Drake Batherson is aging like fine wine. Two weeks shy of his 28th birthday, and now in his eighth season with the club, every year has been a little better than the last.

For example, this season, the Ottawa Senators winger has cracked the 30-goal and 70-point mark for the first time in his NHL career.

"Every player has always got (individual) goals going through the season," Batherson told the Coming in Hot podcast on Monday. "And for me, it was, I wanted to score 30 and get 70 points. So I was pretty pumped to obviously do that."

"And you know, the next year you set new goals out for yourself. And if you can do that and help the team get in the playoffs, I think that's the biggest thing. And yeah, I think it was a great year and got to give credit to obviously my teammates, the power play and getting put in situations where I was able to do that."

It's not just hyperbole to suggest Batherson gets better every year.

Just take a glance at his hockeydb.com page. For every year of his eight-year career, he's improved his point totals from the year before.

While that's an impressive stat, you might think that with all the superstars who've ever played this game, there are probably others who might also have replicated that feat.

Apparently, you'd be wrong.

According to Sportsnet's Kyle Bukauskas on Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts Podcast, Batherson is the first NHL player to accomplish that in 66 years. The only other player ever to do it, Bukauskas noted, was winger Vic Stasiuk, who retired in the 1960s. But from 1952 to 1960, he improved every year during his eight-year window.

If that's the case, and I can't imagine the weeks of research it would take to verify it, that would make Batherson the only guy who's ever done it from the start of his career onward.

32 goals and 72 points and improving every season definitely isn't bad for a guy who makes less than $5 million per season on a very club-friendly contract.

But the bargain will end on July 1, 2027, when Batherson becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2027, and as such, he's eligible for an extension this summer. When asked about it on the Coming in Hot Podcast on Monday, Batherson said he isn't aware of any early contract discussions. 

The conversation also turned to the last couple of games of the regular season, and host Brent Wallace wondered about some of the club's stars getting to skip the game in New Jersey, and whether Batherson might like a little time off, too.

Batherson, who once told me if he weren't in the NHL, he'd be one of those guys who play in five different men's leagues, said he has zero issues in playing these games.

"I mean, I love it," Batherson said. "It's the NHL. Like, if you told me 10 years ago, I could be playing game 81 in New Jersey. I'd be like, 'A hundred percent!' I don't care what the situation is. So it's a dream come true playing every night for me. And I'm happy to be out there."

With another playoff run about to begin, the Senators are thrilled to have him as well. 

For a player who’s made a habit of raising his ceiling year after year, the most intriguing part might be this: Batherson's improvement streak is an active one, so we still don’t know where this thing will top out. 

How do you not take a shine to that?

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:  

Senators Officially Clinch Playoff Spot For Second Straight Year
Why Shane Pinto Should Be One Of The Favourites For The Selke Trophy
Ullmark Describes Masterton Trophy Nomination As Bittersweet
'A Superstar Moment:' The Senators Goal Everyone Is Talking About
Great Opportunities: The Rise Of Senators Defenseman Jordan Spence

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Cole Reinhardt scored his second goal of the game with 1:50 remaining and spoiled New York goaltender Jonathan Quick’s final NHL game as the Florida Panthers beat the Rangers 3-2 on Monday night.

Quick, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, announced his retirement before Monday’s game after 19 seasons. He won the Cup twice in 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, and was part of the Vegas Golden Knights’ 2023 championship team.

Reinhardt broke a 2-all tie on Florida’s fourth shot of the third period, beating Quick on the glove side.

The Rangers, who have lost three straight, never led.

Florida goalie Daniil Tarasov made 24 saves — including all 14 he faced in the third, with the Rangers putting on a strong push to try and get Quick one final victory.

Matthew Robertson and Gabe Perreault scored for New York, which has lost three straight.

Florida scored twice in the opening period on goals by Reinhardt and Mackie Samoskevich for an early 2-0 lead.

Reinhardt, who has four goals in his three-game goal streak, opened the scoring by following up a rebound off a shot from defenseman Tobias Bjornfot.

Samoskevich made it 2-0 at 11:21 off the breakaway.

The Rangers cut into the Florida lead at 15:19 of the opening period when Robertson scored off a shot from the point.

Perreault was struck by a rebound off a shot from defenseman Adam Fox with 2:40 remaining in the second period, tying the score at 2.

Quick had 14 saves in the loss.

Up next

Rangers: At Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Panthers: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Cole Reinhardt scored his second goal of the game with 1:50 remaining and spoiled New York goaltender Jonathan Quick's final NHL game as the Florida Panthers beat the Rangers 3-2 on Monday night.

Quick, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, announced his retirement before Monday’s game after 19 seasons. He won the Cup twice in 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, and was part of the Vegas Golden Knights’ 2023 championship team.

Reinhardt broke a 2-all tie on Florida’s fourth shot of the third period, beating Quick on the glove side.

The Rangers, who have lost three straight, never led.

Florida goalie Daniil Tarasov made 24 saves — including all 14 he faced in the third with the Rangers putting on a strong push to try and get Quick one final victory.

Matthew Robertson and Gabe Perreault scored for New York, which has lost three straight.

Florida scored twice in the opening period on goals by Reinhardt and Mackie Samoskevich for an early 2-0 lead.

Reinhardt, who has four goals in his three-game goal streak, opened the scoring by following up a rebound off a shot from defenseman Tobias Bjornfot.

Samoskevich made it 2-0 at 11:21 off the breakaway.

The Rangers cut into the Florida lead at 15:19 of the opening period when Robertson scored off a shot from the point.

Perreault was struck by a rebound off a shot from defenseman Adam Fox with 2:40 remaining in the second period, tying the score at 2.

Quick had 14 saves in the loss.

Up next

Rangers: At Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Panthers: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Buffalo Sabres prospect Anton Wahlberg is a promising young forward in the team's system. The Sabres are hoping that he can become a solid part of their roster in the future, as he has good upside. It is why the Sabres selected him with the 39th overall pick of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. 

Wahlberg has certainly been having a nice finish to the 2025-26 season with the Amerks, as he has been heating up offensively down the stretch. Wahlberg is currently on a six-game point streak, where he has two goals and four assists over that span. With this, the young forward is undoubtedly feeling it right now for Rochester. 

Due to his hot streak, Wahlberg now has nine goals and has set new career highs with 27 assists and 36 points in 65 games this season with the Amerks. This is after he had 11 goals and 30 points in 63 games with Rochester during the 2024-25 season.

The Sabres will now be hoping that Wahlberg can continue to show promise down in the AHL with Rochester. If the 20-year-old keeps this kind of play up, it could open the door for him to make his NHL debut next season. 

Fans in Edmonton will get one last regular-season glimpse at McDavid vs. MacKinnon tonight at Rogers Place before the NHL playoffs begin this weekend.

Both clubs have secured playoff berths, but the Oilers are on the cusp of winning the pillow fight in the Pacific Division and will be desperate for a victory as they sit just one point (90) behind the Vegas Golden Knights (91), with both teams having two games remaining.

Where are you tuning in from tonight? pic.twitter.com/xiDqhdlMPX

— P – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 13, 2026

Will Edmonton pass the test and position themselves as home-icers in the first two rounds of the playoffs, or will Colorado play spoiler?

Colorado Avalanche

I’m not sure who spilled the salt at team dinner, but Colorado has been hit with an injury wave that has even extended to their head coach, Jared Bednar.

The puck he took to the face against Vegas has him still recovering from facial fractures and an abrasion in Colorado.

Maybe the view from the vantage of a fan can offer some insight, but I imagine Bedsy has his ways of influencing the group even from afar.

Now, as far as skaters go, I doubt we see Cale Makar, Josh Manson, or Nazem Kadri tonight or for the rest of the regular season.

Josh Manson left the Vegas game with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Josh Manson (upper body) will not return to the game.

— P – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 12, 2026

As mentioned in the intro, without any opportunity for advancement, there’s no reason not to shut these guys down until the playoffs.

Projected Lineup:

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Gabriel Landeskog
Valeri Nichushkin — Brock Nelson — Martin Necas
Ross Colton — Nicolas Roy — Joel Kiviranta
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews — Sam Malinski
Brett Kulak — Brent Burns
Nick Blankenburg — Jack Achan

Scott Wedgewood
MacKenzie Blackwood

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers have been without Leon Draisaitl for quite some time, but still run with McDavid and have been a team that can’t consistently find their stride, but appear and often prove plenty capable.

Do the @EdmontonOilers have some tricks up these sleeves? 🟠🔵

Currently outscoring their opponents 26-10, the Oilers look to extend their alternate uniform win streak to FIVE games tonight‼️ pic.twitter.com/YxR4pjxkTg

— NHL (@NHL) January 12, 2026

Interestingly, if the Oilers and Avalanche meet later in the playoffs as both sides intend, the Oilers will have won two playoff rounds, and any doubts will dissipate, as that would mark their 3rd Western Conference Final in a row.

The question marks in Edmonton still largely revolve around netminding, with the Skinner for Jarry deal not really panning out early on.

For now, I’d say it’s Ingram’s net.

Projected Lineup:

Vasily Podkolzin — Connor McDavid — Matthew Savoie
Max Jones — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — Kasperi Kapanen
Colton Dach — Josh Samanski — Trent Frederic
Curtis Lazar — Adam Henrique — Jack Roslovic

Mattias Ekholm — Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse — Connor Murphy
Jake Walman — Ty Emberson

Connor Ingram
Tristan Jarry

Pete DeBoer’s earliest work is often his best work.

He went to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final in his first season with the Devils. His first season in San Jose ended in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. DeBoer landed in Las Vegas in 2019 and led the Golden Knights to the conference finals. He followed the same script in Dallas, leading the Stars to the conference finals in 2023.

It will be another six months before his first full season with the Islanders begins, but DeBoer’s disappointing first week with the team — losing two of three games to cap a collapse that will keep the Islanders out of the postseason for the second straight year — has provided the coach with unusual insight into his new roster.

“I can tell you we’re gonna be way ahead [next season], I’m gonna be way ahead of where I would’ve been had I come in in the summer, for sure,” DeBoer said following Sunday’s loss to Montreal. “Is it enough time to have all the answers? No, [but] I’ve got a lot more answers than I would have showing up here in training camp without having this experience with this group. So I’m excited to start fresh and have a camp and get to work with them. 

“We want to finish this off the right way on Tuesday. There’s some exciting pieces here but there’s no doubt we have a lot of work left to do.”

The Islanders (43-33-5) will conclude their regular season Tuesday night against the Hurricanes at UBS Arena, having fumbled a seemingly secure postseason spot by losing six of their past seven games. 

On Sunday, the players were still absorbing the death of a once-promising season. But the writing has been on the boards since Patrick Roy was fired and DeBoer was hired with four games remaining in the regular season.

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND ISLANDERS STATS

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In the aftermath, first-year general manager Mathieu Darche said the stunning switch was made to grab “the No. 1 free agent on the market,” with far more in mind than the final four games.

In the season finale, DeBoer would like to “see as many guys as possible,” potentially opening the door for 19-year-old forward Victor Eklund — the 16th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft — to make his debut with the Islanders after producing nine points (two goals, seven assists) in seven games with AHL Bridgeport.

Other call-up candidates include veteran winger Matt Luff — who was acquired in the trade for Brayden Schenn — Adam Beckman and former first-round pick Liam Foudy, as well as 22-year-old defensemen Isaiah George and Long Island native Marshall Warren.

“The more guys I can see in game action that are potentially part of this going forward, I think that’s important,” DeBoer said.

Two weeks ago, it would have been unthinkable for the Islanders season to end with 60 or so meaningless minutes. Two days ago, they still believed they could sneak into the bracket.

But the DeBoer era has just begun.

“You always learn something when you’re playing games this late in the season that matter,” DeBoer said. “When the lights go out on a season, it’s never easy after you put in that kind of time, particularly the journey they were on, the spot they were in and where they are now. I feel for them … We know we’ve got a lot of work to do here, but there’s a lot of good things, too.”

The Senators don't have their 2026 first-round Stanley Cup playoff schedule yet, nor do they know who their first-round opponent will be.

But we do know when playoff tickets are going on sale, and as always, membership has its privileges.

The Senators announced on Monday that first-round playoff tickets would go on sale beginning Thursday at 10 a.m., exclusively for season ticket holders, who will be able to purchase up to four tickets per game for all three possible home games in the first round. 

Sens Insiders will also have an inside track on the general public. On Friday at 10 a.m., they'll be emailed a link to access tickets for Games 3 and 4. They can also purchase up to four per game. 

After season ticket holders and Sens Insiders have had their fill, the general public can purchase tickets for Games 3 and 4, also with a limit of four per game. There will be a rush for tickets, but how fierce the rush will be depends largely on the Sens' opponent.

They have just one game left in their season, at home on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, their first-round opponent last year. This year's opponent could still be any one of the Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, or the Tampa Bay Lightning. Obviously, Montreal and Buffalo fans would be far more likely to try to jump on tickets.

On Monday night, the Carolina Hurricanes can wrap up the Eastern Conference title, and the Buffalo Sabres can clinch the Atlantic Division title. If those two things happen, then Montreal and Tampa would be removed as possible Sens' opponents in round one.

The Sabres will clinch the Atlantic if they beat Chicago in regulation and Tampa Bay fails to beat Detroit in regulation. If the 'Canes end up as the top seed in the East, and then Boston beats New Jersey tomorrow, the Sens would face Carolina in round one.

The sixteen teams in the 2026 NHL playoffs could be finalized as early as Monday night. The Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings all have Monday paths to claim the 14th, 15th and 16th spots, although Dallas vs Minnesota is the only matchup set in stone.

The Senators clinched a playoff spot on Saturday night after a ferocious charge in the final third of the season, closing out the year with a 20-6-3 record since late January.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:  

Senators Officially Clinch Playoff Spot For Second Straight Year
Why Shane Pinto Should Be One Of The Favourites For The Selke Trophy
Ullmark Describes Masterton Trophy Nomination As Bittersweet
'A Superstar Moment:' The Senators Goal Everyone Is Talking About
Great Opportunities: The Rise Of Senators Defenseman Jordan Spence

The Utah Mammoth let a critical opportunity slip away Sunday night, dropping a 4–1 decision to the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome in a game that exposed a lack of urgency at the worst possible time.

With the loss, Utah remains just three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the top Western Conference wild card spot—but the margin feels thinner with Los Angeles holding a game in hand and momentum beginning to shift.

Calgary Sets The Tone Early

From the outset, the Flames dictated the pace with a sharper, more determined approach. Utah struggled to match the intensity, particularly in the opening period, where puck battles and positioning tilted heavily in Calgary’s favor.

The breakthrough came midway through the first when Matt Coronato capitalized on a costly misplay behind the net, converting a wraparound after a failed clearing attempt. Moments later, Connor Zary doubled the lead during a chaotic net-front sequence, with the puck deflecting in off his skate to give Calgary immediate control.

Utah never fully recovered from the early surge.

Flames Pull Away As Utah Falters

Calgary extended its lead in the third period through veteran Mikael Backlund, who cleaned up a loose puck at the top of the crease after a collision left Utah’s goaltender out of position. A challenge for interference failed to overturn the goal, further stalling any hope of a comeback.

Brayden Pachal delivered the decisive blow soon after, wiring a one-timer through traffic for his first career three-point performance. Rookie Aydar Suniev recorded his first NHL point with the primary assist, adding another bright note for a Flames team snapping a three-game skid.

Dustin Wolf was steady throughout, turning aside 28 shots and controlling rebounds effectively, while Vitek Vanecek stopped 19 at the other end but received little support during Calgary’s decisive stretches.

Late Response Not Enough

Lawson Crouse finally broke through late in the third period, finishing a clean look from the right circle off a setup by Clayton Keller. The assist extended Keller’s point streak to eight games, one of the few positives for Utah on an otherwise frustrating night.

Still, the goal served more as consolation than catalyst, as the Mammoth failed to generate sustained pressure when it mattered most.

Injury Concerns Add To Pressure

Utah’s lineup was also impacted by the absence of starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka, who was sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Vanecek drew the start, with Matt Villalta recalled from AHL Tucson earlier in the day to serve as backup.

Elsewhere, the loss marked the end of productive runs for Dylan Guenther and Mikhail Sergachev, both of whom saw their seven-game point streaks come to a halt.

With matchups against the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues looming, the Mammoth now face a defining stretch. The standings still offer a cushion—but after a performance like this, it’s clear that cushion is anything but comfortable.

The video game overlords have been kind to the Colorado Avalanche as of late.

In our latest NHL 26 bug-ridden, glitch-infested experience, the Avalanche picked up a 4-0 shutout win over Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice while Gabe Landeskog and Logan O'Connor also picked up goals for Colorado. Scott Wedgewood made 26 saves.

Tristan Jarry made 32 saves for Edmonton.

First Period

About six minutes into the game, Brent Burns fired a slap shot on Jarry, but the goaltender made the stick save. During the same sequence, Colorado went on an early power play after Connor Murphy wiped out Ross Colton near the boards when the puck wasn’t in play, earning an interference minor.

The Avalanche nearly struck on the man advantage off the draw when Devon Toews ripped a slapper from the point that was deftly redirected by Brock Nelson in front, but it clanged off the post before Jarry scooped it up.

After the failed power play, Martin Necas found MacKinnon off the rush. His backhander deflected into the air, and Jarry sprawled across the crease, somehow catching it in his glove while lying on the ice.

But on the following faceoff, Jarry’s lucky charm sank straight into the North Saskatchewan River. Following a draw win by Jack Drury, Burns fired from the point and O’Connor redirected it home to make it 1-0.

At the end of the first, Colorado held a 1-0 lead, while Edmonton’s edge in shots (12-11) felt more like a participation ribbon than anything meaningful.

Second Period

At 1:51 of the second, Colorado doubled its lead when Toews carried into open ice and fed Landeskog cross-crease for an easy tap-in.

Colorado continued to lock things down defensively, though Edmonton’s depth tried to claw back. Adam Henrique snapped a shot from a tough angle, but Wedgewood turned it aside.

Moments later, MacKinnon battled Henrique to recover the puck, fed Colton, and headed to the bench. Colton broke in alone but was denied by Jarry’s glove.

After 40 minutes, Colorado led 2-0 and held a 22-19 advantage in shots.

Third Period

Embarrassment is the only way to describe the third for Edmonton.

After a routine save on MacKinnon, Jarry played the puck to Mattias Ekholm, who instead knocked it into his own net, making it 3-0—and handing MacKinnon another goal.

Midway through the period, Parker Kelly got a look in the slot, but Jarry came up with a highlight-reel blocker save as Murphy delivered a big hit nearby.

Edmonton pushed back briefly as Henrique led a rush and dropped it for Matthew Savoie, but Wedgewood shut the door again.

From there, Colorado kept piling on. MacKinnon turned on the jets, beat Jarry five-hole, and made it 4-0 for his second of the night.

Nic Roy nearly made it five late, but his wrister rang iron and ricocheted away.

Real Life

The Avalanche will square off against the Oilers at 7:30 p.m. local time in Denver, with the matchup taking place at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

For the 10th consecutive season, the Detroit Red Wings will not play beyond the 82nd game of the regular season.

Their fate was sealed Saturday evening with a 5–3 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena. Not only were they unable to protect three separate leads in a must-win situation, but they also surrendered the game-winning goal late in the third period, extinguishing any hope of their first playoff appearance since 2016. 

And unfortunately, once the calendar flipped to March, the ghosts of seasons past came back to haunt the franchise once again. 

For the third straight year, the Red Wings began faltering in both March and April, losing what was a comfortable playoff cushion and eventually tumbling out of the postseason race. 

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

And yet, perhaps the most shocking statistic illustrating just how badly the Red Wings unraveled is a mark that had stood for 56 years - until Saturday evening.

The Red Wings became the first NHL team to have accumulated at least 69 points through their first 53 games and still miss the playoffs. The last team to hold that unfortunate distinction was the 1969–70 Montreal Canadiens. 

The Red Wings are 2nd team in NHL history to have 69+ points in the first 53 games and miss the playoffs. The Canadiens did it in 1969-70 (also 69 points) https://t.co/3apoh7M9oW

— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) April 12, 2026

To put that in perspective - in April 1970, The Beatles were going through their highly publicized split, Richard Nixon was just 15 months into his presidency, and Neil Armstrong had become the first man to walk on the moon nine months earlier. 

Considering that the Red Wings were tied for first place in the Eastern Conference in late January, it was a startling fall from grace. 

For a fan base that had grown used to winning during Detroit's glory years, most understood that their 25-season playoff streak came with a price and that there would be a downswing. 

However, in 2016, few would have likely believed the Red Wings were about to go an entire decade without a playoff appearance, or that they would now own the NHL’s longest active postseason drought.

As the final seconds ticked down in regulation Saturday evening, a loud chorus of boos rained down from the fans in attendance. Even as the players gathered at center ice for one final salute, fully aware their playoff fate had been sealed, they were met with continued boos. 

Todd McLellan Addresses Red Wings' Mental Fortitude After Officially Missing PlayoffsDetroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan spoke about the club's mental fortitude after they were officially eliminated from postseason contention.

Head coach Todd McLellan, who was behind Detroit’s bench as an assistant under Mike Babcock during the club’s most recent Stanley Cup win in 2008, acknowledged the fans’ passion and said the boos were justified given the result the team delivered - or failed to deliver.

“Well, this is Detroit, this is Hockeytown,” McLellan said. “I’ve been lucky enough to be on the other side of it when they couldn’t stop cheering for this team, and they’re dying for that. They crave that. That’s what they want.

And I don’t even know if they want a Stanley Cup championship anymore. They just want a team that’s gonna come and give them something to cheer about." 

Red Wings fans will once again have to wait until next year in the hope that Stanley Cup Playoff hockey will finally come to Little Caesars Arena, which opened in the fall of 2017. 

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Flyers are going back to playoffs in unforgettable fashion originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers’ rebuild is about to meet the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Rick Tocchet’s club capped off a concerted climb in the standings with a thrilling 3-2 shootout win Monday night over the Hurricanes at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Tyson Foerster won it for the Flyers in the skills competition. Dan Vladar was magnificent.

The victory snapped the organization’s five-year postseason drought. In Year 1 under Tocchet as head coach and Year 3 of Danny Briere’s tenure as general manager, the Flyers made the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

“It’s a dream,” Foerster said. “This is why you play. We’re looking forward to it.”

The Flyers went 17-6-1 since Feb. 26 to clinch third place, the final berth in the Metropolitan Division. They entered Monday night needing two points over their final two games to punch their ticket. They won’t have to worry about an all-important Game 82.

The Flyers (42-27-12) overcame a 2-0 deficit at first intermission and eventually capitalized on a stripped-down Carolina lineup. The Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes sat Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Jaccob Slavin, Seth Jarvis, Shayne Gostisbehere and Jordan Staal.

“Carolina’s a tough team,” Tocchet said. “I know they had six, seven guys out, but they didn’t give in. We had to earn it and we did.”

Matvei Michkov screamed to the crowd in the second period when he drew the Flyers to within 2-1. At that point, the building was about to erupt. Trevor Zegras sent it into a frenzy 2:33 minutes later with a game-tying power play goal.

“The fans were unbelievable tonight,” Zegras said. “Like, that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. The reaction when Foery scored in the shootout, I’ll never forget that.”

The Flyers went 1-0-3 in their regular-season series with the Hurricanes (52-22-7).

• Tocchet, Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones deserve a ton of credit.

Last season, the Flyers finished tied with the Bruins for the Eastern Conference’s worst record. They went 33-39-10 as their rebuild went into another gear.

This season, after Briere and Jones landed their handpicked head coach, the Flyers have 96 points. The front office made critical offseason additions in Zegras, Vladar and Christian Dvorak. All three have had career seasons.

Tocchet has done a quality job maximizing some key players and incorporating youth down the stretch.

“To me, it was the development of the team,” the head coach said Monday morning. “Obviously the players are a part of it. It’s not about coming every day worrying about one player and developing that guy. Yeah, he’s a part of the process, but it’s how we do things around here and I really wanted the identity of a Flyer. It’s something that we’ve built on every day and we’re getting there. Long way to go, but it’s starting to come around.”

The Flyers will face the rival Penguins in the first round. The NHL playoffs kick off Saturday. We’ll see if that’s when the Flyers and Penguins get underway in Pittsburgh. The schedule has not yet been announced.

“Man, it’s going to be a lot of fun,” an emotional Owen Tippett said. “These guys in this room love each other. All the doubters all year. We believed right from the start, right from training camp. It’s going to be a blast. We’re going to soak it all in, but the job’s not done.”

• Vladar converted 24 saves on 26 shots.

He has been the Flyers’ most valuable player this season and gave them another strong effort. The 28-year-old was perfect over the final two periods and overtime, with some timely and difficult saves.

He didn’t crack in the shootout, celebrating with his hands in the air after the final stop.

“The emotion Vladdy plays with, the excitement he has, it doesn’t matter who it is, he’s the guy that has always got a smile on his face,” Tippett said. “I’ve never played with a goalie that has been that vocal, both on the ice, off the ice and the TV timeout, he’s always coming by and keeping us going. He’s a big part of this and he deserves this one, for sure.”

Vladar went 29-14-7 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage over 52 games. In April, he won five of six starts while recording a 1.81 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.

“We were trying to play good hockey and play with the heart that I remember the Flyers used to be back in the day,” Vladar said. “That’s the mentality here and that’s what I felt since Day 1, that if you’re going to do your best, the hockey gods are going to help you. That’s what we were trying to do the whole year. Finally, we deserve it. Especially the fans, they deserve it, as well. We’re glad that we were able to deliver.”

Playoff hockey is returning to Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/uUy1s7DpgH

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 14, 2026

The Flyers have been significantly better defensively compared to last season. Vladar has been a big reason why. The Flyers also made some important changes at the Olympic break that spurred their push.

Brandon Bussi, a 27-year-old in his first NHL season, stopped 21 of the Flyers’ 23 shots for Carolina.

The Flyers had a few chances to take an early lead in the first period. Michkov found Sean Couturier for a good look, but the Flyers’ captain was denied. Denver Barkey was turned away after Noah Cates found him streaking to the net.

The Hurricanes then pounced on a couple of mistakes by the Flyers. There was a defensive breakdown on Bradly Nadeau’s game-opening goal and Dvorak committed an uncharacteristic penalty that led to Nikolaj Ehlers’ power play goal.

But the Flyers rallied like they often have this season.

“I had chills going out for the game,” Tippett said. “That was the loudest I’ve heard this building. Toward the end of it, too, I couldn’t even hear anything.”

• The Flyers wrap up the regular season Tuesday when they welcome the Canadiens (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Then it’s playoff time.

CHICAGO (AP) — Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar lost two of his top front teeth when he was hit by a puck in the second period of Saturday’s 5-3 loss to St. Louis.

Nazar planned to play Monday night against Buffalo with a protective cage over his face.

“Got it pretty good, but could be a lot worse,” Nazar said. “So pretty thankful.”

The 22-year-old Nazar was sidelined for a month after he broke his jaw when he was hit in the face by a puck during a 6-4 loss at Ottawa on Dec. 20. He returned on Jan. 22 at Carolina.

Nazar, a first-round pick in the 2022 draft, has 15 goals and 26 assists in 64 games in his third NHL season. He agreed to a $46.2 million, seven-year extension with Chicago in August.

Defenseman Ethan Del Mastro also is expected to play against the Sabres. The 23-year-old Del Mastro was scratched on Saturday because of an unspecified injury.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

New York Rangers goalkeeper Jonathan Quick is calling it a career after 19 NHL seasons and three Stanley Cup championships — with 16 of those seasons and two championships as a member of the Kings.

The 40-year-old goalie told reporters Monday that he would be playing in his final game that night when the Rangers visit the Florida Panthers. It will mark Quick's 921st game appearance, counting playoffs.

"Tonight will be my last game in the league, and I am looking forward to it," Quick said following the morning skate ahead at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. "My wife flew down with the kids, my parents will be here. I am looking forward to this last one, try to get one more win here."

Read more:Anze Kopitar honored after Kings beat nemesis Oilers during regular-season home finale

He added of his decision: "It just felt right. Felt like the right time. I put some thought into it."

Selected by the Kings in the third round of the 2005 draft, Quick became a fixture in front of the net for L.A. during the 2008-09 season. He was a key member of the Kings' Stanley Cup champion teams in 2012 and 2014, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs with a 16-4 record, a .946 save percentage and 1.41 goals-against average.

Quick won a silver medal as a backup goaltender for the U.S. at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, although he did not see any playing time. At the 2014 Sochi Games, Quick went 3-2 as the starting goalie for the fourth-place U.S. team.

By March 2023, Quick was the Kings' leader among goalies in the categories of total games (743), wins (370) and shutouts (57). At age 37, however, he had also lost a step or two. The Kings traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who turned around and dealt him to the Vegas Golden Knights the next day.

Read more:Elliott: Kings players and fans pay homage to Jonathan Quick and his legendary L.A. career

Quick saw a decent amount of playing time down the stretch in the regular season because of injuries to the Golden Knights' goaltenders. He didn't make it into any games during the team's championship run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

After spending the last three seasons in New York, Quick is set to make his 70th and final start with the Rangers and add the final numbers to a stat line that currently includes 20,315 saves (18th most all time), 410 wins (12th most) and 65 shutouts (17th).

“He earned the respect of his teammates, coaches and staff members through his work ethic and dedication to his craft,” Rangers general manager Chris Drury said in a statement posted on social media. “Jonathan is a special person and player, and the entire Rangers organization wishes him — along with his wife, Jackie, and three children, Madison, Carter and Cash — all the best in retirement.”

The Rangers are 33-38-9 and will miss the playoffs for the second straight season. They finish the year Wednesday night at Tampa Bay.

Another key member of the Kings championship teams, Anze Kopitar, also is retiring after this season, following 20 years in the NHL, all with L.A.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Sharks officially eliminated from playoff contention with Kings' win vs. Kraken originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Sharks aren’t headed to the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, but they are so close, they can taste it.

Despite San Jose’s 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Monday night at Bridgestone Arena, the Sharks officially were eliminated from playoff contention with the Los Angeles Kings’ 5-3 win over the Seattle Kraken later in the evening.

The Kings’ win gives them 89 points on the 2025-26 NHL season, while the most the Sharks can get now is 88.

Superstar Macklin Celebrini and Co. pushed hard to secure the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2019, but they came up just short.

The Kings, meanwhile, earned the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot.

After six tough years, the fruit of the Sharks’ labor finally started to show this season, as they nearly doubled their win total (37, entering the final two games) from last year (20).

Celebrini, the 2024 NHL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick, blossomed into a must-see star and Hart Trophy contender. With two games left in the season, he has a chance to break the franchise’s single-season points record (Joe Thornton — 114 in 2006-07).

The Sharks also received key contributions from Will Smith, Alex Wennberg, Tyler Toffoli, William Eklund and Collin Graf, while Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic formed a potent 1-2 goalie punch.

Now that the Sharks are on the brink of the postseason, it will be up to general manager Mike Grier and the front office to add veteran pieces who can get the team over the hump.

Considering the Sharks were winless in their first six games of the season (0-4-2), they should be proud that they got things on the right track and gave themselves a shot to make the playoffs.

But in need of every point possible, the Sharks lost four of their last six games, crushing any chance of catching the teams ahead of them in the standings.

With Celebrini and Smith at the top, the sky is the limit for the Sharks, and next season should go a long way to showing if they are capable of climbing to the mountaintop.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

Sharks officially eliminated from playoff contention with Kings' win vs. Kraken originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Sharks aren’t headed to the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, but they are so close, they can taste it.

Despite San Jose’s 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Monday night at Bridgestone Arena, the Sharks officially were eliminated from playoff contention with the Los Angeles Kings’ 5-3 win over the Seattle Kraken later in the evening.

The Kings’ win gives them 89 points on the 2025-26 NHL season, while the most the Sharks can get now is 88.

Superstar Macklin Celebrini and Co. pushed hard to secure the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2019, but they came up just short.

The Kings, meanwhile, earned the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot.

After six tough years, the fruit of the Sharks’ labor finally started to show this season, as they nearly doubled their win total (37, entering the final two games) from last year (20).

Celebrini, the 2024 NHL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick, blossomed into a must-see star and Hart Trophy contender. With two games left in the season, he has a chance to break the franchise’s single-season points record (Joe Thornton — 114 in 2006-07).

The Sharks also received key contributions from Will Smith, Alex Wennberg, Tyler Toffoli, William Eklund and Collin Graf, while Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic formed a potent 1-2 goalie punch.

Now that the Sharks are on the brink of the postseason, it will be up to general manager Mike Grier and the front office to add veteran pieces who can get the team over the hump.

Considering the Sharks were winless in their first six games of the season (0-4-2), they should be proud that they got things on the right track and gave themselves a shot to make the playoffs.

But in need of every point possible, the Sharks lost four of their last six games, crushing any chance of catching the teams ahead of them in the standings.

With Celebrini and Smith at the top, the sky is the limit for the Sharks, and next season should go a long way to showing if they are capable of climbing to the mountaintop.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast