Islanders Overpower Avalanche Despite Major Injury Losses

The New York Islanders overpowered the Colorado Avalanche 6–3 on Thursday, improving to 15-10-3 and handing Colorado just its second regulation loss of the season—spoiling Brock Nelson’s Long Island homecoming in the process. It was an especially commanding win for New York, not only because of the final score, but because of how convincingly they executed despite missing a host of key contributors.

The Islanders entered the night severely depleted. Alexander Romanov was lost for the season after being on the receiving end of the Mikko Rantanen freight train, and Kyle Palmieri had recently been ruled out for the year as well after tearing his ACL. J.G. Pageau remained sidelined on a week-to-week timetable, with a tentative return projected just before Christmas.

Given the mounting injuries—and the fact that the Islanders had already fallen to Colorado earlier this season at Ball Arena—many viewed this matchup as a scheduled loss.

Compounding matters, Jonathan Drouin, who spent the previous two seasons with the Avalanche before signing a two-year deal with New York in the offseason, was a late scratch due to a back injury. Despite the mounting absences, the Islanders delivered one of their most resilient performances of the season.

Avs Lose Convincingly

Despite all of the adversity the Islanders have gone through leading up to this game, one person who truly believed this team had a chance to deliver the NHL’s juggernaut a defeat, Isles head coach Patrick Roy.

“The focus was to play against the best team in the NHL… I believe that if there’s a team that could surprise them, it’s us,” Roy said.

Patrick Roy says he didn't know he won his 200th NHL game as a head coach until Anders Lee gave him a game puck

"The focus was to play against the best team in the NHL. Like I said to them before the game, I believe if there's a team that could surprise them it's us" pic.twitter.com/jVD2pehRwM
— Islanders Videos (@SNY_Islanders) December 5, 2025

With a 6–3 victory over the Avalanche, New York didn’t simply defeat one of the league’s strongest teams; they brought Colorado’s impressive 17-game point streak to a convincing end.

Sure, the goaltender interference didn’t help, but what also didn’t help the Avalanche is the fact they were bad with the puck and committed a lot of bad turnovers that put the Islanders in prime position to capitalize, and indeed they did.

Mathew Barzal paced the Islanders’ offense with a goal and two assists, while Kyle MacLean, Anders Lee, Bo Horvat, and Adam Pelech each found the back of the net as New York secured its second straight victory. Ilya Sorokin was sharp throughout, turning aside 35 shots, and Casey Cizikas sealed the win with an empty-netter.

#Avalanche 1 @ #Islanders 4 [P2–11:21]:

Goal: Valeri Nichushkin (6)
13’ Deflection

Assists: S.Malinski (12), B.Nelson (9)#GoAvsGo #Isles #NHL pic.twitter.com/7IEpCmjzBU
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalsVideo) December 5, 2025

For Colorado, Valeri Nichushkin, Martin Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen provided the scoring, and Mackenzie Blackwood delivered a 36-save effort in the losing effort.

Next Game

There were, unquestionably, a few bright spots for the Avalanche, and they were all just mentioned. Nichushkin, Necas, and Lehkonen each broke through after prolonged scoring droughts, and Blackwood—despite the loss—made several key saves early that kept the game from spiraling further out of reach.

The best approach now is to take this one on the chin, clean up the mistakes, and return to the form that has carried them through the season so far.

Necas gets a goal for the Avalanche after sneaking a shot through Ilya Sorokin that deflected off an Isles defender. Credit: Brad Penner

The Avalanche (19-2-6) will look to rebound on Saturday when they face the New York Rangers (15-12-2) at Madison Square Garden, opening a back-to-back with a 10:30 a.m. local start.

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December 5, 2025

Los Angeles Kings Coach Is On The Hot Seat – But Not Who You Think

Following 27 games so far in this 2025-26 campaign, the Los Angeles Kings hold a 12-8-7 record and have accumulated 31 points.

With that, they are third in the Pacific Division, coming off two straight losses, with their latest coming against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night. While the Kings remain in a playoff position, they could be in a better position if the team’s power play weren’t the worst in the NHL.

At a 12.9 percent conversion rate with the extra man - the lowest in the NHL - something has to give. Furthermore, with the joint-second-most overtime and shootout losses in the league (seven), a slightly better power play would likely turn those losses into wins.

While head coach Jim Hiller carries the responsibility of the team’s overall style of play, lineup and execution, He isn’t the sole controller of the power play.

The man who specializes in the Kings’ power play and forward group is assistant coach Newell Brown. This is Brown’s second season with Los Angeles as an assistant coach.

NHL Hot Seat Radar: Oilers' Stuart Skinner Steps UpThe NHL Hot Seat Radar series highlights which NHL figures are under serious pressure to improve. The Edmonton Oilers had much better goaltending this past week, while the Flames and Kings still have scoring issues.

Last year, the Kings’ power play wasn’t all that special, finishing 27th in the league at 17.9 percent.

Before Brown’s time with the Kings, he was a member of the Anaheim Ducks’ coaching staff. In his last season with Anaheim, its power play ended the season with an identical 17.9 percent. The Ducks were tied for 25th among the league's best power plays.

Los Angeles Kings (Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)

In fact, Brown’s last successful season as an assistant coach specializing in offense and the power play was with the Vancouver Canucks in 2019-20, when the team finished the campaign as the fourth-best power play.

However, since then, there has been only one season when Brown’s special teams finished better than 25th in the NHL.

During the team’s power-play slump, Hiller has shuffled his players around and has tried different methods regarding personnel on both power-play units, but that hasn’t resulted in improvement.

The Kings have one power-play marker in their last seven games. In those seven outings, Los Angeles had 24 opportunities with the extra man, tied for fifth most in the NHL during that span.

December 5, 2025

Panthers Place Winger On Waivers For Purpose Of Contract Termination

The Florida Panthers have placed Anton Lundmark on waivers for the purpose of contract termination, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported.

The 24-year-old signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Panthers ($975,000) in the off-season, but has yet to be called up to the NHL.

Lundmark has spent the season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers, where he's failed to record a goal or point in nine games. Last season, he played with Timra IK in the SHL, where he scored five goals and nine points in 49 games.

The signing of Lundmark came as a surprise, but with a 6-foot-4, 192-pound frame, the Panthers thought they could develop him into a bottom-six contrubutor.

Clearly, after pre-season and nine games in the AHL, the two sides were in agreement that the best course of action was to terminate his contract with the organization.

According to Johan Svensson, Lundmark will return to Timra as he is still currently under contract with the European team. Timra are tied with Farjestad BK for seventh place in the SHL, and Lundmark's return should help the team improve.

Timra currently rosters a Panthers prospect, Linus Eriksson, a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL draft.

Lundmark's tenure with the Panthers ended quickly, and it will ultimately go down as a failed experiment.

December 5, 2025

Game Preview: Vegas Golden Knights at New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils close out their four-game homestand tonight as they face off against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Recently, the Devils have faced challenges at home, dropping three straight games after going undefeated in regulation at home to start the season.

Looking for a turnaround, the 16-10-1 Devils aim to end their skid as they take on the 12-6-8 Golden Knights.

This morning, the Devils recalled forward Angus Crookshank from the Utica Comets.

New Jersey Devils Recall Angus CrookshankThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils">New Jersey Devils</a> announced on Friday that they have recalled forward Angus Crookshank from the Utica Comets.

Crookshank has played 17 games so far this season with the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. In those games, Crookshank has scored five goals and tallied two assists for a total of seven points.

The center is no stranger to the NHL. In the past two seasons with the Ottawa Senators, Crookshank has played in 21 NHL games. He has a career total of two goals and four assists in the NHL.

Ahead of his potential Devils debut, Crookshank spoke with NJD.tv.

“I’m excited. You want to play in the NHL so any day you can be here it’s great,” Crookshank said. “Hopefully, I can show my stuff.”

As a result of Crookshank's arrival, the morning skate lineup looked different.

Meier-Hischier-Noesen

Palat-Mercer-Bratt

Gritsyuk-Glass-Brown

Cotter-Glendening-Crookshank

Siegenthaler-Hamilton

Dillon-Hughes

White-Nemec

Cholowski - (Lammikko)

Looks like Crookshank is in for #NJDevils & Lammikko is out.

Forward have had a pretty decent shuffle, with the Gritsyuk-Glass-Brown line reunited. They had some solid chemistry early in the season.

And Cholowski looks like he's coming out with White going in.

Here's a look: pic.twitter.com/5F4usUyXmy
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) December 5, 2025

Jacob Markstrom is set to get the start in the net, backed up by Jake Allen.

Ahead of the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe spoke with the media and NJD.tv about the adjustments.

"It's getting greater balance in our lines," Keefe said. "We're playing against a team today that gives you no shifts off. That's really a big part of it."

Another reason for the lineup adjustments is that the Devils are dealing with several key injuries. The full list of injured Devils players is below.

J. Hughes (finger)

Pesce (upper-body)

Dadonov (hand)

Kovacevic (knee)

McLaughlin (undisclosed)

MacEwen (upper body)

Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights enter tonight’s game on a two-game winning streak, having beaten the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks. Ranked third in the NHL for faceoff percentage at 53.9%, the Golden Knights approach tonight’s matchup with fewer injuries, as detailed below.

Lauzon (undisclosed, IR)

Hill (lower-body, IR)

Karlsson (lower-body, IR)

Pietrangelo (hip, IR)

With both teams seeking momentum, the Devils hope to snap their losing streak, while the Golden Knights aim for a third straight victory.

The teams are facing off for the first time this season tonight and will meet again in just 12 days on December 17th.

When asked about the matchup, Jesper Bratt told NJD.tv what the team must do to escape its losing streak.

"It’s going to take our A Game to beat a team like this,” Bratt said. “We’re focused on the first period to play really solid defensively. Don’t give them the inside of the ice.”

The puck will drop at 7 PM.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

December 5, 2025

NHL Waivers: Penguins' Koppanen, Panthers' Lundmark Hit The Wire

The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Joona Koppanen on NHL waivers, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The Florida Panthers also placed Anton Lundmark on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination, Friedman reported.

Koppanen has played in 10 games this season with Pittsburgh, recording one assist, two penalty minutes, four blocks, nine hits and a minus-1 rating. Last season, he had one goal and 40 hits in 11 games for Pittsburgh.

If Koppanen passes through waivers unclaimed on Saturday, Pittsburgh can assign him back to its AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

In six games this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Koppanen has one goal and one assist.

Lundmark, on the other hand, has zero points, four penalty minutes, and a minus-2 rating in nine games this season with the Charlotte Checkers. The 6-foot-4 right winger's most recent appearance with the AHL squad was on Nov. 28 against the Toronto Marlies.

Lundmark signed a one-year, $975,000 entry-level contract with the Panthers back in April. This was after he posted five goals, four assists, nine points and a plus-2 rating in 49 games with Timra of the Swedish League last season.

"Anton is a robust forward who has elevated his game rising through the professional hockey ranks in Sweden," Panthers GM Bill Zito said at the time of the signing. "We look forward to his continued development in our organization."

Assuming Lundmark, 24, clears waivers, the Panthers will terminate his contract, and he will become a UFA who can continue his development in the Swedish League if he wishes.

December 5, 2025

New Jersey Devils Recall Angus Crookshank

The New Jersey Devils announced on Friday that they have recalled forward Angus Crookshank from the Utica Comets.

The 26-year-old center has played 17 games so far this season with the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. In those games, Crookshank has scored five goals and tallied two assists for a total of seven points.

In the past two seasons with the Ottawa Senators, Crookshank has played 21 NHL games, recording 2 goals and 4 assists.

The 2018 fifth-round draft pick signed his current contract with the New Jersey Devils on July 1, 2025, securing his place on the roster through the 2026-27 season.

He is on a two-year, $1,550,000 contract with a $775,000 cap hit per season.

Crookshank joined the Devils at their morning skate ahead of the team's matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights.

December 5, 2025

NHL Insider: Red Wings' Nate Danielson Likely Apart Of Trade For Canucks' Quinn Hughes

The Detroit Red Wings have become the center of NHL trade speculation as reports continue to link the team to superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks.

Credible sources suggest the Red Wings are highly interested in acquiring Hughes. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman added fuel to the rumors, saying Detroit is "very high on my list" when it comes to teams capable of pulling off a deal.

Friedman also discussed what a potential trade package could include if Vancouver were to strike a deal. According to him, the Canucks are reportedly looking for a center, saying, "I'm looking at teams that have like a #2 center that can play with Elias Pettersson, and Detroit has one of those guys," and later expanding, "Detroit does have centers that I think could interest Vancouver."

Friedman clarified that he was not referring to Dylan Larkin, implying that rookie Nate Danielson is the likely candidate. Danielson, a former top-ten draft pick, has already demonstrated his potential, notably in a recent breakout game against the Seattle Kraken where he scored his first NHL goal, had a second goal called off, and recorded the game-winning assist. Danielson could serve as a cornerstone for Vancouver’s potential retool while Hughes would provide Detroit with a key piece to strengthen their defense.

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

Although such a trade could benefit both teams, there are risks involved as many believe Hughes may not re-sign with Detroit and could join the New Jersey Devils in free agency to play with his brothers Jack and Luke. However, the Red Wings have several connections that could make a transition smoother.

Hughes played at the University of Michigan with current Red Wings players, including Dylan Larkin, and previously competed for the Plymouth-based U.S. National Development Program. Detroit also had the opportunity to select Hughes in the 2018 NHL Draft but instead chose Filip Zadina, who is now playing overseas.

At just 26 years old, Hughes is already labeled the greatest defenseman in Canucks history. In 455 regular-season games with the Vancouver Canucks, he has recorded 61 goals and 370 assists for a total of 431 points, while posting a plus-minus rating of plus 25.

Hughes holds the franchise records for career points and assists by a defenseman, surpassing previous marks set by Alex Edler. He reached a career-high 92 points in the 2023–24 season, which won him the James Norris trophy as the league's best defenseman and the lable of the highest-scoring defenseman in Canucks history.

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December 5, 2025

Sabres Ex-Files – Central Division

There are a number of former Buffalo Sabres players scattered throughout the NHL, having a varied level of success this season. Periodically, we will check in to see how their players are faring. Today, we start with ex-Sabres playing for the eight teams in the Central Division. The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues do not have any former Buffalo players currently on their roster, but here are those on the other six clubs.

Colorado

Victor Olofsson - F: After one season in Vegas, the three-time 20-goal scorer signed a one-year deal with the Avalanche and has been providing a solid amount of secondary scoring (6 goals, 11 assists in 27 games).

Dallas

Ilya Lyubushkin - D: The righty blueliner started his career in Arizona, was traded to Toronto, played 68 games for Buffalo in 2022-23, and is now on their fifth NHL club, after stops in Anaheim and a return to the Leafs, before signing with the Stars. In 20 games, Lyubushkin has five assists.

Minnesota

Marcus Johansson, Marcus Foligno - F, Zach Bogosian - D: Johansson has played for seven NHL clubs and is with the Wild for the second time, but at age 35 is on pace to have his best season (8 goals, 12 assists in 27 games) since 2017. Foligno, a Sabres 2009 draft pick, has only two assists in 23 games, while Bogosian, who terminated his contract after six seasons in Buffalo, has one assist in 12 games.

NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-12-07 09:58:33

December 5, 2025

NY Rangers 4 Ottawa 2: Senators' Top Goal Scorer Injured In Senators Thursday Homecoming

After getting back from a seven-game road trip, Thursday night’s game against the New York Rangers wasn’t exactly the homecoming the Ottawa Senators had in mind. J.T. Miller had three assists as the Rangers defeated the Senators 4–2 at Canadian Tire Centre.

But the bigger loss for Ottawa might be centre Shane Pinto, who suffered a lower-body injury, joining the club’s expanding list of walking wounded. Pinto, Ottawa's top goal scorer (12), was injured in the first period on what appeared to be an innocuous body check from former Senator Mika Zibanejad.

Down near the end boards in Ottawa's end, Pinto tried to jump on a loose puck, but as he looked up ice, he took his eye off the puck and missed it, and it slipped off his stick blade. As he opened up to regroup and try to get his stick back on the puck, that’s when Zibanejad made contact. That left Pinto briefly off balance, and his skate appeared to get jammed into the base of the boards.

Before leaving, Pinto went for a brief skate, trying to test out his lower body injury during a stoppage before deciding he couldn't continue.

Senators head coach Travis Green, as is customary, said he hoped to know more about Pinto's prognosis on Friday. When Friday came, all Green would say was that Pinto wouldn't be available for the next game, scheduled for Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues.

“He’s a big loss,” Green told TSN during their Thursday broadcast.

After getting Brady Tkachuk back in the lineup last week, after he had missed 20 games with a thumb injury, the Senators were hoping for a run of good luck in the injury department. Instead, Thomas Chabot was re-injured, and Artem Zub and Lars Eller also missed Thursday’s game. All are now listed as day-to-day, though Zub is expected back on Saturday night.

And now Pinto is banged up as well.

As for Thursday's game, the 4-2 loss to the Blueshirts, Artemi Panarin hit the 900-point mark for his career with a goal and an assist. Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens had the Senators’ goals, and Leevi Meriläinen stopped 23 of 27 shots. Igor Shesterkin was excellent and always seems to have the Senators' number.

Brady Tkachuk had an assist in the game and moved past Wade Redden on the Senators’ all-time scoring list. He is now in fifth place with 411 points.

The Senators are back at it on Saturday at home against the St. Louis Blues at 7:00 p.m.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

December 5, 2025

NHL Rumors: 3 Potential Trade Fits For Sabres' Bowen Byram

During the off-season, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram was a very popular name in the rumor mill. However, he ended up staying put in Buffalo after signing a two-year, $12.5 million contract extension.

Yet, with the Sabres struggling and Byram having the potential to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in 2027, questions about his long-term future in Buffalo are still there. Due to this, he could be a player to watch this season.

If the Sabres end up shopping Byram closer to the deadline, these three teams could be good fits for him.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have been a nice surprise this season and could look to add to their roster because of it. When looking at their group, it is clear that they could use another impactful left-shot defenseman. Because of this, they would make a lot of sense as a suitor for Byram. This is especially so when noting that Byram is still just 24 years old and would fit in nicely on a team on the rise like Philly.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins could be an intriguing landing spot for Byram. The Metropolitan Division club has had a strong start to the 2025-26 season, and bringing in a young defenseman like Byram could help them maintain this kind of momentum. The Penguins' left side could also use improvement, so Byram could be a great pickup for them.

St. Louis Blues

It has been a nightmare season for the Blues, and it would not be surprising if they looked to switch up their roster because of it. They could use another left-shot defenseman, so it would make sense for them to try to bring in Byram. This is especially so when noting that they were heavily linked to him during the off-season as well.

December 5, 2025

NHL Rumor Roundup: Where Could Quinn Hughes Get Traded To? Should The Oilers Pursue Tristan Jarry?

The Vancouver Canucks becoming sellers in the trade market has made them the dominant club in the rumor mill.

It's also made UFA-eligible left winger Kiefer Sherwood a popular target in an otherwise thin trade market thus far.

Quinn Hughes was not considered to be among the Canucks' trade candidates. However, the uncertainty over whether he'll sign a contract extension has raised questions about the 26-year-old superstar defenseman's future in Vancouver. That's generating conjecture about potential trade destinations for the 2023-24 Norris Trophy winner.

The Hockey News' Adam Kierszenblat doesn't think the Canucks should be in a win-now mode this season. That means he thinks the Canucks' brass should sit down with Hughes to discuss his future and whether he would want to play through a retool or rebuild.

If the Canucks peddle Hughes, Kierszenblat believes the Canucks should focus on acquiring prospects and picks over established NHL players.

Ben Kuzma of The Province, meanwhile, believes they'll seek a multi-player return that helps them get younger and eventually better.

Kuzma felt that interested clubs would want assurances that Hughes wouldn't be a one-year rental. He suggested ties to certain teams could determine where he lands, proposing the Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers as destinations.

Hughes spent his formative hockey years in Michigan with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and the NCAA Wolverines. His brothers, Jack and Luke, play for the Devils. Meanwhile, former Canucks coach Rick Tocchet is now the Flyers' bench boss.

Kuzma speculated that the Canucks could seek a return of winger Lucas Raymond, rookies Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Nate Danielson, and a 2026 first-round pick from the Red Wings.

Daily Faceoff's Anthony Di Marco thinks the Canucks would want winger Tyson Foerster and prospect Porter Martone as part of the return from the Flyers. However, they might prefer sending a package to Vancouver centered around a defenseman such as Jamie Drysdale or Cam York.

The asking price from the Devils could include promising defenseman Simon Nemec. Center Dawson Mercer or rookie winger Arseny Gritsyuk could also be part of the deal.

The Red Wings, Devils and Flyers could be reluctant to gut their rosters for Hughes, but interested clubs should be prepared to pay a high price for a superstar of his caliber.

‘I Just Think Losing Is Obviously The Hardest Part’: Quinn Hughes Speaks On The Canucks’ Recent StrugglesCanucks captain Quinn Hughes spoke on the team's recent struggles after dropping their past three games.

Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers' goaltending remains a topic of interest in the rumor mill. Some of the recent talk linked them to Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Earlier this week, NHL.com's Dan Rosen was asked what level of interest the Oilers had in Jarry. He pointed out that they know what they have with inconsistent starter Stuart Skinner, who has backstopped them to consecutive Stanley Cup finals.

Rosen didn't rule out the possibility of the Oilers seeking a replacement, but he noted that Jarry has his own inconsistency issues, plus an injury history. He felt that the only way they would make a move for Jarry is if they believe he can carry them to the Stanley Cup.

Given Jarry's career and his post-season record thus far, it's unlikely he'll replace Skinner in Edmonton.

December 5, 2025

Ducks Overhaul Penalty Kill Personnel, Early Results Promising

The Anaheim Ducks are at a surprisingly critical time in their season, a season in which they’re on track to end their seven-season playoff drought, as they sit atop the Pacific Division standings in early December and 27 games into the 2025-26 season.

However, their position remains a bit precarious, as they have just a one-point lead on the Vegas Golden Knights (32 points), who’ve played one less game than Anaheim (33 points). Also, just five points separate them from being on the outside of the playoff picture, looking in.

After jumping out to a hot start, under a new coaching staff and surprising opponents, teams seem to have adjusted and are better prepared to counter what the Ducks are trying to accomplish on a night-to-night, shift-by-shift basis. As the Ducks have undergone a systemic facelift and dealt with the pitfalls of that adjustment, the backbone of the team to this point in the season has been Lukas Dostal.

Takeaways from the Ducks 7-0 Loss to the Mammoth

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-1 Win over the Blues

Dostal is one week into a 2-3 week timeframe to return from an upper-body injury and has been sidelined for the Ducks’ last five games, where the Ducks have gone 2-3-0. He carried an 11-5-1 record, a .904 SV%, and had saved 10.1 goals above expected (T-12th in the NHL). He, along with the Ducks' early-season ability to outscore their problems, had papered over much of the Ducks’ defensive deficiencies.

One of the areas that needed a tweak was the penalty kill, which currently sits 27th in the NHL, killing at a 75% rate. It’s not an area they can afford to be poor in, as through 27 games, they have taken 97 minor penalties (10th in the NHL) and average 10.2 PIM per game (eighth in the NHL).

The Ducks coaching staff, specifically head coach Joel Quenneville and assistant coach Ryan McGill, have begun to make said necessary tweaks. They began by overhauling their personnel deployment while down a man.

Heading into their game on Monday against the St. Louis Blues, three staples of the Ducks’ penalty kill had been Jackson LaCombe (averaging 3:04 shorthanded TOI), Leo Carlsson (1:52), and Troy Terry (1:48). All three star players were taken off the penalty kill entirely.

Pavel Mintyukov was placed on the top PK unit with Jacob Trouba. The second unit now consists of Drew Helleson and Radko Gudas. The first forwards over the boards on the kill are now Ryan Poehling and Alex Killorn, with a combination of Chris Kreider, Frank Vatrano, Jansen Harkens, and Cutter Gauthier behind them.

“Our penalty killing, I think, we had a great start to the season. I thought we did some good things,” Joel Quenneville said of his unit when asked about taking his trio of stars off the kill. “Then, I think we were getting probably too many penalties, which they’re (the opposing team) going to start to figure it out.

“So I think we can manage the amount of time we’re putting them on the (penalty kill), and at the same time, our group can be more effective by being together, knowing the pressure points, and taking away shooting lanes. It’s a combination of both. Leo and Terry, getting them resting for more of the 5v5 and the power play. It was a lot of ice time, something we looked at.“

The Ducks are now two games into this experiment, and the results have been there. The Ducks have killed seven of eight penalties over the last two games: a 4-1 win over the Blues and a 7-0 blowout loss against the Utah Mammoth.

Terry and Carlsson are both players who possess quality defensive tools. Terry is disruptive and influences attackers to low-danger areas from the wing, while Carlsson can diagnose breakouts and kill plays in the neutral zone or forecheck. However, when placed on the kill together, they were perhaps too aggressive, quick to jump for secondary pressure, and attempted to manufacture offense while down a player.

LaCombe, while an ace at defending the rush, has had his struggles this season boxing out and eliminating sticks at the net front. Too often was the opposing net front forward able to sustainably screen the Ducks’ netminder, get tips on perimeter shots, and put rebounds in the back of the net.

Though the sample is small, the Ducks have found a better balance of aggressiveness and passiveness while in zone on the kill. Carlsson, Terry, and LaCombe are now theoretically freer to focus on the offensive side of the puck, where they’re truly special, and can conserve needed energy for those 5v5 and power play minutes.

The Ducks will have a tall order on Friday, as they’ll host the white hot Washington Capitals, who have won their last six games and nine of their last ten. Despite now leading the Metropolitan Division, the Caps have only converted 17.3% of their power plays (T-22nd in the NHL) and have only generated 7.66 xGF/60 minutes (24th in the NHL) while on the man-advantage. They’ve gone 4-13 (30.8%) on the power play during their current six-game winning streak. Still, this will be a good chance to see how the PK unit is progressing on the Anaheim side.

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-3 Loss to the Blackhawks

Quack of Dawn: Ducks Morning Report - 11/29/25

Lukas Dostal out 2-3 Weeks with Upper-Body Injury, Importance of Upcoming Ducks Schedule

December 5, 2025

Three takeaways: Penalties killed Panthers momentum, Florida needs to start building on positives

The Florida Panthers are stuck in a rut.

Florida dropped their fourth straight game on Thursday night when they gave up a late 1-0 lead to the Nashville Predators before losing 2-1 in overtime.

The defeat was also the fifth in a row on home ice for the Panthers, which is a bit alarming on its own.

Now 26 games into the season, Florida is going to have a lot of work to do if they want to climb out of the Eastern Conference basement and back into playoff contention.

Let’s get to Thursday’s takeaways:

OVERALL TIGHT GAME

Credit to Nashville, who looked like a far better team than the one Florida dominated while skating to an 8-3 victory last Monday in their barn.

This game was far different as the Predators were much more disciplined in their systems and got much better goaltending from Juuse Saros.

That’s about where the discipline stopped for either team, though, as there were a total of 11 power plays on Thursday.

No power play goals, though.

“I think there was offense to have by both teams,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “I think both teams’ penalty kill was really good, and it was a 1-1 game at the end because the goalies were good.”

PENALTIES SHIFTED MOMENTUM

Florida was riding high through the game’s first 40 minutes.

While they held a slim 1-0 advantage, the Panthers were controlling puck possession and racking up the scoring chances.

That all changed thanks to a pair of penalties called on the Panthers, one in the final seconds of the second period and one almost immediately after the first one expired.

While Nashville didn’t score on either power play, starting the final frame up a man for nearly five minutes was enough to build their confidence and shift the tone of the game.

Florida had also enjoyed three straight power plays during the second period, and when many of your power play guys also go out on the penalty kill, that’s a lot of ice time for a select group of players.

“Well, we come out, we're in the box for four minutes in the first five minutes, and at that point in time, we’ve run that top-end of guys because we've had so many minutes on the power play, there's not much rest for them, so (Nashville) get a little quicker than we did,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “Most of their action came in a barrage of shots. It wasn't sustained.”

BUILDING ON SMALL VICTORIES?

It’s not all doom and gloom for the Panthers.

Quite frankly, it can’t be.

There is plenty of hockey left to be played this season, and Florida is a team that still knows its ceiling is much higher than what they’ve shown to this point.

Eventually, things should turn back in a positive direction for the Panthers, but they need to start building toward that immediately.

“You're not going to be confident,” said Maurice. “It's an impossible thing to give. It's got to be earned. You just need to stack up smaller plays, break your game down to incremental things, moving the puck on the tape, finishing checks, just getting pucks on the net instead of picking corners. But, you know, we're cracking posts right now, and at least that part's there. The opportunities are there.”

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Photo caption: Dec 4, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save against Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula (56) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

December 5, 2025

"Trying To Find That Consistency": Red Wings Seek Answers For Recent Porous Defensive Performances

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The Detroit Red Wings are only three points from the top spot in the Atlantic Division, but if they had tightened up defensively in recent games, they could have easily been sitting in the first overall position.

For the sixth time in their last eight outings, the Red Wings allowed their opposition to find the back of the net at least four times in what was a 6-5 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday evening at Nationwide Arena.

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So far this season, the Red Wings have allowed 97 goals, just one fewer than the league-worst 98 surrendered by the St. Louis Blues. Their collective .46 goals-against average also ranks 27th in the NHL.

The Red Wings fought back from 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to grab a 5-4 lead midway through the third period, only to watch the Blue Jackets knot the score late in regulation with goaltender Elvis Merzlikins on the bench for an extra attacker and then later win in the shootout.

Head coach Todd McLellan has repeatedly emphasized how critical it is to limit opposing scoring chances, but once again, the Red Wings are struggling to find that consistency.

"We've all been talking about this for a long time," McLellan said. "There are moments when we do a real good job of it and we look solid then we get away from it. Trying to find that consistency."

While the Red Wings delivered a strong showing on the power play, converting three of five chances, their penalty killing wasn't as effective, surrendering two goals on three man-advantage chances by the Blue Jackets.

Patrick Kane, who scored the 496th goal of his NHL career in the third period, loved the power-play performance of his club, but knows the difference came down to not shutting down the opportunities by Columbus.

Special Teams Help, Hurt Red Wings In Wild 6-5 Shootout Loss To Blue Jackets The Detroit Red Wings secured a point in the standings, but once again allowed their opponent to convert on too many chances and fell by a 6-5 final score in the shootout to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"We got our power-play opportunities and capitalized on the power play....that’s kind of what we expect from that group," Kane said. "We had a good night on the power-play but gave up a couple on the penalty kill and 6-on-5, so it’s kind of what the game comes down to sometimes."

Kane and the Red Wings will continue their road swing by traveling to Seattle for a Saturday night tilt against the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET.

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