Ahead of Wednesday night's 3-2 overtime loss to the Oilers, Flyers general manager Danny Briere met with the team and asked them to focus on hockey amidst the Matvei Michkov trade rumors. And despite the loss, the team played like it had something to prove.

Naturally, playing against Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the Oilers is a tough task for anyone, especially with McDavid putting up video game numbers with his 49 points in 20 games this season.

McDavid's only assist came on the power play, as he and Draisaitl combined for just two assists in the contest.

"I think we, especially against a team like that, don't want to open up the game, and you want to stick to the game plan and be patient. I thought, for most part of the night, we did a good job at creating plays, putting pucks deep when we needed to, and making plays when we had to," said Flyers captain Sean Couturier.

To start the game, the Flyers played a pretty strong first period, out-shooting the Oilers 13-6. Michkov nearly picked up an assist on a no-look pass to Jamie Drysdale, but Oilers goalie Tristan Jarry made a great save going post to post.

In the second period, a tough sequence from Oliver Bonk led to an Oilers goal. The rookie Flyers defenseman stood guard in front of Dan Vladar, but lost track of his man, Zach Hyman.

A missed slap shot from long range caromed off the boards and right to Hyman, who shook Bonk and deposited past Vladar for an easy goal while falling.

Just under 10 minutes later, Hyman put the Oilers ahead 2-0 on the power play, scoring in the blue paint and cashing in on an interference penalty from Bonk.

Fortunately, the Flyers were able to fight back a bit, as Tyson Foerster sniped a shot past Jarry in the dying seconds of a Flyers power play to bring Philadelphia within a goal with 3:11 left in the second.

Flyers Don't Want to Trade Matvei Michkov; What Steps Are Next?In the aftermath of the Matvei Michkov trade rumors, the Flyers face the difficult task of finding calm in the storm.

Through two periods, the Flyers were out-shooting the Oilers 28-13, and the 2-1 deficit they carried was certainly uncharitable to how they played.

Tasked with tying the game, the Flyers had a surprisingly ineffective third period, getting out-shot 9-4 by the Oilers. Coming to the rescue, defenseman Travis Sanheim scored his third of the year, powering his way to Jarry's crease and stuffing the puck in to tie the game at 2-2.

Rasmus Ristolainen, who returned from injury for the second time this season, picked up his first assist of the season on Sanheim's goal, and Michkov added a secondary assist.

"Felt alright, obviously practicing and skating. Never the same [as] playing a game, but, obviously, it was fun to be back and be in the battle with the guys," Ristolainen said after the game

Overtime, unfortunately, was more of the same for the Flyers. Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard ended the game in just 47 seconds, taking advantage of an unfortunate bounce off the stick of Drysdale, who initially made a nice play to break up a pass.

Leading to the Oilers' game-ending possession, Owen Tippett made an unusual line change, advancing the puck into the the Edmonton zone, fumbling his handle, and handing the puck off instead of regrouping and getting off the ice.

Christian Dvorak, who was left to battle the Oilers 3-on-1 by himself, hucked the puck blindly up the boards to McDavid, who raced down the other way and helped orchestrate the winner.

"There's not much I can say other than the guys played really good hockey. Structured, we had some chances," head coach Rick Tocchet assessed postgame. "I guess the only negatives are, overtime is something... we gotta figure this out. But that's the only negative for me. The whole game was real positive."

Vladar made 21 saves on 24 shots in the contest, while Ristolainen played 18:24 in his return to action. Notably, Michkov led all Flyers forwards in ice time with 20:44, including 4:43 on the power play.

Veteran forward Noel Acciari suffered an injury after being tripped by Jarry late in the second period, and the Flyers subsequently ruled him out for the night with an upper-body injury. Tocchet did not have an update on Acciari after the game.

Avry Lewis-McDougall of The Hockey News contributed to this story.

Wednesday night was the final game of the Pittsburgh Penguins California swing and their last late night contest for quite some time which East Coast fans will be happy to hear. After games against the Kings and Ducks in Southern California, the Penguins traveled north to take on the San Jose Sharks in a 2026 Stanley Cup rematch in the building where the team won the Stanley Cup that season.

Pens Points…

When the Penguins drafted Ruck Twin No. 1 in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, it became obvious they were planning on drafting Ruck Twin No. 2, which they did in the second round, keeping the two together and further strengthening a special bond between them. [PPG]

Everyone knows the big names the Penguins could potentially shop in a trade when the time comes, but don’t be surprised if there are some names that haven’t popped up in rumors as of yet being shipped out if the right deal comes together for all sides. [The Hockey News]

NHL News and Notes…

It’s a sad state of affairs for hockey in the Keystone State at the moment. While the Penguins struggle to win games, the Philadelphia Flyers are in the same boat with extra drama piled on top as trade request rumors surround former first round pick Matvei Michkov. [Sportsnet]

Nick Cousins was on the receiving end of one of the more brutal hits you will see in the NHL this season. Cousins was knocked out cold by a body check from Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun and will miss the next 7-10 days as a result. [ESPN]

Buffalo Sabres (8-7-3, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (4-13-1, in the Central Division)

Chicago; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST

LINE: Sabres -155, Blackhawks +126; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks look to stop their six-game losing streak when they take on the Buffalo Sabres.

Chicago is 4-5-0 in home games and 4-13-1 overall. The Blackhawks have gone 1-7-0 when they commit more penalties than their opponent.

Buffalo has gone 4-1-3 in road games and 8-7-3 overall. The Sabres have a 7-1-3 record in games they score three or more goals.

The teams match up Thursday for the second time this season. The Sabres won the previous matchup 4-3.

TOP PERFORMERS: Roman Kantserov has nine goals and two assists for the Blackhawks. Connor Bedard has four goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.

Zachary Benson has two goals and 13 assists for the Sabres. Tage Thompson has scored seven goals with five assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Blackhawks: 1-8-1, averaging 1.8 goals, 3.1 assists, four penalties and 8.5 penalty minutes while giving up four goals per game.

Sabres: 4-4-2, averaging 2.9 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.3 penalties and 9.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.

INJURIES: Blackhawks: Patrick Kane: out (upper-body), Ryan Ellis: out for season (back), Bowen Byram: out (upper-body).

Sabres: Louis Crevier: day to day (undisclosed), Matt Grzelcyk: out (lower-body), Konsta Helenius: out (upper-body), Justin Danforth: out (upper-body), Alex Lyon: out (upper-body).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Nashville Predators (10-4-5, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (13-5-2, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Friday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights take on the Nashville Predators with a four win streak intact.

Vegas is 13-5-2 overall and 6-3-0 at home. The Golden Knights have a 6-3-0 record when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent.

Nashville has gone 3-1-3 in road games and 10-4-5 overall. The Predators have a 5-2-0 record when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent.

Friday's game is the second time these teams meet this season. The Golden Knights won the previous meeting 5-2.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell Marner has three goals and 20 assists for the Golden Knights. Victor Olofsson has five goals and four assists over the past 10 games.

Steven Stamkos has 11 goals and nine assists for the Predators. Filip Forsberg has scored six goals and added eight assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 5-3-2, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.5 assists, three penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

Predators: 7-1-2, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.9 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: Noah Hanifin: out (undisclosed).

Predators: Jonathan Marchessault: day to day (lower body), William Trudeau: out (upper body).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Las Vegas, N.V.– How long had it been since the Vegas Golden Knights scored five goals in one game? Well, as Rose DeWitt Bukater (I had to look up her last name) said in the 1997 film Titanic, “It’s been 84 years.” It obviously didn’t take 84 years– it’s only been 10 games–, but that seemingly endless trend came to a halt on Wednesday when the Golden Knights beat the Utah Mammoth. 

Tonight, the puck just seemed to go in for them in a way it hadn’t in quite some time. The Golden Knights, who averaged just 2.44 goals in their past nine games, took advantage of a shorthanded Mammoth team and scored five.

“It feels good [to score goals],” said Ivan Barbashev. “On the road trip, it felt like every single game was pretty close. But at the same time, I don’t think we played well enough in some of the games in the first 10 to 15 minutes on the road trip. But we did a really good job today.”

With an assist on Jack Eichel’s first-period goal, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone moved within spitting distance of becoming the franchise’s all-time point leader. Stone, who has 415 points in 419 games, is two points behind Jonathan Marchessault, who finished his Golden Knights career with 417 points in 514 games.

“[Stone] is smart enough to find the right areas, and I think that goes to his hockey IQ,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig in October. “We’ve seen it here, time and time again, since he’s gotten to our organization. He finds ways to get to the right spot. He finds ways to impact the game by being in the right areas, both defensively and offensively.”

1. The Barbie Show

Forward Ivan Barbashev scored twice tonight in the Golden Knights’ 5-3 win. His first goal was the kind he’s made his living scoring: he went to the net, parked himself back-door, and capitalized when Victor Olofsson whiffed on a shot.

His second was an early candidate for the goal of the year.

“I saw some space between the defensemen and just tried to make a move,” said Barbashev following the 5-3 win. “It was nice to score a goal.”

After Olofsson found him flying up ice with speed, Barbashev danced through two Mammoth defensemen, Mikhail Sergachev and Mackenzie Weegar. Then he drove to the net and beat goaltender Sebastian Cossa five-hole while falling after Weegar tripped him.

“It was absolutely disgusting,” said Olofsson when asked about his linemate’s goal. “[Barbashev] turned a couple guys inside out. It was just cool to see. I was so close; I just watched the whole play, and it was very beautiful.”

Barbashev was out to defend the two-goal when the Mammoth pulled Sebastian Cossa for the extra attacker, but missed two shots at empty net that would have given him his second career hat trick.

“I sure did [think it was going in],” said Barbashev ruefully. “But then it just kept turning and turning.”

2. Back With a Bang

The Golden Knights played tonight without defenseman Noah Hanifin, who is week-to-week. However, Parker Wotherspoon, who missed the last 13 games with an upper-body injury, returned to the lineup. Wotherspoon played 15:31 and drew the penalty that led to Victor Olofsson’s first goal of the night.

“Parker played well,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig. “We saw some of the poise he had with the puck… As the game went on, he got better and better and more comfortable. Missing 13 games at this time of year is tough.”

This is just Olofsson’s third game back in the lineup after also missing 13 games. Olofsson scored the go-ahead goal on the power play early in the second period, and recorded two primary assists in both of Ivan Barbashev’s goals.

“I feel better and better,” Olofsson said after the game. “I think I’ve been a little rusty, but it feels like I’m getting there and feeling more confident. My legs feel a little bit better now after a few games.”

3. Paid the Electric Bill

The Golden Knights have an electric power play. It was their most dangerous weapon last season, and that has continued early this season. However, it looked disjointed in their past two games, and they entered tonight 0-for on their last six power-play opportunities.

The buck stopped just two minutes and 15 seconds into the first period. 

Jack Eichel, who scored just one power-play goal in 74 games last season, ripped a one-timer past Sebastian Cossa after a slick fake-shot pass from Mitch Marner. That goal was the first of the game, and with tonight’s win, the Golden Knights improve to a perfect 9-0-0 when scoring first.

The power play came up big again just 3:07 into the second period. Victor Olofsson scored in transition to give the Golden Knights a lead that they didn’t relinquish.

Head coach André Tourigny did say pregame that when you expect something to happen, nothing usually happens. Most were expecting a close, physical game on Wednesday between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights, a rematch of the teams’ first-round playoff series against each other in the spring.

However, it was instead a game that the Golden Knights ran away with starting in the second period, and a very injured Mammoth squad couldn’t do much other than keep within a goal or two of their opponents, losing 5-3. They leave Sin City, set to play their next five games at home after playing 13 of their 19 games on the road.

When the Mammoth released their injury report right before warm-ups, saying that their game against the Golden Knights was going to be an uphill battle is probably the best way to put it. Dylan Guenther and Nate Schmidt were both placed on injured reserve, joining John Marino. Logan Cooley was also announced to be injured, with his status as day-to-day.

The only bit of good news in the injury report was the reactivation of Kailer Yamamoto off of injured reserve. Daniil But was also recalled from the Tucson Roadrunners and made it on time to play in Wednesday’s game. With the Roadrunners, But really hasn’t done much offensively. He’ll make flashy moves but then overthink things and often gets humbled with a hit or two from his opponents. It was a similar story on Wednesday.

Daniil But is already in Vegas and is skating in warm ups. #TusksUppic.twitter.com/r6lUsVclCz

— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) November 12, 2026

“He had a good moment early, and then after that he went through a little bit of adversity and a few reads, but that's what I thought of his game,” Tourigny said. “I think he had a great first period.”

Someone who had a great game was Jack McBain. The forward got three points, including his second goal of the season off a top-shelf shot. His linemate, Lawson Crouse, also had a very good night with two points. It was the only line that really connected throughout Wednesday’s game.

A beauty from Bainer! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/8yjRnNQVjE

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) November 12, 2026

McBain was someone who needed to get going. He hadn’t scored since Oct. 8 against the Boston Bruins and hadn’t produced a point since Oct. 19 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crouse has also been struggling to produce as of late, with his last goal coming on Oct. 6 against the New Jersey Devils. Luckily, his line found some luck against the Golden Knights.

“The first one, my goal, was a puck going to the net,” Crouse said. “It popped out perfectly on the weak side. Then a great shot by Bainer, and then another great pass by Bainer. You love to see it from Boehner. He's a guy who does everything right. A true teammate, and nice to see him get rewarded.”

🚨 Crouser finds the back of the net!

Tied up, 1-1. pic.twitter.com/Sas4kjPhL6

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) November 12, 2026

Andrew Peeke also produced assists on the goals. He’s had a sneaky good season so far with eight points in 19 games. 

Back to Crouse and McBain: those two guys needed to step up, and they did. They aren’t the only ones. Anders Lee has struggled to score as of late. Michael Carcone hasn’t done much since returning from injury. Vincent Trocheck’s last goal came Oct. 22. He’s approaching double digits in games since his last goal.

The reason why it’s so critical they have to step up and start producing now is that the Mammoth have run into some very challenging injury issues. There are the four aforementioned players and now Nick Schmaltz. Schmaltz took a hard hit on the boards that forced him into the locker room. He returned for a couple of shifts and then left the game. The Mammoth later announced he was questionable to return with a lower-body injury.

That is three of the Mammoth’s top five forwards who were sidelined for most of Wednesday’s game. Even worse, the Schmaltz injury ended up distracting the Mammoth as the Golden Knights piled on three goals in five minutes that ultimately won them the game.

“We went through adversity in the game with some injuries, and I think we lost our focus, and that cost us the game,” Tourigny said. “At that moment, we gave up three goals, and we got pulled out of the game there. I liked the fight after we came back. That was positive, but I think we can be more connected and a little bit more stingy.”

You can point to that second period as a major reason the Mammoth lost. Yes, there were those three goals, but it goes deeper than that. The Mammoth were outshot 15-5 in the second period. That is not a recipe for winning games.

Something that contributed to that second period was the final penalty the Mammoth took in the game. Crouse went off for tripping, which led to Victor Olofsson’s power-play goal. That helped fuel the two goals that followed, including Ivan Barbashev’s beautiful highlight-reel goal. The Mammoth’s penalty kill wasn’t bad. It actually came up big in the first by killing a five-on-three penalty. However, they took too many penalties, and it caught up with them.

BARBASHEV WITH AN INSANE MOVE TO SPLIT THE DEFENSE AND SCORE IT 😱🚨 pic.twitter.com/yGmoBQKSWf

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

"We need to play our game and play a full 60,” Crouse said. “We talk a lot about our pace, our speed, and how we want to play. We got to do that. Staying out of the box is going to be a big priority. We've got to find ways to not take those penalties."

The Mammoth have now dropped three straight games. They have now dropped to the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. They now have five everyday players out with injuries. It’s a frustrating time right now for the team.

Goaltending hasn’t been good either for quite some time. While Sebastian Cossa wasn’t necessarily bad, he put up an .821 save percentage. You can blame the blueline for a couple of those goals, but goaltending still needs to start consistently posting a .890 save percentage or better, and neither Cossa nor Karel Vejmelka has done that this season.

“I will need to look at the tape to analyze all the goals and all the scoring chances,” Tourigny said. “I think he made great saves during the game. We'll have to look at all the goals and have a better read on it.”

The Mammoth don’t get much of a break either. They play again less than 24 hours after Wednesday’s loss. The injured and the players still kicking get no rest. Perhaps giving someone like Ben McCartney a chance in the lineup might inject some life into the lineup. Whatever can give them energy, the Mammoth need to do it.

In the locker room, it’s simple. Whether the coaches and general managers do something to energize the team, the locker room needs to rise and step up. The Mammoth need everyone at their best. That hasn’t happened recently. It needs to start now if the Mammoth want to start winning again.

“We talk about adversity, and these are the moments when we all need to rise up,” Crouse said. “Everyone in the locker room needs to demand more of themselves, and that's what we're going to do.”

The Golden Knights are a good team. They deserved to win Wednesday’s game. To make the playoffs, though, the Mammoth need to win those tough games, and they need to start doing it soon to keep pace with the rest of the Western Conference.

The Mammoth will play the St. Louis Blues next on Thursday at the Delta Center. The Blues are 8-8-2 and are coming off a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights returned to T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday, looking to carry the momentum of a successful road trip into their homestand.

For one dominant period, they looked every bit like a team finding its offensive rhythm.

Ivan Barbashev scored twice, Victor Olofsson finished with a goal and two assists, and Mitch Marner collected three assists as the Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth, 5-3.

WEDNESDAY KNIGHT WINS 🦩 pic.twitter.com/HTxRqjc4UZ

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 12, 2026

Vegas erupted for three goals in the second period, using relentless puck pursuit, sustained offensive-zone pressure and opportunistic finishing to take control of the game.

After completing a 3-0-1 road trip that featured disciplined defensive hockey and timely goaltending, the Golden Knights demonstrated they could combine that same defensive commitment with an aggressive offensive attack.

The victory wasn't without adversity.

Utah trimmed a three-goal deficit to one in the third period, but Brett Howden delivered a timely response to restore Vegas' two-goal advantage and extinguish the Mammoth's comeback hopes.

"I thought we did a good job of getting back to our game whenever we kind of felt like the momentum shifted," Howden said. "Whatever line was going out there, we kind of needed a pushback. I thought we did a good job of getting the game back in our hands."

The performance also highlighted the growing chemistry between Barbashev, Olofsson and Tomas Hertl, a combination that repeatedly frustrated Utah with extended offensive-zone possessions.

Olofsson said the Golden Knights' ability to keep the Mammoth defending for long stretches proved particularly important.

"I think we played quick," Olofsson said. "We played most of it in their end and had a lot of long shifts. I felt like they couldn't really get off the ice."

Key Moment: Howdy Howden!

The Golden Knights had already established control with a three-goal second period, but Utah refused to go quietly.

After the Mammoth cut Vegas' lead to 4-3 in the third, Howden answered just 72 seconds later, redirecting a shot from William Karlsson into the net to restore the two-goal cushion.

The goal represented exactly the type of response the Golden Knights needed after allowing Utah to regain momentum.

Interestingly, Howden wasn't entirely certain how the puck had entered the net.

"Carly said he didn't really have much of a play, so he just tried getting it on net," Howden said. "I just tried finding my way to the net. Didn't even see it. Just somehow went off me and in."

Score correction: 🗣️ Brett Howden makes it 5-3!! Hand up, that one's on me, guys! pic.twitter.com/vEY1DeA6yX

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 12, 2026

Howden acknowledged he initially wasn't sure whether the puck had struck him or his stick, and the confusion continued during the celebration.

"I felt like I knew that it hit me, but afterwards I looked up and I seen that he was celebrating," Howden said. "I kind of felt bad. I wasn't really sure, so I kind of apologized to him on the bench."

The goal also illustrated the importance of maintaining an aggressive approach rather than allowing Utah to dictate the closing minutes.

Howden said the Golden Knights recognized the need to remain disciplined, particularly when the game became increasingly physical.

"When that happens, especially the way the game was going, I thought we had full control of the game," he said. "We were just trying to stay with that, just trying to play hard and play an honest game and keep the momentum going for our team."

Key Stat: 3 in 5:09

The Golden Knights scored three goals in a span of 5:09 during the second period, transforming a 1-1 game into a commanding 4-1 advantage.

Olofsson broke the tie with a power-play goal at 3:07, Barbashev followed at 4:51 and added his second at 8:16.

Goal of the year candidate from Barbie??? 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/xYND320St4

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 12, 2026

The offensive explosion demonstrated how effective Vegas can be when it combines quick puck movement with extended possessions and a willingness to attack the net.

Vegas also scored twice on the power play, with Jack Eichel opening the scoring at 2:15 of the first period.

But the second-period dominance wasn't simply a product of finishing opportunities. It was the result of forcing Utah into extended defensive shifts and limiting the Mammoth's ability to generate offense through the neutral zone.

Olofsson said the Golden Knights deliberately exploited the second period's long change.

"That was kind of how we wanted to spend the second period, taking advantage of the long changes," he said.

The defensive commitment was equally important against a Utah team capable of creating dangerous opportunities in transition.

"We were very disciplined, picking guys up, and didn't give them any easy offense that way," Olofsson said. "We didn't have too many turnovers as well that gave them free offense."

Howden believed the team's increased willingness to attack the net also made a difference.

"We had more of that net mentality, more of that attack mindset," he said. "Good things happen when you have that mindset."

What a Knight: Victor Olofsson

Olofsson continues to make his presence felt as he works his way back into the Golden Knights' lineup.

The veteran winger finished with a goal and two assists, playing a significant role in Vegas' second-period surge while helping establish his line with Barbashev and Hertl as an increasingly productive combination.

Vic on the power play just hits different 😤 pic.twitter.com/L1thrlUsSt

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 12, 2026

Olofsson's return has provided another offensive weapon for a team that has relied heavily on defensive structure and opportunistic scoring during its recent stretch of success.

And his chemistry with his linemates was evident throughout Wednesday's victory.

Perhaps the most entertaining moment came when Olofsson was asked about his setup on one of Barbashev's goals.

The pass, as it turned out, wasn't exactly intentional.

"Unfortunately, it's not, but I wish," Olofsson said. "I fanned on that pretty good and ended up being a perfect pass."

The accidental assist was only part of an impressive offensive performance.

“There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.”

- Victor Olofsson, probably 😂 pic.twitter.com/ZEH1Xocucy

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 12, 2026

Olofsson also watched Barbashev produce one of the game's most spectacular individual efforts, maneuvering through Utah defenders before finishing a highlight-reel goal.

"It was absolutely disgusting," Olofsson said. "He turned a couple guys inside out. It was just cool to see. I was so close, I just watched the whole play."

Beyond his three-point performance, Olofsson's improving physical condition offers another encouraging development for Vegas.

"Better and better," he said when asked how he feels after returning from injury. "I think it's been a little rusty, but it feels like I'm getting there and feel more confident. Even my legs feel a little bit better now after a few games."

Olofsson also praised the chemistry developing with Barbashev and Hertl, noting their ability to protect the puck and create space for one another.

"They're really good passers, both of them," he said. "They're strong on the puck and can protect it well. I try to find that open ice, and they've been finding me nicely out there."

For a Golden Knights team looking to build on its successful road trip, Olofsson's continued improvement could prove especially valuable as the homestand progresses.

Up Next

The Golden Knights continue their homestand Friday when they host the Nashville Predators at T-Mobile Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. Pacific.

Vegas will look to build on Wednesday's offensive performance while maintaining the defensive discipline that has fueled its recent success.

With contributions coming from throughout the lineup, improving chemistry among its forward combinations and a willingness to respond when opponents seize momentum, the Golden Knights are showing signs of becoming a more complete team.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Ben Kindel scored in regulation and had the lone shootout goal and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Wednesday night after blowing a two-goal lead in third period.

San Jose star Macklin Celebrini scored with 8:28 left, and set up Mason Marchment’s tying goal with 4:11 remaining.

The Penguins then survived a San Jose power play for the final 43 seconds of overtime after Kris Letang was sent off for holding Sam Dickinson's stick.

Sergei Murashov made 34 saves for the Penguins through overtime, then ended the tiebreaker by stopping Will Smith in the third round. Kindel scored on the first attempt of the shootout.

Samuel Girard opened the scoring for Pittsburgh on a slap shot at 8:57 of the first period, and Kindel connected on a power play at 3:28 of the third.

Yaroslav Askarov stopped 33 shots for San Jose.

Up next

Penguins: Host Ottawa on Saturday night.

Sharks: At Utah on Saturday night.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Pregame

Some line tinkering from the last game. Rutger McGroarty is back in the lineup and Ville Koivunen returns from injury. Hendrix Lapierre and Andrei Kuzmenko take a seat to make way. Tommy Novak bumps back to center and Nick Robertson is elevated up a couple rungs. Sergei Murashov gets the start.

Hockey 🔜! pic.twitter.com/JLFgSGBbnA

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 12, 2026

The San Jose Sharks are bringing this lineup to the table and match the 22-year old Murashov with a 24-year old Russian starting goalie of their own in Yaroslav Askarov.

#SJSharks lines, d-pairs in warm-ups.

Misa-Celebrini-Smith
Marchment-Wennberg-Sherwood
Stenberg-Dellandrea-Toffoli
Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Graf

Nurse-Kesselring
Dickinson-Trouba
Orlov-Pohlkamp

Askarov

— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) November 12, 2026

First period

Fun start with both teams exchanging scoring chances. Pittsburgh gets the first power play when Evgeni Malkin feeds Rickard Rakell up the middle and Rakell gets tripped. They don’t score on it but the second group plays active hockey in the zone for a minute. The power play expires and a forward peels off to change for Sam Girard to get on the ice for a second defenseman. Malkin spots Girard and bumps the puck over for Girard to lean into a long-range shot. It goes in. 1-0 Pens early.

MAKE WAY FOR SAMMY G ‼️ pic.twitter.com/WTK5G3rpfV

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 12, 2026

Game continues along, Malkin gets whistled for hooking with 4:33 to go in the period to get a first look at the San Jose power play. The penalty kill holds up.

Fun period and a good one for the Penguins. Shots are 12-11 SJ, the Pittsburgh power play was the better of each team getting one chance on it, leading to a carryover goal at even strength.

Second period

San Jose starts the period strong, Ben Kindel takes an interference penalty as some rush chances for SJ start to mount. The Pens’ PK kills it off again, Murashov standing tall to take away the top of the net.

As we hit the first TV timeout, shots on goal for the period are 7-0 San Jose. Blake Lizotte did chip an attempt just wide but it’s been few and far between to start the second for the Pens holding pucks anywhere close to the net, and more often than not they don’t hold it anywhere at all.

Pittsburgh gets a shot, though no sustained pressure. A bit of inconsistent officiating has some things not being called, Girard does take a penalty when his holding goes a bit too far. He’s very unhappy and the team at-large looks to be getting frustrated by the refs.

The Sharks get a close call, Macklin Celebrini has a shot from right in front, Murashov makes a huge save. Ivar Stenberg drives to the net, knocks the fluttering puck off the top of the net and bats the puck into the goal with his hand. Officials rule no goal then go to a video review to take another look.

SERGEI MURASHOV SAYS NO 🙅‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/3Y36CsTOxC

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) November 12, 2026

It takes a long time for them to eventually uphold the ruling of no goal. The PK does the work for the rest of the penalty time.

The Pens finally start making a push late in the period and Sidney Crosby draws the second Pittsburgh power play of the game. No dice.

Pittsburgh plays their best part of the period in the last minute or so. Egor Chinakhov and Kindel nearly hook up for a goal. Malkin was skating all over the ice against a tired defense virtually standing still. Clock runs out before there can be a payoff.

Shots in the period are 10-8 San Jose, and it felt more lopsided than that as far as which team was controlling the majority of play. Overall shots are 22-17 SJ. Somehow, the score is only 1-0 after 40 minutes.

Third period

Close call for a possible Penguin goal 20 seconds into the third. Crosby tried to pass it low, ended up hitting the end boards and going into Askarov’s feet as he jammed to the post. Rakell follows up trying to picklestab it in. It’s not clear the whole puck goes all the way over the line so the review comes up confirming the no goal call from the original play.

It’s mostly all Pens early, they draw a power play and score on it this time. Kindel hangs out on the farside as the puck gets worked around, Erik Karlsson hammers one on net, rebound gets to Kindel and he quickly whips it to the top of the net. 2-0 Pens with 16:32 to go.

Kindy isn't missing point blank 😤

Penguins up 2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/2xDaWjRPRo

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) November 12, 2026

Celebrini and Kaedan Korczak get tangled up, nearly fight. Korczak takes four minutes worth of penalties to only two for Celebrini. Pittsburgh PK improves to 4/4 on the night.

The Sharks start to fight the clock. Murashov robs Michael Kesselring from right in front on another sterling save, sadly seconds later concedes his first goal. It takes a quick pass and Celebrini double-clutching to change the angle to finally beat Murashov for the first time on the 33rd shot he saw. 2-1 Pens with 8:28 to go.

CELEBRINI GETS THE SHARKS WITHIN 1 🔥🚨 pic.twitter.com/G1zBbVNDAO

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

The Sharks stay after it and tie the game with 4:11 to go. The Pens just can’t get the puck out of the zone and Celebrini makes a play on a hard pass that Mason Marchment just has to hold his hands on the stick to knock the puck in. 2-2.

THE @SANJOSESHARKS TIE IT LATE IN THE THIRD!!! 🦈

AND MACKLIN CELEBRINI NOW HAS 201 POINTS! pic.twitter.com/MOtTb3lOkb

— NHL (@NHL) November 12, 2026

Regulation ends before anymore mayhem can ensue. Celebrini put his stamp on the game and helps get the Sharks some kind of result after 60 minutes.

Overtime

The Pens own the puck for the first 82 seconds of OT, Askarov stops Crosby and holds the puck to get a whistle and break that flow. They win that faceoff and hog the puck until the Sharks finally touch it with about 2:15 to play.

SJ gets an offensive zone faceoff and they burn their timeout with 2:08 to play to give their best players a rest.

Doesn’t work, the Big Three of the Pens get a 3-on-2 rush. They all touch the puck but the setup doesn’t go. That leads to a Sam Dickinson breakaway, he doesn’t score. The puck goes to the corner, Letang is trying to get a whistle on top of the puck, battling with Dickinson. He gets a penalty for holding the stick of a guy digging the stick into him aggressively. San Jose to a 4v3 power play with 42 seconds to play. They can’t beat the clock.

Shootout

Kindel starts the shootout, drifts to the left wall, cuts back in and snaps a quick, low shot by Askarov. 1-0.

The Sharks waste no time with Celebrini, his shot isn’t on target after Murashov out-waited him.

—

Crosby gets the chance to turn the pressure up, his move to the backhand doesn’t quite work.

Stenberg goes next, he’s stopped by Murashov.

—

Rakell has the chance to end the game. His high shot is stopped by Askarov.

Will Smith has to score, he can’t beat Murashov low.

Pens survive.

Some thoughts

• The last three games in California were good ones for Evgeni Malkin, six assists for the big guy. Quality stuff for him.
• How’s this for a crazy stat: the Sharks have dressed seven players this season (including five in the game tonight) born after Malkin was drafted by the Pens in 2004.
• Girard scored a goal after not even practicing Tuesday, coming after a day off for the whole team on Monday. That’s usually not a good sign and he’s been likely grinding through a minor injury/issue for a while now. Given the LD situation, it almost goes without saying but this team needs Girard right now in the lineup and they need him to be at his best.
• Really liked how the personnel changes ended up working for the power play. The first group was Crosby, Kindel, Novak, Rakell and Karlsson. Malkin joined Brazeau, Chinakhov, Koivunen and Letang for the second. The first goal was born from power play possession carrying over, the second goal was on the power play. More than that, both groups looked better in the movement of players and the puck. Maybe a base to build upon, if nothing else.
• Erik Karlsson racked up 12 official shot attempts (was even more, one shot/pass tipped on net I noticed didn’t count) coming after 19 shot attempts last game against Anaheim (eight of which were on goal). You can tell he’s making an obvious effort to put that booming shot towards the net at just about every possible opportunity these days. His play on the SJ tying goal wasn’t as lovely.
• Chinakhov was flying all night long. Four SOG, 10 total attempts. His skating was a lot more noticeable to pull up alongside a defenseman’s gap and then beat him with speed around the edge. You get the feeling the offensive breakout is coming at this rate.
• Tip of the cap for Murashov, he was excellent all game long. Had the look of a confident goalie, at times setting up to make saves about a foot in front of the crease. His point blank stop on Celebrini in the second period is a chance from that caliber of player that ends up in the net more often than not. It’s not hard to see how aggressive, active and athletic he is and at times see what looks like a young Marc-Andre Fleury back there. Also like Fleury, if Murashov can make it through the first part and build his confidence, it really shows and usually carries over into a good night. This one was better than good.
• Will Smith’s white skates, in my mind at least, are the spiritual successor for this generation’s Alex Kovalev. Always nice to see a flashy player add another little dash of flair.
• On one hand, another blown lead late in the game. We’ve all seen that before. This one doesn’t hurt as much, Murashov’s brilliance was the only reason Pittsburgh was in position to be up by two goals at any point, it was essentially an even game on the ice and the Pens were winning because of a great performance in net. Just turned out SJ got a great performance by one of the top players in the league to equal it. Sometimes it happens. Wrote this note even before the shootout happened for the record.
• We’ve said simply enough in previous recaps that the key to the shootout, of which the Penguins have struggled so mightily in recent years, would be simply employing better shooters and goaltenders. Kindel is great on them, scored tonight. Murashov’s athleticism and prowess means he should be pretty good too and he was perfect tonight in that regard. Not that complicated, just need the specialized players with those attributes, and the worm might be starting to turn in that department.
• Bob Grove pointed out tonight was the 4,600th regular season game in franchise history. Add up Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s games for Pittsburgh and you get 4,466. Obviously there’s a lot of overlapping tenures there so it’s not like they’ve played in 97% of the total individual games but sometimes you gotta sit back and remember just how much high-level virtuosos we’ve gotten a front row seat to see for all these years.

The Pens go 2-1 in their swing through California and survive tonight to make it a successful trip. Now it’s time to go back to the ‘Burgh, next game coming up on Saturday night.

The Penguins got on the board early, as defenseman Samuel Girard scored his second of the season just moments after Jacob Trouba got done serving a tripping penalty and returned to the ice. Girard has always had success against the Sharks, as this was his sixth goal, and 18th overall point, in 26 games against San Jose.

Just after the halfway point in the second period, the Sharks thought they tied it up but the officials adamantly signaled no goal as the puck had been batted in by Ivar Stenberg's body rather than his stick. Following a very lengthy review, and a strange decision by the SAP Center's DJ to play 'Let It Be,' the call on the ice was confirmed. 

Egor Chinakhov nearly scored his fourth of the night in a scramble late in the second period, but found iron instead of nylon. The Sharks were tired as the Penguins sustained pressure for quite a while, but they were able to survive until the end of the period thanks to some big defensive plays and saves by Yaroslav Askarov.

There was a second review just 20 seconds into the third period, as the Penguins believed they had scored but it was impossible to tell whether or not the puck had fully crossed the goal line. After a much quicker review this time, the result was the same as the official confirmed the call of no goal.

Ben Kindel scored his fourth goal of the season as Zack Ostapchuk sat in the penalty box at 3:28 in the third period.

Macklin Celebrini denied Sergei Murashov of his second career shutout with just over eight minutes remaining in the third period, bringing energy back into the SAP Center.

BREAKING: Macklin Celebrini Becomes Fifth-Youngest Player to Record 200th Career PointMacklin Celebrini is now the fifth-youngest player in NHL history to record 200 career points. 

That energy was sustained as Mason Marchment redirected a pass from Celebrini past Murashov to tie things up with 4:11 remaining in regulation. It was the 100th goal of Marchment's career.

Once again, 60 minutes wouldn't be enough to decide a winner and the game ended up going to overtime. Kris Letang took a holding penalty with just 42 seconds remaining in overtime, giving the Sharks a very abbreviated opportunity to find a winning goal. 

The game would ultimately go into a shootout and the Sharks' comeback attempt was spoiled by Ben Kindel who had the lone goal.

Macklin Celebrini is now the fifth-youngest player in NHL history to record 200 career points. 

Late in the San Jose Sharks’ game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Celebrini broke up Sergei Murashov’s shutout to bring the Sharks within one goal with just over eight minutes remaining in the third period. That goal marked the 200th point of Celebrini’s career, coming in his 171st game in the NHL.

At 20 years and 151 days, Celebrini became the fifth-youngest player in league history to hit the milestone. He trails only Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky, Jimmy Carson, and Mario Lemieux. 

“That doesn't really happen without the guys in this room, the guys I play with, and all the plays that they make and all the work that they put in,” Celebrini said postgame. 

Celebrini also became just the 14th player in NHL history to pass the 200-point plateau before the age of 21 and is the fifth-fastest active player to reach the milestone.

Celebrini then went on to add his 201st point in the same game, assisting on Mason Marchment’s 100th career goal, which sent the game into overtime.

According to Sharks PR, Celebrini is the fastest player to start their career with the Sharks to hit the milestone as well beating out Logan Couture’s prior record of 273 games.

"We've seen it right since the moment we drafted him," Ryan Warsofsky said of Celebrini's milestone. "He's a special player, special person. Worked extremely hard at his craft and it's an honor that he did that. He's a big part of our team. I think he's probably more disappointed in not getting two points, and that just shows who he is."

Just three seasons into his career, Macklin Celebrini is barely scraping his potential ceiling, yet he’s continuing to make history.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mark Stone had an early assist to move within two points of breaking Vegas’ career scoring record, Ivan Barbashev scored twice in the second period and the Golden Knights beat the Utah Mammoth 5-3 on Wednesday night.

Stone helped set up Jack Eichel's power-play goal at 2:15 of the first period to push his Vegas total to 416 points, one off Jonathan Marchessault's mark.

Carter Hart made 14 saves to help Vegas open a five-game homestand with its fourth straight victory. Mitch Marner had three assists.

Victor Olofsson made it 2-1 on a power play at 3:07 of the second, then set up Barbashev's goals at 4:51 and 8:16 — the second on a breakaway.

After Dmitri Simashev pulled Utah to 4-3 at 9:07 of the third, Brett Howden slipped a shot through traffic 1:12 later to push the lead back to two goals.

Lawson Crouse scored for Utah in the first period and set up Jack McBain’s second-period goal.

Sebastian Cossa stopped 23 shots for the Mammoth.

Up next

Mammoth: Host St. Louis on Thursday night.

Golden Knights: Host Nashville on Friday night.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov had a natural hat trick and an assist — all in the third period — and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Buffalo Sabres 8-3 on Wednesday night for their fourth victory in five games.

Kucherov, the Russian star who requested a trade Oct. 30, had his eighth NHL hat trick after the Sabres scored three in a row to cut it to 4-3.

Brandon Hagel scored twice, John Carlson had a goal and four assists, and Scott Sabourin and Yanni Gourde also scored. Jake Guentzel had four assists, and Anthony Cirelli added three, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves.

Josh Doan, Jason Zucker and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, who have lost three of their last four. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made nine saves on 14 shots and Colten Ellis stopped five of eight shots in relief.

Thompson cut it to 4-3 33 seconds into the third period, but Kucherov soon took over, scoring his first two in a 2:46 span.

RANGERS 3, FLAMES 1

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Mika Zibanejad scored twice in the second period, Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves and New York beat Calgary for its fourth victory in five games.

Tye Kartye, into an empty net, also scored for New York (11-8-1).

Adam Klapka scored for Calgary (8-10-1). Devin Cooley stopped 21 shots.

Zibanejad opened the scoring 59 seconds into the second period.

Halfway through the second, Zibanejad fired a one-timer on a power play past Cooley after being setup on a cross-ice pass from Pavel Dorofeyev.

Glenn Gawdin, who broke into the NHL with the Flames, made his New York debut at fourth-line center. It was his 14th NHL game and first since March 6, 2024.

OILERS 3, FLYERS 2, OT

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Evan Bouchard scored on a one-timer from the left side 47 seconds into overtime and Edmonton beat Philadelphia for its third straight victory.

Bouchard leads NHL defenseman with 11 goals.

Connor McDavid picked up an assist in the second period to extend his season-starting points streak to 20 games, tying his career high and becoming the eighth player in NHL history with multiple 20-game streaks. The Oilers captain leads the league with 49 points.

Zach Hyman scored twice for Edmonton (14-3-3), which matched its second-best start in franchise history through 20 games. The Oilers are 12-0-2 when they score first this season.

Tristan Jarry made 30 saves to improve to 5-1-3.

Tyson Foerster and Travis Sanheim scored for Philadelphia (5-10-6), which has lost four of its last five. Dan Vladar stopped 21 shots.

VEGAS 5, UTAH 3

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mark Stone had an early assist to move within two points of breaking Vegas’ career scoring record, Ivan Barbashev scored twice in the second period and the Golden Knights beat Utah.

Stone helped set up Jack Eichel’s power-play goal at 2:15 of the first period to push his Vegas total to 416 points, one off Jonathan Marchessault’s mark.

Carter Hart made 14 saves to help Vegas open a five-game homestand with its fourth straight victory. Mitch Marner had three assists.

Victor Olofsson made it 2-1 on a power play at 3:07 of the second, then set up Barbashev’s goals at 4:51 and 8:16 — the second on a breakaway.

After Dmitri Simashev pulled Utah to 4-3 at 9:07 of the third, Brett Howden slipped a shot through traffic 1:12 later to push the lead back to two goals.

Lawson Crouse scored for Utah in the first period and set up Jack McBain’s second-period goal.

Sebastian Cossa stopped 23 shots for the Mammoth.

PREDATORS 4, DUCKS 2

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shane Wright, Nils Hoglander and Jayden Struble had a goal and an assist apiece, and Nashville extended its winning streak to six games with a victory over Anaheim.

Hoglander put Nashville ahead with a remarkable between-the-legs goal in the second period, and Justus Annunen made 27 saves to win his fourth consecutive start. Steven Stamkos also scored late in the third period.

One night after a comfortable shutout in Los Angeles, the Predators completed the Southern California sweep by cooling down the surging Ducks, whose five-game winning streak ended.

Cutter Gauthier extended the NHL’s most prolific seven-game goal scoring binge in more than three decades with a first-period score for Anaheim. Captain Mikael Granlund also had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who had been the first team since the 1988-89 Los Angeles Kings to score at least five goals in eight consecutive games.

Laurent Brossoit stopped 18 shots in his first loss in his five starts for Anaheim. The Ducks’ power play went 0 for 3 after scoring in eight consecutive games since Oct. 22.

PENGUINS 3, SHARKS 2, SO

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Ben Kindel scored in regulation and had the lone shootout goal and Pittsburgh beat San Jose after blowing a two-goal lead in third period.

San Jose star Macklin Celebrini scored with 8:28 left, and set up Mason Marchment’s tying goal with 4:11 remaining.

The Penguins then survived a San Jose power play for the final 43 seconds of overtime after Kris Letang was sent off for holding Sam Dickinson’s stick.

Sergei Murashov made 34 saves for the Penguins through overtime, then ended the tiebreaker by stopping Will Smith in the third round. Kindel scored on the first attempt of the shootout.

Samuel Girard opened the scoring for Pittsburgh on a slap shot at 8:57 of the first period, and Kindel connected on a power play at 3:28 of the third.

Yaroslav Askarov stopped 33 shots for San Jose.

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Evan Bouchard scored on a one-timer from the left side 47 seconds into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.

Bouchard leads NHL defenseman with 11 goals.

Connor McDavid picked up an assist in the second period to extend his season-starting points streak to 20 games, tying his career high and becoming the eighth player in NHL history with multiple 20-game streaks. The Oilers captain leads the league with 49 points.

Zach Hyman scored twice for Edmonton (14-3-3), which matched its second-best start in franchise history through 20 games. The Oilers are 12-0-2 when they score first this season.

Tristan Jarry made 30 saves to improve to 5-1-3.

Tyson Foerster and Travis Sanheim scored for Philadelphia (5-10-6), which has lost four of its last five. Dan Vladar stopped 21 shots.

Philadelphia defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returned after missing seven games after aggravating an upper-body injury he suffered against Anaheim on Oct. 24.

Up next

Flyers: At Columbus on Saturday night.

Oilers: At Toronto on Saturday night.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

The Vancouver Canucks seem to have developed a fondness for former Ottawa Senators.

Both players the Senators have lost on waivers this season are now members of the Canucks organization, following Vancouver's claim of defenceman Cameron Crotty from the Minnesota Wild this week.

The Senators placed Crotty on waivers in late October, hoping to send him to Belleville. Instead, the Minnesota Wild claimed the 27-year-old Ottawa native, bringing his time with his hometown club to an end.

But Crotty's NHL stay in Minnesota turned out to be brief.

This week, the Wild attempted to send him to their own AHL affiliate by placing him back on waivers. That's when the Canucks stepped in, putting in a successful claim of their own.

Crotty was originally selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3, right-shot defenceman appeared in six games for the Senators last season and another three this season before being placed on waivers.

He was primarily a depth option for the Senators, providing insurance on D while splitting his time between the NHL and AHL.

In hindsight, the Sens might have been wise to keep Crotty around as their seventh D instead of 21-year-old Carter Yakemchuk, who's been a healthy scratch in five the past six games.

As for Meriläinen, the Canucks got him directly from the Senators on September 25 after the Senators exposed him to waivers during training camp. Meriläinen will best be remembered here for his fantastic run as the club's emergency starter two years ago. 

In 12 appearances in relief of injured goalies Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg, Meriläinen went 8-3-1 with a 1.99 goals against average and a .925 save percentage. Without him, the Sens probably would have missed the playoffs for an eighth straight season.

That led the Sens to believe he was ready for full-time backup duty last season, but things didn't pan out. He appeared in 20 NHL games, posting an 8-10-1 record with a 3.51 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage. He was eventually sent back to Belleville and replaced with free agent backup James Reimer.

Crotty and Meriläinen weren't expected to play a major role in Ottawa this season, but losing both assets for nothing wasn't ideal. That's how it goes when you have a team with depth. The rules are set up to make sure NHL-level players don't get buried in the minors.

Of course, both men are glad to be wanted in the NHL, but at 3-16-1, they're now hoping the Canucks have better days ahead.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa