The Seattle Kraken have assigned winger Jani Nyman to the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

Nyman has played in 24 games this season, scoring four goals and six points, but has struggled to earn consistent minutes under coach Lane Lambert. This season, he's averaging just 10:42 of ice time and has been a healthy scratch 13 times. 

The 21-year-old will join the Firebirds squad, who sit in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a 15-9-4-0 record. Nyman spent his rookie campaign with the Firebirds last year, notching 28 goals and 44 points in 58 games. 

Although Nyman has shown signs of being good enough to play in the NHL, returning to the AHL to get consistent minutes is likely what's best for him. He'll play in the top six for the Firebirds, most likely on the top line and be a key figure on the power play. His shot is NHL-ready, but he needs to find ways to use it.

A better understanding of where he needs to be in the offensive zone to get open for his teammates needs work, and figuring out ways to use his skill to put himself in high-danger areas when he has the puck. He's shown he can do so in the AHL, and this stint will help him improve in that area of the game. 

While Nyman heads back to the AHL, Jacob Melanson remains and continues to find ways to be effective on the fourth line. Since his call-up, Melanson has skated in eight games and recorded his first career NHL point last night, registering an assist on Ryan Winterton's goal. 

The 22-year-old stands six-foot, 207 pounds and plays with speed and physicality. With Jaden Schwartz out, Ben Meyers and Melanson have earned the opportunity to remain in the NHL. They've formed a solid fourth line with Tye Kartye or Ryan Winterton.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night for the first of four meetings this season.

The Hurricanes are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the New York Rangers on Monday, while the Penguins got back in the win column on Sunday with a 7-3 thrashing of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hurricanes and Penguins played three times last year, with the Hurricanes winning each matchup. The Penguins have lost four of their last five to the Hurricanes heading into Tuesday's contest. 

Sebastian Aho has been great once again for the Hurricanes in the first half of the season, compiling 14 goals and 35 points in 38 games. Seth Jarvis leads the team in goals with 19, but is currently out with an injury. 

Star defenseman Jaccob Slavin is also out with an injury, which is a big deal since he's one of the best defensive defenseman in the NHL. He gets all the matchups against each team's top line and is elite in his own end. 

The Hurricanes have gotten good production from forward Jackson Blake this season (12 goals and 24 points). Nikolaj Ehlers, who is in his first season with the team, only has eight goals in 38 games but does have 26 points. 

This has been a tough matchup for the Penguins over the last few years, due to the Hurricanes' relentlessness and their elite ability to shut things down in their own zone. High-danger chances may be hard to come by, so if the Penguins get one, they'll have to do whatever it takes to bury it. 

As for lineup changes, Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed after the morning skate that Stuart Skinner will start in goal. He's continuing to rotate starts between Skinner and fellow goaltender Arturs Silovs. 

Yegor Chinakhov, who was acquired via trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, will not be in the lineup. 

Here's a look at the projected lineup:

Forwards: 

Rakell-Crosby-Rust

Mantha-Novak-Brazeau

McGroarty-Kindel-Koivunen

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs:

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Kulak-Letang

Shea-St. Ivany

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Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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The Chicago Blackhawks are 1-7 in their last 8 games played. Their one victory was an impressive shootout win over the Dallas Stars, who are one of the best teams in the NHL right now. However, things have been a major struggle without Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. 

Now, the Blackhawks will host the New York Islanders, who are one of the NHL’s surprise teams this season. With the number one pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Matthew Schaefer, in the mix, things have been fascinating for that franchise. At 21-14-4, their 46 points put them in second place in the Metropolitan Division. 

Scouting New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have some sneaky good players at every corner of their roster, which has contributed to their status as a top-three team in their division. 

Lee-Barzal-Holmstrom

Drouin-Horvat-Heineman

Duclair-Pageau-Shabanov

MacLean-Cizikas-Gatcomb

Schaefer-Pulock

Pelech-DeAngelo

Warren-Mayfield

Rittich

Hogberg

Matthew Schaefer is looking like he has the potential to be an all-world player on New York's blue line. The fact that he's only going to get better is scary, but that's what you hope for when you make a number one pick. 

Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat as the 1-2 down the middle is solid for the Islanders. With JG Pageau and Casey Cizikas as the 3-4, their center depth can go toe-to-toe with most teams.

In goal, they have been using David Rittich because their superstar, Ilya Sorokin, has been out with an injury. Whether they use Rittich or Marcus Hogberg remains to be seen, but the Blackhawks will need to have a good forecheck, be smart with the puck, and create a good net front presence if they want to score on Patrick Roy's team. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks, without Frank Nazar and Connor Bedard, don't have a winning roster. However, they do have a handful of great role players who will be with this team when they are a winner down the road. 

There are also a handful of veterans in the lineup who do a great job of setting an example for the young and inexperienced players. Currently, they are going through a hard time and need to find their way out of the slump. 

Bertuzzi-Greene-Burakovsky

Teravainen-Moore-Lardis

Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Foligno-Dach-Slaggert

Extras: Lafferty, Toninato

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Extra: Del Mastro

Knight

Spencer Knight is going to start for the Blackhawks against the Islanders. He wasn't at his best in his most recent start, but he has been incredible for the entire season as a whole. Balshill isn't giving his number one goalie much time before allowing him to try and bounce back. 

The most interesting thing about these lines is Teuvo Teravainen getting Nick Lardis on his line. Lardis is a shoot-first type of player so being on a line with Teuvo who passes everything could lead to more goal scoring. Oliver Moore is going to play center on that line, which is something he learned to do in college. 

Before practice on Monday, Connor Bedard took a skate. He stick handled and skated with speed, but he didn't take any shots. Frank Nazar has also upgraded to eating solid food, confirming that he broke his jaw. 

Connor Bedard Skated Before Blackhawks' Monday PracticeBefore the Chicago Blackhawks practice on Monday, Connor Bedard took a skate as he tries to recover from his shoulder injury.

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. Nationally, it can be streamed on ESPN+ or NHL Network. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Trying to figure what this Rangers team is all about is roughly equivalent to cycling from here to eternity. 

A night in Raleigh leaves us with this much evidence.

1. A 3-2 overtime loss is a Pyrrhic victory because the New Yorkers came away with a point against the Division leaders in Carolina.

2. The formula holds: Igor Shesterkin's goaltending avoided a 6-2 loss.

3. New York's offense is so weak that the goal-scoring heroes had to be defenseman Vlad Gavrtikov and Jonny Brodzinski.

4. If that isn't bad enough, the Rangers were outshot almost two-to-one (35-19).

5. Egad, what a cad! The Blueshirts were beaten by Carolina's fourth-string goalie, Brandon Bussi. (This guy didn't miss the bus!)

The three-game road trip still could be a winner if they top Washington – very doable –  tomorrow – and then Florida, which has many aces out with injuries.

An Optimist Looks At A Good Blueshirt New YearSkeptics to the contrary; the season is not yet a dead one for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a>.

Coach Mike Sullivan  is happy. "We competed hard and when it was five-on-five we had our moments," Sully proclaims.

You would be happy, too, as the highest-paid bench boss in the NHL – with no fear of firing!

Samuel Montembeault hasn’t played in the NHL since December 9, when he came in relief to Jakub Dobes in a 6-1 defeat at the end of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he hasn’t started a game in the NHL since December 2, a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Since then, he’s had a conditioning stint in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, played two games between a diminished side that was missing several of its regulars, lost them both and spent a lot of time working on his game with Rocket goaltending coach Marco Marciano, a man he’s known since he first worked with him when he played in the QMJHL with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. On Tuesday night, we’ll get to see if it worked, if he has his game back.

For most, it may just be yet another Tuesday night break, but for Montembeault, the stakes are much higher. The way he performs tonight will, in all likelihood, dictate how the Montreal Canadiens move forward with their goaltending this season. The fact that his first game back is against the Florida Panthers, the team that drafted him in the third round of the 2015 draft before putting him on waivers in 2021, is an interesting twist of fate. However, it’s not like the goaltender should need any more motivation than proving he still belongs in the Canadiens’ net.

Canadiens: Suzuki Waiting To Hear
Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky Rewarded For Big Week
Canadiens: Jordan And Patrik Laine Did The Honours

Tuesday night’s tilt will be the first of three meetings this season, and it comes as just two points separate the two teams in the standings. The Habs are currently third in the Atlantic Division, while the Panthers hold the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Should the Cats claim the two points tonight, they’d overtake the Habs despite having the same number of points in the standings since the Florida outfit has more regulation wins than Martin St-Louis’ men.

Interestingly, the last 10 games between the two teams have been split evenly, with each team claiming five wins. The Canadiens won the last five, while the Panthers won the first five, including a home game on February 29, 2024, which they took 4-3 in the shootout. Will the double defending champions call time on the Canadiens’ domination over them?

Just like the Canadiens, the Panthers have had their fair share of injury woes this season, and they are still without two huge names in Matthew Tkachuk and captain Aleksander Barkov, who’s out for the season, but may come back in the playoffs, if the Cats get there. Dimitry Kulikov, Jonah Gadjovich, Tomas Nosek and Cole Schwindt are also all on injured reserve.

Florida has a 7-3-0 record in its last 10 games and won a duel against the Washington Capitals, 5-3, on Monday night with Sergei Bobrovsky in net. It was the Russian netminder’s 446th career win, allowing him to overtake Terry Sawchuk in eighth place on the all-time wins leader list. He needs nine more wins to overtake Curtis Joseph in seventh place. Florida has yet to confirm who will be in the net for the game against Montreal; it may be the second game of a back-to-back, but it’s a crucial match in the standings. Bobrovsky has a 16-9-1 record against the visitors with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. As for backup Daniil Tarasov, he’s only faced the Canadiens twice, and he has a 0-1-0 record with a 2.65 GAA and a .898 SV.

Meanwhile, Montembeault has a 4-4-1 record against his former team with a 3.75 GAA and a .892 SV. As for Jacob Fowler, he has never faced them, but they were the first team Jakub Dobes ever played. Just over one year ago, he made 34 saves to register a shutout against the Florida outfit and help the Canadiens turn their season around.

When the Canadiens practiced on Monday, there was one significant change in the lineup up front. Alexandre Texier was skating alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on the top line. He had finished the last game there, but it looks like St-Louis wants to have a longer look at him in that spot. This means that Zachary Bolduc finds himself on the third line, playing alongside Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson. Brendan Gallagher is the Canadiens’ top points producer against the Panthers with 24 points in 40 games, while Suzuki has 20 points in just 19 duels, and Anderson has 14 points in 24 tilts. Caufiled is not far off from being a point-per-game player against the hosts with 12 points in just 14 games.

At the other end of the ice, Brad Marchand is the Panthers’ most productive player against the Habs with 48 points in 58 games, and he’s on an eight-game points streak, having put up 13 points in that span. Sam Reinhart comes in second place with 23 points in 34 duels, and Sam Bennet completes the top three with 21 points in 28 games.

The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on SCRIPPS, TSN2, and RDS. Cody Beach and Kendrick Nicholson will officiate, with Brad Kovachik and Tyson Baker serving as the linemen. Tuesday night’s tilt will be the Canadiens' last game of 2025 as they’ll be off for New Year’s Eve before taking on the Carolina Hurricanes on New Year’s Day.

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Boone Jenner(6), Damon Severson(3), DentonMateycuk(7), and Kirill Marchenko(14) powered the offense, and Jet Greaves played great, making 27 saves to beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Monday night. 

The day began with their flight to Ottawa being delayed due to issues with the plane and the weather. They were supposed to fly out on Sunday night but didn't arrive in Ottawa until 3:40 PM. After hurrying to the arena and getting ready, they took warmups and got ready to play.

Soon after warmups, the club announced that forward Sean Monahan would miss the game for "maintenance," so Zach Aston-Reese stepped into the lineup for him. 

It was not a normal gameday for the Columbus Blue Jackets in any way, shape, or form. 

First Period - SOG 12-7 CBJ - CBJ Goal - Jenner

The first 5 minutes of the period were pretty slow, with not a lot of shots or action. Cole Sillinger changed that when he got called for tripping Tim Stützle 5:03 into the period, giving the Sens their first power play. The Jackets would kill it with ease, with Greaves making two saves. 

The Blue Jackets earned their first power play when Fabian Zetterlund threw a dirty elbow at Dante Fabbro's face. Fabbro went down but popped right back up. Zetterlund skated off as if nothing happened but was escorted to the penalty box. The Senators would kill it, but Leevi Meriläinen had to make 5 big saves to keep the game scoreless. 

But just a few seconds after the penalty expired, the Blue Jackets jumped on a Sens turnover and buried a goal passed Meriläinen. Cole Sillinger sent a no-look pass from the boards to a waiting Boone Jenner who was crashing the net. 

Mathieu Olivier and Kurtis MacDermid had a quick scrap that ended fairly quick when both players went down. 

Dylan Cozens took a tripping penalty that gave the CBJ their second power play of the game. The Sens killed it off, ending the period with Columbus owning a 1-0 lead. 

Second Period - SOG 10-3 Senators - CBJ Goal - Severson

Damon Severson scored to make it 2-0 when he let loose an absolute missile to beat Meriläinen just 1:21 into the second period. 

A little over three minutes in, Dante Fabbro was called for holding Claude Giroux, giving the Sens another power play. The Blue Jackets killed the penalty to keep their two-goal lead. 

The Senators' Jake Sanderson, son of former CBJ great Geoff Sanderson, scored to make it 2-1 at the 8:16 mark of the period. Ottawa took a turnover down the ice, where the puck eventually found Sanderson's stick. He let a shot go that no one was stopping. 

Damon Severson was called for tripping Dylan Cozens a little over halfway through the period. At this point, the Blue Jackets are starting to falter a bit.

The Blue Jackets killed the penalty, and just as it ended, got a power play of their own when David Perron tripped Brendan Smith, giving them their third man advantage. Mason Marchment was called for hooking with 49 seconds left on their power play, killing it. 

Ottawa failed to score on the abbreviated power play they were awarded.  

Third Period - SOG 11-7 Senators - CBJ Goals - Mateychuk, Marchenko

Denton Mateychuk scored to make it 3-1 just 1:55 into the third period. Damon Severson picked up his second point of the night, and 6th point in 4 games. It was a huge insurance goal to regain a two-goal lead. 

Kirill Marchenko scored on a beautiful, odd-man rush to make the score 4-1. Kirill Marchenko is officially hot. 

The Blue Jackets would again hold a third-period lead and finish it off to pick up the win. Despite the adversity of the day, they played very well at times and took advantage of a slumping Senators club. 

Final Stats

Player Stats

• Boone Jenner scored his 6th of the season and 399th point of his career.
• Damon Severson scored his 3rd goal of the year and had an assist. He now has 6 points in his last 4 games.
• Denton Mateychuk scored his 7th of the year.
• Kirill Marchenko scored his 14th of the season
• Cole Sillinger picked up two assists and went 6/12 at the faceoff circle.
• Charlie Coyle had two assists and went 5/11 on faceoffs.
• Dmitri Voronkov had one assist.
• Mason Marchment had an assist, and now has points in all four games since being acquired.
• Adam Fantilli had an assist and went 10/20 on faceoffs.
• Jet Greaves made 27 saves, which included 4 on the power play.

Team Stats

• The Jackets' power play went 0/3.
• The Columbus PK stopped all four of the Senator power plays.
• Columbus won 54.4% of the faceoffs - 31/57
• The Blue Jackets had 23 hits.

Up Next: The Blue Jackets are back home on New Year's Eve to play the New Jersey Devils. 

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The Florida Panthers will look to complete a back-to-back set sweep when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night in Sunrise.

Florida is fresh off Monday’s exciting comeback victory over the Washington Capitals at Amerant Bank Arena, their ninth in 12 games since the start of December.

The Cats will have to dig deep if they want to pick up a win over the Habs though, as Florida will be playing their third game in four nights after exiting the league’s annual holiday break.

Montreal, on the other hand, has placed only one game since the pause ended, a 5-4 shootout loss in Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon.

Entering play Tuesday, the Habs sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 46 points through 38 games.

The Panthers are right on their heels, holding the second Wild Card spot with 44 points, also through 38 games.

A win for Florida would give them the edge over Montreal though, as the Cats already have five more regulation wins than their friends from the north (18 to 13, for those wondering).

It’s also worth noting that those 18 regulation wins are tied for the most in the conference with Washington and Tampa Bay.

Florida is expected to start Daniil Tarasov on the back end of the back-to-back set, which would also set up Sergei Bobrovsky to get the nod for Friday’s Winter Classic.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Monday’s matchup with the Capitals:

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand

Mackie Samoskevich – Evan Rodrigues – A.J. Greer

Jesper Boqvist – Luke Kunin – Jack Studnicks

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Matthew Tkachuk takes part in first Florida Panthers practice of season

Photo caption: Dec 29, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jeff Romance-Imagn Images)

Bruins prospects Hagens, Zellers dominating for Team USA at World Juniors originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There’s not much to be excited about when it comes to the Boston Bruins’ on-ice performance right now.

The Original Six club suffered its sixth straight loss Monday night with a 2-1 overtime defeat to the Calgary Flames on the road. Penalties were again an issue for Boston as Calgary scored the winning goal with an OT power play.

The Bruins’ recent slide has dropped them to the fifth-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 20-18-2 (42 points). However, given how tight the East standings are — only eight points separate first place and 10th place — a couple wins in a row could vault the B’s right back into playoff contention.

It’s not all bad for the Bruins despite this losing streak, though. Just look at some of the franchise’s top prospects, specifically James Hagens and Will Zellers, who are dominating offensively for the United States at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota.

Monday night’s game against Slovakia was a great example.

The U.S. trailed 2-0 in the first period and then 4-3 late in the second period before Hagens tied the score in the final minute of the frame.

JAMES HAGENS HAS ARRIVED, 4-4 GAME! 🚨

A gorgeous passing play ties the game for the United States! 🇺🇸 #WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/8p9aaN67aq

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 30, 2025

Team USA built on that momentum when Hagens scored just 18 seconds into the third period. It was the United States’ first lead of the game.

18 SECONDS INTO THE THIRD AND THE UNITED STATES LEAD 🫨🇺🇸

James Hagens has his second of the game! #WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/0lg5vvZmr2

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 30, 2025

The Americans doubled their advantage a few minutes later when Will Zellers scored a power-play goal. It ended up being the game-winning tally after Slovakia scored to make it 6-5 later in the period. The U.S. held on for a 6-5 victory to improve to 3-0-0 in the preliminary round of the tournament.

After review, Will Zellers makes it 6-4 for the United States! 🇺🇸 #WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/OLqjv4MJHD

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 30, 2025

“We knew we had to have each other’s backs,” Hagens told NHL Network postgame when asked about Team USA’s early deficit. “We came out and were firing right away. We knew we were going to face some adversity at some point, so it’s just how you come out to that.”

Hagens has four points (two goals, two assists) in three games. Zellers has six points (four goals, two assists) in three games. He also has scored at least one goal in each of the preliminary round matchups.

It’s not a surprise that Hagens, as the No. 7 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a veteran of last year’s gold medal-winning team at the World Juniors, is stepping up during clutch moments for the Red, White and Blue. Zellers’ dominance is a little more surprising, although he’s been playing fantastic for the University of North Dakota with 10 goals and five assists in 18 games as a freshman this season.

Both of them represent the kinds of players the Bruins need at the NHL level right now.

Hagens has the offensive skill set, poise and hockey IQ of a No. 1 center. The Bruins haven’t had a real No. 1 center since Patrice Bergeron retired following the 2022-23 campaign. If Hagens can be a legit top-six center for many years, it would significantly improve the Bruins’ chances of being a title contender.

Zellers is a true goal scorer with a remarkable shot and the willingness to fight for pucks in and around the net. Boston could use more top-tier offensive skill on the wing, and Zellers should be able to help address that weakness at some point. Getting him as part of the Charlie Coyle trade with the Colorado Avalanche last March is looking like a stroke of genius from B’s general manager Don Sweeney.

The quality and depth of the Bruins’ prospect pool is better than it’s been in a long time, and both Hagens and Zellers are a huge reason why. There are still some flaws in their game, and they still haven’t reached the NHL yet, but their potential is enormous.

That’s one reason for Bruins fans to be excited, even if the team’s play at the moment is pretty lackluster.

In a recent article for Sportsnet, Ryan Dixon made some bold hockey predictions for the new year. Without much surprise, the Buffalo Sabres were discussed. 

Dixon predicted that the Sabres would sign pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) forward Alex Tuch to an eight-year contract extension before the 2026 NHL trade deadline. Yet, that is not the only big prediction Dixon had for the Sabres, as he also predicted that Buffalo will trade 2021 first-overall pick Owen Power by the deadline.

It is not a secret that new Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is hoping to sign Tuch to a contract extension. It makes sense, as the Syracuse, New York native is a very impactful top-six forward and a huge part of the Sabres' roster. Thus, it would be massive if the Sabres successfully signed him to an eight-year contract extension. 

Tuch has been the subject of trade rumors throughout the season and should generate interest from clubs if this remains the case once we get closer to the deadline. Yet, it will be interesting to see if Dixon's prediction about the Sabres extending Tuch comes true. 

As for Power, this is undoubtedly the bolder Sabres take made from Dixon. While the 6-foot-6 defenseman has sometimes come up in the rumor mill, it would naturally still come with some shock if the Sabres actually dealt him. If the Sabres traded Power, it would certainly need to be for a star player who would help Buffalo immediately, as they are looking to break their 14-year playoff drought.

At 23 years old, Power is still very young and has the potential to improve further as he continues to gain more experience. He is also signed until the end of the 2030-31 season, where he carries an $8.35 million contract. Yet, he also does not have any trade protection until the 2029-30 season, which is something to remember.

In 36 games so far this season with the Sabres, Power has recorded three goals, seven assists, and 10 points. This comes after the left-shot blueliner set career highs with seven goals, 33 assists, and 40 points in 79 games this past season. 

LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights fell behind 2-0 after one period and 5-0 less than seven minutes into the second period on Monday night, as the Minnesota Wild skated to a 5-2 road win inside T-Mobile Arena.

Vegas, which dropped to 1-1-1 during its current four-game homestand, has now lost five of its last six.

The Golden Knights (45) sit one point behind the Pacific Division-leading Edmonton Oilers and are just one point in front of the third-place Anaheim Ducks, who also lost at home Monday, 5-4 to the San Jose Sharks.

Marcus Johansson put the Wild on the board first, just 26 seconds into the game, while Matt Boldy made it 2-0 later in the period.

Again, this time 26 seconds into the second stanza, the Wild struck when Jared Spurgeon made it 3-0. Brock Faber and Joel Eriksson Ek tacked on two more to essentially put the game out of reach.

Brayden McNabb scored late in the second and captain Mark Stone scored early in the third to provide the final margin.

Vegas goalie Carter Hart allowed five goals during the 12 shots he faced before turning the net over to Akira Schmid, who stopped all 15 shots he faced.

KEY MOMENT

Just 2:13 into the game, the Golden Knights lost center Tomas Hertl when he was ejected for a game misconduct after being called for a major boarding penalty on Minnesota's Ryan Hartman. With centers Jack Eichel and William Karlsson already missing with injuries, losing Hertl was less than ideal.

"You're down your three centers, but you can't make the excuses," Vegas captain Mark Stone said. "That's when you got to kind of play a little more together, play more as a five-man group, offensively, defensively, all over the ice. You got to support each other a little bit better than what we did in the first 40 (minutes).

Tomas Hertl receives a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for this hit on Ryan Hartman 😳 pic.twitter.com/vOmZ48z6nE

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 30, 2025

KEY STAT

16 - Vegas' 16 shots on goal were a season low, one less than the previous low of 17, back on Oct. 25 during a 3-0 loss at Florida. From Oct. 28 through Sunday, Vegas ranked third with 30.4 shots per game. After Monday's loss, the Knights rank fifth with 29.9 shots per game since then.

WHAT A KNIGHT

Though the damage was done, Schmid might have been Vegas' player all night. Coming off the bench cold to stop every shot he faced was a perfect warm-up performance before Wednesday's scheduled start against Nashville. Schmid is 11-3-4 and ranks sixth in the league with a 2.40 goals-against average among goalies who have played in 19 games played. He also has .900 save percentage.

UP NEXT

The Golden Knights conclude their four-game homestand by hosting the Nashville Predators on Wednesday in a New Year's Eve matinee.

PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) is pulled in favor of goaltender Akira Schmid (40) after surrendering 5 goals to the Minnesota Wild during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.

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To all the people who said Calvin Pickard should get traded, how does it feel to be wrong?

How does it feel to think trading a backup could fix the Oilers goaltending problems?

And how does it feel to not see the value in accepting that a career backup could be just that? A backup, not a star, not the solution, but a relief player when guys get injured, or things go sideways.

Monday nights 4-1 win over the Jets never went sideways, but Pickard played his best game of the season.

He made a season-high 41 saves in his hometown. Max Jones, Jack Roslovic, and Zach Hyman scored for Edmonton. Adam Lowry scored for the Jets.

But this was Pickard's night.

"Calvin was our best player," Kris Knoblauch said afterward. "Unfortunately for Picks, we've played some of our worst hockey when he's been in there, and that's been reflective in his stats. It hasn't looked that good, but we just haven't been that good in front of him."

The Oilers have played poorly in front of Pickard for most of this season. His numbers have looked bad because the team in front of him has been bad. Monday night in Winnipeg, he got the support he needed.

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"Obviously, there's some time between starts here, and you want to get into it, but I felt good," Pickard said. "I felt good in practice, and I'm confident. This is my third year here. I'm confident behind the group and just trying to do my job."

He's not trying to be the starter. He's not trying to steal anyone's job. He's a backup goalie who understands his role and does it without complaining about playing time or demanding more starts.

Monday night was exactly what you want out of a hometown showing. Pickard grew up in Winnipeg. His family and friends were in the building. Canada Life Centre is where he watched Jets games growing up. Making 41 saves and winning in front of that crowd meant something.

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"Honestly, I felt pretty good the last month or so," Pickard said. "It's hard to get traction. I thought I played pretty decent in Montreal, pretty decent in Minnesota, but I just didn't get rewarded for it. I got some bounces tonight, and I got rewarded, so I like where my game's at. I want to keep that going."

The difference Monday night was Edmonton played better in front of him. They blocked shots. They kept Winnipeg to the outside. They did all the things teams are supposed to do when their goalie is standing on his head.

"There were no lulls in the game," Pickard said. "They kept shooting, they kept coming, and we did a pretty good job of keeping them to the outside."

Cole Hutson (Quinn Hutson’s Brother) Rejoins Team USA After Scary InjuryAfter a scary puck incident, Cole Hutson (brother of Oilers' Quinn Hutson) is out of the hospital and back with Team USA, bringing welcome relief and good news.

Pickard made key saves on the penalty kill in the first period to keep it scoreless. He stopped 15 shots in the third period alone when Winnipeg was pressing after cutting the lead to 2-1.

"Their power play got some looks, I had to make some saves there, but it was just one of those games," Pickard said. "They were great, and you have to give them credit. They played well, and I needed to be good, and we defended well."

This is exactly why we should all be grateful Calvin Pickard stuck around. The Oilers have gone through goaltending chaos this season. Stuart Skinner was traded to Pittsburgh. Tristan Jarry came in, got injured, and is on IR. Connor Ingram made his NHL return from the Player Assistance Program and has started three straight games.

It's The Best Time Of Year For Hockey FansIf you're a hockey fan, this is the best time of year. Period.

Through all of it, Pickard has been there. Not complaining. Not demanding trades. Just waiting for his turn and being ready when called upon.

Monday night was his turn. In his hometown. Against a Winnipeg team that had relentless pressure and should feel good about holding back two of the best players in the NHL. And he delivered exactly what the Oilers needed— a win and a reminder that backup goalies matter when they're good at their job.

"I like where my game's at," Pickard said. "I want to keep that going."

Determined McDavid: "We’re Hungry... We’re Not Going Anywhere" Connor McDavid is driving the Oilers' relentless pursuit of a Stanley Cup, refusing to quit and demanding more.

The Oilers should be grateful he does. Because on nights like Monday in Winnipeg, when your starter needs a break and you're facing 42 shots in a building where your backup grew up, you need someone who can step in and steal a game.

Calvin Pickard did exactly that. It's exactly what he's paid to do. And it's exactly why everyone who wanted to trade him was wrong.

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The Calgary Flames leaned on patience, goaltending, and timely execution to earn a 2–1 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

The opening period lacked pace until Boston earned a power play midway through the frame. Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf was sharp early, making a pair of key saves to keep the game scoreless. Late in the period, Bruins defenceman Andrew Peeke drove toward the net and made contact with Wolf after losing the puck, as it slipped through Wolf and into the net. Calgary challenged for goaltender interference, but the goal stood, giving Boston a 1–0 lead at the 18:06 mark and putting the Flames shorthanded to close the period.

The second period remained tight-checking and low-event until Calgary finally broke through. At 13:33, sustained pressure in the offensive zone paid off as Mikael Backlund found Blake Coleman in the slot. Coleman snapped a quick shot through Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman to tie the game 1–1, marking his team-leading 12th goal of the season.

The third period stayed scoreless despite Boston holding an 8–1 edge in shots. As regulation expired, Bruins defenceman Jonathan Aspirot was assessed a high-sticking penalty, sending the Flames to overtime with a carryover power play.

Calgary nearly saw the advantage backfire when Pavel Zacha sprung loose for a shorthanded breakaway early in overtime. Wolf came up with a clutch stop and turned aside the rebound attempt from Nikita Zadorov. Moments later, the Flames capitalized. Yegor Sharangovich fired a shot through traffic, and Connor Zary got a piece of the rebound in front, as the puck found its way past Swayman to secure the 2–1 overtime victory.

Three Takeaways

1. Blake Coleman continues to set the tone

Coleman delivered exactly what the Flames needed — offence, physical play, and composure in big moments. His second-period goal provided the spark, he finished checks throughout the night, and he drew the penalty that set up the overtime winner. His consistency has made him one of Calgary’s most reliable drivers this season.

2. Dustin Wolf was calm and composed

Wolf turned aside 24 shots, including two high-danger chances in overtime, earning his 50th win of the season. He remained poised under pressure, tracked pucks well through traffic, and made the saves Calgary needed when momentum tilted Boston’s way.

3. The power play found a way when it mattered most

Calgary went 0-for-4 with the man advantage in regulation, struggling to generate rhythm. But the unit stayed patient, and the carryover power play in overtime finally delivered, proving decisive in a tightly contested game.

The Final Word 

Coleman on the effort:

“They play a pretty similar game to us and you’ve got to earn your ice and your space. Felt like one of those games that one goal was going to be the difference late in the game and, not pretty, but we got the job done.”

Wolf on the overtime breakaway saves:

“Saw the first one, got snowed on the second one, so thankfully (the puck) hit me.”

Zary on the goaltending:

“At the end of day I think we just know (Wolf’s) got our back and he’s going to make big saves all the time and keep us in games… whether they’re on a 2-on-1 or have a breakaway you have confidence that Wolf is just going to make the save.”

The Los Angeles Kings (16-13-9) delivered a competitive, physical performance against the NHL's elite team. Still, costly turnovers and late-game execution issues proved decisive in their 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche (29-2-7) on Monday night. 

Despite the Kings keeping pace for much of the game and generating consistent man-to-man pressure that was giving the Avs trouble early on, LA was unable to match Colorado's finishing touches, especially in the final minutes of regulation. 

Final from Denver. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/A29PaP048W

— LA Kings (@LAKings) December 30, 2025

Fast Start

The first period played like a playoff atmosphere in the Mile High City, with both teams finishing checks and pushing the pace from the opening whistle. The Kings showed up early with their physicality, throwing hits from Adrian Kempe, Warren Foegele, and Alex Laferriere while generating quality looks. 

However, Colorado struck first. Center Ross Colton forced a turnover on the forecheck and fed Jack Drury in the slot, who beat goaltender Anton Forsberg for a 1-0 Avalanche lead. 

Los Angeles continued to put pressure on the Avs, but Mackenzie Blackwood was sharp under the net, turning aside multiple Kings chances to break Colorado's lead. 

Perry Responds

The Kings tied the game midway through the second period thanks to Corey Perry's veteran play this season. Perry found soft ice near the crease and finished off a Kevin Fiala feed, beating Blackwood to knot the game at 1-1. 

Despite the Kings' goal, the Avs never let them stay comfortable, and the momentum didn't last long. 

Colorado responded with relentless pressure. Forward Martin Necas restored the Avs' lead after a dominant shift that should've been a penalty on the Kings, but Necas still sustained the puck to score in traffic around the net. 

Later in the period, center Brock Nelson made it 3-1 after another Kings turnover, giving Colorado breathing room heading into the third. 

Armia Gives Hope

Los Angeles made one final push in the third. Armia delivered a highlight of the night with a dazzling shorthanded goal, now leading the NHL with four shorthanded goals. But Colorado closed the door on the Kings' inability to convert when they had so many chances to tie the game. 

The Avalanche scored two goals in the final minute of regulation, with an empty-netter coming seconds later to seal the victory 5-2. 

Turnovers Costly For LA

The Kings finished shots to Colorado's 26 and won 50 percent of its faceoffs, but 18 giveaways, several of them led to the Avs directly scoring and giving them several chances, which proved to be costly for Los Angeles. 

While Los Angeles proved today that it can skate and compete physically with Colorado, the Avalanche still exposed the Kings' mistakes that have been punishing them all season. 

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DENVER —  Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson each recorded a goal and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche extended their winning streak to eight games with a 5–2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena on Monday night. 

Jack Drury, Martin Nečas, and Cale Makar also found the back of the net for Colorado (29-2-7), which has now won 14 straight games on home ice and is 10-0-1 over its last 11 contests. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots in the win, making several timely, highlight-reel saves to help seal the victory. 

Corey Perry and Joel Armia scored for Los Angeles (16-13-9), while Anton Forsberg made 21 saves. The Kings have dropped seven of their last nine games and have lost five of their last six meetings with the Avalanche. 

First Period 

Brent Burns turned the puck over at center ice early, allowing Alex Turcotte to break in alone, but Blackwood stood tall and turned aside the chance. 

Just over nine minutes into the period, Colorado had managed only one shot on goal, though its defense was doing its part. Josh Manson set a physical tone by knocking Quinton Byfield off the puck during one sequence. 

At the 9:24 mark, the Avalanche doubled their shot total in emphatic fashion. Drury fired a shot that deflected off Darcy Kuemper’s blocker and into the net to give Colorado a 1–0 lead. The play developed after Ross Colton intercepted a pass, surveyed the ice, and found Drury streaking down the middle for the finish. 

With nearly four minutes remaining, Colorado went to the power play after Andrei Kuzmenko was whistled for interference following a collision with Gavin Brindley off the draw. The man advantage came up empty, and the teams returned to even strength. 

After one period, the Avalanche held a 1–0 lead despite Los Angeles owning a 10–8 edge in shots. 

Second Period 

Parker Kelly was penalized for holding early in the frame, and with just four seconds left on the kill, Colorado surrendered the equalizer when Perry deflected a pass from Kevin Fiala past Blackwood to tie the game. 

A few minutes later, Brian Dumoulin was sent off for interference on Drury. Dumoulin vehemently disagreed with the call and argued with the officials before heading to the box. After Colorado failed to convert on its second power play, Colton was assessed an interference penalty. 

Nečas restored the lead with 6:39 remaining on a scramble in front. Gabe Landeskog and MacKinnon each took swings at a loose puck, and after Forsberg failed to smother it, the rebound trickled free to Nečas at the doorstep for an easy tap-in. 

Los Angeles was penalized again when Brandt Clarke cross-checked Artturi Lehkonen in the back. The power play struggled once more, and Kempe nearly made Colorado pay with a shorthanded breakaway, but Blackwood came up with a massive save. 

Nelson made it 3–1 with 2:30 left in the period, ripping a wrist shot over Forsberg’s glove after taking a perfectly placed saucer feed from Kiviranta. 

Third Period 

Nearly four minutes into the final frame, Clarke was sent to the box again—this time for tripping Kiviranta and sending him crashing into the boards. 

The Kings, however, refused to fold. Armia struck shorthanded to pull Los Angeles within a goal, skating the length of the ice before toe-dragging around Cale Makar to give himself additional real estate and time before snapping a wrist shot from the high slot that slipped through Blackwood five-hole. 

As the clock approached the midway point of the period, Drury was whistled for hooking on what appeared to be a questionable call, but the penalty kill stood firm and snuffed out the threat. 

MacKinnon only had two shots on net, and the final one was a goal as he shot the puck into an empty net at 18:23 to make it 4-2, and Makar scored on a rebound with 45 seconds left to complete the 5-2 victory. 

As the Avalanche have shown all season, they have exhibited grit and the ability to suffocate their opposition in the championship rounds. 

Next Game 

The Avalanche will square off against the struggling St. Louis Blues on New Year’s Eve to close out 2025. Coverage begins at 7 p.m., with a fireworks show scheduled to follow the game.  

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ST. LOUIS – Colten Ellis is not mad. The former St. Louis Blues farmhand is nowhere near upset.

In fact, the goalie is grateful for his time, and the belief the Blues had in him and the time they devoted to develop him.

So when the Blues had to make the decision, one general manager Doug Armstrong has said he did not want to make but ultimately felt he had no other choice, of putting the 25-year-old on waivers hoping to pass their No. 3 goalie on the depth chart through to assign him to Springfield of the American Hockey League, only to have the Buffalo Sabres – in need of goaltending due to injury issues at the time – jump in and snatch him on Oct. 5.

The Blues were left scrambling. The Sabres were banking on someone they felt, just like the Blues did, have promise.

But bottom line, it was going to be really difficult for the Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia native to push his way through the barrier in St. Louis with Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer ahead of him.

“When they told me I was going on waivers, I know that’s a process, I really didn’t know what to expect,” Ellis told The Hockey news on Monday morning. “It was my first year going through this process. I was actually back in Springfield moving into my apartment. I was there when I got the call from Doug. It’s a crazy business, you never know what’s going to happen. You’ve kind of got to be ready for everything. Thinking in the back of my mind, I knew there was a possibility, but didn’t necessarily think something was going to transpire like that.”

Ellis got that call from Armstrong, one he said was comforting for both and one he appreciated.

“I had a really good conversation with him when he told me the news,” Ellis said. “He just wished me all the best. It was nice to kind of have that conversation with him. I’ve known him for however many years I was in the organization, right? It was cool to kind of talk to him about it and wish me the best and all that.”

And Ellis was off to Buffalo. For however long, nobody really knew, since Ukko Pekka-Luukkonen was on the mend at the time. But to the surprise of many, the Sabres have decided to keep three goalies rostered. They’ve liked Ellis that much.

Unfortunately, for the time being anyway, Ellis is recovering from a concussion sustained Dec. 9, when the Sabres’ eight-game winning streak began prior to facing the St. Louis Blues, against the Edmonton Oilers.

“He’s played well,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said of Ellis. “It’s unfortunate what happened in the Edmonton game where he got knocked out of the game and went into the concussion protocol process. I think he’s given us that ability when we’ve had other goalies hurt or on the sideline. He’s given us that backup when needed to step up and win games.

“You’ve got to give our scouting staff and our management a lot of credit. I think they must have had him on the radar and I think that’s what good teams do. They identify those guys that get on waivers and when you need a guy like that, whether it’s a forward, a defenseman, your pro scouts, your management staff’s the ones that see these players all the time. They bank information on him.”

And for Ellis, who is 4-3-0 with a 3.25 goals-against average and .985 save percentage this season, this is where he wants to be; he wants to be in the NHL, and as much as he said he loved being in Springfield with great people and great teammates, this is every player’s ultimate goal, and if it wasn’t going to come here, he’s glad it has come somewhere.

“A hundred percent,” he said. “Whenever someone kind of takes a chance on you like that, I’m obviously super grateful to have the opportunity to be here. For them to show an interest in me and pick me up, it means a lot. Obviously this is where I want to be for sure.

“I think the last couple years in Springfield really grew my game. Now I have a great foundation that I’m really confident in and really working closely with the goalie development guys and the goalie coaches in St. Louis really helped me get to this point. I did a lot of figuring out myself too and figuring out what makes me who I am as a goalie. I had a couple years in Springfield to figure that out and just keep building on things because you’re never done.”

Ellis made his NHL debut on Oct. 22 against the Detroit Red Wings, and he stopped 29 shots in a 4-2 win and won three of his first four starts.

It was a whirlwind of emotions but ones he was glad to experience.

“Yeah, absolutely. Not really knowing what to expect,” Ellis said. ‘I was never up in St. Louis during the regular season. I was up for one last year during the playoffs, but you’re not really a part of it. I didn’t really know what to expect, but everything here has been great. A really good group of guys around the room and everybody’s been really helpful to me being my first time going through all this. It’s been awesome.

“Before the game, we were maybe a little emotional kind of just talking about it with my family and my fiance and all the people that helped me get to this point. It’s something I’ve always dreamed about and to be able to kind of live it and go through that whole experience. I had so many people here I got to share that with. It was amazing.”

Suter Sidelined At Least Four Weeks With Ankle InjuryBlues center was hurt in third period of 3-2 win against Predators on Saturday despite returning to gameAnother St. Louisan To Play Meaningful Game In Hometown For Sabres, Josh Dunne Joins Prestigious ListSabres forward hails from O'Fallon, Mo., has played here in past but only in preseason games

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