RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 18: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes makes a save against Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at Lenovo Center on March 18, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
A long five game road trip that began in Raleigh, North Carolina eight days prior and featured stops in Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Denver came to a close last night right back where is started with a familiar result that has become all too routine for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.
Trailing on four different occasions last night against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Penguins battled back each time and even pulled ahead briefly in the third period before ultimately falling in overtime by a score of 6-5 at the Lenovo Center. Sidney Crosby returned to the lineup for the first time since the Olympics and scored the Penguins opener, followed up by a pair of goals from Erik Karlsson, along with additional tallies by Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel. Ultimately the five goals were not enough as the Hurricanes posted six to claim the overtime victory and further cement their Metro division lead over the Penguins and Islanders. [Pensburgh]
Even with the loss, the Penguins will still be feeling good, going 2-1-2 on the trip despite missing key players for the majority of this stretch. They now get consecutive days off for the first time post-Olympic break before returning to action this weekend with a back-to-back set against the Winnipeg Jets and yet another date with the Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon.
Pens Points…
Caught in their worst losing stretch of the season heading into Sunday night, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were desperate for a victory and thanks to Rutger McGroarty, the Baby Penguins snapped the losing skid with a 3-1 victory over Lehigh Valley and remain comfortably in a playoff bye position. [Pensburgh]
Tommy Novak has been a jack of all trades for the Penguins this season, moving up and down the lineup to fill in wherever he is needed. What allows him to do that is how malleable his game can be and when he’s playing in a top six role, his skill with the puck really stands out on the ice. [PPG]
NHL News and Notes…
Jack Hughes has spoken openly about his frustration towards the Hockey Hall of Fame for staking ownership to his gold medal winning puck from the Olympics. Despite his pleas to get it for himself, the Hockey Hall of Fame has no plans on surrendering the puck back to Hughes anytime soon. [ESPN]
Russis or No Russia? That is the biggest question surrounding the 2028 World Cup of Hockey which was a central focus of the ongoing GM meetings this week. No formal decision on Russian participation is imminent, but should the war in Ukraine still be ongoing, it’s unlikely Russia will be included. [Sportsnet]
If the jersey fits, you must acqu—, erm, uh, sign here. | Getty Images
Cole Eiserman has decided to make the leap, signing an NHL entry level contract with the Islanders rather than sticking around NCAA Boston University to enjoy the finer perks of college life. The USNTDP product and 2024 first-rounder finished his sophomore year at BU with continued demonstration of his NHL-plus-caliber shot and continued speculation about if and when the rest of his game will reach the level needed to unleash that shot in the orange and blue.
As a first step, he’ll try that in the orange and blue of the AHL (still as of now) Bridgeport Islanders. He can join them ASAP, whereas fellow ELC signer Kashawn Aitcheson will have to wait until his OHL Barrie season is over.
Returning back to the NCAA though, it sounds like Danny Nelson will stick with Notre Dame for his senior season to potentially play two brothers, accomplishing in South Bend what the Hughes could not accomplish in Newark.
Oh, but that’s all Future (maybe) Islanders! We are about Present Islanders. They are in Ottawa (or Kanata, whatever) tonight to face the Senators, who are still pushing for their playoff lives but suffered a damaging loss to the Capitals in a North American Capital Derby last night. I’m not entirely sure of this, but it definitely looks like had the Senators received halfway competent goaltending through the first three quarters of the season, they’d be in a more secure position than they are now.
Matthew Schaefer made hundreds of friends and family (and his ol’ grandma) proud in his return to Toronto, while Brayden Schenn marvels at how good the kid is. [NHL | Post]
Cal Ritchie also put on a show in his homecoming, though. [LHH | Newsday]
Schaefer is dominating at 18, while Eiserman is hoping to inch his way into the pros at 19. [NHL | Isles]
It’s eight games in 13 nights, but the Islanders are in the right frame of mind to tackle it. [Newsday]
The Skinny from the win in Toronto: “The Isles are 15 games over NHL- .500 for the first time since the end of 2021.” (Thank you, 10-0 OT record.) [Isles]
Periodic reminder that planning on having a Schaefer land in your laps is not, actually, much of a plan. [Athletic]
Approached about his Iron Man mask after three assists, Mathew Barzal talked about the importance of each game. [Isles]
The narrative around Adin Hill has shifted dramatically—and not without reason.
Not long ago, the Vegas Golden Knights netminder was a focal point of fan frustration, his inconsistent play fueling calls for a change in goal. But over the past five games, Hill has delivered a composed and technically sound stretch that has stabilized Vegas in a meaningful way. His recent shutout performance against the Chicago Blackhawks underscored a growing sense of confidence in his game—one that had been notably absent earlier in the season.
This resurgence is not occurring in isolation. Vegas has made subtle but important adjustments to its defensive structure, prioritizing responsibility and puck management in its own zone. The additions of players like Cole Smith and Nic Dowd have helped reinforce a more disciplined, stay-at-home presence. As a result, high-danger scoring chances have been limited, sightlines have improved, and Hill has been able to play with greater composure rather than reacting to breakdowns.
Hill looks more settled, more controlled, and far less exposed.
Ironically, as the defensive side has tightened, the Golden Knights’ offensive consistency has wavered. Earlier in the season, Vegas relied on its ability to outscore mistakes. Now, despite flashes—such as decisive wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago—the attack has lacked the same reliability on a night-to-night basis. It has created a role reversal of sorts: where goaltending once lagged behind, it is now helping to mask offensive inefficiencies.
Hill’s recent form matters because it rebalances the identity of this team.
Why This Stretch Matters
For much of the season, instability in net—whether due to injury or underperformance—undermined an otherwise capable roster. Now, with Hill providing dependable minutes, the Golden Knights have a foundation they can trust. While his season-long numbers (a 2.95 goals-against average and .875 save percentage) remain underwhelming on paper, they no longer fully reflect his current trajectory.
It’s also worth remembering that Hill has delivered in high-leverage moments before. During Vegas’s championship run in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, he stepped in following an injury to Laurent Brossoit and provided stability at a critical juncture. With offensive leaders like Jack Eichel and Mark Stone driving play, Hill’s timely saves helped tilt momentum and ultimately contributed to the franchise’s first title.
That version of Hill—the one capable of elevating his play when it matters most—appears to be re-emerging.
If Vegas can pair this level of goaltending with a more consistent offensive attack, the implications are significant. The Golden Knights may not yet be a fully formed contender, but with improved health and a clearer defensive identity, they are trending toward becoming a far more complete team.
And if Hill continues on this path, the conversation around him won’t just change—it already has.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Noah Cates scored on a deflection off goalie Lukas Dostal's skate at 2:17 of overtime and — after a review for offsides on the play — the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Pacific Division-leading Anaheim forced overtime on Leo Carlsson's goal with 1:54 left in regulation.
Dan Vladar made 34 saves to help Philadelphia rebound from a 2-1 shootout loss to Columbus at home Saturday night. The Flyers are six points behind Boston and Detroit for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots.
Luke Glendening had his first goal of the season and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia. Trevor Zegras was held off the scoresheet in his first game in Anaheim since his offseason trade. He scored twice in Philadelphia’s 5-2 home victory over the Ducks on Jan. 6.
Cutter Gauthier also scored for Anaheim, and Dostal stopped 24 shots. The Ducks beat Montreal 4-3 on Sunday night to finish 2-2 on a Canadian swing.
Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas served the third game of a five-game suspension for kneeing Auston Matthews in a loss at Toronto on March 12. Matthews tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season.
Defenseman John Carlson played his second straight game for the Ducks after a trade-deadline deal with Washington. His Anaheim debut was delayed by a lower-body injury.
Glendening opened the scoring at 2:50 of the first period, his first goal in 57 games this season with New Jersey and Philadelphia. Tippett made it 2-0 at 7:53 of second with his 23rd of the season. Gauthier cut it to 2-1 on a power play with 38 seconds left in second with his 35th goal of the season.
Philadelphia's Nick Seeler fought Jansen Harkins in the third period.
The Calgary Flames returned home on Wednesday night and picked up a hard-earned 2-1 shootout win over the St. Louis Blues to kick off their homestand on the right note.
It didn’t take long for the Flames to get going. Just 2:34 into the first, Connor Zary drove the net and finished off a slick feed from Ryan Strome, lifting it past Joel Hofer to open the scoring. That makes goals in back-to-back games for Zary, who continues to be a noticeable presence.
From there, it turned into a night of what could have been.
The Flames thought they had doubled their lead midway through the period when Martin Pospisil buried a one-timer after a turnover at the blue line, but the Blues challenged for offside and won, wiping it off the board.
Later in the period, it looked like Calgary had finally restored that two-goal cushion. Zary knocked down a bouncing puck and fed Yegor Sharangovich, who snapped it home cleanly. Once again, though, a challenge from St. Louis overturned it, this time due to a high stick on the initial touch.
Despite carrying the 1-0 lead into the second, the game quickly evened out. At 3:47, the Blues capitalized on a partial odd-man rush, with Jimmy Snuggerud setting up Dylan Holloway, who found a way to beat Devin Cooley to tie it 1-1.
Calgary thought they had an answer.
Mikael Backlund led the rush and spotted Joel Farabee alone across the line, threading a perfect pass for what looked like the go-ahead goal. But for the third time on the night, the Blues challenged and for the third time, it was called back after being ruled offside.
The third period came and went without a goal, sending things to overtime.
In the extra frame, Zary drew a high-sticking penalty to give the Flames a golden chance on the power play, but they couldn’t convert, pushing the game to a shootout.
That’s where the Flames finally got their reward.
Farabee converted on his attempt, and then Matvei Gridin stepped in and snapped a confident shot top corner to seal it, giving Calgary the 2-1 win.
Three disallowed goals could’ve derailed the night, but the Flames stuck with it. They kept their pace, stayed engaged, and eventually found a way to get the extra point.
2. Zary driving the play
Another strong showing from Zary. He was involved early, created chances, and even drew a key penalty in overtime.
3. Youth stepping up
Gridin showed confidence and swagger in the shootout, and Zayne Parekh was active throughout, calling for pucks, jumping into plays, and looking comfortable running the power play. Signs the young group is gaining trust.
• Dan Vladar was excellent with 34 saves on 36 shots.
The 28-year-old surrendered two or fewer goals for the 27th time in 41 starts this season.
With 1:54 minutes left in regulation, the Ducks tied it at 2-2 when they emptied their net for the extra attacker. Leo Carlsson scored off a rebound after Vladar made a pair of saves.
Cutter Gauthier trimmed the Flyers’ lead to 2-1 with 38 seconds remaining in the second period. The former Flyers prospect made a great move in close just as some 4-on-4 action turned into an Anaheim power play.
But Vladar finished with his season high in saves. The Flyers needed all of them, especially when the Ducks — a very good team at coming from behind — made their push.
Anaheim netminder Lukas Dostal stopped 24 of the Flyers’ 27 shots.
Luke Glendening opened the scoring in the first period. It was 36-year-old’s first goal with the Flyers.
Owen Tippett then cushioned the Flyers’ lead in the second period with his fourth goal over the last six games.
• Gauthier is having a big-time season. With 35 goals, he’s on pace to score over 40.
But he hasn’t beaten the Flyers since he turned them down and forced a trade in January 2024. The Flyers have gone 4-0-0 against Gauthier and the Ducks, while outscoring them 17-5.
• The Flyers have continued to hang around in the playoff race.
They moved to within six points of both the Eastern Conference’s first and second wild-card spots.
“When you look at the season, I think if you can take out that kind of middle stretch where you lose a bunch of games, those are hard to get out of,” Travis Sanheim said last Saturday. “Besides that, I’ve liked a lot of our play, we’ve played well against some good teams, have shown that we have a good hockey team and can play against anyone and win, really, any game.”
Rookie Cole Hutson scored in his first NHL game to help the Washington Capitals defeat the Ottawa Senators 4–1 on Wednesday night. The loss means the Senators remain five points out of a playoff spot, trailing the two wild-card holders, the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings.
Hutson signed a three-year entry-level contract with Washington on Sunday after completing his second season at Boston University. He looked like a carbon copy of his brother, Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens.
At the other end of the age spectrum, 40-year-old Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring in the second period. With that goal, Ovechkin reached the 25-goal mark for the 20th time in his career, tying the NHL record held by Gordie Howe. He outraced a flat-footed Ridly Greig to the net and redirected a Rasmus Sandin pass past Linus Ullmark to break a scoreless tie 8:09 into the middle frame.
Seconds later, Nick Cousins broke free on a partial breakaway and beat Logan Thompson between the legs, but as the puck trickled toward the goal, it took a sharp right turn and hit the post.
It summed up a frustrating night, one of several posts the Sens hit during the game, as the Senators generated more than enough chances to take control earlier. Their shooters simply couldn't put the puck in the net.
Late in the second, with the Senators caught on a long shift, Tom Wilson beat Ullmark from a bad angle on the short side to make it 2–0. With Ottawa struggling to finish, it was a terribly timed weak goal, but Ullmark helped to make up for it with a terrific pad save on a Ryan Leonard breakaway in the third.
The Senators pulled their goalie early for the extra attacker, and it paid off with 2:41 to play when Tim Stützle scored his 31st goal, redirecting a pass from Claude Giroux. But the hope was short-lived. Less than a minute later, Aliaksei Protas scored into the empty net, then Hutson added another empty-netter for his first NHL goal to put the game out of reach.
The Senators outshot the Capitals 35–25 on the night, and will now need to regroup quickly for another important matchup. They host the New York Islanders Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre.
Jesper Bratt reached 500 NHL points, and Connor Brown and Jack Hughes each had three points in the New Jersey Devils 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
“Always fun coming to the Garden and playing here,” Jack Hughes told NJD.TV. “Unreal atmosphere, unreal rink, unreal fans, a lot of Devils fans here tonight. Always just really fun coming here and playing."
On their second shot of the game, the Rangers opened the scoring off a snap shot from defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.
Nico Hischier scored the Devils' first goal at the 16:14 mark while Gabe Perreault was in the penalty box serving a holding penalty. Brown and Bratt assisted on the power play goal.
With 4:43 remaining in the first period, Arseny Gritsyuk gave New Jersey a 2-1 lead. It was the rookie's 13th goal of the season, which is currently tied for the 10th most among first-year players.
Within the first minute of the second period, New York tied the game at 2-2 as Jacob Markstrom allowed goals on back-to-back shots. Mika Zibanejad celebrated his 28th goal of the season and 17th career goal against New Jersey.
Brown gives New Jersey a 3-2 lead with eight minutes remaining in the middle frame. It marked the Devils' second power play goal of the night. Jack Hughes and Hischier were credited with the assists.
Timo Meier extended the Devils' lead to 4-2 early in the third period. Paul Cotter, who scored the game-winning goal in New Jersey’s last game, picked up the lone assist.
Conor Sheary scored the Rangers' third goal of the game at the 10:19 mark of the final frame, but three minutes later, Jack Hughes scored to get the Devils ' two-goal lead back. Entering the game, Hughes had 14 points in 12 career games at Madison Square Garden.
Jesper Bratt scored New Jersey’s final goal of the night with 3:38 remaining in regulation. Jack Hughes picked up his third point of the night, earning an assist on the goal. Per Leo Scaglione Jr. of MSG Networks, “Jack has 35 points against the Rangers since 2019. His 20 goals and 35 points against the Rangers are the most of all NHL players since 2019.”
The Devils will hit the road for the next four games with stops in Washington, D.C., Dallas, Nashville, and Carolina. New Jersey will face the Washington Capitals on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Capital One Arena.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Jack Hughes and Connor Brown each had goal and two assists to help the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.
The Devils are 10 points behind Boston and Detroit for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots. They opened a five-game trip after going 5-2 on a homestand.
Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt each had a goal an assist for New Jersey, and Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier also scored. Jacob Markstrom made 14 saves.
Vladislav Gavrikov, Mika Zibanejad and Conor Sheary scored for New York. Jonathan Quick stopped 33 shots.
Last in the East, the Rangers have lost two straight after winning four in a row.
HURRICANES 6, PENGUINS 5, OT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sean Walker scored with 28.3 seconds left in overtime as Carolina beat Pittsburgh, spoiling Sidney Crosby’s return to the Penguins’ lineup.
Jackson Blake had a goal and two assists, Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall and Walker each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Jordan Martinook and K’Andre Miller also scored and Nikolaj Ehlers finished with three assists. Frederik Andersen made 30 saves.
Erik Karlsson had two goals and an assist, Crosby added a goal and an assist, and Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel also scored for Pittsburgh. Stuart Skinner stopped 38 shots in the second matchup in nine nights between the top teams in the Metropolitan Division that went beyond regulation.
Pittsburgh completed a 2-1-2 trip that began with last week’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Eastern Conference- and Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes.
CAPITALS 4, SENATORS 1
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 922nd goal and Cole Hutson scored his first to lead Washington past Ottawa.
Ovechkin is a goal shy of 1,000 — if his 77 postseason tallies are included.
The Capitals are still six points out of a playoff spot with time running out, but this was an encouraging night for the franchise. Hutson made his NHL debut less than a week after the end of his season at Boston University, and the 19-year-old defenseman showed off his smooth skating and stickhandling throughout the night, finally scoring into an empty net with 25.7 seconds remaining.
It was the 40-year-old Ovechkin who opened the scoring in the second period when Rasmus Sandin’s pass bounced off his right skate past goalie Linus Ullmark. That momentarily gave Ovechkin sole possession of the team lead in goals this season with 25, but then Tom Wilson beat Ullmark later in the period for his 25th.
Ovechkin has led the Caps in goals in all 20 seasons of his career, sharing the top spot only once — with T.J. Oshie in 2016-17.
He and his beloved longtime broadcast partner Mickey Redmond have often been ranked at the top by fans in NHL commentator rankings, and it's well deserved!
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Zakhar Bardakov went to the box for tripping Nils Lundkvist 2:06 into the game. As a result, Dallas went on an early power play. Dallas had a few chances, but Colorado played great defensively and made several clears to kill off the penalty.
Cale Makar initiated the breakout about 6:30 into the period and with time and space, sent Valeri Nichushkin on a breakaway, but Oettinger made the save.
At the halfway point of the period, only one shot was record on net. You heard that right. Just one. That shot belonged to the Avalanche.
Dallas got their first shot on net with 3:55 left in the period when Jason Robertson fired a one-timer, but Wedgewood made the stop. On the next sequence, Mavrik Bourque snapped a wrister from top of the right circle, but that was also gloved by Wedgewood.
Jamie Benn took a penalty late in the first after bear hugging and throwing Brock Nelson down to the ice for no apparent reason. Colorado followed up with a power play goal when Necas fed Makar a one-timer that clanged off the left side post and in to make it 1-0 Colorado.
Second Period
Wedgewood made an excellent stop to start the period as both teams turned up the pressure, a far contrast from the opening period that saw just eight shots on goal combined. Within the first few minutes, there were a combined five shots, with Colorado contributing three of them.
About four minutes into the period, a shot that bounced off Oettinger nearly ended up in his own net, but Stars defenseman Esa Lindell ended up catching the puck with his glove and put it back in play in a brilliant move to keep the game at 1-0.
At 6:18, Robertson tied the game at one when he batted in a rebound from top of the left circle to make it a 1-1 game. Wedgewood tried everything in his power and lunged with his stick in an attempt to snag it, but was too late.
Just over a minute later, Jack Drury got his hands on the puck and let a wrister go, but Oettinger gloved it. Frustrated, Drury slammed his stick to the ice in response.
As we approached two minutes to go in the period, the Avs poured the pressure on Dallas, but they just couldn't get the puck in the net. Makar fired a shot from the point and the puck got away from Oettinger and Brock Nelson tipped the puck, but it went by the net.
Oettinger made a scintillating save on MacKinnon with 1:08 left in the period when Sam Malinski set up a pass from behind the net, but Oettinger slid across the crease and made a low glove save and MacKinnon just stared in disbelief.
Near the end of the period, both Makar and Stars forward Michael Bunting were penalized: Makar for interference and Bunting for embellishment, although the latter appeared to be the wrong call. Bunting was furious and slammed his stick against the glass after the call was made. As a result, the third period began with 1:42 of 4-on-4.
Third Period
9:00 into the third period, Stars defenseman Tyler Myers went to the box for hooking Parker Kelly, and the Avalanche earned a critical opportunity on the power play.
The first shot from Makar went wide, but the second shot from the two-time Norris Trophy winner was deflected by Brock Nelson, but it ended up right in Oettinger's lap.
Dallas defenseman Lian Bichsel fired a shot from the point off the boards that bounced towards the crease, but Wedgewood was ready for it and made the stop.
Moments later, for the second time in as many games, Colorado was penalized for having too many men on the ice, which gave the Stars, who own one of the best power plays in the NHL, an opportunity to potentially take the lead in this game.
Following several crucial saves from Wedgewood and great defensive play, the Avalanche killed the penalty.
DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche earned a virtual victory Wednesday night, rallying from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Dallas Stars 4–2 in NHL 26 simulation action.
Colorado got goals from Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Parker Kelly, while Scott Wedgewood turned aside 27 shots to backstop the comeback effort.
First Period
MacKinnon and Martin Necas looked to generate early offense off the rush, but their connection was disrupted by Esa Lindell.
Moments later, Thomas Harley was sent to the box for holding Nicolas Roy, giving Colorado an early power-play opportunity. Despite quality chances from Valeri Nichushkin and Makar, the Avalanche couldn’t capitalize.
Dallas came inches away from opening the scoring midway through the period. Miro Heiskanen intercepted a pass at center ice and led the rush before sliding it over to Jamie Benn, who set up Matt Duchene for a one-timer that rang off the post. Seconds later, Mavrik Bourque fired from the point, and Duchene’s deflection hit iron again—tough luck for Dallas.
Wedgewood kept things scoreless with a highlight-reel diving blocker save to rob Oskar Back.
The Stars earned their first power play with six minutes remaining after Sam Malinski was called for cross-checking Nathan Bastian, but Colorado’s penalty kill stood tall.
The period ended 0–0, though Dallas carried over a man advantage after Ivan Ivan—recently called up from the Colorado Eagles—was whistled for cross-checking late.
Second Period
Colorado successfully killed off the remaining penalty, but Dallas struck shortly after. Heiskanen unleashed a 98.4 mph slap shot through traffic to give the Stars a 1–0 lead.
At 8:44, Back doubled the advantage. Taking a pass from Nils Lundkvist, he faked low and snapped a shot over Wedgewood’s blocker to make it 2–0.
The Avalanche responded quickly.
Less than two minutes later, Necas forced a turnover in the offensive zone and found MacKinnon streaking into the slot. MacKinnon wired a wrister past Jake Oettinger to cut the deficit in half.
With just 1:11 remaining in the period, Zakhar Bardakov fed Ivan in the slot, and he buried a wrister to tie the game 2–2.
After two periods, the game was even, with Dallas holding an 18–12 edge in shots.
Third Period
The parade to the penalty box continued early in the third when Gavin Brindley was called for cross-checking Jason Robertson at 3:22.
Dallas generated a couple of looks on the power play, including a one-timer from Justin Hryckowian set up by Adam Erne, but Wedgewood held firm.
Colorado took the lead for good at 10:17. Kelly buried a one-timer from the top of the right circle off a feed from Joel Kiviranta to make it 3–2.
Makar sealed it late, hammering home a one-timer from Devon Toews with 1:23 remaining to push the lead to 4–2.
Following a four-game road trip to face the NHL’s eastern-most Canadian teams, the Anaheim Ducks will briefly return to Orange County for a matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.
The Ducks’ trip wasn’t short on storylines. Their 6-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday was the epicenter of controversy, as Ducks captain Radko Gudas received a five-game suspension for delivering a knee-on-knee hit to Leafs captain Auston Matthews, a knee that caused a grade-three MCL tear and a quad contusion, which will force the Leafs superstar out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
To end the trip, the Ducks won a high-octane matchup with the Montreal Canadiens 4-3, which saw the return of star forward Troy Terry and the debut of newly-acquired veteran defenseman John Carlson.
That game also saw the Ducks’ coaching staff healthy scratch fourth-year center Mason McTavish (23), whose struggles this season, and especially recently, have been understated due to the team’s relative success, as they make their final push toward their first playoff appearance in eight years.
"Sometimes you got to make hard decisions, and sometimes change might be healthy for the player individually,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville told the media following Sunday’s game. “You try different things along the way to give them an opportunity to go.
Hey, let's fight our way back into the lineup and push to get in there and be back to where you're expected to be. That's what we're looking for.”
After producing .54, .66, and .68 points per game in his first three seasons in the NHL, McTavish has only accounted for 32 points (13-19=32) through his first 61 games in 2025-26, a .52 points/game pace.
His struggles had reached a new low heading into Sunday’s scratch, as he’d only found the scoresheet for two assists in his last 12 games, including one in his last nine and having gone without a point in his last five games.
McTavish has always been a streaky player, but even when going through relative dry spells, he’s been able to impact games on forechecks and winning small-area puck battles along the walls. In the past, he’d done well to remain involved in plays, game-to-game, period-to-period, and shift-to-shift. Through this latest stretch, even those aspects have been neutralized, and pinpointing one specific area can prove a fruitless act.
“I think nothing seems to be connected right now. Not getting the puck with speed, not getting the puck much, not skating as much,” McTavish said after practice on Tuesday. “Just thinking a lot out there, I would say, is the biggest thing. I'm very confident, I'll be right, be right back with the guys, and playing a lot in a big role with this team. I have no doubt about that, and just a bump in the road.”
McTavish missed roughly half of Anaheim’s training camp this season due to contract negotiations. It’s possible that could have been a contributing factor. It’s also possible that head coach Joel Quenneville and his coaching staff have implemented a high-octane, puck possession-based system that hasn’t been easy for McTavish to adjust to or that isn’t particularly conducive to his play style.
“Yeah, I mean, who knows, right?” McTavish said when asked if missing part of camp had any effect on his play. “Obviously, we want to be at camp every time, but it’s just the way things worked out. Nobody really knows. Obviously, it’s a little trend, but it’s hard to put your finger on it, I guess.”
Lastly, it’s perceivable that this is a stall in McTavish’s development. He’s yet to round out his 200-foot game, as he’s been one of the NHL’s most negatively-impacful players on the defensive side of the puck this season.
His skating, in terms of foot speed, four-way mobility, and balance, isn’t optimal for top-six centers in the NHL. With his substandard skating, he will be forced to adapt and adjust his game to playing down the middle against the best players in the world. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a considerable weakness if a player can make up for it in other areas of their game.
“It's tough news for the player, and I think that he handled it well,” Quenneville said after Wednesday’s morning skate of McTavish’s reaction to being a healthy scratch. “We see him playing, so it's just a matter of time that we'll get him back in there and he'll be doing his thing.”
McTavish will serve his second straight game as a healthy scratch on Wednesday, as the Ducks host the Philadelphia Flyers. The Ducks remain in first place in the Pacific Division standings and will need McTavish to turn his performance around if he’s to assume an impact role for their upcoming (projected) playoff run.
The young center is in his first year of a newly signed six-year contract carrying an AAV of $7 million. The contract extension and his selection with the third-overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft represent considerable assets spent by the Ducks on McTavish, and as recently as October (if they don’t still), they considered him a significant part of their present and future.
In any regard, these healthy scratches have likely deflated a sizable percentage of any potential trade value. For the Ducks’ and McTavish’s sakes alike, the hope is that this stretch is simply a speed bump and not a sign of things to come moving forward.
The lingering feeling that followed Jaroslav Chmelar from the Rangers back to AHL Hartford gnawed at him.
He tried not to think about it too much — he did have AHL games to play, after all, to try and earn another call-up — in the moment, but Chmelar wasn’t thrilled with how his four-game stint with the Blueshirts went in December.
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Before that, the Rangers’ fifth-round pick in 2021 had appeared in just two NHL games since signing out of Providence College. Those cameos were entirely different from anything he experienced with the Wolf Pack. So Chmelar reset his mindset.
He used his frustration — and the thinking that he could’ve given more — as fuel and motivation.
After a third chance arrived two weeks ago, right before the trade deadline, Chmelar became a piece that head coach Mike Sullivan publicly stated he didn’t want to take out of the Rangers’ lineup.
The 6-foot-4, 226-pound winger has carved out a physical role on the fourth line while flashing glimpses of a scoring touch, too. He tallied his first goal March 5. He added another one Friday and nearly a third Monday, missing a chance near the net that ultimately turned into a learning moment.
And most of all, Chmelar and Sullivan both said, the game has started to slow down for him.
“When I got this [call-up], I was like, I gotta put more on the line,” Chmelar told The Post after the Rangers’ morning skate Wednesday before their game against the Devils at the Garden. “Be everywhere. The one step ahead. Give a little more effort to be happy with my game, and I’m glad it’s showing.”
With Chmelar adjusting to the speed of the NHL level, that has allowed him to play with more pace, Sullivan said.
One layer of that revolves around anticipation. Another includes “physical foot speed,” Sullivan added.
Midway through the second period against the Wild on Friday, Chmelar finished his check along the boards as Minnesota cleared the puck, and moments later, following a turnover in the neutral zone, he ended up on a breakaway — shifting the puck to his backhand and flipping it into the net.
Chmelar’s ice time has still been limited, given his lack of a penalty-killing role. He only topped 10 minutes in a game once. But his role in Hartford — where he collected 25 points across 46 games, with both on pace to shatter his AHL-bests in a full season — paired with his recent Rangers impression has given Chmelar a foundation to build on during the offseason, with roster spots and roles available on a retooling team.
“When he finishes checks, he can create anxiety,” Sullivan said. “He can unnerve the opponent.”
Jaroslav Chmelar watches his shot go past the net during the Rangers’ 4-1 loss to the Kings on March 16, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
There are still plenty of areas for growth. Chmelar noticed that he’ll rush into trying to make a play on offense instead of taking a breath, making one more move and then attempting something with the puck. That happened again Monday, when he ended up with a bouncing puck near the post but watched as it hit his stick’s heel and went wide of an open net.
“I think I could’ve waited there for a little bit,” Chmelar said. “I thought I had more pressure on myself than I had, and yeah, I mean, to be honest, I was pissed. … That haunts me a little bit, but I gotta put it behind, and hopefully the next one can go in.”
Chmelar planned to dive into plenty of video this upcoming offseason, preparing for any situation he ends up in next year. He wants to seek out advice from NHL players. There’s more to develop with maximizing his size, too, he said.
That, always, will remain at the crux of his skill set. It’s what allowed that goal in Minnesota, placing him in the right place at the right juncture. It’s what allowed him to secure a place in Sullivan’s lineup. And if he can add strength, Chmelar knows that’ll only make it more difficult for opposing defensemen.
“I think they gotta know that I’m coming, pretty much,” Chmelar said.
