A frustrating season for the Florida Panthers may have hit its peak on Thursday night.
Playing their tenth road game of the month, Florida rebounded from some rough moments in the first 20 minutes and appeared to give themselves a good chance at two points against the St. Louis Blues.
Alas, a questionable late penalty led to a last-second power play goal by the home team and sent the Panthers home to South Florida empty handed.
“That’s a tough one to swallow,” forward Sam Reinhart said afterwards.
Indeed, Sam.
Let’s get to the takeaways:
EXASPERATING WAY TO LOSE
It’s hard to put it better than Reinhart did.
Did Florida deserve to win? Eh, based off their first period (and we’ll get to that in a second), perhaps not.
But based off the effort they put forth in turning the game around, not getting down on themselves and playing the right way while clawing their way back, they absolutely deserved better than losing in the final seconds on a power play goal that came off a marginal call, though a tough one to make, to be fair.
“It’s heartbreaking because you fight back and get into it the way we did, and get so close to killing it off, with some great blocks and great battles,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “That's a tough one.”
Despite taking an early lead in St. Louis, Florida quickly fell behind thanks to a couple of plays that had Maurice and his staff quite unhappy on the bench.
First it was Jake Neighbours getting behind Florida’s defense for a quick breakaway goal, and then a seemingly harmless zone entry by the Blues turned deadly when the Cats failed to pick up Jordan Kyrou in the middle of the ice.
Being the veteran, mature team that they are, Florida didn’t allow the game to spiral out of control, instead digging in and starting to put in the work on mounting a comeback.
But at the end of the day, the Panthers need to tighten the screws because these are mistake they generally do not make.
“We were a little simpler and we were a little more conscientious with what we did with the puck, and we didn’t get so far apart from each other,” Maurice said. “We had some egregious errors in the first (period) that ended up in our net.”
EVERYONE PULLING THE ROPE
There is a long list of valid reasons as to why the Panthers are where they are currently.
More than halfway through the season, Florida is fighting to maintain a spot in a crowded playoff race after an injury-plagued first half has cost them any kind of ability to manage players or playing time as the postseason nears.
It’s going to be balls to the walls from here on out, and there isn’t a person in that room who isn’t ready or up for the challenge.
“We may not have played the smartest first period we ever played, but nobody is not giving (it their all),” Maurice said. “We're paying the price for a tough schedule and a lot of guys out of lineup, and we've run some guys so hard that they’re doing it on will now.”
Photo caption: Jan 29, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (21) celebrates with right wing Jordan Kyrou (25) after scoring the game winning goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)
After being humiliated 7-2 by the Colorado Avalanche at the end of November, Jakub Dobes and the Montreal Canadiens had a chance to make amends at the Bell Centre on Thursday night. With the NHL’s agreement, the visitors were wearing their alternate blue Quebec Nordiques jersey, which allowed the Habs to market the game as a new chapter of the Battle of Quebec. It might not have been the real deal, but the 21,000 fans that filled up the arena seemed to love it as they sang along to the Canadian anthem louder than ever.
After the November defeat, Martin St-Louis had taken the blame, saying his strategy wasn’t right on the night as he had instructed his men to let the Avs players come to them rather than being aggressive on the forecheck. Given how badly that strategy failed, it wasn’t surprising to see the Habs play a much more aggressive brand of hockey on Thursday.
For a second game in a row, Dobes played a significant role in the Canadiens’ win. While he wasn’t tested much in the first frame when the Avalanche only took five shots on goal, thanks in part to seven blocked shots by the Habs, he took center stage in the middle frame.
As soon as the 2nd period started, Martin Necas got to the net from the wing, and the Habs goalie was ready, sticking the pad out. Seconds later, with Montreal on the penalty kill, Mike Matheson turned the puck over in front of the net to Nathan MacKinnon, and he was stoned cold by Dobes. Minutes later, it was Parker Kelly who was alone in front, and he was stopped as well. Samuel Girard suffered the same fate on a breakaway; Dobes was in the zone.
Yesterday, Martin St-Louis praised Dobes’ compete level, and that character trait was on full display again tonight. The netminder was aggressive, challenging the shooters, coming out of his net and making the big saves. On Colorado’s second goal, he sent a big rebound to the side, unaware that Joel Kiviranta was right there, but he still dove for the puck. He believes he can stop any shot, and it shows. He didn’t get it, but it doesn’t matter; he fought for it.
For a second game in a row, Dobes was named the second star of the night, and he can honestly say mission accomplished after his performance in this 7-3 win over the best team in the league.
On The Pairings
Instead of using his usual pairings, St-Louis used Mike Matheson with Kaiden Guhle and Lane Hutson with Noah Dobson. Asked what motivated the change, the coach explained that with Colorado’s top line, he wanted to have a real shut-down pairing:
When there’s a first time that’s so loaded, I think it helps to have skaters like Guhles and Matheson, who cover a lot of space. We did it last year as well; it’s not new. We knew we could do that. Sometimes, you get led in a direction. When you give Guhle that kind of challenge, his game rises. I liked what I saw.
Guhle played over 22 minutes tonight, by far his highest total since he came back from injury, and he had a great game. Of course, there was that scary moment when he collided with Josh Manson and left the ice, spiking his helmet on his way to the room while holding his other arm completely still, which made everyone fear the worst. When he got back on the ice, though, he completely obliterated Artturi Lehkonen with a bone-crushing hit. I believe that translates to “I’m fine” in Guhle talk.
It’s also worth mentioning that Arber Xhekaj had a good game as well tonight. He was on the ice for 13:38 and made several good, safe plays. At one stage, he was going to hit someone in the boards, but he had the discipline to stop himself when he saw how the player was positioned. Not so long ago, he would have finished the check and gotten himself a boarding call; his game has really matured.
On The Third Line
Things are starting to click between Zach Bolduc, Jake Evans, and Kirby Dach. The line produced two of the team’s seven goals and was often in complete control on the ice, not giving the Avalanche a chance to come up for air. In their own zone, they were also very efficient, accounting for five of the 21 shots the Canadiens blocked.
Dach and Bolduc already had some chemistry before the former’s injury, but they were playing with Brendan Gallagher then; it’s reassuring to see that adding Evans to the combination has only made it stronger.
Toujours être vigilant lorsque Jake est dans les parages
Overall, the Canadiens played a really clean game tonight, and when they made mistakes, Dobes was there to bail them out. Granted, Colorado was playing a second game in as many nights, but that doesn’t diminish how good a performance the Canadiens had.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JANUARY 29: Roman Josi #59 of the Nashville Predators looks to play the puck while being defended by Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center on January 29, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
A tying third-period goal from Jesper Bratt, and a Nico Hischier goal in overtime pushed the Devils to a 3-2 win over the Predators on Thursday. [Devils NHL]
Well!
Lower body injury for #NJDevils Jack Hughes, says Sheldon Keefe. Will need to be evaluated again tomorrow to determine his availability for the trip to Ottawa.
Keefe says he doesn't believe it's a serious injury.
“The Devils did well in the Palát half of this trade, but Tsyplakov is not a bum. He only has one goal and one assist in 27 games this season, but he was a legit middle-six winger as a rookie last season. Tsyplakov was one of the Islanders’ more efficient five-on-five scorers a season ago, averaging 1.84 points per 60 minutes. That ranked fifth among the team’s skaters.” [Devils on the Rush]
“Things have changed leading up to the Palat trade with some Devils trade chips. With the expectation that New Jersey isn’t done dealing, what tier do each of their assets live in?” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
On Luke Hughes: “As well as he anticipates offensively, it just hasn’t connected when he doesn’t have the puck on his stick. And those mistakes can spiral and directly contribute to the Devils falling behind in games. The circumstances around him have put even more attention on that. If Hughes can start processing defensive situations quicker and more efficiently, he should be able to problem solve back to offensive situations — and that’s the area of his game that really lacks. Fixing that will keep him on the path to becoming a true top-pair caliber defenseman.” [The Athletic ($)]
Hockey Links
It’s still hard to believe this is happening in Tampa, but it is: “The crew building the ice rink for the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series feels it has hit the lottery despite it being one of the trickiest projects in the NHL’s 23-year history of outdoor games.” [NHL.com]
Artemi Panarin has likely played his last game with the Rangers.
His agent has permission to negotiate an extension with any team Panarin would waive his NMC to be traded to – and as of last night, sounds like there’s a few in the mix. NYR won’t risk injury until then. https://t.co/e2PTgdgkGl
A look at the trade and contract extension market for Artemi Panarin: “It most likely involves teams that aren’t scared of signing a 34-year-old player to a four-year extension with, perhaps, a double-digit average annual salary. That’s what we think the extension would be if this gets done.” [TSN]
A look at how seven early NHL trades have worked out so far: [Sportsnet]
Assessing 12 rebuilding franchises and where they stand on their journeys: [Daily Faceoff]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
The goalie trade market is pretty scarce, so some NHL teams have reached into the recent past.
And while retired Marc-Andre Fleury is flattered by the attention, he says he plans to stay retired.
"I had some calls and I took the time to think about it," he recently told USA TODAY's Sports Seriously. "It's very nice of them to think of me in that way, very flattering, but then at the end of the day, I stopped playing for some reasons. I thought it was better to just stay on the sidelines."
Fleury hung up his skates after 21 seasons in 2025, finishing with three Stanley Cup titles, a Vezina Trophy and the second most regular-season wins in NHL history (575). Since the playoffs ended for the Minnesota Wild, he played for Canada in the world championships and for one period and a shootout of a preseason game with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but now his focus is on a post-playing life.
He's enjoying the freedom of having more time but says there are other times when he misses playing.
"I miss the guys, I miss the competition, I miss battling as a team trying to win a game and the feeling that you get when you win a game," he said.
But he's finding plenty to do. He's coaching his 6-year-old, he's playing tennis, has driven a race car, tried some boxing and he went skiing, which he wouldn't be able to do under an NHL contract. He has a partnership with Kraft Hockeyville, which brings a preseason NHL game to a small community and helps refurbish rinks. He occasionally puts on the goalie pads, as his agent, Allan Walsh, posted on Thursday.
He'll be watching as NHL players return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014. Being a Quebec province native, he's choosing Canada to win, though he also said the USA and Sweden have solid teams.
"I just think it will be great hockey," he said. "I think it will be fun to watch, so many good teams and players out there. You never know in a tournament. It's not a best of seven, it's one game, so crazy things can happen. It can go different ways."
Fleury was also paying attention when Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky and San Jose's Alex Nedeljkovic had the first goalie fight since 2020.
"I think it's awesome," he said. "Nobody got hurt and to see two goalies fight, it's always so awkward because we got all the equipment and we're not used to fighting. It's funny to watch."
Fleury nearly had his chance in 2023 but was kept away as he skated down the ice and challenged St. Louis' Jordan Binnington.
"I have nothing against Jordan, really," he said. "I always wanted one fight in the NHL since I came in. In 21 years, I wanted to score a goal and have a fight. I came close on both but couldn't get it done."
As the scouting cycle for the upcoming NHL draft progresses, the gaps between the top talent in the 2026 class are closing at a rapid rate.
Headlined by Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg and Keaton Verhoeff, this group features a ton of players making second-half surges, such as Chase Reid and Caleb Malhotra, proving the rankings of these prospects are far from decided.
The NHL standings are far from decided as well. The Vancouver Canucks are still in last place, but the St. Louis Blues slid, while the Winnipeg Jets climbed up three spots in the past two weeks.
Considering the standings and the needs of the teams positioned to select in the top 16 of the first round, let's take a crack at what those picks could look like in June.
(Draft order determined by standings, sorted by points percentage, before games on Jan. 29, 2026)
NHL mock draft: Top 16 picks
1. Vancouver Canucks: Frolunda (Sweden) left wing Ivar Stenberg
With 28 points in 29 games, Stenberg is scoring at a rate we rarely see among draft-eligible players in pro hockey, challenging Daniel Sedin's record for the most points by a Swedish League player in their draft year. Production is one thing, but his ability to create offense through contact, his vision, shooting, playmaking and two-way game have him projected as a top-end talent that will give opposing teams nightmares at both ends of the ice.
2. St. Louis Blues: Penn State (NCAA) left wing Gavin McKenna
McKenna has really found his confidence since returning to Penn State after the world juniors, putting together 11 points in his last five games, including a hat trick in a four-point effort against Wisconsin. If he continues to string together games where he shows how overwhelming and assertive he can be offensively, while also finding ways to impact the game away from the puck, he'll reclaim the top spot in this class.
3. Calgary Flames: Boston University (NCAA) center Tynan Lawrence
There are few players who can match Lawrence's pace of play in this class. His ability to transport the puck through the neutral zone remains elite, and there were times this season in the USHL when he looked two steps ahead of every other player, creating dangerous chances. There have been some growing pains since switching to the NCAA, but Lawrence still possesses high-end tools that make him worthy of being selected in this range.
4. New York Rangers: North Dakota (NCAA) defenseman Keaton Verhoeff
As a 6-foot-4, 208-pound right-shot defenseman, Verhoeff possesses one of the most sought-after physical profiles in today's NHL. On top of that, he handles a heavy workload at the NCAA level, often playing over 20 minutes a night while displaying a mature defensive foundation and consistently improving as an offensive threat with his shot and playmaking vision. There are others pushing Verhoeff as the top defender in this class, but he remains the top choice.
5. Winnipeg Jets: Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) defenseman Chase Reid
Chase Reid is truly the total package. His length, mobility, and hockey IQ makes it very difficult for opposing players to create advantages over him while defending. He’s also arguably the best player at creating transition offense next to Lawrence in this class with his feel for anticipating offense, developing into a breakout threat with his passing and skating. There’s not much separating him from Verhoeff, and he could easily be a top-3 pick this summer.
Smits may have the highest compete level among all players in this class. His game oozes confidence in his willingness to engage in the rush, and he looks to be a difference-maker every time he steps on the ice despite playing against grown men in Finland. Smits is on Latvia's roster for the Winter Olympics in Milan, and it should be a treat to watch him play against the top competition in the world.
While concerns regarding Lin's size may have others leap him on draft day, he's easily the most detailed defender in this class. He's not overly physical, but he competes incredibly hard and wins puck battles at a high rate without compromising his positioning. His offensive production may be misleading, as he doesn't have any standout tools that would suggest he'll be a top point producer in the NHL, but he's a reliable top-four D-man nonetheless.
Bjorck plays with a motor that has allowed a lot of scouts to overlook his size disadvantages and skating issues this season. He's constantly putting pressure on opponents while on the forecheck and wins a ton of battles that turn into dangerous scoring chances thanks to his crafty playmaking. It's unlikely he'll remain a center as he develops, but he'll undoubtedly be a great complementary winger with top-six potential at the NHL level someday.
Things have trended downward a bit for Belchetz over the past few weeks. He's continued to show flashes of high-end playmaking, and his physical tools alone will still make him highly sought after on draft day. However, with his offensive production slowing down, he must find a way to impose his will as he did early in the season to overcome his skating issues and maintain his status as a top-10 prospect.
The Ottawa Senators will forfeit this year's draft pick after failing to disclose Evgenii Dadonov's limited no-trade clause when they sent him to Vegas in 2021, leading to an invalidated trade between the Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks the following year. The Senators drafted in the top 10 four times in the last six years, choosing Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Tyler Boucher and Carter Yakemchuk.
11. Boston Bruins (via Toronto): Prince George (WHL) defenseman Carson Carels
Carels has some of the best hockey sense in this class, and it's reflected in the trust he's gained in Prince George, playing on the power play and penalty kill. What makes Carels so special is that he projects as a top-pairing defender who could play in a shutdown role or use his playmaking instincts to affect the game offensively, depending on what the assignment is on any given night.
12. Seattle Kraken: Prince Albert (WHL) defenseman Daxon Rudolph
Rudolph is a smooth skater who uses his feet effectively to lead rushes and shut down plays in the defensive end. While he's not overly physical, he has great range at 6-foot-2 and is smart with his stick in breaking up plays in zone and off the rush. As Rudolph continues to stack dominant offensive performances with the Prince Albert Raiders, he's inching closer to being a top-10 player in this class.
13. Philadelphia Flyers: Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) defenseman Xavier Villeneuve
There is no defenseman in this class who's more gifted with the puck than Villeneuve. He uses his deception and skating ability to create separation at the blueline very similarly to Lane Hutson. Villeneuve's defensive game leaves a lot to be desired, and as an undersized defender, that could be a cause for concern. However, his compete level and foundation of skills are worth betting on as a potential top power-play quarterback in the NHL.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Brantford (OHL) center Caleb Malhotra
Malhotra's skill, decision-making and mature two-way habits undeniably make him worthy of being picked in this range. He's been a standout offensive producer in his first OHL season on a Brantford team filled with NHL-drafted talent, and in a class without many high-end options at the center position, don't be surprised if he's taken much higher on draft day.
15. Anaheim Ducks: Peterborough (OHL) left wing Adam Novotny
Novotny has continued to be an offensive threat for Peterborough after a solid world juniors showing with Czechia, displaying his high-end skating and wicked shot that beats goaltenders regularly from just outside the dots. Novotny feels like a player coaches at the NHL level will gravitate toward, given his stick habits and polished defensive game. He projects as a middle-six winger with scoring upside who is capable of playing both special-teams roles.
16. San Jose Sharks: HV71 (Sweden) defensemen Malte Gustafsson
Gustafsson is a 6-foot-4 defenseman with good mobility. He's shown flashes of playmaking as of late, earning him some power play opportunities at the Swedish men's level while playing an overall bigger role on a weak HV71 team. He's hovered in this range for a while, but if he shows that he can truly add an offensive layer to his game, there's a good shot he'll end up as a lottery pick this year.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 29: Ryan Shea #5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second period goal against the Chicago Blackhawks at PPG PAINTS Arena on January 29, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
Forwards Anthony Mantha and Egor Chinakhov scored in a 31-second span in what was a dominant second period, as the Pittsburgh Penguins breezed by the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory. [Recap]
As seen during the game, the Penguins officially recalled forward Rutger McGroarty from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Thursday morning. [PensBurgh]
With Bryan Rust out for the next three games (including the game against the Blackhawks on Thursday), forward Justin Brazeau is expected to perform top-line duties in his absence. [Trib Live]
Updates from around the NHL…
The Colorado Avalanche donned Quebec Nordiques jerseys on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, ceremoniously reigniting the Battle of Quebec that took place decades prior. [Sportsnet]
The Dallas Stars will host the Vegas Golden Knights at AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, in a Stadium Series game next season. The game will take place on Feb. 20, 2027. [Sportsnet]
New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin is not expected to play again before the Olympic break, according to NHL insiders, for what is being called “roster management purposes.” [TSN]
Kane owns the record: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane became the highest-scoring United States-born player in NHL history in the Red Wings’ 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday night. [Associated Press]
Montreal Canadiens (30-17-7, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (31-17-5, in the Atlantic Division)
Buffalo, New York; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Buffalo Sabres after Nicholas Suzuki's two-goal game against the Colorado Avalanche in the Canadiens' 7-3 win.
Buffalo is 31-17-5 overall with a 10-3-2 record against the Atlantic Division. The Sabres have a 4-2-5 record in games decided by a goal.
Montreal is 30-17-7 overall with a 9-8-1 record against the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have a 13-5-3 record in one-goal games.
Saturday's game is the fourth time these teams meet this season. The Sabres won 4-2 in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson has 28 goals and 27 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has eight goals and two assists over the last 10 games.
Lane Hutson has nine goals and 46 assists for the Canadiens. Cole Caufield has scored nine goals and added three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 7-2-1, averaging 4.3 goals, 6.9 assists, four penalties and 10.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Canadiens: 5-4-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.3 assists, 4.3 penalties and 10 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
INJURIES: Sabres: None listed.
Canadiens: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
San Jose Sharks (27-21-4, in the Pacific Division) vs. Calgary Flames (21-26-6, in the Pacific Division)
Calgary, Alberta; Saturday, 4 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Calgary Flames play the San Jose Sharks as losers of five straight games.
Calgary is 21-26-6 overall with a 7-6-1 record in Pacific Division play. The Flames serve 12.3 penalty minutes per game to rank third in NHL play.
San Jose has gone 27-21-4 overall with an 8-7-3 record in Pacific Division play. The Sharks have conceded 179 goals while scoring 162 for a -17 scoring differential.
The teams meet Saturday for the third time this season. The Sharks won 6-3 in the previous matchup. Macklin Celebrini led the Sharks with two goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Morgan Frost has scored 11 goals with 14 assists for the Flames. Matthew Coronato has three goals and one assist over the last 10 games.
Will Smith has 15 goals and 22 assists for the Sharks. Celebrini has four goals and 11 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Flames: 3-5-2, averaging two goals, 3.3 assists, 3.6 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
Sharks: 6-3-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.6 assists, 3.2 penalties and seven penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Flames: None listed.
Sharks: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ST.
LOUIS – Special teams
hasn’t been kind to the St. Louis Blues as of late, and quite
frankly for that matter, all season long.
A
chance to make amends was on the table against the two-time defending
Stanley Cup champions for the Blues, who were in search of
some good vibes for a chance.
Those
good vibes came off the stick of Jimmy Snuggerud, who scored a
power-play goal with nine seconds remaining to give the Blues a
dramatic 5-4 win against the Florida Panthers at Enterprise Center on
Thursday.
Snuggerud
took a quick one-touch cross-seam pass from Pavel Buchnevich in the
left circle and rifled a one-timer into the top of the net past
Panthers goalie Daniil Tarasov to help the Blues (20-25-9) end a
five-game losing skid (0-4-1).
“I
think we were wearing them down in the zone for a bit, so some tired
guys on the ice,” Snuggerud
said.
“‘Rouzy’ [Jordan
Kyrou] and
‘Buchy’ made some great passes throughout the whole power play,
but the last seam play there, I thought, 'Just
get it on the left side of the net,’ and fortunately enough it went
in. It was a great play.”
Kyrou
had a goal and two assists, and Justin Faulk and Buchnevich each had
two assists for the Blues.
Jake
Neighbours, Oskar Sundqvist and Jonatan Berggren also scored for the
Blues, who got 17 saves from Joel
Hofer.
“It’s
great to be on this side of it,” Faulk
said.
“Tonight was a tough one. It was challenging, that’s for sure,
down one, even and then giving up 4-2 and let them tie it up. So it
was a push.
“We
knew going into the third it wasn’t going to be any different; it
was going to be a tough third period against these guys. They play a
tough game. To get rewarded at the end is great, because we obviously
had it go the other way here a couple times recently, but I think
more importantly to get rewarded, we think we’re putting in a lot
of work. We think guys are working hard. We
don’t think we’re rolling over like the Dallas game, right, down
three at the end of the second period, come back out, put in a good
third and a good effort and not get the reward there. No one’s
feeling sorry for us, but it obviously feels better when that does
happen. You just know you’ve got to keep going and that stuff comes
with that.”
Let’s
look at the game observations:
*
Special teams make a difference in the end – Here’s the bad: the
Blues were really not good on the penalty kill early. It’s the
fifth time the past seven games they had allowed multiple power-play
goals when Sam Reinhart got one in the first period to tie the game
2-2 and Blues killer Matthew Tkachuk scored one late in the second
period to erase a 4-2 Blues lead that tied it 4-4.
It
was time for that moment.
It
arrived in the third period when Nick Bjugstad was whistled for a
double-minor for high-sticking Evan Rodrigues, who was playing in his
600th NHL game.
Were
the Blues going to buckle again or would the kill finally get a job
done.
Not
only did they kill the entirety of the four minutes but the Panthers,
who are 22nd with the man advantage, didn’t get a single shot off.
“I
feel like we were good from start to finish on that one,” Sundqvist
said playing in his first game since Jan. 18 against the Edmonton
Oilers.
‘I don’t think we gave them a lot. After we kill it off, you hear
the crowd and it definitely gives you an extra boost. It was a good
momentum swing for us.”
The
Blues wound up 5-for-7 on the penalty kill.
Blues
coach Jim Montgomery said, “We had already given up two power-play
goals, so the effort by our penalty killers was awesome. The response
by our fans was awesome, and it gave us life.”
It
carried forward, and the Blues, who are 29th on the PK, used it to
their advantage with their 25th-ranked power play, which was
initially a 4-on-3 for 40 seconds of coincidental minors when Hofer
and Tkachuk got into a scrum behind the net, and former Blues
defenseman Niko Mikkola was called for goalie interference with 1:54
to play.
It
looked like the Blues were going to run out of time, and they didn’t
throw pucks at the net as the fans were imploring them to do so. They
patiently worked it around and that patience paid off this time when
Kyrou, who had a one-timer blocked initially, seamed a pass to
Buchnevich, who one-touched a cross seam pass to Snuggerud in the
left circle and he did the rest:
It
was a game filled with penalties with whistle-happy referees Liam
Maaskant and Jake Brenk working the whistles into oblivion with 18 penalties totaling 44 minutes.
“We haven’t had many like that,”
Faulk said. “Most of our games are pretty low in the penalty
department. We don’t get a ton of power plays, I don’t think we
take a ton of penalties either. It’s definitely weird, not much
flow to it there for a while, even down there to the end with the
four-minute and then the penalty there on them. Good to come out with
it, the last-minute goal on our end feels a lot better than on the
other side. It was a good feeling here after that.
“… Even within the game tonight,
we were frustrated with our special teams again, not getting it done
on either side of it. We knew we had a chance to step up there in the
third and mainly start with the penalty kill. Just get the kill, be
aggressive, try and get some momentum off it, don’t let them take
over the game right there. That was huge. I think we did get momentum
and came up big at the right time.”
With 12 combined power plays, it was a
hard game to get into any kind of rhythm.
“It’s
crazy. We all felt like you were either on the power play or the
penalty kill the whole game,” Sundqvist
said.
‘Especially for guys that don’t play either power play or penalty
kill, it’s hard. You’re sitting there and you can sit there for a
10-minute stretch. It’s super-hard for those guys.
I think we did a great job at coming back and really playing well
5-on-5. I think was thinking on the bench there at the end of the
second period, ‘I don’t think I’ve had a lot of shifts with my
linemates 5-on-5.’ Definitely a crazy game but happy to pull out a
win.”
*
First period turnaround – The Panthers, who had won three in a row
on the road, are a team that when they get you pinned in the D-zone
with success, it’s hard to get out. It was trending that way when
Florida gained the territorial edge early on, and when A.J. Greer
made it 1-0 3:12 into the game on a coverage mistake, it was a trend
the Blues needed to get out of.
But
then there were odd-man rushes, and with the ability to break out of
the D-zone with pucks allowed the Blues to beat the aggressiveness of
not only Florida’s forecheckers but their pinching defensemen.
That’s
how Neighbours tied the game 1-1 at 4:46 on a puck from below the
D-zone goal line to Kyrou, who one-touched a puck up that caromed off
defenseman Gustav Forsling to Buchnevich, who hit Neighbours through
the neutral zone for a breakaway, and he beat Tarasov high to the
glove side:
And
when Kyrou made it 2-1 at 7:51, it came off a sharp read by Philip
Broberg, who intercepted Carter Verhaeghe’s cross-ice stretch pass
in the neutral zone, worked his way down the left hand side before
finding Kyrou in the left circle. His quick shot also the glove side
found its way in:
And
even at 4-on-4, Faulk used his strength to fend off a couple would-be
Panthers players before shoveling a backhand pass to Berggren for a
one-timer from the right circle at 14:27 to reclaim a lead at 3-2 in
a wild opening 20 minutes:
“I
thought that our wall play in the first period was really good,”
Montgomery said. “When you play against Florida, they’re going to
hem you in. If you win those wall battles and you’re off the wall,
you can have odd-man rushes and we had a couple odd-man rushes that
led to goals and we almost had another one at the end of the period.
We had a 2-on-1 that was another play that if you can make them
against them. It’s not easy because they’re the best in the
league at doing it. You get odd-man rushes and then you’ve got to
take advantage of those.”
*
Neighbours, Kyrou, Sundqvist were all game time decisions and scored
– When Sundqvist scored 41 seconds into the second period, a goal
Tarasov would certainly like back, to make it 4-2, it gave a goal to
three players that Montgomery labeled game time decisions after the
morning skate.
All
three had skated, and it was a case of who would feel fine after it.
Well,
Sundqvist said he knew on Wednesday he would be playing, to which
Montgomery quipped, “’Sunny’
found his Guy Lafleur dipsy-doodle right through the middle and
twisted wrister right into the corner, eh? How many times have you
seen that from him.
“First
of all, ‘Sunny’ should have told me (he knew he was playing
Wednesday). That would have been nice. Glad he’s telling you guys
that.
“The
other two, it was going to be how they felt this morning because it
was very positive about how they responded the day after the game. We
were very happy with how they were both feeling. I put it at 50/50
for both of them. It was great. As soon as they took the morning
skate and I had already met with you guys, they came in and (said),
‘We’re playing. We’re players.’”
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The Vancouver Canucks snapped their three-game losing streak on Thursday as they shut out the Anaheim Ducks 2-0. Drew O'Connor scored the game-winning goal while Teddy Blueger picked up an empty-netter in the win. As for goaltending, Nikita Tolopilo stopped all 32 shots he faced, while Kevin Lankinen made one save during his 2:11 of ice time.
Unfortunately, Tolopilo will not be credited with the shutout as he did not play the entire game. After the first period, the 25-year-old was pulled by the concussion spotter and did not make it out of testing before the start of the season. Post-game, Head Coach Adam Foote spoke about what happened and if the team considered keeping Lankinen in for the rest of the period.
"Oh, he was coming back in," said Foote. "I'm just going to myself. I hope he's warmed up somehow, because with his tests, he had to take all his gear off, for some reason, compared to an actual player. So that's why it took so long. You know, when they do that test, it's usually about a 15-minute test, but he had to take his gear off. So we're trying to stall it, but we didn't have the time.
Ultimately, Tolopilo was the story of the night. The Ducks crashed the net all night, yet were unable to beat the 6'6" tender. Post-game, Tolopilo was asked about not getting the shutout, but responded with, "It's more important to get the win. So yeah, I'm happy that we got a win."
As for the Canucks best line, that was easily the trio of Jake DeBrusk, Aatu Räty and Drew O'Connor. DeBrusk led the team with six shots, Räty went six for 10 in the faceoff dot, while O'Connor scored the game-winning goal. Post-game, O'Connor spoke about the win and how nice it was to pick up another victory on the homestand.
"It's great," said O'Connor. "It's obviously been a struggle for us, and it's been frustrating for everyone. I think nobody likes losing, and it hasn't been fun, so we're trying to dig ourselves out of it, but it's nice to get one."
Jan 29, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil (72) is pursued by Anaheim Ducks Defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (98) during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Morris-Imagn Images
In the end, the bigger winners from Thursday's game were the fans at Rogers Arena. They got to witness a rare home win and even started not one, but two "We Want The Cup" chants. While the game itself wasn't the most exciting, the atmosphere was fantastic, which is a testament to the fans who spent money and made the trip downtown to Rogers Arena.
Stats and Facts:
- Drew O'Connor picks up his second game-winning goal of the season
- Jake DeBrusk skates in career regular-season game number 600
- Teddy Blueger's fourth career empty net goal ties Zemgus Girgensons for the most empty net goals scored by a Latvian player in NHL history
- Vancouver picks up it's second win of 2026
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
No scoring
2nd Period:
No scoring
3rd Period:
10:18- VAN: Drew O'Connor (13) from Jake DeBrusk 19:32- VAN: Teddy Blueger (4) from FilipHronek (ENG) (SHG)
Up Next:
The Canucks wrap up their homestand on Saturday as they welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs to Rogers Arena. Toronto picked up the win the last time these two teams met by a 5-0 score. Game time is set for 4:00 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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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Nikita Tolopilo made 32 saves, Drew O’Connor opened the scoring with 9:42 left and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-0 on Thursday night.
Tolopilo was denied his first NHL shutout after missing the first 2:11 of the second period because of concussion protocol after he was run over by Ryan Poehling late in the first period.
Kevin Lankinen made one save before Tolopilo returned.
O’Connor scored on a one-timer off Jake DeBrusk's pass. DeBrusk was playing his 600th NHL game.
Teddy Blueger put it away with a short-handed empty-netter with 28 seconds left.
Lukas Dostal made 24 saves for Anaheim.
Both teams were 0 for 3 on the power play.
Up next
Ducks: Host Vegas on Sunday night.
Canucks: Host Toronto on Saturday to close an eight-game homestand.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Zach Hyman scored 1:06 into overtime after Evan Bouchard tied it with 59 seconds left in regulation as the Edmonton Oilers stormed back from a three-goal deficit in the third period to beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Thursday night.
Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists and Connor McDavid also scored and assisted on Hyman's winner for the Oilers, who trailed 3-0 after one period. Connor Ingram stopped 17 shots after a rough start.
Collin Graf, Adam Gaudette and Michael Misa had first-period goals for the Sharks. Yaroslav Askarov made 28 saves.
Edmonton began its comeback with Draisaitl's 26th goal 1:34 into the third period. McDavid's 34th goal with 3:05 left in the third made it 3-2.
Bouchard, who also had two assists, tied it at 3 when he blasted a shot from inside the blue line for his 15th goal.
The Sharks took an early lead on their first two shots of the game when Graf scored just 26 seconds into the game and Gaudette made it 2-0 1:09 later.
Macklin Celebrini's assist on Graf’s goal was the 90th of his young career. At 19 years, 230 days old, he became the second-youngest player in NHL history to achieve the feat, behind only Sidney Crosby (19 years, 126 days in 2006).
Misa gave San Jose what appeared to be a commanding 3-0 lead with his second goal of the season 11:40 into the opening period.
The Sharks briefly appeared to go up 4-0 midway through the second when Barclay Goodrow slammed a rebound in past Ingram, but the goal was waived off for goalie interference.
Up next
Sharks: Visit the Flames in Calgary on Saturday.
Oilers: Host the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.
For the first time in nearly eight years, the Rangers lost every game to the Islanders in a single campaign.
The regular-season series sweep is one thing, but the nature of each Rangers defeat signaled a turning point in the long-standing rivalry.
While the 2-1 loss Thursday night at Madison Square Garden was the closest contest between the teams this season, the Blueshirts were outscored by an eye-catching 14-3 over the four games against the Islanders.
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“We’re talking to the guys a lot, whether it’s 5-on-5 or 4-on-4, on trying to create more off the shot,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the Rangers fell to 6-14-4 on home ice this season. “Simplify the game. Get inside, create more off the shot. Nothing breaks coverage down better than a shot on goal. A rebound goes somewhere and decisions have to be made. Therein lies opportunity. If we get inside with people, we’ve got an opportunity to compete on pucks and we force the Islanders to have to defend the scoring area.
“I just think we have to do a better job at recognizing when to put pucks in play, but we also have to have a willingness to get inside with people more consistently. When we do it, we do it at times and I think we create when we do. There’s an element of consistency I think we can bring more to that.
“I think if we do, I think we’ll score more goals, we’ll generate more scoring chances, we may draw more penalties, because we’re forcing teams to have to defend the scoring area and that’s the hardest area in the rink to defend.”
New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick reacts after giving up a goal to New York Islanders defenseman Carson Soucy during the second period on Jan 29, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Rangers were also shut out in two of their four games against the Islanders, including a 5-0 drubbing in their first meeting of the season.
The 2025-26 Rangers season has been handed over to the youth.
Brett Berard skated in his 13th NHL game of the season Thursday night against the Islanders, bringing the lineup’s youngster count — along with Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann, Scott Morrow and Matthew Robertson — to five.
Learning of his latest recall after the Wolf Pack’s 7-1 loss in Hartford, in which he sustained a cut that required four stitches on his left eyelid, Berard packed up and headed for Manhattan.
“I feel like the last few weeks down in Hartford I’ve really started to feel like myself,” he said after morning skate. “Playing to my identity, quick, fast, hard, using my weight as much as I can. It’s been good to see a few go in the net. Definitely helps with the confidence. But, yeah, I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
Berard was last recalled for the Winter Classic earlier this month in Miami, but was promptly returned. It was just his second call-up of the season after the 23-year-old got a run of 11 games at the end of November into mid-December.
New York Islanders’ Mathew Barzal (13) deke past New York Rangers’ Brett Berard (65) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in New York. AP
Over those 11 games, Berard registered zero points and just 10 shots on goal.
“The first few games, I thought I was good, but the last couple I thought maybe it dipped for whatever reason,” Berard said when asked to evaluate his first stint of the season. “I wasn’t getting as many pucks on net. So yeah, I think it was good to go back down to Hartford and get my confidence back. I think this time around, I’m really ready. I’m ready to go and super excited to hopefully be in the lineup tonight.”
Slotting onto the left wing of the fourth line next to Sam Carrick and Matt Rempe, Berard appeared in his 48th career NHL contest. The 134th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft has only skated in the bottom six this season.
Goalie Jonathan Quick stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced in his 17th start of the season.
The Rangers are scheduled to be off Friday before they venture to Pittsburgh to face the Penguins on Saturday.
