Game Preview: Vegas Golden Knights @ Pittsburgh Penguins 11/3/2026

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 19: Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights skates with the puck against Erik Karlsson #65 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 19, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Who: Vegas Golden Knights (9-5-2, 20 points, 2nd place Pacific Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (5-7-2, 12 points, 6th place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

How to Watch: Broadcast locally on Scripps and Sportsnet Pittsburgh, in Canada on TVAS and streaming on ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins are back at PPG Paints for a Thursday home game against the Boston Bruins before flying out to the West Coast for a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back against the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.

Opponent Track: The Golden Knights are coming into the matchup on the latter end of a back-to-back after losing in Monday night shootout to the Boston Bruins. Vegas is still sitting second in the division, but the Knights have now lost five of their last six games (1-3-2 over that stretch).

Season Series: The Penguins are looking to split the season series after conceding a 6-2 loss in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Hidden Stat: Sidney Crosby only needs one more point to move past Marcel Dionne for sole possession of sixth place on the NHL’s all-time points leaderboard.

Getting to know the Golden Knights

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone

Trevor Connelly – William Karlsson – Mitch Marner

Brett Howden – Tomas Hertl – Braeden Bowman

Jonas Rondbjerg – Nic Dowd – Marc Gatcomb

DEFENSEMEN

Brayden McNabb / Shea Theodore

Jeremy Lauzon / Noah Hanifin

Dylan Coghlan / Rasmus Andersson

Goaltenders: Carter Hart, Adin Hill

Potential scratches: Raphael Lavoie, Viliam Kmec

Injured Reserve: Parker Wotherspoon (upper body), Victor Olofsson (lower body)

  • Braeden Bowman was ejected from Monday’s game for an elbow to the face of the Bruins’ Matthew Poitras.
  • Victor Olofsson was still on IR as of Monday night but has joined the Knights for this week’s road trip. Should Olofsson return Tuesday, he would likely slot in alongside Tomas Hertl on the third line and bump Jonas Rondbjerg from the lineup, per Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  • Former Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon is week-to-week with an upper-body injury that has allowed Dylan Coghlan to slot into the lineup.
  • Carter Hart returned from a lower-body injury to start Monday night against the Bruins, so the Penguins might be facing Adin Hill in net tonight. Hill has a .891 save percentage and 5-2 record in seven starts this season, and a career .912 save percentage and 3-2-2 record in seven starts against the Penguins.

Season stats (does not include Monday night’s game)
via hockeydb

  • Mitch Marner is heading into tonight’s matchup having scored points in 10 straight games (1-14—15).

Tracking the Knights

The Golden Knights have seen mixed results in their first 16 games under first-time NHL head coach Ryan Craig. After starting the season on an 8-2 run capped by their Oct. 17 win over the Penguins, the Knights have gone 1-3-2 in their last six games.

Since that six-game stretch started Oct. 20 Golden Knights have ranked 30th in the NHL with 2.17 goals per game (2.17).

The Golden Knights could be looking to take some hope from their pushback in Monday night’s loss. Facing a two-goal deficit midway through the second period, the Knights scored two unanswered goals to tie the Bruins before eventually losing in a shootout.

The Penguins, on the other hand, will hope the Knights’ slump and their busy schedule can help the home team get back on track. Pittsburgh’s last regulation win, a 4-0 shutout of the Florida Panthers back on Oct. 22, also took place with a rested Penguins roster facing a team on the wrong end of a back-to-back.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Tommy Novak – Sidney Crosby – Rickard Rakell

Andrei Kuzmenko – Ben Kindel – Egor Chinakhov

Ville Koivunen – Hendrix Lapierre – Justin Brazeau

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Nick Robertson

DEFENSEMEN

Spencer Stastney / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard / Ilya Solovyov

Declan Carlile / Kris Letang

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov

Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Evgeni Malkin (?), Kaeden Korczak (?)

IR: Ryan Graves, Elmer Soderblom

  • Evgeni Malkin and Kaeden Korczak missed Monday’s practice with lower-body injuries. The Penguins described both players as day-to-day.
  • Justin Brazeau could be making his season debut after he was recalled Monday from his conditioning stint with Wilkes/Barre Scranton. He recorded one secondary assist in two games with the AHL team.
  • These defensive pairings could be in flux as players were rotating during Monday’s practice.
  • Rutger McGroarty has been re-assigned to the AHL. Elmer Soderblom is now considered week-to-week rather than his original day-to-day designation.
  • Sergei Murashov allowed five goals on 19 shots from the Golden Knights in the Penguins’ last game in Vegas, and he started Saturday’s matchup at the Montreal Canadiens, so Arturs Silovs would be a good bet to start in net tonight.

Pens Points: A Fresh Look

After much teasing, the Pittsburgh Penguins finally revealed their much anticipated ‘Hometown Remix’ jerseys on Monday and they will make their debut this evening when the Penguins play host the Vegas Golden Knights. The Penguins will be hoping the fresh threads and a fresh month will give them a clean slate to right some wrong from October and get back in the win column starting now.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.

Pens Points…

Hope you like late night hockey because it’s returning for the Penguins at the end of this week when they head back west for their annual California swing starting in Los Angeles on Saturday. Before that, a pair of perennial contenders with Vegas and Boston coming to Pittsburgh. [Pensburgh]

It will be a new look for the Penguins when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights this evening with the team’s new ‘Hometown Remix’ uniforms set to debut after being revealed on Monday. [Pensburgh]

Injuries keep piling up for the Penguins with Kaeden Korczak and Evgeni Malkin the latest victims. Both players are listed as day-to-day but neither practiced on Monday in preparation for the Golden Knights. [Trib Live]

Defense has been a glaring issue for the Penguins through the first month of the season, with lapses occurring on a nightly basis leading to chances against. This is a problem the Penguins must fix and seem intent on doing so if practice is any indication. [Trib Live]

Justin Brazeau completed a conditioning assignment with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins over the weekend and was recalled to the NHL on Monday to rejoin the Penguins. [Trib Live]

NHL News and Notes…

All 32 teams unveiled their new ‘Hometown Remix’ jerseys on Monday, and all will be making their on-ice debut in the coming days. I’m sure everyone will be in agreement that the jerseys are good across the board and there will be no complaints about how they look on the ice. [NHL]

Old friend Tristan Jarry put together a solid week in goal for the Edmonton Oilers and took home Second Star of the Week honors. Flanking Jarry on the podium is First Star Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres and Third Star Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks. [NHL]

Golden Knights bring road losing streak into matchup with the Penguins

Vegas Golden Knights (9-5-2, in the Pacific Division) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (5-7-2, in the Metropolitan Division)

Pittsburgh; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST

LINE: Penguins -110, Golden Knights -112; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights travel to the Pittsburgh Penguins looking to stop a three-game road slide.

Pittsburgh has a 4-1-1 record at home and a 5-7-2 record overall. The Penguins are 1-1-1 in games their opponents serve fewer penalty minutes.

Vegas has a 9-5-2 record overall and a 3-2-1 record in road games. The Golden Knights are 5-3-0 in games they have fewer penalties than their opponent.

Tuesday's game is the second time these teams meet this season. The Golden Knights won 6-2 in the previous matchup.

TOP PERFORMERS: Evgeni Malkin has six goals and five assists for the Penguins. Sidney Crosby has four goals and four assists over the last 10 games.

Mark Stone has 10 goals and eight assists for the Golden Knights. Jack Eichel has four goals and four assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Penguins: 3-5-2, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.8 assists, 2.9 penalties and 6.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.

Golden Knights: 4-4-2, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.3 assists, 3.1 penalties and 8.7 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.

INJURIES: Penguins: Bryan Rust: out (lower-body), Kaedan Korczak: day to day (lower-body), Trevor van Riemsdyk: out (lower body), Ryan Graves: out (lower-body), Elmer Soderblom: out (upper-body), Evgeni Malkin: day to day (lower-body).

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

___

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

Blackhawks bring losing streak into game against the Panthers

Chicago Blackhawks (4-10-1, in the Central Division) vs. Florida Panthers (8-5-2, in the Atlantic Division)

Sunrise, Florida; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks head into the matchup against the Florida Panthers after losing three straight games.

Florida has an 8-5-2 record overall and a 3-1-0 record in home games. The Panthers are 5-2-1 in games they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponents.

Chicago has a 4-10-1 record overall and a 0-5-1 record on the road. The Blackhawks have given up 58 goals while scoring 33 for a -25 scoring differential.

Wednesday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Panthers won 3-2 in the last matchup.

TOP PERFORMERS: Matthew Tkachuk has scored four goals with 17 assists for the Panthers. Seth Jones has one goal and 16 assists over the last 10 games.

Roman Kantserov has six goals and two assists for the Blackhawks. Connor Bedard has scored four goals and added six assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Panthers: 6-4-0, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.7 assists, 5.2 penalties and 12.3 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.

Blackhawks: 3-6-1, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.8 assists, 4.2 penalties and 8.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.4 goals per game.

INJURIES: Panthers: Jonah Gadjovich: out (upper-body), Brad Marchand: out (leg), Aleksander Barkov: out (lower body).

Blackhawks: Patrick Kane: day to day (undisclosed), Ryan Ellis: out for season (back), Bowen Byram: day to day (upper-body).

___

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

Calgary Flames Defeat Sharks 2-1 as William Stromgren Scores First NHL Goal

The Calgary Flames continued their road trip in San Jose on Monday night, picking up a 2-1 win over the Sharks.

It was a fast-paced, back-and-forth start, with Calgary applying pressure early and eventually opening the scoring off a Sharks turnover at the blueline. Adam Klapka picked up the loose puck, walked in and fired a wrist shot past Yaroslav Askarov's glove to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.

Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images<br />
Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images<br />

The second period went without a goal, but Calgary added some insurance early in the third. Klapka drove the puck deep into the Sharks' zone before throwing it out front to William Stromgren, who buried his second attempt for his first career NHL goal and a 2-0 Flames lead.

San Jose answered moments later when Sam Dickinson found a loose puck in front and chipped it past Dustin Wolf to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Flames held on from there, shutting down the Sharks' attack the rest of the way to secure the win. Wolf finished with 26 saves, earning his second consecutive victory.

Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Three Takeaways

1. Dustin Wolf delivers another solid performance

Wolf was composed throughout the night, playing positionally sound and doing a good job limiting rebounds and second opportunities. He gave Calgary the saves they needed, particularly after the Sharks cut the lead to one.

It was also another opportunity to perform against his hometown team. Wolf entered the game with a 10-2-0 career record against San Jose and added another win to that mark.

2. Flames keep Celebrini in check

Calgary did a good job limiting Macklin Celebrini's time and space throughout the night. The Sharks' young star entered the game with eight points in eight career games against the Flames, but Calgary kept him from taking over offensively.

The Flames have also had San Jose's number for quite some time. With the win, Calgary improved to 15-2-0 in its last 17 games against the Sharks.

3. William Stromgren gets his first NHL goal

It was a memorable night for Stromgren, who scored his first career NHL goal (the game-winner) in his fourth career game and first appearance since being recalled from the Calgary Wranglers.

The 23-year-old has been productive at the AHL level this season, recording 11 points in 11 games with the Wranglers. He has carried that offensive production into his latest NHL opportunity, making an immediate impact with his first goal.

Islanders Bring in Former Kings Defenseman With Plenty of NHL Experience

Ben Hutton is still looking for a place in the NHL, and the former Kings defenseman will have a chance to make that happen with the New York Islanders.

The Islanders announced Monday that they've signed the 33-year-old to a professional tryout (PTO). It's another opportunity for a player who's spent the better part of the last decade moving around the league and finding ways to stay in the lineup.

Hutton's time in Los Angeles came during the 2019-20 season. He played 65 games for the Kings, scoring four goals and adding 12 assists. Los Angeles finished that season out of the playoffs, and there wasn't much to celebrate for a team still trying to get back on track. Hutton was one of the regulars on the blue line, though, and chipped in 16 points along the way.

He didn't stay in Los Angeles for long. Hutton moved on to Anaheim and Toronto before finding a home in Vegas in 2021. His five seasons with the Golden Knights turned out to be the longest stop of his career, and he was there when the franchise finally got its hands on the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Hutton had a career year in the goal department last season, scoring six times in 55 games. He added nine assists for 15 points and also appeared in seven playoff games as Vegas reached the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. He picked up an assist during that run.

There's something to be said for a player who's managed to stick around this long without being a big-name defenseman. Hutton has never been known for putting up huge numbers, but teams have continued to find a use for him.

He made his NHL debut with Vancouver in 2015 and has since played 575 games between the Canucks, Kings, Ducks, Maple Leafs and Golden Knights. He's recorded 30 goals and 109 assists in that time. He also won gold with Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championship.

Getting another NHL contract won't be automatic. A PTO gives Hutton a chance to show the Islanders he can still help them, but he'll have to earn that opportunity during training camp.

It's been quite a career for a defenseman who spent just one season in Los Angeles. Kings fans saw him during a forgettable year for the franchise, while Vegas fans got to watch him lift the Stanley Cup a few years later.

Now Hutton is hoping there's still another chapter left to write.

Image

Jeff Blashill Provides Tough Patrick Kane Update After Loss To Avalanche

CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night at the United Center. It was a 5-2 loss to an Avalanche team that is deeper than the Blackhawks in every way. 

The problem for the Blackhawks is that they lost more than just the hockey game. They also lost Patrick Kane due to injury. At the end of the second period, he left the ice for the locker room and did not return for the third period. 

After the game was over, head coach Jeff Blashill provided a negative update. Kane will not make the team's upcoming road trip, which will include stops against the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Carolina Hurricanes. 

Going up against three teams that have Stanley Cup aspirations without Kane will make it even more difficult to come out with any points. Beyond that stretch of games, only time will tell when Kane is able to return. 

In 15 games so far this season, Kane is second on the team in scoring with 8 points and leads them with 8 assists. He isn't the Patrick Kane who won Hart Trophies and Stanley Cups, but he is still one of their best players. Without him in their top-nine forward group, a dangerous player is missing. 

Image

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

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.

Shipping Up to Boston: 3 Observations as Golden Knights’ Comeback Falls Just Short Against Bruins

The NHL regular season is long, and one game isn’t a large enough sample size to draw a reliable conclusion. Even the best teams fall into a rut, so if you want to know what a team is really made of, then it’s better to look at a stretch of games. The Vegas Golden Knights are in one of those ruts right now, but slowly but surely, they’re climbing out of the hole they dug.

After going 8-2-0 in their first 10 games, the Golden Knights have won just one of their last six. Tonight, they fell 3-2 in a shootout; however, despite the loss, their display against the Boston Bruins on Monday was the best they’ve played in weeks.

When you’re going through that kind of a rough patch, taking a step in the right direction doesn’t necessarily translate directly to the win column. But tonight, the Golden Knights finally felt like they got to their game, and that makes all the difference.

“All in all, definitely a step in the right direction for the way we’ve been playing,” Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said following the 3-2 shootout loss. “Two [points] is better than one, but you take the good with the bad.”

“We got a point,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig. “Now we move on to Pittsburgh, and we build on it. That’s our job— just kind of build on it and get two tomorrow.”

1. Outran the Bear

The Golden Knights got themselves into trouble very early in the second period. They were already down 1-0 when forward Braeden Bowman took an elbowing penalty, which sent the Bruins to a five-minute power play.

A five-minute major penalty means that the power play doesn’t end if the opposing team scores. And when Morgan Geekie scored just 34 seconds in, it didn’t look great for the Golden Knights.

“They scored 30 seconds in,” said Mark Stone. “It was a quick one. But we killed the last four and a half.”

“It was big for us,” said Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin following the 3-2 shootout loss. “They have a good power play over there. After you give up that first one early, sometimes momentum can swing in their favor, and you can get on your heels a little bit. 

“I thought we did a good job, just staying aggressive, staying with it, and not giving up too much after that,” Hanifin finished. “I thought we did a good job [killing the rest of the penalty] after they scored that second one, and we started to take the game over a little more after that.”

The Golden Knights ultimately failed to complete the comeback, but holding the Bruins to just one goal on that power play proved a huge difference maker because they clawed their way back and forced overtime. The Golden Knights stole a point, which was due in no small part to their penalty kill.

“I thought our leaders did a great job of leading us,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig following the 3-2 shootout loss. “We get down a forward there when we lose Bones, but we stayed with it. Even going down 1-0 and giving up the power play goal, they get through that kill. There were moments of the game where we were able to tilt the ice, and I thought that did a lot for us to get us going.”

2. Out of the Frying Pan, Onto the Scoresheet

The Golden Knights didn’t win tonight, but they did dodge a massive bullet in the first period. Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy hit Trevor Connelly into the boards, and the young forward went down hard. Connelly was slow to get up, went down the tunnel, and didn’t return for the remainder of the period.

Connelly was on the bench to start the second, and he didn’t miss a shift for the remainder of the night. 

“Give him a ton of credit,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig. “He’s a young kid in this league, and he’s continuing to show why he belongs here.”

Connelly had some real jump to his game after returning, and it ended up paying off in a big way. At 7:23 in the third period, he cut toward the net and banked Noah Hanifin’s pass off Jeremy Swayman and in.

“Trevor took a big hit in the first period, then came back and scored a huge goal for us,” said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone following the 3-2 shootout loss. “He’s a resilient guy, and it was good to see him get rewarded in the third.”

3. A Step in the Right Direction

The Golden Knights have won just one of their last six games, and they’ve only scored 13 goals over that stretch. They’ve had scoring chances, but, much like in tonight’s game, they’ve struggled to finish them off.

The difference between tonight’s game and the five games that came before it is that the Golden Knights looked more like themselves tonight. They played a more complete defensive game and held an offensively talented team to just two goals.

“I think most of it’s just making the next play. I think we had some pretty good chances to score some more goals tonight,” said Mark Stone postgame. “All in all, definitely a step in the right direction for the way we’ve been playing. Two [points] is better than one, but you take the good with the bad.”

“The effort was there, and that’s the important thing in the long run,” Noah Hanifin agreed following the 3-2 shootout loss. “There’s gonna be some good and some bad in every game, but I thought tonight, we competed. The effort was there. We battled, and it’s just about making that next play and putting the puck in the net, and that’ll come for us.”

Pastrnak lifts Bruins past Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout

BOSTON (AP) — David Pastrnak slipped a shot past Carter Hart to break a shootout stalemate and give the Boston Bruins a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night.

Boston’s Jeremy Swayman stopped Vegas’ Trevor Connelly, Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner to set up Pastrnak for the winner in the third round.

James Hagens scored his sixth goal of the season, and Morgan Geekie added a power-play goal to help Boston to its sixth consecutive home victory.

Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Pavel Zacha and Pastrnak had assists for the Bruins, who’ve won two in a row following back-to-back losses. Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves.

Connelly tied it 7:23 into the third period when he gathered a loose puck in front of the net and slipped it past Swayman. Noah Hanifin and Marner assisted. Mark Stone also scored for Vegas.

The Golden Knights have lost five of their last six since starting the season 8-2. They also continue to struggle killing off power plays, having allowed a power-play goal in seven of their last eight games.

Carter Hart had 25 saves for Vegas.

RED WINGS 5, PANTHERS 3

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Justin Faulk and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård scored 45 seconds apart early in the third period, goalie Daniil Tarasov defeated his former team and surging Detroit beat Florida.

Faulk had a power-play tally to put Detroit up 3-2 at 2:08 of the third, and Brandsegg-Nygård lifted one over the glove of Florida goalie Jacob Markstrom from deep in the slot to give the Red Wings a two-goal edge.

Carter Mazur got his first NHL goal for Detroit to open the scoring, Alex DeBrincat got his seventh of the season for the Red Wings and Emmitt Finnie sealed it on an empty-netter for three seconds left. Tarasov, who spent last season backing up Sergei Bobrovsky with the Panthers, stopped 23 shots for Detroit.

Aaron Ekblad scored his first goal of the season — and the third short-handed goal of his 13-year career — for Florida, while Sam Reinhart scored his eighth of the year for the Panthers. Markstrom made 24 saves in his first game since Oct. 17.

Florida saw its three-game winning streak snapped. The Panthers never led, with Mazur’s goal putting the Wings up 1-0 and DeBrincat making it 2-1 after early in the second after Reinhart tied the game with 5:41 left in the opening period.

Sam Bennett got his fourth of the year for Florida, with Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk assisting in a 6-on-5 opportunity with 3:21 left.

AVALANCHE 5, BLACKHAWKS 2

CHICAGO (AP) — Nazem Kadri and Jaden Schwartz scored two goals apiece, and Colorado beat struggling Chicago for its third consecutive win.

T.J. Hughes had two assists as Colorado improved to 15-4-0 in its last 19 games against Chicago. Devon Toews scored an empty-net goal with 2:22 left, and Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 21 saves.

Chicago dropped to 1-5-1 in its last seven games. Forward Patrick Kane departed in the second period with an upper-body injury, and defenseman Bowen Byram missed his eighth consecutive game with an upper-body injury.

The banged-up Blackhawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead on first-period goals by defenseman Wyatt Kaiser and rookie Roman Kantserov. Connor Bedard extended his point streak to six games with an assist on Kantserov’s sixth goal on a 2-on-1 rush.

The Avalanche rallied with two goals in 26 seconds. Kadri poked home a loose puck on the goal line at 15:23, and a wide-open Schwartz scored from the left circle at 15:49.

Colorado grabbed its first lead after Bedard was sent off for holding Kadri 13:10 into the second period. Kadri got a piece of Cale Makar’s wrist shot from just inside the blue line.

Kadri has four goals this season — all in the last six games.

FLAMES 2, SHARKS 1

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Fourth-line wingers Adam Klapka and William Stromgren scored, Dustin Wolf made 26 saves and Calgary beat San Jose.

Klapka opened the scoring on a wrist shot with 5:24 left in the first period off a feed from center Jonathan Castagna. William Stromgren batted in his first of the season at 9:14 of the third, with Klapka and Castagna assisting.

Sam Dickinson pulled San Jose within a goal with 8:03 left in the third, beating Wolf with a wrist shot.

Yaroslav Askarov stopped 20 shots for the Sharks.

Calgary improved to 7-8-0, and San Jose fell to 7-8-1.

Patrick Kane Injured In Blackhawks 5-2 Loss To Avalanche

CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks took the ice on Monday night against a Central Division rival, the Colorado Avalanche. For years, the Avalanche have been one of the NHL’s best teams, and expectations are no lower this season. 

On the day of their reveal, the Blackhawks wore their 2026-27 Hometown Remix uniforms, which feature a green base for the first time in franchise history. The rich St. Patrick’s Day history that exists within Chicagoland is on full display with these. 

Once the puck was dropped, the Chicago Blackhawks looked like a completely different team than we've seen so far this season, especially considering it is against the Colorado Avalanche. Just 57 seconds into the opening frame, Wyatt Kaiser scored to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead. He put an innocent shot on net, and it was deflected in off Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar. 

At 7:05, Roman Kantserov made it 2-0 Blackhawks with his 6th goal of the season. He took a very nice pass from Connor Bedard and blasted it home to double the lead. 

The Blackhawks have had a hard time holding leads throughout games, however, and that was on full display in this one. They couldn't even get out of the first period with a lead.

The Avalanche put three past Spencer Knight, but the first one (a Marty Necas deflection goal) was waved off due to goaltender interference. However, the goals scored by Nazem Kadri and Jaden Schwartz sure counted. The 2-2 tie held through the first intermission. 

There was a lot of action in the second period, but the only goal was scored by Kadri, his second of the game. This was a tip-in goal, assisted by Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. That's a trio known for making life difficult for their opponent. 

Right as the period was about to expire, Colorado scored a 4th goal. Like Kadri, Schwartz scored his second of the game as it squeaked through the paraphernalia of Spencer Knight. 

One of the key stories from the game is the injury status of Patrick Kane. He left in the latter stages of the second period and did not return. Of course, an update will be provided here on The Hockey News when one is available. 

In the third period, the Blackhawks started to find their legs again. They got back to what was working in the first 10 minutes of the game, which was skating hard, controlling the pace of play, and giving themselves chances. 

The Blackhawks were never able to, despite outshooting them 9-4 in the final frame, score another goal, let alone tie it up. After the Avalanche added an empty-net goal, the 5-2 score stood as the final. 

This was another example of the Blackhawks losing a game that they once controlled by multiple goals; they just didn't wait to surrender the lead this time around. Colorado is one of the best teams in the NHL, and they have been for half a decade, but the Blackhawks showed they aren't even close. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks will now hit the road for one of the most difficult road trips the NHL has to offer, which is the southeastern United States trip through North Carolina and Florida. They will face the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Carolina Hurricanes in that order on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

Image

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

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Golden Knights Show Defensive Resolve, Rally Before Falling To Bruins In Shootout

The Vegas Golden Knights didn't get the two points they wanted Monday night, but they may have rediscovered something equally important as they continue their road trip.

Their defensive identity.

After falling behind by two goals, the Golden Knights responded with aggressive checking, timely penalty killing and a third-period equalizer from rookie Trevor Connelly before falling 3-2 in a shootout to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.

Captain Mark Stone scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season on the power play, while Connelly delivered his fifth goal to complete the comeback. Mitch Marner contributed two assists, bringing his season total to 17 points and his career total to 51 in 31 games against Boston.

James Hagens scored his sixth goal of the season and Morgan Geekie added a power-play goal to give Boston a 2-0 lead in the second period before Stone answered. Connelly tied the game 7:23 into the third period, converting a feed from Noah Hanifin, with Marner collecting his second assist.

After a scoreless overtime, David Pastrnak beat Carter Hart in the third round of the shootout, while Jeremy Swayman denied Connelly, Jack Eichel and Marner.

Hart finished with 25 saves for Vegas, while Swayman stopped 21 shots for Boston, which won its sixth consecutive home game. The Golden Knights have lost five of their last six games after opening the season 8-2.

The Golden Knights (9-5-2) earned a point despite their fourth consecutive game without a victory, while the Bruins (11-4-1) continued their strong start at home.

More importantly for Vegas, the defensive effort represented a noticeable improvement for a team that entered the contest having surrendered 14 goals during its previous three games.

"I thought there was a commitment to it, a heaviness to it, an engagement," Golden Knights coach Ryan Craig said of his team's checking. "When we got going, our checking was the reason for it."

Craig credited his team's leadership for keeping the Golden Knights composed after falling behind and losing a forward during the game.

"I thought our leaders did a great job of leading us," Craig said. "We stayed with it."

Stone echoed that assessment, emphasizing that the Golden Knights were more aggressive defensively while remaining disciplined in their positioning.

"All in all, definitely a step in the right direction for the way we've been playing," Stone said. "So obviously two is better than one, but take the good with the bad."

Key Moment

Vegas faced a potentially devastating situation when Boston capitalized early during a five-minute major penalty against the Golden Knights.

Rather than allowing the Bruins to turn the extended man advantage into a commanding lead, Vegas killed off the remaining penalty time and gradually seized momentum.

The Golden Knights entered the game ranked 26th in the NHL on the penalty kill at 69.4%, including a 64.7% success rate on the road. Their ability to withstand the remaining four-plus minutes of Boston's power play proved pivotal.

"I thought that kill did a lot for us to get us going," Craig said.

The Golden Knights eventually completed their comeback when Hanifin moved down the wall and delivered a pass toward the backdoor, where Connelly found an opening and converted.

The goal forced overtime, where Vegas generated opportunities but couldn't finish before Boston prevailed in the shootout.

"I saw some guys going net and just tried to put it in that area," Hanifin said. "Luckily Trev found that soft spot and put it in."

Key Stat

Boston entered Monday having scored at least five goals in five consecutive home games.

That streak ended against a Golden Knights team that limited the Bruins to two goals through regulation and overtime, an encouraging defensive performance against a physical opponent that entered the game averaging 3.67 goals per contest.

The Bruins had also won five consecutive games at TD Garden, where they entered with a 6-1-0 record.

Vegas' ability to limit Boston's offensive opportunities was especially encouraging after the Golden Knights had allowed 14 goals over their previous three games.

"We were connected, which is limiting the chances against and kept their shot volume down," Hanifin said. "I thought we did a good job just taking care of our net front after that."

What a Knight: Trevor Connelly

The 20-year-old rookie continued making his presence felt with one of the biggest goals of his young NHL career.

Connelly, who now has five goals and five assists for 10 points in 16 games, showed resilience after absorbing a heavy hit in the first period, returning to deliver the third-period equalizer.

"He's a resilient guy," Stone said. "He came back and scores a huge goal for us."

Craig offered similar praise for a player continuing to demonstrate that he belongs at the NHL level.

"A young kid in this league, continuing to show why he belongs here," Craig said.

Connelly's goal highlighted his offensive instincts, particularly his ability to recognize open space and capitalize on Hanifin's developing play.

Up Next

The Golden Knights travel to Pittsburgh for Tuesday's matchup against the Penguins, completing a quick turnaround after Monday's shootout defeat.

"We got a point," Craig said. "Now you move on to Pittsburgh and we build on it. That's our job, is now to build on it and get two tomorrow."

Photo Caption

Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) and Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) go for a loose puck during the second period at TD Garden.

Carter Mazur Scores 1st NHL Goal, Red Wings Hold Off Panthers With 5-3 Win

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

Following their disappointing 5-4 setback against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon, the Detroit Red Wings knew they needed to rebound on the road against the divisional rival Florida Panthers.

Thanks to the key contributions of several young players, they did just that. 

Carter Mazur scored his first NHL goal, while Michael Brandsegg-Nygård scored what ultimately proved to be the game-winning tally as part of Detroit's 5-3 win over the Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday evening.

With the win, the Red Wings improved their record to 7-5-3 through the first 15 games of the 2026-27 campaign. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Image

It was Mazur who struck first during the game's opening period, whistling a shot from the right face-off circle past goaltender Jacob Markstrom for the milestone goal. 

While the Panthers tied the score thanks to Sam Reinhart, it was Alex DeBrincat who soon registered his seventh tally of the season early in the second period. 

Florida once again knotted the score thanks to an unfortunate break while trying to kill off a Red Wings power play, as defenseman Aaron Ekblad banked the puck in off the skate of former teammate Daniil Tarasov from below the goal line. 

"Keep Moving Forward": Red Wings Begin Two-Game Divisional Road Swing "Keep Moving Forward": Red Wings Begin Two-Game Divisional Road Swing The Detroit Red Wings have no choice but to rebound from their disappointing 5-4 setback on Saturday afternoon when they face two straight divisional opponents on the road starting on Monday evening.

However, the Red Wings responded as well as one could hope, thanks to a pair of goals early in the third period less than a minute apart. Justin Faulk blasted a shot past Markstrom's glove on the power play, followed by Brandsegg-Nygård finishing a nifty feed from Lucas Raymond in front of the net. 

While Panthers forward Sam Bennett managed to cut the lead to a single goal with Markstrom on the bench, Florida was unable to secure the equalizer. Forward Emmitt Finnie sealed the victory with his seventh tally of the campaign in the waning seconds of regulation. 

Tarasov, who played last season for the Panthers, picked up the win by making 23 saves, while Markstrom countered with 24 saves. 

The Red Wings will next make the short trip to Tampa Bay to face the Lightning on Tuesday evening. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Panthers' Comeback Attempt Comes Up Short In 5-3 Loss To Visiting Red Wings

The Florida Panthers came up shot while in search of their first four-game winning streak of the season.

Playing in the second game of a three-game homestand, the Panthers never led while falling 5-3 to the visiting Detroit Red Wings on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena.

After scoring the first goal in each of their past two games, the Panthers found themselves trailing early after surrendering an early tally to the Red Wings that came off the stick of Carter Mazur.

It took about ten minutes of game time, but Florida did eventually find the equalizer.

A quick backhand pass by Carter Verhaeghe found Sam Reinhart in the slot, and Reino’s quick wrister beat former Panthers goalie Daniil Tarasov to knot the score at one with 5:41 left in the opening period.

Detroit went back in front shortly after the intermission, though.

Star forward Alex DeBrincat finished off an odd-man rush by sending a long wrist shot past a moving Jacob Markstrom, picking up his seventh goal of the season.

That’s how the score would remain until late in the middle frame, when a Red Wings power play led to Florida’s second tally of the evening.

With Lars Eller leading an odd-man rush despite the Panthers being down a man, Aaron Ekblad drove to the net and grabbed his own rebound, backhanding a shot from the side of the net that went off Tarasov and over the goal line.

Once the third period arrived, it didn’t take long for the Red Wings to give Florida a quick slap in the face.

Goals by Justin Faulk and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard 45 seconds apart had the Panthers facing a sudden two-goal deficit, with less than a period to attempt a comeback.

Sam Bennett gave Florida some late life, slamming home a great pass by Matthew Tkachuk to bring the Cats back within one with 3:20 to go.

Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Panthers would get.

Props to Tarasov, as the former Cats’ tendie came up with saves on seven of Florida’s eight high danger shots, per Natural Stat Trick.

To his credit, Markstrom stopped nine of the 10 high danger shots he faced, but he also allowed four goals on a night his expected goals against was 3.21.

Alas, on to the Blackhawks.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Florida Panthers Prospect Ryder Cali Off To Strong Goal Scoring NCAA Start

Jacob Markstrom Returns To Panthers Lineup For Hometown Remix Matchup With Red Wings

Florida Panthers Debut Flashy New Hometown Remix Jerseys

Florida Panthers Power Play Has Been On Fire After Starting Season Ice Cold

Panthers' Akira Schmid To Man The Crease Against The Jets; Jacob Markstrom Returns To Practice

Florida Panthers Show Off New Equipment With Hometown Remix Colors Ahead Of Official Release Next Week

Sasha Barkov, Brad Marchand Resume Skating, On Track To Return From Injury Next Month

Photo caption: Nov 2, 2026; Sunrise,Florida, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat (93) moves the puck againstFloridaPanthersdefenseman Seth Jones (3) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Lightning star Nikita Kucherov says trade request stems from disrespect and lack of communication

Philadelphia Flyers v Tampa Bay Lightning

TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 5: Right wing Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Benchmark International Arena on October 5, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)

Getty Images

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Reigning NHL MVP Nikita Kucherov requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning because he feels disrespected by a lack of communication with general manager Julien BriseBois.

“It was never about the money for me,” Kucherov told reporters after practice on Monday. “More about poor communication and respect. Over the last four months, we only have had two conversations and Julien, in the end, made it clear that I’m free to walk on July 1.”

Kucherov will become an unrestricted free agent on that date. He’s in the final season of an eight-year, $76 million contract signed in 2018 before he helped Tampa Bay win the Stanley Cup twice, led the NHL in scoring three times and won the Hart Trophy in 2018-19 and 2025-26.

Asked what the organization has meant to him, Kucherov said: “Everything. Got drafted here, played for, now this is my 14th year. A couple championships, met a lot of great people. You know, everything. My kids grew up here, and I’m forever grateful for this organization.”

Kucherov’s 1,142 points in 892 regular-season games since debuting in 2013 are third most among all players over that time behind only Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. His 177 points in the playoffs are the most during that span.

The 33-year-old Russian winger became the franchise’s career points leader last month, passing former captain Steven Stamkos. Kucherov has four goals and 14 assists for a team-leading 18 points through 13 games.

The Lightning are 7-3-2. They’ve been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs four consecutive years after falling two wins shy of a three-peat in 2022.

“We unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita,” BriseBois said in a statement last week.

BriseBois told reporters in mid-September that the goal was to get Kucherov signed to a new deal that keeps him around for years to come as part of a perennial contender. BriseBois said he and agent Dan Milstein would keep the lines of communication open to that end.

“For now, I’m part of this team, and I’ll do anything I can to help my teammates win,” Kucherov said.

He added that he personally informed his teammates of his trade request.

“They heard it from me first. Those guys are my family and this will never change,” he said.

Kadri and Schwartz Each Score Twice as Avalanche Surge Ahead of Blackhawks

The Colorado Avalanche have completely flipped the script at the United Center.

After falling behind 2-0 early, Colorado rallied with goals from Nazem Kadri and Jaden Schwartz to even the score before Kadri struck again in the second period. Schwartz added his second of the night with just 10.6 seconds remaining, sending the Avalanche into the third period with a 4-2 lead over the Blackhawks on the road in Chicago.

First Period

It was an unfortunate start for Colorado, as Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser was credited with a goal after his point shot deflected off Cale Makar and past Mackenzie Blackwood, who couldn't track the puck in time.

The Avalanche had a chance to respond after Ethan Del Mastro was called for interference, but they failed to capitalize on the power play. Their road struggles continued at the 7:05 mark when a costly turnover by Nazem Kadri led to a 2-on-1 rush. Connor Bedard fed Roman Kantserov for a one-timer over Blackwood's glove to make it 2-0.

Past the halfway point of the period, Brock Nelson was called for high-sticking after accidentally catching Ryan Donato with the blade of his stick while attempting to change lines.

Colorado appeared to get on the board with 6:38 remaining when Nathan MacKinnon set up Devon Toews for a one-timer that Martin Necas redirected past Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight. Chicago challenged for goaltender interference, however, and officials in Toronto overturned the goal, ruling that Gabe Landeskog interfered with Knight.

The Avalanche eventually got one that counted. Kadri pounced on a rebound that Knight couldn't cover, diving forward to poke the loose puck across the goal line and cut Chicago's lead to 2-1.

Just 26 seconds later, Colorado had its equalizer. Jaden Schwartz finished off a beautiful pass from T.J. Hughes with a one-timer past Knight to pull the Avalanche even at 2-2.

Things got chippy shortly after when Artyom Shumenov caught Cale Makar in the face with an elbow. Martin Necas stepped in to defend his teammate, dropping the gloves with Shumenov. Both received roughing penalties, while Shumenov was also assessed a four-minute penalty for the hit. Colorado couldn't capitalize on the ensuing power play.

The Avalanche outshot Chicago 14-4 in the opening 20 minutes, carrying plenty of momentum into the second after erasing the early two-goal deficit.

Second Period

Colorado found itself shorthanded early after Kadri cross-checked Ryan Greene from behind while the two battled for a loose puck. With just three seconds remaining on the penalty kill, Oliver Moore was called for tripping T.J. Hughes, giving the Avalanche a brief power-play opportunity. Colorado couldn't convert, marking its third unsuccessful man advantage of the night.

Blackwood continued to come up big at the other end, making a spectacular split save to rob Blackhawks captain Connor Bedard. The stop sent Bedard tumbling over Blackwood's left pad and into the net.

After coming up empty on their fourth power play, the Avalanche finally made their fifth count. Kadri redirected a blast from Makar past Knight for his second goal of the night and fourth of the season, putting Colorado in front 3-2.

The Avalanche also managed to kill off a late cross-checking penalty to Noah Juulsen. Knight kept Chicago within striking distance moments later, denying Nathan MacKinnon on a beautiful backhand.

But Colorado had one more punch to deliver before the intermission. With just 10.6 seconds remaining, Sam Malinski fired a wrist shot from the point, and Schwartz got just enough of his stick on it to redirect the puck across the goal line. His second goal of the night gave the Avalanche some much-needed breathing room and a 4-2 lead heading into the third period.

Third Period

Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane left the game in the second period and was absent from the bench to start the third. He was later ruled out for the remainder of the night with what appeared to be a lower-body injury.

The Avalanche caught a fortunate break on what could only be described as a double doink. Frank Nazar rang the puck off both posts, sparing Mackenzie Blackwood from potentially giving up a goal.

Brock Nelson was sent to the penalty box at 8:02 for tripping Nazar, but Colorado once again came through on the penalty kill. The Avalanche successfully killed off the infraction, improving to a perfect 4-for-4 on the night in a much-needed response from a unit that had struggled in recent games.

Image