McDavid Hits Double Milestone in Playoff-Style Win Over Mammoth
Connor McDavid hit a massive double milestone on Tuesday night, scoring twice in the Edmonton Oilers’ 5-2 road win over the Utah Mammoth.
His second-period goal -- an incredible showing of hand-eye coordination on a nice breakaway finish on a feed from Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard -- was his 400th NHL career goal. His empty-netter with eight seconds left in the third period became his 1,200th career point.
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Quick McDavid Career Snapshot
- Games played: 784
- Goals: 401
- Assists: 799
- Points: 1,200
- Plus/minus: +179
He reached 1,200 points in just 784 games — making him the third-fastest player in NHL history to hit that mark, behind only Wayne Gretzky (504 games) and Mario Lemieux (593 games). He’s now the 115th player all-time (and 15th active) to reach 400 goals, and the fifth in Oilers franchise history.
2025-26 Season So Far (72 GP)
- 40 goals (tied for top-4 in the NHL)
- 78 assists (2nd in the NHL)
- 118 points (2nd in the NHL)
- +10, 34 PIM, 261 shots
One game. Two big milestones.
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) March 25, 2026
Congratulations to Connor McDavid, who is now the proud owner of 400 (plus one) NHL goals and 1,200 NHL points. pic.twitter.com/Cl1v197d6m
McDavid has now hit the 40-goal mark in five of his 11 NHL seasons. Even though he still sees himself primarily as a playmaker (needing just one more assist to reach 800 career helpers), he’s been lethal finishing chances this year. The only better season he's had was in 2022-23, when Leon Draisaitl bet he couldn't get 50. McDavid went on to score 64 that season.
This season, coming in, he said he wanted to shoot more. It took several games for him to live up to that promise -- and some drilling from the media with questions about why he wasn't -- before a flip switched. Once it did, he went on a tear.
He remains a treat to watch, and the number of milestones he'll rack up over the course of his career continues to amaze.
Oilers Beat the Mammoth For a Different Reason
However, despite the highlights that McDavid reached two milestones, the game against the Utah Mammoth will be remembered for a different reason. Yes, the Oilers' captain showed off his trademark speed, skill, and clutch timing in a big Western Conference matchup. No, that's not why the Oilers won the game.
For starters, Jack Roslovic scored two, and Matt Savoie scored shorthanded. Evan Bouchard finished the night with three assists. Getting help from others was essential.
But the really big difference was their all-around defensive effort. It was the key to the victory. Edmonton played the game as though it were a postseason matchup. They were physical, and they were staunch defensively. The Oilers limited the Mammoth to three shots in the first period and 18 shots overall. With a fragile Tristan Jarry in net, the Oilers never allowed the Mammoth to really test their netminder.
The question now will be what the Oilers do next.
Do the Oilers Go Back to Jarry?
Head coach Kris Knoblauch has a tendency to shuffle the lines. It will be intriguing to see if he keeps them as is. He's also got a decision to make in goal. Jarry was fine, but was he good enough that he earned a second-straight start? It's been Connor Ingram in goal a lot lately. Jarry needs the chance to find his game and if he gets hot, giving him starts would be wise. However, the Oilers were so good at limiting chances on Tuesday that it's difficult to know if Jarry really had it. Not much was asked of him.
When asked how he felt about his game, "Just doing my thing and trying to grow with every period and every shot." He gave most of the credit to his teammates, who he said were awesome. "They played awesome, but I think it started from the very beginning. They were doing everything in their power, they were blocking shots, they're getting pucks deep, and I think when we're playing with that kind of urgency, it helps, and it was a great game."
"Overall, I thought it was a good game on our part," said Knoblauch. "I think we managed the ups and downs."
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Takeaways from the Ducks 5-3 Win over the Canucks
To begin one of their final road trips of the season, the Anaheim Ducks headed to British Columbia to take on the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s 32nd-ranked team.
The Ducks were coming off one of the more entertaining games of the 2025-26 season on Sunday, when they defeated the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 in overtime. The Ducks were looking to extend their Pacific Division lead over the Edmonton Oilers and extend their winning streak to three games.
Takeaways from the Ducks 6-5 OT Win over the Sabres
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The Canucks entered this game as the NHL’s bottom team by a sizable 15-point margin and the runaway leader to enter May’s NHL Draft Lottery with the best odds to win the #1 overall pick. They had lost three of their last four games coming into this one.
Radko Gudas re-entered the Ducks lineup in this game after serving his five-game suspension for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews on March 12. As a result, and after a few subpar performances, Olen Zellweger observed this game from the press box as a healthy scratch.
Here’s how the Ducks lined up in this game:
Kreider-Carlsson-Terry
Killorn-Granlund-Sennecke
Viel-Poehling-Gauthier
McTavish-Washe-Harkins
LaCombe-Trouba
Mintyukov-Carlson
Moore-Gudas
Lukas Dostal got his 48th start of the season in this game and stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced. In the Vancouver crease stood Kevin Lankanen, who saved 29 of 33.
Game Notes
This game is yet another where the Ducks have embraced their track meet style, where they exchange chances, with the confidence that they can outscore their problems, outchance their opponents, and outfinish. Jansen Harkens sustained an upper-body injury early in this game, after just three shifts, and Beckett Sennecke didn’t see the ice for the final 17:38 of this game due to a poor turnover.
This game was relatively even in shots on goal (26-24) and shot attempts at 5v5 (49-49), but the Canucks got the majority of the quality chances, winning the expected goals battle 3.6-3.19.
Breakouts: The Ducks had struggles advancing pucks beyond their defensive blueline against Vancouver’s relatively passive forecheck. The Canucks’ defensemen were calculated with their pinches, and F2 challenged against set breakouts, causing multiple turnovers at the Ducks’ blue that they then turned into quick odd-man counters with forwards flying up ice.
John Carlson: Carlson’s dynamism isn’t what it may have once been, but his efficient movements in transition, lane reading, and clever manipulation of defensive structures led to his high point total in this game and created several chances. He’s gained enough reps throughout his career to understand exactly how much pressure he can apply deep in the offensive zone before needing to retreat and switch back toward the blueline.
Mason McTavish: McTavish is still earning his way back into a more prominent role on this team heading down the stretch. In this game, with traditional winger responsibilities, he was careful with pucks, pressured pucks in every zone, and was a part of a few extended cycle sequences. He capitalized with his quick release, earning himself a game-winning tally, but in a game where Sennecke didn’t see much ice in the third period, and Harkins sustained an injury early, one would like to see McTavish grab more of his shifts by the horns, driving play, winning battles in small areas, and generating chances.
Beckett Sennecke: Sennecke’s confidence and ability have, in turn, given the Ducks coaching staff confidence in him to outproduce his mistakes, learn from them, and avoid repeating them in the future. He made a poor decision on the rush in overtime that led to a game-ending goal against the Philadelphia Flyers a week prior to this game, and he made a similar, yet less dangerous mistake that led to a tying goal early in the third.
It was a rookie mistake made by a rookie forward that could have found its way to a trailing Killorn, who could have gotten off a high-danger shot. However, it wasn’t the most optimal read, as the far side defenseman had activated, so if that pass didn’t connect, it would likely go the other way on an odd-man rush, as it did.
One hopes he’s earned enough of the coaching staff’s trust and impacts plays positively more often than not, that this won’t lead to a decrease in role or healthy scratch. The Ducks will likely need the instant offense he can provide on a shift-by-shift basis.
The Ducks will next head to Alberta to take on former teammate Ryan Strome and the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
Ducks Prospect Maxim Masse Wins QMJHL Scoring Title
"The Whole Room Is Mad": Red Wings Lament Missed Opportunity After Costly Loss To Senators
It was one of the biggest opportunities of the 2025-26 NHL Season for the Detroit Red Wings to prove that this year would be different than seasons past.
They faced a fatigued Ottawa Senators team that had not only played the night before but was also missing its top two defensemen, instead dressing a pair of rookies in their first NHL contests.
Instead, it was the Senators who jumped out to a 3-0 lead, eventually holding on for a 3-2 victory at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday evening to leapfrog Detroit in the standings by a point.
Ottawa now occupies the second Wild Card postseason spot in the Eastern Conference, while Detroit's margin of error continues to shrink.
The latest missed opportunity by the Red Wings had their dressing room in a frustrated mood, according to team captain Dylan Larkin, who returned to the lineup after a seven-game absence.
"The room is mad, the guys are mad. That was a big game for our hockey team," Larkin said in the dressing room afterward. "And unfortunately, for how well we played against those guys all year and this one tonight, it kind of wipes away our record against those guys.
That was a big game, but we're going into Buffalo on Friday night. We have to pick ourselves back up, and that's mental toughness."
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For the second straight game, the Red Wings appeared to take a 1–0 lead, only to have the goal wiped out—just as it was in their loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.
This time, instead of the clock expiring by just 0.2 seconds, replays showed that Detroit had entered the zone an inch offside.
Rather than taking a 1–0 lead, Detroit was soon penalized and ultimately fell behind 1–0 on a power-play goal by Brady Tkachuk.
But according to head coach Todd McLellan, there was no use in crying over spilled milk.
“There are rules in play for certain reasons, we ran out of time the other night against Boston, and we were clearly offside on the entry," he said. "If the linesman picked that up and made the right call, we wouldn’t even be talking about the goal that didn’t count. That’s why the rules are there.”
The Red Wings had earned victories in each of their three games against the Senators leading up to their final contest of the season.
However, the Senators continued to frustrate Detroit in March, in matchups with significant playoff implications.
As has been the case over the past two seasons, the Red Wings have now seen their playoff cushion completely vanish.
Defenseman Moritz Seider admitted that Detroit's level of urgency likely wasn’t where it needed to be in the first half of the contest, while adding that it’s up to the group to find a solution.
“Obviously, we've been in that situation before,” Seider said. “We know how much it can stink, we'd better come up with an answer for that. It's all on us right now.”
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The Morning After: Wait… Are the Senators Really Doing This?
It was the Ottawa Senators' biggest game of the season, and while they've been on a fantastic run, everything seemed to be working against them as they prepared for the Red Wings in Detroit on Tuesday night.
They were in game two of a back-to-back with travel, playing the night before with four defensemen. They had five defensemen out with injury, including their best two, Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot.
They had two kids on D making their NHL debuts against a well-rested Detroit team, which enjoyed home ice and last change to try to capitalize on the potential mistakes of the first-timers. The Wings were 3-0 against the Sens this season and needed this one to return to a playoff position.
And just before the game, they learned that Dylan Larkin, the Wings captain who always gives the Senators fits, would be ready to return from injury.
It seemed like a magnificent recipe for disaster, complete with a chef's kiss, until the Senators reminded us all why we play the games. They marched right into Detroit and handed the Red Wings a 3-2 loss, moving into a playoff spot for the first time in almost four months.
And it was one of the kids, who were described in Detroit as liabilities, who helped lead the way.
Carter Yakemchuk, the Senators' top prospect, had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut. He had a large contingent of family and friends who hustled from Alberta to Michigan once the 20-year-old got the call.
“This was a really special night,” Yakemchuk told the media afterward. “It was awesome to be a part of this win.”
While he and Brady Tkachuk helped set the table with a goal and an assist, it was Linus Ullmark who helped preserve the victory. The Wings battled back from a 3-0 deficit and pressed hard in the late going, but Ullmark stepped up big to preserve the win, stopping 32 shots (.941).
Things didn't start so well when former Senator Alex DeBrincat appeared to give Detroit a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Senators took it off the board with a successful offside challenge. Less than two minutes later, Brady Tkachuk's 20th goal of the season gave the Senators a 1-0 lead.
The very sudden two-goal swing marked a heavy shift in mindset for both teams.
The Senators then opened up a 3-0 lead on two quick goals midway through the second period, on precision shots from Yakemchuk and Lars Eller.
Yakemchuk showed great poise on his goal, especially for a rookie. He accepted a D-to-D pass from Artem Zub, and instead of blasting it as soon as he could, he saw that no one was coming out to challenge him. So, he calmly took the extra ten feet of real estate available before ripping a snapshot past Gibson.
Eller's goal came from some fine board work from Tkachuk. As he corralled the puck, he laid a reverse check on his defender to buy time and find Eller in a perfect shooting position in the slot. Eller made no mistake, giving the Sens a 3-0 advantage.
And despite the late charge by the Wings after goals by Dominik Shine and Dylan Larkin, they couldn't find the equalizer.
Since January 25, the Senators' record is now 15-3-2, which is starting to move into Hamburglar Run territory, when the team finished 20-3-3 to make the 2015 playoffs. They now hold Wild Card position 2, tied with the Islanders in points at 85 points, but the Isles have played one more game.
Ottawa actually got quite a bit of help from the Tuesday out-of-town scoreboard for a change, led by a favour from the Toronto Maple Leafs, of all teams. They defeated the Boston Bruins 4-2. The Islanders lost to Chicago 4-2, and Pittsburgh fell to Colorado 6-2.
Tuesday scores that didn't favour the Senators include Montreal taking down Carolina and Columbus defeating the Flyers.
On Wednesday night, the Sens will pick up a game in hand on the Bruins, who have a back-to-back of their own, facing the Sabres in Buffalo. Joonas Korpisalo, who the Senators are still paying, starts for Boston. It would be nice if the Sens got something for their money.
Then on Thursday, it's another crucial battle* with the Senators hosting Pittsburgh.
* Spoiler: they're all crucial battles now.
The Senators deserve major credit for forcing their way back into the playoff race with 11 games left. Getting there was tough. Staying there will be tougher, especially with the injuries.
But after that gutsy effort in Detroit, it’s hard to bet against them.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
Does Rick Bowness Have A Chance To Win The Jack Adams?
Rick Bowness has turned the Columbus Blue Jackets into a wagon since he took over for the fired Dean Evason.
Since he took over prior to the January 13th game against the Calgary Flames, the CBJ are 19-3-4. Prior to Bowness coming to Columbus, the Blue Jackets had 19 wins all season. Columbus has 19 wins in 26 games since he took over. They're currently playing at a 132-point pace over an 82-game stretch.
When Bowness took over, the CBJ were 28th in the NHL and floundering. Today, they're currently 8th in the NHL and second in the Metro Division. Where would they be had they not blown all those third-period leads?
Prior to Bowness arriving in Columbus, the CBJ were giving up 3.40goals per game. Since he took over, they're only giving up 2.46.
They're also scoring 3.61 goals per game, up from 2.91 goals per game prior to him getting hired.
When Don Waddell fired Dean Evason, the Jackets responded by immediately beating the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks. When Elvis Merzlikins was interviewed after the Canucks win, he was asked what sparked the team. His response was simple: "New Coach!" You can't get blunter than that.
So, does Bowness deserve to win? He will only coach 37 regular-season games.
Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres is going to have something to say about the Jack Adams Award, that's for sure.
Since December 9th, the Sabres have been hands down the best team in the NHL and have vaulted themselves from the basement of the Eastern Conference in December, to leading the Atlantic Division. Starting in December, the Sabres rattled off 10-straight wins before being knocked off at Nationwide Arena by the aforementioned Blue Jackets. But that loss didn't get to them.
After going 11-3-0 in December, they backed it up with a 10-4-1 January, a 4-1-1 February, and are 9-1-1 so far in March.
After they fired former CBJ OG Kevyn Adams and promoted Former CBJ GM Jarmo Kekäläinen to lead the team, the Sabres and Lindy Ruff blasted off and can't seem to be stopped.
Buffalo hasn't made the playoffs in 15 years, and weren't expected to do much this year either, but they somehow turned themselves into legitimate Stanley Cup heavyweights.
In my opinion, it's Lindy Ruff's award, and I don't think it'll be particularly close either. What Rick Bowness has done has been nothing short of spectacular, but the CBJ were expected to push for the playoffs this year, while the Sabres were expected to finish near the bottom of the Atlantic, per usual.
It's an interesting debate and will be sure to rage on as both teams push for a playoff spot.
Next Up: The Blue Jackets travel to Montreal to play the Canadiens on Thursday night.
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Red Wings Playoff Chances Nearly Cut in Half Over 18-Game Rough Patch
The Detroit Red Wings suffered a deflating 3–2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night, a result that carried significant implications in the tightly contested wild card race.
With the victory, Ottawa surged past multiple competitors and claimed the second wild card position previously held by the New York Islanders. New York, despite slipping, still remains just ahead of Detroit in the standings, adding further pressure on a Red Wings squad that has struggled to maintain its footing in recent weeks.
Detroit’s recent skid has been a major concern as since late January, the team has posted a disappointing 6-9-3 record over its last 18 games, a stretch that has seen its once promising playoff outlook steadily deteriorate. Earlier in the season, optimism surrounded the Red Wings’ postseason chances. According to MoneyPuck, their playoff odds sat near 80 percent heading into the Olympic break and peaked at 83.2 percent on February 28.
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Playoff chances after the Pens-Rangers afternoon game. Playoff chances will update on the website several times per day for the rest of the season https://t.co/RbnckCLHNPpic.twitter.com/6FITuAS7yc
— MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) February 28, 2026
However, that confidence has since eroded as the Red Wings now find themselves with just a 45.8 per cent chance of making the playoffs, trailing closely behind the Islanders at 46.6 per cent. Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins have created some separation at 64.3 percent, and Ottawa’s recent surge has propelled them to a commanding 76.1 percent, leapfrogging the entire pack.
Playoff chances after tonight’s Eastern games. Sens up to 79%. Habs at 90%. https://t.co/RbnckCLHNPpic.twitter.com/Y4Rd75faI0
— MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) March 25, 2026
The road ahead offers little relief for Detroit with their remaining schedule appearing stacked with high caliber opponents, including the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Tampa Bay Lightning, all games that carry must-win weight as the regular season winds down.
Despite the bleak trend, the situation is not yet beyond repair. A strong run in the coming games could quickly stabilize Detroit’s playoff chances and push them back into contention. But with time running short and competition intensifying, the margin for error has all but disappeared.
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NHL Standings: The real March Madness
The NHL playoff race is reaching it’s peak this year, no where more than in the competitive and tight Eastern Conference. While the West is something of a pillow fight in the Pacific and a turtle race in general (Nashville is on a statistical pace for 89 points and currently holding a playoff spot), the East is a much more unforgiving place to be. The Islanders and Red Wings are currently on pace for 97 points and find themselves below the playoff line as of this morning.
Here’s the standings as of today.
It’s tough times in Detroit, the Red Wings are just 5-6-2 since play resumed after the Olympics and now in serious trouble with their playoff outlook. While Detroit’s season pace may be for 97 points, that is dropping by the game with their recent results in shambles. Ottawa, boasting a 10-2-2 record since the break, have now pulled ahead of Detroit.
It’s a similar story in the Metropolitan Division, where a run by the Columbus Blue Jackets (9-2-4) have overtaken the Penguins and Islanders in the standings as of this morning with 11 games to play, 10 for NYI.
Further down the line, any spoiler hopes for a last gasp run by Philadelphia and Washington took major hits with regulation losses last night. The four point swing in the Flyers/Blue Jackets game last night could have meant just a three point separation had the Flyers won last night. Instead, they lost and now are seven points behind Columbus and five points behind the playoff line, dealing a serious blow to any far-flung playoff hopes.
The Penguins have been in a mode of hanging on lately, their 17 games in March is an NHL high and presented a monumental challenge. They’ve had to do much of it without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They have had some great moments lately – like an OT comeback win over Boston and a great performance against Colorado mixed in with some ugly defeats to Carolina, Vegas and the Avalanche. Monday’s upcoming game against NYI is looming absolutely massive for the potential fortunes of both teams.
Here’s some models on the Pens’ current outlooks:
The Athletic: 72%
Hockey Stats: 84%
Moneypuck: 75.2%
Hockey Reference: 80.2%
Most of the models remain fairly bullish on Pittsburgh, in part due to the remaining schedule. The Pens have gotten through much of their toughest games (though Ottawa and Dallas are on the horizon) and now statistically have the 20th easiest strength of schedule based on points% of remaining opponents. Less than 10 days ago, Pittsburgh had the No. 1 toughest remaining schedule, which speaks to how many quality opponents they’ve dealt with recently – four of the Pens’ last five games have been played against Carolina or Colorado who make up two of the top three teams in the league. Pittsburgh negotiated that to a 1-2-1 record and soon will finish off the season with six games against non-playoff opponents (two against Florida and Washington, New Jersey and St. Louis).
On the other hand, the toughest remaining schedules in the whole league belong to: NYI, BOS, CBJ and OTT, direct competitors for the Penguins. Schedule strength only accounts for so much and is no guarantee of success, both NYI and Boston lost last night in what should have been games they needed results against Chicago and Toronto, respectively. Teams still have to play the games and get the results, though it’s preferable to have an easier path it also doesn’t bring any promises.
In that outlook, there’s some reason for optimism, the Pens have made it through the absolute toughest part of their schedule and found a way to pick up a few points and remain slightly above the fray. Soon they need to take advantage of what remains. That won’t be immediate with the upcoming games of playing in Ottawa and hosting Dallas in the coming days will present big challenges but relief could be coming after that.
Ultimately and easily enough for the Penguins, if they stay ahead of NYI AND Detroit then the Pens will make the playoffs. Should Columbus cool off a little and the Pens slip by them, it becomes an even easier proposition. Pittsburgh (with 29 regulation wins compared to 27 for Detroit and 26 for the Islanders) also figure to hold that tiebreaker over both clubs below them, so it could presumably even be more favorable since those teams actually have to gain more points in the standings to pass the Pens.
Interestingly enough, Pittsburgh plays NYI on Monday and then Detroit on Tuesday next week. Both of those games will present massive opportunities to deal blows to the opposition’s chances of being able to end up ahead of Pittsburgh by the end of the year. There still could be bigger games at the very end of the season for absolute ‘must win’ situations, but the upcoming games against NYI and DET are about as big as it gets for importance.
Morning Flurries: Erik Johnson was made for television
Though Colorado Avalanche fans tried to forget everything about the 7-2 loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins last week (and a win last night helps ease tgat memory), one positive was the Erik Johnson experience between the benches. The former Avalanche defenseman is flourishing in his new television career which seems to be a natural fit.
On that note, check out this video to go behind the scenes with Johnson and fellow former Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie as they discuss their recent retirement from the NHL and what’s next up for each of them.
Speaking of playing the Pittsburgh Penguins in that loss last week at Ball Arena, here is the tribute video for Sam Girard provided by the Avalanche.
As always, a look back at how the trade deadline helped shape the two best teams in hockey and their stretch run before the playoffs begin in April.
NHL Player Props & Best Bets for Today, March 25: Good Time Charlie
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Charlie McAvoy is one of the best defensemen in the NHL, and he’s at the top of his game right now, ranking third among blueliners with 24 points over his last 20 games.
The Boston Bruins are putting all their eggs in his basket as they push for a playoff spot, which is why — even in a back-to-back — he's a priority target in my three NHL player props for tonight
Read on for my NHL picks for Wednesday, March 25.
Best NHL player prop bets today
| Player |  |
|---|---|
 McAvoy Over 0.5 assists | -105 |
 Fox Over 0.5 points | -115 |
| Lafreniere Over 0.5 points | -130 |
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(not available in Ontario)
Our best NHL player props for Wednesday, March 25
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Charlie McAvoy Over 0.5 assists
-105 at BET99
Charlie McAvoy is on a torrid offensive run. He's piled up 24 points over his last 20 games, with 18 coming by way of assist.
He's playing a lot of minutes and serving as a driving force from the back end.
With the Bruins desperate for every point — especially after laying an egg against the Maple Leafs — they'll leave no stone unturned trying to get them. That means a ton of ice for McAvoy, back-to-back be damned.
He's excelled in those situations this season, assisting in six of the last seven while playing at least 24 minutes five times.
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: TNT
Prop #2: Adam Fox Over 0.5 points
-115 at BET99
Adam Fox is one of the best offensive defensemen in the sport. Even in a down year for the New York Rangers, he’s still found a way to produce a point in 55% of his games, and 62% following a day of rest.
He's really ramped it up of late, finding the scoresheet in seven of his last nine contests — including against playoff-bound teams like Minnesota and Columbus.
Fox picked up a point in his last meeting with the Leafs and generated 5+ attempts in both games, indicating strong involvement in the offense.
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: NHL Network
Prop #3: Alexis Lafreniere Over 0.5 points
-130 at BET99
Alexis Lafreniere is heating up.
He's produced 10 points over his last nine games while generating nearly a full attempt more than his season average. The Rangers have put more on his plate without Artemi Panarin, and he's responded well.
He's poised to find success tonight against the Maple Leafs, who rank dead-last in shots allowed and 29th in goals allowed this season.
Lafreniere has hit the scoresheet in five consecutive games vs. Bottom-12 teams in goals allowed, producing 10 points in total. That includes a three-point effort against the Leafs just a few weeks ago.
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: NHL Network
These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Bruins vs Sabres Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game
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Tage Thompson is one of the best volume shooters in the sport, ranking seventh in shot attempts and eighth in shots on target.
My Bruins vs. Sabres predictions expect his shooting opportunities to be plentiful against a fatigued side that bleeds shots at the best of times.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Wednesday, March 25.
Bruins vs Sabres prediction
Bruins vs Sabres best bet: Tage Thompson Over 3.5 shots on goal (-105)
Tage Thompson is a Boston Bruins killer. He has recorded 4+ shots on goal in six consecutive games while averaging 6.16 per contest.
That includes two head-to-head meetings this season, which should come as no surprise given the Bruins rank 31st in shots allowed.
Thompson has also cleared 3.5 shots in eight of 11 home games against Bottom-10 shot suppression teams. The three Unders came in multi-goal victories vs. teams 27th or lower in the standings, leaving no reason for Thompson to push.
With first place in the Eastern Conference within reach, the Buffalo Sabres will lean heavily on Thompson in this matchup.
Bruins vs Sabres same-game parlay
Josh Doan has produced an average of 2.5 shots and cleared his line in 10 of 11 home games against Bottom-10 shot suppression teams. He has fared particularly well against the Bruins this season, generating 6+ shot attempts in both meetings.
Josh Norris is riding shotgun with Doan on a strong third line and also skates on the top power play, making him a prime candidate to hit the scoresheet. He has done so in four of five games this season following two days of rest.
Bruins vs Sabres SGP
- Tage Thompson Over 3.5 shots on goal
- Josh Doan Over 1.5 shots on goal
- Josh Norris Over 0.5 points
Bruins vs Sabres odds
- Moneyline: Bruins +160 | Sabres -190
- Puck Line: Bruins +1.5 (-145) | Sabres -1.5 (+125)
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)
Bruins vs Sabres trend
Josh Doan has registered multiple shots on goal in 10 consecutive games. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Sabres.
How to watch Bruins vs Sabres
| Location | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY |
| Date | Wednesday, March 25, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | NESN, MSG-B |
Bruins vs Sabres latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Preview: Bruins look to bounce back against surging Sabres
Just the facts
- When: Tonight, 7:30 PM
- Where: KeyBank Center – Buffalo, NY
- How to follow: TNT, HBO Max, NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
- Opposing perspective:Die By The Blade
Know your enemy
- 44-20-7, 95PTS, 1st in the Atlantic Division
- Tage Thompson: 36G-36A-72PTS; Rasmus Dahlin: 15G-50A-65PTS; Alex Tuch: 29G-30A-59PTS
- Alex Lyon: 20-8-4, 2.64 GAA, .912 save percentage
Game notes
- After what was probably their worst team-wide effort of the calendar year at home against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, the Bruins are right back at it on Wednesday night, visiting the Atlantic-leading Buffalo Sabres.
- Yes, the “Atlantic-leading” Buffalo Sabres! After some fits and starts at the beginning of the season, the Sabres have been on an absolute tear of late. Prior to the weekend’s games, they were on a near-historic run of 32-6-2 in their last 40 games and they’re 8-1-1 in their last ten.
- The last of those games, however, was a loss, a 6-5 OT loss in Anaheim on Sunday night. That game wrapped up Buffalo’s West Coast trip, so tonight’s home game will be their first in Buffalo since March 14.
- It feels like it’s been forever since these two teams played, with the last match-up coming shortly after Christmas, a 4-1 Sabres win in Buffalo. Prior to that, they played twice at TD Garden in the span of three weeks in October, both of which ended up Bruins wins.
- For the Bruins, they’ll be looking for a far better effort than the one we saw at TD Garden Tuesday night. That game saw the Bruins disconnected, discombobulated, dysfunctional, dis-whatever else you can think of. They managed to stay in the game mostly because the Leafs are bad, but if they play that way tonight, it’ll be over before the end of the second period.
- Josh Doan, acquired from Utah in the JJ Peterka trade last June, has been excellent for Buffalo this season. The 24-year-old has 23G-24A-47PTS in 71 games, far eclipsing his previous best output for Arizona/Utah. Doan is one of a handful of Sabres who have contributed invaluable depth scoring this season, along with guys like Noah Ostlund (11G), Josh Norris (10G), Sam Carrick (9G), and Logan Stanley (9G).
- Alex Lyon has started the majority of Buffalo’s games this season, including their last game in Anaheim. He’s 6-0-1 in his last seven starts.
- Barring a change of heart from Marco Sturm, Joonas Korpisalo will start tonight for the Bruins. He started two of the three games against Buffalo this season, winning at TD Garden and losing in Buffalo.
- For a team with such a potent offense (4th in the NHL in GF/G), the Sabres have a surprisingly average power play, just 16th in the league.
- With last night’s loss, the B’s margin of error in the playoff push has essentially evaporated. They’re still in the first wild card spot, one point ahead of Ottawa. However, they’re also just one point ahead of the New York Islanders and two points ahead of Detroit, so…buckle up!
- On the other side of the coin, they’re only two points behind Montreal too, so who knows.
- There won’t be any schedule-watching tonight, as the only other game on tap is between the Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers. Let’s hope the Leafs make it two wins in a row.
- A broadcast note: while this game will be broadcast on TNT, it should also be shown locally on NESN, per both the NHL website and a NESN broadcast schedule. While the Celtics are playing tonight as well, they got bumped to 105.7, so the B’s will be on The Sports Hub.
See ya tonight!
The Stats Behind Game #70: Ducks 5, Canucks 3
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 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Despite falling on the scoresheet, the Canucks did win the analytics battle on Tuesday. Vancouver held a 32-25 even-strength scoring-chance advantage and won the even-strength high-danger scoring-chance battle 14-13. In the end, though, it wasn't enough as the Ducks skated away from Rogers Arena with a victory.
Looking at the heatmap, the Canucks struggled to protect the front of Kevin Lankinen's net. As for the offensive zone, Vancouver threw the puck at the net from everywhere. Overall, it was a high-event game with both teams testing the goaltenders as much as possible.
To wrap up Tuesday's loss, Jake DeBrusk had a strong night from an analytics perspective. During his 12:07 of even-strength ice time, the Canucks had a 7-2 shots advantage and won the even-strength scoring chances battle 8-4. DeBrusk also scored Vancouver's first goal and finished the game with four shots on net.
The Canucks wrap up their homestand on Thursday when they battle the L.A. Kings. Vancouver and L.A. will play three more times this season, with two being played at Rogers Arena. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 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.
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Blue Jackets Hold Off Flyers To Move Past Penguins For Second In The Metro
Mathieu Olivier (15), Zach Werenski (21), and Mason Marchment (17-GWG) provided the offense for the Blue Jackets in a 3-2 CBJ win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. Jet Greaves played lights out to earn his 24th win of the season.
This was a massive win for the Blue Jackets' playoff hopes. The Islanders, Penguins, and Bruins all lost in regulation to move the CBJ into second place in the Metro. The Hurricanes also lost and are just 9 points ahead of Columbus. While the Jackets probably won't catch Carolina, they now have a new target to aim for.
First Period - SOG 10-3 Flyers - No CBJ Goals
The first five minutes of the first period didn't have much action, with lots of back-and-forth action but very little offense. Jet Greaves made a massive breakaway stop on Owen Tippett to keep the game scoreless. The Jackets, to this point, haven't really been able to get any real shots on Goaltender Dan Vladař either.
At 12:23, the Flyers' Trevor Zegras was called for high-sticking Dante Fabbro to give the CBJ their first power play. But just a minute into the man advantage, Kirill Marchenko was called for hooking Noah Cates while on a shorthanded breakaway to give Cates a penalty shot. Jet Greaves made a massive save, though on the penalty shot, to keep the game scoreless. Columbus goalies have stopped 17 of the last 18 penalty shots against, going back to 2010.
Sean Couturier would put the Flyers up 1-0 at 17:07 into the first. The Flyers are carrying play at this point and aren't giving the Jackets anything to work with. After Couturier laid a big hit on Mason Marchment, he recovered to find himself in front of Jet Greaves for an easy goal.
Second Period - 11-7 Columbus - CBJ Goals: Olivier, Werenski
Mathieu Olivier scored his 15th goal of the season just 44 seconds into the period. He and Zach Werenski played a little tic-tac-toe to put one past Vladař to even the score.
Zach Werenski would score his 21st goal of the season less than two minutes later when Marchment and Severson fed the Norris candidate to put the Blue Jackets up 2-1. Zach Werenski came out of the locker room ready to put the team back in the win column.
With 7:09 left, Mathieu Olivier took a penalty for interfering with Noah Juulsen. He was flat out bigger and stronger than Juulsen and ended up in the box. The Jackets were able to kill it off, but not without a little anxiety and big saves from Jet Greaves.
With 2:46 left in the second, Christian Dvorak and Dante Fabbro started chuckin' knucks after Matvei Michkov and Fabbro exchanged pleasantries.
The period would end with the CBJ enjoying a 2-1 lead. This was a much better period for Columbus, and more of how they've been playing for the last two months.
Third Period - SOG 9-5 Philly - CBJ Goals: Marchment
With 15:22 left in the third period, Mason Marchment would score his 17th goal of the season. No one in the arena, including the refs, knew Marchment scored except Mason and the CBJ bench. They stopped play after about 30 seconds and announced the goal.
Adam Fantilli drew a power play when he took a high stick from the Flyers' Owen Tippett, giving the Jackets their second power play. The Flyers were able to kill it to keep the score 3-1 in favor of the CBJ.
Philly pulled Vladař with 3:01 left in the third period to try to cut the lead. Jamie Drysdale scored to make it 3-2 CBJ with 2:04 left in the third period.
After the last two minutes of extreme pressure, the Blue Jackets were able to hold off the pressing Flyers 3-2.
Final Stats
Player Stats & Notes
- Mathieu Olivier scored his 15th goal
- Zach Werenski scored his 21st goal and recorded his 56th assist.
- Mason Marchment scored his 17th goal and recorded his 19th assist.
- Damon Severson picked up two assists.
- Kirill Marchenko tallied his 34th assist. The assist is his 200th career point.
- Adam Fantilli got his 32nd assist.
Team Stats
- The Jackets went 0/3
- The Columbus PK stopped the one Flyer power play.
- Columbus won 46% of the faceoffs - 23/50
- The Blue Jackets had 25 hits and 10 blocks.
Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets travel to Montreal to take on the Canadiens on Thursday.
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Canadiens: Dobes Pulls Magnificent Performance And Gets The Two Points
Over the last few years, the Montreal Canadiens have often struggled against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Tuesday night’s tilt at the Bell Centre was no different. Martin St-Louis can keep his cards close to his chest when it comes to his lineup, all he wants, but it’s not going to make an iota of difference if the players he puts on the ice aren't ready to go when the puck drops.
After missing the last two games with an upper-body injury, Josh Anderson was back in the lineup, taking over from Joe Veleno. At the same time, the coach had elected to go back to Jakub Dobes in net, despite Jacob Fowler winning the last game. A wise decision considering the Czech netminder made 14 saves in the first frame while his team was largely “sleepskating” on the ice.
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A Worrying Start
The first period, especially its first 12 minutes, was worrying for the Canadiens. It looked like the puck was a hot potato none of their players were comfortable handling; perhaps it had to do with the coaches' warning them about the Canes' intense, fast forecheck. Whenever they’d get the puck, they’d get rid of it in a hurry, often handing it right back to the visitors.
After 20 minutes, the shots were 16-4 Carolina, and had it not been for Dobes, the score would have been much worse than 2-1. The goalie was peppered with shots, and they were not easy ones either. The first goal came when Mike Matheson tried to block a shot from the blueline with his stick and deflected it past Dobes. As for the second goal, it came from Oliver Kapanen turning the puck over in the defensive zone, inexplicably sending it from the blueline to the slot where Jordan Staal was all alone. It was easy for the Canes’ captain to give his team a 2-0 lead.
Thankfully for the Finnish rookie, he made up for his mistake when he deflected a Jayden Struble shot past Frederik Anderson to put Montreal on the scoreboard later in the first period.
Speaking about the first frame, the coach explained:
You try to talk about it before the game, but you have to live it. We shot ourselves in the foot early with giveaways and penalties; it was hard to get momentum, but I feel we found our game toward the end of the first. We spoke about their pressure in between the first and the second, once again, about how the team could get through that. We were better in the third, but it’s not an easy team to play when you’re leading by one goal; you try to play with little calculated risk, and they’re in your face the whole time. You have to try to put pucks deep and capitalize on their aggressiveness; that’s how we were able to separate ourselves with Demidov’s goal. Then we had to close out the game, which isn’t easy against a team that shoots everything from everywhere.- St-Louis on his team's game
Caufield Activated
As is often the case when Montreal is in trouble, Cole Caufield rose to the challenge, scoring the game-tying goal nearly six minutes into the second frame. The goal came just at the right time after Montreal failed to capitalize on two Hurricanes penalties, even though they enjoyed a 29-second five-on-three.
His goal seemed to jump-start the Habs, and it even looked like he had his 45th of the season less than four minutes later, but the puck ended up deflecting on Juraj Slafkovsky. Still, Caufield had an assist on that goal two, and his redirection of Noah Dobson’s slapshot was perfect. While the sniper is chasing the 50-goal mark, that goal was the big Slovak’s 28th of the season, and it’s looking increasingly likely that he will reach the 30-goal mark.
After 40 minutes, Montreal had a 3-2 lead while the Hurricanes led 26-15 in shots, but they were unable to get anything past Dobes in the middle Stanza.
Dobes’ Best Game Of The Season
Goaltending hasn’t been a force for the Canadiens this season, but since January, Dobes has found plenty of ways to win. Tonight, he went for the good old making a truckload of saves. St-Louis rarely speaks a lot about his goaltenders, but tonight, he gave the Czech netminder his due:
I feel he plays big; he’s confident, but I can’t speak to his technique. He’s been excellent tonight, especially with the start we had to our game; he made some big saves. You look at the attempted shots, it’s a team that shoots from everywhere, and that creates a lot of chaos; you have to be alert, and he was.- St-Louis on Dobes' performance
The coach also added that his performance gave the team a lot of confidence and that he often does it. St-Louis’ decision to give him the next speaks volumes about how he feels about Dobes now. Earlier in the season, he didn’t hesitate to sit him even if he was doing well to try and get his number one netminder going, but now, he clearly sees that Dobes is the hot hand, and he doesn’t want to mess with that.
It feels like Dobes has finally earned the organization's respect despite competing with the former number one and the youngster generally regarded as the Canadiens’ goaltender of the future. His performances since the new year have forced the Habs not to skip his turn.
The Canadiens will have an optional skate at the Bell Centre tomorrow before getting back on the ice on Thursday night for one last home game before a five-game road trip. The Columbus Blue Jackets, who are currently battling for a playoff spot, will no doubt be desperate for the win, and the Canadiens will have to be ready from the get-go.
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