The Kings are still chasing a playoff spot after a 2-1 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins. That game was a low-scoring affair, as the Kings tied it with 6 minutes left in the 3rd before Boston won it in overtime. The Islanders are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, in which they clawed back from a 3-0 deficit and scored 4 unanswered goals for the win. This game has major implications for both teams as they are both in the playoff race. This is the second matchup between the Kings and Islanders, and the last meeting ended with the Kings winning 5-3. 

Kings Projected Lines

Here are the Kings' projected lines: 

Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe

Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere

Alex Turcotte - Scott Laughton - Jared Wright

Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward

Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty

Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke

Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci

Darcy Kuemper

Anton Forsberg

Islanders Projected Lines

Here are the Islanders' projected lines: 

Emil Heineman - Bo Horvat - Calum Ritchie

Ondrej Palat - Brayden Schenn - Mathew Barzal

Anders Lee - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Simon Holmstrom

Max Shabanov - Casey Cizikas - Marc Gatcomb

Matthew Schaefer - Ryan Pulock

Adam Pelech - Tony DeAngelo

Carson Soucy - Scott Mayfield

Ilya Sorokin

David Rittich

Injuries and Line Changes

The Kings have scratched Mathieu Joseph and Jacob Moverare, and they do not have any new injuries to report. The Islanders are scratching Anthony Duclair, Kyle MacLean and Adam Boqvist. Both of these teams are playing their first game of a back-to-back. The Kings are likely going to start Darcy Kuemper, and the Islanders are likely to start Ilya Sorokin. 

Key Factors

The Kings will be looking at Darcy Kuemper tonight as he is coming off a 23-save game against Boston, but with the playoffs around the corner, the Kings will need Kuemper at his best, especially during this playoff push. The Kings will also have to beat one of the NHL's best goalies tonight in Ilya Sorokin, who, in his last 5 starts, has a record of 4-1. 

One of the biggest factors for the Kings tonight will once again be the duo of Panarin and Kempe, as since their 1st game against the Islanders, they have combined for 11 points in the last 4 games, making them a major factor in tonight's matchup. It is also worth noting that Anze Kopitar is 2 points away from tying Marcel Dionne for the Kings' franchise points record. 

Overall, this is a very important game for both teams: the Islanders look to overtake the Penguins for 2nd in the metro, and the Kings look to move into the 2nd wild card spot. 

My predictions for tonight's matchup are a 4-3 Kings win. 

The Hockey Show returned this week and had quite a bit of puck-talk to get to.

THS co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork dove into the fallout from an NHL Trade Deadline that the boys felt was somewhat ‘meh’ compared to recent years.

They discussed the Florida Panthers deciding to hang on to their UFAs, Sergei Bobrovsky and A.J. Greer, and how the team could manage their first-round pick, should they end up finishing low enough in the standings. 

Roy and Dave also got into a recent string of violent plays, several of which have led to fines and suspensions involving Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Evgenii Malkin, including two that happened within a couple days, both against Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

Joining this week’s show was Football America host and hockey fan extraordinaire and Pittsburgh native Dave Dameshek.

Dave discussed several topics, including why he’s like to see an NHL division named after Mario Lemieux and the time he and his buddies were at a bar with the Stanely Cup and nearly tried taking off with it for the night.

Wins and fails this week included a touching, overtime high school semi-final goal scored by Colin Dorgan, who lost his mother, brother and grandfather in the shooting at a Pawtucket, RI hockey rink last month, the continuing injuries occurring to the face of Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, an amusing interview height differential between a former player and a current one, and a sentimental visit to the Saddledome by Shoresy star Jared Kesso.

You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:

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The Edmonton Oilers' wins over the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche felt good, and for a couple of nights this week, the Oilers looked like the team everyone thought they would be this season. Hold onto that feeling, because Thursday in Dallas with a 7-2 loss to the Stars was a reminder of where they actually stand.

Dallas is 41-14-10, one of the best teams in the league, and the Oilers went in there on the first night of a back-to-back and got run out of the building.

It's not a mark on their whole season, but it confirmed what's been clear for a while now: this Edmonton team is not going on another legendary run, and June hockey is not in the cards.

"We're on the brink of not making the playoffs," said Kris Knoblauch before the road trip started.

The Oilers are sitting third in the Pacific at 32-26-8, and  while the Oilers were getting owned by the Stars, the San Jose Sharks were topping the Seattle Kraken in the standings. They now sit 31-26-6 with three games in hand over the Oilers.

If San Jose keeps winning, Edmonton is looking at a Wild Card spot. Wild Card 2, potentially, which in the Western Conference right now would probably mean drawing Colorado in the first round. Good luck with that.

Pre-game Stats: Oilers At Blues32-26-8 | 72 PTS

Tonight they play the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis, and the Blues are also playing on the back end of a back-to-back. They beat Carolina 3-1 last night, which, whatever you want to say about where St. Louis sits in the standings, is an impressive result. Carolina is one of the best teams in the East. The Blues aren't going to roll over.

Edmonton needs a win tonight, and they need to play the kind of hockey that got them through Vegas and Colorado earlier this week. More structure, fewer odd-man rushes against, keeping the first shot on goal out of the net. 

The realistic version of this Oilers season ends in the first round of the playoffs, maybe a spirited series, a game or two that reminds you why you watch, but a first-round exit.

McDavid And Oilers Stand Up Physically, But Lose Stinker to StarsConnor McDavid shed his scoring touch for physicality after a disastrous Oilers start against the Stars. Frustration boiled over in a feisty loss.

After all the defensive meltdown through February and into March, the 56 goals surrendered in 12 games, the anxiety, just making it in would count as something.

What comes this summer matters because some real decisions have to be made. Whether that means a new GM, trades, a different approach to the cap,  something has to change.

Knoblauch is probably more complicated of a question than people are making it. There's an argument that this team's problems run deeper than coaching, that the personnel decisions and the structure around him matter more than whether he's behind the bench. But someone is going to be accountable for how this season fell apart, and head coaches tend to pay that price first.

Oilers Goalies Hit Hard With Low Rankings On Recent Tandem PollOilers' goaltending plunges to 31st in recent rankings, revealing a grim tandem performance and challenging playoff hopes amid defensive struggles.

But that's tomorrow's problem. The only thing that matters is the Blues tonight, then Nashville, then the Sharks, then Florida. Game by game, point by point, just get across the playoff line and give the fanbase something to show up for in April. A first-round series, even a short one, is better than watching the standings one more time and realizing you're done too soon.

The Oilers have enough talent and experience to win the games they need down the stretch. Get in, compete, and then spend the summer figuring out why a team this talented keeps finding new ways to make things harder than they need to be.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks signed forward Ty Dellandrea to a two-year, $3.25 million extension on Friday.

The 25-year-old Dellandrea was in the final year of his contract but now is locked up in San Jose through the 2027-28 season.

Dellandrea has two goals and nine assists in 42 games this season but has been sidelined since suffering a lower-body injury on Jan. 6. At the time of his injury, Dellandrea led Sharks forwards by winning 52.3% of his faceoffs, while ranking second with 117 hits and 36 blocked shots. He also had the second most short-handed time on ice among San Jose forwards before his injury.

Dellandrea joined San Jose before last season after spending his first four seasons in the NHL in Dallas. He has 17 goals and 44 assists in 261 career games.

The Sharks also called up goalie Laurent Brossoit from the AHL with Yaroslav Askarov out with what has been described as a minor lower-body injury. Brossoit has made 118 career starts but hasn't played in the NHL since the 2023-24 season. He was acquired in a deal from Chicago in January.

___

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

The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline may have concluded, but that doesn’t mean teams are done swapping players. The Vancouver Canucks announced today that they have swapped prospects with the Edmonton Oilers, exchanging forward Josh Bloom for forward Jayden Grubbe. 

Grubbe, 23, was drafted 65th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers. He found himself with the Oilers via trade after the Rangers flipped him for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Grubbe wore the ‘C’ for the Red Deer Rebels from 2019 to 2023 and has since played with both the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL and the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL. This season, he has scored seven goals and 12 assists in 28 games with Fort Wayne. 

Bloom, also a third-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, is coming off an impressive stretch of play in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings. The 22-year-old forward has scored 15 goals and 13 assists in 19 games played with Kalamazoo and has also spent 19 games in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks. Vancouver first acquired Bloom in exchange for defenceman Riley Stillman back in February 2023. 

NHL teams are allowed to conduct trades after the deadline, though the players involved in these deals will not be permitted to play in any regular season or playoff NHL games for the rest of the season. 

Vancouver will resume their current home stand with a game against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday at 7:00 pm PT. Abbotsford will play the Henderson Silver Knights on the same day at home at 7:00 pm PT as well. 

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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After a frustrating loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, the Colorado Avalanche rebounded emphatically on the road tonight, defeating the Seattle Kraken 5-1 to kick off a two-game road trip. The visitors set the tone early, scoring consistently throughout the game to secure a commanding victory.

First Period

Colorado struck first as Martin Necas opened the scoring with his 30th goal of the season. Nathan MacKinnon orchestrated the play with a perfectly timed cross-ice pass, leaving Necas wide open for a clean finish past Joey Daccord.

Martin Necas comes to Colorado and becomes a 30 goal scorer! #GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/xLwwXCLPiR

— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 13, 2026

MacKinnon would add to the lead shortly thereafter. Necas returned the favor with a cross-ice setup, allowing MacKinnon to maneuver behind the Kraken net. Attempting a backdoor pass to Nazem Kadri, the puck deflected off a Seattle defender and into the net, giving the Avalanche a 2-0 advantage.

The period concluded with Nic Roy extending Colorado’s lead to 3-0 on the power play. Positioned right in front of the crease, Roy capitalized on a loose puck, finishing with precision just over a minute before the first intermission.

NIC ROY ADDS ANOTHER TO THE BOARD! pic.twitter.com/5CRbmuorHi

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 13, 2026

Second Period

Seattle managed to break through on the penalty kill, as Ryker Evans scored a shorthanded goal past Scott Wedgewood, narrowing the deficit to 3-1.

However, Colorado responded swiftly. Nazem Kadri recorded his first goal since returning to the Avalanche, restoring a three-goal lead with a tally that made it 4-1 heading into the third period. How about that for a dagger?

Third Period

The Avalanche sealed the victory early in the final frame when Joel Kiviranta deflected a shot from Josh Manson past Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer, bringing the final score to 5-1.

Looking Ahead

Colorado (44-11-9) concludes this two-game road trip on Saturday, traveling to Winnipeg to face the Jets (26-28-10). Puck drop is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. MT.

Stay tuned with The Hockey News for the latest. 

The Vancouver Canucks are 65 games into their 2025–26 NHL season and, unsurprisingly, still sit at dead-last in the league. They are, however, coming off a 4–3 shootout win against the Nashville Predators that felt like the culmination of strong efforts from the team since the passing of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. Now that the Canucks have weathered the trade deadline, here’s how they stack up to the rest of the NHL after 65 games. 

Team Stats

The most surprising of Vancouver’s team stats may be their faceoff win percentage (48.7%, t-21st in the NHL), which has previously ranked pretty low. Surprisingly enough, it’s the Minnesota Wild (46.5%) and the Buffalo Sabres (45.2%) who sit 31st and 32nd in the NHL respectively when it comes to winning faceoffs. Another intriguing team that sits below Vancouver in this stat is the Tampa Bay Lightning with 47.3% (28th in NHL). 

While it has suffered from dry spells at times, the Canucks’ power play currently ranks higher than some of the NHL’s top teams with a success rate of 18.1%, tying them with the Winnipeg Jets for the 22nd-most in the league. A few other teams currently in a playoff spot also rank behind Vancouver: the New York Islanders (16.2%, 30th), Colorado Avalanche (16.3%, t-28th), and (Utah Mammoth (16.6%, 26th). 

Individual Skater Stats

Vancouver’s leading points-getters, Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson, are currently tied with four other players for 141st in the NHL — Patrick Kane, Valeri Nichuskin, Christian Dvorak, and former Canuck J.T. Miller. On the goal front, it’s Brock Boeser who has taken the new lead for the Canucks in goal-scoring, having potted his 16th of the season against Nashville last night. 

Since Kiefer Sherwood was traded back in January, Aatu Räty has held Vancouver’s lead in hits with 115 on the season, tying him with Andrei Svechnikov and Mackie Samoskevich. He may face some internal competition soon, however, as Hronek (107), Evander Kane (102), and defenceman Elias Pettersson (102) are not far behind. It’s highly unlikely that any of them catch up to Sherwood, however, as he currently remains second in the NHL with 260 hits made. 

Goaltending Stats 

Ironically enough, two of the Canucks’ goaltending stat leads are held by Thatcher Demko, who was ruled out for the remainder of the season and last played on January 10. This includes his eight wins on the season, which has remained a team-high since the 35-game checkpoint. His 2.90 GAA also remains a team-high. 

The most intriguing stat remains Nikita Tolopilo’s .851 SV%, which is currently tied for the sixth-highest in the NHL. From solely the stat’s perspective, Tolopilo is tied with Andrei Vasilevskiy and ranks higher than goaltenders such as Brandon Bussi (.840%) and both Colorado’s Mackenzie Blackwood (.842%) and Scott Wedgewood (.835%). Having said that, Tolopilo has also faced the seventh-least high-danger shots (114) of goaltenders who have played in 10+ games this season. In that particular stat category, Kevin Lankinen leads the way with 293. 

Vancouver will continue its current eight-game home stand with a matchup against the Seattle Kraken tomorrow night at 7:00 pm PT. They will then face the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings before heading back on the road. 

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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Sorry isn't enough.

The National Hockey League has rescinded the controversial five‑minute major penalty assessed to Nathan MacKinnon for goaltender interference against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram, overturning a call that had ejected the star forward and put him at risk of an automatic suspension.

The league informed MacKinnon on Thursday that the major penalty would be removed from his record, resetting his count under Rule 23.6, which mandates automatic suspensions for players who accumulate multiple major or game misconduct penalties within a defined span of games. With the reversal, MacKinnon is once again clear of any automatic disciplinary risk.

The NHL has RESCINDED Nathan MacKinnon's goalie interference major penalty. 😳

Doing this will stop MacKinnon from getting an automatic suspension per NHL rules if he were to get another major penalty soon. 👀 pic.twitter.com/OUza6Qn726

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 12, 2026

The original call drew immediate scrutiny. Broadcasters and analysts questioned whether MacKinnon’s contact with Ingram constituted true interference or simply a legitimate scoring attempt. Slow‑motion replays showed MacKinnon attempting to avoid the goaltender, while Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse appeared to play a substantial role in driving MacKinnon into Ingram.

Even the NHL’s own review concluded that the play did not warrant a major penalty, with a standard two‑minute minor—or no penalty at all—being the more appropriate ruling.

The incident also highlights ongoing concerns about the league’s centralized replay system. The NHL’s Situation Room in Toronto has access to ultra‑high‑definition cameras and more than a dozen dedicated angles for each game, designed to ensure accurate and timely decisions.

The very purpose of this technology—and the trained personnel monitoring it—is to get calls right the first time.

That it took an entire day to correct the call is troubling. With the tools and personnel in place to evaluate plays immediately, there is no acceptable reason for such a delay.

As the regular season winds down and the playoffs approach, the league faces increased pressure to ensure its replay officials can deliver accurate, decisive rulings without requiring retroactive fixes.

The saying goes, "Hope for the best. Plan for the worst." The last thing the NHL needs is for a mistake to be made, a lengthy review somehow produces the wrong outcome and another investigation the following day reveals that they were wrong all along. 'Oh, wait let's try to fix this. Oh, just kidding.' This is a hypothetical, but, 'The Edmonton Oilers already clinched the series. Sorry, there's nothing we can do.'

The league needs to ensure as soon as possible that everyone involved in these decisions is competent and capable of doing the job properly on the spot. And if they aren't, they need to be replaced.

This is not difficult. In the public sector, if a regular person screwed up on the job and the wrong person was disciplined and/or fired, the person responsible for the mess up would likely lose their job. The same has to be applied to the replay officials and the referees on the ice.

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The shorthanded Detroit Red Wings knew that they were in for a fight on Thursday evening against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

While they played a good road game, they ultimately fell short by a 4-1 final score. 

Tampa forward Brayden Point, who was selected in the third round (79th overall) in 2014 by Steve Yzerman, shut down Detroit's comeback attempt with a goal late in the third period, halting what had been their effort to knot the score at 2-2. 

Jake Guentzel, who broke the ice with the game's first goal early in the second period, salted it away with an empty-net goal soon afterward. 

While the Red Wings halved the Lightning lead thanks to a nifty redirect from J.T. Compher in the third period, they weren't able to come up with the tying marker. 

Detroit continues to play without both Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, along with David Perron. However, they have no choice but to press on and get elevated performances from the players they have available to them. 

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

"We need some offensive production from some individuals that probably haven't produced enough of it, and when they do get the looks, they've got to find a way to finish it," head coach Todd McLellan said afterward. "Guys have to step up, it's just the way it is."

Compher, who scored Detroit's lone goal, echoed McLellan's sentiments by saying that everyone who is able to play must raise their game level. 

"We know the situation with our lineup, that it's not going to be super pretty," he said. "Every guy just got to continue to raise their level, scratch and claw, and find any way we can to get points."

The Red Wings, who have now lost three of their last four games in regulation, conclude their road trip on Saturday evening by meeting the Dallas Stars, one of the top teams in the Western Conference. 

Because of the loss by the Boston Bruins to the San Jose Sharks, Detroit remains in the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Bruins only one point behind.

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Late Thursday night, the Detroit Red Wings completed a trade that added depth to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, surprising some fans since the NHL trade deadline passed last Friday. The deal came as the Red Wings’ main roster suffered multiple injuries, requiring several top AHL players to be called up.

Detroit acquired forwards Michael Milne and Wojciech Stachowiak from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Ian Mitchell.

Milne, a 23-year-old from Abbotsford, British Columbia, is in his fourth professional season. He started this year with the Iowa Wild, recording five points and a minus-11 rating in 15 games.

Drafted in the third round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Milne was traded to the Lightning organization and spent the rest of the season with the Syracuse Crunch, adding one assist and a minus-two rating in 19 games. Over five AHL seasons, he has totaled 66 points in 191 games and briefly made his NHL debut with the Wild last season.

UPDATE: The #RedWings have acquired Wojciech Stachowiak and Michael Milne in exchange for Ian Mitchell.

Stachowiak and Milne have been assigned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. pic.twitter.com/7uo2yYt3r1

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 12, 2026

Stachowiak, 26, is in his first AHL season and has produced 17 points in 38 games with the Crunch. He previously played six seasons in Germany’s top professional league with ERC Ingolstadt, recording 104 points in 239 regular-season games.

Stachowiak is also familiar with Michigan, having spent two seasons at Michigan State University from 2018 to 2020, registering five points in 40 games. Internationally, he represented Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics alongside Red Wings teammate Moritz Seider, posting one assist, two penalty minutes, and a plus-two rating in two games.

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Mitchell, 27, has been a standout on the Griffins this season with 20 points and a plus-27 rating in 45 games, ranking tied for fourth in the AHL and second among league defensemen. He has also recorded 19 points in 110 NHL games since 2020-21.

While the trade may appear minor, it could have long-term implications, as both Milne and Stachowiak are young players with potential to grow within the Red Wings organization. The deal addresses immediate AHL depth concerns while offering Detroit additional flexibility for the future.

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Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund added another chapter to his long and steady career on Thursday night, reaching a significant personal milestone during Calgary’s 5–4 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

Backlund scored the game-winning goal in the third period—his 229th career tally—to record the 600th point of his NHL career. The milestone further strengthens the veteran centre’s legacy with the Flames, the only NHL team he has played for since entering the league.

The goal also moved the Västerås, Sweden native into a tie for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time goals list alongside former Flames star Kent Nilsson.

“It’s really cool to be talked about with a player like that,” Backlund told the media postgame about tying Nillson. “He’s a real legend… it’s an honour to be tied with him.”

Adding another layer to the moment, the milestone goal came against fellow Swede and former Flames teammate Jacob Markstrom, who was in net for New Jersey.

“Feels good to score and help the team win and (finally on) Marky, (and) do it at the same time (as) 600,” expressed Backlund.

Flames head coach Ryan Huska said he was pleased to see the captain reach the milestone—especially with such a meaningful goal.

“Happy for him,” Huska told the media following the game. “That’s a great milestone for a guy that’s given a lot to this organization, so it ’s really nice to see him score that.”

Backlund has been a consistent presence in Calgary’s lineup this season, currently leading the club in scoring with 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points through 65 games. He also carries a team-best plus-11 rating.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators will play two games in Duesseldorf later this year as part of the NHL and NHLPA’s efforts to grow hockey in Germany, the league announced Friday.

The Global Series games on Dec. 18 and 20 at PSD Bank Dome are the second and third regular-season games the league has staged in the country, along with several exhibitions. The Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings played in Berlin in 2011.

Overall, the league has played 42 regular-season games in Europe since 2007.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly called the commitment to grassroots development in Germany “a critical next chapter for the NHL.”

Rob Zepp, the union's Director of International Strategy and Growth, played several years in Germany and represented the national team as a goaltender during his career and said it “is a wonderful country with an avid, sophisticated hockey audience that is eager to engage with the NHL.”

Senators forward Tim Stützle is expected to be the big star of the event. Stützle grew up just outside Duesseldorf in Viesen and led Germany in goals at the Milan Cortina Olympics with four.

"I think German hockey has been growing a lot, and there are a lot of great players from there,” Stützle said. “Hopefully it gets even more people to play hockey in Germany. It’s really exciting news.”

Germany, with Stützle, 2020 NHL MVP Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers and emerging star Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings, lost in the quarterfinals at the Olympics. The country's team went on an improbable run to the final at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, with now-Boston Bruins coach and retired player Marco Sturm behind the bench.

___

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We’ve got only two games on the NHL betting slate tonight, including a Western Conference clash between the Edmonton Oilers and St Louis Blues.

I’m expecting a bounce back from the Oilers forgetting walloped by the Stars last night. 

The Oilers' team goal total will be the feature for Oilers vs. Blues predictions and NHL picks for Friday, March 13. 

Oilers vs Blues prediction

Oilers vs Blues best bet:Oilers TT Over 3.5 goals (-110)

If there’s one thing the Edmonton Oilers have done well this year, it’s score goals. Edmonton averages 3.53 goals per game this season, tied for the second-most in the league. 

The Oilers’ posted goal total tonight is set at 3.5, which is a number they’ve eclipsed in six of their last eight contests. 

After losing an important match to Dallas last night, I’m expecting a bounce back against the St. Louis Blues tonight, a team with an .883 SV% this season, and the seventh-highest GAA in the NHL. 

Oilers vs Blues same-game parlay

I'll back Connor Ingram to go over 21.5 saves. The Oilers have allowed 25+ shots against in eight of their last 10 outings. 

Lastly, I’ll add Over 0.5 assists for Evan Bouchard. The Oilers defenseman has an assist in seven of his last eight games, and leads all NHL blueliners with 74 points, 56 of which count as assists. 

Oilers vs Blues SGP

• Oilers TT 3.5 goals
• Connor Ingram Over 21.5 saves
• Evan Bouchard Over 0.5 assists 

Oilers vs Blues odds

• Moneyline: Oilers -155 | Blues +136
• Puck Line: Oilers -1.5 (+157) | Blues +1.5 (-180)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-115) | Under 6.5 (-105)

Oilers vs Blues trend

The Under is 7-3 in the last 10 contests between the two teams. Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs. Blues.

How to watch Oilers vs Blues

Oilers vs Blues latest injuries

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.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas will have a disciplinary hearing on Friday, March 13, for his knee-on-knee hit that injured Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.

Matthews, who was also the captain of the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic team, left the game after the hit at 15:47 of the second period on Thursday night. He was unable to put weight on his left leg.

Gudas received a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube called it a "dirty play" and said Matthews would be looked at on Friday.

Gudas has been suspended four times in the NHL for a total of 21 games, including a 10-game suspension in 2017 for slashing.

He delivered a hard, but clean, hit that injured Sidney Crosby at the Olympics. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain has yet to return.

Radko Gudas has been ejected from the game for kneeing and Auston Matthews has gone to the dressing room. pic.twitter.com/wTiR9t7Tzw

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 13, 2026

Will Radko Gudas be suspended?

Yes, the NHL has scheduled a hearing for the Ducks captain and will factor in his disciplinary history. It's a phone hearing, so the maximum would be five games.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Radko Gudas faces suspension hearing for kneeing Auston Matthews

So close, yet still so far.

Nightly out-of-town scoreboard watching has become an infuriating experience for the Senators organization and their fans. While the Senators find themselves in an incredible stretch of hockey, most of the teams they’ve been chasing have been on similar hot streaks.

Stingy defense, timely scoring, and improved goaltending don’t mean as much when your competition isn’t conceding ground. As of this writing on March 12, while the Senators have chipped away double-digit point deficits since the calendar turned to 2026, the catchable teams for the Senators in the Bruins, Red Wings, Canadiens, Penguins, Blue Jackets, and Islanders have a 32-14-14 combined record in their last 10 games, which means making up ground has been a slow process and the runway is starting to run out with 18 games left on the slate.

Atlantic leaders Buffalo and Tampa are virtually uncatchable barring a historic collapse by one of those teams, and even Buffalo’s crushing weight of historical losing won’t be enough for them to miss entirely this time. Montreal in particular has forged an identity as a team that regularly comes back late in games with last-minute heroics.

The Atlantic Division has only seen 9 regulation losses in the last ten games combined between Montreal, Boston, Detroit, and Ottawa. Five of those regulation losses belong to Detroit, which probably makes them the most catchable team for Ottawa considering their two games in hand and head-to-head matchup with the Wings remaining.

So in this bizarre season, you basically have 7 teams who are all on excellent stretches of hockey competing for 5 playoff spots between 3rd in the Atlantic, 2nd/3rd in the Metro, and the two wild card spots. In other words, two very good teams are likely not just going to hit the golf course in mid-April wondering what could have been, but actually compete with and break records set by the greatest teams of all time to miss the dance entirely.

In terms of sheer talent, Ottawa and company can’t compete with the 1969-70 Montreal Canadiens, who missed the playoffs with more than half their roster consisting of future Hall of Famers.

Count ’em, that year’s Habs had 11 future Hall of Famers on the roster, including Yvan Cournoyer, Henri Richard, Jean Beliveau, Serge Savard, and Guy Lapointe. That team missed the playoffs with 92 points (with no loser points) and 38 wins/16 ties in 76 games and a +43 goal differential! That year’s team missed the final spot to the Rangers, who had an identical record but a +57 differential, the tiebreaker used at the time.

It’s worth noting that this was after a recent six-team expansion in which all the “western division” teams were limping along with expansion rosters and cast-offs. In the West Division, the Pittsburgh Penguins made the playoffs in second place with a 26-38-12 record and a -56 goal differential. The Oakland Seals got the last playoff spot in the west with a 22-40-14 record and a -74 goal differential in that division. St. Louis claimed first place with one less win and 5 more regulation losses than Montreal had that year.

I’m sure Montreal fans took solace in the team’s two Cup wins in 1968 and 1969 before that season and six more Cup victories in the 1970s, including four straight from 1976-1979, so don’t feel too bad for them.

So there’s some comfort for anxious fans who aren’t seeing quality hockey translate to a comfortable playoff spot these days. The lopsided nature of the conferences used to be far more pronounced in a 12-team league where half the league was recent expansion franchises. The difference between West and East is huge this year, but it was far worse once upon a time.

Other teams had top-level talent and couldn’t close the deal. The 2012-13 Tampa Bay Lightning and 1948-49 Chicago Blackhawks had the league’s 1-2 scorers but missed the playoffs.

But what about in the modern, 30+ team NHL era?

The current record for points in a season without a playoff appearance is shared by four teams. The 2017-18 Florida Panthers, 2018-19 Montreal Canadiens (co-record holders at 44 wins for a non-playoff team), and 2024-25 Calgary Flames all finished with 96 points and were rewarded by cleaning out their lockers after game 82.

The fourth team? That would be the 2014-15 Boston Bruins, who lost their spot to the Senators during the historic Hamburglar run in the last week of the season. Senators fans can hang their hat on the fact that history could absolutely repeat itself with only a slight dip in play by the Bruins.

But not so fast. As good as the Senators have been, the Bruins have matched them save for save, goal for goal in 2026. The two teams were tied for the best goal differential in the last 20 games at 21 each before Wednesday’s NHL games. Ottawa’s goal percentage at 61.9 percent in that stretch is second in the league, second only to, yup, Boston’s 62.96 percent.

Luck and goaltending have been bigger factors than ever, considering Ottawa leads the league in expected goals in that same stretch at 56.94 percent while Boston sits 27th at 47.25. Also in Ottawa’s favor is that according to tankathon.com, Boston, Columbus, and Pittsburgh have the top 3 hardest schedules remaining, while Ottawa’s is 11th.

One or both teams that will miss the playoffs in this year’s east could very well break that aforementioned 96-point record. According to Moneypuck.com, the point projections for the East’s mid-range playoff contenders as of March 12 break down as follows:

Montreal (102.4)
Detroit (98.4)
Pittsburgh (98.4)
New York Islanders (98.4)
Boston (98.2)
Columbus (97)
Ottawa (95.3)

This has created an odd microcosm where Ottawa’s playoff odds (according to Moneypuck) on March 11th stood at 55.8 percent. But one loss to Montreal later has wildly dropped their chances to 40.6 percent to make the playoffs, but they're still in the top ten to win the Cup at 4.5 percent.

The Senators also boast the fourth-best odds to make the final out of the East at 7.9 percent, which is crazy considering they sit at least five points back of the eight teams in playoff positions.

So if the cutoff is expected to be 96-98 points this season, Ottawa will need to win 13 of their remaining 18 games (or pull 26 points out of the 36 available), with added focus on winning as many of the head-to-head matchups as possible against Eastern teams in front of them like Pittsburgh, the Islanders (2), and Detroit.

So what does this all mean?

If you’re a fan of high-quality hockey decided by razor-thin margins that will end in euphoria for one team and utter heartbreak for another, then this is the season for you.

If you’re a fan of a Western Conference team in a playoff spot, you’re just grateful to avoid the knife fight going on in the Eastern standings.

And if you’re a fan of one of the Eastern teams that goes home after a stellar regular season, well, you’ll have to take solace in the fact that your NHL team will be considered among the greatest to ever miss the playoffs.

So... yay?

Andrew Sztein
The Hockey News

This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.

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