Category: Ice Hockey

At this point in the season we should have a pretty good idea of what the Pittsburgh Penguins are capable of and what kind of team they are. They have a 60-game sample size, which is pretty much three quarters of the season, and really do not have any secrets. We know what they do well, we know where they struggle, we know what they need both short-term and long-term.

Along those lines, there are some pretty big discussion points that have been coming up in recent days and weeks that could present varying levels of concern.

So let’s talk about some of them and try to figure out what, exactly, your concern level is with each of them. I will rate my concern level on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being no concern and 5 being major concern.

1. The Penguins faceoff struggles without Sidney Crosby

We knew Crosby being out of the lineup for a couple of weeks was going to present some problems for the Penguins. He is Sidney Crosby. He is still their best player and one of the best players in hockey. He still does a lot of heavy lifting offensively, and has also eaten a lot of tough minutes this season against other team’s top lines. That is difficult to replace.

He is also the Penguins best faceoff man, and in the games he has missed since the return from the Olympic break the Penguins have been abysmal in the faceoff circle.

My concern level: 2

Look, I am not saying it is okay to lose every faceoff. It is obviously beneficial to win more of them. But my opinion on faceoffs has always been they matter in individual cases, not big picture cases.

It is a micro event. Not a macro event.

The top-four faceoff teams in the NHL this season are the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers. Those teams, for the most part, stink. Their faceoff success is not helping them. Because they stink after the faceoff.

The bottom-four faceoff teams in the NHL this season are the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks. The Tampa Bay Lightning are fifth-worst. Those teams, outside of Chicago, are all very good. Their faceoff struggles are not hurting them. Because they are very good after the faceoff.

Yeah, winning more faceoffs from a big picture outlook might help you win some of those smaller picture faceoffs that actually matter, but no matter the situation what you do after the faceoff is often times just as important, if not more important, than the faceoff itself.

Crosby will return. They will get better in this area when that happens. Do not trade an asset for somebody just because they win faceoffs.

2. Evgeni Malkin’s contract

Aside from what they do before Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline, this might be THE story with the Pittsburgh Penguins right now. Malkin is an unrestricted free agent after this season, he clearly wants to play another season and play it in Pittsburgh, but there seems to be some real hesitancy on the part of the front office to get him signed.

Malkin and Kyle Dubas reportedly met this week face-to-face, but there is still no contract.

Coming into this season there was a belief that Malkin could retire after this season, making any potential contract talks totally meaningless. But his strong play, and the Penguins being ahead of schedule in their timeline, have certainly changed the outlook for a lot of people. Including, perhaps, Malkin.

Is this something the Penguins and Malkin will eventually settle before he ends up playing for, I don’t know, the Florida Panthers?

My concern level: 3

On one hand, Dubas is pretty busy with things right now when it comes to building the roster and making moves. Hammering out a contract extension that could probably wait a few weeks is most likely not high on his priority list at the moment.

It would also probably be a pretty easy thing to get signed after the trade deadline or after the season.

I could also see the Penguins wanting to see how the rest of this season goes with both Malkin and the team as a whole. He is still playing really well. But he is also going to be 40 years old next season and is playing through some kind of shoulder/upper-body issue. That stuff can linger the older you get.

You do have to be realistic about these things. There are not a lot of 40 year olds that play at a high level in the NHL, and while Malkin could absolutely be one of them (and I suspect he will be), you want to make sure you are making the best possible decision. Especially if you intend to compete next season.

Personally, I think it is a slam-dunk decision. He can obviously still play, he has developed an instant chemistry with Egor Chinakhov, he has already shifted over to wing, he is probably not going to cost a lot of money, they have a ton of salary cap space to work with, and even at 40 I am not sure they are going to find a more productive player at the contract he would likely get.

At this point I still think it probably gets done. The longer it goes without it getting done, however, the more you have to start wondering.

3. The March schedule

We have been looking at this all season and wondering what the Penguins would do with it. Not only do they play a very condensed schedule with a lot of games squeezed into a very short period of time, the overwhelming majority of these games are against playoff teams, top Stanley Cup contenders, and some of the best teams in hockey. At the moment, they are playing them without their captain and best player.

The month got off to a strong start with an extremely impressive win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. They followed that by playing a solid game in Boston, but were unable to buy a goal.

My concern level: 4

At least for now. It is not just the quality of opponents that plays into this, but also the number of games squeezed into the month and the back-to-back situations. That is a lot of hockey for a team that, while mixing in more young talent, has a lot of veterans over the age of 30 on it.

The good news is the Penguins have put themselves into a good situation with a pretty solid cushion between them and the non-playoff teams. At some point you also have to imagine the Columbus Blue Jackets will start losing a few more games, while the Washington Capitals might be selling away pieces before the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday.

The Penguins basically just need to play .500 hockey the rest of the way and a playoff spot should be theirs. They could probably even go a little lower than that and still get in. They are very capable of that, especially given the way they have played against the top teams in the NHL this season. It is still going to be a big test. They still have to pass it.

The 2026 NHL trade deadline is just about here, and the Philadelphia Flyers have some decisions to make. With the Flyers being on the wrong side of the playoff line, there is a chance that we could see some of their players get moved by Friday at 3 p.m. ET. 

One Flyers forward who has been the subject of trade speculation leading up to deadline day is Bobby Brink. With the Flyers having a surplus of wingers, questions about his long-term future in Philadelphia have naturally come up.

Now, Brink is being linked to the top team in the Atlantic Division.

During a recent appearance on the NHL Network, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman brought up the possibility of the Tampa Bay Lightning being interested in Brink. 

"I'll give you one name that I've kind of wondered about for Tampa because I haven't checked his contract situation, but he's still a pretty young guy, and he is a right-hand shot, and I like him as a player. A guy like Bobby Brink from Philadelphia. That's the kind of guy I have wondered about for Tampa," Friedman said.

When looking at Tampa Bay's roster, it is fair to argue that they could use another middle-six winger with skill. Because of this, it is understandable that Friedman sees Brink as a potential fit for the Lightning. This is especially so when noting that Brink's $1.5 million cap hit makes him an affordable option for Tampa Bay to consider. 

However, with Brink being just 24 years old and a pending restricted free agent (RFA), the Flyers would need to get a good offer for them to consider moving him. He is still young enough that he could improve, so the Flyers could use him as a good trade chip to improve their roster elsewhere.

Brink has also had a solid season for the Flyers, as he has scored a career-high 13 goals and has recorded 26 points in 54 games this campaign. 

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta is on the move. 

The Utah Mammoth have traded Maatta, Jonathan Castagna, and three 2026 second-round picks to the Calgary Flames in exchange for star defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. 

Maatta is in the first season of his three-year, $10.5 million contract, so he will be more than a rental for the Flames if they elect to keep him. However, with the Flames rebuilding and Maatta being 31 years old, he could also be a decent trade chip for them. 

Maatta has played in 22 games this season, where he has recorded one assist, one hit, 17 blocks, and a minus-5 rating. This is after he had two goals, 18 points, 124 blocks, and a plus-7 rating in 77 games split between the Detroit Red Wings and Utah this past season. 

Maatta was selected by the Penguins with the 22nd overall pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he played his first six NHL seasons with Pittsburgh, where he recorded 25 goals, 107 points, and a plus-61 rating in 362 games. He also won the Stanley Cup twice during his time in Pittsburgh. 

Montreal Canadiens prospect and 81st overall pick at the 2025 draft, Bryce Pickford, had himself a game on Wednesday night, scoring a hat trick in the Medicine Hat Tigers’ 6-3 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings. In 49 games, the right-shot defenseman has 41 goals, the second-highest total in the league behind right-winger Cameron Smith, who has 43 goals, but he’s scored his in 63 games.

With seven games left in the Tigers’ regular season, it’s far from out of the question that Pickford could reach the 50-goal milestone, a feat only accomplished twice in league history by a defenseman. Blueliner Troy Mick scored 63 goals in 1987-88 and 60 in 1989-90 and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1988 draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, but never made it to the NHL, which goes to show that success in the WHL doesn’t necessarily guarantee success in the NHL.

Canadiens: Kapanen Ready For The Big Time
Canadiens: Dach’s Lethargic Play Proves He’s Not The Solution For The First Line
Sabres Reportedly Out On Thomas, Are The Canadiens Still In?

As things stand, Pickford has 76 points in just 49 games, the 10th highest total in the league and the second highest amongst defensemen, two points behind leader Jonas Woo, who plays with him on the first pairing in Medicine Hat.

40 wasn't enough, he wants MORE! 🥶

Bryce Pickford completes the hat trick! 🎩@tigershockey | @CanadiensMTL | #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/YcAYeZaGAT

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 5, 2026

The 19-year-old Pickford was passed over in the 2024 draft, but his 47 points in 48 games performance in 2024-25 convinced the Canadiens to draft him, and so far, that has proven to be an excellent decision. On Christmas Eve, the Habs even signed him to a three-year entry-level contract, which kicks in at the start of the 2026-27 season.

There’s no denying that the Canadiens have a lot of depth when it comes to left-shot defensemen, but the situation is far from ideal when it comes to right-shot ones. Martin St-Louis only has two right-shot rearguards on his roster right now: Noah Dobson and Alexandre Carrier, which forces him to use Kaiden Guhle on his off-side. Down with the Laval Rocket, David Reinbacher is the only right-shot defenseman who seems to have NHL upside, and his development hasn’t exactly gone according to plan so far. Could Pickford be used as part of a package to secure some immediate help?

Yesterday, news broke that the New Jersey Devils could be willing to part with right-shot blueliner and second overall pick at the 2022 draft, Simon Nemec, Juraj Slafkovsky’s teammate at the Olympics. Given the fact that Martin St-Louis seems to have little trust in Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble, one must wonder if Kent Hughes shouldn’t pounce on this opportunity. The Devils are struggling to find the back of the net this season, and perhaps an offer featuring rookie Oliver Kapanen, who has 19 goals so far, Pickford, who’s showing great potential in the WHL, and a draft pick could tempt Tom Fitzgerald.

Pickford is still some time away from being ready for the NHL, and acquiring Nemec would help the team now. He could slot right into the lineup and reestablish the balance between right-shot and left-shot defensemen, allowing everyone to play on their right side.

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Ben Kindel is having an impressive rookie season for the Pittsburgh Penguins and has stepped up in Sidney Crosby's absence.

My Sabres vs. Penguins predictions expect the young pivot to put forth another strong offensive performance in a high-paced matchup against Buffalo.

Let’s break down my NHL picks for Thursday, March 5.

Sabres vs Penguins prediction

Sabres vs Penguins best bet: Ben Kindel Over 2.5 shots on goal (+135)

Ben Kindel is centering the Pittsburgh Penguins' top line without Sidney Crosby in the lineup. He has taken full advantage of the opportunity, averaging 3.8 shots on 6.3 attempts over four games.

Kindel has logged 17+ minutes in two of the last three, well above his season average of 15:24. He has clearly earned the trust of head coach Dan Muse.

The Buffalo Sabres rank first in pace and 31st in shot suppression at 5-on-5 over the past 10 games. They’re playing fast, high-event hockey and giving up a ton of shots.

That bodes well for Kindel in his first-line center role.

Sabres vs Penguins same-game parlay

Evgeni Malkin has seen an uptick in shot volume without Crosby, averaging more than a full extra shot attempt each night. He has also picked up three points over two games on home ice. In a high-paced matchup with more on his plate, Malkin will make noise.

Let’s round out the parlay with another player benefiting from injury. Jack Quinn has registered 2+ shots on goal in 73% of his appearances without Jiri Kulich and eight straight overall.

Sabres vs Penguins SGP

• Ben Kindel Over 2.5 shots on goal
• Evgeni Malkin Over 0.5 points
• Jack Quinn Over 1.5 shots on goal

Sabres vs Penguins odds

• Moneyline: Sabres -110 | Penguins -110
• Puck Line: Sabres -1.5 (+210) | Penguins +1.5 (+260)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)

Sabres vs Penguins trend

Ben Kindel has recorded 13 shots over his last three games, generating at least three in each. Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Penguins.

How to watch Sabres vs Penguins

Sabres vs Penguins latest injuries

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Eight games are on the slate tonight across the National Hockey League, and I’ve found the very best NHL player props to cash in.

My NHL picks include Nikita Kucherov, Tim Stutzle, and Erik Karlsson, all having strong offensive showings on Thursday, March 5. 

Best NHL player prop bets today

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(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Thursday, March 5

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Nikita Kucherov anytime goal

+120 at BET99

Nikita Kucherov has notched 96 points overall, including 32 goals. The Russian ranks second in the NHL in that category. Kucherov just found the back of the net on Tuesday against the Wild. 

In fact, the Tampa Bay Lightning superstar has scored in three of his last four games since the league hit pause for the Winter Olympics. 

While the Bolts haven’t faced the Winnipeg Jets yet this season, Kucherov has potted 19 goals in 28 road games, and Tampa is in Manitoba this evening to take on the Jets.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: The Spot, TSN3

Prop #2: Tim Stutzle Over 0.5 assists

-120 at BET99

Tim Stutzle continues to deliver the goods for the Ottawa Senators, with 28 goals and 37 assists. Stutzle has cashed the Over in helpers in three straight contests. 

During that span, Stutzle has four assists. Despite a loss to the Oilers on Tuesday, he did his part, registering a pair of helpers. The Sens are visiting the Calgary Flames tonight, and Stutzle has already notched an assist against them this season in one meeting. 

Also, he has collected 17 helpers in 31 road appearances.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: TSN5, Sportsnet West

Prop #3: Erik Karlsson Over 0.5 points

-115 at BET99

Erik Karlsson isn’t the point producer he once was, but the veteran is still contributing for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Swede has notched five goals and 34 assists, and he’s cashed the Over in three straight. 

During that three-game stretch, he’s scored a goal, registered two helpers against Vegas, and also set up another against the Rangers over the weekend. 

Karlsson has 21 assists in 27 home games, and the Pens welcome the Buffalo Sabres to town this evening.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

NEWARK, N.J. — Many Toronto Maple Leafs players fully expected to have the same lineup they practiced with during their morning skate. However, when they arrived at Prudential Center for gametime later that evening, they discovered that teammates Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson would all be held out of the lineup for roster management purposes.

According to reports, there is nothing imminent to suggest a deal is on the table for any of these players at the time of this writing. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman used the term “bubble wrap” to describe the situation, as the Leafs try to avoid an injury to any player while also acknowledging that trade talks are heating up.

The timing is unsurprising, as the NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. ET this Friday.

“It would be very tough to see them go,” William Nylander said of the three players. “It’s something you don’t want to think about too much”.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton are out of the lineup tonight for the Maple Leafs.@FriedgeHNIC stopped by #NHLNow to provide the latest as the #NHLTradeDeadline approaches.

NHL Network's coverage of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline begins Friday at 10a ET! https://t.co/qIO9einCkNpic.twitter.com/GBz77d4SCh

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) March 4, 2026

The abrupt change in the lineup opened the door for Easton Cowan to get his biggest opportunity with the Leafs yet, playing on the first line alongside Nylander and captain Auston Matthews. Cowan logged 17:03 of ice time and recorded an assist in Toronto’s 4-3 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Cowan was particularly feeling down about the possibility of Laughton being dealt.

“He’s been nothing but good to me,” Cowan said. “Honestly, I haven’t known him long, but I probably wouldn’t be the person I am right now without him. Just a great teammate. Yeah, it’s unfortunate [that he was scratched]. It obviously sucks”.

All three players attended the game on Wednesday. It is likely they will be scratched again on Thursday when the team visits the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden —that is, if they haven’t been dealt by then.

According to Friedman, Laughton is currently drawing interest from the Colorado Avalanche. Meanwhile, Ekman-Larsson has drawn interest from teams like the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, and several teams remain interested in McMann.

Just the facts

• When: Tonight, 8 PM
• Where: Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
• How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
• Opposing perspective:On the Forecheck

Know your enemy

• 27-26-8, 62PTS, 5th in the Central Division
• Ryan O’Reilly: 22G-37A-59PTS; Filip Forsberg: 27G-23A-50PTS; Steven Stamkos: 30G-17A-47PTS
• Juuse Saros: 21-18-6, 3.19 GAA, .892 save percentage

Game notes

• The Bruins visit Nashville for a brief, one-game road trip prior to Friday’s trade deadline. I don’t know if you can even call it a road trip if it’s for one game. Day trip? Outing?
• After a trying start to the season, the Predators are hanging around the wild card race in the Western Conference. Nashville is five points behind Seattle, who currently occupy the second spot. There are two teams (Los Angeles and San Jose) between Nashville and Seattle.
• Having said that, they are fading a bit as of late. Nashville is 1-2-1 coming out of the Olympic break, with three losses in a row. They’re 3-3-4 in their last ten games.
• These two teams played at TD Garden in late January, a 3-2 OT win for the Bruins. That was the OT game where David Pastrnak scored off of a set play just 15 seconds into the extra session.
• It sounds crazy to say it for a guy who has been so consistent for so long, but that was actually the last goal Pastrnak scored for the B’s. He’s gone goalless in six games, though he does have three assists in that span.
• Steven Stamkos is well on his way to eclipsing his production during his first year in Nashville. The longtime Lightning captain had 53 points in 82 games for Nashville last season; this year, he’s already up to 47, including 30 goals, in just 61 games.
• The Predators are 3-0 in games that have gone to a shootout this season, one of six teams with an unblemished shootout record.
• On the Bruins front, we’re mostly just waiting to see what happens at the trade deadline at this point. Big deal? Small deal? No deal? Time will tell, I guess.
• If you’re interested in scoreboard watching tonight, there are a few games that will impact the Eastern Conference wild card/playoff race: Utah vs. Philadelphia, Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh, Florida vs. Columbus, and Ottawa vs. Calgary.

See ya tonight!

The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home to play the Florida Panthers tonight at 7 PM.

Florida Panthers - 30-28-3 - 63 Points - 2-8-0 in the last 10 - Lost 3 - 8th in the Atlantic

Columbus Blue Jackets - 31-21-8 - 68 Points - 8-1-1 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 4th in the Metro.

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.6% - 20th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.2% - 24th in the NHL
• Goals For - 187 - 17th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 190 - 22nd in the NHL 

Panthers Stats

• Power Play - 19.3% - 21st in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 82.4% - 8th in the NHL
• Goals For - 182 - 19th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 204 - 25th in the NHL

Series History vs. ThePanthers    

• Columbus is 26-25-3 all-time, and 16-9-2 at home vs. Florida.
• Columbus has lost 7 straight games to the Panthers overall, and three straight at home.

Who To Watch For ThePanthers

• Sam Reinhart leads the Panthers with 28 goals, 29 assists, and 57 points.
• Brad Marchand 27 goals and 53 points.
• Sergei Bobrovsky is 22-19-1 with a SV% of .873.
• Daniil Tarasov is 8-9-2 with a SV% of .903.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Panthers

• Charlie Coyle has 16 points in 31 games vs. the Panthers.
• Zach Werenski has 16 career points against Florida.
• Mason Marchment has 4 points in 6 games against Florida.

Injured Reserve

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 22 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

***Zach Werenski missed the last 2 games due to illness. 

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 161 

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.  

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Who:Buffalo Sabres (36-19-6, 78 points, 2nd place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (31-16-13, 75 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:00 p.m. eastern

How to Watch: National game on ESPN, streaming on ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: Another weekend back-to-back awaits, this time with home games against the Flyers on Saturday (5:30pm start) and then the clocks jump forward for a body 22-hour-later 4:30pm Sunday start against the Bruins. After that, the Pens start a five-game road trip from March 10-18 that begins and ends in Carolina with a lot of miles in between (Vegas next Thursday, Utah next Saturday and Colorado the following Monday) stops in the Tarheel state.

Opponent Track: In a sea of surprising teams this season, no team is more shockingly over-performing original expectations than the once-lowly Sabres. It’s looking like Western NY will see the playoffs for the first time since 2011, their Sabres have won all four games coming out of the Olympic break and showing no signs of slowing down. Most recently Buffalo beat Vegas 3-2 on Tuesday, they also took down both Florida teams on the road last week.

Season Series: The Penguins are 2-0 against Buffalo, looking for a season sweep tonight after beating Buffalo 4-2 back on November 26th and taking a 5-2 win on February 5th. Lately beating up on the Sabres would garner a shrug, it stands out a lot more this year.

Silly Stat: The Pens are 7-2-1 with their yellow third jerseys this season. For an even deeper dive, the Pens happen to be 6-0-0 on Thursday’s on the same day ‘The Pitt’, an HBOMax hospital drama set in Pittsburgh, has been released. That streak will be on the line with another episode of the show coming out today.

Getting to know the Sabres

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch

Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn

Noah Ostlund – Josh Norris – Josh Doan

Zach Benson – Tyson Kozak – Brock Malenstyn

DEFENSEMEN

Matthias Samuelsson / Rasmus Dahlin

Bowen Byram / Owen Power

Zach Metsa / Michael Kesselring

Goalies: Alex Lyon, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Colten Ellis

Potential scratches: Josh Dunne, Jacob Bryson

Injured Reserve: Conor Timmins, Jordan Greenway, Justin Danforth, Jiri Kulich

• The Sabres are uniquely constructed in that all four of their best defensemen happen to be left handed. That might be about to change — as of 9:00pm last night St. Louis and Buffalo reportedly have a trade made, pending Colton Parayko’s no trade clause approval, to send the Team Canada member east. Seems doubtful Parayko would make it to Pittsburgh and play tonight if the transaction gets hammered out in time but if he decides to come it will finally add a marquee right shot defender to the club.
• Assuming he’s not a part of the incomplete-at-press-time trade, this will be Josh Norris’s fifth game back from his latest injury (2G+1A in the first four back, including a two-goal effort against Tampa last week) and his first time playing against the Pens since the preseason. Can’t get over how dominant he was in those games, if Norris can stay in the lineup (he’s only played 23 games this season) he could add a whole new dimension to Buffalo’s attack. Unfortunately, staying in the lineup for prolonged periods of time has been a weakness to this point.
• Speaking of injuries, an underrated part of the Penguins flipping Timmins for the 39th pick in last year’s draft is in the timing. Timmins’ career has been checkered by injuries. Other than last year’s 68 total games between PIT/TOR, his previous seasons of games played (combining NHL and AHL) are: 42, 37, 6, 33, 25 and now 33, not counting a full season missed at what should have been the start of his career in 2018-19. To get a good draft piece from a guy who has missed more time than he played was a nice outcome for Pittsburgh, though sad to see Timmins land back on the IR again.

Season stats
via hockeydb

• Lyon and Luukkonen have split the last four games since the Olympic break, with each playing twice and each playing rather well (Lyon has allowed four goals in his two games, Luukkonen gave up only three, both with save percentages north of .948% in the small sample). That means the Pens figure to see a goalie in good form tonight, no matter which one Buffalo decides to play.
• Jack Hughes obviously had the ultimate star turn for the Olympics with his golden goal, a level down from there Tage Thompson was really good too. Thompson has kept it in gear, scoring 3G+2A in four games since returning. He also found the back of the net in the last PIT/BUF game in early February.
• Rasmus Dahlin is always a visible player, he’s out there over 24 minutes per game for starters. Dahlin has put up 1G+4A in the last two games. When listing the reasons of ‘why is Buffalo good now’, pretty high up on the list is Dahlin who has put up 33 points (10G+23A) in the last 31 games of this growing sample of the Sabres’ becoming a wagon.

Key to the game: Sabres shooting vs. Pittsburgh defense/goalie

Since Buffalo’s turnaround on December 9th (they’re 25-5-2 since then, easily the best record in the league since that point), they’re shooting an NHL-high 13.9%. They don’t tend to dominate the puck and crush teams in that regard — their average shots per game are 27.0 – 30.2 in this stretch — but when they do create chances, they have been finishing them with impressive frequency.

That could be an issue for Pittsburgh, or certainly an area to watch- we saw them get disconnected and overreact in a five-man tandem all chasing the puck like peewees after they overcommitted to a corner in the first place against Boston on Casey Mittlestadt’s goal. That caused Dan Muse to use his timeout to somewhat uncharacteristically shout and chastise his team over the lapse. The Pens didn’t give up a goal or play a sequence that bad again against the Bruins, but by that point the damage was done. Any slips like that tonight are more than likely going to wind up in the net with the way the Sabres have been playing in the offensive zone this season. It’s tough to play a completely perfect and clean game against NHL-caliber competition, especially for a team like the Sabres that has grown immensely with their confidence and ability to strike. The Pens and their attention to detail will have their work cut out for them tonight, how they’re able to handle that could tip the balance in this tilt.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Egor Chinakhov  – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Rickard Rakell – Ben Kindel – Bryan Rust

Anthony Mantha – Kevin Hayes – Justin Brazeau

Avery Hayes – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard / Kris Letang

Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs (Stuart Skinner played last game)

Potential Scratches: Blake Lizotte (day-to-day injury), Ryan Graves, Ilya Solovyov

IR: Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany

• The Penguins had an off day yesterday after returning from Boston. They now gear up for another stretch of three-games-in-four days starting today after just ending a three-in-four stretch on Tuesday. And the beat goes on..
• Is it too early to hope Lizotte’s day-to-day injury is on the shorter end for a return tonight? Possibly, though more information could be revealed by potential participation at the morning skate coming up. The team could surely use Lizotte coming back ASAP given the state of their center depth chart these days that contains possibly only two actual NHL-quality centers (Dewar has certainly been an NHL-quality winger, filling in on a pinch, to his credit, and Kevin Hayes, well, he is a great guy!)..A three day recovery for Lizotte to make it back in time for tonight feels a little more on the hopeful end of the spectrum than anything else, but it doesn’t cost anything to hope.

Geno with the home cookin’

No one has felt more at home on their own ice these days than Evgeni Malkin, currently on a 10-game point streak at PPG Paints. From Pens PR:

Evgeni Malkin has been hot at home as of late with 12 points (2G-10A) in his last 10 games. He currently has the longest active home point streak in the NHL:

Longest Active Home Point Streaks, NHL

Name                   Streak    Dates                                  G            A            PTS

Evgeni Malkin      10          Jan. 8 – Present                 2            10          12
Rasmus Dahlin    8            Jan. 12 – Present               2            8            10
Tim Stutzle           7            Jan. 13 – Present               4            6            10
Matt Boldy            7            Jan. 15 – Present               2            9            11
Quinn Hughes      7            Jan. 22 – Present               1            11          12

With a point tonight, Malkin would have his first home point streak of at least 11 games since January 20 – February 26, 2022 (11 GP; 5G-8A). He has the longest home point streak this season by a Penguin.     

Playoff implications

It’s that time of year to white-knuckle it over every out of town score and point gained or lost. Here’s what hockeystats.com has with their model for the Pens’ outlook based on tonight, entering the day with an 85% chance of the playoffs

Based on this game alone the percentages go up by five points with a win, down four with a regulation loss and hold serve with an OT/SO loss. The next game against Philadelphia (still a mathematical challenge to the Pens’ spot in the Metropolitan Division) will figure to be a more statistically important game, but the biggest one is always the next one on deck.

The Dallas Stars won their ninth and 10th straight games when they beat the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames 6-1 this week, setting a franchise record for most consecutive regular-season wins.

While it's a streak coach Glen Gulutzan and his team will wear as a badge of honor, only four franchises have not won 10 straight: the 2-year-old Utah Mammoth, 5-year-old Seattle Kraken, Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings.

The Stars are reaching new heights, and they're getting closer to the Colorado Avalanche for the top spot in the NHL standings as we approach Friday's trade deadline. But they'll need to keep winning through mid-March to get on this list of the longest winning streaks in NHL history:

Top 5 longest regular-season winning streaks in NHL history

5. Pittsburgh Penguins (15 games, 2012-13)

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Penguins enjoyed a perfect March, winning all 15 games. They had a somewhat favorable schedule, playing 10 of 15 at home, including a four-game stint to end the month. 

They allowed just 26 goals, an average of 1.73 per game, and had four team shutouts.

Sidney Crosby had 25 points (six goals, 19 assists), leading the league during the streak, and teammate Chris Kunitz was second, notching 20 points (11 goals, nine assists). 

4. New York Islanders (15 games, 1981-82)

The New York Islanders enjoyed a 15-game winning streak in 1981-82, culminating in their third successive Stanley Cup.

The Islanders went on to win a fourth straight Stanley Cup the next season, marking the last time any franchise won more than two in a row.

They scored 97 goals in 15 games, 24 more than a Montreal Canadiens team that had the second-most during the famous stretch. New York was also the best defensively, conceding 35 goals. 

3. Columbus Blue Jackets (16 games, 2016-17)

The Columbus Blue Jackets won eight straight at home and on the road from Nov. 29, 2016, to Jan. 3, 2017.

Sergei Bobrovsky started in 14 of those 16 games and had a sterling .941 save percentage and 1.64 goals-against average during the streak. Both were league bests, and the Blue Jackets allowed two goals or fewer 13 times.

Unfortunately, all was for nought as the Blue Jackets lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

2. Edmonton Oilers (16 games, 2023-24)

After a woeful 5-12-1 start that cost Jay Woodcroft his job, the Oilers went on arguably the greatest run in NHL history, winning 24 of the following 27 games. 

That included an eight-game and a 16-game winning streak, the latter of which was bettered only by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The Oilers were almost impenetrable for large portions of the streak, allowing two goals or fewer in 14 straight. 

They eventually advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, losing in seven games to the Florida Panthers.

1. Pittsburgh Penguins (17 games, 1992-93)

The Penguins' astonishing run set a record that has stood for 33 years.

We all know who spearheaded the unprecedented streak, with Mario Lemieux scoring an outrageous 27 goals and 51 points, an average of three per game.  

He finished the season with 69 goals and the Hart Trophy to boot. Tom Barrasso was between the pipes for 14 of those wins, and backup Ken Wregget took the helm for the other three.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dallas Stars' 10-game win streak doesn't make this NHL top 5

Coming off their first regulation loss of the post-Olympic schedule, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be looking for another bounce back performance this evening when the Buffalo Sabres pay a visit to PPG Paints Arena. Rewinding back to October, no one could have foreseen that a Penguins v. Sabres matchup in early March having massive playoff implications, but that will be the case when the two sides meet tonight. The contest will also serve as the final game for both sides before Friday’s trade deadline, where both the Penguins and Sabres are expected to be active.

Puck drop tonight is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.

Pens Points…

It’s no secret that the Penguins consider Sergei Murashov as their future in goal, and he showed why over the weekend with a “Save of the Year” candidate while playing with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL. [Pensburgh]

We are just over 24 hours out from the NHL trade deadline and the Penguins are in position to be buyers, something no one thought possible all the way back when the season started. There are obvious areas of need and there are plenty of options on the market to address those needs come Friday. [The Athletic $$]

Rickard Rakell is a winger by trade, but an injury to Sidney Crosby and forced him to move to center for the time being. Results thus far have been a mixed bag, but his struggles in the faceoff dot have been particularly glaring but that should be expected given his unfamiliarity with the practice. [Trib Live]

NHL News and Notes…

Speaking of the Buffalo Sabres, they didn’t wait for deadline day to start making moves, acquiring defenseman Colton Parayko from the St. Louis Blues for prospect Radim Mrtka and a first round pick. Step one of a playoff chase and a rebuild is complete for the Sabres and Blues respectively. [ESPN]

Six weeks after being acquired by the San Jose Sharks, Kiefer Sherwood has decided to extend his stay in Northern California by agreeing to a five year contract extension that will begin next season and carry an AAV of $5.75 million against the salary cap. [NHL]

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ryan Pulock was a full go at Wednesday morning’s skate, only for Patrick Roy to announce shortly afterward that Pulock would not play against the Ducks later that evening.

While there is optimism that Pulock’s injury, officially designated as upper body, will be very much short-term — as in, playing Thursday against the Kings appears to be on the table — the defenseman evidently didn’t feel right during the morning skate.

“It was based on the morning skate,” Roy said. “Game-time decision, but he didn’t feel ready to play. We’ll wait for tomorrow.”

Pulock briefly left Sunday’s win over the Panthers with what appeared to be a shoulder injury, but quickly returned to the game.

Jonathan Drouin, who missed Sunday’s game, was back in the lineup Wednesday, with Anthony Duclair coming out as a healthy scratch.

As a result of Pulock’s absence, Adam Boqvist came back into the lineup, starting on the third pair with Carson Soucy as Scott Mayfield moved up to the top pair with Matthew Schaefer.

It was Boqvist’s first game since a 4-0 win over the Flyers on Jan. 26.

“You’re always going to feel [it] when one of your better guys is out,” Tony DeAngelo told The Post after the 5-1 loss in which Pulock’s absence was heavily felt. “Boqy played a real good game, filled in nicely. It’s always next man up, we can’t think too much of that.”

The configuration the Islanders started with did not make it through the first period, as Schaefer and Mayfield — who started the year together — struggled to click. By the first intermission, all three pairs seemed to be rotating, which continued throughout.

The situation served to underscore Pulock’s importance to these Islanders, which has largely been underrated with Schaefer drawing so much attention.

Pulock’s 24 points already have surpassed his total from last year, and at 21:03 per night, he’s second only to Schaefer in time on ice.

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Roy called Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson “a special player” after the Swedish center finished with an assist and was noticeable on nearly every shift alongside Cutter Gauthier, who scored twice for the Ducks.

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David Rittich stopped 21 of 25 shots for the Islanders, while Ville Husso turned aside 42 shots for Anaheim.

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Only two scouts were in attendance at Wednesday’s match just 48 hours before the deadline, and both were from the St. Louis Blues, as rumors connecting the Islanders to some of the Blues’ high-end assets such as Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas continued to swirl.

New York Islanders (35-22-5, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Los Angeles Kings (24-22-14, in the Pacific Division)

Los Angeles; Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Kings -146, Islanders +122; over/under is 5.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings and the New York Islanders meet in a non-conference matchup.

Los Angeles has a 24-22-14 record overall and a 9-14-7 record on its home ice. The Kings have an 18-2-7 record in games they score at least three goals.

New York has a 35-22-5 record overall and an 18-12-3 record in road games. The Islanders have an 18-5-0 record in games decided by one goal.

The matchup Thursday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.

TOP PERFORMERS: Artemi Panarin has 19 goals and 41 assists for the Kings. Adrian Kempe has five goals and six assists over the last 10 games.

Mathew Barzal has 17 goals and 38 assists for the Islanders. Matthew Schaefer has scored seven goals with three assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 3-6-1, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.4 assists, 3.9 penalties and 11 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.

Islanders: 7-3-0, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.2 assists, 2.9 penalties and 6.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

INJURIES: Kings: None listed.

Islanders: None listed.

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

Minnesota Wild (36-16-10, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (29-19-14, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Friday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Wild visit the Vegas Golden Knights after the Golden Knights defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in overtime.

Vegas is 29-19-14 overall and 14-8-7 in home games. The Golden Knights have a +13 scoring differential, with 204 total goals scored and 191 allowed.

Minnesota has an 18-9-3 record on the road and a 36-16-10 record overall. The Wild rank eighth in NHL play with 205 total goals (averaging 3.3 per game).

The teams match up Friday for the third time this season. The Wild won 5-2 in the previous meeting.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mark Stone has 21 goals and 38 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has seven goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Quinn Hughes has six goals and 55 assists for the Wild. Matthew Boldy has scored eight goals with 13 assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 4-5-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.7 assists, three penalties and 6.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.

Wild: 7-2-1, averaging four goals, 6.8 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.

Wild: None listed.

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