DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 16: Kris Letang #58, Evgeni Malkin #71, Egor Chinakhov #59 and Thomas Novak #18 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate after a goal against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on March 16, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Apologies in advance, a power outage has put a damper on the night at Pensburgh HQ but nothing could slow the Penguins on this night. Pittsburgh went into the NHL’s best team’s barn and took a monster 7-2 win.
There were a couple changes in the lineup; Evgeni Malkin returned from suspension, as expected. Less expected was Justin Brazeau’s quick return from injury, helping to spell for Blake Lizotte leaving the lineup for this game due to an injury of his own.
It was a classic Evgeni Malkin night, as only he could do it. Malkin took an offensive zone penalty on his first shift, only to score that beauty with a spinning backhander almost immediately after getting out of the penalty box. That set the tone for the game, even though Nathan MacKinnon quickly answered that first goal, the Pens sprung Anthony Mantha for his breakaway goal as a response to the response. From there, the Pens were off to the races, scoring early and often within the first couple of periods. We’ll have much more tomorrow in response to a massive statement game for Pittsburgh. They’re up to 2-1-1 during a very daunting and challenging road trip, playing as dangerous as ever, and all without Sidney Crosby.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been getting production from up and down their lineup during a 2025-26 season in which they've exceeded expectations, and they find themselves in the thick of the playoff race.
And one winger - new to the Penguins this season - continues to build on what has been the best year of his NHL career.
In Monday's game against the Colorado Avalanche, winger Anthony Mantha set a new career-high in goals when he potted his 26th of the season on a breakaway during the first period. Mantha's goal was Pittsburgh's second of the game and, at the time, put the Penguins up, 2-1.
And, with the goal, he continues to build on a new career-high in points (52) as well.
The 31-year-old was signed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal in the offseason by Penguins' GM/POHO Kyle Dubas after playing just 13 games last season for the Calgary Flames. Mantha tore his ACL, which ended his 2024-25 season prematurely.
He is just one goal shy of tying captain Sidney Crosby - still out with a lower-body injury - for the team lead in goals.
One year ago, folks in Pittsburgh were discussing the aftermath of an NHL trade deadline that came and went without general manager and president of hockey operations trading one of Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, or Rickard Rakell.
Why? Well, back in those days, the Pittsburgh Penguins were clear sellers at the deadline. They were in the midst of their third consecutive season of likely missing the postseason, and they were already in rebuild mode. So, recouping assets for three of their better players seemed pretty logical.
The player discussed the most was Rakell, who was putting together the best season of his NHL career. He finished the 2024-25 season with 35 goals and 70 points - both career-highs - and many folks wondered if his value would ever be higher than it was then, even with a rising cap. And, surely, if he wasn't dealt at the deadline, he would be dealt in the summer, right? Or, at least, someone would?
Yet, the summer came and went, and Rakell remained in Pittsburgh. Same with Karlsson and Rust. Flash forward to this season, and Karlsson is having his best overall season in years and has been the Penguins’ best player as of late, and Rust has 25 goals and 53 points in 60 games.
As for Rakell? It's been a bit of a different story, and it's not necessarily even entirely his fault.
After beginning the 2025-26 season with three goals and eight points in nine games - picking up right where he left off last season, and then some - he broke his hand blocking a shot against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 25, and he ended up missing 21 games and needed the hand surgically repaired. He didn't return to action until Dec. 13 against the San Jose Sharks.
And he had a bit of a slow start after coming back from the hand injury - the type of injury that, typically, isn't great news for goal-scorers - as he recorded just two goals and four points in his first 10 games back. He began to pick up a little bit more steam in the 16 games between Jan. 3 and the Olympic break, as he posted six goals and 11 points during that time before joining Karlsson in Milan to represent Team Sweden over the break.
Even still, that goal-scoring touch that was so outwardly evident last season hadn’t quite come back in full force, and perhaps the Olympics would help him return to form.
But he came back into the fold to play a role he wasn’t necessarily expecting to play, which threw another wrench into his season. However, this is precisely where things have started to turn for Rakell - and where he showed that he is still, indeed, a very valuable member of this hockey team.
When captain and first-line center Sidney Crosby went down during the Olympics, the Penguins and the hockey world at large held their collective breath. With Crosby out of the lineup - and limited options on the roster and in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) who could be effective in a top-six role - the sharpshooting winger Rakell was asked to play center, a position he hadn’t played regularly in almost a decade.
It was already a tall ask. But, then, Evgeni Malkin was suspended five games as well, and all of a sudden, Rakell found himself manning, arguably, the most important position on the team as first-line center and was being relied upon to help that line - alongside Bryan Rust and Egor Chinakhov - to be the driver of the bus on offense for the Penguins in the five games they would be without both of the their best players.
Some folks had their criticisms for Rakell, who mostly struggled in the faceoff dot and began that stint looking a little out of place down the middle. But, game by game, he got better and more comfortable, and he ended up registering a pair of goals and six points in those five games.
And given the situation he found himself in? He deserves a whole lot more credit for his role in guiding this team to a 2-1-2 finish without two of their best players.
Switching to a relatively unfamiliar position - even if he had played there in the distant past during his career previously - is hard for any player, let alone being thrust into the most relied upon offensive position on the team. Not only was he up to the task by the end of it, he actually started to look pretty comfortable in the last three games filling that role, as he, Chinakhov, and Rust were driving offense at a pretty good rate. The line combined for six goals and 20 points in those five games.
Even if Rakell isn’t scoring goals at the clip that he did last season - which is understandable given the nature of his injury - his ability to step up and fill a role that is pretty much impossible to fill when it’s 87’s place he was taking speaks volumes about the kind of work ethic, character, and ability he has, and it speaks to the teammate and the player he is as well.
Rakell’s contributions to the Penguins’ stretch without Malkin and Crosby may not have been the flashiest nor the team’s best. But if the Penguins make the playoffs, he will have been a huge reason why - and he deserves his flowers for that.
DALLAS (AP) — Jack McBain’s tie-breaking shorthanded goal early in the third period began a four-goal outburst and led the Utah Mammoth to a 6-3 win over Dallas on Monday night, ending the Stars’ point streak at a franchise-record 15 games.
Clayton Keller, Kailer Yamamoto, Michael Carcone, Lawson Crouse and defenseman Nate Schmidt also scored for the Mammoth, who hold the Western Conference’s first wild-card position by five points. Vitek Vanecek, making his 16th start of the season, stopped 27 shots.
Wyatt Johnston, Sam Steel and Adam Erne scored for the Stars, who lost in regulation for the first time since Jan. 22, going 14-0-1. Dallas also had a 15-game streak in its 1998-99 Stanley Cup season (12-0-3).
McBain gained possession just outside Utah’s blue line following a turnover by Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen. Skating in alone, McBain lifted a backhander past Casey DeSmith at 4:16 of the third period for a 3-2 lead.
DeSmith made 16 saves and saw a personal four-game win streak end.
Dallas has the second-most points in the league (94) and will play its next two games, both on the road, against the teams just ahead of them (Colorado) and just behind them (Minnesota) in the Central Division.
Yamamoto added an insurance goal almost four minutes later followed by Carcone’s power-play goal and Crouse’s empty-netter in the final minutes.
It was McBain’s seventh goal of the season, ending a 20-game goal drought that began Jan. 15.
Schmidt ended a 15-game goal drought since he had two goals and four points on Jan. 17.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jack Hughes had three assists to extend his productive run since scoring the gold medal-winning goal for the U.S. at the Olympics, and the New Jersey Devils dented the Boston Bruins’ playoff chances by beating them 4-3 in overtime Monday night.
Hughes set up Connor Brown’s goal to become the fastest player in franchise history to 400 career points. He also had a hand in Jesper Bratt’s goal and assisted on Paul Cotter’s winner with 6.2 seconds left in 3-on-3 overtime to reach 402 in his 414th regular-season game. Hughes has 12 points in 10 games since returning from Milan.
Cotter also scored early in the third period to give New Jersey a 3-2 lead before David Pastrnak tied it 1:42 later.
Pastrnak scored twice, including a highlight-reel masterpiece that made it 3-all, but he and the Bruins blew a two-goal lead and the chance for their first back-to-back victories since Jan. 27 and 29. Pavel Zacha also scored his 20th of the season against his old team, while Joonas Korpisalo allowed four goals on 34 shots as Boston kept up a pattern of alternating wins and losses since the NHL season resumed from the Olympic break.
The Bruins are clinging to the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after getting passed by Detroit when the Red Wings beat Calgary on Monday night. With 15 games left, Boston has 81 points, two ahead of Columbus and four up on Ottawa.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 19 shots for the Devils. The teams combined to take 10 penalties, including a pair of fighting majors in the final 11 minutes of regulation.
Up next
Bruins: Visit Atlantic Division-rival and likely playoff-bound Montreal on Tuesday night.
Devils: After finishing a seven-game homestand, they play their first of five in a row on the road Wednesday night at the New York Rangers.
DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane scored twice for Detroit to move into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time goals list for NHL players born in the U.S. and lead the Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Kane has 504 career goals, trailing Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538) and Jeremy Roenick (513). The 19th-year veteran entered the night tied with Joe Mullen (502). Earlier this season, Kane passed Modano to become the highest-scoring American-born player in league history. Kane now has 1,383 career points in 1,355 games.
Emmitt Finnie, Moritz Seider and Dominik Shine also scored and Alex DeBrincat had three assists for the Red Wings, who started a four-game homestand by stopping a three-game losing streak.
J.T. Compher added two assists and John Gibson made 25 saves for Detroit, which moved into a tie with Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have two games in hand on the Red Wings, who currently occupy the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Morgan Frost scored late in the first period to put the Flames on the board first, but Detroit scored three times in a span of 5:34 early in the second period to take control. Kane had the first and third goals in that surge.
Matt Coronato added a goal and an assist and Dustin Wolf made 20 saves for Calgary, which finished a five-game road trip through the Eastern Conference at 1-4. The Flames, who have the NHL’s second-worst record ahead of only Pacific Division rival Vancouver, are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.
DEVILS 4, BRUINS 3, OT
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jack Hughes had three assists to extend his productive run since scoring the gold medal-winning goal for the U.S. at the Olympics, and New Jersey dented Boston's playoff chances by beating them in overtime.
Hughes set up Connor Brown’s goal to become the fastest player in franchise history to 400 career points. He also had a hand in Jesper Bratt’s goal and assisted on Paul Cotter’s winner with 6.2 seconds left in 3-on-3 overtime to reach 402 in his 414th regular-season game. Hughes has 12 points in 10 games since returning from Milan.
Cotter also scored early in the third period to give New Jersey a 3-2 lead before David Pastrnak tied it 1:42 later.
KINGS 4, RANGERS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Laferriere had a goal and two assists to lead Los Angeles to a win over New York.
Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson and Trevor Moore also scored for Los Angeles, which has won three of five.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots.
Despite 22 saves from Igor Shesterkin, New York’s four-game winning streak ended.
Vincent Trocheck’s power-play goal 2:29 into the third period spoiled Kuemper’s bid for his third shutout of the season.
It was a game the Detroit Red Wings needed to have, and in the end, they got the job done.
Future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane scored twice on St. Patrick's Day Eve, helping Detroit pick up a 5-2 victory at Little Caesars Arena over the visiting Calgary Flames, the 31st-ranked team in the NHL.
With the win, the Red Wings are now tied with the Montreal Canadiens with 82 points apiece, but remain in the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Bruins, who were beaten in overtime by the New Jersey Devils, are in the WC2 spot with 81 points.
It was the Flames who capitalized in the opening 20 minutes of play, getting a goal from Morgan Frost at the 17:35 mark.
However, Detroit didn't have to wait long to knot the score once the second period began. Kane scored the 503rd goal of his career at 1:03, beating goaltender Dustin Wolf on a breakaway after taking a feed from Alex DeBrincat.
It was another milestone marker for Kane, who passed Joe Mullen for the fourth-most goals scored by a U.S.-born player in NHL history.
Detroit would soon strike twice in short order, starting with a tally from rookie Emmitt Finnie; he capitalized on a pretty three-way passing play from Lucas Raymond and Albert Johansson and had a tap-in at the side of the net.
Just 1:31 later, Kane finished another nifty feed from DeBrincat, redirecting the pass on his backhand past Wolf for career goal No. 504.
While Calgary got a fortunate bounce when Matt Coronato's pass on a two-on-one rush deflected off defenseman Moritz Seider past John Gibson, the 2022 Calder Trophy winner soon got the last laugh.
Seider restored Detroit's two-goal lead with a laser of a wrist shot past the blocker of Wolf while on the power-play for his ninth goal of the season.
Dominik Shine, who dropped the gloves during the first period and had tallied the first NHL goal of his career in last week's win over the Devils, capped the scoring with his second NHL goal while Wolf was on the bench for an extra attacker.
Gibson finished with 25 saves, while Wolf countered with 20 saves.
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The issue, Mike Sullivan said in the aftermath, was one that kept popping up all season. The Rangers needed to change lines on the team’s terms — not on the individual players’ terms. Long changes have burned them before and morphed into an ongoing conversation, and after points in eight of nine games following the Olympic break and a four-game winning streak, it served as a glaring reminder Monday that the Rangers were back.
As the Kings carried the puck into their zone less than five minutes into the second period, the Blueshirts had only three skaters back. When Adam Edstrom wiped out along the boards, that became two. The Kings had five. And when Igor Shesterkin allowed a rebound after Los Angeles’ initial shot, Mikey Anderson stood unmarked by the far post to deposit the rebound into the net and give the Kings a two-goal lead in the Rangers’ eventual 4-1 loss Monday at the Garden, where the return of Artemi Panarin following his trade last month was just about all that Blueshirts fans had to cheer for.
It was part of a second period that Adam Fox called “some of the worst hockey, I think, of our season.” The Rangers were outshot 16-3. Booing from fans followed the frame. And if the last three weeks served as the Rangers teasing that they might’ve somehow, finally, in the most too-little-too-late way possible, turned a corner, this loss — encapsulated by the second period — served as a reality check.
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“We have two guys go to the bench and change in the middle of the neutral zone and we don’t have the puck,” Sullivan said. “I feel like that’s a conversation that we’ve had all year, and we’re still learning a hard lesson.”
It was fitting, in a way, that all this unfolded with Panarin back on Broadway for the first time since becoming the major domino to fall after The Letter 2.0. Rangers fans cheered for him at the end of warmups, when, from near center ice, he flipped a puck into the Kings’ net and then the Rangers’ net and then veered toward the tunnel. They gave him an ovation again during the first timeout, when a tribute played on the scoreboard to welcome back the former franchise cornerstone who arrived as a marquee free agent in 2019 and then matched expectations for the next six-plus seasons.
Panarin even picked up an assist on the first goal of the game when Drew Doughty’s shot from the point found its way through a cluster of traffic and past Shesterkin with 6:31 remaining in the first period.
Los Angeles Kings Artemi Panarin waves to fans as the New York Rangers honor his time in New York with a video during the first period.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Rangers had their chances, even if the shot attempts didn’t rack up and they failed to score three goals in a game for the first time this month. Gabe Perreault nearly ripped a shot past Darcy Kuemper in the opening frame. Jaroslav Chmelar made a strong move toward the net with his backhand and had open space, but he lifted it wide.
Eventually, the Kings, suddenly in the middle of a playoff race in the Western Conference and fueled by their recent pickup, found a way to add to their lead. Anderson flipped the rebound past Shesterkin. Alex Laferriere whacked home another rebound just 11 seconds into a power play and 28 seconds after Anderson’s goal when Vincent Trocheck was called for high-sticking.
“I think we could’ve done a better job just answering with a little bit of pushback to some of the adversity,” Sullivan said.
Trocheck finally got the Rangers on the board 2:27 into the third when he tipped a Fox shot from the point on the power play that dribbled five-hole past Kuemper. Perreault, with just over eight minutes left, hit the post and crossbar on the same shot, nearly giving the Blueshirts a second goal. Urho Vaakanainen flung a puck toward the net that slowly slid untouched across the crease behind Kuemper, but the Rangers couldn’t convert. J.T. Miller felt they could’ve easily tied the game during that final frame.
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin reacts after allowing a goal during the second period.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
By that point, the Rangers had regressed to the mean of their season, returning to the form currently occupying the basement of the Eastern Conference. One goal wasn’t enough to save them. Too many of the mistakes that haunted them throughout the season had already reappeared.
“The second kinda got away from us,” Miller said. “They outplayed us in the second period. Wasn’t our best. But I thought the response in the third was really good again. … The body of work’s been good lately. I don’t think tonight was a step back by any means.”
The Calgary Flames saw a strong start slip away Monday night, falling 5–2 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. A physical opening period and an early Calgary lead were erased by a dominant middle frame from Detroit, which ultimately proved to be the difference.
The first period featured plenty of intensity as both teams established a physical edge. Early in the frame, Flames prospect Hunter Brzustewicz was driven hard into the boards along the wall, prompting teammate Martin Pospisil to immediately respond. Pospisil dropped the gloves with Dominik Shine who was responsible for the hit, energizing the Flames bench and setting the tone for a chippy contest.
Calgary carried that momentum onto the scoreboard later in the period.
With the Flames pushing in the offensive zone, Matvei Gridin skated into the slot and showed patience with the puck. After a subtle fake to freeze the defence, Gridin slid a crisp pass across to a streaking Morgan Frost, who redirected the puck past John Gibson to give Calgary a 1–0 lead.
The momentum swung quickly in the second period, and the Red Wings took full advantage.
Just 1:03 into the frame, Alex DeBrincat spotted Patrick Kane slipping behind the Calgary defence on a broken play. DeBrincat delivered the puck into Kane’s path, and the veteran forward smoothly controlled the pass between his legs before skating in alone and beating Dustin Wolf to tie the game 1–1.
Detroit grabbed the lead a few minutes later. After killing off a Calgary power play, the Red Wings transitioned quickly up ice. Lucas Raymond moved the puck to Albert Johansson, who delivered a one-touch backhand pass across the slot to Emmitt Finnie. Finnie tipped the puck past Wolf at 5:06, giving Detroit a 2–1 advantage.
The Red Wings kept pressing. At 6:37, Kane drove hard to the net and redirected a well-placed feed from DeBrincat past Wolf, extending Detroit’s lead to 3–1.
With the Red Wings on the power play at 11:45, Seider drifted in from the blue line and waited for traffic to form in front of the net before unleashing a pinpoint wrist shot that found the top corner. The goal restored Detroit’s two-goal lead at 4–2 heading into the third.
Detroit Seals It Late
Calgary pushed in the final frame but couldn’t solve Gibson again. The Red Wings eventually put the game away with an empty-net goal from Shine in the closing minutes, securing the 5–2 victory.
Matt Coronato snapped his 15-game goalless stretch with his second-period marker. The winger has been consistently generating chances and staying active around the puck, and this time the effort was rewarded.
2. Second Period Collapse
The middle frame proved decisive. Detroit scored four times in the period, turning a 1–0 Calgary lead into a multi-goal deficit the Flames couldn’t recover from.
3. Young Defence Gets a Look
Flames fans got a glimpse of the future as Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz dressed in the same game. With Yan Kuznetsov out of the lineup, both young defenders saw time on the power-play units.
Mar 12, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during a stoppage in play against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Alex Ovechkin became the fresh face of the franchise for the Washington Capitals more than two decades ago when they selected the big, skilled Russian winger with the first pick in the 2004 NHL draft.
He’s now 40 and nearing the end of his 21st season with them. He hoisted the Stanley Cup as playoff MVP in 2018 and last year passed Wayne Gretzky as the league’s career goal-scoring leader.
Ovechkin has yet to say whether this is it or if he wants to play again in 2026-27, so the front office is planning for either contingency. While doing so, Washington is ushering in a youth movement on the fly, with the trade of 36-year-old organizational cornerstone John Carlson the latest step in turning the page on a generation of players responsible for not only a championship but 16 playoff appearances in 18 seasons.
“They’re these guys (who go from) sometimes they don’t even have a shaving kit to getting married and having families and having the careers that they’re having,” assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said in a phone interview. “Things don’t last forever.”
Capitals are building around a new core
The Capitals have done something rare in the NHL since the salary cap era began in 2005: replenish talent while consistently contending. Brian MacLellan, the general manager from 2014-24, and successor Chris Patrick have simultaneously bought and sold at times and made some shrewd offseason trades and free agent signings along the way.
The result is a new core of players in their mid-to-late 20s and early 30s, all signed through at least 2029: goalie Logan Thompson, defensemen Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy and Martin Fehervary, and forwards Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson, the latter of whom is likely to succeed Ovechkin as captain.
“That’s a pretty good starting point for a competitive team, a Stanley Cup-winning team,” Patrick said. “We just felt like going into the deadline, if we are going to make moves, we should make moves with that in mind — giving us assets that we can use to try to add impact players to this current group.”
Sending Carlson to Anaheim less than 15 hours before the trade deadline made it a sad day for former teammates. He spent 17 years with the Capitals, so Ovechkin called it probably the toughest day of his career from a personal standpoint.
The first- and third-round picks the Capitals got in the trade were among the best returns any team received for a pending free agent rental player. That deal and trading mid-30s fourth-line center Nic Dowd to Vegas added to a stockpile of draft capital: 13 selections in the first three rounds over the next four years.
Some of those picks will be used and others dealt for immediate help. A fast-rising cap has reduced the pool of high-end free agents available on July 1 because teams have plenty of space to re-sign their best players, so the trade market has become the place to go for talent.
“There’s not as big a bucket to shop from this summer, so I think having assets that are tradeable is good,” Patrick said. “Are those trades going to happen? I don’t know. We hope. There tend to be names that become available for some reason or another.”
Plenty of elite prospects already in Washington’s pipeline
The rare playoff misses and sell-offs have allowed Mahoney and his staff to infuse the organization with prospects from all over the world.
Already in the NHL are Ryan Leonard, the No. 8 pick in 2023, and fellow winger Ivan Miroshnichenko, a first-rounder the previous year. Defenseman Cole Hutson, selected 43rd in ‘24 is joining them this week after signing his entry-level contract Sunday fresh off his college season at Boston University ending. Ilya Protas, a find at No. 75 in that same draft, is leading the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears in scoring at the age of 19 and is close to following his older brother to Washington.
“I’m really happy with where we’re at,” said Mahoney, who been head of amateur scouting since 2000. “My guys have done a fantastic job of trying to kind of stockpile the shelves again.”
Protas, a 6-foot-5 center, might be able to slide into Dowd’s old spot as soon as next season. Hutson is a dynamic, offensively minded right-handed shooter whose impending arrival in part paved the way for Carlson to go to the Ducks, because there’s a succession plan in place.
“We felt a little bit more comfortable saying if we have to let a guy kind of towards the end of his career, in his mid-30s go, and could get good assets in return, hopefully we’re in a good spot,” Patrick said. “We won’t be right away, but within the next couple seasons hopefully we’re in a pretty good spot with where our younger guys have come.”
Mahoney, as he did in the late 2000s when the likes of Ovechkin, Backstrom, Mike Green and Alexander Semin were 20 and 21, would love to “speed up the clock” and fast-forward this next crop of prospects to being NHL ready. He knows that’s not possible, acknowledging, “You’ve got to be patient and let it evolve.”
And yet the expectation still is to win now — and whenever Ovechkin hangs up his skates. The Capitals are confident the players who have studied under him will keep the positive culture going and trust that management will keep making moves to supplement the core already in place.
“No one can replace Alex Ovechkin and what he brings to a team,” Patrick said. “Those guys, they just want to know that we’re going to be a competitive team and when it’s time to push the chips in, we will.”
The Los Angeles Kings (28-24-15) end their five-game road trip with a bounce-back 4-1 win over the New York Rangers (28-31-8), snapping New York's four-game win streak, after suffering that disappointing loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
The opening period began with Drew Doughty snapping an impressive long-range shot through traffic to give LA the early 1-0 lead. The Kings once again played great defense to start, frustrating the Rangers on offense despite New York not drawing a penalty; they still struggled to score and generate shots on goal, holding the Rangers to just six. LA outshot the Rangers 8-6 during the quiet offensive period.
The second period began with the Kings remaining hot, scoring two goals in a span of 28 seconds in the first four minutes of the second period to hold a commanding 3-0 lead. It all began with Mikey Anderson putting in the rebound after Alex Laferriere was fed by Quinton Byfield in the slot. LA took advantage and cleaned up the shot on the 4-on-2 rush.
A few seconds later, the Rangers got called on their first power play of the game, and this time Alex Laferriere was able to get the shot up himself and put it through the net to give Los Angeles a 3-0 lead.
LAK Goal - Jersey Kid, New York Goal.
Laferriere scores early on the power play to put the Kings ahead by three. Byfield with his second helper of the night. 3-0 Kings.
Artemi Panarin also returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time since being traded to the Los Angeles Kings. The fans gave him a standing ovation, a much-deserved honor for the four-time All-Star.
Panarin finished the game with one assist and one point, while Alex Laferriere finished with one goal, one assist, and two points. Los Angeles also got help from their defenseman Mikey Anderson, who scored one goal, one assist, and two points, while Quinton Byfield had a nice night spreading the wealth with two assists and two points.
The dominance began in the second period, with the Kings outshooting the Rangers 16-3, once again putting in that defensive effort under D.J. Smith as interim head coach.
The second period would end with the Kings leading 3-0, in the perfect position to win this game.
New York did score on a power play goal to cut the deficit to 3-1 two minutes into the final frame, but couldn't generate goals. Despite outshooting the Kings by a big margin, 13-2, the Rangers had one chance to score and cut the deficit to 1, but hit the crossbar and never got back in the game.
With under two minutes remaining in the final period, the Kings sealed the deal with Trevor Moore capitalizing on the empty-netter to close out the Rangers 4-1 in MSG.
Trevor Moore picks the empty net.
The @LAKings will get the two points at MSG and head home with a 3-1-1 record on their five-game trip.
Overall, it was a great bounce-back win for the Kings in a must-win situation after dropping to sixth over the weekend. Los Angeles is now tied with Seattle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
LA ends their five-game road trip with a 3-1-1 record and stays in the Western Conference playoff race.
The Kings will return to Crypto.com Arena on Thursday to host the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 PM PT.
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Pittsburgh Penguins received a statement performance from Evgeni Malkin in his return to the lineup, as the veteran tallied two goals and an assist in a commanding 7–2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Monday night.
Suiting up for the first time after serving a five-game suspension for slashing Rasmus Dahlin in a March 5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Malkin looked sharp from the opening shift and drove Pittsburgh’s offense throughout the night.
Brock Nelson defended Scott Wedgewood and said the team has to defend better in front of the net.
Erik Karlsson added a goal and two assists, while Bryan Rust, Elmer Söderblom, and Noel Acciari each recorded a goal and an assist. The Penguins (34-18-15) have now won two straight and improved to 2-1-1 through the first four games of their five-game road trip. In net, Artūrs Šilovs made 25 saves.
For Colorado, Nathan MacKinnon and Brent Burns scored, but the Avalanche (44-13-9) dropped their second straight and third in the last four.
It was a difficult night in goal. Scott Wedgewood was pulled after allowing three goals on five shots in the opening 13 minutes. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 12 shots in relief, but Pittsburgh controlled the pace from start to finish.
Jared Bednar “That start is not on Wedgie at all.”
The opening frame was chaotic from the outset, filled with early penalties, odd-man rushes, and a quick momentum swing in Pittsburgh’s favor.
Just 48 seconds in, Malkin was whistled for tripping Devon Toews, giving Colorado an early power play that failed to generate anything.
Moments after exiting the box, Malkin made an immediate impact. Rust found him in stride, and he slipped a backhand past Wedgewood at 3:01 to open the scoring.
Colorado answered quickly. Off a clean breakout led by Cale Makar, Martin Nečas carried the puck into the zone before feeding MacKinnon, who wired a shot past Šilovs to tie the game 1–1.
The deadlock lasted just 15 seconds.
Brock Nelson was quick to come to the defense of Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood in tonight's 7-2 loss:
"I'm sure people are saying goaltending with a number like that, but there's none of them that are on them. We have to be better in front."
Karlsson launched a stretch pass to Anthony Mantha, who broke in alone and restored the lead with a backhand finish.
Colorado’s power play struggled to find rhythm, failing again after a cross-checking penalty to Ville Koivunen.
Midway through the period, Pittsburgh extended the lead. On a 2-on-1, Parker Wotherspoon fed Malkin, who snapped home his second of the night to make it 3–1.
That goal ended Wedgewood’s night, prompting head coach Jared Bednar to turn to Blackwood.
The change didn’t help.
On the first shot he faced, Söderblom buried a rebound off a shot from Connor Dewar to push the lead to 4–1.
Burns responded late in the period, blasting a point shot over Šilovs’ glove with 5:09 remaining to cut the deficit to 4–2.
Despite being outshot 17–7, Pittsburgh capitalized on its chances and carried a two-goal lead into intermission.
Second Period
Colorado had opportunities early but couldn’t solve its power-play issues.
Mantha was called for holding Josh Manson just 3:30 into the period, but the Avalanche came up empty again.
At 10:36, Karlsson fired a shot through traffic that beat Blackwood to make it 5–2. At that point, Pittsburgh had scored five goals on just 10 shots.
Brock Nelson was quick to say that the did not do enough to support their goaltenders. Said their checking game was not good enough and they gave Pittsburgh too many easy looks.
A tripping penalty to Šilovs—served by Egor Chinakhov—gave Colorado another chance, but the power play continued to sputter, dropping to 0-for-4.
Moments later, Pittsburgh got its own opportunity when Nic Roy was sent off for hooking Ryan Shea. Colorado killed that penalty but immediately took another for too many men, extending the Penguins’ advantage.
That sequence proved costly.
Rickard Rakell intercepted a pass in the offensive zone and fed Malkin, who quickly sent Rust in alone. He finished the breakaway to make it 6–2, capping a clinical stretch for Pittsburgh.
Third Period
The Avalanche showed some push early in the third, generating pressure and attacking the net.
Nazem Kadri led the charge with a strong zone entry and a spinning shot, but Šilovs turned it aside.
At 9:06, Pittsburgh added one more. Söderblom delivered a spinning pass that deflected off Acciari and into an open net, with Gavin Brindley and Nick Blankenburg unable to clear the puck.
That made it 7–2 and effectively put the game out of reach.
Notables
Bednar said the injured players will be evaluated at the end of the week to see about their availability for the upcoming eight-day road trip. Those players include Gabriel Landeskog (Upper-Body), Artturi Lehkonen (Upper-Body), Ross Colton (Upper-Body), and Logan O'Connor (Upper-Body).
Next Up
The Avalanche wrap up their homestand Wednesday against the Dallas Stars at 7:30 p.m. MT. The game will air on TNT, HBO Max, and Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM.
TORONTO — It’s been over three months since the Islanders were out of a playoff spot, allowing for the illusion of security.
This Islanders team is, plainly, much better than the last two that made the playoffs and which took until Games 81 and 82 to secure passage into the tournament, respectively, before bowing out quietly in the first round. Nevertheless, it may take this year’s outfit just as much time to clinch a spot.
As they flew north to start a three-game road trip with stops in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on Monday, the Islanders were mired in a five-team race for four spots — two in the Metropolitan Division and both wild-card spots — with the Penguins, Blue Jackets, Bruins and Red Wings.
With 81 points, the Islanders were one spot below the Penguins, who started the day with just as many points before playing the Avalanche, but guaranteed to stay ahead even with a loss, as they have four more regulation wins. Columbus was two points back and out of a spot; the Bruins and Red Wings were both on 80 points and occupying the two wild-card spots. Montreal, it’s worth noting, could easily fall into this race as well; currently, the Canadiens are in third in the Atlantic Division, but just two points ahead of Boston and Detroit.
The most important teams for the Islanders to watch are the Penguins and Blue Jackets, as whoever finishes first of those three will have home-ice advantage in the first round. In that respect, the Islanders do have a schedule advantage.
Pittsburgh — which has been without the injured Sidney Crosby since the Olympic break, though he is on the Penguins’ current road trip and could return soon — has the hardest remaining strength of schedule out of any team in the league. The Blue Jackets have the third toughest and, just for good measure, the Bruins are in between them.
Bo Horvat #14 of the New York Islanders skates against the Los Angeles Kings. NHLI via Getty Images
It’s not all good news though. The Islanders are right behind that trio with a .595 remaining strength of schedule.
The Red Wings, at .575, have by far the easiest strength of schedule out of the quintet, but they’re also dealing with the toughest injury situation. Their top two centers, captain Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, both got hurt right after the trade deadline and were expected to miss at least two weeks.
Remaining strength of schedule, though, does omit a key bit of context: once they get back from Canada, the Islanders have just two road games in their last 12 to close out the season. So, yes, they’ll face some tough opposition, but given the frantic pace of their travel schedule since January, the Isles are probably OK with the trade-off. Their remaining games against the Blue Jackets (March 22) and Penguins (March 30) are also both at UBS.
Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Vegas Golden Knights. NHLI via Getty Images
Even going into this road trip, the Islanders had the most remaining home games left in the league, a considerable advantage, if they can just get through their last few road games unscathed.
If the Islanders do close out strong and make the playoffs, the ideal scenario is anything that gets them home ice in the first round. Beyond that, the Blue Jackets might be the opponent they’d most like to face, though there’s certainly no such thing as an easy matchup.
Pittsburgh has played the Islanders tough in two games they’ve split, plus Crosby would be an intimidating first-round opponent, especially with the potential of this being Evgeni Malkin’s last season. Carolina beat the Islanders in 2019, 2023 and 2024 — there’s no way the Islanders want any part of the ’Canes and a raucous Lenovo Center in another first-round series.
Buffalo doesn’t have any playoff experience, a plus for any potential opponent, but the Sabres are red-hot and being on the Atlantic side of the bracket, with Tampa or Montreal looming in the second round, isn’t exactly ideal.
Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) controls the puck as Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) trails. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Isles are 2-1 against Columbus through three games and it’s been six years since the Blue Jackets have been in the playoffs. That wouldn’t be an easy series either, but it’s one the Isles could reasonably expect to get through.
DENVER — Can virtual NHL officiating be worse than real life? Let's dive in, shall we?
Jokes aside, the Pittsburgh Penguins skated away with a 3–2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in our latest NHL 26 experiment, and the game was actually — gasp — fun to watch. If you missed it, you can check out the full simulation here.
Nathan MacKinnon and Parker Kelly provided the offense for Colorado, while Scott Wedgewood delivered a stellar performance between the pipes with 24 saves that bordered on video game legend territory.
Nathan MacKinnon hitting the net at morning skate.
For Pittsburgh, Bryan Rust scored twice and Justin Brazeau netted the late game-winner. Stuart Skinner was excellent as well, turning aside 33 shots to help secure the victory.
First Period
The Avalanche wasted no time electrifying the crowd at Ball Arena.
Just 29 seconds into the game, MacKinnon pounced on a loose puck along the boards, snapped it toward the net, and beat Skinner cleanly to give Colorado a 1–0 lead before many fans had even settled into their seats.
Pittsburgh quickly responded by cranking up the physicality. On the next sequence, Evgeni Malkin — appearing in his first game after serving a five-game suspension — leveled Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson during a gritty battle along the boards.
Manson bounced right back into the play. Moments later, off a faceoff win from Brock Nelson in Pittsburgh’s zone, the defenseman blasted a point shot that Skinner snatched out of the air with a spectacular glove save.
Nearly eight minutes into the period, Manson returned to the exact same patch of ice and fired another wrister toward the net. This time it beat the goalie but rang squarely off the post, drawing a loud, collective “Ohhh!” from the crowd.
About a minute later, Colorado went to the power play after Noel Acciari was whistled for holding Nelson. The man advantage generated chances, including a slap shot from Martin Nečas, but Skinner stood tall and kept the puck out.
Pittsburgh eventually found its breakthrough with 6:12 remaining in the period.
The sequence began when Parker Kelly mishandled the puck in the defensive zone, allowing Rickard Rakell to intercept the pass and quickly slide the puck into the slot. Rust took it from there, firing a precise shot past Wedgewood to tie the game 1–1.
The Penguins struck again almost immediately.
After crashing the net and forcing chaos around the crease, Parker Wotherspoon worked the puck free and sent it back to Rust in nearly the same shooting lane. Once again, he made no mistake, wiring it past the goaltender to give Pittsburgh a 2–1 lead.
Then came one of those classic EA Sports officiating moments.
Nicolas Roy was called for interference despite Anthony Mantha essentially skating directly into him. Thanks, EA. Fortunately for Colorado, the penalty kill held strong.
Late in the period, Wedgewood produced the save of the night.
With 1:29 remaining, Malkin uncorked a dangerous one-timer that looked destined for the net. Falling backward, the Avalanche goaltender somehow flashed the glove and robbed him in dramatic fashion.
After twenty minutes, the Penguins held a 2–1 lead and a 14–10 edge in shots.
Second Period
Colorado clawed its way back midway through the frame.
Nearly seven minutes into the period, Kelly capitalized on a quick passing play when Sam Malinski fed him in tight. Kelly attempted a backhand that caught Skinner’s blocker and fluttered awkwardly into the net, tying the game 2–2.
It was the kind of opportunistic scoring that highlights Colorado’s depth — the players who quietly deliver when the stars are tied up.
Nečas nearly pushed the Avalanche ahead later in the period with a booming slap shot from the top of the right circle, but the puck was partially deflected before Skinner calmly plucked it out of the air.
Neither team could break the deadlock before the intermission, sending the game to the third period tied 2–2. Pittsburgh held a razor-thin shots advantage at 22–21.
Third Period
The final frame opened with a little bit of everything — pressure, frustration, and plenty of iron.
About three minutes in, Mantha broke through Colorado’s defense and fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle.
Doink.
Off the post.
Colorado controlled possession through much of the first half of the period, outshooting Pittsburgh 8–0 during one extended stretch. A turnover at the blue line created a chance for Gavin Brindley to drive the net, but his shot glanced off Skinner’s glove and stayed out.
Then came another moment of metallic misfortune.
With nine minutes remaining, MacKinnon received a slick pass from Nazem Kadri in the slot and quickly snapped a backhand toward the net.
Doink.
Right off the post again as Skinner sprawled across the crease stacking the pads.
Mantha later joined the unofficial “post club.”
On a clean 2-on-1 rush with 4:30 left, Kris Letang fed him perfectly in stride. Mantha ripped the shot…
Doink.
Again.
The forward covered his face before throwing his arms skyward in disbelief, seemingly wondering what kind of hockey spirits had cursed him.
Unfortunately for Colorado, the cruelest bounce of the night was still coming.
With just 35 seconds left in regulation, Brazeau snapped a shot from the slot that deflected off Zakhar Bardakov’s stick and fluttered past Wedgewood into the net.
An own goal.
A brutal break.
And a 3–2 Penguins lead.
Colorado pulled the goalie for a final push, but the rally never materialized. Pittsburgh held firm in the closing seconds to secure the virtual victory.
Now the only question left is simple:
What happens when these teams meet in real life tonight?
The popularity of the Florida Panthers has grown quite a bit in recent years.
Three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final and back-to-back championships will do that.
Even throughout their current season, which has seen the Panthers struggle to find the same kind of success they’ve seen over the past several years, fans have been showing up and showing out, wherever the Cats might be hitting the ice.
That included Sunday in Seattle, when a plethora of Panthers fans were seen in the building and on the glass at Climate Pledge Arena.
“We get traveling fans who come out and follow us on a road trip, and it is great,” Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said Sunday.
It’s no surprise that Florida’s average attendance at home has seen a big boost.
This season, even with all of the Panthers struggles, they are still averaging the third-highest home attendance in the league, behind only Montreal and Tampa Bay.
But to see all the Panthers fans on the road has been great.
They’re not only showing up along the glass for pregame warmups, either.
Fans are at the practice rinks, they’re outside the team bus wherever it goes, they’re waiting outside arenas after games.
Panthers popularity is a real thing, ya’ll.
“There’s far more people looking for autographs at the hotel, a lot more Panthers jerseys in the fans in road buildings,” Maurice said.
Look for this trend to continue building momentum, as the Panthers should resume their run of Stanley Cup contending seasons in short order.
Florida’s roster is full of elite players who are locked up for several seasons, meaning the team is expected to maintain its spot as one of the top teams in the league.
Seeds that were planted long ago are now finally starting to bear fruit.
Dec 13, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; The Florida Panthers and their fans celebrate and empty net goal by left wing Brad Marchand (not pictured) against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
