COLUMBUS, Ohio — On the second night of a back-to-back, the Maple Leafs arrived in Ohio looking for simplicity and found it in volume. Toronto generated just 22 shots but converted six of them, including four in a dominant second period to beat the Blue Jackets 6-2 at Nationwide Arena.

The win improved the Leafs to 5-4-2 and marked the second straight victory for a group that has shown signs of settling into a more straightforward style.

Kirill Marchenko returned to the building where he spent four seasons and scored early against a crowd that made its feelings known, including what seemed like a cruel string of breakup songs you’d hear from a scorned lover.

No tribute video, just showed Krill Marchenko on the video board followed by the hit Adam Fantilli put on him a few minutes pic.twitter.com/FZYf1hpFpW

— Dylan Gonzalez (@dylangradio) October 20, 2026

Easton Cowan continued a rapid ascent with a career-best three-point night that included his first short-handed goal in the NHL. Marshall Rifai scored his first NHL goal in just his fifth game. And the team absorbed the early loss of Jake McCabe to a high-stick injury before finishing the night with five defencemen.

Marchenko’s power-play goal at 8:16 of the first period tied the game 1-1 after Jake Christiansen had opened the scoring for Columbus at 2:38. The former Blue Jacket deflected a puck off his foot and past Jet Greaves.

Marchenko described the whole night as being about staying focused in the moment rather than sentimental.

“I try to think about my game again, and I said before, try to focus on like things what I can control,” Marchenko said. “It’s like my game, my shifts, like work hard. Yeah. It’s obviously again special, fans, everything. But happy to play here. Happy to be back.”

A GOAL IS A GOAL 🚨

Kirill Marchenko wasted little time before scoring against him former team! pic.twitter.com/d5TDmbzmJL

— NHL (@NHL) October 20, 2026

He added that the reception did not alter his approach. 

“It’s fine. I’m ready for that, but like again, I can’t control that. I appreciate it for all fans who’s been here when I played, and it doesn’t matter for me. Actually, I just do my work on the ice and try to be better.”

The second period turned the game. 

William Nylander scored at 2:26 on a feed from Morgan Rielly, Auston Matthews added the winner at 3:12 in his 700th NHL game, Cowan scored short-handed at 6:48, and Jack Roslovic finished the stretch at 12:03. 

The four goals in under 10 minutes of game time gave Toronto a 5-1 lead before Charlie Coyle scored early in the third and Rifai closed it out at 16:58.

Rielly, who finished with three assists, said the group tried to keep the game manageable after Monday’s win over San Jose.

“On a back-to-back, you want to try to play simple especially on the road,” Rielly said. “I thought everyone did a good job, obviously. I thought our goalie was outstanding and the penalty kill was good again.”

Anthony Stolarz stopped 35 of 37 shots. The shot disparity was significant — Columbus held a 65-43 edge in Corsi attempts and a narrow edge in expected goals (2.69 to 2.61) according to tracking data from NaturalStatTrick.com — but Toronto’s finishing and special-teams play offset the volume. The Leafs’ penalty kill continued its strong start, and Cowan’s short-handed marker extended a stretch in which the unit has been among the league’s most reliable.

EASTON COWAN WITH THE SHORTY!!! 🤠 pic.twitter.com/CGgKr9067p

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 21, 2026

Cowan, playing up beside Matthews and Roslovic at times, said the group trusted the system on the kill. 

“Yeah, I think we’re just trusting the system. We’re having good sticks, good clears, and we’re not allowing much during us. Hopefully we keep that going.”

On the short-handed goal itself, he offered a direct description. 

“Yeah. I had a decent shot there. I think the goalie was favoring Willy, which I probably would too. So, yeah, I just picked my spot.”

Rifai’s first NHL goal came late, a slap shot set up by Rielly and Roslovic. The call-up had already been elevated into more minutes after McCabe left in the first period following a high stick from Kent Johnson that caught him in the face area. Coach Jim Hiller said the decision to hold McCabe out was precautionary after the medical staff evaluated him.

“I bumped into him. Seems to be doing okay, but we just want to make sure. We want to go slow,” Hiller said.

What a dangerous play. McCabe takes a stick to the face but he’s okay pic.twitter.com/M36FuKrr6H

— Leafs Papi (@LeafsPapi_) October 20, 2026

Rifai kept the individual moment in context. 

“First and foremost, just getting the win. We came here to get two points and win back-to-back, and we were able to accomplish that. So all the individual stuff feels a lot better when the team gets the job done.”

He added that he understands the role required to stick around and that the goal was just a bonus.

“Maybe confidence (from the goal) but ultimately, you know, that’s not going to be my calling card to help this team. And I understand that. I’m going to have to block shots. I’m going to have to break pucks out, use my feet and close out. Those are the things that are going to keep me around.”

MARSHALL RIFAI HAS HIS FIRST NHL GOAL 🙌 pic.twitter.com/hvlGD59BBL

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 21, 2026

Hiller praised the overall effort on a night when several players moved into larger roles. On Cowan, the coach said the young forward has met elevated expectations. 

“We’ve talked about him a lot. He’s really — I can’t say enough good things about him. Honestly, like he’s exceeded my expectations, and I had high expectations for him. And I’ve told you, he told me this is what he was going to do, and so he’s living up to his end of the bargain. Now he’s a regular penalty killer, and he’s a good player, and he’s gonna have a great career.”

Rielly described the better version of the Leafs as one that keeps it simple.

“I think as a group, we’ve had a tendency to overcomplicate things or try to make too many plays. And I think when we’re able to keep it simple and just kind of manage the puck, our big guys can kind of take over. I think that’s kind of what happened here.”

Matthews finished with a goal and an assist. Nylander and Roslovic each contributed multi-point nights. The Leafs face the Rangers at home on Thursday. McCabe’s availability will be monitored, but the early indication is that the facial injury did not force an immediate longer absence. 

PAPI 🗣️

Auston Matthews has a goal and an assist in his 700th career game! pic.twitter.com/iNiAfxuCmh

— NHL (@NHL) October 21, 2026

The Leafs have won consecutive games for the first time this season, something they probably needed for their confidence, having dropped three of the last four games before it. Now it’ll be up to them to see if they can build on it.

NOTES: The Maple Leafs acquired forward Kirill Marchenko, goaltender Elvis Merzļikins (with 18% salary retained), and forward Miles Wood from the Blue Jackets. In return, Columbus received forward Matthew Knies, forward Steven Lorentz, defenseman Emil Andrae, and a 2027 second-round draft pick. Knies and Andrae weren't much of a factor in this game.

Knies had one opportunity in close in the late stages of the first period but his shot went over top of the net.

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For much of the summer, former Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had made it clear that he only wanted to be traded to a small handful of NHL contenders in the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and Vegas Golden Knights.

Florida had spent most of their remaining trade assets to unite the Tkachuk brothers in Florida. Vegas was already short on tradable assets thanks in part to previous moves they had made to bolster a roster than went to the Cup Final last season. And Minnesota, seemingly the last man standing on Larkin’s original list, couldn’t agree to terms with Detroit on a trade. As a result, Larkin has remained in Detroit to start the season despite his trade request.

Larkin is a player that I have long thought makes sense for the Devils as adding him down the middle would give the Devils as good a 1-2-3 punch at center as anyone in the league. And make no mistake, you NEED to have a legitimate 1-2-3 down the middle if you want to be considered a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. But I never really thought it was worth taking the time to discuss the idea as Larkin seemingly didn’t have any interest in waiving his no-trade clause to come to New Jersey.

Things have since changed.

Reputable Red Wings beat reporter Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reported on Tuesday that Larkin has expanded his list of preferred destinations to ten teams. Along with the aforementioned three teams, joining his list now are the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Utah Mammoth, Washington Capitals…..and yes, the New Jersey Devils.

Larkin is reportedly willing to come to New Jersey. But should New Jersey even want him, and if they did, what would a trade even look like?

Why the Devils Should Want Larkin

Larkin, who turned 30 over the summer, is a two-way center who plays in all situations. He’s a perennial 30 goal scorer, having reached that mark in each of the last five seasons. I wouldn’t say he’s a 1:1 direct comparable player to Nico Hischier, but the two share many similarities in how they play the game. Similar frames, similar production. Both had been leaders on their respective clubs. Both play in all situations. Both win a lot of faceoffs.

Interestingly enough though, I do think Larkin brings some things to the table that this Devils team lacks. Larkin historically has not had issues finishing around the net, which can’t be said about most of the forwards on the Devils roster. He has what I would call a deceptively heavy shot where it doesn’t look like he’s getting a ton on it but he’s capable of beating opposing goaltenders clean from the high slot and/or top of the circle. His backhand shot is underrated, as is his ability to pick corners. I also think he is a good enough skater where he’d be a fit for the style and brand of hockey the Devils are looking to play attacking off the rush, although his boots will likely decline some as he continues to get older.

Signed through the end of the 2030-31 season, Larkin has four more seasons remaining on his deal after this one at $8.7M AAV. I think that last point is also key when talking about Larkin. This is a salary cap league where the cap is continually rising. While it’s true that Larkin is signed through his age 35 season, that $8.7M cap charge is a relatively low number for a Top Six caliber center. That number is only going to continue to look better and better as the cap increases further, and from a Devils perspective, you’d be talking about a team that is set down the middle with Hischier ($11.7M AAV through 2032), Jack Hughes ($8M AAV through 2030), and potentially Larkin through the end of the decade.

I do think there are two things worth mentioning with Larkin. First, the Devils did try to acquire a center this offseason with the Barrett Hayton offer sheet that Utah ultimately matched. The Devils ultimately pivoted and went in a different direction, but I wouldn’t discount Sunny Mehta recognizing the importance of the position and the need to address it. The other thing that is worth mentioning is that both of the Devils bottom six centers in Evan Rodrigues and Cody Glass are slated to hit UFA this summer.

I also think when it comes to discussing Dylan Larkin, its worth bringing up the elephant in the room.

Larkin was a key member of the US Olympic hockey team, as was Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes. Larkin also is close to the Hughes brothers in general, having spent a bunch of time with them over the summer. Larkin and Quinn are close enough to the point where when I wrote about it this summer, I thought if Larkin wound up in Minnesota that that might be enough to convince Quinn Hughes to stay there.

I wouldn’t suggest that the Devils trade for a specific player because it might make another player more likely to sign with them in the summer. That said, the Devils need to be cognizant of the fact that this is an arms race. It’s the player empowerment era. Either you adapt and load up on star players who want to come play for you, or you don’t and you get left behind. Either you be aggressive now when it comes to team building, or you wonder what the heck just happened if and when Jack Hughes is the next Team USA star to consider his options elsewhere.

Part of the reason why Larkin wanted to go to Minnesota in the first place was to play with Quinn Hughes. I would guess part of the reason why he’s open to the idea of coming to New Jersey is to play with Jack and Luke Hughes. The Devils should embrace that and beat Minnesota to the punch by exploring a Larkin trade. And if it just so happens that adding Larkin is the move that ultimately pushes Quinn Hughes to New Jersey next summer to join his brothers, I fail to see how that’s a bad thing. If good players want to play for you, you find a way to make it happen and then worry about making it all work from a cap perspective down the road.

Speaking of beating teams to the punch, the Devils would also be smart to be aggressive here and keep Larkin away from a Carolina team they’ve struggled to beat and a Washington team that had their way with them the other day. Especially when those are the two teams most likely to finish 1-2 in the Metropolitan Division this season.

What Could A Realistic Trade Look Like?

It’s not often you see Top Six centers traded in the NHL, let alone centers under contract for another half decade. But if there is a trade that could potentially be used as a comparable, maybe we look as far back as the Jack Eichel trade for one.

Eichel, who wanted out of Buffalo in part because of a disagreement over how to treat his neck injury but also because of Buffalo’s track record as a perennial loser, had been stripped of the captaincy. He also had four plus years remaining on his contract at the time and was five years younger than Larkin is now.

Vegas ultimately agreed to terms on a trade, sending Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a first round pick, and a future second round pick in exchange for Eichel and a third.

Tuch was the established NHL player Buffalo got back, having scored 139 points in 249 games over four seasons with the Golden Knights. Krebs, then a top prospect, didn’t really get a chance to establish himself in Vegas as he was the “young prospect with upside” piece of this deal, but has since become a fixture in the Sabres lineup. Add in a first round pick (that eventually became Noah Ostlund) and a future second rounder and Buffalo probably did as well as could reasonably be expected given the circumstances at the time. After all, Eichel didn’t want to be there anymore and they were working against the clock as he had a NMC slated to kick in the next offseason, which would’ve only further limited the market and return.

The market is what the market is though. Eichel was legitimately injured at the time and I’m sure Buffalo wasn’t the only team scared off by the surgery that Eichel preferred at the time, which probably limited the market to some extent. Centers are in high demand and short supply, particularly those on contracts that may be deemed team-friendly. Still, I think this is a reasonable deal that can be used as a framework for a potential Larkin deal.

Dawson Mercer would seem to be the obvious fit as the “Alex Tuch, established NHL player” piece of this deal. This isn’t me saying that Dawson Mercer is as good as or better than Alex Tuch, as I don’t believe that to be the case. But he is an NHL player, albeit a flawed one, and may or may not be a piece Detroit would want in return. The Devils wouldn’t be able to make a deal anyways without moving some money out so Mercer’s $4M salary would almost have to go the other way. Now, if I were Detroit, I’d probably prefer Arseny Gritsyuk over Mercer, but that would be one where if I were Sunny Mehta, I’d push back on and say no.

I do struggle to find the top prospect fit, but I would guess the first few players Detroit would ask for are Anton Silaev, Alexander Command, and Mikhail Yegorov. I don’t think the draft picks would be much of a concern, especially since the Devils still have the extra first rounder remaining from the Simon Nemec trade, but there are reasons why the Devils should want to hold on to each of those prospects. I wouldn’t go as far as to say they should be off-limits but I do think those are players Detroit would ask about. I don’t know if an injured Seamus Casey or a Lenni Hameenaho moves the needle much in this particular case.

One potential complicating factor though is cap space, as the Devils simply don’t have a whole lot of it at the moment. Attaching Stefan Noesen or Cody Glass to this deal wouldn’t create enough space for the Devils to fit Larkin in. Adding Anthony Mantha or Brenden Dillon would create enough space, but I don’t know why Detroit would want players in their 30s for Larkin. I also don’t think its realistic to ask Detroit to retain cap space on Larkin to drop the cap hit down, as they’re probably not going to want salary retention on their books for five years.

I don’t know if a deal centered around Mercer, Command, and future picks is quite enough to get it over the finish line, particularly when compared to other teams best offers, but I do think its at least a starting point where the Red Wings aren’t hanging up the phone when Sunny Mehta calls. Sunny would likely need to get creative though in terms of making the cap work, which would likely involve looping in a third team to take some salary off of the Devils books. He may also need to get creative in finding the right pieces Detroit would want back to get them to say yes.

Final Thoughts

Sunny Mehta has previously said that his job trying to improve the Devils is never done. So I do think that with the Devils on Larkin’s list, they should at least explore the idea of bringing him in.

I get that some might be put off by Larkin’s public trade request, but I do think it is ultimately coming from a desire to be on a winning team and/or him being sick of losing. The Devils still have work to do in that respect to show that they’re not that type of team, but they are coming off a very good win against Colorado and have a lot of runway this season to show they’re not Detroit.

The Larkin to the Devils fit isn’t necessarily seamless, but its tough to argue that the Devils wouldn’t be a better team with Larkin. Larkin would give the Devils another legitimate top six option and more flexibility to juggle the lineup as they see fit. Maybe on some nights, that’s having Jack on the wing with Nico or Larkin. Maybe it’s having an embarrassment of riches down the middle with Larkin centering Mantha and Brown on the third line. I don’t know how Sheldon Keefe will make the pieces work, but I’d rather have the problem of having too many good players than not having enough.

Larkin is a valuable enough piece though between his contract and versatility as a player where it might be worth overpaying to acquire him. I can’t stress enough how difficult it is to find quality centers, and while Larkin isn’t Connor McDavid, he’s far from being a scrub either. You can’t go out into free agency and buy a Dylan Larkin, and if you were trying to do so in 2026, it would cost far more than the $8.7M AAV he’s currently making.

Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks "3 Standouts From The Game." In this recurring series, The Hockey News' Canucks team will do a deep dive into three standouts from Vancouver's last game. This article will focus on the Canucks' most recent 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Leevi Meriläinen

Another night, another standout performance by Leevi Meriläinen. The Finnish goaltender kept Vancouver in this game as he stopped 37 of the 42 shots he faced. Meriläinen's best moment came in the second period as he stopped Sebastian Aho on a penalty shot to keep the score at 3-3. 

Meriläinen was busy all night. Carolina recorded at least double-digit shots in each period, with their lowest total at 12, which came in the first. With the way Meriläinen has been playing, the Canucks are going to be put in a difficult position once Thatcher Demko returns from injury. 

Defenceman Elias Pettersson

Tuesday was another stellar performance from defenceman Elias Pettersson. The 22-year-old was a shot-blocking machine as he led all players on either team with five. Pettersson was also physical throughout, as he led Vancouver with four hits. 

Pettersson has been the Canucks' best defenceman so far this season. He is finding different ways to impact the game, which has led to increased minutes on a nightly basis. If Pettersson can keep performing at this level, he is going to be a top-four defenceman at the NHL level for a long time. 

Max Sasson

Max Sasson continues to develop into a strong bottom-six forward. The 26-year-old scored his third of the campaign and was tied for the team lead with three shots. Sasson was also solid in the faceoff dot as he won eight of his 13 draws. 

Tuesday was another example of Sasson using his speed to create chances. He created chances off the rush, which included his second-period goal. Sasson also played a crucial role on the penalty kill, which went a perfect five-for-five, as he logged 3:39 of shorthanded time in this game. 

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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The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins split their two games in Cleveland last weekend, dropping a 4-2 contest and then winning a 6-3 game on the rematch. Overall the Pens are 3-2-1 on the season and among the AHL leaders in goals (25).

Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas had some insight from his radio show on Oct 14th about the slow start for WBS (0-1-1 in the first two)

“The team was really good last year and you have guys that they feel they’re too good for the level and they go down and it’s hard,” Dubas said. “So the two home games, I don’t think the team played overly well in either.”

Dubas didn’t name names, though it’s not difficult to fill in the gaps for the natural disappointment players will feel when getting re-assigned to the minor leagues instead of sticking in the NHL. Take Rutger McGroarty, who started out with no points in the first two losses and now has nine points in the last four games. Harrison Brunicke only has two assists in the first six games, Owen Pickering has one goal, though generating offense from the blueline at the AHL level can be variable. Joel Blomqvist didn’t have the greatest of openers. McGroarty talked to Inside AHL Hockey about focusing on improving at the AHL level.

"I think that we're here right now. We're in Wilkes-Barre. We're playing in the AHL."

"You can't sit there & pout. You just have to continue to progress forward & continue to work on the little details," – Rutger McGroarty to @InsideAHLHockey ⤵️https://t.co/oEZixhTM0m

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) October 19, 2026

Tristan Broz spoke of similar for the drive to get back to the NHL back in training camp.

Penguins prospect Tristan Broz won’t be happy until he gets more NHL gameshttps://t.co/awHimxFp6D#Penguins#NHL

— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) October 20, 2026

Avery Hayes had two points in the first two games and has continued to go up from there with seven points in his last four games. Broz is at a point-per-game through the opening six games. Hayes and McGroarty with nine points a piece are among the league scoring leaders, currently tied for seventh.

That will be exactly what Dubas and the Pittsburgh front office wants to see from younger players like that to give reasons for why they shouldn’t be in the AHL. If and when those players make enough of a case, it will eventually result in them getting NHL opportunities.

Here’s the game recaps from WBSPenguins.com

Overall, the Pens have to be happy with some of their more developmental players who are AHL rookies. Mikhail Ilyin has seven points (2G+5A) in his first full AHL season. Bill Zonnon has five points in six games (3G+2A) and defenseman Jake Livanavage has five points (1G+4A) in five games.

Jakub Dobes was back in net on Tuesday as the Montreal Canadiens hosted the San Jose Sharks. The Habs, who had a 4-3-1 record going in, were hoping to finally be able to get a regulation win and climb up the standings. Only one of the Sainte-Flanelle’s wins since the start of the year had come in regulation, and even Martin St-Louis acknowledged after the last game that his team needed to put games away when they had a lead.

Montreal started strong and kept the Sharks from even exiting their zone early in the first frame. Still, they couldn’t manage to maintain that dominance for very long and ultimately, an all-too-familiar scenario would play out at the Bell Centre.

Canadiens’ St-Louis: It Wasn’t A Long Conversation
Canadiens' Danault’s Words Of Wisdom
Canadiens Prospect Reaches NCAA Milestone

Adjustments Needed

While St-Louis adjusted his power play by bringing Zachary Bolduc on the first wave in the last game, the strategy hasn’t changed. The players are standing their ground and passing the puck around, but their lack of mobility makes the penalty killers’ job easy. Keeping an active stick when you don’t need to move isn't that challenging.

Furthermore, they lack creativity, and the passing has become predictable. Granted, the unit misses Ivan Demiodov, but waiting for his return won’t cut it, especially since he is still wearing a walking boot. The forward was spotted chatting to Andrei Markov just outside the Canadiens’ room after the game. The two times the Canadiens had a man advantage in the first frame, it actually killed their momentum rather than building it.

First Line Takeover

While the power play didn’t generate much, the Canadiens’ first line was dominant at even strength. Juraj Slafkovsky put up multiple points for the second game in a row, and his individual effort gave the Habs a 2-1 lead less than two minutes into the second frame. From then on, San Jose looked like a team playing a second game in as many nights, which they were, but that goal was a gut punch.

Caufield doubled the Canadiens’ lead thanks to a heads-up play by Lane Hutson, which gave his teammates a four-on-two. They couldn’t convert on the initial chance, but Nick Suzuki deflected the puck on net, then picked up his own rebound and fed the sniper from behind the net, giving Nedeljkovic no chance to stop it. On that play, Slafkovsky was in the box after he and Kaiden Guhle got involved in some extracurricular activity by the Sharks’ bench.

It Should Be Over (Again)

The Habs seemed in full control at the start of the third frame, and for a while they pressed on, but then they gave the game away. It all started when Hutson was dispossessed in the offensive zone, which led to an odd-man rush that San Jose capitalized on.

Less than five minutes later, Arber Xhekaj and Michael Kesselring tussled, both hanging on to each other. Still, the Habs player was the only one to drop the gloves, then punch Kesselring in the stomach after the linesman stepped in, earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Without that, the Sharks wouldn’t have had a power play on which Tyler Toffoli tied the game.

Jakub Dobes gets called for interference in OT... the Sharks head to the power-play. pic.twitter.com/f9F5TkbUv6

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 21, 2026

Fast forward to overtime, and Dobes takes a bad penalty: interference, as his team regained possession in the defensive zone. Three unanswered goals by a team that looked like it had a knee down on the mat in the second frame. Alexandre Carrier said it best:

We knew they’re a team that can come back from behind if you give them opportunities, and we knew we had to play the right way, but once again we made mistakes that cost us dearly, and when you give them life, they pick up momentum, and that’s dangerous. They have the skills to do it.

- Carrier on the defeat

From the outside, it almost looks like the Canadiens panic when they feel the game slipping away from them, but Carrier didn’t agree:

No, it’s not panic; it’s more frustration because it’s happened many times already. We know we have to fix this, and yet we did it again tonight.

Speaking to the press after the game, the coach looked like he was trying hard not to name names:

We’re leaving points on the table, and it’s our fault. You have to understand the game's score. We have 80 attempted shots against 40, maybe 50…We’re finding ways to leave points on the table, and it’s our fault. […] We were dominant at the start of the third, but there were actions that helped them. You have to cut down on the actions that help the other team. That’s all they want.

- St-Louis on the defeat

It was initially thought Dobes would be available to the press after the game, but it was ultimately decided he wouldn’t come out. That’s hardly surprising, given how the game ended. The Czech netminder wears his heart on his sleeve, and this defeat after a strong game will be hard to swallow. The coach himself hadn’t spoken to him, and he wasn’t sure whether he'd do so before the next game, or leave it in the capable hands of Marco Marciano.

Even if that kind of penalty is not always called, St-Louis has been saying over and over that players cannot give the referee the opportunity to make a call, and that’s exactly what Dobes did in overtime. He enjoys competing and being aggressive in net, but it cost him and, by the same token, the team.

Turnovers and bad penalties never win you games, no matter how well you played up to that point. In three of four games, the Canadiens gave up a third-period lead, and this time, they couldn’t find a way to win. Macklin Celibrini finished with two goals and an assist, showcasing how good a player he is, and for the third time in a row, the Sharks got two points against the Habs, this time thanks to a 4-3 overtime win.

---

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Easton Cowan had another statement game for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday in their 6-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The 21-year-old left winger had a three-point night and a plus-three rating for the Leafs, all while playing just 13:38 of ice time. He scored his first career shorthanded goal, giving Toronto a 4-1 lead in the second period.

"Yeah, I had a decent shot there," Cowan said of his goal post-game. "I think the goalie was favoring (William Nylander), which I probably would too. So, yeah, I just picked my spot."

Cowan also added a pair of assists - one coming before and after his shorthanded goal - proving to be a fit on the top line next to Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic, who both scored off a helper from Cowan.

Following Tuesday's performance, Cowan now has four goals and 10 points in 11 games, putting him on pace for an impressive campaign in terms of his production.

But beyond his ability to score, he's been a two-way presence and an effective forechecker for the Maple Leafs. And with that, he's caught the eye of his teammates and coach.

'He Was A Puck Hound': Maple Leafs' Jim Hiller With High Praise On Easton Cowan, Reveals Standouts For First Day Of CampToronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller was pleased with how his group performed on the first day of training camp. He revealed who his standouts were, including some high praise for Easton Cowan.

"I can't say enough good things about him," head coach Jim Hiller said of Cowan. "Honestly, he's exceeded my expectations, and I had high expectations for him. And I've told you, he told me this is what he was going to do, and so he's living up to his end of the bargain. Now he's a regular penalty killer, and yeah, he's a good player, and he's going to have a great career.

"It's hard to fulfill those expectations this early, especially some of the stuff with his game that he had to change a little bit. But he's done it. He's done it so far."

Coming out of the OHL with the London Knights, the understanding was that Cowan was someone who could put up points (scoring 39 points in 17 games in his final OHL playoff campaign). But underneath that is his work ethic and ability to hunt down pucks and be a two-way player, which makes him even more effective at the NHL level.

'I Don't Know What They Will Do': Maple Leafs’ Kirill Marchenko Doesn’t Know What To Expect In Return To ColumbusKirill Marchenko will be visiting the Columbus Blue Jackets for the first time since his trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs. After somewhat of a rocky departure, he doesn't know what to expect from the crowd on Tuesday.

"He quietly has a work ethic that you don't really see," defenseman Marshall Rifai said. "I think he got to go home over the summer, and it was evident when he got back to camp. He's taking a step. He's more confident. He's quicker, more assertive. He's a really nice player we have. So I'm happy for him, and he scored a beautiful goal."

"I think it's just the physical maturity and understanding how the NHL works," Hiller explained, as the biggest change for Cowan over the past year. "It's one thing how Jr. works. It's one thing how college works. It's one thing how the American League works. How does the NHL work? And he kind of got to understand that. And I think he's gotten there."

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Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Luke Evangelista had two points in his return to the lineup while Declan Chisholm, Arseny Gritsyuk and Jesper Boqvist also tallied. The Devils took a 4-3 win over the Avs on Tuesday. [Devils NHL]

Still thinking about this goal:

ARSENY GRITSYUK, WHAT A GOAL 😱 pic.twitter.com/bezeoCk4vy

— NHL (@NHL) October 21, 2026

Congrats to Jake Allen on No. 500:

Jake Allen receives his silver stick for 500 games!

And his kiddos got one too! 🥹 pic.twitter.com/nFDRuqGbRh

— NHL (@NHL) October 20, 2026

Roster news:

#NEWS: We've loaned F Stefan Noesen to Utica (AHL).
We've activated F Connor Brown off Injured Reserve.

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) October 20, 2026

Devils are on the list:

Per @HeleneStJames, Dylan Larkin has expanded his trade list to 10 teams:

Panthers
Wild
Golden Knights
Stars
Capitals
Hurricanes
Mammoth
Lightning
Devils
Avalanche pic.twitter.com/eILyLzYNrt

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 21, 2026

Hockey Links

The list of early NHL trade candidates features some easy-to-identify names: players who have asked for trades or been the subject of rumors for months. But what about would-be trade targets who might be less obvious? [The Athletic ($)]

A scary moment:

A statement from the Pittsburgh Penguins pic.twitter.com/fyFReh2BWL

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 20, 2026

“At least three teams remain in the mix to trade for Connor Hellebuyck, sources told ESPN, though there’s no guarantee the Winnipeg Jets goaltender will be moved before his team-issued suspension ends Friday. If a trade doesn’t materialize this week, the Jets are likely to resume paying Hellebuyck while keeping him away from the team, according to sources.” [ESPN]

More history for Connor McDavid:

Connor McDavid (6-20—26 in 9 GP) required the fewest games in NHL history to reach 20 assists in a single season. 🍎 #NHLStats

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) October 21, 2026

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ben Kindel is in stable condition after experiencing a “medical episode” aboard the team’s flight from Salt Lake City to Pittsburgh, the team announced Tuesday afternoon. The plane returned to Salt Lake City International Airport shortly after takeoff. Kindel, 19, was taken by ambulance to the University of Utah Hospital for further evaluation; he was conscious and alert. The team has not disclosed further details about the incident. [PensBurgh]

Prospect Tristan Broz is eager to earn more NHL playing time after making his debut with Pittsburgh last season, appearing in just one game. The 24-year-old forward is coming off a productive season with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, recording 16 goals and 39 points in 47 games, and is determined to prove he deserves a more consistent opportunity with the NHL club. [Trib Live]

The Penguins named Ted Towne as the team’s new chief financial officer on Tuesday, bringing in an executive who spent nearly two decades with the Washington Nationals. Towne most recently served as the Nationals’ CFO and previously was assistant general manager and vice president of finance. [Penguins]

News and notes from around the NHL…

Florida Panthers goaltender Jacob Markstrom is expected to miss 10 to 14 days with an injury suffered in practice on Monday, head coach Paul Maurice announced Tuesday. [TSN]

Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin has expanded his list of acceptable trade destinations to 10 teams, according to a new report. [Sportsnet]

Former Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is preparing for an emotional return to Ottawa on Wednesday when he faces his former team for the first time since being traded to the Florida Panthers over the summer. [NHL]

Los Angeles Kings (1-4-2, in the Pacific Division) vs. New York Islanders (5-3-1, in the Metropolitan Division)

Elmont, New York; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings visit the New York Islanders after Adrian Kempe scored two goals in the Kings' 5-2 win against the Washington Capitals.

New York has a 4-1-0 record at home and a 5-3-1 record overall. The Islanders serve 11.3 penalty minutes per game to rank 10th in league play.

Los Angeles has gone 1-1-2 on the road and 1-4-2 overall. The Kings have a -10 scoring differential, with 17 total goals scored and 27 allowed.

Thursday's game is the first time these teams meet this season.

INJURIES: Islanders: Mathew Barzal: out (knee), Matias Maccelli: out (lower body), Calum Ritchie: out (lower body), Alexander Romanov: out (acl).

Kings: Jakub Dvorak: out (upper-body), Quinton Byfield: day to day (upper body), Kevin Fiala: out (leg), Jan Jenik: out (undisclosed), Alex Turcotte: out (undisclosed).

___

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

Vegas Golden Knights (8-3, in the Pacific Division) vs. St. Louis Blues (4-4-1, in the Central Division)

St. Louis; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The St. Louis Blues host the Vegas Golden Knights in Western Conference play.

St. Louis is 2-0-1 in home games and 4-4-1 overall. The Blues have an even scoring differential this season, scoring and allowing 29 goals.

Vegas is 3-1-0 on the road and 8-3 overall. The Golden Knights are 7-1-0 when scoring three or more goals.

The matchup Thursday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

INJURIES: Blues: Adam Jecho: out (personal), Torey Krug: out (ankle), Ross Johnston: out (lower body), Alexey Toropchenko: out (upper-body), Tyler Tucker: out (knee), Dillon Dube: out (neck), Logan Mailloux: out (hand).

Golden Knights: Parker Wotherspoon: out (upper body), Lukas Cormier: out (undisclosed), Victor Olofsson: out (undisclosed), Kai Uchacz: out (undisclosed).

___

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

Nashville Predators (3-2-3, in the Central Division) vs. Boston Bruins (7-2-1, in the Atlantic Division)

Boston; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Bruins and the Nashville Predators will play in a non-conference matchup.

Boston has a 3-1-0 record in home games and a 7-2-1 record overall. The Bruins are third in NHL play with 46 total penalties (averaging 4.6 per game).

Nashville has a 3-2-3 record overall and a 1-0-2 record on the road. The Predators have conceded 22 goals while scoring 23 for a +1 scoring differential.

The matchup Thursday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

INJURIES: Bruins: None listed.

Predators: Mavrik Bourque: day to day (upper 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.– Time and time again, the Vegas Golden Knights have demonstrated a refusal to accept defeat or go quietly into the night. There are certainly games where they fall behind by multiple goals. Usually, they’re able to recover, and the final score is typically close. The thing about the Golden Knights is that they’re very rarely on the wrong side of a blowout.

Tonight was one of those rare occurrences.

So far this season, the Golden Knights have played very few teams who are currently in a playoff spot. The Tampa Bay Lightning were just the fourth playoff team the Golden Knights have faced through eleven games, and this matchup could have been a great test of how they stack up against one of the premier teams in the league.

Instead, the Golden Knights fell victim to self-inflicted injury after self-inflicted injury. They entered the second period tied at two apiece, but allowed three goals and never recovered. The third period was entirely noncompetitive, and the Golden Knights ultimately fell 6-2.

“We had our chances to get ourselves back in the game once it got to five,“ said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone. “They get that early one in the third, and it’s pretty tough to come back from that. We’ll stick with it and learn from it… We gotta be better in these games.”

“I thought we were a little bit out of our rhythm, a little bit out of our execution, that we had maybe been in for the last nine games. But give [Tampa] credit,” said head coach Ryan Craig following the 6-2 loss. “They did a lot to influence that as well.”

1. Unforced and Unassisted

The final score suggests an extremely lopsided game in which the Lightning thoroughly dominated the Golden Knights, but that wasn’t the case. The Golden Knights had no problem generating scoring chances, and they were extremely dangerous in transition.

The problem was that they repeatedly shot themselves in the foot. 

“If you turn the puck over against those top guys, they make you pay,” said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone following the loss. I think it’s definitely unforced errors. When you play against a team like that, you’ve got to get [the puck] outside the blue line. We had chances on [goals three and four] to get it out, and we didn’t.”

The Lightning scored four unassisted goals tonight, which means that most of their offense came directly off of Golden Knights’ turnovers.

“We didn’t help ourselves. I think that would be the easiest way to put it,” said head coach Ryan Craig. “I mean, they scored four unassisted goals tonight. We probably didn’t put ourselves in good positions to get out of areas, and then gave them chances to attack.”

“It probably goes back to puck management a little bit, right? Both teams are good at checking as well, and I think some of the situations we put ourselves in didn’t help,” continued Craig. “We probably just got a little bit cute at times, which led to being up and down a little bit. But if you don’t manage the puck, that’s what it’s gonna feel like.”

2. The Golden Lining

Prior to tonight, Ivan Barbashev was in a rut. He didn’t have any problem generating offense; heading into tonight’s game, Barbashev had seven points and was tied for fourth on the team in scoring. The problem was that his offense wasn’t translating into goals. All seven of his points were assists, and for a scoring forward playing on a line with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, that statistic had to be weighing on him.

That’s no longer an issue. Barbashev scored the first goal tonight for the Golden Knights, which tied the game at one apiece. 

Barbashev can be a bit of a streaky scorer, and in the past, it only takes one goal to open the floodgates. Look for him to get on the board again on this upcoming two-game road trip to St. Louis and Columbus.

3. Game Eleven

Even after a blowout loss, the Golden Knights aren’t too concerned with their level of play. 

“It’s game eleven; I don’t think there are measuring stick games in game eleven,” said Golden Knights’ captain Mark Stone following the 6-2 loss. “We’re still trying to build our game going forward. We’re playing 84 games this year, and we’re trying to build our game to go on a long playoff run. It starts at game one; we’re in game eleven. We still like where we’re at, as far as our record, but we want to get better.”

Because they’re only eleven games into the season, the Golden Knights can use tonight’s loss as a learning opportunity. They won’t hang onto the loss any longer than necessary. They’ll sit with it, and then move on and learn from their mistakes.

“When you play good teams, you’re not gonna come back from [being down] four in the third,” said Stone. “We have to correct your mistakes and build off some of the good stuff we did, because there was some good stuff. We had lots of chances. How did we create those chances… And what bad plays did we make to give them chances? That’s what we try to learn from.”

LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights didn't have to look far for an explanation after Tuesday night's 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at T-Mobile Arena.

They had their chances. They didn't capitalize. And when they made mistakes against one of the NHL's most dangerous offensive teams, the Lightning made them pay.

Anthony Cirelli scored twice during a decisive second period, and Tampa Bay scored four unanswered goals to hand Vegas its third loss of the season.

The Golden Knights (8-3-0) entered the matchup having won three straight, but their inability to manage the puck against Tampa Bay's skilled forwards proved costly.

"We didn't help ourselves," Golden Knights coach Ryan Craig said. "I think that would be the easiest way to put it."

Vegas outshot Tampa Bay 34-21 but couldn't overcome a three-goal second period that transformed a competitive game into a one-sided affair.

Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev scored first-period goals for the Golden Knights, who twice erased one-goal deficits before Tampa Bay seized control.

HIYA BARBIE 👋💈 pic.twitter.com/EP4hrWO6FR

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 21, 2026

The Lightning's ability to capitalize on Vegas' mistakes became the defining difference.

"They scored four unassisted goals tonight," Craig said. "We probably didn't put ourselves in good position to get out of areas, and then gave them chances."

KEY MOMENT: Second-Period Mistakes Change Everything

After the teams entered the first intermission tied 2-2, Vegas appeared positioned to continue trading opportunities with Tampa Bay.

Instead, Cirelli scored twice in a span of 3:25, breaking the tie at 6:44 before extending the Lightning's advantage at 10:09.

Victor Hedman added another goal at 17:56, giving Tampa Bay a commanding 5-2 lead after two periods.

The Golden Knights generated scoring opportunities of their own, including several odd-man rushes, but failed to convert.

Stone pointed directly to the defensive-zone mistakes that allowed Tampa Bay's most dangerous players to operate.

"You turn the puck over against those top guys, and they make you pay," Stone said. "We don't get a puck out on the third goal. Jack and myself don't get it out on the fourth. They burn you."

Craig agreed that the breakdowns extended beyond Tampa Bay's pressure.

"I think it's definitely unforced errors," Craig said. "You play against a team like that, you just gotta get it outside the blue line."

KEY STAT: Six Goals on 21 Shots

The Golden Knights finished with a 34-21 advantage in shots, but Tampa Bay's efficiency told the story.

The Lightning scored six times on 21 shots, while Vegas went scoreless over the final 40 minutes despite generating numerous quality opportunities.

Stone said the Golden Knights had several chances to change the momentum, including four or five two-on-one opportunities.

"We had our chances to get ourselves back in the game," Stone said. "Once it got to five, and they get that early one in the third, it's pretty tough to come back from that."

Craig acknowledged that his team struggled with execution and puck management, particularly as the game became increasingly open.

"I thought we were a little bit out of our rhythm, a little bit out of our execution that we maybe had been in for the last nine games," Craig said.

"But give them credit. They did a lot of that probably to influence that as well."

WHAT A KNIGHT: Mark Stone

Stone provided one of Vegas' few highlights when he scored shorthanded late in the first period to tie the game 2-2.

The captain recognized an opportunity to pressure Tampa Bay's puck carrier and capitalized after teammate Brett Howden made a strong read.

"I kind of took a look and I didn't have anybody coming back, so I tried to forecheck, and Howden made a great read as well," Stone said.

The goal was Stone's eighth of the season and briefly restored momentum for Vegas.

But his most revealing contribution came afterward, when he rejected the notion that Tuesday's matchup represented an early-season measuring stick.

STONE. COLD. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/xKs7A0U0Ys

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 21, 2026

"It's Game 11," Stone said. "I don't think there's a measuring-stick game in Game 11."

Stone emphasized that the Golden Knights are still building toward their ultimate objective rather than allowing one October result to define their season.

"We're still trying to build our game going forward," he said. "We're trying to build our game to go on a long playoff run."

Craig echoed the need for improvement without overreacting to one result.

"If you don't manage the puck, that's what it's gonna feel like," Craig said.

UP NEXT

The Golden Knights begin a two-game road trip Thursday against the St. Louis Blues before visiting the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

For Stone, the response begins with correcting the mistakes while maintaining confidence in what the Golden Knights have accomplished through their first 11 games.

"You're gonna have these types of nights," Stone said. "You have to correct them. You have to correct your mistakes and build off some of the good stuff we did."

The Golden Knights will have an opportunity to do exactly that when they return to the road.

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79), defenseman Shea Theodore (27) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) react to a shot into the second period at T-Mobile Arena.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Logan Stankoven and Nikolaj Ehlers each scored twice and had an assist and the Carolina Hurricanes beat Vancouver 6-3 on Tuesday night to take the NHL points lead and hand the Canucks their eighth straight loss.

Nicolas Deslauriers also had two goals for the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes (8-2-1). Jackson Blake added three assists, and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 14 shots, They rebounded from a 3-2 loss at Calgary on Sunday night.

Linus Karlsson, Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Max Sasson scored for the Canucks (2-8-1).

Leevi Merilainen provided a bright spot for Vancouver with 38 saves. He stopped Sebastian Aho on a penalty shot in the second period after Canucks center Elias Pettersson was caught throwing his stick.

Up next

Hurricanes: At Edmonton on Thursday night.

Canucks: Host Detroit on Thursday night.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

ST. LOUIS -- The start of a five-game homestand gave the St. Louis Blues a chance to recalibrate after a tough stretch to begin this 2026-27 season in which they played six of their first eight games away from Enterprise Center.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery said Monday the hope was for the Blues to be above .500 when they opened one of their biggest homestands of the season starting with the Winnipeg Jets but that wasn't the case, so they had to start anew and being more dominant at the confines of home would be a good place to start.

And winning a tightly-contested, low-scoring game is not a bad place to start, and against the Jets, that's usually the case, and the Blues prevailed and got back to .500 with a 2-1  win on Tuesday.

Philip Broberg's power-play goal was the difference in the game, and Joel Hofer stopped 32 shots to help the Blues get back to .500 at 4-4-1 while dropping the Jets to 4-3-2, winning for just the second time in the Central Division this season (2-4-0).

Let's get to those key points ... 

* 'Bro' was best player on the ice bar none -- Montgomery referenced Broberg's game on a scale of 1-5 as a "five-plus" on Saturday in their 5-2 loss to the Nashville Predators and had even more praise for his No. 1 defenseman, who had his handprints all over this game on both sides of the puck.

"I think he’s gone from neutral to overdrive to Lamborghini style here in the last two games if you’re comparing him to a race car," Montgomery said. 'It’s just so fun to watch because he has so much intensity within him and when you watch him skate, he reminds me of (former Minnesota Vikings running back) Adrian Peterson. He ran like he was mad. This guy skates sometimes like he’s mad. ‘I’m going to take it right through your net,’ and it’s inspiring, I think."

He finished the game playing 23:41, had a game-high six shots on goal and had a hand in both goals scored, including the game-winner when he and Robert Thomas played pitch-and-catch before Broberg stepped into a one-timer from the high slot to beat Stuart Skinner: 

Power play goal for St. Louis!

Scored by Philip Broberg with 11:13 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours.

STL: 2 | WPG: 1#WPGvsSTL#StlBlues#GoJetsGopic.twitter.com/tXFYUFDOpi

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 21, 2026

“Good pass and I just shot it,” Broberg said. “It was good, good to see it go in.

“You try to read where the PK’ers are and where it’s open space and I think ‘Tommer’ and takes a lot of attention to him there, so they drive to him and good pass and I just tried to hit the net there.”

Thomas was just glad to get another opportunity, as he jokingly referenced, to get another chance to tee up a puck for Broberg.

"I’m surprised he passed it back to me," Thomas said. "My first pass was terrible to him. Nice he gave me another opportunity to pass it back to him, but that whole goal starts with 'Snuggy,' 'Holly' and 'Jakey.' We lose the face-off there and that usually that results in a clear and those three guys had great jumps. They kept the play alive and ultimately won us the game by doing it. It was a great all-around effort."

Broberg was also involved in Jimmy Snuggerud's goal at 12:30 of the first period for a 1-0 Blues lead, getting a couple cracks at the net, puck retrievals, one puck saved at the blue line and a direct seam pass to Dylan Holloway, who quietly extended his point streak to five games (one goal, six assists) before Holloway slid a puck to Snuggerud into the slot before it caromed in off his skate:

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Jimmy Snuggerud with 07:30 left in the 1st. Assisted by Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg.

STL: 1 | WPG: 0#WPGvsSTL#StlBlues#GoJetsGopic.twitter.com/2pwGcdIhLN

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 21, 2026

Broberg took shifts in this game with Justin Barron, Colton Parayko and Brandon Carlo. His ability to shut down plays with his skating ability enables him to join the rush simply by using his speed.

"I try to help the team in any way I can," Broberg said. "I like to join the rush and skate with the puck a little bit. I like to play good defensively and join the rush, so I think I just want to keep building on that."

When Broberg, who has scored in back-to-back games, affects the game, he's in fact doing plenty.

"A little bit of everything," Thomas said. "He plays against the top pair a lot of the time a lot of the time. He’s power play, penalty kill, a huge part of the team. You can see it in the … especially the last two games, he’s been a monster out there. He’s starting to gain that confidence that he can be a top defender in the league and it’s super-exciting for us."

Hofer added, "He’s fast. He’s all over the ice. He’s shooting it more, which is great. I keep harping on him to keep shooting it. He’s doing that and he’s getting rewarded.

"I’d say he’s just driving the play. His speed’s obviously the biggest thing. Up and down the ice, he’s been great for us. He’s been very steady back there for us and getting a goal tonight’s great for him too."

* Hofer controlling pucks key -- The Jets are a big, heavy and physical team. When they bog you down in the offensive zone, they like to get traffic at the net and pucks aplenty to the goalie.

For Hofer, who faced 33 shots and stopped 32 of them, only allowing a Cole Perfetti backhand through the wickets 32 seconds into the third that tied the game 1-1, making sure the puck stuck to him like velcro was imperative, or else Winnipeg would be able to convert on those loose pucks when they sent plenty of bodies his way.

"That was in the pre-scout that they go to the net hard and they're hungry around there," Hofer said of his hometown team. 'It was obviously a key point, but I thought our 'D' did a good job boxing out and keeping them to the outside, and if there was a rebound, they didn't get much, so it was good."

* Important penalty kill -- Yes, technically the Blues killed Snuggerud's high-sticking penalty that spilled over into the third period by a second, but Perfetti's goal was like a power-play goal, but they had another huge kill to get through when Colton Parayko was whistled for interference with 6:18 to play protecting a one-goal lead.

They did that and then some, minimizing the Jets' zone entry and with Montgomery being so confident in that unit at the start of this season, he was even comfortable enough to utilize Otto Stenberg and Aleksanteri Kaskimaki on it late to cap off an impressive kill that yielded zero shots on goal.

"I'm really comfortable using those two," Montgomery said. "They're smart hockey players, especially on the PK side of things. We have four vets that do a really good job that have been doing it all year, but to have two kids that can spread out the ice time on the bench makes a big difference in how everyone's ice time ends up pretty even."

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