ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Joel Hofer made 22 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, Jonathan Drouin scored in his Blues debut and St. Louis beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-0 on Sunday night to sweep a four-game trip.
Jordan Kyrou, Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter also scored to help St. Louis win for the fifth time in six games since the Olympic break.
Drouin was acquired from the Islanders on Friday at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Blues captain Brayden Schenn to New York. The left wing scored the second of three second-period goals, firing a slap shot past Ville Husso on a power play with 9:53 left.
Kyrou opened the scoring at 4:22, snapping a shot from the right side to the far post on a 3-on-1 break. After helping set up Drouin's goal, Snuggerud added one of his own on a one-timer with 7:49 to go.
St. Louis failed to add to the lead on an extended power play that spilled into the third when Ross Johnston received a major penalty for boarding Justin Holl, the defenseman who also made his Blues debut after coming over from Detroit.
After Anaheim successfully challenged Snuggerud's apparent goal midway through the third for offsides, Suter scored into an empty net with 4:02 to go
Husso stopped 31 shots. The Ducks completed a nine-game homestand, splitting the last four after winning the first five. They were 0 for 6 on the power play against the Blues.
John Carlson, the defenseman acquired from Washington on Thursday, missed his fifth straight game because of lower-body injury. Ducks center Mikael Granlund returned after missing six games because of an upper-body injury sustained playing for Finland in the Olympic bronze-medal game.
Up next
Blues: Host the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
You have to go back to Tampa Bay’s first season in the league, to Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hašek’s first season in Buffalo. To a time when Mario Lemieux had led the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back championships and Wayne Gretzky was on the verge of leading the Los Angeles Kings to their first Stanley Cup Final.
In the Sabres’ 8-7 win in Buffalo on Sunday night, the teams combined for 15 goals and 28 penalties, the most since the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals combined for 16 goals and 28 penalties on Feb. 11, 1993, according to OptaSTATS.
Six different players scored for the Lightning, while five players scored for the Sabres, and seven had at least three points. Jason Zucker scored two goals, and he assisted on Josh Doan’s second goal, the game-winner with 4:17 remaining in the third period. Nikita Kucherov recorded two goals and an assist to lead the Lightning.
Tampa Bay had 57 penalty minutes and Buffalo 45, with Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous and Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram leading the way with 12 apiece. The teams also had seven fights.
According to OptaStats, the 15 goals and 102 penalty minutes totals had not been reached since an NHL playoff game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers on April 25, 1989 (17 goals and 130 penalty minutes).
The victory marked the seventh in a row for the Sabres, who moved into first place in the Atlantic Division. According to the NHL, the last time they were in first place in their division at this stage of a season or later was April 11, 2010.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a 2-0 lead over the Dallas Stars in the first period thanks to goals scored by Tyler Bertuzzi and Sam Rinzel. With a chance to sweep the season series from one of the best teams in the NHL, they gave themselves the early advantage.
On the first goal, Artyom Levshunov collected the puck at the point, skated in a bit, and made an incredibly wise shot-pass to Tyler Bertuzzi, who tipped it home. On the Rinzel goal, he found the puck in the slot thanks to a great play by Oliver Moore and rifled it into the net.
Moore took a hit to make a play and immediately went to the dressing room. He did not return. That is the type of speed that you miss when it’s removed from the lineup.
After that, the Dallas Stars started to take over. Before the Blackhawks could escape the first period with a two-goal lead, Nathan Bastian scored to get the Stars on the board. That 2-1 held through the first intermission, and there was no scoring at all in the second.
Entering the third period, the Stars had a 22-10 shot advantage, indicating that the Blackhawks needed to be much better if they wanted to win the hockey game.
You could feel a Dallas goal coming, and Mavrik Bourque’s 13th of the season knotted things at two just 42 seconds into the third period. At 9:40, the Stars took their first lead of the game with Justin Hryckowian’s 10th of the year.
Just when it seemed completely hopeless for the Hawks, Connor Bedard scored with Arvid Soderblom on the bench to tie the game. In his 200th career NHL game, he put on a show with the extra attacker on the ice.
Overtime was required, but the Stars made sure to complete their comeback as Miro Heiskanen won it 22 seconds into the extra period. Dallas narrowly avoided being swept by a young Chicago team, but they found a way in the end.
It doesn’t feel good for these players to lose, but they will look back on a 2-0-1 performance against the Dallas Stars as a highlight of the season. That will be especially true if the Stars reach their potential in the playoffs.
The only update that Jeff Blashill had on Moore's injury is that he won't be available for Monday's home game.
The Blackhawks will be back in action again on Monday night when they take on the Utah Mammoth. This is their one game at the United Center this week before leaving for two games out west.
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For the second consecutive game, the Detroit Red Wings lost a key member of their lineup because of an on-ice injury.
However, the result of Sunday evening's game was far more positive than the result of Friday evening's game.
The Red Wings leapfrogged the Montreal Canadiens for third place in the Atlantic Division standings with a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center, the kind of response needed after a two-game winless skid on home ice.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 9, 2026
Now, the attention will turn to the status of goaltender John Gibson, who was shaken up after Devils forward Timo Meier shoved Lucas Raymond into him in the closing seconds of the second period.
He was replaced by Cam Talbot to begin the third period; both Gibson and Talbot became the first Red Wings goaltenders since Jonas Gustafsson and Jimmy Howard in 2014 to have a combined shutout in the same contest.
Gibson made 21 saves before his departure, followed by Talbot's 10 saves.
Detroit was already playing without Dylan Larkin, who suffered a lower-body injury on Friday against the Florida Panthers and was designated as day-to-day by head coach Todd McLellan.
Defenseman Justin Faulk, who was acquired from the St. Louis Blues on Friday, made his Red Wings debut and skated in 19:28 of ice time, registering three shots on goal while blocking three shots. He also had four hits.
Detroit struck first in the opening 20 minutes of play, as a shot from the point by defenseman Moritz Seider deflected off a Devils player and sailed past goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
Playing in his home state of New Jersey, first-year Red Wings forward James van Riemsdyk deflected a shot from Seider past Markstrom while on the power-play in the second period. It was his 15th goal of the season and first in 12 games.
While the Devils attempted to press and get back into the contest, Talbot held down the fort in Gibson's absence during the final frame.
The scoring was then capped by Dominik Shine, who tallied his first NHL goal by converting on a perfect centering feed from van Riemsdyk, increasing the lead to 3-0. The team captain of the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, Shine was recalled in late February.
Detroit will continue its road swing by visiting the Sunshine State for a rematch against the Panthers, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — John Gibson and Cam Talbot combined to make 31 saves, Dominik Shine scored his first NHL goal and the Detroit Red Wings beat the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Sunday night.
Opening a four-game trip, Detroit ended a two-game losing streak and stopped the Devils’ winning streak at four.
Gibson made 21 saves in first two periods, but was injured at the end the second. Talbot stopped 10 shots in the third. They became the first Detroit goalies to combine for a shutout since Jonas Gustavsson and Jimmy Howard in 2014.
Moritz Seider and James van Riemsdyk also scored, and each assisted on Shine’s third-period goal. Seider scored on a wrist shot at 3:20 of the first. Van Riemsdyk tipped in a shot from the point on a power play at 6:37 of second.
Shine broke through on a snap shot with 9:36 left. The 32-year-old forward was playing his fifth NHL game of the season and the 14th of his career.
Defenseman Justin Faulk made his Red Wings debut after being acquired from St. Louis on Friday.
Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves for New Jersey in the fourth game of seven-game homestand. The Devils were coming off a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday. Jack Hughes had a hat trick in that game.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — John Gibson and Cam Talbot combined to make 31 saves, Dominik Shine scored his first NHL goal and the Detroit Red Wings beat the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Sunday night.
Opening a four-game trip, Detroit ended a two-game losing streak and stopped the Devils' winning streak at four.
Gibson made 21 saves in first two periods, but was injured late in the second on a collision in the crease. Cam Talbot stopped 10 shots in the third. They became the first Detroit goalies to combine for a shutout since Jonas Gustavsson and Jimmy Howard in 2014.
Moritz Seider and James van Riemsdyk also scored, and each assisted on Shine's third-period goal. Seider scored on a wrist shot at 3:20 of the first. Van Riemsdyk tipped in a shot from the point on a power play at 6:37 of second.
Shine broke through on a snap shot with 9:36 left. The 32-year-old forward was playing his fifth NHL game of the season and the 14th of his career.
Defenseman Justin Faulk made his Red Wings debut after being acquired from St. Louis on Friday.
Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves for New Jersey in the fourth game of seven-game homestand. The Devils were coming off a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday. Jack Hughes had a hat trick in that game.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Tommy Novak scored 17 seconds into overtime to complete a wild comeback in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
Anthony Mantha scored two third-period goals to help Pittsburgh — playing without franchise cornerstones Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — snap a three-game losing streak. Second in the Metropolitan Division, Pittsburgh has points in 16 of its last 19 games.
Crosby is out a minimum of four weeks because of a lower-body injury and Malkin served the second of a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin in the head.
Egor Chinakhov added a power-play goal, Connor Dewar also scored and Arturs Silovs stopped 22 shots. Chinakhov has 14 goals this season and 11 goals in 25 games with Pittsburgh.
Pavel Zacha had his second career hat trick, and David Pastrnak also scored for Boston. The Bruins have lost five of their last eight. They have a three-point lead for the final wild-card spot in the East.
AVALANCHE 3, WILD 2, SO
DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored his NHL-leading 43rd goal and scored the winning goal in a shootout, lifting Colorado to a victory over Minnesota in a matchup between two of the NHL’s top four teams in points.
MacKinnon has 70 points in 55 career games against Minnesota, his most against any opponent.
Both teams converted on one of their first three shootout opportunities before Vladimir Tarasenko was stonewalled by Scott Wedgewood, giving MacKinnon the opportunity to deliver his team a win.
Wedgewood, who leads the NHL in goals against average and is second in save percentage, had 32 saves on 34 Minnesota shots.
Trailing 1-0 entering the third period, the Wild scored two goals in a stretch of 2:44, one on a power play and one short-handed, to take the lead. The Avalanche countered with a Nicolas Roy tip-in goal with 7:21 remaining to send the game into overtime.
STARS 4, BLACKHAWKS 3, OT
DALLAS (AP) — Defenseman Miro Heiskanen scored 22 seconds into overtime to give Dallas a victory over Chicago.
Second in the Western Conference, the Stars are 11-0-1 in their last 12.
Young Chicago star Connor Bedard forced the extra period by scoring with 1:20 left in regulation with the Blackhawks playing with an extra skater.
Mavrik Bourque had a goal and an assist for Dallas. Nathan Bastian and Justin Hryckowian also scored, and Casey DeSmith made 12 saves.
Tyler Bertuzzi and rookie defenseman Sam Rinzel also scored for Chicago, and Arvid Soderblom stopped 28 shots. The Blackhawks are 2-7-4 in their last 13.
The Stars turned a 2-1 deficit going into the third period into a 3-2 lead on Bourque’s goal 42 seconds in and Hryckowian’s power-play goal at 9:40.
The Blackhawks took a 2-0 lead in the first period on a deflection by Bertuzzi at 6:59 and Rinzel’s blast from the slot fewer than two minutes later. Bastian scored Dallas’ first goal late in the period.
Soderblom made consecutive starts for the first time this season with No. 1 Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight sidelined with an illness.
SABRES 8, LIGHTNING 7
Buffalo, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Doan opened and closed the scoring with power-play goals and Buffalo outlasted Tampa Bay in a wild and feisty showdown for the Atlantic Division lead.
Doan broke a tie with 4:17 left with his 21st goal of the season, helping the Sabres win their seventh straight and move two points ahead of the Lighting.
The teams combined for 100 penalty minutes in a game that included five fights and a postgame scrum. They’ll meet one more time in the regular season on April 6 in Buffalo.
Doan capped a two-goal, third-period comeback for Buffalo in a game the Sabres led by three goals.
Alex Tuch and Jason Zucker also scored twice for the Sabres. Sam Carrick and Rasmus Dahlin added goals, Tage Thompson had four assists and Bo Byram three. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves.
RED WINGS 3, DEVILS 0
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — John Gibson and Cam Talbot combined to make 31 saves, Dominik Shine scored his first NHL goal and Detroit beat New Jersey.
Opening a four-game trip, Detroit ended a two-game losing streak and stopped the Devils’ winning streak at four.
Gibson made 21 saves in first two periods, but was injured at the end the second. Cam Talbot stopped 10 shots in the third. They became the first Detroit goalies to combine for a shutout since Jonas Gustavsson and Jimmy Howard in 2014.
Moritz Seider and James van Riemsdyk also scored, and each assisted on Shine’s third-period goal. Seider scored on a wrist shot at 3:20 of the first. Van Riemsdyk tipped in a shot from the point on a power play at 6:37 of second.
Shine broke through on a snap shot with 9:36 left. The 32-year-old forward was playing his fifth NHL game of the season and the 14th of his career.
Defenseman Justin Faulk made his Red Wings debut after being acquired from St. Louis on Friday.
BLUES 4, DUCKS 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Joel Hofer made 22 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, Jonathan Drouin scored in his Blues debut and St. Louis beat Anaheim to sweep a four-game trip.
Jordan Kyrou, Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter also scored to help St. Louis win for the fifth time in six games since the Olympic break.
Drouin was acquired from the Islanders on Friday at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Blues captain Brayden Schenn to New York. The left wing scored the second of three second-period goals, firing a slap shot past Ville Husso on a power play with 9:53 left.
Kyrou opened the scoring at 4:22, snapping a shot from the right side to the far post on a 3-on-1 break. After helping set up Drouin’s goal, Snuggerud added one of his own on a one-timer with 7:49 to go.
St. Louis failed to add to the lead on an extended power play that spilled into the third when Ross Johnston received a major penalty for boarding Justin Holl, the defenseman who also made his Blues debut after coming over from Detroit.
After Anaheim successfully challenged Snuggerud’s apparent goal midway through the third for offsides, Suter scored into an empty net with 4:02 to go.
OILERS 4, GOLDEN NIGHTS 2
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vasily Podkolzin, Leon Draisaitl and Kasperi Kapanen scored in the third period and Edmonton beat Vegas to tighten the Pacific Division race.
The Golden Knights, with 72 points, missed a chance to go back in front of Anaheim, which remained at 73 after the Ducks lost 4-0 at home to St. Louis. Third-place Edmonton has 70.
Vegas has lost five of six games, and the Oilers had dropped six of eight going into this meeting.
Trent Frederic also scored for the Oilers, and Connor Ingram made 24 saves. Connor McDavid had two assists and Evan Bouchard had one to extended their points streak to seven games.
Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel scored for Golden Knights. Mitch Marner had two assists and Adin Hill stopped 15 shots.
Vegas winger Brett Howden played for the first time in two months. He had been out with a lower-body injury.
The teams traded goals in the second period, but a goal from Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar was successfully challenged by the Oilers.
Then in the third, Podkolzin scored an unassisted goal on a breakaway off a faceoff to put the Oilers ahead 2-1 just 2:34 into period. Draisaitl’s goal with 8:07 remaining came after Eichel failed to clear the puck out of his zone because teammate Rasmus Andersson’s broken stick was in the way.
Midway through the second period on Sunday against the Boston Bruins, it appeared as the though the Pittsburgh Penguins were headed for their fourth consecutive loss.
They were trailing, 3-0, and goaltender Arturs Silovs had just misplayed a puck behind the goal line to David Pastrnak, who made him pay. And it was a shame, too, because the Penguins were largely controlling play throughout the game up to that point.
But instead of throwing in the towel, they showed fight. They drew a late power play - and then, a five-on-three - that ultimately turned the tide of the game and gave them the momentum to roar all the way back from a three-goal deficit and, ultimately, take an important two points in a 5-4 overtime win.
"That's kind of been our M.O. the whole year," Novak said. "All four lines contribute, and we roll them all. [The fourth line] played unbelievable tonight, they were buzzing around from the start.
"I think it just speaks to the amount of good players we have in here, too, and how we can come wave after wave."
Boston opened the scoring midway through the first period on a Pavel Zacha power play goal, and Zacha added his second tally of the game just before the midway point of the second despite the Penguins getting the larger share of chances. The Pastrnak goal happened less than four minutes later, and it seemed like the Penguins were done for - especially considering that they had scored just two goals in their prior eight periods against the Bruins.
But the five-on-three changed everything. Egor Chinakhov - who is now part of the first power play unit - walked in and absolutely rifled a wrister past Boston goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to cut the Bruins' lead to 3-1. The goal gave them much-needed scoring momentum heading into the third period - arguably, their most impressive period of the season.
EGOORRR! 💪
Since his Pittsburgh debut on Jan. 1, no Penguin has more goals than Egor Chinakhov (11). pic.twitter.com/ZHGBf4FQ2t
After posting 15 shots in the second period, the Penguins put up 14 in the third - and three found the back of the net. It all started when Connor Dewar took a long pass from Ryan Shea that banked off the end wall, and he gathered the puck and fired a backhander toward the net that beat Korpisalo to cut the deficit to one.
Then, just 33 seconds later, defenseman Ilya Solovyov - playing in his first game since Feb. 5 - made an outlet pass to Tommy Novak at the left wall in the neutral zone. Novak found Anthony Mantha breaking down the right side, and in all alone, Mantha found the five-hole and tied the game at 3-3.
Unfortunately, Zacha responded with a hat trick goal less than two minutes later to give Boston back the lead. But the Penguins didn't quit. They just kept coming, and they were rewarded two and a half minutes after when Mantha put home his second of the game - and 23rd of the season - with a garbage goal at the net-front to tie things back up at 4-4.
The Penguins killed off a late power play for the Bruins and fended off a late push by Boston to force OT, where Novak was, ultimately, able to play hero after a nice individual effort from Chinakhov at the net-front.
"When you have a game where things haven't gone your way, and you just dig in during the third period and you keep staying with it, I think it's something that you - you want to carry that with you," Muse said. "You own it now. Like, you know you can be in these situations where you're down three at one point, and then there's hockey left.
"So, just focusing on that next shift, and stay with it. This was a great example of the guys, in the third period especially - even though there was still some back and forth - just the response that they continued to have. As a coach, you kind of feel it coming. There was a lot of belief on that bench and a lot of belief on our staff that, we didn't know how, but we were going to find a way tonight. And that's what the guys did."
- Chinakhov has completely changed the complexion of the first line. He, Rakell, and Rust have some very real chemistry.
Something that Chinakhov does so well is that he always knows where to be situationally and in relation to the play unfolding. He knows when to offer puck support. He knows when to position himself for a feed. He knows when to engage in puck battles along the walls. He anticipates where others are going to be and sets himself up to make a play.
His offensive instincts remind me so much of Jake Guentzel's. He's just a smart player. Playing alongside Rakell and Rust has brought out the playmaking side of his game, as he's not always relied upon to be the trigger man on that line. And he's darn good at switching between both.
Mar 8, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Egor Chinakhov (59) celebrates his power play goal with the Penguins bench against the Boston Bruins during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
"I think he's continuing to do a lot of what he's been doing since he got here," Muse said. "He's doing it now with some different linemates. He's made some nice plays here, too, you know, the shot's obvious - I think anybody that watches any of our games or any of our practices, it's pretty clear that release is pretty special, and you saw it again there tonight - but he's also making some plays with these guys, and they continue to play hard there at both ends.
"Anytime you get new linemates, it might look look a little bit different in terms of how those plays develop and where they're going. But, the guys, they've done a good job in these games."
Oh, and I'll never, ever tire of watching Chinakhov shoot a vulcanized piece of rubber into the back of the net only to watch it bounce back out as fast as it went in. What a snipe. Not sure why plugging him on the first power play unit took so long.
Not only is he a big body - a VERY big one - he's good on the forecheck, he uses his reach to make plays, get shots off, and knock pucks out of danger. He seems to have pretty decent offensive instincts.
"I felt good. I feel like I was trying to not think too much," Soderblom said. "You know, it's new systems and stuff like that. But I tried to just play my game, and I just don't think too much and just play."
His line struggled a bit defensively - Kindel had another rough game in his own zone, particularly - but for a first game with his new team, I thought he was solid.
- Another guy who played an excellent game? Ville Koivunen.
I think the biggest difference between Koivunen's earlier stints with the NHL club this season and now is that he looks comfortable. He looks a bit more up-to-speed. And he's not trying to force plays, instead being himself and playing to his strengths.
- What a resurgent season this has been for Mantha. And, can we just talk about how impressive it is that he's doing what he's doing this season?
This guy had ACL surgery last season and played in just 13 games. That is not an easy injury to come back from, especially for a player north of 30. But his 23 goals and 47 points are just two and one shy of his career-highs, respectively, and he figures to shatter those numbers by the end of the season.
Kyle Dubas was right not to deal this guy at the deadline. He is, essentially, the Penguins' own rental, and taking him out of the picture would have been a huge detriment to their playoff chances.
What's he's doing is impressive, and it's fun to watch how well he's fit in with this group.
- The Sam Girard - Ilya Solovyov pairing was very good tonight. Solovyov was credited with a team-high three blocked shots, and I think there could have been a few more added to that total. Girard looked far more comfortable alongside a blueliner who plays a more stay-at-home style, even if Solovyov isn't exactly a classic stay-at-home defenseman.
They played some minutes together during their time with the Colorado Avalanche, and Muse thinks that familiarity was good for both players in this game. I would tend to agree. They were both good in this one, but I thought Solovyov was particularly good.
- There have been a lot of good wins for the Penguins. Big wins, too.
This one takes the cake, though, as their biggest and most character win of the season.
A loss would have extended their losing streak to four games, putting them in a precarious position ahead of their upcoming five-game road trip - all of which are games against current playoff teams. They took advantage of one of their two games in hand to the New York Islanders and leapfrogged them to go back into second place in the Metro. They're eight points back of the Carolina Hurricanes, who they play twice on this road trip and one more time at the end of the month.
Most of all, they did it without their two best players. They did it despite a large segment of fans lacking belief because of their predicament and because of the grind of their schedule.
DALLAS (AP) — Defenseman Miro Heiskanen scored 22 seconds into overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.
Second in the Western Conference, the Stars are 11-0-1 in their last 12.
Young Chicago star Connor Bedard forced the extra period by scoring with 1:20 left in regulation with the Blackhawks playing with an extra skater.
Mavrik Bourque had a goal and an assist for Dallas. Nathan Bastian and Justin Hryckowian also scored, and Casey DeSmith made 12 saves.
Tyler Bertuzzi and rookie defenseman Sam Rinzel also scored for Chicago, and Arvid Soderblom stopped 28 shots. The Blackhawks are 2-7-4 in their last 13.
The Stars turned a 2-1 deficit going into the third period into a 3-2 lead on Bourque’s goal 42 seconds in and Hryckowian’s power-play goal at 9:40.
The Blackhawks took a 2-0 lead in the first period on a deflection by Bertuzzi at 6:59 and Rinzel’s blast from the slot fewer than two minutes later. Bastian scored Dallas’ first goal late in the period.
Soderblom made consecutive starts for the first time this season with No. 1 Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight sidelined with an illness.
Blackhawks rookie forward Oliver Moore left midway through the first period after three shifts with an undisclosed injury when sliding into the end boards seconds after assisting on Rinzel’s goal.
Dallas improved to 6-12-4 when trailing after two periods, while Chicago dropped to 15-3-2 when leading after two.
Up next
Blackhawks: Complete a back-to-back hosting Utah on Monday night to begin a home-and-home with the Mammoth.
Stars: Host Vegas on Tuesday night in the third game of a six-game homestand.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 08: Egor Chinakhov #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second period goal against the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Pregame
The Penguins make some changes from yesterday, Elmer Soderblom and Ilya Solovyov are in for Justin Brazeau (injured) and Connor Clifton. A couple of lines are changed, including Ryan Shea back with Kris Letang. Arturs Silovs gets the start.
It’s a good start for the Penguins, who spend a lot of time in the offensive zone, mostly mucking around in the corners. Egor Chinakhov takes an offensive zone penalty and Boston cashes in on the power play. Shea skates out to the point trying to get once-loose puck out but Boston holds it in. That stresses the PK’s defensive structure and a few quick passes later leads to a Pavel Zacha one-timer from the right. Silovs opened up on the lateral movement and Boston is on the board first.
Noel Acciari gets a chance in the last minute in front of the net but is stopped by Korpisalo to bookend a chance Acciari, while falling, had at an open net to start the period. Arguably the two best chances for Pittsburgh all period but no finishes.
Shots are 9-9 after one, Boston scoring on the lone power play of the period ends up being the difference after 20 minutes.
Second period
The game grinds along, neither team has many shots in the first half of the second period. Kris Letang has reason to be frustrated and wound tight after some rough play, Mikey Eyssimont tangles with Letang at the front of the net after a whistle and both wrestle around for a long while, it looked like Letang was putting a UFC choke on him or something. Both get two minute minors for roughing, well-earned considering how long they had to rumble.
The extra open ice leads to more chances, Soderblom gets a good look but Korpisalo is there. Boston is able to shrug that off and score again, from Pavel Zacha again. This time a top shelf backhand shot finds its mark. 2-0 Boston.
Another set of scoring chances at each end, and another backbreaker for the Pens. Erik Karlsson danced down to the front of the net, he had some space upstairs but lifted the puck a little too high to hit it. At the other end, disaster strikes. Silovs misplays the puck right to David Pastrnak, which is probably the last player in this entire game you want to see the goalie hand a puck to outside of his crease. Pastrnak’s shot on the wrap attempt wasn’t even going on goal until the scrambling Silovs accidentally knocks it into his own net. Woof. 3-0.
With the game quickly fading from them, the Pens muster a goal. It comes on a 5v3 after two minor penalties to Boston. Egor Chinakhov loads up and fires a shot from distance. 3-1.
EGOORRR! 💪
Since his Pittsburgh debut on Jan. 1, no Penguin has more goals than Egor Chinakhov (11). pic.twitter.com/ZHGBf4FQ2t
Well, the Pens scored a goal on Korpisalo for the first time in five periods, dating back to last week’s shutout by the Boston goalie. That first crack in the armor ended up being more meaningful than it first looked at the time as the third period illustrated.
Third period
Solovyov had taken a penalty late in the period to give Boston a ton of carryover time, Silovs makes a couple big saves to help kill it off.
After putzing around a bit more, the Pens strike out of now where. A long stretch pass is sent up for Connor Dewar. (Luckily the refs are better than yesterday and don’t whistle it dead), Dewar has his back to the goalie and just hacks at the backhand. Korpisalo drops, the puck goes over him and in. It’s 3-2 with 13:58 to go and Pittsburgh has life.
So much so, they score again 35 seconds late. The Bruins are the team that gets caught in transition for once, Tommy Novak hits Anthony Mantha for a mini-breakaway. Mantha tries his classic fake shot to five hole move, it works this time. 3-3 game just like that.
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) March 8, 2026
Marco Sturm uses Boston’s head coach to regroup and try to kill the momentum. It turns out to be a good move, the Bruins recover and Zacha manages to lose himself in the zone. The puck is finding him today, he wires it in for his hat trick goal. 4-3 Boston back in front.
Mantha is able to answer that goal with a second game-tying goal, this time poking one in from in front of the net after Parker Wotherspoon is able to get it down towards the cage. 4-4 game.
Wotherspoon high-sticks a Bruin with 6:32 in regulation, an unfortunate opening to give an opponent in this back and forth game. It’s the Pens who get the better of the scoring chances, Rust, Karlsson and Acciari all have some cracks at the puck from in-tight with Korpisalo down and out but they can’t finish.
Acciari crashes hard into the boards and is down long enough to get a whistle but slowly skates off.
The last few seconds tick away, the Pens force an OT after entering the third period down by two goals.
Overtime
Novak-Chinakhov-Karlsson start the OT, and 17 seconds in they end it. Chinakhov hounds the Bruins on the forecheck, gets the puck and drives the net. The puck gets knocked away and bounces to Novak who is able to end it with a win.
The team mobs Novak behind the net, huge win for the Pens to make a comeback from 3-0 and take two huge points at home.
Some thoughts
Insignificant but pretty funny the Pens can lose 6’6”, 232 pound Justin Brazeau for the day and get bigger in the lineup by replacing him with the 6’8”, 252 pound Elmer Soderblom.
Soderblom first impressions were very Brazeau-like in the games where he doesn’t score. Obviously has a huge reach and uses it to poke away at opponents. As advertised, he’s not inclined to be that physical of a player. He did manage five shot attempts (three on goal) and looked like he might have practiced with Ben Kindel before, which he hasn’t
There ought to be a moratorium on goaltender criticism, being as the goalies have been so consistently solid all season long. Today was an exception to that strong play. Silovs isn’t a great puckhandler and that bit him in this one. So many goalies these days are so good at that skill that it stands out that much more when one isn’t. Part tough break, part bound to happen every now and then. Situationally down 2-0, that was a tough one to take. Fortunately, and unlikely, the rest of the group was able to outscore the problems — which didn’t look like it was going to be the case.
5v5 forward goal tracker: 3 today. Up to eight in the last seven games. Outside of Mantha or Ben Kindel popping up now and then to make a nice play or pass they just don’t have a lot of juice these days in the scoring department. The 5v5 offense right now is pretty much Erik Karlsson trying to create something and then…chasing the puck around the corners and doing virtually nothing with it there wasn’t much going on. Then, suddenly, Dewar scores his first in 11 games to light a fire, then Mantha follows that up with a goal of his own when the Pens finally crack the Bruins’ defensive structure. It’s no coincidence this game was trending hard towards a regulation loss before the forwards finally were able to start scoring in the third period.
MacAvoy turns the puck over in the second period right to Letang, he feeds Avery Hayes and the puck goes off the crossbar. Zacha fans on a pass straight to Rust, no goal comes out of it. When the Pens made an error somewhere on the ice, the puck was soon to go into their net. So close, yet so far. Of course, the worm finally turned when Chinakhov jumped on another MacAvoy mis-play and it ended up in the net. Took a while, but they finally got there in the end.
The celebration for this one shows how much it meant to the Pens. It’s Game 63 of the season. It’s the last home game for a while. The whole day was a battle, shoot even dating back to last week’s PIT/BOS game it was a mighty struggle for Pittsburgh to get much of anything going. They finally punched through the troubles and secured a full two points. Well worth the emotion that outpoured after this game was over, this team without Crosby and Malkin deserved that joy they went out and won.
All in all, a successful weekend to take three out of a possible four points. The margins are so thin right now between success and failure, for now the Pens keep managing to walk that fine line. It doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Raleigh coming up for Tuesday’s game.
Veteran forward David Perron was back in the Detroit Red Wings dressing room as if he'd never left.
Perron, who was re-acquired by the Red Wings on Thursday evening from the Ottawa Senators on the eve of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, returns to a club still looking to claim their first postseason berth in a full decade.
A Stanley Cup champion with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Perron's veteran presence and voice in the dressing room proved to be pivital for the Red Wings and was missed last season, during which he helped the rival Senators to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
He's not quite ready to make his second debut with Detroit on the ice, as he's still recovering from undergoing sports hernia surgery in January; GM Steve Yzerman anticipated Perron being able to play in approximately two weeks.
During an interview with the NHL Network on Friday, Perron said that he felt the Senators weren't a perfect fit for him.
"I’m not sure the fit was ever all that perfect for me on this team (Ottawa), but at the same time, they provided me with a great chance to come in and do my thing," Perron said on Friday.
However, following his first practice back in Detroit on Saturday, Perron clarified that while the situation wasn’t the right fit, he still enjoyed his experience in Ottawa.
“I don't want it to sound the way it came off, just different things that went on, you just kind of feel it," Perron said. "I really enjoyed my time there, and I enjoyed the group of guys there. I think they have a good thing going.
Sometimes that's just how it goes, but there's no negative (aspect) about it," he continued. "I went there and worked as hard as I could every day and tried to put my best foot forward, but sometimes things just don't click there the right way. It didn't always feel there, but getting to know their core group there... it was fun to play there.”
Perron scored twice for the Senators during their opening-round playoff series last spring against the Toronto Maple Leafs, helping spark a brief comeback by winning two straight games after Toronto had taken a three-games-to-none series lead.
Although the Senators ultimately fell to the Maple Leafs in six games, Perron said he is looking forward to the challenge of helping bring playoff hockey back to Detroit.
“I think this team and this city, it's what we push for," he said. "At the end of the day, that's what you want to play for: those meaningful games and a playoff-type atmosphere, it's where you really grow as a player."
"It probably took me four or five runs before I started feeling comfortable, truly in a playoff atmosphere," he continued. "You have to help everyone around you as much as you can, and help them take steps. It's what it's all about."
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Minneapolis, MN - FEBRUARY 20: Troy Murray #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks waits for play to resume against the Minnesota North Stars/Wild during the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series Alumni game on February 20, 2016 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
NHLI via Getty Images
CHICAGO (AP) — Troy Murray, who played 12 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and transitioned into becoming the team’s long-time broadcasting analyst, has died. He was 63.
The Blackhawks announced on Saturday that Murray died earlier in the day, without specifying where.
Nicknamed “Muzz,” Murray revealed in August 2021 he had been diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatments. He did not specify the type of cancer he had or provide any other details about his condition. Murray continued working on Blackhawks broadcasts, though at a diminished workload, before stepping away entirely this season.
Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said the organization was “deeply heartbroken.”
“Troy was the epitome of a Blackhawk so far beyond his incredible playing career, with his presence felt in every corner of our organization over the last 45 years,” Wirtz said.
“During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn’t have any ‘give up’ in him,” Wirtz added. “While our front office won’t be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We’ll miss you, Troy.”
Murray was best known as one of the Blackhawks most respected leaders during a 15-year NHL career that ended with him winning a Stanley Cup in his lone season with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
After spending the following season with the International Hockey League Chicago Wolves, Murray stayed in the city to begin his broadcasting career in 1998. Murray also became president of the Blackhawks alumni association.
“Troy Murray is remembered for not only his contributions on the ice, but for his professionalism and humility and dedication to the city of Chicago,” the team said in a release. “He leaves behind a lasting legacy within the Blackhawks family and the broader hockey world.”
Selected by Chicago in the third round of the 1980 draft, the center broke in with the Blackhawks by playing one game as a 19-year-old during the 1981-82 season.
From Calgary, Alberta, Murray topped 20 goals five times, including a career-best 45 goals and 99 points in 1985-86, while also known for his defensive play. That same season, he became the Blackhawks’ first player to win the NHL’s Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward.
Murray finished with 197 goals and 488 points in 688 games over two stints with the Blackhawks, and also played for Winnipeg, where he served as the Jets captain, Ottawa and Pittsburgh. Overall, he had 230 goals and 584 points in 915 career games.
Murray played collegiately at North Dakota, and earned WCHA rookie of the year honors as a freshman in 1981, and the following year helped the school win its fourth NCAA championship. In 1982, he also was captain of the Canada’s world junior championships gold medal-winning team.
Rivalry games can be unpredictable, and the final meeting of the season between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins was no exception.
The Flyers emerged with a 4–3 shootout victory in a game filled with rapid momentum swings, energetic play from both sides, and notable individual milestones. With the win, Philadelphia closed the season series at 2–2–0 and improved to an impressive 7–3 record in shootouts this season—two of those victories coming against Pittsburgh.
Beyond the standings implications, the game offered some insight into the Flyers’ evolving identity. Young players continued to drive the narrative, lineup adjustments produced intriguing results, and the team once again demonstrated its ability to remain composed in late-game pressure.
1. The Flyers’ Young Core Continues Driving the Team's Energy
Philadelphia’s long-term vision has centered on developing a young core capable of sustaining success, and Saturday’s performance offered a glimpse of what that future might look like.
Denver Barkey scored the third goal of his rookie season, showing once again the quick instincts and competitive edge that have allowed him to adapt quickly to NHL pace. Barkey’s game has been defined less by highlight-reel moments and more by intelligent positioning and opportunistic finishing—traits that translate well in tight games.
Tocchet on Barkey/Michkov chemistry:
"Well I think Barkey's a really smart hockey player, & he's kinda of feeding off what Michkov does. You saw that goal: Mich waited a little bit, & he knew Barkey was going to take off inside. Hell of a pass, but obv Barkey reading the play."
Matvei Michkov also contributed an assist—his 17th of the season—continuing to demonstrate the vision and offensive creativity that have made him one of the most intriguing young players in the organization.
Meanwhile, Nikita Grebenkin added his ninth assist of the season. Grebenkin now leads Flyers rookies in scoring with 13 points, reinforcing the organization’s growing belief that its developmental pipeline is beginning to produce meaningful NHL contributors.
2. Alex Bump’s Debut Delivered Both Promise and Immediate Impact
Few moments in hockey carry the same emotional resonance as a player’s first NHL goal, and Alex Bump experienced that milestone in memorable fashion.
Making his NHL debut, Bump scored his first career goal and became the 26th player in Flyers franchise history to score in his first NHL game.
His performance reflected composure rather than nervous energy. Bump’s shifts were disciplined, his forechecking aggressive but controlled, and his offensive reads confident enough to capitalize on opportunity when it arrived.
Debut games can't provide a complete evaluation of a player’s long-term trajectory, but Bump’s performance offered an encouraging early glimpse, and it was as good as anyone could hope for.
3. Owen Tippett continues to provide reliable scoring production
Owen Tippett reached an important milestone in the game, scoring his 20th goal of the season. It marks the fourth consecutive season in which Tippett has reached the 20-goal plateau, reinforcing his reputation as one of the Flyers’ most dependable scoring threats.
Tippett’s offensive value lies in the combination of speed and shot power. When he gains momentum through the neutral zone, defenders often struggle to match his pace without conceding shooting lanes. His goal against Pittsburgh reflected that dynamic—quick acceleration, decisive release, and minimal hesitation.
For the Flyers, Tippett’s consistency this season has provided stability in a lineup increasingly populated by young players still developing offensive rhythm. Reliable scoring from established forwards remains essential, particularly in games like this where momentum shifts rapidly.
4. Michkov’s Shift to Right Wing Created Intriguing Possibilities
One of the most subtle yet fascinating elements of the game involved a positional adjustment for Michkov.
For most of the season, he has primarily played on the left wing. Against Pittsburgh, however, he lined up on the right side—and the change appeared to suit him.
From that position, Michkov looked more comfortable attacking the middle of the ice and distributing the puck with his forehand. His passing angles improved, and he seemed more confident in orchestrating plays through the offensive zone.
The adjustment was partially influenced by the trade that sent Bobby Brink to Minnesota, which altered the Flyers’ forward depth chart. Whether the change becomes permanent remains uncertain, but the early results suggest it may offer new offensive possibilities.
Head coach Rick Tocchet acknowledged the experimental nature of the shift.
“Well, Bobby leaving, and then Mich wants to try it,” Tocchet said after practice on Sunday. “We'll see. I've got my thoughts on that, but we'll see how it goes.”
5. Composure in Chaos Defined the Flyers’ Approach
The game itself unfolded at a relentless pace. Both teams wasted no time responding to each other's goals, repeatedly trading momentum, and producing the kind of back-and-forth rhythm that defines rivalry matchups.
Philadelphia’s ability to remain composed in that environment proved decisive.
Players such as Trevor Zegras and Noah Cates also contributed to that stability. Zegras recorded his 30th assist of the season, becoming the third Flyers player in the past decade to reach 30 assists in his first season with the franchise—joining Michkov and Tony DeAngelo.
His game-winning shootout goal also just needs a moment of its own to be appreciated.
Cates added his 20th assist and now has six points over his last six games, continuing a stretch of consistent two-way play.
Meanwhile, defenseman Cam York reached a personal milestone, recording his 100th career NHL point with his 19th assist of the season.
In the shootout, Philadelphia once again demonstrated a strength that has quietly become a defining characteristic of its season. With the victory, the Flyers improved to 7–3 in shootouts—one of the league’s stronger marks in the skills competition.
Two points are two points, and the Flyers proved that they don't mind fighting until the very, very end of games to get them. As long as they're still in the race, they're going to put in the work to gain ground in the standings.
As has been the story for the entirety of the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins simply cannot catch a break on the injury front.
And they received more bad news on Sunday.
Ahead of their Sunday afternoon matchup against the Boston Bruins, Penguins' head coach Dan Muse announced that big forward Justin Brazeau is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not be available for the game.
Brazeau, 28, has had a breakout year with the Penguins, as his 16 goals and 30 points in 48 games are both career-highs. He has been an integral part of their offensive attack as well as their power play, and with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin already out of the lineup, the Penguins are missing three of their top-five goal scorers so far this season.
Soderblom, 24, is a towering presence at 6-foot-8, 252 pounds, and Muse mentioned his speed relative to his size as well as his forechecking ability and two-way prowess as attributes that could help his team win hockey games. He will slot in on a third line with 18-year-old rookie Ben Kindel and fellow rookie Avery Hayes.
He has just two goals and three points on the season and 11 goals and 22 points in 86 career NHL games.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 13: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck against Elias Lindholm #28 of the Boston Bruins in the third period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 13, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
