A most unexpected and interesting development has happened in the Eastern Conference to shake up the playoff picture. Some of the strongest teams this season have started to falter. The Islanders have had a 3-7-0 record from March 19th, which cost Patrick Roy his job as head coach after NYI fell completely out of the playoff picture. The Blue Jackets did their part to hold the door open for others to catch up, posting a 1-6-1 record since March 22nd.

The Washington Capitals were looking like they could be that surprise team, especially after this past Tuesday when the Caps defeated the Flyers 6-4 to mark their third straight win and put themselves in a surprisingly strong position to make a late run at things. That run stopped rather suddenly with losses to New Jersey (7-3) on Thursday and then last night to the Rangers with an 8-1 score that punts on the season.

That left an unlikely team to walk through the door opened up by the Islanders and Blue Jackets faltering. And it was those Flyers who have done just that. Despite the loss to Washington on Tuesday, Philadelphia was 8-1-1 in their previous 10 games before that, quietly sneaking back into the picture as the trouble started on Long Island and in Columbus. That strong March gave Philadelphia the juice to pop up and defeat NYI on Friday night to create a big change in the standings. The Flyers would follow it up with a 2-1 OT win against Boston that featured Porter Martone’s first career goal as the game winner.

Suddenly, the battle of Pennsylvania could add another chapter in the 2026 playoffs.

The stunning turnaround of the Flyers could be represented from the Hockeystats.com model where Philadelphia had 32% odds of making the playoffs after their loss to Washington on Tuesday. Just a few days and two games later, it now sits at 60%. The Islanders are in big trouble after regulation losses last week to Pittsburgh and the Flyers. The Detroit Red Wings keep slip sliding away from a playoff berth too with Ottawa coming on in the Atlantic and Wild Card race.

The last week shows, to an extreme, just how much fortunes can rise and fall at the end of the season. It’s hard to imagine that just one week ago today entering Monday’s game, the Islanders (89) had more points than the Penguins (88), though NYI did play one more game. Fast forward just a few days and the Islanders still have 89 points — and now a new coach after a disastrous spell that saw losses to Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Philadelphia and Carolina that still leave them with 89 points entering this week.

The Penguins, on the other hand, have all but sewed up their spot in the 2026 playoffs courtesy of picking up eight points in the last five games with the win over NYI, Detroit and a pair of lopsided victories over Florida.

Will the next week hold as much drama? NYI doesn’t play again until Thursday, they’ll have home games against Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in the next week. The hiring of Peter Deboer could shake things up and try to get them out of their funk to make a desperate five-game run at Philadelphia. For their part, the Flyers play road games this week starting at New Jersey on Tuesday and then go to Detroit on Thursday and Winnipeg on Saturday. If the Flyers can grab two wins out of those games then the pressure for NYI to basically win out will be in play, given that Philadelphia is a point ahead and gets their game in hand on Tuesday to push their margin out even further.

The other team in the mix, Columbus, needs to start winning. They play Tuesday in Detroit, then Thursday in Buffalo and Saturday in Montreal. They sit two points behind Philadelphia, though CBJ should have the first tiebreaker by virtue of a 27-24 regulation win advantage. The Blue Jackets need some help from the Devils and Red Wings to stop Philadelphia, after CBJ plays a near must-win game against Detroit tomorrow night.

For the Pens, the last week couldn’t have gone any better. The teams in best position to challenge them for the second spot (NYI, CBJ) have continued to fall apart late in the season. Pittsburgh is six points up on Philadelphia, with the Flyers having played one less game, leaving the Pens in an excellent spot with five games remaining to chug along towards locking up home ice advantage for the first round.

The season may yet have more twists and turns to see between Philadelphia, NYI and Columbus will grab third place in the division even though recent momentum is surging towards seeing the first Penguins/Flyers playoff series since 2018.

Ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. With the Penguins needing more forward depth, it was understandable that they brought him in. 

Soderblom was having a quiet season with the Red Wings before the trade, as he had just two goals and one assist in 39 games. However, getting a fresh start with the Penguins has undoubtedly been benefiting Soderblom, as he has been off to a strong start in Pittsburgh. 

In 16 games with the Penguins since being acquired from Detroit, he has recorded four goals, four assists, eight points, and 28 hits. With this, the big forward has not only been providing the Penguins with more physicality but also some solid secondary offensive production. 

Soderblom has also been red-hot for the Penguins as of late, as he has three goals and six points over his last six games alone.

With Soderblom already taking his game to a new level with the Penguins and still being just 24 years old, it is hard not to like this move early on for Pittsburgh. The 6-foot-8 forward has been a very good addition to the Penguins' roster, and it will be fascinating to see how he builds on his strong start with the Metropolitan Division club from here. 

Colorado Avalanche News

• Canucks rise up to stun the league-leading Avalanche. [Sportsnet]

• Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon becomes first player this season to reach 50 goals. [TSN]
• HALO conference in Denver showcases growth of analytics in hockey. [NHL]

• The Calgary Flames were “humbled” in a 9-2 loss against the Colorado Avalanche. [Calgary Herald]
• Avalanche signs NCAA free agent prospect DiMarsico. [Colorado Eagles]
  
  
  

News Around the League

• The drought is finally over, the Buffalo Sabres have officially clinched a playoff spot. [NHL.com]

• Malkin passes 1,400 points in his historic career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. [NHL.com]

• Stunning news on Sunday as New York Islanders show Patrick Roy the door and bring in Peter DeBoer. [Ottawa Citizen]

• NHL, SAP introduce salary cap projector as part of Front Office app. [NHL]

• Brent Burns’ consecutive games streak reaches a new milestone, approaches NHL record for Avalanche. [Sporting News]

• Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Scott Oake is retiring. [CBC]

Bruins' playoff odds still great, but lack of scoring is huge concern originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have not yet secured a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and a lackluster weekend that included a regulation loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning and an overtime defeat to the Philadelphia Flyers didn’t do much to help their cause.

However, their chances of achieving that feat over the next week still remain pretty high.

HockeyStats’ model gives the Bruins a 98 percent chance of reaching the postseason. MoneyPuck’s model gives the Bruins a 98 percent chance, too.

Four games remain on the Bruins’ regular season schedule, and none of them can be described as “easy”.

The Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes host the B’s on Tuesday. The Bruins play the Tampa Bay Lightning at home Saturday, before finishing up against a desperate Columbus Blue Jackets on the road Sunday and then hosting the New Jersey Devils next Tuesday.

Here’s what the wild card standings look like. It’s still mathematically possible for the Bruins to finish as a top-three team in the Atlantic Division, but the chances of that scenario unfolding are extremely small.

The B’s have a good cushion over the teams outside the wild card spots, and they hold the regulation wins tiebreaker over the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets.

It would take a pretty significant collapse by the Bruins, plus other teams getting red hot, for Boston to miss the playoffs.

One thing that has helped the Bruins of late is the other teams around them haven’t played great over the last week or so. The Islanders have lost four straight games and fired head coach Patrick Roy on Sunday. The Red Wings have lost six of their last 10 games and the Blue Jackets are on a six-game losing streak.

The Bruins have lost three straight games, and a lackluster offense is largely to blame for those poor results. The No. 1 concern with the Bruins coming into the season was whether they could score enough goals to be competitive. But in a surprising twist, the offense has largely been a huge positive for this team all season, including the power play. The Bruins entered the Olympic break ranked sixth in goals scored per game and third in power-play percentage.

But since the Olympic break, the B’s rank 20th in goals scored per game and 26th in power-play percentage. This downturn offensively was expected to some degree. The B’s have ranked near the top of the league in goals scored above expected all season. Several players on the team have had career-high (or close to it) shooting percentages.

Morgan Geekie has scored a career-high 34 goals this season, which leads the team, but he hasn’t found the back of the net in 17 consecutive games. His last goal was March 5.

The analytics suggested the B’s would regress a bit offensively, and we might be seeing that unfold right now.

This scoring regression might have come too late to derail the Bruins’ chances of reaching the playoffs, but it could hurt them significantly in the first round.

The most likely Round 1 matchup for the B’s is the Hurricanes, per HockeyStats.

Carolina has allowed the fewest shot attempts, the fewest shots on goal, the third-fewest scoring chances and the 12th-fewest high-danger chances at 5-on-5 this season, per Natural Stat Trick. The Hurricanes are very structured defensively, they’re well coached and they’re disciplined (fewest penalties taken among East teams in a playoff spot).

Add it all up, and that’s a pretty unfavorable matchup for a team like the Bruins that’s really struggling to score.

Goaltending is often the deciding factor in the playoffs, and Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman arguably has been the best player at his position this season. That gives the B’s a huge advantage over a lot of teams. But great goaltending only goes so far. You have to be able to score goals and take advantage of the opponent’s mistakes with a good power play.

That’s why the Bruins’ latest scoring woes are a concern. If it doesn’t get fixed, their playoff run (assuming they make it) could be pretty short.

The competition to nail down a playoff berth is intense, so much that two NHL teams have fired their coaches down the stretch.

Bruce Cassidy was the first to go, with the third-place Vegas Golden Knights replacing the 2023 Stanley Cup winner with John Tortorella on March 29 with eight games to go. That followed a 1-4-2 slide that since has been turned down around.

Then the New York Islanders made their bid for a coaching change bump on Sunday, April 5, with four games left. Patrick Roy is out and veteran Peter DeBoer is in following a four-game losing streak. The Islanders were in third place at the time of the announcement but dropped below the playoff line on the same day. DeBoer, who took the Dallas Stars to the last three Western Conference finals, makes his Islanders debut on Thursday, April 9.

Here are the latest USA TODAY NHL power rankings with 10 days left in the regular season:

"The Isles replaced a coach who won 97 games for them with a coach who has 97 playoff wins." 

Those were the fine words of New York Islanders statistician Eric Hornick, who dropped that line in Monday morning's 'The Skinny' after Pete DeBoer was hired to replace Patrick Roy. 

#TheSkinny on the Coaching Change and Playoff Chase has some numbers on the new coach, the old coach, and the #isles spot in the standings.https://t.co/DfqPx2EoAR
NYI will spend at least four days out of a playoff spot; the question now is can Pete DeBoer get them back into one.

— Eric Hornick (@ehornick) April 6, 2026

DeBoer has an impeccable track record as an NHL coach.

Over his 17 seasons behind an NHL bench -- this latest hiring means 18 straight seasons as an NHL head coach -- DeBoer has made the playoffs 10 times.

After only making the playoffs once in his first five seasons behind the bench -- he fell to the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals -- he's made the playoffs in nine of the last 11 seasons -- he didn't make it through the 2019-20 season with the San Jose Sharks before they cut bait. 

DeBoer's teams have all won at least one round in his last seven playoff appearances, the latest being the Dallas Stars in 2025, who fell in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. 

So, to sum things up, DeBoer has coached in the playoffs 10 times. He's made it past the first round nine times, the second round eight times, and has fallen in the finals twice. 

The question, with four games to go, is whether he can get the Islanders to the playoffs with the odds against them.

After beating the New Jersey Devils in extremis at the Prudential Center on Saturday night, the Montreal Canadiens were hosting them on Sunday night at the Bell Centre. By the time the puck dropped, the Habs had clinched their playoff spot, thanks to the Detroit Red Wings losing to the Minnesota Wild earlier in the day. That didn’t mean the pressure was gone. Captain Nick Suzuki said earlier this week that the Habs wanted first place, not eighth place, and they are right in the mix for that in the Atlantic Division and in the Eastern Conference.

However, that’s not what the fans in attendance were thinking about. They all had one thing in mind: seeing Cole Caufield score his 50th of the season. There were even more number 13 jerseys out there, plenty of signs about the impending milestone, and someone had even bought nig inflatable 5-0 golden balloons. When the sniper was shown on the Jumbotron during the warm-up, the crowd erupted in applause, and when he had his first shift, they were all chanting his name. It’s a good thing that he doesn’t mind playing under pressure.

Caufield is shown on the jumbotron and the fans start cheering, they might be warming up too @TheHockeyNews#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/K2e3L9d06E

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 5, 2026

Canadiens Are Off To The Races
Montreal Canadiens Legend Fired By Islanders
Canadiens Play With Fire But Escape With The Two Points

A Distraction?

While the players have been adamant that they all think about the team first and foremost, for a second game in a row, it looked like they were desperately trying to get the puck to Caufield, and it wasn’t always because he was the best option or even open.

Of course, the team’s results have to come first, but it feels like the players want Caufield to reach 50, and the sooner he does, the better off the Canadiens will be. Asked about it, coach Martin St-Louis explained:

I think you can see that the guys are really looking for him out there. I think it does affect the continuity of certain plays. I have full confidence that he will score 50. We would have liked it to be tonight for many reasons, including moving on from it and giving that to the crowd. It would have been fine to give them that tonight. I went through it, it’s normal.

Lack Of Shots

After 40 minutes, the Canadiens had a total of eight shots, four per period. That wasn’t going to allow Caufield, or anyone on the team, to score, for that matter. At least in the first frame, they had only four shots that reached the net, but they also had 15 more shot attempts that were blocked or missed. There was some urgency in their offensive game.

That wasn’t the case in the middle frame; on top of only testing Markstrom four times, they only had six attempts that didn’t reach him. On their one power play opportunity, they didn’t even get a shot on goal and allowed two odd-man rushes. When your goaltender is your best player on the penalty kill, it’s good news, but not so much when he is on the power play.

The Canadiens had a bit more jump in the final frame, and they got to spend a lot of time on the power play, but they couldn’t make anything of it.

Expect More Of The Same

Will the Canadiens change their approach now that they have clinched a playoff spot? That’s highly unlikely because they still have plenty to play for. When St-Louis was asked how it would affect the way he manages his bench and his lineup, he explained:

I don’t think it’s going to change much. We’re still in a place where we can win our division and get home-ice advantage. To lower your level and wait for the playoffs and then say right we need to kick it into gear now, it’s a trap you’ve got to be wary of. If guys are nursing ailments, that’s one thing. I’m proud of the guys, we’ve reached our goal, but now we have the opportunity not to be satisfied with doing that, we can go and get something even bigger.

The Canadiens' winning streak ended at eight triumphs in a row with a 3-0 loss to the Devils, but after enjoying a day off on Monday, they’ll put their working boots back on and keep on fighting for the best rank in the standings possible.

That got some cheers as well #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/hJAO4pkknW

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 5, 2026

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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The Chicago Blackhawks selected Kevin Korchinski with the 7th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He was their first pick of three in the first round, as Frank Nazar and Sam Rinzel were selected later on the same night. All three are on Chicago’s roster and playing every game. 

Matt Grzelcyk and Artyom Levshunov have been ruled out for the season, so Korchinski was called up and will continue playing a lot as long as he stays healthy. In this recent stint in the NHL, he has been wonderful. 

On Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken, Korchinski had one of his best games as a pro. The Blackhawks won 4-2, and he was one of many players who played a key role in the victory. 

For one, Korchinski had one point, a primary assist on Sacha Boisvert’s first career NHL goal. On the play, Korchinski joined the rush from the back end and sent it to the slot, where Boisvert found it and released it. It was an important play, as the goal stood up as the game-winner. 

In addition to the assist, Korchinski was an impactful player in all three zones. He closed gaps, used his incredible skating to make plays on offense and defense, and looked every bit like the high-end puck mover that he was drafted to become. 

NHL Game Score Impact Card for Chicago Blackhawks on 2026-04-04: pic.twitter.com/Dz6NqoVJCp

— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) April 5, 2026

Whether it was creating scoring chances, or anything positive in the offensive zone, or making it difficult for the opposition to get any momentum in their attack, Korchinski had an especially good performance against the Kraken. The advanced analytics show he was right there with Alex Vlasic and Sam Rinzel (Chicago's top pair in the game) in terms of overall impact. 

"He's not over-complicating it," head coach Jeff Blashill said of Korchinski. "He's using his feet to beat pressure, but then he's moving the puck to the open people. When he does that and defends with his feet, he's been a really good player."

Korchinski's name wasn't completely removed from trade talks ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. They obviously never received a package worth parting with him for, and they may be thankful for that in the coming years. 

Whenever a defenseman is still considered young, and Korchinski is 21 years old, or they've played less than 200 games in the NHL, Korchinski has 100 exactly, you can't make long-term judgments. It is the most difficult position to be elite at in the game, and it takes time for most of these prospects to take a step at the NHL level. 

Not every high draft pick can be amazing right away like Rasmus Dahlin or Matthew Schaefer. Even Cale Makar, Zach Werenski, and Quinn Hughes needed development one way or another. 

Korchinski may end up failing to be an impactful player regularly, but that should not be assumed just because things were difficult over the last few seasons. He has five more NHL games before 2025-26 is over to show why they may want to hang onto him.

If he plays as well as he has so far since this latest call-up, management will have some difficult decisions to make this summer with him being a pending RFA. 

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

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Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

The Devils rallied from a 3-0 hole in Saturday’s game against the Habs but came up short in the shootout. The Canadiens won, 4-3. [Devils NHL]

Then, Jacob Markstrom recorded his first shutout of the season as the Devils took a 3-0 win over the Habs in Montreal on Sunday. [Devils NHL]

If ownership realizes what’s going on in New Jersey and decides to make changes in the front office, what might they decide to do? [Devils on the Rush ($)]

Could Tom Fitzgerald land back in Nashville, where he was the first captain of the Predators? [New Jersey Hockey Now]

“Team USA Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes was so excited about throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before the Yankees’ home opener on Friday that he started practicing on March 24, before a Devils game in Dallas. ‘My trainer brought gloves and I threw like 50 pitches right before morning skate, and my shoulder was so sore,’ Hughes said. ‘I was like, ‘We’ve got to cool it.’’ This honor was a big deal for Hughes, who scored the golden goal in the USA’s 3-2 overtime win over Canada in the gold medal game on Feb. 22 in Milan.” [NJ.com]

Hockey Links

Well if you were hoping for a reunion with Pete DeBoer, I have bad news:

“For the first time since 2011, the Buffalo Sabres are going to the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Sabres ended a league-record 14-season playoff drought on Saturday afternoon when the Detroit Red Wings lost 4-1 to the New York Rangers.” [The Athletic ($)]

“As the 2025-26 hockey season winds down, these prospects have emerged and shown what they could have to offer — enough to possibly change the way their organization perceives them or solidify their future star status. Which prospect in each NHL team’s pipeline had the most promising season?” [The Athletic ($)]

“Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are powering the Penguins’ playoff push, and rewriting NHL history with milestone performances. Can the dynamic duo carry the Pens to what could be a final deep playoff run in the Crosby/Malkin era?” [The Hockey News]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins closed out the rare home-home back-to-back on Sunday against the Florida Panthers. Pittsburgh once again took care of business after dispatching the Cats 9-4 on Saturday with a controlled, 5-2 win on Sunday, led by Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell. [Recap]

Egor Chinakhov has made an impact few could have imagined when he arrived with the Penguins after being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets, thriving on a “fresh start” that’s boosted his confidence and production. [Penguins]

Evgeni Malkin reached his 1,400th career point during the Penguins’ dominant win on Saturday, capping it with a hat trick and becoming the oldest player in franchise history to do so. [Penguins]

It seems like every time the Penguins take the ice these days, one of the players reaches a career milestone. Combine franchise greats like Crosby, Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust leaving their marks in the history books with a resurgent team on the brink of a playoff berth, and coaches are reminding these players and fans not to take these special moments for granted. [Penguins]

News and notes from around the NHL…

Patrick Roy was fired as coach of the New York Islanders on Sunday. Peter DeBoer was named his replacement with four games left in the season. [ESPN]

The Buffalo Sabres are going dancing for the first time in a long time. The Sabres clinched a playoff berth, ending their NHL-record 14-season drought—the longest in league history—after the New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings in regulation on Saturday. [TSN]

The Toronto Maple Leafs have begun their search for a new general manager and are expected to target Florida Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta, known for his strong analytics background and role in the Panthers’ recent success. [Sportsnet]

Vegas Golden Knights (35-26-16, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vancouver Canucks (22-46-8, in the Pacific Division)

Vancouver, British Columbia; Tuesday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Vancouver Canucks host the Vegas Golden Knights after Linus Karlsson's two-goal game against the Utah Mammoth in the Canucks' 7-4 loss.

Vancouver is 22-46-8 overall with a 5-13-2 record in Pacific Division play. The Canucks have a 7-17-3 record when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent.

Vegas has a 13-5-5 record in Pacific Division play and a 35-26-16 record overall. The Golden Knights have given up 233 goals while scoring 246 for a +13 scoring differential.

Tuesday's game is the third meeting between these teams this season. The Golden Knights won the last matchup 4-2.

TOP PERFORMERS: Drew O'Connor has scored 17 goals with 12 assists for the Canucks. Brock Boeser has five goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.

Mitchell Marner has 23 goals and 54 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has three goals and eight assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Canucks: 2-8-0, averaging three goals, 5.3 assists, 3.6 penalties and 12.1 penalty minutes while giving up 4.3 goals per game.

Golden Knights: 4-4-2, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.4 assists, 3.7 penalties and nine penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

INJURIES: Canucks: Thatcher Demko: out for season (hip), Kevin Lankinen: day to day (undisclosed), Derek Forbort: out (undisclosed), Filip Chytil: out (face).

Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body).

___

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

By Corey Abbott, RotoWire.com

Fantasy hockey managers looking to tinker with their rosters will benefit from zeroing in on specific categories. Whether you are looking for short-term options or late additions for the fantasy playoffs, there should be a plethora of potential pickups to help your squads. 

Let's get into this week's suggestions for your consideration.

Philip Broberg, D, Blues (32% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Blocks/PP

Broberg has elevated his game down the stretch while skating on the top pairing and the first power-play combination. His seven-game point streak ended in Sunday's 3-2 win over Colorado, but he has supplied two goals, six assists, three power-play points (two goals, one assist), four shots on net, four blocked shots, four hits and a plus-8 rating in his past eight outings. Broberg’s fantasy stock is on the rise, and he remains a solid addition going into a three-game week for St. Louis. 

Ryan Hartman, C/RW, Wild (27% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots

Hartman has netted six goals and has contributed four assists during his career-long six-game point streak. He has 17 shots on target and four straight multi-point performances during that span. Hartman has been clicking with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello on Minnesota's top line. The Wild play three times this week. Hartman's points have come in bunches this campaign, so he is worth rostering down the homestretch if he remains hot offensively. 

Ivan Barbashev, LW, Golden Knights (28% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Hits 

No matter what happens over the final six games of the regular season for the St. Louis Blues, they're not going down without a fight in this chase for the second wild card in the Western Conference.

Their top line is making sure of it.

Robert Thomas, Dylan Holloway and Jimmy Snuggerud have been on fire, to say the least, since the Olympic break, and that trio was front and center yet again when Thomas netted his first NHL hat trick, and his linemates assisted on all three goals, and Joel Hofer was up to the challenge with 26 saves, as the Blues kept themselves in the conversation again with a thrilling 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver on Sunday.

The Blues (33-31-12), who completed their four-game road trip 2-1-1, losing to the San Jose Sharks 5-4 and to the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in overtime before defeating the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Friday, moved within three points of the Nashville Predators and Kings, who square off Monday in Los Angeles, for that second wild card slot. They're a point behind the Sharks and even with the Winnipeg Jets, who they host on Thursday.

The Blues and Avalanche (50-16-10), who could have wrapped up home ice in the Western Conference with a win Sunday, will meet again on Tuesday in St. Louis.

How about those game observations?

* Thomas first NHL hat trick highlights sizzling top line -- We've been talking about them for weeks now, but Sunday night, the Holloway-Thomas-Snuggerud line had its handprints all over the offense this team provided.

They're playing with such confidence, kind of like the Holloway-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou line did down the stretch last season when the Blues made their big push to get in, perhaps even better.

And remember in recent memory how good the Jaden Schwartz-Schenn-Vladimir Tarasenko line was that fueled the Blues?

It's safe to say this trio is doing it now, and has been doing it since the Olympic break.

First off, it's an amazing statline to see that they are Nos. 1-2-3 since Feb. 26 in plus-minus, with Holloway leading at plus-24, Thomas at plus-23 and Snuggerud at plus-18.

They've combined for 67 points (28 goals, 39 assists); Holloway has 26 points in 19 games (11 goals, 15 assists), Thomas has 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 16 games and Snuggerud has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 19 games, which is good for a tie for ninth, 21st and 51st in points during that stretch.

They got the ball rolling after the Blues successfully challenged -- and won -- an offside play when Ross Colton thought he had scored to give the Avalanche the lead at 9:09 of the first period but video review showed that Jack Drury was in ahead of the play to wipe out the goal.

Thomas would strike at 12:01 when Holloway entered the Avalanche zone with speed, fed Snuggerud for a shot, then Thomas had a shot that was saved by Mackenzie Blackwood, and Holloway was there for a rebound whack and that's what kept this play alive was the convergence around the net because Snuggerud found the loose puck, fed Thomas in the high slot for a slapper top shelf:

Persistence pays off. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/Cc5LpDWrWA

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 6, 2026

They would strike again when just 29 seconds after Brent Burns had given Colorado a 2-1 lead at 3:40 of the second period, Thomas tied the game 2-2 and it was a beautifully-executed play that started with a Philip Broberg flipper into the neutral zone, and this time, it was Snuggerud with speed gaining the O-zone through the neutral zone, finding Holloway, who seam-passed to Thomas at the backside for the finish:

Robert Thomas will not be stopped. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/LQcf7Eo3rK

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 6, 2026

And to cap off the hat trick, this was a thing of beauty from Snuggerud, after Holloway gained speed and quickly whipping a pass cross ice to Snuggerud, who had the patience to out-wait Martin Necas with the toe-drag, fake the slot from the slot and finding Thomas at the left post for the whack-in one-timer and a 3-2 lead with 2:50 remaining in the third period:

ROBERT THOMAS COMPLETES THE HAT TRICK AND GRABS A 3-2 LEAD WITH 2:50 TO GO! #stlbluespic.twitter.com/03Yf7z52Fs

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 6, 2026

We mentioned it on Friday after the win in Anaheim, but it should bear mentioning now with Snuggerud: does he deserve to be in the conversation, at least, for rookie of the year this year?

I know there's been fantastic seasons from Matthew Schaefer (New York Islanders), Ivan Demidov (Montreal Canadiens) and Beckett Sennecke (Ducks) to name a few, but Snuggerud is up to 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists) in 64 games. 

If the Blues somehow wind up overcoming this 14-point deficit, which would tie the largest deficit to overcome to reach the playoffs and first since the Ottawa Senators (2014-15), does Snuggerud's contributions warrant the conversation, at least? And does this kid have the makings of being a bonafide star winger in this league as he gains the experience? I think it bears thought.

That toe-drag move to set up Thomas for the winner is what star-stuff is made of:

That's all elite level by Jimmy Snuggerud. Holy moly. #stlblueshttps://t.co/a3C8F1PkUw

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) April 6, 2026

Not only did Snuggerud finish with three assists and a plus-3, he had a game-high eight shots on goal. He's confident passing it, he's confident shooting it. 

* Blues played the game the right way -- I mentioned during the game that there are two things you must avoid if you're going to have success against the Avalanche.

One, you have to close gaps, especially when guys like Nathan MacKinnon (easier said than done) have the puck on their sticks; and two, you have to take care of the puck in the neutral zone especially to not feed into the speed and transition that the Avalanche possess.

There were a couple of early moments, but I thought all in all, the Blues managed the game well.

When Colorado tends to overwhelm its opponents, the Avalanche have you chasing them around the ice and bombarding you with shots with an overwhelming amount of zone time.

Shots were 28-28 in this game, but I didn't think the Blues were never under any extended duress in this game. They actually had a 11-8 shot clock advantage in the first period and it stayed pretty even throughout.

Both teams had their moments, and the game was very well-balanced out.

* Hofer made key stops -- This marks now two straight games in which Hofer was able to put together solid performances considering the way things ended last Monday in San Jose.

His best save of the game was on a Mackinnon breakaway moments before the Thomas goal that tied the game 2-2 after splitting the 'D.'

If MacKinnon scores there and makes it 3-1, it's probably lights out, because the Avalanche would have likely carried a lead into the third period, and Colorado is a perfect 38-0-0 when leading after two.

But by making that save there, it kept it a one-shot game and Thomas didn't waste any time making it 2-2.

Hofer also made a break-in stop on Necas in the first period to finish with 

* PK continues to play well -- We all know how well the Blues' penalty kill has performed since the Olympic break; they were first in the league prior to last Monday's game against the Sharks, when they allowed three power-play markers.

They're still a very respectable fourth since Feb. 26 at 83.6 percent after being a perfect 3-for-3 against Colorado's very potent offense. The Avalanche's power play is ninth in the NHL since the Olympic break and the Blues held them to three shots to offset an 0-for-4 power play night themselves.

* Avalanche success came through traffic -- Part of the Blues' revamped defensive structure is attributed to their commitment to not allowing players to camp out in front of their goalies.

The goals Hofer was beaten on Sunday came off two Burns wristers from the point, one from the left and the other from the right.

The one off the left came after the Avalanche put a puck in, won it back, got it to the point and had two layers of bodies trying to take Hofer's eyes away, and Parker Kelly benefited from a tip-in at 15:10 of the first that tied the game 1-1, and when Burns was able to wrist one from the right point that snuck into the far lefthand side to give the Avs a 2-1 lead, Gabriel Landeskog provided the screen in the low slot. 

Colorado does a good job of sending bodies to the front of the net in the crease and in the slot, so it's something the Blues need to be aware of in the rematch Tuesday.

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The Rangers’ top two 2023 draft picks made an impact almost instantly upon joining the team.

Gabe Perreault figures out his game with every shift, culminating in his first hat trick Saturday against the Red Wings to reach 25 points in 49 NHL games.

Pearl River native Drew Fortescue and his homecoming for his debut provided one of the more feel-good moments of this lost 2025-26 season.

In the grand scheme of this evaluation period for the organization, however, the prospects who have been longing for their moment are making up for lost time with the Blueshirts. Each day is an opportunity for Matthew Robertson, Jaroslav Chmelar, Adam Sykora and Dylan Garand to finally work on carving their path at the NHL level — and they have each treated it as such.

After years stewing in the American Hockey League, the four have made notable impressions.

Sykora may be the most recent recall from the organization’s AHL affiliate, but the 21-year-old has arguably made the most lasting impression in the shortest amount of time. The 63rd overall pick in 2022 was in the midst of his third full season in Hartford when the Rangers called.

He has everyone rooting for him. No one’s demeanor has been more infectious.

Scoring again in Sunday’s 8-1 win over the Capitals, Sykora now has three goals and an assist through his first seven games.

His best buddy and Hartford roommate, Chmelar, has been in Hartford since making the jump from Providence College in 2023-24. Since the 144th overall pick in 2021 earned brief recalls in November and December, the 22-year-old has adjusted to the speed of the NHL and been much more effective in his fourth-line role.

It’s allowed Chmelar to position himself in the dangerous areas of the ice more, which has led to more offense. He earned the secondary assist on Sykora’s second-period score Sunday.

Between his 6-foot-4, 226-pound frame and his commitment to finishing checks, Chmelar hasn’t looked out of place on the ice.

Robertson has been with the Rangers since opening night, but he didn’t become a serviceable every-night defenseman until mid-November. The 2019 49th overall pick spent the previous four full seasons in Hartford without a call-up until the second-to-last game last season.

Now, Robertson has appeared in 59 of the last 60 games. He’s even gotten top four minutes at times, logging the fifth-most ice time among all Rangers defensemen so far this season.

There’s no question Garand earned at least one more game after his first two NHL performances. He is 1-0-1 with a .954 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-against average.

The early numbers are encouraging, but head coach Mike Sullivan said he felt completely comfortable with Garand between the pipes just based on what he was seeing from the rookie netminder.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND RANGERS STATS

Selected 103rd overall in 2020, Garand made his Wolf Pack debut in 2020-21 and was in the midst of his fourth full AHL season at the time of his recall last month. The Rangers have continuously maintained third-string goalies over the years — such as Louis Domingue and Keith Kinkaid — that have filled in whenever Igor Shesterkin and/or whichever backup was injured.

Even this season, the Rangers signed Spencer Martin out of the Kontinental Hockey League in November. He appeared in six games for the Rangers this season amid injuries to Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick.

But it was finally time for Garand, who expressed just how much he’s been clamoring for the opportunity after his first win on March 27.

While Noah Laba could be considered among the long-awaited prospects, the 111th pick in the 2022 draft essentially jumped from college to the NHL. He played 11 games for the Wolf Pack at the end of the 2024-25 campaign before making the Rangers lineup straight out of training camp.

In Sunday’s win, Laba was a goal shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick after notching an assist on Sykora’s goal and dropping the gloves with Washington’s Hendrix Lapierre.

Laba hasn’t spent extended time in the minor leagues like Robertson, Chmelar, Sykora and Garand have.

Those four have made the extended wait worthwhile.

With the St. Louis Blues still working to earn a wild card position in this year’s playoffs, and the Avalanche on the cusp of a Central Division title, there was plenty to play for, and Ball Arena was the scene on Easter Sunday evening.

Colorado comes in on the second of a back-to-back, having beaten the Dallas Stars 2-0 in regulation yesterday, and the Blues just secured two points over the Anaheim Ducks and are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.

Valeri Nichushkin was listed as OUT with an upper-body injury ahead of puck drop, so the Avs would go without their best d-man and a very valuable forward.

The Game

This game started strong with both clubs making their intentions clear with a focused defensive effort. It appeared the Avalanche would take the 1-0 lead if not for a coach’s challenge that deemed the play offside.

Shortly after Colorado’s goal was called back, the top line was unable to retrieve and break out of their own, resulting in a net front scramble that eventually ended with Robert Thomas’ one-timer over the shoulder of MacKenzie Blackwood.

The Blue note would establish an early 1-0 lead.

The team in dark blue and burgundy wouldn’t let the lead last long as Parker Kelly notched his 20th of the season and tied things at 1-1.

As mentioned in previous recaps featuring a Kelly goal, Guerilla Sports’ Meghan Angley vowed to adopt a whale if Parker Kelly scored 20 goals. Well, here we are. I wonder what its name will be!

Nathan MacKinnon would earn a late power play in the first, but with too little time remaining in the frame to create. Breaking the 1-1 tie would have to wait until period number two.

The tie breaker wouldn’t come on the opening power play for the Avalanche; in fact, they didn’t have a single shot on net.

Instead, it was Brent Burns who sent a shot from the blue line toward a screening Landeskog. Hofer couldn’t fight through the Swedish distraction and was beaten on the far side by Burns’ shot from distance.

Colorado’s newly minted lead would last all of 29 seconds with Robert Thomas scoring his second of the evening on a perfectly executed two-on-one. Things were tied at 2-2.

Both Hofer and Blackwood would make some timely saves in the middle portion of the second period to keep things tied.

The same would be true for most of the third until Robert Thomas put away the game-winner and hat-trick clinching goal with 2:30 seconds left.

The Avalanche would not overcome the deficit, and winning the division will have to wait.

Blues win 3-2.

Takeaways

Parker Kelly scoring 20 goals is an incredible feat, and he should be proud. Kelly is signed through the 2030-31 season, and if he can consistently be a 20-goal scorer, his $1.7M AAV contract will look like money in the bank.

St. Louis lurking in the wild card conversation is a bit of a suprise but they have been one of the hottest hockey teams in the league since the Olympic break.

I’d presume most Avalanche fans would be okay with Jordan Binnington on St. Louis not making a playoff appearance in 2025-26.

We saw a classy and special honoring of Brent Burns’ 1,000 consecutive games played, and Colorado’s iron man was clearly appreciative but appeared a bit shy in the moment. He’s never come across as a ‘me’ guy, so that makes sense.

Upcoming

A home-and-home will travel to St. Louis for a Tuesday night game between these two clubs yet again.

Let us know what you thought of this contest in the comments!