The Buffalo Sabres began their four-game homestand against the Boston Bruins on a sluggish note, stumbling through the opening 40 minutes and trailing 2-1 before rallying to take the lead, but the Sabres allowed Boston to tie the game late in the third and lost 4-3 in overtime on Pavel Zacha’s goal 38 seconds into the extra frame.
The Buffalo rally was due mainly to the work of pesky Zach Benson, who blew past a defender at the end of a Bruins power play and scored, and drew an undisciplined penalty from Boston’s Mason Lohrei, which resulted in Jason Zucker’s second power play goal of the game. Former Sabre Casey Mittelstadt evened the score with six minutes remaining, before Zacha gave the Bruins the win, slipping a wrist shot five-hole past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media after the game:
What happened on the overtime goal?
I think we just didn't play the entry well. Our forward that was back, kinda got caught on the D side. We opened up the shot. I didn't really like our first forward, that he swung by Pastrnak either........you're out of your zone and responsible for a guy or your man on man as soon as he gets over the blue line.
What was the reason for the improved play in the third?
(We) went back to simple, went back to working harder. Those first two periods were probably our poorest periods of last three months. I thought there's a lot of things, puck decisions weren't very good. You're playing a team that's battling as hard as it can to stay in a playoff picture. They won more battles. I don't think (that) had anything to do with being sluggish; that has a lot to do with willpower. To get over the puck and make sure you win your battles. And we didn't win enough of them. Started at the start of the game, and then you watch some of our puck play in the second period that we just gave them opportunities. In the third period, we got back to playing our game, (we) went north, put the puck in the right place, had a good power play, created turnovers. We didn't give up anything.
What did you think of the play of Conor Timmins in his first game in three months?
I thought Timmins on our penalty killing (was) rock solid, and that penalty killing has been hurting now for a little bit.
Your changes on special teams seemed to work well:
We're trying to move some things around. We were just trying to, and I thought the power play looked really good for only practicing once. Move (Tage Thompson) around a little bit, use them in the bumper, try to get them up high on top of the circle, try to get him in different places where they they got to try to find them and let those guys operate low. But I thought he made a great play on the on the second (power play goal), going behind the net.
The Hockey News released their edition of the top 100 NHL-affiliated prospects in their Future Watch 2026 issue.
Featuring in these rankings were three St. Louis Blues players. Those being defenseman Adam Jiricek, and wingers Justin Carbonneau and Otto Stenberg.
Adam Jiricek, D, Brantford Bulldogs
Coming in at No. 14 in THN.com’s rankings was Jiricek, a 6-foot-3, right-handed defenseman. Jiricek is enjoying a stellar season with the Brantford Bulldogs in the AHL, finishing the regular season with 19 goals and 59 points in 55 games. His Bulldogs team enters the OHL playoffs as the No. 1 seed and the favorites to win it all.
In addition to his strong OHL campaign, Jiricek posted five goals and six points in seven games at the world juniors, forming a shutdown top pairing and leading Czechia to a silver medal.
Jiricek was the third-highest-ranked defenseman in these rankings. The former 16th overall pick of the 2024 NHL draft will join the Blues organization next season, likely starting with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL. But he'll have every opportunity to impress and attempt to make the roster out of training camp.
Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
It would be challenging to find a player the Blues organization is more excited for than Carbonneau. The 19-year-old did everything he could to earn a roster spot out of training camp this season, and fell just short. But he didn’t pout or mope around; instead, he scored 51 goals and 80 points in 60 QMJHL games. His 51 goals tied him for the most this season.
Carbonneau was a surprise omission from Team Canada’s World Junior Championship team, as his shot and physicality could have helped the Canadians in the medal round.
Nevertheless, Carbonneau ranked 29th and will also join the Blues organization next season, and he could very well start the season in the NHL. Standing 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Carbonneau could develop into a power forward with a real strong scoring touch. His talent will fit in nicely with the U-25 core the Blues have built.
Stenberg’s season has been split between the NHL and AHL, but his game hasn’t altered, which brings him in at No. 62 in these rankings.
Despite being listed at just 5-foot-11, Stenberg shows no fear flying into puck battles and getting to the front of the net.
In the NHL, the 20-year-old has posted two goals and nine points in 24 games, averaging 13:48 of ice time. In the AHL, he scored four goals and 15 points in 33 games. Although the production isn’t eye-popping, he contributes in several ways.
He’s not necessarily a lock to make the team out of training camp next year, but the NHL experience he’s accumulating as the season winds down should provide him with the confidence to stand out during pre-season.
Future Watch 2026 looks at the world's best prospects from every angle. We analyze the top 10 in the pipeline for each NHL club and count down the top 100 in the game.
In addition, we take an in-depth look at how the Seattle Kraken are refining their development system, and we profile several of hockey's best youngsters, including Anton Frondell, Tij Iginla and Sebastian Cossa.
Tonight’s battle between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights has massive playoff implications, and I expect Zach Hyman to play a big factor.
Find out why in my Oilers vs. Golden Knights predictions and NHL picks for Thursday, March 26.
Oilers vs Golden Knights prediction
Oilers vs Golden Knights best bet: Zach Hyman Over 0.5 points (-135)
Zach Hyman has a point in three of his last five games and 17 points in 20 career games against the Vegas Golden Knights.
I'm expecting the Edmonton Oilers to score in bunches tonight, especially with Vegas struggling down the stretch, allowing four goals in three of their last four games.
One reason for Vegas’ struggles lately has been a poor penalty kill, which is not ideal with the league-leading Oilers power play coming to town on a three-game scoring streak.
Oilers vs Golden Knights same-game parlay
The Oilers blue liner leads all NHL defensemen with 80 points, 61 of which are assists. He’s also registered an assist in 12 of his last 15 games
I’ll actually back the Oilers to win tonight, too. They’re 8-2 on the moneyline in the last 10 meetings against Vegas, and the Golden Knights have lost four of their last five.
Oilers vs Golden Knights SGP
Zach Hyman Over 0.5 points
Evan Bouchard Over 0.5 assists
Oilers moneyline
Oilers vs Golden Knights odds
Moneyline: Oilers +115 | Golden Knights -135
Puck Line: Oilers +1.5 (-220) | Golden Knights -1.5 (+165)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 | Under 6.5
Oilers vs Golden Knights trend
The Oilers have covered the second-period puck line in 16 of their last 20 road games for +16.8 units and a 69% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Oilers vs Golden Knights
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet West
Oilers vs Golden Knights latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Abbotsford Canucks goaltender Ty Young earned his first career AHL shutout against the Colorado Eagles, stopping 23 shots in a 4-0 win on March 7. Young, a fifth-round Canucks pick in the 2022 draft, has split the last two seasons between the AHL and ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings.
“[The] team came out hot, played really good in front of me,” Young commented post-game, “that kind of just carried the momentum forward and felt pretty good after that, a little bit more comfortable. It takes the nerves away a little bit.”
The 21-year-old goaltender has played 24 games for Abbotsford, with an overall record of 11-13. Young played junior hockey with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars in northern BC, appearing in parts of four seasons with the team. Young also played 17 games with the Junior A AJHL Calgary Canucks ahead of being drafted by the professional Canucks organization.
The shutout came in Young’s third game back after his most recent callup from Kalamazoo. Young credited his 13-game midseason ECHL stint as a good refresh ahead of his second AHL run, having started his Abbotsford campaign with seven straight losses.
“The opportunity I got there to go down and play and figure out my game a little bit. I couldn't be more grateful for that. Obviously, didn't want the start that I had this year, but all you can do is just kind of build, grow, and learn from it.”
“I just kind of feel a lot stronger now, and it's great. Getting a little bit looser almost and just kind of going back to having fun with it and feeling less pressure.”
With Nikita Tolopilo called up to play for Vancouver in lieu of the injured Thatcher Demko, Young has been sharing the crease with AHL veteran Jiří Patera as the Abbotsford season nears its end. It has been a revolving door of skaters and netminders alike in Abbotsford due to a plethora of injuries to the NHL and AHL squads. Young and Patera are two of six netminders who have played at least a period for the Canucks this season, including an emergency back-up goalie who entered a game in Colorado earlier in the season after Young left early with an injury.
Young signed his entry-level contract in 2023, which went into effect when he became a pro last season with Kalamazoo and Abbotsford. Young is one of three goalies drafted by the Canucks in the last five years, along with 2021 fifth-round pick Aku Koskenvuo, who also got his first AHL shutout earlier this season with Abbotsford, and 2025 second-round selection Alexei Medvedev.
It has been an underwhelming season for Abbotsford overall, a tough turnaround after their 2025 Calder Cup win. The team were the first to be eliminated from the AHL postseason, and currently sit at the bottom of the league standings as the regular season comes to a close. At the time of writing, the team sits last in Goals For and has the third-highest Goals Against in the AHL. Young and Koskenvuo are the only goalies to have earned a shutout this season, as Abbotsford have struggled throughout the year to keep pucks out of their zone and especially out of their net.
Still, there is promise for the young netminder. As the Canucks enter their rebuilding phase, a developing goalie like Young is a promising asset for years to come. The team will have another goaltending logjam at the start of next season, barring any trades, as Tolopilo will need to pass through waivers to join the AHL squad, just as Calder Cup MVP Artūrs Šilovs would have had to before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. With the organization having Demko and Kevin Lankinen signed on for next year, it will be an uncertain offseason for the Canucks goaltending depth chart. Eyes will be on all the young netminders, including Young, who has practiced on occasion with the big club, as they now turn to their future potential.
“Dream come true,” Young commented on his Vancouver experience, “They were my favourite team growing up. So, to be able to go there and just be a part of that group and be one of the guys there is obviously a dream. So, hopefully [I] can go up there full-time soon.”
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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The Hockey News' main site revealed players 61-80 for their latest top NHL-affiliated prospect rankings on Wednesday. A Montreal Canadiens goalie prospect made the cut, as Jacob Fowler was given the No. 67 spot.
Fowler being named one of the NHL's top prospects by THN is not surprising in the slightest. The 21-year-old has the potential to become a very good goaltender at the NHL level and has shown promise this season with the Habs.
In 13 appearances with Montreal this campaign, Fowler has a 6-5-2 record, a .899 save percentage, a 2.72 goals-against average, and one shutout. With this, the 2023 third-round pick has had a nice start to his NHL career.
Fowler has also been fantastic while in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this season. In 27 games with the AHL squad on the year, he has a 19-7-1 record, a .916 save percentage, a 2.23 goals-against average, and three shutouts. When noting that this is his first full AHL season, the 6-foot-1 goaltender has certainly been impressive.
With Fowler being so young and already showing this much promise, it is hard not to be excited about his future with the Canadiens. It will be fascinating to see how he continues to develop his game from here.
The Montreal Canadiens host the Columbus Blue Jackets in a monumental matchup for Eastern Conference playoff positioning. Both teams hang onto their divisional seeds by a narrow margin.
My Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks favor the Canadiens, who sport arguably the best line in hockey right now.
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens prediction
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens best bet: Juraj Slafkovsky anytime goal scorer (+165)
Juraj Slafkovsky has played at a 43-goal pace since December 20 (nearly half the season), ranking eighth in the NHL in goals during that time. He's also tied for fifth in power-play goals since then, and faces a 21st-ranked Columbus Blue Jackets penalty kill.
He's fifth in league scoring since returning to that line and has four goals across a current three-game streak.
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens same-game parlay
Speaking of hot streaks, Caufield is riding a four-game assist streak, totalling five apples. The 44-goal man has seven points in his last two games. This one has insane value at plus odds, especially given the uptick in his linemate's goal scoring.
Convincingly, the Montreal Canadiens have won seven of the last nine against Columbus, including seven straight wins from November 2022 to 2024. They've won two straight at home, totaling 12 goals.
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens SGP
Juraj Slafkovsky anytime goal scorer
Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists
Canadiens moneyline
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens odds
Moneyline: Blue Jackets +100 | Canadiens -120
Puck Line: Blue Jackets +1.5 (-240) | Canadiens -1.5 (+195)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens trend
The Over has hit in three straight meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens.
How to watch Blue Jackets vs Canadiens
Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
Date
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN2
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Vancouver Canucks can directly sink the Los Angeles Kings’ sagging playoff hopes.
The two teams meet for the first of three final-month matchups, and the Kings are desperate for points, starting the day three points back of Nashville for the final Wild Card spot in the West.
My Kings vs. Canucks predictions and NHL picks will stick to the total, where the Under is looking mighty tasty for a pair of teams in the Bottom 4 in scoring.
Kings vs Canucks prediction
Kings vs Canucks best bet: Under 6.5 (-135)
Scoring continues to be a problem for the Los Angeles Kings, ranking 29th at 2.61 goals per game, and they've seen the Under cash in five of their last eight games.
The Vancouver Canucks are in a similar boat, ranking 31st in scoring, and these teams have a 6-3-1 Under record in the last 10 matchups, including each of the last two meetings.
Don't expect a track meet at Rogers Arena tonight.
Kings vs Canucks same-game parlay
L.A. might have trouble scoring, but Quinton Byfield hasn’t of late. He had two goals last game in a 3-2 shootout loss to Calgary, giving him four in the last four games. He should be able to match his lone career goal vs. Vancouver in 12 games.
Elias Petterson probably wants this season over, but at least he’s producing, with two goals and five points in his last four games. He can break a four-game pointless drought against the Kings tonight.
Each of L.A.'s last six road games coming off overtime have gone Under the total. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Canucks.
How to watch Kings vs Canucks
Location
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
Date
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet Pacific
Kings vs Canucks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Florida Panthers will wrap up this week’s two-game homestand on Thursday night in Sunrise.
After picking up a 5-4 shootout win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, Florida will play home game No. 37 of 41 when they host the Minnesota Wild at Amerant Bank Arena.
With the season winding down, the Panthers and their fans are keeping a close eye on the standings.
Unfortunately, it’s not the same kind of experience that Cats fans have been able to enjoy over the past several years.
This season the Panthers will see their franchise-record seven-year playoff streak come to an end, but with Florida’s 2026 first-round pick being top-10 protected, the standings-watch is still happening.
Entering play Thursday, the Panthers remain among the NHL’s bottom-10 teams.
Florida holds a 35-32-3 record, good for 73 points, which slots them as the ninth-lowest point total in the NHL. And for what it’s worth, of the eight teams below Florida, only one of them (the New York Rangers) are in the Eastern Conference.
When they hit the ice on Thursday, the Panthers will be missing several regulars from their lineup.
In addition to the long-injured Sasha Barkov, Jonah Gadjovich and Cole Schwindt, Florida will be without Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola, Uvis Balinskis, and A.J. Greer, who will be serving the second game of a three-game suspension.
Minnesota, meanwhile, is comfortably holding on to third place in the Central Division. They have a 12-point edge over fourth-place Utah, so barring anything crazy, the Wild will be a divisional playoff team.
Lately it’s been a bit of a mixed bag for the Wild, though.
Over the past two weeks, Minnesota has lost five of seven, with four of those five defeats coming against teams that aren’t in a playoff position.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s meeting with Minnesota:
Photo caption: Jan 24, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) is met by Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) at the blue line in the third period at Grand Casino Arena. (Matt Blewett-Imagn Images)
The Ottawa Senators have been one of hockey’s best teams for nearly two months, vaulting into the East's second and final wild-card spot.
They try to make it five straight wins with a three-game regular-season sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, March 26.
My Penguins vs. Senators predictions and NHL picks have Ottawa taking advantage of the short-handed visitors to stay red hot.
Penguins vs Senators prediction
Penguins vs Senators best bet: Senators moneyline (-145)
Since January 25, the Ottawa Senators are 15-3-2, earning the league's second-most points in that span.
They’re a Top-8 scoring team, but the real difference has come in net, where they have a minuscule 2.15 goals against average, by far the best in the NHL.
Now they get the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have been outscored 11-3 in their last two games.
Ottawa's handled Pittsburgh this season, with a 4-0 shutout and a 3-2 win, part of this current playoff surge.
The Pens likely won't have Evgeni Malkin or Anthony Mantha, two of their five leading scorers.
Penguins vs Senators same-game parlay
Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist last time out in a 3-2 win over the Red Wings. He has five goals in his last 10 for Ottawa and has two goals against Pittsburgh this season.
Not a surprise that Sidney Crosby will be asked to take on a bigger offensive load with others out, and he gets a generous 2.5 shots on goal line Thursday. Sid has had at least four shots on net in four of his last six.
The Senators have hit the Moneyline in 15 of their last 20 games (+8.80 Units / 29% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Senators.
How to watch Penguins vs Senators
Location
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
Date
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN5
Penguins vs Senators latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 14: Sergei Murashov #1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes a save in the third period during the game against the Utah Mammoth at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 14, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The goals against numbers are starting to pile up, and there are not many cards left for the Pittsburgh Penguins to play in an effort to fix it.
The trade deadline has come and gone, so there is no move to be made to add outside defensive help.
There is also no immediate help available in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that can offer much of a fix.
Aside from simply playing better, cutting down on the turnovers, and getting back to controlling games the way they were a couple of weeks ago, there is not much else the Penguins can do from a personnel standpoint to fix the defense. Switching defensive pairs and defensive partners might just be a case of rearranging deck chairs.
There is, however, one player in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that could potentially fix some things, and it is prized goalie prospect Sergei Murashov.
Not only does Murashov have the talent and upside to be a franchise goalie for the next decade, just by the nature of being a goalie he is the one player that could significantly improve things in the short-term. Goalies change everything.
From a big picture standpoint, I am not entirely ready to say Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs have been the biggest problem over the past 10-11 games. Going into Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, the duo had basically allowed the number of goals that had been expected of them given the chances they were facing and what the Penguins were allowing in front of them.
They were not stealing much, but they were not the biggest cause of the goals against issues.
That changed a little bit on Tuesday with Silovs against the Avalanche.
You might disagree, but not only was that game not as lopsided as the 6-2 final score would suggest, I thought the Penguins played better in that game than they did in their win on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. I thought it was one of their best recent games in terms of generating chances, they had a pretty significant scoring chance and expected goals advantage, and they really carried play for long stretches of time. It is not always as simple as this, and sometimes we might lean on this a little too much and oversimplify the game, but this was definitely a game where goaltending was the difference.
Scott Wedgewood made every big save the Avalanche needed him to make. And he made a lot of them. Silovs did not make a single one for the Penguins.
It is one thing when your goalies are not stealing games and just doing what is expected. You can still compete with that and win with that if the team around the goalies is playing well enough.
It is something else entirely different when goalies start losing games for you.
You also sometimes need a goalie to steal a game or two for you. That is the thing that is not happening at the moment.
That is also where Murashov could come into play, because with his upside and talent he is the type of goalie that could, in theory, steal a game for you and steal some big saves. He has the upside to potentially do more than just make the saves you are supposed to make.
Given the Penguins ongoing goalie rotation, Stuart Skinner is going to start Thursday’s game against the Ottawa Senators. If he plays well in that game, I would give him Saturday’s start against the Dallas Stars. If he plays well in that game, you go from there and maybe start shifting away from the goalie rotation and let somebody try to run with the job.
If he does not play well on Thursday, and the Penguins lose another big game in the standings by allowing four or more goals, I think that is when you start seriously having the Murashov discussion. Because what else can you do at this point other than simply play better in front of the goalies? And while that does need to happen (and while I think it can happen), you still need something more from the goalies.
As we saw on Tuesday, a bad goaltending performance can still swing a better overall performance against you.
The argument against calling up Murashov is that he is only 21 years old, has only a handful of NHL games, and that inserting a young goalie like that into a playoff race could be an extremely risky move. Especially when the team itself is struggling to defend. There is definitely a risk to it. It could go very badly in the short-term.
But there is also an upside to it, and there is SOME precedent for a goalie in this situation getting a chance late in the season for a playoff team.
Not a ton of precedent. But some.
I went back over the past 25 years and searched for goalies that fit the following parameters:
Age 24 or younger
Between 5 and 15 games played in the NHL that season and or their career as a whole
Getting their first real, meaningful playing time late in the season for a playoff team
I only found a handful of players that fit into it. But they are interesting.
In a small way, this is kind of what is happening in Montreal right now with Jacob Fowler. With the Canadiens clinging to their playoff spot and having major goaltending questions all season, the 21-year-old Fowler has started three of the team’s past seven games. He has not received the bulk of the playing time, but he is still there and might have more upside than Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes are currently giving them.
Late in the 2023-24 season a young Silovs received three starts in April with the Vancouver Canucks due to an injury situation, and then received the bulk of the playing time in the playoffs. He played well enough to get the Canucks into the second round.
During the 2015-16 season we have Matt Murray with the Penguins. After appearing in just 13 regular season games in his debut season, with the majority of them coming after March, he took advantage of his opportunity at the start of the playoffs and never gave it up in helping lead the Penguins to a Stanley Cup. Just as was the case with Silovs in 2023-24, injuries played a big role in this, but he made the most of his opportunity. The difference here is that 2015-16 Penguins team was an absolute monster that was steamrolling every team it played. That is not to say that Murray did not play well (because he played very well), but there was a very strong supporting cast around him. Then he helped them win another Stanley Cup the next season. This team, while exceeding expectations and perhaps still legitimately very good, is not anywhere close to that level.
In 2011-12, the Washington Capitals turned to 22-year-old Braden Holtby, with almost no NHL experience, late in the season and let him take the starting job into the playoffs. He posted a .935 save percentage (after posting a .922 mark at the end of the regular season) and had the Capitals in Game 7 of the second round, a 2-1 loss away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
These are the best recent examples I can find that would fit this scenario. The previous ones have mostly worked.
If you are good enough to do it, you will.
If it does not work that well and getting beat in a couple of games ruins the player’s psyche that much that it ruins their long-term development, that is probably a concerning development for a very different reason.
I understand the argument against it.
I am also not going to argue that goaltending has been the only problem.
But it IS the one move that could be made that could make a big impact. There should come a time here very shortly where the Penguins make that call. Or at least give it serious consideration. There are not many other options.
The Hockey News revealed players 61-80 for their last top 100 NHL-affiliated prospects rankings. After Blackhawks prospect Vaclav Nestrasil landed the No. 83 spot, three more Chicago prospects have made the cut this time around: Sacha Boisvert, Marek Vanacker, and Kevin Korchinski.
Boisvert was given the No. 61 spot on THN's rankings. The 2024 first-round pick appeared in 26 games this season with Boston University, where he had three goals and 17 points. This is after he had 18 goals and 32 points in 37 games last season with the University of North Dakota. He signed his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks earlier this month, so the promising forward will soon be getting his professional career started.
Vanacker was given the No. 68 spot on THN's list, and like Boisvert, he certainly has good potential. The 2024 first-round pick has had a big season with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, as he has 47 goals and 82 points in 60 games. With numbers like these, there is no question that the 6-foot-1 forward has good skill.
As for Korchinski, he was given the No. 80 spot. The left-shot defenseman is still looking to cement himself as a full-time NHL defenseman. While the 2022 seventh-overall pick has had some growing pains, he certainly has the potential to become a good blueliner in the NHL.
The Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 on Tuesday, are back in action on Thursday night. They come in 4-3-3 in their last 10 as they continue to develop young players who will impact them in the future.
This will be a match against the Philadelphia Flyers, who come in 6-3-1 in their last 10. For Philly, they sit five points below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference. The Blackhawks have a chance to spoil any chance of a miracle run for them.
Scouting Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Flyers are having a better year than anyone would have expected before it began, but they have a lot of work to do. There are good young players on their roster, but more steps must be taken for the organization to get over the hump.
Barkey-Zegras-Tippett
Bump-Dvorak-Konecny
Grundström-Cates-Michkov
Glendening-Couturier-Hathaway
Sanheim-Ristolainen
York-Drysdale
Seeler-Juulsen
Ersson
Vladar
Trevor Zegras has had a healthy bounce-back season, his first with the Flyers after a big trade with the Anaheim Ducks. Playing in their top six has given him a boost.
Travis Konecny didn’t make Team Canada at the Olympics after being on the 4-Nations Face-Off team, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t deserving. He is a great player that Chicago’s defense must have an eye on when his line is out there.
Matvei Michkov is on the third line, and his season isn’t going the way he had hoped after a strong rookie year, but the skills are there for him to change a game at a moment’s notice.
Philadelphia’s defense is a big reason that they are even in the race at all. Travis Sanheim was a Team Canada guy in Milano Cortina, and he plays a key role on this team in the NHL.
Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York, and Jamie Drysdale lead the depth on the blue line, as they all bring different strengths that Blackhawks forecheckers/back-checkers must pay attention to.
In goal, the Flyers have found success with either Samuel Ersson or Dan Vladar in the net. Vladar started on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, so expect Ersson against the Blackhawks.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are going to have Sacha Boisvert making his NHL debut. This comes one game after Anton Frondell made his debut. The Blackhawks are continuing to get younger by inserting more prospects that are ready to compete and make the team better.
Greene-Bedard-Frondell
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Lardis
Burakovsky-Donato-Mik
Teravainen-Boisvert-Slaggert
Vlasic-Levshyunov
Kaiser-Rinzel
Del Mastro-Crevier
Knight
Anton Frondell is on the first line, as he should be. His play in his first post-draft season earned him that opportunity before he ever even stepped onto an NHL sheet. He impressed in his NHL debut, a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders.
Sacha Boisvert isn’t at the same level as Frondell, but multiple tough two-way players like him are needed on every team. Playing on the fourth line to dip his toes into the NHL waters is perfect
It looked a little strange for Teuvo Teravainen to be on the fourth line in the last game with Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty, but it makes a lot more sense with Boisvert down the middle instead. This line has some skill and a little bit of toughness that should make waves in all three zones.
Arvid Soderblom was excellent in the win over the Islanders. Now, expect Spencer Knight to get the nod against the Flyers. Each goalie will be heavily relied on as the season comes to a close.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 PM CT.
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The Vancouver Canucks (21–41–8) have finally reached the end of their eight-game March home stand, with their final game taking place against the Los Angeles Kings (28–25–15) tonight. Vancouver has gone 2–5–0 so far through the home stretch, with their most recent match being a 5–3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The Kings, one of the handful of Pacific Division teams battling for a wild card spot in the playoffs, last played in a 3–2 shootout loss against the Calgary Flames.
Vancouver will be seeing lots of the Kings as they prepare to round out their 2025–26 season. Tonight’s game marks the first of three that they’ll play in against Los Angeles ahead of the season end, with their other matchups coming on April 9 in California and April 14 in their final game at Rogers Arena this year. The last time these two teams faced off was on November 29 in a 2–1 overtime loss for Vancouver.
With Los Angeles still looking for a playoff spot, and Vancouver officially eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the week, tonight’s game could be one of a few that the Canucks play spoiler for in the Kings’ post-season wishes. Los Angeles has lost their last four games, though they have picked up two overtime loss points during this stretch, while yet another defeat would put them in an even deeper point deficit than before. If Vancouver stays consistent to some of their efforts through the home stand, they may end up being a big factor into the Kings missing out on the playoffs.
Players To Watch:
Elias Pettersson
Fresh off a night that saw him score his 500th NHL point, Elias Pettersson will be a player to watch on the Canucks tonight. He had two power play helpers in his team’s loss to the Ducks, with his line also scoring his team’s third goal of the game. Including this effort, the forward is now up to five points in his past four games. Adding to that, he is two goals away from becoming ninth-all time in franchise goals scored — a milestone that would see him pass former Canucks captain Bo Horvat on the list.
Artemi Panarin
Prior to his team’s loss to Calgary, Artemi Panarin had scored a goal in six of his past 10 games. Since joining the Kings via trade, he’s scored six goals and 11 assists in 15 games played. His most recent run of play has been even more impressive, with the forward putting up a six-game point streak before the loss to the Flames. As Los Angeles’ leading scorer, he’ll be a player to watch come tonight.
Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) battle for the puck during the overtime period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Vancouver Canucks (21–41–8):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 15–28–43
Filip Hronek: 8–33–41
Brock Boeser: 17–20–37
Jake DeBrusk: 15–18–33
Linus Karlsson: 13–17–30
Goaltenders:
Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1
Kevin Lankinen: 8–24–5
Nikita Tolopilo: 5–6–2
Jiří Patera: 0–1–0
Los Angeles Kings (28–25–15):
Points:
Artemi Panarin: 25–49–74
Adrian Kempe: 26–33–59
Kevin Fiala: 18–22–40
Quinton Byfield: 17–23–40
Brandt Clarke: 8–30–38
Goaltenders:
Darcy Kuemper: 17–13–13
Anton Forsberg: 11–11–5
Pheonix Copley: 0–1–0
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
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After a big win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens will take on yet another team that’s fighting for its playoff life on Thursday night: the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rick Bowness’men recently overtook the Pittsburgh Penguins in second place of the Metropolitan Division, but they only have a one-point lead over Sidney Crosby and co. Columbus has a 6-3-1 record in its last 10 games and has won its last two duels with the Habs. The two teams still have two games left to play against each other, with their last meeting of the season scheduled for April 11.
Neither coach has confirmed who will get the start in net, but the smart money says we should get a duel between Jakub Dobes and Jet Greaves. The Czech netminder was amazing for the Canadiens on Tuesday night, stopping 41 of the 43 shots he received, and he’s earned this start. He’s only faced the Blue Jackets once in his career and has a 2.79 goals-against average and a .870 save percentage. As for Jacob Fowler, he has never taken them on. Regardless of who mans the net tonight, both goalies should see some action this weekend as the Habs have a back-to-back, facing the Nashville Predators on Saturday and the Hurricanes on Sunday.
At the other end of the ice, Columbus’s number one goaltender, Jet Greaves, has a 2-0-0 record against the Habs, but his stats aren’t great with a 3.36 GAA and a .889 SV. Meanwhile, Elvis Merzlikins has a 3.44 GAA and an .880 SV.
Up front, the Canadiens’ top line is red hot right now, with Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky being on seven-game point streaks and Cole Caufield being on a six-game point streak. Suzuki is the Habs’ most productive forward against the Jackets with 18 points in just 16 games, followed by Brendan Gallagher and Mike Matheson, who both have 16 points, the former in 32 games and the latter in 23. Caufield comes in fourth place with 13 points, but he only needed 11 games to rack them up. The sniper has seven goals in his last six games, and he's chasing the 50-goal milestone. He currently has 44 lamplighters with 12 games to go and is on pace for 52 goals on the season. As for Lane Hutson, he has five points in four games against Columbus, including two points in the first duel between the two teams this season.
Former Hab Sean Monahan is the Blue Jackets’ most productive player against the Canadiens with 22 points in 29 games. Charlie Coyle comes in second place with 21 points in 29 games, and defenseman Zach Werenski comes in third place with 18 points in 22 games. Montreal will also need to keep an eye on Kirill Marchenko, who has six points in seven duels with the Habs and is second in scoring for the Ohio outfit this season.
While Columbus has won the last two games between the two sides, they’ve only won three of the last 10 confrontations, and their last win in Montreal was in February 2022.
The Canadiens are currently hanging on to third place in the Atlantic Division with 88 points, the same total as the Boston Bruins, who are in the first wild card spot, but Montreal has two games in hand. The Habs have a three-point lead over the Ottawa Senators, who currently hold the last playoff spot in the east, and Montreal also has a game in hand on them.
The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on RDS, TSN2, and FDSNOH. Graham Skilliter and Jake Brenk will officiate, while Tyson Baker and Kyle Flemington will be the linemen. This will be the Canadiens’ last home game before a five-game road trip that will see them play five times over eight days. They will then have a four-game homestand in the second week of April before ending their season with a short two-game road trip.
