The Senators’ Stanley Cup playoff hopes remain a long shot, but if you’re going to begin a miracle charge back into contention, beating the best team in the NHL is a good place to start.
On the heels of Sunday's beatdown of Vegas, the Senators played one of their most complete games of the season on Wednesday at Canadian Tire Centre (17,007), defeating the #1 Colorado Avalanche, 5-2.
Tim Stützle and Artem Zub each recorded two points for Ottawa, while James Reimer stopped 15 of 18 shots behind a fantastic defensive effort from start to finish.
As good teams do, Colorado wouldn't away. Down 3–2 late in the third, the Avs pulled goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, only to see the Senators respond with not one but two empty-net goals.
Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Nick Cousins, Ridly Greig, and Claude Giroux all found the scoresheet for Ottawa. Parker Kelly and Valeri Nichushkin scored for Colorado, a team that has looked surprisingly mortal of late. The Avalanche have now lost five of their last seven games, though two of those defeats came in overtime.
This was the kind of complete performance Senators fans have long believed this team is capable of. The problem, of course, has been sustaining that level of play. What Ottawa must prove now is that they can deliver these types of efforts consistently, rather than following them up with another three or four-game losing streak.
Ottawa completely shut Colorado down over the first two periods, allowing just four shots in each. After a scoreless opening frame, Nick Cousins opened the scoring and had one of his best games as a Senator. Artem Zub sprung Cousins with a stretch pass for a breakaway down the right wing, and Cousins drove to the net before tucking a backhand past Blackwood.
But with the home side in full control of the game, former Senator Parker Kelly tied the game at 1–1 with just under six minutes remaining in the second period, scoring his 11th of the season. But their Avs potential for momentum was snuffed out just 17 seconds later.
Tyler Kleven fired the puck the length of the ice, and after it glanced off a Colorado player to negate icing, Greig pounced on the bounce off the end boards and ripped a shot upstairs to restore the one goal lead.
Just over two minutes into the third period, the Sens made it 3-1. Claude Giroux picked up the puck at the Colorado blue line as Tim Stützle turned on the jets to create a two-on-one. Stützle acted as a decoy, allowing Giroux to wire a wrist shot past Blackwood.
Unfortunately, Giroux helped to give that one back less than two minutes later.
Attempting to lift the puck out of Ottawa’s zone, he fanned on it, sending the puck directly to Jack Drury, who fed Nichushkin alone in front. Nichushkin beat Reimer with a backhander, making it 3–2 and threatening to turn the night into a familiar script for Senators fans.
This time, the ending was different. Unexpected.
Ottawa locked things down defensively, sealed the win with two late empty-netters from Tkachuk and Stutzle, and skated away with a 5–2 victory.
The win improves Ottawa’s record to 25-21-7 for 57 points. Boston still holds the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with an eight-point cushion on Ottawa.
The Senators now get a couple of days off before hosting the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
It may still be a long road back into the playoff picture, but if the Sens are going to make the impossible interesting, Wednesday's performance is exactly what it has to look like.
There are a lot of things to like about the Pittsburgh Penguins this season, as the team is exceeding expectations with a diverse cast of characters.
They just completed a perfect Western road trip that saw them take four out of four games. They're sitting pretty at second in the Metropolitan Division and are just six points behind the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes with a game in hand. And the only team with fewer regulation losses than their 14 is the Colorado Avalanche, who are indisputably the league's best team.
While there are some long-tenured roster mainstays like Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, and Bryan Rust, the vast majority of this cast of characters is pretty new to the scene, and they're all contributing to what has been a better-than-expected season.
And many of those players have something to prove. That mindset has been a driver for this team on both an individual and a team basis, and it has - to an extent - become part of the team's identity.
"I think it's important," Kulak said. "Everyone's been around here long enough to know that there's so many good players out there nowadays, and everyone's competing and working on their game to get better. And guys are always looking and ready to take your job. So, if you want to be out there and you want to be contributing and things like that, you've got to stay committed to it every day and just keep working on your game and getting better.
"There's that hunger and desire throughout the locker room, and I think a lot of credit goes to the leadership group that we've got here."
The leadership group certainly sets the tone in Pittsburgh and it's been that way for a long time. They, especially, feel the weight of three straight lost seasons and want to prove that this team is still a legitimate playoff contender.
But that "prove-it" mindset extends to the rest of the roster, as so many players are in that kind of situation individually. Guys like Justin Brazeau and Parker Wotherspoon were signed last summer with the expectation and opportunity to secure larger roles in Pittsburgh. Guys like Anthony Mantha came off of major injury last season and were looking to re-assert their importance to an NHL lineup.
Then, there are young guys like the Ben Kindels and Rutger McGroartys, who want to prove to the organization that they belong with the big club on a regular basis. Then, the Stuart Skinners and Egor Chinakhovs, whose change-of-scenery situations have afforded them a fresh opportunity to prove their value to a new team. There are also the Erik Karlssons and Rickard Rakells, who proved their worth to play in the Olympics and have continued to build on the last few seasons in Pittsburgh. Even the Malkins and Connor Dewars, who want to prove they are worth another contract with the Penguins beyond this season.
There are so many situations like this in the Penguins' locker room, and pretty much all of them have, indeed, proven themselves on an individual basis. And it's a mindset that they need to continuously keep front-of-mind if they want to be able to help the team achieve collective success.
"It's a big thing where guys are showing up not satisfied with what's going on," Brazeau said. "People have a lot to prove, and that doesn't happen in a one- or two-game stretch. To prove yourself in this league, in order to be able to say that you're a player in this league, is doing it season after season, game after game.
"So, I think for guys, it's just showing up to the rink, wanting to keep proving people wrong and keep getting better every game."
Crosby said that this mindset could be a contributing factor to the team's identity and a reason the Penguins have been able to find success this season - especially since the reward of hockey games is good for everyone collectively and on an individual basis.
"I think everyone's obviously motivated to win, but then, individually, maybe for different reasons," Crosby said. "That may be a part of it, that may play a part of it for certain guys. And whatever that is, it's a team game. We all have to contribute what's best for the team, but ultimately, that's good for everyone individually, too, if the team wins.
"So, yeah, I think that's probably a factor for some [guys]."
Of course, even if players have taken that mindset and applied it up to this point in the season, there is still a lot of work to do. There is a lot of season left, and the Penguins have five games remaining before the three-week hiatus for the Olympics.
Then, the gauntlet starts. The Penguins play 17 games in the month of March, with 14 of those being against teams currently in the playoff picture. While Pittsburgh has proven they can skate with some of the league's best teams - and, in several cases, carry play five-on-five - they will have to continue to prove for the remainder of the season that they can not only keep pace with those teams, but that they can distinguish themselves from those teams as legitimate contenders.
Every player in the room wants the same thing: to be competing for a Stanley Cup at season's end. And that "prove-it" mindset could just help elevate them from playoff contenders to Cup contenders.
"I don't think it's a bad thing," head coach Dan Muse said. "For each person, every day, you've got to re-establish yourself, especially in this league, when games come so quick and turn so quick. As a team, it's the same thing.
"You quickly turn the page, you're onto the next one, and you've got to do it all over again. And you've got to prove it again."
The Colorado Avalanche are facing off against the Ottawa Senators for the second time this season, though it wasn't as pretty as their last matchup's 8-2 victory. It was not a good game from the Avalanche one bit. Outshot, out-chanced, and it shows with a 5-2 loss.
Period 1
Just under two minutes into the first period, Sam Malinski tries to clear the puck but sends it over the glass and is called for a delay of game penalty. The Avalanche would easily kill the penalty. Though 10 minutes into the first period, the shots on goal are 6-2 Senators, which is a great sign for how the Senators came out, but a telling sign of a slow and sluggish start for the Avalanche.
It also shows just how poor their puck control has been, too many mistakes leading to turnovers, and how they have helped the Senators set up in the offensive zone. Taylor Makar is called for hooking, but the Avalanche penalty kill stands strong and kills it off, ending the first period tied.
Period 2
Nick Cousins is able to sneak behind the defense and receives a great pass from Artem Zub, and beats MacKenzie Blackwood with a nifty backhand shot. Scary moment when Martin Necas tries to check Zub on the boards but misses, and he leads awkwardly with his elbow and is down on the ice for a bit.
He can get up and skate down the tunnel on his own, but thankfully, he is back just a couple of minutes later. Artturi Lehkonen is called for hooking, but the Senators fail to capitalize on the power play for the third time.
Blackwood robs Brady Tkatchuck with a shot from the slot. It’s really been him, and the Avalanche penalty kill that's kept this game a one-goal game for so long. It's Parker Kelly who finds a loose puck and rips a shot past Reimer to tie it up, 1-1. His 11th goal sets a career high in points (20).
Just 15 seconds later, Ridly Greig beats Keaton Middleton as he receives a great stretch pass from Tyler Kleven and rifles it top shelf, 2-1. Blackwood was in a weird place between playing it and not playing it, and Greig’s shot really beat him to the punch, not making a decision quickly enough.
Just eight shots on goal for the Avalanche after two periods, which is a season low through 40 minutes. The last season low was 16 SOG against the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 9 and the Nashville Predators on Nov.22
Period 3
Claude Giroux on the 2-on-1 picks his corner, this time top left, and rips it past Blackwood to make it 3-1. Valeri Nichushkin makes it 3-2 with a slick positional play from Jack Drury, allowing him to find Nichushkin all alone in front with a nice backhand shot.
The Avalanche would look much better controlling the puck and getting shots on net, but just can’t get anything else to go. Blackwood would be pulled twice, but Tkatchuk and Tim Stutzle would make it 4-2 and 5-2 to end the game.
The Avalanche are back in action tomorrow (Jan. 29) in a back-to-back game against the Montreal Canadiens, wearing the Quebec Nordiques jersey.
Pittsburgh Penguins defensive prospect Emil Pieniniemi has been called up from the ECHL to the AHL.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced on Tuesday that Pieniniemi has been promoted to them from the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers. He had compiled two goals and four points in 10 games with the Nailers prior to being called up.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) January 27, 2026
Pieniniemi was suspended by the Penguins' organization after he failed to report to Wheeling at the start of the season. He even returned to Finland during his suspension before agreeing to report to Wheeling in December. Once he reported to Wheeling, his suspension was lifted.
After playing well for the Nailers, he'll now get his shot in the AHL with a team that is second in the Atlantic Division.
Pieniniemi was drafted by the Penguins in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He spent the 2024-25 season with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs, finishing with 10 goals and 60 points in 60 games.
Another decision-making moment is coming up for the Nashville Predators.
Losing four of their last five, most recently in overtime to the Boston Bruins, 3-2, on Tuesday, the Predators are slowly slipping out of the Western Conference Wild Card race.
With the Olympic break approaching, league play will pause for two weeks, giving general managers time to thoroughly analyze their rosters ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline.
Nearly every single Predators player has had a rumor about them getting traded. From Ryan O'Reilly to Nick Blakenburg, there been an argument for why every player should go.
A little over a month from the trade deadline, here is a realistic look at the Predators' situation and what could happen.
What we know
Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators incoming general manager Barry Trotz announces the twenty fourth pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
According to PuckPedia, the Predators have around $27.8 million to spend at the NHL trade deadline, more than enough to make some big moves.
Six players have no-movement clauses, which means they cannot be traded or sent to the minors unless the Predators have player approval:
Filip Forsberg ($8.85 million AAV), Steven Stamkos ($8 million AAV), Jonathan Marchessault ($5.5 million AAV), Roman Josi ($9.059 AAV), Brady Skjei ($7 million AAV) and Juuse Saros ($7.740 AAV).
Two players are currently being bought out:
Matt Duchene ($6.55 million this year, then $1.55 million AAV from 2026-27 to 2028-29) and Kyle Turris ($2 million AAV until 2027-28).
The Predators have retained salary on two players:
Colton Sissions ($1.428 million for the 2025-26 season) and Mattias Ekholm ($250,000 for the 2025-26 season).
Other notable details include Erik Haula (six-team no-trade list), Matthew Wood and Fedor Svechkov (both on ELCs and two-way contracts). Tyson Jost, Adam Wilsby and Ozzy Weisblatt are all on two-way contracts.
As for free agents, the following players will be UFA's after this season: Michael Bunting, Erik Haula, Cole Smith, Michael McCarron, Tyson Jost, Andreas Englund, and Nick Blakenburg.
Fedor Svechkov and Justin Barron will be restricted free agents.
General Manager Barry Trotz had been candid, saying on 102.5 The Game on Tuesday that "everything has to be on the table."
Trading Ryan O'Reilly or Steven Stamkos
Nov 26, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) celebrates his goal with center Steven Stamkos (91) during the third period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-Imagn Images
O'Reilly: 3rd year of a 4-year, $18 million ($4.50 AAV)
Stamkos: 2nd year of 4-year, $32 million ($8 million AAV) with a No-Trade Clause
One of the biggest trade talks around the league has been about O'Reilly and Stamkos, specifically at the beginning of the year, and it's now flaring up again.
O'Reilly carried the Predators through the first quarter of the season and has been their most consistent player all year, recording 51 points (18 goals, 33 assists) in 52 games.
Stamkos had a slow start to the season, sparking up conversation that the future Hall of Famer may want to leave Nashville for a contender in his final few years in the league. Since then, his game has picked up, recording 38 points (25 goals, 13 assists) in 52 games.
O'Reilly has been asked about a trade before, earlier in the year, and he said he has not been open to those conversations, adding that he "wants to be part of the solution" in Nashville.
Trotz also said the Predators would need to get a high-caliber player in return if they were to trade O'Reilly. Seemingly, Nashville doesn't want just draft picks for O'Reilly.
As for Stamkos, it's about whether he wants to go. If he's set on staying in Nashville, any sort of trade talk is done.
Into the next step of who could be potential suitors to take on an AAV of $8 million or $4.50 million?
When talking about the most appealing places for O'Reilly or Stamkos to go, it looks like Detroit or San Jose.
The Sharks have a $8.960 million in deadline cap space, ahead of the Wild Card curve Nashville is chasing and at least 3 steps ahead in the rebuild process, with an extremely bright future.
O'Reilly would be a good fit in adding another veteran leader to a beaming, young Sharks team. However, they are currently projected to be about a million above the cap by the end of the season.
The Red Wings have $59.449 million of deadline cap space and are expected to have $13 million by the end of the season. Detroit is battling Tampa Bay for the top spot in the Atlantic Division and is seemingly rounding a corner, ready to be a consistent player contender again.
Who could the Predators get for O'Reilly?
Jan 10, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) skates with the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
So what could the Predators get in return if they were to trade, hypothetically, with the Red Wings or Sharks?
Jeff Skinner's No-Trade Clause expires at the end of January and is currently in a 1-year, $3 million contract.
He has 13 points in 32 games, so he does not have the high impact as O'Reilly, but he is a veteran piece that could fill the role. Skinner also has a eight team no trade list through the end of the season.
Tyler Toffoli would be another option, in the second year of a 4-year, $24 million contract, with 35 points in 51 games, but he has a no-trade clause and seemingly has no interest in leaving San Jose.
The Sharks could package deal it, but Trotz said that they want a 1-for-1 return if O'Reilly is traded.
On the Detroit side of things, the trade the Predators would likely want is O'Reilly for Lucas Raymond. He's a young winger with 58 points in 52 games and has no contract protection until the 2028-29 season, which comes as a 10-team no-trade list.
He has a much pricier contract than O'Reilly's, at 8 years and $64.6 million, with an $8.08 annual hit. Nashville would truly need to bundle to get this done, and it'd be a hard sell to Detroit.
It's unlikely to happen, but these are the kinds of trades Nashville wants for shipping O'Reilly, and likely more if Stamkos leaves.
The Edmonton Oilers are another team that's been rumored to land O'Reilly. They have only $425,000 in deadline space, but as we know, teams aren't afraid to go over that cap.
This isn't as appealing to Nashville as the Oilers have seven forwards tied down by no-movement clauses.
The only trade that would be likely for what the Predators want for O'Reilly is if they package him in order to land Evan Bouchard, who has 56 points in 54 games as a defenseman.
That'd also be a massive cap hit at a 4-year, $42 million contract with a $10.5 million annual hit.
This trade situation may seem a bit "out there," but the Predators are asking a lot for O'Reilly. If he's gone, they don't want a production fall off or having to wait to draft a player of his potential caliber.
Likely trade deadline situations
Dec 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer (30) defends the net against Nashville Predators left wing Michael Bunting (58) and left wing Erik Haula (56) during the first period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Michael Bunting, F: Final year of 3-year, $13.5 million deal with $4.5 million AAV
Erik Haula, C: Final year of 3-year, $9.45 million deal with $3.15 million AAV, 6 team no-trade list
Nick Blakenburg, D: Final year of a 2-year of $1.55 million deal with $775,000 AAV
Michael McCarron, C: Final year of 2-year, $1.8 million deal with $900,000 AAV
Cole Smith, F: Final year of 2 year, $2 million contract with a $1 million AAV
Nick Perbix, D: First year of 2-year, $5.5 million contract with $2.75 million AAV
The Predators have a handful of guys who are playing well, nearing the end of their contracts, and don't cost a ton that they can use in the market.
The biggest being Michael Bunting, who has had a massive uptick in production this season, recording 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 52 games. He has been a significant boost in Nashville's bottom six and could slide into the same role on any team.
Erik Haula, who had a slow start to the year, is another bottom-six player who could give any team some good depth. He has 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) in 52 games, nine of which have come on the power play.
Haula's veteran presence and Olympic experience are huge assets for any team's bottom six and would be a massive addition to a second power-play unit. His only limitation is a six-team no-trade list.
Blakenburg has proven to be a valuable asset on the Predators' second and third pairings this season, tallying 21 points in 42 games. Standing at just 5-foot-9-inches, Blakenburg has proven to be a critical depth piece.
Then there's guys the Predators likely want to offload. Michael McCarron and Cole Smith have played a specific role on the fourth line, but haven't added much depth to the lineup.
McCarron has nine points in 51 games and 67 penalty minutes and Smith has eight points in 33 games and 25 penalty minutes. While their role as aggressors is important, Nashville needs scoring depth.
Nick Perbix is another player who has been underperforming and could be on the move. He has eight points in 49 games and a plus/minus of -12. His contract is a little big, but he could find another team.
The Predators are likely not looking to trade too many picks, but this is what they have in stock.
As for who the Predators can bring in or what they'll bring in, it'll likely be a supplimental bottom six player and a few draft picks.
Nashville has needed support down the middle and needs more depth on the blue line. Getting guys who can log solid minutes and create plays will help the Predators make the jump into the playoffs.
Going the other way, bringing in a bunch of draft picks could help Nashville strike big with their 2026 and 2027 classes. Nashville already has 11 picks in this year's and next year's draft classes. The talent pool could easily be much deeper.
NEW YORK (AP) — Ondrej Palat scored the opening goal and added an assist in his debut with the New York Islanders, who defeated their cross-town rival New York Rangers 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Simon Holmstrom had a goal and two assists, David Rittich made 14 saves, and the Islanders won their second straight game. Mathew Barzal, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Emil Heineman also scored.
Mika Zibanejad and Taylor Raddysh scored for the Rangers. Spencer Martin stopped 31 shots, but the Rangers lost for the fourth time in their last five games and are 2-8-1 since they won the Winter Classic in Florida on Jan. 2. Star forward Artemi Panarin was held out of the lineup for roster management purposes and will not play again for the Rangers before the Olympic break.
Holmstrom made a slick pass from the half wall to set up Palat in the slot for a power-play goal with 5:01 remaining in the first period.
Tony DeAngelo found Holmstrom for a tap-in goal 1:11 later, giving the Islanders a 2-0 lead.
Zibanejad buried a cross-ice feed from J.T. Miller late in the first period to pull the Rangers within one.
Barzal and Pageau scored 47 seconds apart midway through the second period to extend the Islanders’ lead to 4-1.
The Islanders acquired Palat from the New Jersey Devils, along with a third-round pick in 2026 and a sixth-round pick in 2027, in exchange for forward Maxim Tsyplakov.
BLUE JACKETS 5, FLYERS 3
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Charlie Coyle had a goal and an assist and Columbus beat Philadelphia for its third straight win.
Kirill Marchenko, Eric Gudbranson, Sean Monahan and Mathieu Olivier also scored for the Blue Jackets to offset a hat trick by Philadelphia’s Travis Konecny.
Elvis Merzlikins stopped 24 shots for Columbus and Zach Werenski had two assists, giving him 35 points in his last 21 home games.
The Blue Jackets have won seven of their last eight games and are tied at 57 points with the Flyers and Capitals for fourth place in the Metropolitan Division.
Konecny’s hat trick was the third of his career and Dan Vladar made 26 saves in his first start after missing six games with a lower-body injury. Rasmus Ristolainen left with a lower-body injury in the first period and did not return in the Flyers’ second straight loss.
SENATORS 5, AVALANCHE 2
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist, Artem Zub added two assists and Ottawa defeated league-leading Colorado.
Nick Cousins, Ridly Greig, Claude Giroux and Brady Tkachuk also scored for Ottawa and James Reimer made 16 saves.
Parker Kelly and Valeri Nichushkin scored for the Avalanche, who have now lost three of their last four. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 18 shots.
Trailing for most of the game, Colorado pushed back hard in the third period but the Senators were able to hold on.
The Senators made it 3-1 early in the third with Giroux scoring his 10th of the season beating Blackwood high blocker.
Less than two minutes later, a Giroux giveaway proved costly. Jack Drury found Nichushkin out front and the latter went to his backhand and beat Reimer high glove.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist, Artem Zub added two assists and the Ottawa Senators defeated the league-leading Colorado Avalanche 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Nick Cousins, Ridly Greig, Claude Giroux and Brady Tkachuk also scored for Ottawa and James Reimer made 16 saves.
Parker Kelly and Valeri Nichushkin scored for the Avalanche, who have now lost three of their last four. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 18 shots.
Trailing for most of the game, Colorado pushed back hard in the third period but the Senators were able to hold on.
The Senators made it 3-1 early in the third with Giroux scoring his 10th of the season beating Blackwood high blocker.
Less than two minutes later, a Giroux giveaway proved costly. Jack Drury found Nichushkin out front and the latter went to his backhand and beat Reimer high glove.
Tkachuk and Stutzle each added empty-net goals.
Ottawa opened the scoring early in the second period when Zub made a stretch pass to Cousins, who beat Blackwood high short side.
Colorado tied the game when Keaton Middleton’s outlet pass was tipped by Brock Nelson and went right through Nick Jensen’s legs to Kelly, who beat Reimer high.
Ottawa wasted no time regaining the lead scoring 17 seconds later. Tyler Kleven threw a puck down the ice that banked off the back boards and Greig won a foot race against Middleton and beat Blackwood high blocker.
It was a fun one to start the home-and-home as the New York Islanders beat the New York Rangers 5-2 in a game they dominated from the start.
While the Islanders added two players in Palat and Soucy leading up to this Olympic break trade freeze, the Rangers have put Artemi Panarin on the trade block as they go all in on their official letter-based proclamation retool. Panarin was held out of the game, and will also be out of tomorrow’s if he isn’t traded by then.
But the Islanders took advantage of the struggling Rangers and put on a show for the home fans, with Ondrej Palat picking up first star honors in his debut (with his PP goal and a secondary assist, while Simon Holmstrom, Mat Barzal (also on the power play), JG Pageau, and Emil Heineman scored the other four goals.
This score could’ve been more lopsided, as the Isles hit a few posts throughout the night, but fans will be leaving UBS Arena happy with the big win tonight.
It was all Islanders tonight, though despite leading in shots and shot attempts the Isles couldn’t get anything past Spencer Martin early.
There was some typical Isles vs Rangers roughness, as Vincent Trocheck tripped into David Rittich and got an extra shove or two from former teammate and new Islander Carson Soucy, along with Matthew Schaefer crushing Brennan Othmann along the boards by the bench.
Alexis Lafreniere was called for slashing Mat Barzal and breaking his stick (although his stick kind of looked like it broke moments before the slash). The refs might have realized this, as they then called Bo Horvat for interference just nine seconds later, after he flipped Mika Zibanejad’s stick out of his hands and over the glass to send us to some 4 on 4 hockey.
But then Simon Holmstrom drew a slashing penalty on Trocheck, giving the Islanders a 4 on 3. Will Cuylle nearly set up JT Miller shorthanded, but Miller couldn’t handle the puck.
Newcomer Ondrej Palat then picked up the power play goal, with Holmstrom and Schaefer grabbing the assists.
Jonathan Drouin took a bad high sticking penalty, but fortunately didn’t draw anything more than just the two minute minor. David Rittich made a couple of great saves, but then Miller set up Zibanejad to make it 2-1.
Casey Cizikas went in to the boards hard early in the second, and while falling, took a knee from Matt Rempe to the back. A crowd came together after that, but no penalties were given, and Cizikas skated back to the bench and seemed to be okay.
Then, the Islanders drew three(!!) penalties in the same shift – two for Sam Carrick (tripping and crosschecking) and one for Rempe (boarding), giving them a full two minute 5 on 3 power play along with an extended 6 on 5.
Emil Heineman put a shot off the post, and the Islanders had some good chances, but not a lot of net front presence to really make it difficult for Martin and the Rangers.
But with 30 seconds left on the regular 5 on 4, Barzal scored to make it 3-1 off a great pass from Holmstrom, who picked up his second PP assist of the night.
Just 47 seconds later, JG Pageau scored his 11th of the season to make it 4-1, sticking with the loose puck after Marc Gatcomb’s shot was stopped by Martin.
A bit over a minute later, Taylor Raddysh got one back for the Rangers, but with 46.6 seconds left in the period, Heineman ripped the puck past Martin to make it 5-2, restoring the three goal lead for the Islanders.
In the third, Jonathan Drouin had a chance on goal, but it was deflected by Braden Schneider.
Horvat took a tripping penalty, and Pageau and Holmstrom couldn’t connect on a shorthanded chance, but the Isles killed the penalty.
DeAngelo hit the post, adding to the near-misses for the Isles tonight. But the Islanders would close out the game 5-2, picking up their third win against the Rangers this season.
Up Next
Next, the Islanders make the very long trek to Madison Square Garden to take on the Rangers tomorrow. That’ll likely be the big Sorokin vs Shesterkin showdown, and we’ll see if the Islanders can make it a perfect 4-0 against the Rangers this season.
If you wanted to sum up the state of the Battle of New York in one moment, you could do a lot worse than 14:59 of the first period Wednesday night.
There was Ondrej Palat, celebrating his first goal as an Islander one day after being traded across town from New Jersey.
There wasn’t Artemi Panarin, the highest-paid Rangers player, being held out of the match for roster management reasons as the Blueshirts seek to take the next step of their teardown by moving the Russian wing who chose Broadway over Long Island in 2019.
Emil Heineman (left), who scored later in the game, celebrates a goal by Ondrej Palat during the first period of the Islanders’ 5-2 win over the Rangers on Jan. 28, 2026 at UBS Arena. Robert Sabo for New York Post
There was the UBS scoreboard, showing the Rangers had just one shot on goal in nearly 15 minutes.
At least this time, they didn’t get shut out. The Islanders, though, took their third game of three against their rivals this season, tilting the ice all night long in cruising to a 5-2 win over the Rangers.
“I don’t judge my play on points,” Palat said after notching a goal and assist over 11:53 of ice time. “I’m happy I got a couple, but the team played well and that’s all that matters.”
“We’re used to having him score goals against us,” Jean-Gabriel Pageau said. “To have him on our side, we’re extremely happy.”
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The injection of energy brought by the acquisitions of Palat and Carson Soucy — the latter of whom made his Islanders debut against the team he played for until Monday night — was evident all night long.
The Islanders played with the puck. They got below the hash marks and worked off the cycle, controlling proceedings all night long. Palat seemed to instantly click with Bo Horvat and Emil Heineman, the latter of whom had his most noticeable game in weeks, accounting for a number of dangerous looks before finally breaking through off Adam Pelech’s feed that made it 5-2 late in the third.
The third line of Anders Lee, Pageau and Simon Holmstrom was the Islanders’ best, though, with Holmstrom playing a starring role.
He fed Palat’s opening goal on the power play, scored just 1:11 later off Tony DeAngelo’s slick backdoor feed, then added a second power-play assist on a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing sequence on which the puck pinged from DeAngelo to Horvat to Holmstrom to Barzal before No. 13’s one-timer beat Spencer Martin across the crease.
Simon Holmstrom scored a goal on Spencer Martin during the first period of the Islanders’ win over the Rangers. Robert Sabo for New York Post
That made it 3-1 after the Islanders had failed to convert a two-minute 5-on-3 following the Rangers taking three penalties on one shift, with two of them going to Sam Carrick. Another emblematic moment for the Blueshirts.
“I thought the turning point was the three penalties on one shift,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “I’ve never seen that before.”
Of Holmstrom, and of DeAngelo, Islanders coach Patrick Roy used the same word: “Outstanding.”
DeAngelo, whose play has gone up a notch lately, was nothing short of terrific against his old club, his vision and passing at an elite level all night long.
Matt Rempe gets into a fight with Adam Pelech during the second period of the Rangers’ blowout loss to the Islanders. Robert Sabo for New York Post
Mika Zibanejad’s power-play one-timer briefly brought the Rangers within 2-1 at 13:12 of the second, but Barzal’s goal, followed 42 seconds later by Pageau jamming Marc Gatcomb’s rebound into the crease, quickly extended the Islanders lead back to 4-1.
David Rittich, who had quietly struggled for much of January, had a solid night in nets for the Islanders with 13 saves, though the Rangers scoring chances came few and far between.
“The last two games, I really feel like we played really well defensively, and I think that allows us to get the puck faster and get on the rush and create some offense because of it,” Roy said. “This is something we need to continue to do.”
Indeed, the second game in a row, this was more about the Islanders play in front of the goalie than it was about the goalie — an extremely positive sign.And for the third time in three games against the Rangers, this looked like a playoff team facing a last-place club.
NEW YORK (AP) — Ondrej Palat scored the opening goal and added an assist in his debut with the New York Islanders, who defeated their cross-town rival New York Rangers 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Simon Holmstrom had a goal and two assists, David Rittich made 14 saves, and the Islanders won their second straight game. Mathew Barzal, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Emil Heineman also scored.
Mika Zibanejad and Taylor Raddysh scored for the Rangers. Spencer Martin stopped 31 shots, but the Rangers lost for the fourth time in their last five games and are 2-8-1 since they won the Winter Classic in Florida on Jan. 2. Star forward Artemi Panarin was held out of the lineup for roster management purposes and will not play again for the Rangers before the Olympic break.
Holmstrom made a slick pass from the half wall to set up Palat in the slot for a power-play goal with 5:01 remaining in the first period.
Tony DeAngelo found Holmstrom for a tap-in goal 1:11 later, giving the Islanders a 2-0 lead.
Zibanejad buried a cross-ice feed from J.T. Miller late in the first period to pull the Rangers within one.
Barzal and Pageau scored 47 seconds apart midway through the second period to extend the Islanders’ lead to 4-1.
The Islanders acquired Palat from the New Jersey Devils, along with a third-round pick in 2026 and a sixth-round pick in 2027, in exchange for forward Maxim Tsyplakov.
Artemi Panarin was held out of the New York Rangers' lineup on Wednesday, Jan. 28 for roster management purposes.
The Athletic and other media organizations said Panarin isn't likely to play before the Olympic break. The Olympic roster freeze begins on Feb. 4.
He's the most valuable trade asset the Rangers have after general manager Chris Drury said in a letter to fans that they planned to "retool" the roster. Panarin has led the team in scoring each season since signing as a free agent in 2019. He leads again with 57 points in 52 games.
Panarin is in the final year of his contract but has a full no-movement clause, meaning he has the final say on where he goes if traded. TSN reported that Panarin, who averages $11.6 million in his current deal, would want an extension lined up before signing off on a trade.
Here are some possible places where it could make sense for Panarin to end up in a trade:
They have been aggressive the past two seasons, trading for Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen, though they weren't able to re-sign those players. The Hurricanes likely want to make a splash again as they try to get past the third round. They have cap space and a first-round pick.
The Red Wings are a legitimate threat to end their nine-year playoff drought. They made only minor moves at last year's deadline, which drew criticism. Acquiring Panarin would be a major addition and the Red Wings have tons of cap space. Panarin would be reunited with former Blackhawks and Rangers teammate Patrick Kane.
The Stars were also aggressive last season, trading for and signing Rantanen at the 2025 deadline. They could use forward help with Tyler Seguin out after ACL surgery. But they lack a first-round pick and their cap situation is tight.
If they could acquire and sign Panarin, it would help the team's future with Anze Kopitar going to retire after the season. They have a first-round pick and workable cap space.
Vegas Golden Knights
When are they not in the mix whenever a big name is available? They already traded for Rasmus Andersson this season. It doesn't matter what their cap situation is. They find a way.
Thursday night will feature a special moment in Jake DeBrusk's career. When the puck drops at Rogers Arena, the 29-year-old will skate in his 600th career regular-season game. Over the first 599 games, DeBrusk has recorded 341 points while also playing in 86 playoff games.
Hitting the 600-game mark is an impressive achievement for any player. The first 465 came with the Boston Bruins, while the remaining 134 so far featured DeBrusk in a Vancouver Canucks sweater. In an interview with The Hockey News, DeBrusk revealed that it was one of his younger teammates who reminded him that he was closing in on his 600th game.
"I haven't thought about that in a while, but yeah, I know it's lots," said DeBrusk. "You can go through the years, obviously, but a lot of good memories, a couple heartbreaks in there at the same time. Yeah, 600 games, a lot of games. I didn't even know about that till last game. Actually, Junior (defenceman Elias Petersson) told me about it. But, you know, we don't play the game to play games. We play the game to win. The 600 and I think 80-something playoff games as well. You know, I played a lot of hockey."
After recording 81 points in 72 games with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, DeBrusk was selected by the Bruins 14th overall in 2015. He was a player who rose up the rankings as the season went on and entered the draft as the 19th-ranked North American Skater. When asked about any advice he would have given his 18-year-old self, DeBrusk spoke about how he probably wouldn't have believed that he would one day play 600 games at the NHL level.
"I was pretty raw. Honestly, I don't even know. I think I'd probably say, get ready for 2019, because we went to the finals that year in game seven. That's probably what I would tell myself at 18. But if I told myself this at 18, my draft year, I don't think I would have believed you, to be honest with you. At the start of that year, I think I was ranked either in the fifth round or the sixth round. Was like a C or D prospect at the start of that year. So I would be shocked if I was able to say, Hey, this is what you've been doing in the future. I don't know if I change a whole lot. I think everyone would change certain things, but I don't know if I'll give myself a single piece of advice."
The 2015 class is considered one of the deepest drafts in recent memory as it included Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho, Kirill Kaprizov, Zach Werenski, Mathew Barzal and Brock Boeser. For Boston, though, it is seen as a missed opportunity as the organization had the 13th, 14th and 15th picks, yet only hit on DeBrusk. Even though DeBrusk turned into a successful player, he was used as a scapegoat to hide the fact that the Bruins' 2015 draft did not go as planned.
"I got asked about it a lot when I was a Boston, and obviously, I was the only one that really played. And I took the brunt of those questions from my rookie year on. So first and as a player, I was just happy to get selected by a team. It didn't really matter to me. I just was happy that the team wanted me. And coming into a situation in Boston, obviously, it was a great setup for me, but, yeah, I got asked about that a lot my first couple of years. Felt like I was kind of getting blamed for it, and you know, pushed me to become a better pro. And that's why I'm here, sitting at 600 right now. I think that's easy to say from the outset. But yeah, I took a lot of that heat, that's for sure."
Shifting back to the present, DeBrusk has experienced plenty of memorable moments in his career. He has played for an original-six franchise and been to the Stanley Cup Final. Overall, DeBrusk has packed a lot into the last decade, which is why it is hard to pick a favourite memory from his career so far.
"Yeah, probably my first playoffs. I think probably the first time playing in the post-season. You dreamed about as a kid. My rookie year, playing seven-game series, Winter Classics, first 20-goal season. Just little things. First goal is probably what I remember the most, how that felt. And, yeah, I would say probably those are the good memories, obviously, lots of different playoff goals. Usually, what I think about my career is my playoffs and just different little challenges that have come through that."
Jan 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk (74) during a stop in play against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
To wrap up the interview, DeBrusk was asked about any advice he has for the younger players on the team. Vancouver has one of the youngest rosters in the league, and is projected to get even younger as the organization enters a rebuild. For DeBrusk, he discussed the increased speed of the game and ensuring that, as a player, you don't lose confidence when the team is struggling.
"The NHL changes, it's a faster league. It's more skilled. You need speed. If you don't have speed, you die. We just played against a pretty young team in San Jose. And what's everyone talking about, how fast they were. Look at Chicago, look at the best team in the league in Colorado. Why are they so good, speed? So I look at that, and I think that's just how the game is changing. But in terms of these younger guys, just getting to know them. Obviously, it's a tough go. We're really struggling. So just try to be there for them if they need anything. Confidence is the biggest thing in the NHL. It's not something that is given to you at this level. You have to earn it, and you have to kind of keep it and learn how to stay with it. And when you lose, when you get scored on, it's human not to have any confidence. So for me, I just kind of look around and see how guys are doing in those terms. When you're young, you're trying to fight, to stay the next day. You're trying to fight, no matter what the score is or what's going on. So they got a pretty good read. But you know, they know I'm there for them if they need, and I try to crack a couple of jokes."
DeBrusk has had an impressive career to this point. As mentioned, he is closing in on 350 points and is on pace for his second-straight 20-goal season. Overall, DeBrusk provides value to the organization not just on the ice, but off it as well.
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The Buffalo Sabres should be looking to add to their roster ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. When looking at their current group, it would not hurt for them to add an impactful center to their top nine.
When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle stands out as an interesting potential option to consider.
If the Sabres landed Coyle, they would be adding a veteran two-way forward who chips in offensively, is solid defensively, kills penalties, and provides physicality. He is also capable of playing both center and right wing, which adds to his appeal as a possible target.
In 51 games so far this season with the Blue Jackets, Coyle has recorded 11 goals, 22 assists, 33 points, and 69 hits. With numbers like these, he would be a nice addition to the Sabres' top nine if successfully acquired.
Coyle would also give the Sabres another veteran with plenty of playoff experience and who is known for being a good leader. With this, he could be a good pickup for a Sabres club looking to take that next step and cement themselves as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference.
The pending Rangers sell-off is really about to take off now.
Two days after making their first retooling trade of the regular season, the Rangers held leading scorer Artemi Panarin out of Wednesday’s road game against the Islanders for “roster management,” The Post’s Mollie Walker reported about an hour before puck drop. The star winger will not play in the team’s final four games before the NHL’s upcoming break next week.
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General manager Chris Drury informed Panarin before his Jan. 16 letter to fans that the 34-year-old — a pending unrestricted free agent after his seven-year, $81 million deal signed as a free agent in 2019 expires this summer — would not be re-signed by the organization after extension talks went nowhere and they had “extremely candid” conversations.
“It’s hard to say how I feel. I’m still confused, but the GM decided to go in a different direction. I’m OK with that,” while promising “to give 100 percent in every game,” Panarin said earlier this month after the news became public.
Panarin must approve any trade because of a full no-movement clause.
Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller also are among those with no-movement clauses, but more deals are sure to follow ahead of the March 6 trade deadline, with the Rangers entering Wednesday’s game with the worst record in the Eastern Conference. But NHL rosters will be frozen from Feb. 4 through the Olympic break.
Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin waits for the puck to drop against the Bruins. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“We are not going to stand pat — a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This is not a rebuild,” Drury wrote in his letter. “This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects. We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”
Drury already has made one trade this week, sending veteran defenseman Carson Soucy to the Islanders for a 2026 third-round pick, meaning his first two games with his new team will come against the team that just traded him. The teams also will meet in the second half of back-to-back games Thursday night at the Garden.
Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers skates against the Boston Bruins. Getty Images
Panarin leads the Rangers with 57 points in 57 games this season, and his 19 goals rank second on the team behind Zibanejad’s 21. He also recently had a 10-game point streak with five goals and 18 points but the Rangers entered with just three wins over their previous 14 games (3-9-2) under first-year coach Mike Sullivan to fall out of playoff contention. They also missed the playoffs one year ago under since-fired coach Peter Laviolette.
Soucy said Wednesday morning that he and his former teammates knew trades likely were on the way, but that Drury did him “a favor” allowing his young family to remain in the New York area with Monday’s deal to the Islanders.
“Obviously with the Rangers I kind of knew some trades were coming,” said Soucy, who was acquired by the Rangers from Vancouver before last year’s deadline. “This one just kind of made sense with obviously my family and stuff, we don’t have to uproot. We can stick [in Westchester] where we are now, so it kind of made sense there.
“I guess it just showed where both teams are, really. And I think it’s just that Drury kind of did me a favor of not wanting to shift my family, like last year, where I was kind of across the country, with my wife and kids. We have a newborn right now, so it’s nice to not have to move houses right now. So I appreciate Chris kind of making that work for me.”
Now, Drury must also work with Panarin and perhaps others on a preferred destination.
