Islanders' playoff chances take major hit after 3-0 loss to Senators

NEW YORK (AP) — Ridly Greig scored a short-handed goal, Linus Ullmark stopped all 23 shots he faced and the Ottawa Senators moved to the verge of clinching a playoff spot by shutting out the New York Islanders 3-0 on Saturday.

Ottawa is in if Detroit loses at home in regulation to New Jersey. The Islanders’ hopes took another hit with a fifth loss in six games.

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk took a puck up high late in the second period, returned for one shift in the third and then did not return.

Greig made it a 1-0 game with 6:54 remaining in the first. Jake Sanderson scored in the third, and Michael Amadio sealed it with an empty-netter. The Islanders went 0 for 5 on the power play.

New York is now 1-1 since firing coach Patrick Roy and hiring Peter DeBoer as his replacement. Ilya Sorokin allowed two goals on 15 shots.

Up next

Senators: Visit the Devils on Sunday night.

Islanders: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.

Senators move to the verge of clinching a playoff spot by beating the Islanders 3-0

NEW YORK (AP) — Ridly Greig scored a short-handed goal, Linus Ullmark stopped all 23 shots he faced and the Ottawa Senators moved to the verge of clinching a playoff spot by shutting out the New York Islanders 3-0 on Saturday.

Ottawa is in if Detroit loses at home in regulation to New Jersey. The Islanders' hopes took another hit with a fifth loss in six games.

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk took a puck up high late in the second period, returned for one shift in the third and then did not return.

Greig made it a 1-0 game with 6:54 remaining in the first. Jake Sanderson scored in the third, and Michael Amadio sealed it with an empty-netter. The Islanders went 0 for 5 on the power play.

New York is now 1-1 since firing coach Patrick Roy and hiring Peter DeBoer as his replacement. Ilya Sorokin allowed two goals on 15 shots.

Up next

Senators: Visit the Devils on Sunday night.

Islanders: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.

___

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

___

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

Canucks Recall Defenceman Kirill Kudryavtsev From The AHL

It appears the Vancouver Canucks are looking to get more of their young players into the lineup ahead of the end of the season. Earlier today, the team announced that they have recalled defenceman Kirill Kudryavtsev from the AHL. 

Despite the Abbotsford Canucks’ less than stellar season, Kudryavtsev has played solidly on a roster that has seen lots of change throughout the past few months. He has scored two goals and 16 assists in 42 games played at the AHL level, ranking fourth on the team in points by a defenceman (third of those who have spent the entire season with Abbotsford). 

Kudryavtsev made his NHL debut last year on April 14 against the San Jose Sharks and also played against the Vegas Golden Knights on April 16. The defenceman has yet to make his Canucks debut this season but was recalled in October as a result of Vancouver’s injury issues.  

Both Vancouver and Abbotsford will play later tonight, with the Canucks facing the Sharks at 7:00 pm PT and Abbotsford taking on the Calgary Wranglers at 5:00 pm PT. 

Apr 14, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev (59) makes his NHL debut in warm prior to a game against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Apr 14, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev (59) makes his NHL debut in warm prior to a game against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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Gamethread: Capitals @ Penguins

PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 06: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals carries the puck against Ryan Shea #5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 6, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

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Preview: A Visit From Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 27: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates with the puck against Pavel Dorofeyev #16 of the Vegas Golden Knights as Alexander Holtz #26 of the Golden Knights looks on in the first period of their game at T-Mobile Arena on December 27, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Colorado Avalanche, fresh off a Presidents Trophy-clinching performance on Thursday, play their final weekend game of the regular season tonight.

After a three and a half month hiatus, they will wrap up the season series against the Vegas Golden Knights, who pay their only(?) visit to the Mile High City this spring.

Colorado Avalanche (52-16-10)

The Opponent: Vegas Golden Knights (36-26-17)

Time: 6:00 P.M. MDT/8:00 P.M. EDT

Watch: ABC, ESPN (US National Broadcast), SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Outside Colorado and Vegas broadcast areas – Canada)

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM

Colorado Avalanche

As mentioned above, the Avalanche secured their rightful place as the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and League standings in their 3-1 defeat of the Calgary Flames on Thursday night. Gabe Landeskog would open the scoring late in the first period, and Martin Nečas scored on a pretty play as he skated through the Calgary defense to double the lead in the second period. A sleepy third period (and an extra skater in place of goaltender Dustin Wolf late in the frame) cracked open the door for Calgary, who had a tying goal wiped out due to a successful offside challenge by Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. Nathan MacKinnon would ice the game on an empty net goal late in regulation for his League-leading 52nd goal of the season, ensuring that Colorado would claim the fourth Presidents Trophy in franchise history. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 28 of 29 shots for his 22nd win of the season.

With the win, Avs locked in home ice advantage throughout the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs. With their position as the top seed in the playoffs now secured, Bednar has the option to rest players up and down the lineup. Speaking on the option to rest some players leading up to the end of the season, he said, “I’d like to see all of our guys play games yet before the playoffs […] If they’re able to play, we’ll get them as much rest as we can in between games, and then some guys, I’m going to try to get some guys a little bit of a breather that, I think, could probably benefit from it.”

Tonight wraps up the three game series against Vegas, with the Avs having won both of the previous two games. The last time both teams met was coming out of the holiday break back on December 27 at T-Mobile Arena. With Vegas leading 4-2 at the beginning of the third period, Nečas and MacKinnon would score to pull the Avs back on even footing, and despite falling behind with four minutes to play in regulation, a goal from Artturi Lehkonen with under two minutes pushed the game to overtime. Neither team scored in the extra session, and MacKinnon scored the shootout winning goal to complete the comeback as the Avs walked out with a 6-5 decision.

MacKinnon remains atop the League lead in goals coming into tonight’s game, having set a career high with his 52nd goal of the season on Thursday. With four games remaining in the regular season, his 126 points ranks third behind Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov (128) and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (133). Nečas is two goals shy of his first ever 40 goal season, and two points away from his first 100 point season. Bednar indicated that Nazem Kadri will require further evaluation before rejoining the lineup, and he expects Cale Makar to return to action prior to the end of the season.

Scott Wedgewood is likely to start in goal for the Avs tonight. A win against Vegas would see him reach the thirty win mark for the first time in his career.

Projected Lineup

Forwards:
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas
Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton – Nicolas Roy – Joel Kiviranta
Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Logan O’Connor

Defense:
Devon Toews – Sam Malinski
Brett Kulak – Josh Manson
Nick Blankenburg – Brent Burns

Between the Pipes:
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood

Vegas Golden Knights

A hot start that saw Vegas begin the season with a near identical record to Colorado through the month of October was derailed by a combination of injuries to key personnel: forwards Jack Eichel, William Karlsson Brandon Saad, Colton Sissons, Mark Stone, defensemen Brayden McNabb, Noah Hanafin, Jérémy Lauzon, and goaltenders Adin Hill and Carter Hart all missed time throughout the season. Even with so many injuries through their lineup, Vegas strung together several modest winning streaks through the year, including a stretch that saw them win seven straight games in January. However, they struggled to maintain their winning ways, winning only five games coming out of the Olympic break, and those hardships would only continue through February and March. As the season winds down, Vegas finds themselves tied with the Anaheim Ducks in points (89), but due to tiebreakers, currently occupy second place in the porous Pacific Division.

This isn’t the same Vegas team that previously faced Colorado back in December. They made their first trade of 2026 in January, sending longtime defenseman Zach Whitecloud, defenseman Abram Wiebe, a 2027 first round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick in 2028 to Calgary for defenseman Rasmus Andersson. Leading up to the trade deadline, they acquired depth forward Cole Smith from Nashville for defenseman Christoffer Sedoff and a 2028 third round pick, and forward Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals for goaltender Jesper Vikman, a 2027 third round pick, a 2029 second round pick.

Vegas didn’t limit themselves to roster makeovers this season. On March 29, head coach Bruce Cassidy was relieved of his head coaching duties, replacing him with John Tortorella in an interim capacity. Vegas marks the seventh stop for the two-time Jack Adams and former Stanley Cup-winning coach. The team responded with a four game winning streak to kick off the Tortorella era, which came to an end this past Thursday in a 4-3 shootout decision against the Seattle Kraken. Tortorella has yet to lose in regulation in his short time behind the Vegas bench, and a win tonight against Colorado could make things interesting in the chase for first place in the Pacific. The Edmonton Oilers, who currently lead the division, face the Los Angeles Kings this afternoon. By the time the puck drops in Denver, Vegas will know whether if they’re in a position to overtake Edmonton for the top spot, or if they’re still chasing them down. As of this writing, neither team has clinched a playoff spot, but the outcomes of both games could change that.

Eichel leads all Vegas skaters in points (83) and assists (58) while Mitch Marner ranks second in both categories (78 points and 55 assists, respectively). Pavel Dorofeyev leads all Vegas forwards in goals (35), while Theodore leads all Vegas defenders in goals (9), assists (29), and points (38).

This is the final road game of the season for Vegas, as they wrap up a four game road trip. Hart, who played the first three games of the road trip since (his first action since January 8), may return to the crease this evening. Hill was the goaltender of record in the loss this past Thursday in Seattle.

Vegas finishes out the regular season with a brief two game home stand against the Winnipeg Jets on April 13, and close out the regular season against Seattle on April 15.

Projected Lineup

Forwards:
Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Brett Howden – Mitch Marner – Pavel Dorofeyev
Brandon Saad – Tomáš Hertl – Colton Sissons
Cole Smith – Nic Dowd – Keegan Kolesar

Defense:
Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
Jérémy Lauzon – Ben Hutton

Between the Pipes:
Carter Hart
Adin Hill

Pittsburgh Penguins Call Up 3 Forwards From AHL

With the Pittsburgh Penguins having several players out for their contest against the Washington Capitals, they have called up multiple forwards from the AHL. 

The Penguins have announced that they have recalled Ville Koivunen, Joona Koppanen, and Rutger McGroarty from their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

Koivunen has appeared in 36 games this season for Pittsburgh, where he has recorded two goals and seven points. In the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he has 11 goals and 36 points in 32 games this season. 

Koppanen has one assist, two penalty minutes, and a minus-1 rating in 10 games this season for Pittsburgh. Down in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he has eight goals, 15 assists, 23 points, and a plus-19 rating in 42 games. 

As for McGroarty, he has two goals and five points in 21 games so far this season with Pittsburgh. He has shown clear improvement this campaign with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as he has eight goals and 30 points in 28 games with the AHL squad. 

Sabres Looking To Lock Up Home Ice With Against Hawks

The Buffalo Sabres are in a fortuitous position with less than a week to go in the regular season. The club has already locked in their first postseason berth since 2011, and after their 5-0 shutout victory over Columbus, the Sabres have over a 95% chance to secure home-ice advantage by either Montreal or Tampa Bay losing on the weekend, or the Sabres earning two points in Chicago against the Blackhawks on Monday. 

Tampa Bay and Boston play on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden, and the Blue Jackets and Canadiens face off at the Bell Centre on Saturday. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff put his group through their paces at the Harborcenter on Saturday morning and spoke to the media:

What is the status of Noah Ostlund and do you hold out any hope for him being available next weekend?

(He’s) getting better, just one of those injuries, just pain management, and as soon as we get that reduced he'll be back…… I do. Hope's the one thing you can have. He was skated this morning. He's skating every day, just trying to get through this. That's all.

How nice is it to have a two-day respite before playing the final two games?

Shocking.....we thought originally maybe off-ice again today. But then we thought there's some things we'd like to work on in a quick sense, with a turnaround, with playoffs around the corner, (we'll) probably only have maybe one more practice this week after tomorrow.

 Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Is Lindy Ruff a Jack Adams finalist?

With the power play struggling, you’ve moved Alex Tuch back on the top unit. What are you hoping for with this move?

We're going to take a look at this for a game or two, which we have that luxury. If we run it off the left side where (Dahlin), is, then we got one-timer up-top, another one timer. So we've got the hands matched up a little bit better. Before these last five games, our power player was on a pretty good pace. We've run a little bit dry, so it's now time just try something.

How has Logan Stanley fit in on the blueline?

I thought he closed his gap lot quicker. His first pass was a lot better. I think all that's related, (he) made a nice play getting up ice. But I think he plays a real predictable game. You make the easy plays and kept everybody in front of him...... I think he dealt with the year where Winnipeg lost a couple top defensemen. He was put on a power play for a while. So I think the adjustments coming here are, you're not getting quite the same role, but what he's offered us is one, one real tough guy in the back end. He does have good hands. I think we saw that the other night, that in situations where we need somebody to get up ice, he can get up ice. He's a good skater. He's physical, so I think he's a good fit. He's the type of guy you need in the playoffs.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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Former Flyers Goalie Done For The Season

While speaking to reporters, including TSN's Chris Johnston, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube announced that former Philadelphia Flyers goalie Anthony Stolarz is done for the 2025-26 season. 

Stolarz left his most recent appearance during the second period against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. Now, with this update from Berube, the former Flyers goalie officially won't be back for the rest of the season for Toronto. 

After having the best save percentage in the NHL in both 2023-24 and 2024-25, Stolarz had a down year for his standards this campaign. In 26 games this season with the Maple Leafs, he had a 10-10-3 record, an .893 save percentage, and a 3.28 goals-against average. 

Stolarz was selected by the Flyers with the 45th overall pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. In two seasons with the Flyers, he had a 6-4-4 record, a .911 save percentage, a 2.86 goals-against average, and two shutouts.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

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The Montreal Canadiens will continue their quest for the Atlantic Division crown against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, April 11.

Montreal narrowly won a 2-1 nailbiter on March 26th, which kick-started an ugly six-game losing streak for the Jackets.

My Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks suggest that an iconic milestone may be achieved for the second consecutive game at the Bell Centre.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens prediction

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens best bet: Nick Suzuki Over 1.5 points (+135)

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is just two points shy of the century mark.

Of course, his linemate Cole Caufield had his moment of glory on Thursday, becoming the first Canadiens player to score 50 goals in a season since 1989-90. Suzuki would become the first Hab to hit 100 points in exactly 40 years.

The Habs captain has tallied 33 points in 22 games since the Olympic break, and he notched a point on both Montreal goals against Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Suzuki ranks sixth in NHL scoring over the last two seasons, and a 100-point campaign would be a significant addition to his resume.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens same-game parlay

With the 50-goal monkey off his back, Caufield remains the hottest goal scorer in 2026.

Caufield has notched 28 goals in his last 30 games and 10 in his last 11. Perhaps he has an ounce of extra motivation to find twine, as he’s just two goals behind Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead.

On the topic of red-hot Habs, Jakub Dobes has been arguably the best goalie in the league over the past month.

While more aggressive and erratic than calm and prude, Dobes has allowed two or fewer goals in seven of his last nine starts (and has won seven straight for good measure), boasting a .944 save percentage during that span.

Additionally, the Columbus Blue Jackets have only scored eight goals in their last five games.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens SGP

  • Nick Suzuki Over 1.5 points
  • Cole Caufield anytime goal
  • Blue Jackets Under 2.5 team total

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens odds

  • Moneyline: Blue Jackets +110 | Canadiens -130
  • Puck Line: Blue Jackets +1.5 (-220) | Canadiens -1.5 (+180)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens trend

Montreal has won eight of the last 10 matchups against Columbus, including seven straight from Nov. 2022 to Nov. 2024. Find more NHL betting trends for Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens.

How to watch Blue Jackets vs Canadiens

LocationBell Centre, Montreal, QC
DateSaturday, April 11, 2026
Puck drop7:00 p.m. ET
TVSportsnet East

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Panthers vs Maple Leafs Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

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Two Atlantic Division rivals meet for the final time this season as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Florida Panthers.

Joseph Woll gets the call between the pipes for the Buds tonight, and my Panthers vs. Maple Leafs predictions expect another busy night for Toronto’s netminder.

Find out more in my NHL picks for Saturday, April 11.

Panthers vs Maple Leafs prediction

Panthers vs Maple Leafs best bet: Joseph Woll Over 26.5 saves (-110)

If there’s been one positive about the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, it’s been their goaltending.

Joseph Woll carries a respectable .901 save percentage this season despite plenty of difficult assignments, and he’ll likely be busy again tonight against the Florida Panthers.

The Leafs’ goaltender has faced an average of 33.1 shots against per game — the highest mark in the NHL among netminders with more than two games played.

Woll has made Over 26.5 saves in nine of his last 10 appearances, while the Panthers have recorded 26+ shots in all three of their meetings against the Maple Leafs this season.

Panthers vs Maple Leafs same-game parlay

John Tavares has improved as the season has worn on, logging a point in eight of his last 10 games.

On the Panthers' side, Sam Bennett seems to always bring his A-game against his hometown Leafs, and he’s eclipsed 2.5 shots in five of his last six contests.

The Over is also 6-3-1 in Toronto’s last 10 games.

Panthers vs Maple Leafs SGP

  • John Tavares Over 0.5 points
  • Sam Bennett Over 2.5 shots
  • Over 6.5

Panthers vs Maple Leafs odds

  • Moneyline: Panthers +110 | Maple Leafs -130
  • Puck Line: Panthers +1.5 (-215) | Maple Leafs -1.5 (+175)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-115) | Under 6.5 (-105)

Panthers vs Maple Leafs trend

Toronto has cashed the first-period game total Over in 16 of its last 20 games at home (+10.45 Units / 37% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Maple Leafs.

How to watch Panthers vs Maple Leafs

LocationScotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
DateSaturday, April 11, 2026
Puck drop7:00 p.m. ET
TVSportsnet

Panthers vs Maple Leafs latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Penguins sit stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin ahead of visit by Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The 100th meeting between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin will have to wait.

That's if it even happens at all.

The Pittsburgh Penguins scratched Crosby and longtime teammate Evgeni Malkin, among many others, just hours before Pittsburgh was scheduled to host Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

The Penguins said Crosby is day to day with a lower-body injury and Malkin is day to day with an upper-body injury. Pittsburgh also scratched forwards Ben Kindel and Bryan Rust and defensemen Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson and Parker Wotherspoon.

Crosby and Malkin have both missed games recently with injuries. Crosby didn't play for a month after injuring his knee while playing for Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Malkin has missed nearly 20 games this season with various health issues.

The decision came two days after Pittsburgh clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2022 with a victory over New Jersey. The Penguins have basically locked up second place in the Metropolitan Division with three games remaining.

Ovechkin, the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer, and the Capitals are still holding out faint hope of making the postseason. Washington is still mathematically alive but likely needs to win each of its final three games and get some help.

___

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

Kings Vs. Oilers Preview: Can LA Move Into The Top 3?

The Los Angeles Kings (33-26-19) will compete in front of their home crowd for the final time this season on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers (40-29-10). 

After pulling away against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, Los Angeles has won three games in a row and currently holds the second wild card spot, just a one-point lead ahead of the Nashville Predators. 

Adrian Kempe Leads The Way In Kings Win Over CanucksAdrian Kempe Leads The Way In Kings Win Over CanucksThe Los Angeles Kings took care of business with a victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.

 A win against Edmonton will not only give the Kings momentum heading into the playoffs, if they get there, but also put them just two points behind Vegas and Anaheim if either team loses. Right now, the Ducks and Golden Knights are tied for the second seed, and Los Angeles will have a great chance to move into the top three, assuming one of them loses their remaining games. 

Start Time and TV Schedule

Who: Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers

When: 1:00 p.m. PT

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: FanDuel Sports Network West

Projected Kings Lines

Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe

Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere

Joel Armia - Scott Laughton - Jared Wright

Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward

Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty

Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke

Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci

Anton Forsberg

Darcy Kuemper

Projected Oilers Lines

Vasily Podkolzin - Connor McDavid - Matt Savoie

Max Jones - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Kasperi Kapanen

Colton Dach - Josh Samanski - Trent Frederic

Jack Roslovic - Adam Henrique - Curtis Lazar

Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard

Darnell Nurse - Connor Murphy

Jake Walman - Ty Emberson

Connor Ingram

Tristan Jarry

Key Factors

The Oilers have had the Kings' number for years now, in both the regular season and the playoffs. But this season, the two teams have split their two meetings, with the Kings losing the humiliating February match, getting throttled 8-1 at home. 

Even with Leon Draisaitl out for the rest of the season, the Oilers are still winning, led by Connor McDavid and his heroics. With that being said, Edmonton is playing for the No. 1 seed, right now holding a one-point lead over Vegas and Anaheim, while Los Angeles continues to fight to make the postseason. 

So, both teams have something to play for, and if we see the Kings play like how they've played in their last three games, with Adrian Kempe continuing his recent hot play, Anton Forsberg being a monster under the crease, and the third line giving contributions, the Kings can absolutely win this game at home. 

With this being Los Angeles' last home game and with the Kings playing with urgency, that could work in the Kings' favor. The Kings need this game with Nashville still on their tails and a chance to continue moving up in the standings. A win against a potential playoff contender gives them momentum heading into the postseason. 

Notes and Updates

For the Kings' injury report, Alex Turcotte (undisclosed) and Andrei Kuzmenko (meniscus) will remain out.

As for the Oilers, Jason Dickinson (lower body), Leon Draisaitl (lower body), Zach Hyman (undisclosed), and Mattias Janmark (shoulder) are all out. 

Image

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Washington Capitals At Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To Watch

The Pittsburgh Penguins will play the first half of a home-and-home back-to-back against the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

Saturday's game will be in Pittsburgh, followed by Sunday's game in Washington. 

Both games are meaningless for the Penguins since they already have the second seed in the Metropolitan Division locked up. Meanwhile, the Capitals will be playing for their season this weekend, even if their playoff odds are only at 7.4% right now. 

Saturday's game could be Alex Ovechkin's last in Pittsburgh, as he's contemplating retirement this offseason. He's one of the best players in NHL history and broke Wayne Gretzky's record for the most goals in NHL history last April. He may be 40, but he still has 31 goals and 61 points in 79 games this season.

Outside of Ovechkin, the Capitals still have power forward Tom Wilson, who's having a great year with 29 goals and 59 points in 69 games. Aliaksei Protas has been fantastic, racking up 24 goals and 50 points in 73 games.

Jakob Chychrun has been the Caps' No. 1 defenseman this season with 25 goals and 59 points in 77 games. However, don't sleep on Cole Hutson. He already has three goals and eight points in 11 games since making his NHL debut in March. 

Goaltender Logan Thompson is expected to get the start for the Caps, and he's been one of the best goaltenders in the league this year. He leads the NHL with 28.1 goals saved above expected and has a .912 save percentage. 

The Penguins are resting a lot of their key starters for Saturday's game after clinching a playoff spot on Thursday, including captain Sidney Crosby. This was supposed to be the 100th all-time meeting between Crosby and Ovechkin, but it won't happen. 

Outside of Crosby, Ben Kindel, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, Parker Wotherspoon, and Kris Letang will also not play. 

Forwards Joona Koppanen, Rutger McGroarty, and Ville Koivunen have been recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. ET on ABC. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'


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Multiple Scenarios Will Officially Allow Oilers to Clinch Playoff Spot On Saturday

The Edmonton Oilers can officially clinch a spot in the 2026 NHL players on Saturday as they face the Los Angeles Kings. 

The Oilers will face off against the Kings at 4:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. and with a win, they control their own fate. However, it's not the only way they can put an x beside their name in the standings. 

Pre-game Stats: Oilers At KingsPre-game Stats: Oilers At Kings40-29-10 | 90 PTS

The Simplest Clinching Scenarios

The Oilers will officially clinch a playoff berth in any of these situations.

They earn at least one point in their game vs. the Kings. That means that if the Oilers win in regulation, OT, or a shootout, or they lose in OT/shootout (getting the loser point), they're in.

A regulation loss means they've missed an opportunity and don't clinch from their own game. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they're not in.

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Even if they get zero points (regulation loss), they still clinch if the Winnipeg Jets do NOT win in regulation against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Jets play at 7:00 p.m. ET, and if the Flyers win in any fashion (regulation, OT, or SO), or the Jets win in OT, the  Oilers clinch.

Only a Jets regulation win keeps the door open for Edmonton to potentially need more help.

How the Math Works

Edmonton leads the Pacific Division with 90 points (Vegas and Anaheim are at 89). They’re currently in a strong position for a top-three Pacific spot or wild card. 

Here’s every practical combo (assuming games finish as they can):

Other Notes

No other games tonight directly affect Edmonton’s clinch (other Western games like Vegas-Colorado or Vancouver-San Jose matter more for seeding/division than basic qualification at this point).

The Oilers have three games left, including today's, so even in the unlikely “not clinched” scenario, they’re still heavy favorites to make it.

The Oilers control their own destiny — one point tonight and it’s official. Even without it, unless the Jets blow out the Flyers in regulation, Edmonton is in.

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Canucks vs Sharks Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

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The Vancouver Canucks would love nothing more than to spoil the San Jose Sharks’ home finale tonight, as San Jose desperately chases a Wild Card berth.

A win at SAP Center would also ensure Vancouver avoids a sweep in the four-game regular-season series, and my Canucks vs. Sharks predictions have the road team dragging this one into a low-scoring slugfest.

Read more in my NHL picks for Saturday, April 11.

Canucks vs Sharks prediction

Canucks vs Sharks best bet: Under 6.5 (-105)

The Vancouver Canucks have just one win in their last 11 games. In seven of those losses, they’ve mustered two goals or fewer.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks sit four points back of a Wild Card spot in the West after scoring just a combined three goals in back-to-back losses to Edmonton and Dallas.

And yet, the books have pegged the total at 6.5, despite the Canucks ranking last in scoring and the Sharks sitting 26th.

Despite their struggles, Vancouver has kept the total Under seven goals in each of its last two games. Against an offensively challenged Sharks side, I’m betting they make it three straight.

Canucks vs Sharks same-game parlay

Although I anticipate offense will be at a premium, Macklin Celebrini ranks seventh in NHL scoring with 42 goals, and the Sharks phenom has found the back of the net in three of his last four games against the Canucks.

Jake DeBrusk has also recorded three or more shots on goal in seven of his last 11 contests. While the Canucks winger has hit that mark in just five of his last 13 against the Sharks, he’s missed the Over by a single shot on goal seven other times.

Canucks vs Sharks SGP

  • Under 6.5
  • Macklin Celebrini anytime goal
  • Jake DeBrusk Over 2.5 shots

Canucks vs Sharks odds

  • Moneyline: Canucks +180 | Sharks -220
  • Puck Line: Canucks +1.5 (-130) | Sharks -1.5 (+110)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-115) | Under 6.5 (-105)

Canucks vs Sharks trend

Eight of San Jose's last nine home games following a road loss have gone Under the total. Find more NHL betting trends for Canucks vs. Sharks.

How to watch Canucks vs Sharks

LocationSAP Center, San Jose, CA
DateSaturday, April 11, 2026
Puck drop10:00 p.m. ET
TVSportsnet

Canucks vs Sharks latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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