DENVER — Trent Miner stopped all 29 shots he faced to earn his first NHL victory, becoming the 17th goaltender in league history to record a shutout in his inaugural win, as the Colorado Avalanche blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets 4–0 at Ball Arena on Saturday.
The victory extended Colorado’s home point streak to 21 games. The outing marked Miner’s fifth NHL appearance and his third game of the season.
Under head coach Jared Bednar, Colorado has been nearly unbeatable at Ball Arena, improving to 19-0-2 on home ice this season while extending its home winning streak to 17 games — the second-longest in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques franchise history and just one shy of matching the record set during the 2021–22 campaign.
"It's impressive what the guys have been doing, especially at home, no question," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "It's the same as what goes into winning on a nightly basis, but then it just becomes consistency in order to win that much in a row and not take nights off or have bad nights. Like some games are better than others, but I feel like our guys are always there to compete, and their heart and minds are in the right place."
Miner Earns His Stripes
Selected 202nd overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, Miner can feel like a long-tenured member of the Avalanche organization because, in many ways, he is. It wasn’t until last season — his fourth as a professional — that he was finally entrusted with an extended opportunity as the starting goaltender for the Colorado Eagles. Miner made the most of it, posting a 22-10-9 record with a .918 save percentage and firmly putting himself on the Avalanche’s radar.
While it may have appeared at times that Bednar was slow to lean on Miner due to his limited number of starts, that situation speaks more to the Avalanche’s depth in goal than a lack of confidence. With a strong, established goaltending group in place, opportunities can be difficult to come by for a lesser-known and less-experienced netminder trying to find his footing at the NHL level.
Miner made the most of his opportunity, but at the end of the night, the only thing that truly mattered for him is that they got the win.
“In all honesty, I’m just glad we were able to get the win,” he said. “For sure, it’s exciting to get my first win, but I think for us to get a win at home is just as exciting.”
Everyone appreciates a humble player, but this is likely a day Miner will never forget.
From the start, Pittsburgh's game against the Boston Bruins on Sunday felt like one of those games where the Penguins just weren't going to generate much of anything.
And that's exactly how everything unfolded.
The Penguins were shut out by Boston, 1-0, courtesy of a 27-save effort by Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Viktor Arvidsson scored the game's lone goal in the first period, and the Bs shut the door the rest of the way, putting on a defensive clinic to stymie every offensive opportunity - even if few and far between - that the Penguins generated.
However, it was a tight-checking game all around, and the Penguins put forth quite the effort defensively, too. They blocked 17 shots in comparison to Boston's 18, goaltender Stuart Skinner turned in another strong effort with 17 saves on 18 Boston shots, and they killed all six power plays that the Bruins had throughout the game.
Unfortunately, Pittsburgh just could not put the puck in the back of the net, and Korpisalo shut the door on every high-danger opportunity that the Bruins actually allowed.
Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this game:
- Quite honestly, the Penguins did not play a bad hockey game. Yes, they couldn't generate much offensively - and I'll get to that in a minute - but, for the most part, they did a fantastic job of limiting opportunites for the Bruins.
They simply couldn't score, which hadn't been a problem for them during their six-game win streak. Bounces weren't going their way. Calls weren't going their way. And even if they did generate some good opportunities, there weren't really too many longer periods of sustained pressure because the Bruins didn't give them any space to work with.
This is one of those games where you have to give credit to the opponent. They played about as well a defensive game as you could ask for, and they got the goaltending when they needed it.
- Speaking of not scoring, I'm not exactly sure what the idea behind the Penguins' lineup was Sunday.
Yes, they suffered their first loss in seven games against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, but they could have won that game, too, had a few more bounces gone their way - even if they didn't particularly play very well. It was also their first game without Bryan Rust, who is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and his absence in the lineup is very, very noticeable.
However, some things were still working for them. The second line of Ben Kindel, Evgeni Malkin, and Egor Chinakhov - with Kindel centering - seemed to develop a bit of chemistry and were definitely the best line in that game. The first line of Sidney Crosby, Tommy Novak, and Rickard Rakell had some chances, too, even if the third line was quiet and the fourth line had an off-night.
I understand tinkering a little bit in order to maximize what players provide in certain roles, especially with a top-line forward missing. Heading into this one, I wouldn't have been opposed to bumping Anthony Mantha or Justin Brazeau up to the top line and putting Tommy Novak in the third-line center position, which would have bumped either Kevin Hayes or the newly recalled Rafael Harvey-Pinard to the wing.
They did move Mantha to Crosby's line in place of Novak. What I did not understand was the decision to bump Kindel back down to the third line, have Novak play wing on that line, and place Hayes in the second-line center position instead of, simply, putting Malkin back in that spot.
I didn't love the idea of bumping Kindel back down to begin with, as I thought he played a pretty strong game on Saturday. But, if that was going to happen, there's no reason not to have either Malkin or Novak center the second line - and, probably, Malkin.
This is not a knock on Hayes. He isn't the reason the Penguins have lost the last two hockey games. But he's not a viable substitute as a top-six center given the other options the Penguins have at their disposal, and - at the end of the day - swapping in Hayes for Rust is obviously not going to produce similar results, given the fact that Rust is second on the team in scoring.
Even without Rust in the top-six picture, that second line seemed to be building toward something with Kindel on it. And Novak has performed as a center this season. I think Dan Muse has largely done an excellent job this season, but I believe he may have overthought this one. I don't think he put out a lineup Sunday that was maximized to give the Penguins the highest shot at success, especially in generating offense.
Hayes is fine in a bottom-six role. But, even if he was going to bump up to the second line, Malkin was probably better off centering it.
- After a rocky start to his Penguins' tenure, Skinner has really settled in during his last four appearances.
The 27-year-old netminder has had consecutive save percentages of .964, .917, .966, and .944 in those last four games. He has made big saves when the Penguins have needed him to, and he looks very comfortable in net right now.
Arturs Silovs has been better of late as well, but I do think Skinner has separated himself, even if just a tiny little bit. The biggest knock on him throughout the years has been his consistency, and he is known for going through hot and cold stretches. He has an .899 save percentage in seven appearances with the Penguins, and the first few starts were pretty rough.
I'd continue the rotation for now. Skinner tends to perform a bit better with a lighter workload. And, honestly, this could be a perfect situation for both Skinner and Silovs. We'll see how it continues to play out.
- Parker Wotherspoon blocked a shot with his knee near the end of the second period, and he collapsed to the ice in a ton of pain. He did come back out for the third period, but it initially looked very concerning.
Quite frankly, the Penguins cannot afford to lose Wotherspoon, who has been their best defensive defenseman this season and a revelation beside Erik Karlsson. Hopefully, he's good to go. If there is a short list of players whose injuries would be detrimental to this team, he's on it.
Parker Wotherspoon blocked a shot and was down for a short while talking to head athletic trainer Kevin Elliott. He appears to be staying on the bench for now.
- The power play has looked very uninspiring for several games now, and it went 0-for-2 on Sunday. In fact, it is just three for its last 16 and zero for its last six.
Even when the Penguins have been converting on it, it's usually later on in the man advantage after a few clears. I haven't liked the lack of player movement and puck movement as well as the general tendency to defer shots, which are all typical signs of the Penguins' power play going through a cold spell.
They're still third in the league at 28.6 percent. And, when they have hit small dry pockets, they've found ways to rebound this season. I expect the same in this case, but they need to be quicker with their decision-making and create more chaos to get opposing penalty kills out of structure.
Oh, and the shot-pass? It works to perfection sometimes. But that doesn't mean they should be trying it almost every time they throw a puck in the vicinity of the net. They need to just shoot more.
- Next up for the Penguins will be a tough matchup on Tuesday against the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning, who have won nine straight games.
The Penguins won by the skin of their teeth when they played Tampa on Dec. 4 - all because of a goal that was called back on what was ruled a hand pass - which immediately preceded their eight-game losing streak. They did not play particularly well in that game, and they have had a bit of trouble with the Bolts recently, as they are 2-3-1 in their last five games against them.
Starting Tuesday, the Penguins play six games in 10 days. Things tend to pile on one way or another when a schedule is that condensed.
They haven't played poorly in the last two losses, even if they came away with no points and didn't have their A-game. That needs to change on Tuesday, as they are now a point out of a wild card spot.
The Buffalo Sabres continued their red-hot pace in a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, but are beginning to show signs late in games that could lead to defeat. For the third game in a row, the Sabres have entered the third period with a considerable lead, but have allowed the opposition to climb back to within one goal.
Against Vancouver on Tuesday, the Sabres led 4-0 midway through the third period, but the Canucks scored three goals in the waning minutes of regulation and clawed back to within a goal before losing 4-3. In New York on Thursday, Buffalo led 3-1 entering the third, but Vincent Trocheck narrowed the lead to 3-2 and the Rangers had a four-minute power play with a chance to tie, but Mattias Samuelsson’s short-handed goal ended New York’s momentum.
On Saturday, the Sabres once again led 4-0 and once again sat back and allowed Anaheim to narrow the gap to 4-3 before Josh Norris scored into an empty net.
"That's on us. That wasn't good enough. We let our goalie down. That is not up to par for our club. Our club can't accept that," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said "We're a better club than that. We played well to that point, and what we did in that last five minutes isn't isn't good enough.....I think it's just a little bit of a mental let down, but not near good enough."
The Sabres face a critical point in their bid to stay in a playoff position before the Olympic break, as their opposition in the next three home games are direct competitors for an Eastern Conference spot. Buffalo plays three games in four nights starting with a matchup against the reigning two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Monday, followed by Philadelphia and Montreal back-to-back nights Wednesday and Thursday, before finishing the homestand against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon.
The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that Kevin Korchinski, Drew Commesso, and Stansilav Berezhnoy have all been assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
Korchinski, Commesso, and Berezhnoy were all called up to the Blackhawks' roster earlier this week due to multiple players being sidelined with illness. Now, with this latest roster move, they each will be heading back to the IceHogs' roster.
Korchinski played in two games for the Blackhawks during his call-up, where he recorded one assist, two shots, and a minus-2 rating. This was his first NHL action of the 2025-26 season after starting the year with the IceHogs.
Commesso also played in his first two games of the season with the Blackhawks during his call-up. During them, he posted a 1-1-0 record, a .917 save percentage, and a 2.50 goals-against average. This included him recording a 36-save shutout against the Nashville Predators in his most recent start.
As for Berezhnoy, he did not get into game action for the Blackhawks during his brief call-up. He will now be looking to make an impact after being sent back down to the IceHogs' roster.
It will be a historic night at Little Caesars Arena on Monday, as the Detroit Red Wings will officially retire the iconic No. 91 jersey number of Sergei Fedorov, one of the greatest and most exciting players not only in the club's history but in NHL history.
Fedorov, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015, was informed of the honor by Red Wings owner and CEO Chris Ilitch during the offseason, which he admitted left him breathless.
“When we spoke, we first exchanged the usual questions about how things were going, how our families were doing, and then he shared the news with me," Fedorov said about his call with Ilitch. "Honestly, in the first three or four minutes of the conversation, I wasn’t 100 percent sure where it was headed."
"But then he started listing all of our victories, our achievements, and how long it took to get there," he continued. "At that moment, it took my breath away. Memories rushed back—our struggles, our bumps along the road, and of course that unforgettable parade of emotions after winning our first Stanley Cup."
On the eve of Fedorov's historic night in Detroit, he released a heartfelt love letter to the fans of Hockeytown.
Fedorov will be appropriately honored by the Red Wings, for whom he was a key element in their historic Stanley Cup victories of 1997, 1998, and 2002. During his time in Detroit, he also won the 1994 Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player, the Lester B. Pearson Award, and the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward in both 1994 and 1996.
He also earned six NHL All-Star Game appearances and was officially named as one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017.
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Beckett Sennecke (left); Mattias Samuelsson (right) -- (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)
The Buffalo Sabres have bounced back after having their major win streak snapped at 10 games in a 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Jan. 3. The Sabres are now on a three-game win streak, with victories over the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks. And although it’s tempting for Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen to keep his team’s roster intact, it says here that Buffalo should still be adding talent by or before this season’s March 6 trade deadline.
For one thing, while it’s nice that the Sabres are stringing together more wins, they haven’t exactly been tested by the NHL’s best teams. The Canucks have been a disaster, the Rangers haven’t been much better, and the Ducks have been in a serious slump after a strong start. So Kekalainen & Co. can’t be complacent when it comes to making additions to his team.
"The Big Show"
In addition, even if the Sabres remain strong in the win/loss columns, they almost certainly are going to need to improve their depth by the deadline. The injury bug doesn’t spare many, if any teams, and the last thing Buffalo fans will want to see is the Sabres’ season prematurely ended because Kekalainen chose not to make depth additions.
Thus, it’s on Kekalainen to be proactive on the trade front. And that means either acquiring talent before the NHL’s Feb. 4 Olympic roster freeze, or by the trade deadline. Kekalainen has to send a message to his players that he’s prepared to help them make a Stanley Cup playoff push, and that means not standing pat.
The Sabres are going to face notable tests in their next five games, with tilts against the Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes. And with the Toronto Maple Leafs now right behind the Sabres in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings, Buffalo is going to need to be just as productive in the standings points department if they’re to be in the conversation for a playoff spot.
The Sabres have given their long-suffering fan base legitimate hope they can be a playoff team this year. And Kekalainen has to improve his team’s potency by picking up one or two experienced hands who can contribute meaningful minutes.
Sitting on his hands is not going to do Kekalainen much good. He needs to find a way to improve his group, and he’s only got a handful of weeks to do so. Time is of the essence with this Sabres team, and a lack of additions could be the difference between Buffalo missing or making the post-season.
The New York Rangers have recalled Brennan Othmann from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
In a corresponding move, the Rangers assigned Anton Blidh back to the Wolf Pack.
This call-up comes at the heels of the Rangers’ 10-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, which may have played a part in this move.
While Othmann has been called up a couple of times since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, he has only played six games for the Rangers, failing to record a point.
It’s been a difficult few months for Othmann, whose name has been the subject of trade rumors. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Oct. 16 that the Rangers are open to the idea of trading Othmann.
“I can’t really focus on that stuff,” Othmann said about the trade rumors in October. “That stuff is really all online, and I don’t know what’s true. I don’t know what’s false. I’ve just been super focused with Hartford and trying to get back up here.
“I mean, it’s no secret. A couple of the guys in Hartford were asking me and telling me about it, but I honestly was just playing hockey and taking each day, day-by-day. Keep moving forward and focusing on getting back here and playing at the NHL level at some point this year. I think I did a good job with it.”
In 23 AHL games this season, Othmann has posted six goals, eight assists, and 14 points.
It’s unclear if the 23-year-old forward will slot into the Rangers’ lineup for their Monday night matchup against the Seattle Kraken.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Tanner Pearson broke a tie at 6:17 of the third period and the Winnipeg Jets beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Sunday for their first back-to-back victories since mid-November.
Pearson took a pass from Josh Morrissey in front of the net and beat Jake Allen.
The Jets beat Los Angeles on Friday night to end an 11-game losing streak. They last won two straight Nov. 15-18. Winnipeg also won a one-goal game for the first time since Nov. 15, snapping an NHL record of 13 consecutive losses.
Alex Iafallo, Jonathan Toews and Gabriel Vilardi also scored, and Morrissey and Cole Perfetti each had two assists. Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves.
Winnipeg-born Cody Glass scored twice for New Jersey. Nico Hischier also had a goal, and Allen stopped 18 shots. The Devils have lost four consecutive games for the first time since early December.
Iafallo opened the scoring with 1:10 left in the first period on a shot that deflected in. Hischier tied it 37 seconds later off a rebound.
Glass gave the Devils the lead at 1:05 of the second when he redirected a pass from Luke Hughes. Toews tied it at 2:36.
New Jersey defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler’s shot went in just under a minute later, but the Jets successfully challenged for goaltender interference because Paul Cotter had bumped into Hellebuyck.
Glass put New Jersey ahead at 8:08, and Vilardi countered with his 18th of the season when he batted the puck in with 2:03 left in the second.
Up next
Devils: At Minnesota on Monday night.
Jets: Host the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
The Detroit Red Wings continue to be one of the hottest teams in the NHL, posting a 13-4-1 record over their last 18 games and holding the top spot in the Atlantic Division. A key divisional win Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens helped Detroit extend its edge over Montreal in the standings, but despite the Red Wings strong run, the playoff race remains extremely tight.
That pressure comes from a surging Atlantic Division that has seen multiple teams catch fire at the same time. Five teams in the division are currently pushing for playoff spots, creating one of the most competitive races in the league.
Right behind Detroit are the Tampa Bay Lightning, who trail the Red Wings by just one point. Tampa Bay has been red hot, winning nine straight games while defeating some of the NHL’s top competition along the way. During their streak, the Lightning rolled past teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks, establishing themselves as a matchup no team wants to see right now.
Close behind Tampa Bay are the Montreal Canadiens, who despite recent losses to both Detroit and Tampa, remain very much in the hunt. Montreal sits just one point behind the Lightning and two points back of the Red Wings. Over their last 24 games, the Canadiens have posted a 15-7-3 record, the fourth best mark in the NHL, and have won five of their last seven games.
While the top three teams appear to be positioning themselves well for the postseason, the teams chasing them cannot be overlooked. The Florida Panthers are climbing back into the race after a difficult start to the season. After opening with a 12-12-2 record, Florida has gone 11-6-1 despite missing key players including captain Aleksander Barkov and star winger Matthew Tkachuk.
Also gaining momentum are the Toronto Maple Leafs, longtime rivals of the Red Wings. Toronto struggled early and dealt with injuries, but the team has turned things around with a league best 7-0-2 record over its last nine games. With captain Auston Matthews finding his scoring touch again, the Maple Leafs look poised to remain a playoff contender.
With the Atlantic Division as deep and competitive as it has been in years, Detroit’s recent surge cannot be viewed as a short term success. It must become the standard if the Red Wings hope to end their nearly decade long playoff drought and reestablish themselves as a true Stanley Cup contender.
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It was no secret that the Rangers' visit to Beantown yesterday afternoon was THE most important game of the season for the New Yorkers up to this point.
The Bruins – no questions asked – have been a team to pursue. What's more, with the Blueshirts' inexplicable road successes, this was a time for a glorious victory. No? Yes?
The time for a glorious victory ended as rapidly as a zephyr blowing through your hair. By the end of the first period the Rangers were ready to surrender.
By the end of the second period, they did give up. The NewYorkers' blue sweaters looked like the white flag of defeat.. The score was 7-2 for Boston and the best bet for coach Mike Sullivan was to request a Brooklyn "Do Over."
But since Commissioner Gary Bettman's office does not deal in "Do Overs,' the Rangers had to finish the game employing the advanced "culture" that owner James Dolan was last heard bragging about on the radio the other day. So it ended, 10-2 for the Beaners.
Take your pick, the Rangers embarrassed or disgraced themselves beyond all reason.
"It's the 'culture' of defeat," says The Old Scout. "Now the Rangers not only cannot win at home they no longer can win on the road. Maybe they should try roller hockey."
J.T. Miller, who scored one of the two Blueshirt goals – Mika Zibanejad had the other – should be penalized for repeating himself. How many times have you heard this dismal comment out of the guy who never should have been captain in the first place.
"The team needs leadership and I gotta do better," Miller says.
It wouldn't hurt if coach Mike Sullivan ripped up his far-too-lucrative contract. Imagine him saying postgame: "I don't have answers."
Well the answer sure wasn't Jonathan Quick who was a disaster and mercifully got the hook after giving up six goals in 31:26.
Now get this, genius GM Chris Drury brought up 30-year-old royal retread Spencer Martin as
Quick's backup. This poor guy Martin has gone through five NHL teams – plus CSKA Moscow – and redefines the word "sieve."
Master Martin gave up four goals on 14 shots as the curtain dropped on yet another Blueshirt disaster. For further horrifics, I turn it over to superscout Jess Rubenstein of Rangersprospectreport.com.
"The Rangers have no defense. They are old. Martin is not an NHL goalie. This club was not embarrassed; it was humiliated. And GM Chris Drury should be fired."
Now for the good news: the Rangers' most encouraging words emanate from the NHL schedule.
The woebegone Seattle Kraken will drop over to Seventh Avenue tomorrow night and – if the winds of change have anything to do with it – the host Blueshirts might even get back in the W column.
Oh, I know he's been retired for decades but even at his advanced age. Marvelous Mike would never have allowed that Saturday afternoon implosion to happen.
Richter always had pride to go with his talent. With precious few exceptions, this Rangers team now has a smidgen of talent and absolutely zero pride.
The Penguins were lethargic for much of the game and couldn't get into an offensive rhythm. It also didn't help that Flames goaltender Devin Cooley was on top of his game and stopped the chances that the Penguins did get.
The Penguins will try to bounce back from that loss against a Boston Bruins team that won 10-2 over the New York Rangers on Saturday. The Bruins got hat tricks from Pavel Zacha and Marat Khusnutdinov in the win. Khusnutdinov, in particular, scored four goals during the game.
David Pastrnak finished the game with six assists, and goaltender Jeremy Swayman finished with a .931 save percentage. Pastrnak now has 19 goals and 55 points this season.
Morgan Geekie suited up for the game, but had to leave early due to a family emergency. Geekie has been spectacular this year, compiling 25 goals and 41 points in 45 games.
Defenseman Charlie McAvoy does it all for the Bruins and is elite in all three zones. He finished Saturday's game with a goal and an assist, and figures to draw the matchup against the Sidney Crosby line.
Speaking of Crosby's line, it's expected to still look a bit different since Bryan Rust is day-to-day with an injury. Tommy Novak replaced Rust on that line against the Flames.
Here's a look at the full lineup after the Penguins tweeted out the lines:
Forwards
Mantha-Crosby-Rakell
Malkin-Hayes-Chinakhov
Novak-Kindel-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Defense
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Kulak-Letang
Shea-Clifton
Arturs Silovs started in goal on Saturday, meaning it's Stuart Skinner's turn for Sunday. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
Minnesota lost that game in overtime 4-3 on a Simon Holmstrom overtime-winner.
The Wild got the first goal of the game though and it came off the stick of Ben Jones. It was his first NHL goal and his first NHL point in his 49th career NHL game.
Ben Jones and Quinn Hughes were teammates growing up on the Toronto Marlboros.
Tonight, Ben Jones scores his first career NHL goal... with an assist from Quinn Hughes 👏
Jones, 26, had played in 48 NHL games in three seasons in the league. He had no points. He played in 26 games last year for the Wild and had zero points and 51 hits. This season he now has one goal and 51 hits in 21 games this season.
In fact, Jones had the second-longest streak to open a career with out a point (408:11 time on ice), behind only Adam Durish of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2006-07 (463:17).
“Yeah, it wore on me a little bit,” Jones said after the game. “You try not to focus on it. Obviously, that’s not what I do to help the team, but it’s great to contribute. It seemed like people were thinking I was going for some record that I kept getting tagged in, of not getting a point in however many games. But no, it was nice to get the first one, and yeah, a big sigh of relief for sure.”
Jones' goal was a tip-in off a Brock Faber point shot. Quinn Hughes passed it to Faber before he shot it. Jones and Hughes grew up playing hockey together and are the same age. They were good friends then and are still friends now.
A full circle moment for sure.
“He [Hughes] kept saying that he felt like he was going to be a part of the first one, and he made it happen,” Jones said. “So, I was happy to see that.”
Hughes added: “Life works like that. It was a weird one. I had a feeling that would happen.”
Jones had three points waived off earlier in his career with the Wild due to goalie interference calls that actually happened because Jones clipped the goaltender. There is no doubt this one felt good for Jones to finally get on the scoresheet and not see zeros anymore.
“Really happy for Jonesy,” Wild head coach John Hynes said. “He plays so hard for a team. He fits a lot of different roles, and it was a long time coming for him.
"Coming into the game, one of our game plans was, we had to get to the net front, into that area. That was something that we targeted. And he scored the goal, driving right into the high slot for that tip area. So, good for him and happy for him.”
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To wrap up their four-game road trip and while in a standings free fall, the Anaheim Ducks traveled to Western New York to take on the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday evening.
This was a battle between two teams with seasons heading in the opposite direction. The Ducks entered Saturday winless in their previous eight games and had only won two of their last 14 games. The Sabres came into this game looking to extend their winning streak to three games and having won 12 of their last 13 games.
Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba was unavailable for Anaheim in this one, as he returned home to Orange County in anticipation of the birth of his second child. Ducks forward Troy Terry missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury.
Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville, in another attempt to manufacture a spark within his lineup, blended his lines and pairs again for this game. Here’s how they lined up to start:
Gauthier-McTavish-Granlund
Killorn-Carlsson-Sennecke
Kreider-Poehling-Strome
Johnston-Washe-Nesterenko
Zellweger-Gudas
LaCombe-Moore
Mintyukov-Helleson
Lukas Dostal got the start in the Ducks’ crease and stopped 27 of 31 shots. He was opposed by Ukko-Pekka Luukonen in Buffalo’s net, who saved 31 of 34.
Game Notes
The Ducks got off to a slow start offensively in this game, struggling to string together multi-shot sequences and sustain pressure. Their start with the puck was compounded by their sizable defensive missteps, especially at the bluelines, which led to another 3-0 hole they had to attempt to climb out of.
The Ducks began a push around the halfway mark of the game, but it was ultimately too little, too late, despite encouraging signs both on the ice and analytically. At 5v5, they finished the game holding 60.38% of the shot attempts share, 51.92% of the shots on goal share, and 49.21% of the expected goals share, indicating they were funneling pucks to the Buffalo net from the perimeter; however, the Sabres were allowed more dangerous chances.
Rush Defense: When defending in transition, the Ducks’ weak-side defenseman is often too quick to pressure puck carriers on the strong side if their partner gets beaten on a pinch. They’re counting either on that partner to recover and track back through the middle or a back checker to cover. However, a quick scan will often display that there is no such support, and if that defenseman pressures the puck on the strong side of the ice, the middle would be left open.
The Ducks gave up several odd-man rushes in this game, as Buffalo’s wingers often flew the zone when they gained possession deep in the d-zone. Oftentimes, it wasn’t the fault of the pinching defenseman, but of the F3 covering or the F2 tracking back. F3 and F2 would often attempt to engage in the battle created by the pinching defenseman rather than taking a more responsible approach and continuing their trajectory into the neutral zone. The Sabres’ forward on the boards would often simply chip pucks into the neutral zone if they won possession and spring teammates on a 2v1.
Pavel Mintyukov: Mintyukov was a positive factor all game for Anaheim. He displayed his escapability to evade F1 pressure and led clean breakout sequences, often joining in on rushes after. Though he’s much improved in his end since the start of the season, he is still susceptible to failing to tie up his assignment at the crease, leading to them getting a tip on a perimeter shot or allowing them to get to a rebound first.
Beckett Sennecke: With Leo Carlsson’s struggles and Troy Terry’s absence, Sennecke is now the Ducks' most impactful offensive weapon on the roster. He is a threat to score any time he touches the puck; his puck protection has progressed leaps, and he’s diagnosing opposing defenses at an elite NHL level. Buffalo’s third goal proves he has a long way to still in his end, as he tends to lose his activated point man, which, even if done for a split second, can lead to a goal in the NHL. Ultimately, it’s a rookie making a rookie mistake, which is expected, and he’s sanded out a lot of other typical rookie blemishes through the first 45 games of his NHL career. There shouldn’t be too much cause for concern.
The Ducks will return home with a tall task ahead of them, as they’ll be hoping to snap their losing streak against the lethal Dallas Stars on Tuesday night at Honda Center.
The Vancouver Canucks started their Sunday by making three roster moves. Vancouver assigned defenceman Elias Pettersson to the Abbotsford Canucks while recalling defenceman Victor Mancini. The Canucks have also called up Nikita Tolopilo under emergency conditions.
Pettersson has played 38 games in Vancouver this season, but has recently been in and out of the lineup due to healthy scratches. On Saturday, he played 13:58 and finished the game with a plus/minus of -1. Pettersson should get plenty of ice time in the AHL, which should help his overall development.
As for Mancini, he has been one of Abbotsford's top defensemen this season. In 20 games, he has six points and 12 penalty minutes. This season, Mancini has played in five games at the NHL level but has not recorded a point.
Lastly, Tolopilo's call-up is most likely associated with the uncertainty surrounding Thatcher Demko's health. The Canucks goaltender left Saturday's game after the first period with a lower-body injury. Vancouver is currently on a six-game road trip, with their next matchup scheduled for Monday.
Jan 3, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson (25) handles the puck against the Boston Bruins in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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Zach Werenski said of energy, "I feel like energy can come from guys playing with confidence, making plays. It's contagious. I don't want to say get reckless with it, but we have a lot of guys who can make plays here, and sometimes when we get a lead, we just resort to almost playing too simple and just giving the puck to the other team, and obviously, good teams make you pay."
Former Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson has officially retired from professional hockey and has been hired by the Vancouver Canucks to be a pro scout, the Canucks announced today.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that Laurence Gilman has been named the new Vice President of Hockey Operations. He will help Don Waddell in all aspects of the club’s hockey operations per a team statement.
The undrafted Zamula has played 168 NHL games and has 41 points for the Philadelphia Flyers.
“Egor is a mobile defenseman with good size who sees the ice well and can move the puck very efficiently. We are excited to have him join our hockey club,” said Don Waddell in a press release.
He will sign a one-year deal, per his Agent, Dan Milstein. It will be a prorated 1-million-dollar deal.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed Mason Marchment on IR with an undisclosed upper-body injury, per the club. Assuming they make it retroactive to the 4th, he'll miss all of their current four game road trip.
Marchment was apparently injured in the game last weekend against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It's all the rage amongst Columbus Blue Jackets fans to argue against pulling their goalie late in the game in an attempt to score. Some say it's pointless. Some say it Evason does it too early. Some say he does it too late. Is there a right answer? Yes, there is.
Texier was able to net his first career hat trick in his 262nd NHL game, scoring his third goal with just 50 seconds left in the game to power the Canadiens past the visiting Panthers.
Dmitri Voronkov(15), Mason Marchment(9), Kirill Marchenko(15), and Zach Werenski(15) scored the goals for the CBJ, while Jet Greaves could only stop 38 of the Pens' 43 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss.
This was embarrassing. There's really no other way to put it.
Having a 4-1 lead with 39 minutes to play should be almost an automatic win. But if you've watched the Blue Jackets play this season, you know that anything other than having a lead when the final buzzer sounds, isn't automatic.
Zach Werenski(16) and Sean Monahan(6) scored the only goals for Columbus, and Jet Greaves stopped 31 of 34 Sharks shots, including 10 of 11 of the Sharks five power plays, as the Blue Jackets would lose to San Jose 5-2.
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