 2-1 win. “In my opinion, it’s probably one of those games where you want to jump on the team early. You get chances, you want to try and put those away and kind of step on them a little bit. And obviously we didn’t, right?

“But sticking with it, not getting bored, trying to stay consistent, understanding that the tough plays are the ones that are going to earn you offense and not make you play defense, we didn’t get away from that, and we were rewarded for it down the stretch,” Dowd finished.

The Canucks broke the ice at 12:50 in the second period. Linus Karlsson won a board battle, and Teddy Blueger came up with the puck. Blueger entered the offensive zone and found Max Sasson, who drove down into the right circle and beat Carter Hart far-side.

MAX OPENS THE SCORING! pic.twitter.com/wSY5fWfG6f

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) April 8, 2026

The Golden Knights answered back just 1:56 later. Colton Sissons pressured Marcus Pettersson into a turnover behind the net, and Brandon Saad corralled the loose puck. Saad reset back for Shea Theodore at the blue line; Theodore worked the puck over to his defensive partner, Brayden McNabb, who stepped into his shot and scored from distance.

ya love to see it 😃 pic.twitter.com/hKjxrjqTER

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 8, 2026

In the third, the Golden Knights locked it down defensively. It took the Canucks nearly 14 minutes to record their first shot of the period.The Golden Knights took their first lead of the game at 12:13 in the third. Cole Smith forced a turnover at the blue line, entered the zone, and left the puck for Nic Dowd. Dowd drove deeper in the zone and found Smith in the slot for the go-ahead goal.

all gas, no brakes 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/LfnHOBWCGr

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 8, 2026

Rasmus Anderson was called for interference towards the end of the period, and the Canucks headed to the power play with 1:41 remaining in regulation. They pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker, but the Golden Knights held them to just one shot on goal and held on for the 2-1 win.

“It’s just one of those games that can get away from you. And that’s what I like about our team, they stayed with it,” Tortorella said postgame. “Good teams win those games.”

Three Takeaways of the Knight

1. On one hand, the Golden Knights need more from their top offensive performers. Vancouver leads the league in goals allowed, and this one came down to the wire. The only reason the Golden Knights won is that the Canucks are dead last in the league in scoring.

On the other hand, the Golden Knights are getting consistent depth scoring, which helps offset the need for more from top performers. They’ve gotten goals from a defenseman in three of their last four games. That matters.

2. It’s been a roller coaster of a season for the Golden Knights as far as the standings are concerned. They comfortably led the Pacific Division heading into the Olympic Break. Then, just last week, they were struggling to stay afloat as third in the division.

After tonight’s win, they’re tied for first in the Pacific once more, though the Oilers hold the tiebreaker.

3. Elsewhere, the Nashville Predators steamrolled the Anaheim Ducks, and the Utah Mammoth beat the Edmonton Oilers in overtime. Hence, the Golden Knights needed this win to keep pace in the standings. At this time of year, it doesn’t matter if two points come against the third team in the league or the 32nd. For the Golden Knights, all that matters is stacking wins and improving their chances of securing home-ice advantage in the postseason.

Suddenly somewhat desperate, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night at Honda Center.

The Ducks entered this game on the back of a five-game losing streak and had seen their five-point lead in the Pacific Division evaporate. As of Tuesday, they were tied with the Edmonton Oilers for first place and just one point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights in third. A win in this one would have gone a long way in relieving unexpected tension at this point in the season.

Game #78: Ducks vs. Predators Gameday Preview (04/07/26)

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-3 Loss to the Flames

Their opponent, the Predators, came into this game on their second leg of a back-to-back, having lost in a shootout to the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Monday. The Preds came into this game one point behind LA and one point ahead of the San Jose Sharks, but still on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.

Cutter Gauthier (upper body) and Radko Gudas (lower body) remained out of the Ducks’ lineup in this game. Ian Moore seems locked in as a fourth-line winger for the foreseeable future, and was joined by Olen Zellweger. Frank Vatrano acted as the team’s healthy scratch in this game, and Pavel Mintyukov returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with a lower-body injury. Tyson Hinds received his second career start in this game.

Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:

Granlund-Carlsson-Terry

Kreider-Poehling-Sennecke
Killorn-McTavish-Viel

Zellweger-Washe-Moore

LaCombe-Trouba

Mintyukov-Carlson

Hinds-Helleson

Lukas Dostal got the start in this game and saved 20 of 25 shots. He was opposed by Justus Annunen for Nashville, who stopped all 43 shots he faced in this game, earning himself his third career shutout and first this season.

Game Notes

Game flow and analytics will reveal that the Ducks dominated this game and got “goalied.” Some of that may be true; they faced a dialed goaltender, they controlled possession, and they weren’t on the receiving end of any puck luck. However, the aspects of their game that they’ve been able to paper over for the majority of the season all came to light in this game.

“We started doing exactly what we wanted to do,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after the game. “We started to sag a bit after they scored the first goal, and they got life. We played the period we wanted. Didn’t get any action around the net with second opportunities, and their goalie played well.”

Two of the biggest ingredients to the Ducks’ winning recipe this season have been outscoring problems and above-average goaltending in the environment provided. In this game, they couldn’t buy a goal, and Dostal was merely human.

“In the last couple of games, there was parts in it where it’s exactly how we wanted to play,” Quenneville continued. “We were seeing teams that have to win the game. We have to win games here. That’s where we’re at.”

Net Front Defending: Whether at 5v5 or on the penalty kill, the Ducks have struggled to box out net front forwards and have struggled to deny cutting forwards access to the front of the crease all season. Typically, when pucks make their way to the point, the strong-side defender will attempt to cut down on an angle and block the shot before it gets to their goaltender. However, if that shot can get through that layer of their defense, there’s typically an open forward at the goal mouth, screening, deflecting, or picking up a rebound.

Their aggressive style also lends way to puck watching from the far side. If the weak-side defender loses focus for a split second, talented puck carriers will easily find an uncovered teammate on their way to a dangerous locale.

Rush Defense: The Ducks have been remarkably susceptible to giving up odd-man rushes, stemming from overaggressiveness in the offensive and neutral zones. When they do have numbers tracking back energetically, they have an unfortunate tendency to over-pursue or fail to pick up their assignments.

These rush and net-front defending issues have plagued the Ducks all season, despite their success, and all came to fruition in this game on each of Nashville’s five goals.

Power Play: Nashville’s penalty kill did well to pressure Anaheim along the wall and at the offensive blueline. Seams were non-existent, and shots were challenged. The only aspect, an aspect they failed to reproduce, was player and puck movement through the middle of the ice, utilizing their bumper and switching along the perimeter.

Beckett Sennecke: Sennecke was one of the Ducks’ more consistent offensive drivers in this game, sparking chances from all three zones. What stood out most in this game, playing on the right side of Leo Carlsson and opposite Mikael Granlund, was his ability to make smart, effective second touches out of the zone on the breakout.

Sennecke consistently scanned before getting to spots and before pucks arrived, reading flow, coverage, and teammates with speed. He made clever one-touches to Carlsson, made crisp cross-ice stretch passes to Granlund in the neutral zone, utilized defensemen for regroups, and when he had a fraction of a second, he even pulled pucks off the wall himself, skating to the middle of the ice and starting a rush.

The Ducks will look to snap their six-game winless streak at the most dire juncture of the season, on Thursday, when they’ll host Macklin Celebrini and his hungry San Jose Sharks squad, vying for a playoff spot.

Ducks Recall Tyson Hinds to NHL, Assign Lucas Pettersson, Damian Clara to AHL

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-2 Loss to the Blues

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Loss to the Sharks

The Vancouver Canucks recorded their yet another loss on home ice Tuesday as they fell 2-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights. Max Sasson scored the only goal for Vancouver as he beat Carter Hart in the second period. As for Nikita Tolopilo, he stood on his head and made 26 saves in the loss.

Tuesday's loss will go down as one of the worst home efforts in recent memory. The Canucks recorded just 11 shots compared to the Golden Knights' 28. Ultimately, Tolopilo is the reason this game stayed close, as he did everything in his power to try to secure a victory in front of the fans. 

"I mean, without Tolo, I don't know how close it would be, said Sasson post-game. You know, I thought everyone, including myself, can probably give a better effort in front of our home fans. Only a couple games left, and only getting 10 shots or whatever. It's not good enough."

Vancouver's inability to win games at Rogers Arena has been puzzling all season. With the loss, the Canucks can not hit 10 wins at home, which is a first for the franchise. Post-game, Sasson was asked about the lack of victories at Rogers Arena and why Vancouver has struggled at home compared to on the road. 

"We've got to figure that out. Going into next year, it feels, everyone's a little more tense at home. I have no clue, you know why, or what it is. I'm sure that'll be talked about in summer meetings and stuff and going into training camp, but yeah, you're 100% right. It feels, even, you know, in the locker room, it feels looser on the road for whatever reason. And, we've got to be good at home if we're gonna be a good team in this league."

Head Coach Adam Foote was also at a loss for words when asked about the problems at home. He said, "I don't. I mean, there's been lots of talk and discussion about it, but, I mean, you know, I don't, I really don't. But I don't want to look too far into that right now. That's something we'll probably have discussions more about in the off-season."

While it is understood that the Canucks are in a rebuild, the fans at Rogers Arena deserve better than what happened on Tuesday night. Vancouver's only push came at the end of the game, and even then, the team only managed four total shots in the third period. With one final home game left on the calendar, hopefully, this group can step up and provide some form of entertainment for the home crowd. 

Stats and Facts:

- Filip Hronek led all players with six hits

- Teddy Blueger extends his point streak to four games

- The Canucks' 11 shots recorded are the second-lowest total in franchise history

- Marco Rossi and Filip Hronek led Vancouver with two shots each

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

No Scoring

2nd Period:

12:50- VAN: Max Sasson (13) from Teddy Blueger and Linus Karlsson
15:46- VGK: Brayden McNabb (5) from Shea Theodore and Brandon Saad

3rd Period:

12:13- VGK: Cole Smith (8) from Nic Dowd

Up Next:

The Canucks hit the road for three straight in California, starting with a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. Vancouver still has two more games against the Kings, with the second meeting being the Canucks' home finale. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

‘To Have The Opportunity To Be A Part Of Success Here Would Be Really Special’: Teddy Blueger Speaks On Both His And The Canucks’ Future

Could The Canucks Lose Malhotra To The Maple Leafs This Off-Season?

Canucks Provide Update On The Status Of Filip Chytil For 2025-26 Season

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.

VANCOVUER, British Columbia (AP) — Cole Smith's goal midway through the third period proved to be the winner as the Vegas Golden Knights held on to beat the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Max Sasson opened the scoring for the Canucks (22-47-8) with a wrist shot over the glove of Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart at the 12:50 mark of the second period. It was his 13th goal of the season.

Brayden McNabb replied for Vegas (36-26-16) less than three minutes later, sending a shot through traffic to tie the score at 1. Smith scored the go-ahead goal 12:13 into the third.

Vancouver had a prime chance to force extra time when Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson was called for interference with less than two minutes left. The Canucks pulled goalie Nikita Tolopilo in favor of an extra attacker, but failed to score.

Hart stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced for the Golden Knights. Tolopilo made 26 saves for the Canucks.

Vegas extended its winning streak to four games under new head coach John Tortorella, who took over behind the bench March 31.

The Golden Knights swept the three-game season series between the teams after winning 5-2 on Feb. 4 and 4-2 on March 30 in Vegas.

Up next

Golden Knights: Visit Seattle on Thursday.

Canucks: Start a three-game road trip at Los Angeles on Thursday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl