The Islanders’ up-down, up-down form hopefully does not continue today when they host the Panthers for a 1 p.m. matinee in Elmont.
Florida split two games at home (lost to the Wild, beat the Kraken) after finishing a road trip with a 4-1 loss in Calgary. Yes, they are last-except-for-the-Rangers in the East, but the Cup champs are not pushovers and have not thrown in the towel, going 5-5 over their last 10 (just a game worse than the Islanders, by the way).
After squeaking by the Stars on Thursday, if the Islanders can pull off another win chances are it will be by one goal, which is how they’ve gotten 27 of their wins thus far this season.
Islanders News
Five dudes who are key to the Isles’ playoff push. [Newsday]
Here’s how they lined up at Friday’s practice. [Isles]
The Isles ground out a win vs. the Stars, they’ll need that again this afternoon. [Post]
The Skinny: “Schaefer has 22 goals, tying Barry Beck (22) for the second-highest total in a season. His next goal will tie Brian Leetch’s NHL record.” [Isles]
It was team photo day, and the behind-the-scenes shots are all cute ‘n stuff. Kyle Palmieri and Alex Romanov sightings, plus Matt Martin in a suit and Matthew Schaefer hamming it up. [Isles]
Elsewhere
Just two games last night but the Red Wings won in Buffalo, in regulation, earning a valuable two points from one of their two games in hand.
For the first time in franchise history, the Vegas Golden Knights will finish a season with more losses than wins.
Despite entering the year with a roster built around elite talent, headlined by players such as Jack Eichel and the high-profile addition of Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights have struggled to meet expectations. A 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena only added to a season defined by inconsistency, missed chances, and an inability to close out tightly contested games.
Goaltending Instability And The Root Of The Problem
One of the clearest issues throughout the season has been goaltending. While not the only reason for the team’s struggles, it has consistently been one of the most significant factors limiting Vegas from performing at its usual level.
Ted Orion said it best: "You can't win games if you can't play defense." Vegas can score, but stopping them is an issue.
To understand how things reached this point, it’s worth looking back at how the goaltending situation has evolved over the past few seasons.
The Golden Knights weren’t always unstable in net. In 2023, they captured the Stanley Cup with a more dependable structure in goal. However, Logan Thompson suffered a lower-body injury late in that season.
During his absence, Vegas turned to a rotation that included Laurent Brossoit, Adin Hill, rookie Jiří Patera, and midseason acquisition Jonathan Quick. Although Thompson was unavailable for the playoffs, he remained part of the championship team, and his name was eventually engraved on the Stanley Cup alongside his teammates.
The following season opened with Thompson and Hill sharing the net as a tandem. That arrangement changed when Hill dealt with a series of lower-body injuries, which allowed Thompson to step into the starting role. After some early inconsistencies, Thompson’s play improved notably following the Winter Classic, where he began to settle into a more consistent rhythm.
Heading into the playoffs, Thompson was named the Golden Knights’ starter and responded well early, helping Vegas win back-to-back games against the Dallas Stars on April 22 and 24. But as the series progressed, momentum began to shift. Thompson dropped the next two games, and while he delivered a strong performance in Game 3 with a career-high 43 saves, it came in a losing effort.
Logan Thompson deserved better. Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie
Facing pressure, the Golden Knights made the decision to turn to Adin Hill for Game 5. The move carried risk, largely based on Hill’s prior success as the goaltender who helped backstop the team to a Stanley Cup. The hope was that he could recapture that form and provide a spark.
Instead, the decision didn’t deliver the desired result. The change disrupted the stability in net, and Vegas was unable to regain control of the series, ultimately falling to the Stars in seven games.
Following the season, Thompson requested a trade, and the Golden Knights honored that request by sending him to the Washington Capitals during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for two third-round picks.
Fallout And The Current State Of The Position
Since that move, the Golden Knights have struggled to find consistent goaltending. Adin Hill has endured the worst season of his career, ranking near the bottom of the league statistically with a 9-9-4 record, a 3.07 goals-against average, and a .868 save percentage.
In contrast, Thompson has thrived in Washington, emerging as one of the league’s top goaltenders. He currently ranks 2nd among 94 goaltenders, posting a 25-20 record, a 2.40 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage. The difference in production has only intensified scrutiny around the decision to move on from him.
The organization also added Carter Hart, who arrived under the shadow of the Hockey Canada sexual assault investigation. His season, however, has been hampered by injuries and uneven play, and he has not been able to provide the stability the team was hoping for. Akira Schmid has filled in as well, but his performance has largely reflected that of a depth option rather than a true starter, further highlighting the uncertainty in net.
Hart making a save against the Oilers. Credit: Walter Tychnowicz
Entering the season, Vegas believed Hill and Hart would anchor the position. That plan has not materialized, and goaltending has become one of the team’s most pressing concerns.
Attention has naturally turned toward general manager Kelly McCrimmon. While he remains a respected executive and a Stanley Cup-winning architect, the current shortcomings—especially in goal—have raised legitimate questions. Accountability comes with the job.
Ultimately, McCrimmon is tasked with finding a solution. Whether through internal development, roster adjustments, or future acquisitions, the Golden Knights need to stabilize the goaltending position if they hope to return to contention.
Not every gamble works out, and when they don’t, the consequences can be significant. In professional sports, results drive everything. If McCrimmon is unable to guide the team back to consistent success, changes within the organization may eventually follow.
The New York Rangers’ 6-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night was headlined by a number of NHL firsts for a few of the Blueshirts’ young players.
The main storyline going into Friday night’s game was the highly anticipated debut of Drew Fortescue, who signed his entry-level contract with the Rangers last week after completing his junior season at Boston College.
Fortescue played a total of 17:23 minutes and recorded his first NHL point, assisting Jonny Brodzinski’s goal in the third period.
“I thought he was solid,” Mike Sullivan said of Fortescue. “For the most part, he played the game with composure. He didn't just throw pucks away. He made some outlet passes. He had good poise. I thought he had a high-panic threshold. He didn't throw pucks away when he was under pressure, he protected it. He defended well. I think he's got a good stick, decent mobility. There's a lot to like about Drew's game. For such a young kid in his first NHL game, I thought he played really well.”
In his second NHL game, Adam Sýkora recorded his first NHL goal, on a two-on-one chance with Will Cuylle.
The excitement from Sýkora was evident, as he celebrated with passion, and his teammates were ecstatic for the young rookie, who could be seen embracing him on the bench.
“I couldn't describe the feeling,” Sýkora said about his first NHL goal. “You play the first game (Wednesday), then you have a goal. I just appreciate every moment here to be around these guys and... help them to win games. And just enjoy every second I got an opportunity to play here.”
Sýkora has spent multiple years playing with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, creating a reputation for himself as a player who plays with ferocious energy and a personality that is infectious.
That same energy, both on and off the ice, has been felt since the Rangers called him up earlier this week.
“He’s a dog on the bone on the puck,” Sullivan said of Sýkora. “Doesn’t matter what the score is, he’s going to give you 110%… His personality is infectious. You could see the reaction of his teammates when he scored the goal. I think that speaks volumes of what they think of him as a person.”
Dylan Garand was able to notch his first NHL victory in a moment he says that he’ll never forget.
The 23-year-old goalie made 27 saves on 28 shots, and in his two starts since taking over the backup goaltending job for the injured Jonathan Quick, Garand has caught the eye of Sullivan.
“I thought he looked really solid in there, and that's the second game in a row I felt that way so. It's two really good starts for him and I'm happy for him because I know how hard he's worked to get to this point,” Sullivan said of Garand. “It's great for our team, it's great for our organization... The feeling I've gotten behind the bench in the two starts that he's had is that he's completely in control and he has good composure in there.”
While the Rangers may be eliminated from playoff contention with less than 10 games remaining in the 2025-26 season, this is an opportunity for the young players to make their mark with the organization and prove their worth moving forward.
“I think we're all hungry,” Garand said. “This is kind of, for some of us, our opportunity. Guys like me and [Adam Sýkora], we've been playing in Hartford for a long time and we finally get to play games. We're hungry and we're excited to try and help this team win in any way we can. It's a lot of fun right now.”
The Chicago Blackhawks took on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. This was the third game out of four on their East Coast road trip.
The first game of the trip on Tuesday night was an impressive win over the New York Islanders, while they were blown out by the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. This game, the second half of a back-to-back, was a chance for the Blackhawks to bounce back.
Earlier in the week, Anton Frondell made his NHL debut, while Sacha Boisvert did one game later. The excitement of their first games is in the past, and now it's about getting them to become contributors on the team.
After losing to Philadelphia 5-1 on Thursday, they were beaten by the Rangers 6-1 one night later. It’s a young team, and it showed by being outscored 11-2 over two nights.
Nick Lardis scored Chicago’s lone goal on Friday by getting himself into a good position so he could take advantage of a pretty passing play by every skater on the ice. That’s three goals in the last four games for Lardis, who continues to find the back of the net no matter what level he’s at.
From there, the Rangers scored six unanswered to skate home with a 6-1 victory. Although New York and Chicago are at the same level in the standings, the former has veterans who can bring their A-game on any given night, which is usually enough to take down a young team like the Blackhawks.
The excitement of two prospects joining the lineup has gone away, but they were both noticeable in the loss to the Rangers.
For Frondell, who led all Blackhawks forwards in ice-time, he had one play where he stripped US Olympian JT Miller of the puck and found Connor Bedard all alone in front of the net. The shot was saved, but more often than not, that effort will result in goals. It was one of many noticeable plays that Frondell had over the course of the match.
As for Sacha Boisvert, he participated in his first career NHL fight. He mentioned that as a desire of his right when he signed, and now he has that checked off his list.
The Blackhawks didn't go after JT Miller right away when he hit Artom Levshunov, but they handled it later on, and that eventually led to Boisvert's fight against Will Borgen.
Making a name for himself in any way that he can is a key to earning a roster spot in 2026-27, and he’s done that through two games in limited ice time. As his role grows, so will his level of play.
The Blackhawks poor results can mostly be attributed to bad puck possession and defensive decision-making. Shots aren’t the end-all, be-all, but giving up 39 or more in four of the last five games is not ideal.
The Rangers had just 10 against the Ottawa Senators a couple of nights ago, and they had 39 against the Blackhawks. There is a sincere difference in competitive level between the Blackhawks and other NHL teams right now.
This is a tough stretch for the Blackhawks. No matter who is on the other side, a young team like them is going to struggle at times with all of their inexperience in the lineup. The core of the team must grind through and take that next step in their development, and it will only happen with reps like these.
Wins over the Islanders are a glimpse into how good things can be, and defeats like these two late-week losses show how far away they are.
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If someone would have said prior to the start of the 2025-26 season that the Pittsburgh Penguins would be playing a large chunk of their second half without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, many would have drawn the conclusion that the season was going even worse than expected for them. And outside expectations certainly weren't very high to begin with.
In fact, even with Crosby and Malkin, most didn't expect the Penguins to be talking about potential first-round playoff matchups in late-March, let alone without their star forwards. But, here they are at second in the Metropolitan Division, and they've almost managed to make it through the toughest month of their entire schedule - and the toughest strength of schedule in the NHL - largely without at least one of them in the lineup.
And there have been many players who have stepped up in the absence of 87 and 71. Rickard Rakell has taken on first-line center duties and has seven goals and 15 points in the 16 games since the Olympic break - including six goals and 14 points in his last 11. Bryan Rust has seven goals and 19 points in those 16 games. Anthony Mantha has six goals and 11 points. Egor Chinakhov has six goals and 14 points.
Even goaltenders Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner - despite some inconsistencies from both since the break - have done enough in a general sense to help keep the Penguins afloat and have come up with some big saves in big moments.
But there is one player who has carried this team on his back, and he's separated himself as this team's MVP in not only this stretch, but arguably, for the entire season.
And that would be Erik Karlsson.
Karlsson, 35, was acquired by the Penguins in the summer of 2023 - GM and POHO Kyle Dubas's first summer with the organization - and his first two seasons in Pittsburgh, even if they weren't bad ones, were a bit underwhelming. And this is, especially, considering the fact that he was coming off an historic 29-goal, 101-point Norris Trophy campaign with the San Jose Sharks, which was the third of his hall-of-fame career.
This season, however, the best version of Karlsson has re-emerged. And not only is he leading the charge to get this Penguins' team to the playoffs for the first time in four years - and the first time during his tenure in Pittsburgh - he's also, arguably, the best player in hockey during this playoff stretch run.
Karlsson is tied for second in the NHL in points (21) since Mar. 1, and he is tied for second in the NHL in goals since Mar. 16 (six). And the crazy thing is that the only NHL defensemen within spitting distance are Buffalo Sabres' blueliner Rasmus Dahlin and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers, who each have 15 points since Mar. 1 and are 27th and 28th in the league since then.
These are elite forward numbers that Karlsson - a defenseman - is putting up. For the past month, his name has been up there with the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Martin Necas, Jack Hughes, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor McDavid. And it's not as if he's sacrificing defense to create offense, either, as Karlsson is playing one of the very best defensive seasons of his NHL career.
We're seeing vintage Erik Karlsson, folks 👀
• Six goals over his last six games • Three-straight three-point games on the road • Seven multi-point games over his last 10 outings • Ranks second in the NHL with 22 points since February 28 pic.twitter.com/XEBB9nYCla
There is little debate that Karlsson is the very best player in the league right now. He is not just putting up elite, forward-level production game-in and game-out, and he is not just a product of what's happening around him. He has been, far and away, the best Penguins' player in the last month, and even if the players mentioned above are contributing to the cause, guys like Kucherov and Necas - the only guys who have more points than he does in March - have the benefit of other players like Jake Guentzel and MacKinnon, respectively, helping them lead their teams to comfortable playoff berths.
The Penguins are anything but comfortable. Although they completely control their own destiny, two points separate them and the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They are fighting for their playoff lives and continuously fending off teams below them in the standings, and they are doing it without Crosby and Malkin.
And that push, that fight, has been led by Karlsson. He is the x-factor. He is the difference-maker. He is the best player on the ice in nearly every single game at this point, carrying his team on his back and leading by example and by proxy.
Simply put, the Penguins would not be in a playoff spot right now if not for Karlsson. He is playing some of the best hockey of his entire 17-year NHL career, and his unparalleled contributions have not gone unnoticed by his teammates.
“He’s doing so much for us," Rakell said. "And it’s not just scoring goals. It’s the way he breaks out pucks and keeping a close cap on their entries and just dictating the game. Then, obviously, everybody knows his game. When he’s confident, he’s one of the best defensemen in our league still. He shows that he can do it all.”
And when the calendar month of March concludes, Karlsson should certainly be recognized as the NHL's first star since there has been no one better in hockey on both an individual basis and in terms of dragging his hobbled team to the postseason.
Just under a year ago, Drew Fortescue was banging on the Madison Square Garden glass alongside his Boston College teammates as Gabe Perreault, a fellow Eagle, took his rookie lap ahead of his NHL debut.
While watching Perreault skate under the pinwheel ceiling, Fortescue allowed himself to think — just a little bit — about how it could be him soon.
On Friday, it was Fortescue’s turn. And, of course, some of his BC teammates made the trip to see it.
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“That’s what you dream about,” he said while recalling those few days last April, before the 20-year-old defenseman recorded his first NHL assist in the Rangers’ 6-1 win over the Blackhawks Friday night. “It was awesome [watching Perreault debut last year]. I mean, Gabe is one of our best buddies, so we were all in a hurry to get down there and support him. Ryan Leonard played the night before up in Boston, so we got to go to his first game [with the Capitals]. Then we made the drive down the next day, and it was just a memory.
“Being able to be there and support one of your buddies for his first game is pretty special. And I know some of them are coming down for [the game], so I’m excited to see all of them, and it’ll be pretty cool.”
New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) during the first period when the New York Rangers played the Chicago Blackhawks Friday, March 27, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Fortescue skated in his first professional game in front of what he described as “a lot” of friends and family. You could hear them all when he first took the ice for his rookie lap, and again when his name was announced for his secondary assist on Jonny Brodzinski’s second of his two goals.
Since he signed his entry-level contract last weekend, the Pearl River native has expressed how fortunate he feels to start his career so close to home.
“Once I got to the bench after and I took a stop and kind of looked around and saw everyone,” he said after the game. “I was able to see some of my cousins and family members and my parents in the crowd, definitely was an unbelievable feeling, and a feeling that I’ll never forget.”
Asked why he felt now was the time to put Fortescue in the lineup, head coach Mike Sullivan said he wanted the Rangers rookie to get on the ice a bit with the team’s limited practice time, have some one-on-one time with defense coach David Quinn and watch some film first.
New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) during the first period when the New York Rangers played the Chicago Blackhawks Friday, March 27, 2026 at Madison Square Garden Robert Sabo for NY Post
Fortescue, who was the sixth rookie to make his NHL debut this season with the Rangers, ultimately skated on the left of Matthew Robertson on the third defensive pairing.
“I thought he was solid,” Sullivan said of Fortescue. “For the most part, he played the game with composure. He didn’t just throw pucks away. He made some outlet passes. He had good poise. I thought he had a high-panic threshold. He didn’t throw pucks away when he was under pressure, he protected it. He defended well. I think he’s got a good stick, decent mobility. There’s a lot to like about Drew’s game. For such a young kid in his first NHL game, I thought he played really well.”
The Rangers have had six rookies make their NHL debuts this season, including three in the last week alone.
Fortescue joins Adam Sykora, Dylan Garand, Jaroslav Chmelar, Brendan Brisson and Noah Laba. Robertson is also considered a rookie, but the 25-year-old made his debut in the second-to-last game of last season and has skated in 63 of 73 games thus far in 2025-26.
New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) during warmups Robert Sabo for NY Post
“We’re going to do our best to set them up for success,” Sullivan said of all the youngsters in his lineup. “We’ve got them surrounded with veteran players that we think can help them when they’re on the ice, but these guys are all good players and they bring a lot of energy to the table. A lot of enthusiasm. The mistakes they make will be mistakes of enthusiasm, and we’ll work through those. We’ll work through those.
“We’ll help them get better at it through the experience, and they’re going to make mistakes. That’s just the reality of it. I think it’s an opportunity here for us down the stretch to get these guys some real experience. We’re just trying to do it the right way.”
As the 2025–26 NHL regular season enters its final stretch, the Colorado Avalanche find themselves in a commanding position atop the league standings—and in firm control of the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.
Strong Position at the Top
Colorado improved to 48-13-10 (106 points) after a playoff-esque 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets, extending their winning streak to four games. With 11 games remaining, they’ve created separation not only in the Central Division—holding a nine-point edge over the Dallas Stars—but also in the race for the league’s top overall seed.
Erik Karlsson summed it up perfectly on what it's like seeing Nathan MacKinnon charging down the ice.
A win in the rematch would only tighten their grip.
“We’re still fighting for first place, so every win’s important until they put the mark beside our standings,” head coach Jared Bednar told NHL.com. “So, we have something to play for down the stretch run here. And we’ve had a good year, but we’re not comfortable—we’re still just kind of fine-tuning our game for going into the playoffs.”
The Math
Despite their strong position, the math behind clinching the Presidents’ Trophy remains intriguing. The Avalanche’s primary challenger, the Carolina Hurricanes, also have 11 games remaining and currently sit at approximately 96 points. If Carolina were to win every game from here on out, they would earn 22 additional points, finishing with a maximum of 118 points.
That sets Colorado’s magic number at 119 points—meaning the Avalanche will likely secure the Presidents’ Trophy with roughly six to seven more wins down the stretch. In practical terms, an 8–3 finish would comfortably secure the award, while a 7–3–1 record could also be sufficient depending on Carolina’s results. However, given the parity of the modern NHL, it is unlikely the Hurricanes will win all of their remaining games, barring unforeseen circumstances.
Leading the Avalanche is Nathan MacKinnon, who scored twice on seven shots Thursday night as Colorado defeated Winnipeg 3-2 at Canada Life Centre. It marked the first time in 330 days that Colorado had beaten the Jets on the road in the regular season, and MacKinnon’s two-goal performance pushed him to 47 and 48 goals on the year, extending his lead atop the NHL goal-scoring race.
Mark Scheifele initiating the breakout from behind the net.
Jets forward Mark Scheifele, despite being on the opposing side, offered high praise for MacKinnon’s impact and consistency.
“He’s absolutely fantastic. He’s an absolute horse out there. He’s a guy that works on his game so tirelessly,” he stated. “On the other side, he’s a fun guy to watch. Makes a lot of plays, a lot of little plays, even that a lot of people don’t notice. So, he’s one of, if not the, one of the best, if not the best player in the league. And he shows it every single night. And it’s impressive to watch.”
Different Stakes, Same Intensity
While the Avalanche continue to surge, the Jets are fighting for their postseason lives. At 30-30-12 (72 points), Winnipeg sits five points back of a Western Conference wild card spot with 10 games remaining.
“Every game is huge for us, no matter the opponent,” Jets forward Cole Perfetti added. “At this stage of the year for us, we need two points every single night, so it doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”
That urgency contrasts with Colorado’s position—but not their mindset. The Avalanche are not easing into the playoffs; they are sharpening their game while chasing hardware. Contributions like Logan O'Connor’s return from injury and continued offensive dominance from their top line only reinforce their depth and readiness.
The Avalanche don’t need perfection—they just need to keep winning enough games to stay in control. The Presidents’ Trophy may not be the ultimate prize, but it remains a significant milestone. And while the Stanley Cup is the true goal, capturing both is a rare accomplishment last achieved by the 2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks.
For Colorado, the opportunity to pursue both remains very much alive—and increasingly within reach.
Drew Fortescue made his NHL debut in a youth-infused 6-1 win over the Blackhawks on Friday night, bringing the rookie count in the Rangers lineup to six amid the club’s youth movement as part of a larger evaluation period for the entire organization.
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There was a lot of young blood on the ice between the Rangers and Blackhawks, the second- and third-worst teams in the NHL that are only competing for better draft lottery odds at this point in the season.
The Rangers’ youth undoubtedly shined the brightest.
“I think we’re all hungry,” rookie goalie Dylan Garand said after capturing his first NHL win in his second career start. “This is, for some of us, our opportunity. Guys like me and [Adam Sýkora], we’ve been playing in Hartford for a long time and we finally get to play games. We’re hungry and we’re excited to try and help this team win in any way we can.”
Fortescue notched his first point — a secondary assist — in his debut.
Sykora scored his first NHL goal in his first game at Madison Square Garden.
Garand has stopped 63 of the first 66 shots he’s faced through his first two NHL starts.
Matthew Robertson notched the fifth goal of his career while skating in his 29th straight game.
Adam Sykora scores during the Rangers-Blackhawks game on March 26, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
And Jaroslav Chmelar was relentless on his way to earning his first NHL assist on Jonny Brodzinski’s second-period score.
The win snapped a season-high six-game losing streak for the Rangers, who are drinking in the youngsters’ energy to try to end this lost season on an encouraging note.
“You can see the enthusiasm that the young kids bring to the lineup,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the Rangers’ largest win at home this season. “I think it’s infectious with our veteran guys. Obviously, excited for them. There were some milestones…It’s just fun. I’m happy for the players. To see the positive energy around the group was great to see.”
Drew Fortescue skates with the puck during the Rangers-Blackhawks game on March 26, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After the game, Garand spoke like a player who knows he’s ready for the NHL.
The 23-year-old netminder exuded palpable confidence after impressing in his first two NHL starts.
Garand saved all three shots on goal from 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard in the first period Friday. While his first win came against an easier opponent, he looked composed even in the shootout loss to the Jets last weekend.
“I thought he looked really solid in there, and that’s the second game in a row I felt that way so,” Sullivan said. “It’s two really good starts for him and I’m happy for him because I know how hard he’s worked to get to this point. It’s great for our team, it’s great for our organization… The feeling I’ve gotten behind the bench in the two starts that he’s had is that he’s completely in control and he has good composure in there.”
The Rangers have been able to work Garand in amid Jonathan Quick’s upper-body injury, but the backup netminder is supposedly nearing a return.
Asked if Garand had earned himself some more starts over the final nine games of the season, Sullivan said that would be “a fair statement just based on his performance to this point.”
Dylan Garand makes a save during the Rangers-Blackhawks game on March 26, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“As this moves forward, when eventually we get a healthy Quickie back, I think [Chris Drury] and I will sit and probably have a conversation around it,” he said.
Of all the milestone moments that unfolded Friday night, the Rangers seemed especially overjoyed for Sykora.
Sullivan noted that the reaction from the Rangers bench, when Sykora buried Will Cuylle’s feed past Chicago goalie Arvid Soderblom, was indicative of the way he’s viewed as a person in the locker room.
Sykora’s energy is simply infectious, Sullivan said.
“This is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Garand said. “So glad to do it with a guy like Syky. I know him really well and I can speak on behalf of the guys from Hartford, we’re all so proud of him and so happy for him. He deserves it. He’s such a great guy, like, we all love him. It’s awesome to share this moment with him.”
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex DeBrincat’s power-play goal scored 4:02 in sparked Detroit’s three-goal first period, and the Red Wings rolled to a 5-2 win over the Atlantic Division-leading Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.
Marco Kasper, Lucas Raymond, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Patrick Kane, with an empty-netter, also scored. Detroit, coming off a 3-2 loss to Ottawa on Tuesday, snapped a two-game skid and moved into a tie in points with the Senators for ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings — and a point back of the New York Islanders.
John Gibson stopped 28 shots.
Tage Thompson — registering his 400th career point — and Rasmus Dahlin scored and Buffalo dropped to 0-1-2 -- its longest skid since losing three straight in regulation in early December. Alex Lyon made 15 saves and dropped to 6-1-1 since returning from the NHL’s Olympic break.
The Sabres came out flat and undisciplined and wound up trailing 3-0 with 3:54 left in the opening period when Marco Kasper converted his own rebound in front.
Detroit’s first two goals came on the power play.
DeBrincat opened the scoring by converting a rebound in front five seconds after Josh Norris was penalized for high sticking. Raymond scored with Logan Stanley in the box for interference, and was set up by Moritz Seider leaping at the blue line to bat down Ryan McLeod’s clearing attempt.
Detroit entered the day scoring an NHL-low 40 goals in the first period.
RANGERS 6, BLACKHAWKS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Jonny Brodzinski scored twice, Adam Sykora scored his first goal and Dylan Garand made 27 saves for his first NHL win as New York downed Chicago.
J.T. Miller, Matthew Robertson and Alexis Lafreniere also scored as the Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak.
The 23-year-old Garand, who made his debut Sunday at home against Winnipeg, a 3-2 shootout loss, allowed only a goal by Chicago’s Nick Lardis late in the first period.
Chicago has lost four of its last five.
Lardis finished off a passing play with Tyler Bertuzzi and Alex Vlasic late in the first. But Miller tied it less than a minute later with his 15th goal of the season.
Sykora, who debuted in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss at Toronto, beat Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom cleanly at 8:20 of the second. The 21-year-old Sykora was a second-round pick in 2022.
Brodzinski scored 16:07 into the second period, then added his second of the game with 4 minutes left.
The victory was just New York’s fifth home win in regulation. New York is 10-18-7 at the Garden.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jonny Brodzinski scored twice, Adam Sykora scored his first goal and Dylan Garand made 27 saves for his first NHL win as the New York Rangers downed the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1 on Friday night.
J.T. Miller, Matthew Robertson and Alexis Lafreniere also scored as the Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak.
The 23-year-old Garand, who made his debut Sunday at home against Winnipeg, a 3-2 shootout loss, allowed only a goal by Chicago’s Nick Lardis late in the first period.
Chicago has lost four of its last five.
Lardis finished off a passing play with Tyler Bertuzzi and Alex Vlasic late in the first. But Miller tied it less than a minute later with his 15th goal of the season.
Sykora, who debuted in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss at Toronto, beat Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom cleanly at 8:20 of the second. The 21-year-old Sykora was a second-round pick in 2022.
Brodzinski scored 16:07 into the second period, then added his second of the game with 4 minutes left.
The victory was just New York’s fifth home win in regulation. New York is 10-18-7 at the Garden.
Defenseman Drew Fortescue also made his Rangers debut. The 20-year-old defensemen — a third-round pick in 2023 —- assisted on Brodzinski’s second goal.
Soderblom made 33 saves.
Up next
Blackhawks: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.
Following two consecutive losses against divisional opponents on home ice that dropped them below the playoff cut line, the Detroit Red Wings badly needed to rebound to keep their postseason hopes alive.
On Friday night against yet another divisional opponent, they did just that.
First period goals from Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, and Marco Kasper paced the Red Wings en route to an eventual 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.
While the Red Wings remain on the outside looking in at the playoffs, one point behind the New York Islanders, they are tied with the Ottawa Senators, who defeated them on Tuesday, in total points (86).
The Red Wings struck first at the 4:02 mark of the first period thanks to the 36th tally of the season from DeBrincat in the opening seconds of their first power-play chance of the evening.
Detroit then doubled its lead thanks to a second power-play goal, this time from Lucas Raymond, who beat former Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon with a quick wrist shot for his 23rd goal.
Marco Kasper then scored his eighth of the season, increasing the lead to 3-0.
However, the Sabres began to press in the second period, limiting Detroit to just three shots on goal while getting a goal from Tage Thompson, who has historically performed well against the Red Wings.
Despite their multiple chances, Detroit's John Gibson kept the Sabres at bay with several key stops.
Just one day after signing his two-year contract extension, former Sabres defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker scored his first goal of the season and first with the Red Wings at 15:46 of the third period.
While the Sabres got one back less than a minute later after team captain Rasmus Dahlin found the back of the net, Detroit sealed the victory thanks to an empty-net goal from future Hall of Famer and Buffalo native Patrick Kane.
Picking up the win was Gibson, who made 28 saves; Lyon countered with 15 saves.
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The Hockey News' main site has revealed players 21 to 40 for their latest top 100 NHL-affiliated prospects rankings. A notable Philadelphia Flyers prospect made the cut this time around, as defenseman Oliver Bonk was given the No. 38 spot.
Bonk is a prospect who the Flyers are hoping will be a major part of their blueline in the future. This is because the 2023 first-round pick has the tools to blossom into a high-impact defenseman at the NHL level.
Bonk is currently in his first season at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In 37 games this campaign with Lehigh Valley, he has recorded five goals, 11 assists, and 16 points. This is after he had 11 goals and 40 points in 52 games during the 2024-25 season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Bonk also had a big year for the Knights in 2023-24, as he posted 24 goals, 43 assists, and 67 points in 60 games. With numbers like these, there is no question that the right-shot defenseman has good upside.
Bonk will certainly be a Flyers prospect to watch for the remainder of the season and onward. It will be interesting to see how he continues to grow his game from here.
The 2025–26 season hasn’t been very kind to the Vancouver Canucks, but it has been to some of the organization’s former players. One such player is none-other than Bo Horvat, former Canucks captain and now 30-goal scorer for the fourth time in his NHL career.
Horvat’s first career 30-goal season came as a member of the Canucks back in 2021–22, during which he scored 31 goals in 70 games. The season after that remains his career-high, as he scored 31 goals in 49 games with Vancouver before being traded to the New York Islanders and adding seven more to his overall total in 30 games. He has since scored 30+ goals in two of his three other seasons with New York, with his lone sub-30 goal season being the 2024–25 season. He scored 28 goals in this particular year.
Horvat has enjoyed quite the season in his third full-year with the Islanders, having scored his 30th goal of the season in his team’s 2–1 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night. This goal extended Horvat’s current point streak to five straight games, with this being the second time this season he’s had a point streak of that length.
Throughout the month of March, 13 games so far, Horvat has scored six goals and five assists, going pointless in only three of his team’s games. This came only a few weeks after he suited up for his first Winter Olympic Games with Team Canada, during which he scored two goals in six games.
Mar 7, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) scores the game-winning goal against San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) in the overtime period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Prior to sustaining a couple of injuries in December and January, Horvat had scored 19 goals in 31 games with the Islanders this season, putting him at a goals per game pace of .612. While his 30th goal of the season now ties him with Zach Hyman and Connor Bedard for 27th-most in the NHL, had he been healthy through the whole season, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he ranked much higher.
Horvat and the Islanders are currently deadlocked in a stiff battle for the Eastern Conference’s wildcard spots. While the Islanders currently occupy the final spot with 87 points in 73 games, the Ottawa Senators are only a point behind them with a game in hand.
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With the 20th overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets selected goaltender Pyotr Andreyanov. The Blue Jackets are hoping that the 19-year-old will be a big part of their roster later down the road, as he certainly has the potential to become a very good NHL goalie.
Because of his good upside, Andreyanov was given the No. 77 spot on The Hockey News' latest Top 100 NHL-affiliated prospect rankings.
When looking at how well Andreyanov has played in Russia, it is understandable that he is being viewed as one of the NHL's best prospects. The 6-foot goaltender had a 13-8-3 record, a .919 save percentage, and a 2.59 goals-against average in 26 games with CSKA Red Army Jr. of the MHL this season. He also had a .918 save percentage and a 2.13 goals-against average in the VHL with HC Zvezda this campaign.
Andreyanov also had a 1.75 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage in 37 MHL games in 2024-25 with CSKA Red Army Jr.
With all of this, there is no question that Andreyanov has shown plenty of promise. It will be interesting to see how he continues to grow his game from here.
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed defenseman Owen Protz to a three-year entry-level contract, which kicks in during the 2026-27 season.
Protz was selected by the Canadiens with the 102nd overall pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-2 defenseman appeared in 64 games during this regular season with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, where he had five goals, 18 assists, 23 points, 84 penalty minutes, and a plus-45 rating.
Protz is a defenseman with size who plays a very heavy game. With this, he is undoubtedly an intriguing prospect in the Canadiens' system, and they will be hoping that he can become a nice part of their blueline in the future.
Protz has continued to show promise at the junior level, too. During the 2024-25 season with the Bulldogs, he had five goals, 27 assists, 32 points, and a plus-11 rating. He also had one goal and six points in 11 playoff games for Brantford last year.
Overall, there is a lot to like about Protz's game, and it will be fascinating to see how he continues to develop his game from here.
