“Magic Bus” – Hurricanes 2, Sabres 1
Brandon Bussi made a few spectacular saves and the Carolina Hurricanes rode him to defeat the Buffalo Sabres, 2-1 on Monday afternoon at the Lenovo Center.
Bussi, who has been setting NHL records since his time with Carolina, set another one on Monday. He won his first 18 NHL games in the shortest period of time in NHL history, just 22 games. His record is now 18-3-1.
A couple of Bussi’s saves were unbelievable including one against a wide open Tage Thompson where the TNT announcers thought the sharpshooter had scored and announced it as such, but the replay actually showed that the goaltender had somehow gloved the shot.
The Hurricanes have now won three games in a row and they are 7-1-1 in their last nine games.
Just a minute and change into the game, Rasmus Dahlin fired a shot that got past Bussi to give the visitors the early lead.
Later in the opening period, the red hot Andrei Svechnikov tied the score off another nice pass from Sebastian Aho.
Svechnikov now has five goals in the last three games and Aho has assists on all of them.
Both teams battled back and forth in an entertaining, physical match up.
Two minutes into the third period, Seth Jarvis scored a powerplay goal to give the home team a lead they would struggle to hold onto the rest of the way.
Bussi made a few saves right up until the final moment to hold the Carolina lead.
The Canes now have a couple of well earned days off before they play their next game against Chicago on Thursday night.
Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS020770.HTM
Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES020770.HTM
Helenius Debuts In Sabres Loss To Carolina
The Buffalo Sabres called up center Konsta Helenius from Rochester last week, but had the 2024 first-round pick watch a couple of games to get acclimated and one practice with the NHL club. On Monday, the 19-year-old made his NHL debut in a 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that when he got into the lineup, he wanted to see what the club’s top prospect looked like, but against the first-place Canes, the youngster was carefully spotted, accumulating just 10:47 in the contest. This has been a trend for the veteran coach with young prospects like first-rounders Isak Rosen and Noah Ostlund, who, for most of their call-ups to Buffalo, have played on the fourth line.
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The young Finn is having an excellent second season with AHL Rochester thus far, with 30 points (9 goals, 21 assists) in 34 games, which is just five points short of his rookie season total with the Amerks. The 19-year-old was expected to be a main cog of Team Finland for the recent 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships in Minnesota, but Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen did not release Helenius to play in his third WJC.
With the injury to center Josh Norris, Ruff leaned heavily on Tage Thompson, playing the top center nearly 23 minutes on Monday, and gave more of a workload to Ryan McLeod and Ostlund, who have shown more offense with the Sabres this season playing higher in the lineup.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
Trade Market For Blues' Brayden Schenn Is Heating Up; Golden Knights Linked To Blues Captain
The NHLs’ trade deadline is under two months away, and we are just a few weeks away from the Olympic roster freeze, and with that, trade chatter has begun to pick up speed.
On Sunday, Rasmus Andersson, who’s long been considered the biggest fish on the trade market, was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights for defenseman Zach Whitecloud, prospect Abram Wiebe, a 2027 first-round pick, and a conditional 2028 second-round pick that can become a first-round pick.
Although they paid a hefty price to acquire the right-handed defenseman, insiders believe the Golden Knights aren’t finished just yet. One name they are reportedly targeting is St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn.
“Brayden Schenn is another name that the Golden Knights have circled around on,” said David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Schenn is drawing plenty of interest on the trade market due to his experience and his two-way pedigree. Teams would feel comfortable adding him to the fold as either a second or third-line center.
The Golden Knights are currently in need of a center amid William Karlsson’s uncertain health. He’s currently on the LTIR, and the Golden Knights haven’t been able to set a timetable for him. Schenn could be a replacement for Karlsson, as Schenn earns just $600,000 more than Karlsson.
The Golden Knights would have to address their cap situation if they want to acquire the 34-year-old Schenn. They currently have $3.8 million in cap space, but Brayden McNabb’s $3.65 million cap hit will come off the LTIR at some point. The Golden Knights will be required to trade one of their other depth forwards who earn around $2-3 million.
Schenn isn’t lighting it up offensively this season with just nine goals and 19 points in 49 games, but he’ll have two years of control, and that’s something the Golden Knights have valued in trade negotiations previously.
In addition to the Golden Knights, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Capitals are some of the teams with reported interest.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos also speculates that Schenn could be interested in playing with his brother, Luke. Both are playing for underperforming Central Division teams and are trade candidates.
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LIVE UPDATES: Caps vs. Avalanche
First Period
It's a new career-high! Parker Kelly deflects a point shot from Cale Makar and it goes by Charlie Lindgren. That's Kelly's ninth goal of the season and from a scoring perspective, this is officially his best year yet as a pro.
Scott Wedgewood was called for tripping after Anthony Beauvillier knocked his stick out of his hands and tripped over the stick a couple of strides after. Washington capitalized on the "penalty" when defenseman Jakob Chychrun ties it up on the power play with a wicked wrister that sizzled its way through traffic and by Scott Wedgewood to tie the game at one.
It was Chychrun's 18th goal of the season, which is tied for the best in the NHL amongst defensemen.
We have 4:18 left in the opening frame and the Avalanche are going on the PK after Josh Manson was whistled for high-sticking. Colorado kills the penalty. An Ovechkin one-timer in person is always special. The sound is just different coming from the all-time leading goal scorer.
Second Period
Chychrun went to the box after high-sticking Ross Colton, drawing blood from the Avs forward. As a result, the former Arizona Coyote was handed a four-minute double minor.
AVS TAKE THE LEAD
Martin Necas leaves the puck for Nathan MacKinnon in the neutral zone, and the "Dogg" drives it into the Capitals defensive zone and beats Lindgren with a wrister to give Colorado a 2-1 advantage.
Shortly thereafter, we saw some 4-on-4 action as both Samuel Girard and Martin Ferhervary were each whistled for separate infractions.
Another Power Play
8:02 left in the second period and Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas tripped Zakhar Bardakov to give the Avs another shot on the man advantage.
Both Teams Score
The Avs and the Capitals each took turns in scoring. Victor Olofsson snuck a backhander by Lindgren after Brock Nelson won the o-zone faceoff to set it up. Then, the Caps responded in similar fashion when Ethen Frank snuck past the defense and swept the backhander by Wedgewood. It's a 3-2 game with two minutes to go in period two.
Brandon Bussi Puts On A Show As Hurricanes Best Sabres In Heated, Physical Contest
If you just glance at the box score from Monday afternoon's game, you might not think much about Brandon Bussi's performance.
But for everyone who actually watched the game, you'd know just how impressive an outing it was for the Carolina Hurricanes' rookie netminder.
Bussi stopped 17 shots in the victory, but over half of them were grade-A scoring chances, including a potential candidate for Save of the Year.
During the second period, the Buffalo Sabres were on the power play in a 1-1 game and a broken play led to Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch in all alone in front of the Hurricanes net.
Thompson sent it across to Tuch, who got it right back to Thompson, but what should have been a guaranteed go-ahead goal for one of the league's top goal scorers, was denied by the glove of Brandon Bussi.
The netminder read the play perfectly and managed to quickly plant his left skate to explode back over to Thompson with the glove already positioned right where it needed to be.
BRANDON BUSSI WITH THE SAVE OF THE YEAR?!?!
— NHL (@NHL) January 19, 2026
📺: @NHL_On_TNT & @StreamOnMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3Tpic.twitter.com/lGRmOnojhn
It was an incredible save and one that easily told the story of that game, but it wasn't the only one.
Time and time again, Bussi came through for Carolina and he was the primary reason for their 2-1 win.
The game didn't start out great for the 27-year-old goaltender as Buffalo actually scored on their first shot of the game.
Rasmus Dahlin came down the right wing and ripped a shot top corner to beat Bussi just 1:33 into the game.
Perhaps Bussi took that one personally, as he was lights out the rest of the way.
Carolina actually didn't take too long to respond to that initial goal against either, as Andrei Svechnikov was the man on the spot for a backdoor tap-in just under six minutes later.
Sebastian Aho laced the perfect pass to the Russian winger who crashed hard to the net, but it was Sean Walker's heads-up play in the neutral zone, jumping up for a quick steal, that gave the Hurricanes the time and space for the goal.
This looked like it was going to be a routine zone exit for Buffalo, but Sean Walker stepped up in the neutral zone to force a turnover.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) January 19, 2026
Andrei Svechnikov now has five goals in his last five periods. pic.twitter.com/yVtcm0u2sT
The other story of the game was the physicality.
It was clear that there's no love lost between these two squads, but it all really kicked off following a questionable hit from Dahlin.
The Sabres captain laid a big hit on Eric Robinson, which was a bit late and caught him unaware right on his shoulder as he was bent over.
He would not return to the game, and it seems like the Canes took a number, because they finished every check they could on Dahlin the rest of the way, especially Svechnikov.
The 2018 first and second overall picks were battling all afternoon long, with multiple hits, scrums and penalties caused between the pair.
Ultimately though, the Canes were the beneficiaries of the increased emotions as they scored the go-ahead goal following a penalty to Owen Power for a pointless cross-check to the back of Logan Stankoven.
The Canes needed just seven seconds on the man advantage for Seth Jarvis to put back his own rebound and from there, the team held on for their third-straight win and 13th consecutive win at home over the Sabres, a record dating back to 2016.
Look at Seth Jarvis in an advantageous spot on the power play 🚨
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) January 19, 2026
CC: @biznasty2point0pic.twitter.com/xHyNIzKB07
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Norris Injury Could Be Crippling To Sabres Playoff Chances
The Buffalo Sabres have struggled with injuries, as many NHL clubs have with the compacted schedule because of the upcoming Olympic Games. Their recent 15-2-1 surge into the Eastern Conference playoff race coincided with the return of center Josh Norris to the lineup, but after indicating that the rib injury suffered in the win over Philadelphia last Wednesday was a day-to-day issue, head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that the center is considered week-to-week.
The Sabres have gone 13-6 with Norris in the lineup, utilizing him and Tage Thompson on separate lines to give Buffalo a more threatening offensive attack. Without him, the club has gone 13-11-5, which included a stretch of eight losses in nine games in late October/early November.
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The 26-year-old center has been oft-injured throughout most of his NHL career after being a big part of the Erik Karlsson deal between San Jose and Ottawa in 2018. Norris missed 16 games in 2022-23 with the Sens in a year when he scored a career-high 35 goals, missed all eight games in 2022-23 with a shoulder injury, and was limited to 50 games in 2023-24 because of another shoulder injury. Last season, after being acquired from Ottawa for Dylan Cozens, he played three games before being shut down for the season.
This season, Norris was injured in the season opener against the NY Rangers and missed seven weeks with an oblique injury. With the Sabres' 2-1 loss to Carolina on Monday, the club has lost two of its three games, and in a tight race for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, its chances may rest on when he will return.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
Flyers' Youth Movement Continues with Big Unheralded Defenseman
In another season flush with injuries and disappointing performances, the Philadelphia Flyers are again leaning into their youth movement, this time handing an opportunity to one of their biggest, most physical defense prospects.
On Saturday, the Flyers recalled 6-foot-4 defenseman Hunter McDonald from the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, opting for one of their in-house favorites this time over someone like Ty Murchison, who impressed in a brief NHL cameo for Philadelphia last month.
McDonald, 23, is currently in the midst of his second full pro season, having played 71 games for the Phantoms last season, scoring four goals, 14 assists, and 18 points.
The 230-pounder has only five assists in 33 games this season, but as his size would suggest, scoring is not the name of McDonald's game.
Instead, it's all about hits, physicality, and intimidation.
Dan Vladar Injury Update: Flyers Avoid Doomsday ScenarioIn the midst of what has easily been their worst stretch of games all season, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> have gotten at least some positive news in the form of the latest injury update regarding goalie Dan Vladar.
Something McDonald has to work on, at least from my own limited viewings, is his discipline. A good number of his 160 penalty minutes over the last two seasons come from fights and physical altercations, but McDonald also has a tendency to grab in reach.
That's common for many young players who find themselves struggling to keep up with the pace of play. So, in some ways, McDonald is better suited for the NHL, and in other ways, like the above, not so much.
Either way, though, the former fifth-round pick was brought aboard in correspondence with Rasmus Ristolainen being placed on injured reserve, and it would be surprising to see the Flyers call up another young prospect just for him to not play.
If that were the case, and McDonald was just another healthy body as backup, options like Murchison and even Adam Ginning, who had just been put on waivers, would have made more sense.
Bailey: The Flyers Still Have No IdentityThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> went from rebuilder to playoff dark horse... or so they thought, and now the team and its loyal but increasingly impatient fans are paying the price.
Emil Andrae's play has tailed off in recent weeks, and given that the 5-foot-9 defenseman hasn't recorded a point since a Dec. 22 win against the Vancouver Canucks, it's fair to wonder if McDonald slots in behind Nick Seeler and Cam York on the left side at Andrae's expense.
The Flyers' three-game road trip will have them face fast, aggressive squads in Vegas, Utah, and Colorado, and they probably figure that McDonald's size and physicality gives them an edge defensively.
Should McDonald make his Flyers debut at some point on the trip, he'll be the third Flyers prospect to do so this season, following in the footsteps of teammates Murchison and Denver Barkey.
Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi named NHL's 2nd Star of the Week
Roman Josi's efforts have not gone unnoticed this week as the NHL has named him the Second Star of the Week.
The league highlighted the Nashville Predators' captain's efforts against the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights, where Josi has recorded seven points (two goals, five assists) in three games.
Utah's Karel Vejmelka was named the third star of the week and Buffalo's Tage Thompson earned the first star.
He scored the game-tying goal and the overtime winner in the victory over Edmonton on Jan. 13 and had three assists in the Predators' upset victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 16 in Denver.
Despite a 7-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Josi recorded two assists.
Tage Thompson, Roman Josi and Karel Vejmelka have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 18.
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) January 19, 2026
3 Stars of the Week presented by @GEICO#NHLStats: https://t.co/D6b48Dhg1dpic.twitter.com/NemqAni0Rw
The weekly accolades were one day away from including Josi's three points (one goal, two assists) in the Predators' 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Jan. 11. That brings his total to 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in four games.
The Predators' 35-year-old defenseman has 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists) in 36 games this season and is two games away from eclipsing a significant career milestone.
Nashville's game against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday will be Josi's 1,000th career game. In 998 games in the NHL, Josi has tallied 752 points (198 goals, 554 assists).
At his current pace, he will likely eclipse 200 career goals soon.
The Nashville Predators host the Buffalo Sabres next on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CST.
Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs Washington Capitals (2:00 P.M.)
The Avalanche have accomplished a lot of firsts this season.
First team in the League to reach 70 points. First team to win 30 regular season games. First team to have multiple ten game winning streaks. First team to lose just one game in regulation on home ice.
With a win against the Washington Capitals this afternoon, the Avs will ensure that last statistic doesn’t change.
Colorado Avalanche (33-5-8)
The Opponent: Washington Capitals (24-19-6)
Time: 2:00 P.M. MST/4:00 P.M. EST
Watch: TNT/HBO Max, TruTV (US National Broadcast), MNMT (Washington Capitals Broadcast Area Only) SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Canadian Broadcast Areas)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
It took over one hundred days (one hundred and one, to be exact) for the Avalanche to suffer their first regulation loss on home ice since the start of the 2025-2026 season. The Nashville Predators, who made their final trip of the regular season to Ball Arena last Friday, secured a 7-3 victory off a four point night from former Avalanche center Ryan O’Reilly (which included his seventh career hat trick) and a three point night from captain Roman Josi. Goaltender Juuse Saros stopped 40 of 43 shots for Nashville’s third straight win, which has pushed them into contention for the last wild card spot in the Western Conference.
Head Coach Jared Bednar didn’t mince words after his team’s performance, citing “no positives” could be gained from his team’s effort against Nashville. He didn’t stop there, saying he “hated that game from start to finish”.
Pretty accurate: the Avalanche surrendered the first goal of the game right out of the gate with just thirty seconds played to O’Reilly (a bit of payback of sorts for Brent Burns scoring just fifteen seconds on Saros in the Avs’ 3-0 victory at Bridgestone Arena back on November 22), which was the beginning of a very long night for the returning Mackenzie Blackwood. Blackwood, who had missed the past six games due to injury since recording a 6-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on New Year’s Eve, stopped 23 of 28 shots in his first action of 2026. While some of those goals that got past him could be explained away as incredibly unfortunate (Sam Girard deflecting a puck past him), or near unpreventable (O’Reilly’s point-blank redirect of Luke Evangelista’s shot through heavy traffic), there were certainly others that Blackwood surrendered (Michael Bunting’s breakaway late in the second period) that would have been nice to see him come through with a save.
While many of the Avalanche skaters certainly deserve their fair share of criticism for their performance on Friday night, Brock Nelson may be one of the few who could be spared. Nelson matched O’Reilly goal for goal in the first period and gave his teammates opportunities to build on his efforts. Unfortunately, a completely uninspired second period allowed Nashville to take control of the game. Martin Nečas’ early third period goal that pulled the Avs within one provided a blip of hope, but Nashville rolled off three goals within a 2:28 span late (including a pair of empty net goals) to put the game out of reach.
While the loss to Nashville certainly stings, and they have played the Avalanche very tough this season, it’s important to keep in mind that this was the first regulation loss on Ball Arena ice this season, and it was due to happen at some point. Had they put together a more complete game and still came out on the losing end, the loss may not taste quite so bitter.
The loss also didn’t impact the Avs’ position as the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and entire League standings. Factor in that Dallas has only won twice this calendar year (and lost ten of its last twelve games) and Minnesota has won just three times in January, a lopsided loss for the Avs to Nashville—the single regulation loss on home ice this entire season—seems comically light by comparison.
Nathan MacKinnon remains the League leader in goal scoring (36), and will have a chance to reclaim the League lead in overall points from Edmonton’s Connor McDavid; MacKinnon is one point behind McDavid’s 83 points for the mark. Cale Makar still leads all defensemen in points (53), but Columbus’ Zach Werenski is one point shy of tying him for that mark. Scott Wedgewood still leads the League for the lowest goals against average (2.19), and while it seems plausible for Bednar to turn to him after being idle since the Avs’ overtime loss against Toronto, he may start Blackwood to keep him working to return to form and save Wedgewood for Wednesday’s game against Anaheim.
Today’s game against Washington will be the fifth game of the seven game home stand for the Avs. Prior to splitting the season series last year, Colorado enjoyed a four game winning streak against Washington dating back to November 19, 2022.
Projected Lineup
Forwards:
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas
Gavin Brindley – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Victor Olofsson – Jack Drury – Ross Colton
Zakhar Bardakov – Parker Kelly – Ivan Ivan*
Defense:
Cale Makar – Sam Girard
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Ilya Solovyov – Sam Malinski
Between the Pipes:
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
*Ivan Ivan, who was recalled from Loveland ahead of the Nashville game, was sent back down after the loss. It’s possible he could be recalled again as he played in Saturday’s Colorado Eagles game but sat out on Sunday.
Washington Capitals
Washington can also relate to the struggles of Dallas and Minnesota, having only three wins to their credit to begin the month of January. They have lost six of their previous nine games since the start of the calendar year, the most recent being a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Saturday at Capital One Arena. As Brock Nelson was the primary source of offense for Colorado against Nashville, defenseman Jakob Chychrun filled that role for Washington against Florida, scoring the team’s only goals in the contest. After giving his team a 2-1 lead near the halfway mark of regulation, Florida scored four unanswered goals against goaltender Logan Thompson and never looked back.
Washington currently sits in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division, and trail the Buffalo Sabres (yes, the Buffalo Sabres) by three points for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. With today’s game marking the start of a five game road trip through the Western Conference, which includes some winnable contests against Vancouver, Calgary, and Seattle, Washington can gain some ground (or build some momentum, at least) in the wild card race before wrapping up their road swing in Detroit prior to returning to the District.
If you were asked who was leading Washington in goals, you’d probably say it was Alex Ovechkin. Incredibly, Tom Wilson leads all Capitals skaters in goals (22), just eleven shy of his career best he posted last season (33). He also leads the team in points (42), and was recently named to Team Canada’s roster for the upcoming Olympics in Italy. Wilson, however, has not played for Washington since a 3-2 shootout loss to Chicago on January 3 due to injury. As for the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer, Ovechkin is second in goals (20) and points (41). Defenseman John Carlson is third on the team in points (38), and leads all Washington skaters in assists (29). Chychrun is second among Washington skaters in points (35), but leads all defensemen in goals (17).
Despite losing his last three starts, Thompson ranks sixth in goals against average among goaltenders (2.38), just behind Colorado’s Blackwood (2.26). He will likely get his fourth straight start in today’s contest against the Avalanche.
Washington skated away with a 5-2 victory over Colorado in their only visit to Ball Arena last season on November 15, 2024. They wrap up the season series against Colorado at home on March 22.
Projected Lineup
Forwards:
Alex Ovechkin – Dylan Strome – Anthony Beauvillier
Aliaksei Protas – Connor McMichael – Ryan Leonard
Ivan Miroshnichenko – Nic Dowd – Ethen Frank
Brandon Duhaime – Hendrix Lapierre – Brett Leason
Defense:
Jakob Chychrun – John Carlson
Martin Fehérváry – Matt Roy
Rasmus Sandin – Trevor van Reimsdyk
Between the Pipes:
Logan Thompson
Charlie Lindgren
Follow along in the comments below!
Corey Perry Returns To Kings, Eyeing Clash Against Rangers
After missing the last three games, which resulted in all losses for the Kings, including the last game Perry played against the Stars, the Kings could use the 40-year-old right winger, who has been great this season for them with 10 goals, 13 assists, and 23 points.
Perry was reportedly on ice as practice got underway this morning and skated with the Kings' power play unit alongside Brandt Clarke, Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe, and Andrei Kuzmenko.
Corey Perry is on the ice this morning for the @LAKings as practice gets underway!
— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) January 19, 2026
Top PP unit was on the ice very early working on a few things and Perry was with that group, alongside Clarke/Fiala/Kempe/Kuzmenko.
The Canadian winger also took rushes with Kempe and Alex Laferriere, indicating that the coaching staff is actively evaluating his play to see where he could slot back into the lineup for tomorrow's home game.
The veteran forward missed the Kings' last three games, including the Jan. 14 game against the Vegas Golden Knights and the back-to-back games against the Anaheim Ducks on the 16th and 17th. Perry hasn't played in a week since his last match against the Stars last Monday, where he finished with one point and an assist, resulting in a loss.
Perry Steps Away From Kings For Family Matter, Out IndefinitelyThe Los Angeles Kings will be without right winger Corey Perry in the immediate future as he goes back home to tend to a family matter for the second time this month. Meanwhile, defenseman Jacob Moverare will fill in against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.The Kings desperately need Perry, who is currently on a four-game losing streak and has lost six of their last seven games, clearly playing their worst stretch of the season. Not to say Perry will solve all of Los Angeles' problems, but could use the veterans play with no Anze Kopitar yet in the lineup.
In other news, with Perry eyeing his return to the lineup, the Kings are going to loan forward Andre Lee to the Ontario Reign. Lee played seven games amid injuries and players away from the team, scoring one goal, one assist, and two points.
Clearly not great numbers, but Lee had some strong moments on the ice and should continue to improve as he develops in Ontario.
There are also future implications for Anze Kopitar's status with the team, as he's missed the last 7 games for the Kings, and there is still no target date for his return. This means that if Kopitar is unable to play tomorrow against the Rangers, we may see Perry step into the top-six role to give Los Angeles a reliable veteran contributor amid Kopitar's injury.
As the Kings prepare for a key matchup against the Rangers tomorrow night at 10 p.m. ET, with their team struggling over the last 13 games, this game could provide an emotional lift for a team still looking to find its identity and momentum in a tight Western Conference.
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Game No. 48 Preview: Flyers vs. Golden Knights
The Philadelphia Flyers arrive in Las Vegas carrying more than luggage.
A six-game losing streak has followed them across time zones, joined now by fresh injuries and a lineup that seems to change by the day. What begins against the Golden Knights is more than another road game; it is a chance to reduce the season to something manageable again.
1. A Losing Streak That Has Become Mental as Much as Tactical.
Six losses in a row do not all look the same, but they begin to feel the same.
For the Flyers, the slide has taken on a familiar rhythm: an early mistake, a burst of opposition goals, a furious but incomplete push back into the game. What started as a couple of uneven nights has hardened into something heavier, the kind of stretch that makes every pass look a fraction slower and every decision a fraction louder in a player’s head.
Travis Konecny: “There’s plenty of time to figure it out. We’ll be okay.”
— Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) January 17, 2026
Echoed the statements of Cam York and Rick Tocchet today that guys are overthinking and sometimes doing too much to try to get going during games.
The numbers are stark, yet the mood around the team is more complicated than the record suggests. This is not a group that has stopped working, but has stopped trusting that the simple play will be enough. When confidence dips, structure tends to follow it out the door. Philadelphia has begun chasing offense before earning it, searching for a single shift to erase what should be a 60-minute process.
Vegas represents the most unforgiving kind of opponent for a team in that state. For the Flyers, the challenge will be to resist the temptation to play the entire game in the first ten minutes and to remember that discipline, not desperation, is the quickest path out of a skid.
2. Another Injury, Another Test of Identity.
Just when the lineup seemed thin enough, it got thinner.
Rodrigo Abols’ placement on injured reserve with a lower-body injury landed with particular weight because of what followed: his removal from Latvia’s Olympic roster, an ominous sign that this is not a short interruption. Abols had quietly become a fourth-line staple for the Flyers—responsible defensively, useful on the forecheck, capable of stabilizing a line.
He joins Rasmus Ristolainen on IR, another absence that cuts directly into the team’s physical spine. Ristolainen’s recent upper-body injury has already forced the defense into uncomfortable pairings, and the Flyers have felt it most in front of their own net, where details have frayed.
The call-ups of Lane Pederson and Hunter McDonald will bring new legs and hopefully new life into this group. Pederson brings veteran edges and a willingness to live in the uncomfortable parts of the ice. McDonald offers size and a simple, north-south approach on the back end.
3. Vegas as a Mirror.
If the Flyers want to remember what they are trying to become, Vegas is a useful study guide.
The Golden Knights are not flawless, but they are relentlessly coherent. They play fast without playing rushed. Their defense activates without forgetting its first job. Most importantly, they are emotionally flat in the best possible way—never too high after a goal, never too frantic after one against.
Philadelphia, by contrast, has been riding waves within single periods. The Flyers’ best hockey this season arrived when they mirrored Vegas’ temperament: five men above the puck, clean breakouts, offense born from layers rather than heroics. Those habits have slipped during the skid, replaced by hopeful stretch passes and extended shifts spent in survival mode.
The road environment may actually help. There is a simplicity to being away from home—no last change to overthink, fewer distractions, a collective bunker mentality. Against a team like Vegas, the Flyers need to be adult: win walls, exit zones on the first touch, make the goalie’s life predictable for a night.
4. The Opportunity Hidden Inside the Trip.
This game begins a road stretch that could easily intimidate a fragile team, but the Flyers are anything but.
At home, the losing streak has hung over every shift like an unpaid bill. On the road, the season can shrink to a simpler equation—one opponent, one building, one chance to change the story. Philadelphia has historically responded well to those conditions, and there is reason to believe the travel schedule could act as a palate cleanser.
The coaching staff’s message has been consistent: stop trying to solve everything at once. The Flyers do not need to score six goals in Vegas. They need to win the first period, then the next shift, then the next puck race. A single composed performance would not erase the past two weeks, but it would remind the room what competence feels like.
Pederson and McDonald may play modest roles, yet their presence carries symbolic weight. They arrive without the baggage of the streak, with simple instructions and simpler expectations. Sometimes that's contagious.
5. Getting Out of Their Own Heads.
More than systems or personnel, the Flyers’ opponent right now is psychological gravity.
You can see it in the way sticks tighten after an early goal against, in the extra deke at the blue line, in the pass that looks for a perfect option instead of the correct one. Rick Tocchet has spoken repeatedly about “cheating” for offense and the mental fatigue that follows losing. The Flyers have been trying to think their way out of a problem that requires skating their way out.
Vegas will test that resolve immediately. The Golden Knights start fast and punish hesitation. If the Flyers can absorb pressure without abandoning structure—if they can play boring in the best sense of the word—they will give themselves a chance to not just stay in the game, but win it.
The season is not at a crossroads yet, but it is approaching a busy intersection. For a team that has spent two weeks watching games slip through its fingers, the chance to grab one back is more valuable than ever.
Projected Lines
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards:
Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny
Nikita Grebenkin - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Denver Barkey
Carl Grundstrom - Lane Pederson - Garnet Hathaway
Defense:
Travis Sanheim - Cam York
Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae - Noah Juulsen
Goalies:
Sam Ersson
Aleksei Kolosov
Vegas Golden Knights
Forwards:
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone
Pavel Dorofeyev - Mitch Marner - Reilly Smith
Keegan Kolesar - Tomas Hertl - Braeden Bowman
Cole Reinhardt - Tanner Laczynski - Alexander Holtz
Defense:
Jeremy Lauzon - Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson
Ben Hutton - Kaedan Korczak
Goalies:
Adin Hill
Akira Schmid
Game #49: Ducks vs. Rangers Gameday Preview (01/19/26)
Currently on a three-game winning streak after snapping a nine-game winless streak, the Ducks look to keep things rolling against the New York Rangers. The Ducks are coming off a 2-1 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, while the Rangers are coming off a 6-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
“That's got to be our mindset,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. “Continue on building on that kind of standard. How well we play without the puck is important. Let’s be hard to play against, playing that way.”
Chris Kreider returns to the lineup against his former team after missing the past two games with an illness. He’ll slot in on the top line alongside Mason McTavish and fellow former Ranger Ryan Strome.
“Last week was great,” Kreider said. “Taking four points in the home and home back-to-back, that was great. Our game against Dallas was our best game of the year.”
“We kind of stopped shooting ourselves in the foot a little bit,” Jacob Trouba said. “Played pretty simple, solid hockey. To play against LA, those two games, I think that's kind of what it requires. I thought we did a good job of sticking with that game and we've had some success with it, so probably stick to that in defending and being responsible and making good plays with the puck.”
“Simple in the game, putting it in areas where we can keep the puck and advance it,” Quenneville said on the adjustments his team has made lately. “The risky plays being inside or outside the blue lines are probably more predictable and enhances us getting pucks. Eliminating unnecessary rush chances is probably what it can lead to.”
“They’ve been going pretty good the last couple games,” Trouba said of the Rangers. “I think last game, scored a lot of goals. Mika (Zibanejad) has been good and hot, which is good to see. Staying consistent with our game and simplicity and what made us successful the last couple is what we're going to have to stick to.”
“A ton of firepower, detail-oriented team,” Kreider said. “ Our game's got to be tight. Got to continue to build on what we’ve done the last few games. Play good defense, help our goalies out and trust that we'll get our chances from playing good defense.”
Ducks Projected Lines
Chris Kreider - Mason McTavish - Ryan Strome
Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke
Jeffrey Viel - Ryan Poehling - Cutter Gauthier
Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Ian Moore
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov - Drew Helleson
Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)
Rangers Projected Lines
Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafrenière
Gabe Perreault - Mika Zibanejad - J.T. Miller
Will Cuylle - Noah Laba - Brennan Othmann
Taylor Raddysh - Sam Carrick - Jonny Brodzinski
Vladislav Gavrikov - Braden Schneider
Matthew Robertson - Will Borgen
Urho Vaakanainen - Scott Morrow
Spencer Martin (confirmed)
Lineup Notes: Canucks Take On The Islanders In First Game Since Trading Sherwood
The Vancouver Canucks continue their eight-game homestand on Monday with a matchup against the New York Islanders. Vancouver comes into this game having lost their last 10 and will be looking to avoid a historic 11th straight loss. Here are the lineup notes for January 19, 2026.
During morning skate, the Canucks announced that they had traded Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks. In return for the reigning NHL hit king, Vancouver received two second-round picks and defenceman Cole Clayton. Sherwood is currently injured and may not be ready to return in time for when the Sharks visit the Canucks later this month.
As for the starting goaltender, that will be Kevin Lankinen. Monday will be his 23rd start of the season, with the 30-year-old posting a record of 6-13-4. Lankinen has played the Islanders three times in his career and has posted a 1-2-0 record.
Lastly, Teddy Blueger most likely will not play on Monday. Head Coach Adam Foote didn't completely rule him out, but it appears his return will have to wait. Blueger has been out since October 19 and has only played two games this season.
Projected Lineup:
DeBrusk-Pettersson-Boeser
Kane-Kampf-O’Connor
Öhgren-Räty-Garland
Höglander-Sasson-Karlsson
M. Pettersson-Hronek
Buium-Myers
E. Pettersson-Willander
Lankinen
Patera
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
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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Sharks acquire winger Kiefer Sherwood in a trade with the Canucks
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks have acquired one of the most sought-after trade candidates of the NHL season by getting winger Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks more than six weeks before the March 6 deadline.
San Jose sent 2026 and ’27 second-round draft picks and minor league defenseman Cole Clayton to Vancouver for the 30-year-old pending free agent. The teams announced the deal Monday.
Sherwood led the Canucks with 17 goals through their first 48 games. He also has six assists.
"We would like to thank Kiefer for all his hard work and dedication in Vancouver," Canucks general manager Patrik Alvin said. “As an organization, we take a lot of pride in giving him the opportunity to grow and excel as a player. Given where things currently stand and the direction of our rebuild, we felt it was necessary to make a move like this as we continue to build our pipeline.”
Giving up draft picks to get Sherwood signals a shift for the Sharks from sellers to buyers. They’re in a playoff spot past the midway point of the season.
San Jose visits two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida on Monday night.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl