Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 5–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Despite a strong first period, Vancouver was unable to keep up to Vegas’ skill throughout the rest of the game. They outchanced the Golden Knights in the first period only, but suffered a brutal collapse in the third period that saw them put up only two scoring chances-for and four shots on net. Throughout the entire game, Vancouver only registered six high-danger scoring chances.
If there were any doubts about Vancouver’s lack of chances, the heat map from last night’s game confirms it. The Canucks were unable to find good areas to take chances from, with their warmest spot on the map being at the faceoff dots. Defensively, they were unable to keep Vegas from scoring from in-tight, as three of the Golden Knights’ five goals came from directly near Kevin Lankinen.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Vegas Golden Knights, February 4, 2026, Natural Stat Trick.
While it wasn’t a great night for most, one trio made their mark in their second-straight game. Vancouver’s line of Liam Öhgren, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland continued to show up for the Canucks offensively-speaking, factoring into both of the team’s goals last night while also playing the most minutes together with 14:16. They also registered the highest CF% with 62.07% while also generating the most scoring-chances for (7).
Though he didn’t factor into scoring, Tom Willander had himself a strong night for Vancouver. The defenceman played the fourth-highest minutes on the team with 20:10, also registering the fourth-highest CF% with 51.43%. Willander also generated the most scoring chances-for on the Canucks (9) while allowing the second-least (4).
Vancouver will now be on break for the next couple of weeks as the 2026 Winter Olympics take place. Seven members of the Canucks organization will represent their countries in Italy, while the rest will have some time off before resuming practice in mid-February. Vancouver’s next game will take place on February 25 at 7:00 pm PT when the Winnipeg Jets roll into town.
Feb 4, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) keeps the puck away from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) during the third period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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.
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.
The Florida Panthers are hoping to go into the NHL’s Olympic break on a high.
Florida picked up a 5-4 shootout win over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night and will complete a pre-pause back-to-back set when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Thursday’s game will be the fourth and final regular season matchup between the cross-state rivals.
So far, the Lightning have won twice in Sunrise while the Panthers picked up two points in their only other trip to the Treasure Coast back in December.
It’s been a much better season for the Bolts than the Cats, despite both teams having to maneuver serious injury issues.
Entering play Thursday, Tampa is tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the Eastern Conference but takes the tiebreaker on both wins and games played.
Florida, meanwhile, sadly sits eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Boston doesn’t play again until after the Olympic break, so Florida can pull within six games of the Bruins with a win on Thursday.
The Panthers received a big boost to their lineup on Wednesday when injured forwards Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell all suited up for the Cats.
A healthy Florida squad will go a long way toward the Panthers making a run at crashing the playoff party.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s tussle in Tampa:
Photo caption: Feb 4, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) speaks to defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) against the Boston Bruins during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro and forward Jeff Skinner have both been included on Chris Johnston's latest trade board for The Athletic.
Ferraro was given the No. 33 spot on Johnston's trade board. This is not the first time that the left-shot defenseman has come up as a trade candidate due to his pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) status.
Johnston noted that the Sharks have had extension talks with Ferraro, so he is a player who they certainly could end up keeping around. However, if the Sharks end up making the left-shot defenseman available for trade, there would likely be a lot of interest in him. This is because he is a solid top-four defenseman who is reliable defensively and is built for playoff hockey.
In 55 games so far this season with the Sharks, Ferraro has recorded four goals, eight assists, 12 points, 94 hits, and 105 blocks.
As for Skinner, Johnston gave the veteran winger the No. 47 spot and noted that his no-trade list has now changed to an eight-team trade list. With this, the Sharks now have some wiggle room to move him if they wish to.
Skinner has been scratched multiple times this season by the Sharks and has not appeared in a game for the Pacific Division club since their Jan. 11 contest against the Vegas Golden Knights. This is even with the 33-year-old forward posting two goals and six points in his last six games.
Teams looking for more secondary offensive production and experience could take a chance on Skinner if he is made available by San Jose. In 32 games this season, he has recorded six goals and 13 points.
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 04: Anton Lundell #15 of the Florida Panthers scores a goal against Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Boston Bruins during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena on February 04, 2026 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Olympic break, folks!
The NHL is officially paused for around three weeks, with players either heading off to Milan or (probably) heading to some kind of tropical locale for a bit of a break.
The Bruins entered the break with a 5-4 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers last night, their second consecutive shootout loss in the cursed state of Florida.
If you don’t want to watch the highlights but want a brief recap of what happened:
It was a back-and-forth game early, but Florida ended up taking a 4-2 lead into the third period on the back of three special teams goals (2 PP, 1 SHG) in the second period.
The B’s tied it up in the third on goals by Mark Kastelic and Casey Mittelstadt.
Brad Marchand ended up scoring the eventual winning goal in the shootout, beating Joonas Korpisalo in the fourth round; Mittelstadt’s attempt was stopped by Sergei Bobrovsky, giving the Panthers the win.
The more notable (and rage-inducing) part of the game came in the first period, when Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis elbowed Charlie McAvoy in the head:
Vilmanis was only given two minutes for an illegal check to the head, and the Panthers actually ended up with a power play because the Bruins were given two minutes for roughing for going after Vilmanis, plus a bonus two for unsportsmanlike conduct by the bench.
Only in the NHL could a player get illegally elbowed in the head and have his team end up disadvantaged.
McAvoy did eventually return to the game, and I imagine Vilmanis will end up getting fined like $1,500 or something today.
I don’t know why, but the “but, anyway” at the end is funny to me.
Vilmanis didn’t skate another shift after the hit, allegedly leaving with an upper-body injury.
Regardless of your (correct) feelings on the McAvoy incident, this was a game that saw the B’s let down by special teams play.
They were given seven PP opportunities, and only converted once — plus, they allowed a shorthanded goal, so…those kind of cancel each other out.
They also allowed Florida to convert on two of their three PP chances, so not a banner night for the PP or PK.
The B’s head into the Olympic break with points in seven consecutive games, and while taking two out of four points on this Florida trip certainly isn’t the worst result, you can’t help but think they left something on the table.
The glass is either half full or half empty, I guess, depending on your perspective.
Over in Milan, things are off to a bumpy start in the ice hockey world, with the Canadian women’s team’s opening game postponed due to cases of norovirus spreading among the Finland women’s team.
A norovirus outbreak in the Olympic village is………..not ideal.
Anyways, the first half(ish) of the Bruins season is over: 32-20-5, 69 points, currently in a playoff spot (with a four-point cushion).
It’s also worth noting that the B’s are only three points from 2nd/3rd in the division.
Overall, this first half feels like a slight overachievement.
Even before Marty Walsh took the job as head of the NHL Players’ Association, he started to hear the same refrain.
In interviews for the job, he’d ask players about their priorities. Get us back into best-on-best competition and back into the Olympics, he was told.
After skipping the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, the NHL had come close to a return in 2022. Contracts were signed, the league’s calendar included a long break in February for players to go to Beijing. The pandemic, and subsequent restrictions on athletes who traveled to China for the Olympics, caused the league to pull out in December 2021.
By the time Walsh was named head of the NHLPA in March 2023, there was no pandemic to worry about. So the conversation quickly got serious about 2026.
After more than a decade without NHL players going to the Olympics, and with an entire generation of the league’s best players never given the opportunity to play in any kind of best-on-best competition, there was broad agreement that something had to give.
“There was never really a negotiation with the NHL,” Walsh told The Post. “It was basically right out the gate, mutually agreed upon that we want to get NHL players back into the Olympics, from Day 1, pretty much.”
It is, of course, one thing to be on the same page about wanting to go to the Olympics, and another thing entirely to make it happen.
On the NHL side, the Olympics come with a particular stumbling block. If they allow their players to go, it is, essentially, the highest-profile hockey event in the world, and the league itself has no control over it and cannot profit off it, at least not directly.
“We have to disappear for two weeks at the height of our season,” commissioner Gary Bettman told The Post. “Which means content for the website, for dot-com, for the radio station, for social media, from us, disappears to a large extent, because we don’t get [intellectual property] rights from the IOC.
“We have to have a compressed schedule. We have to take into account that NHL teams send various amounts of players to the Olympics. Teams like Tampa and the Panthers send 10 players each and we’ve got some teams sending one or two players. Teams are gonna come back in a different place in terms of how they are than when we left. The fact of the matter is, some teams are gonna have a good chunk of their roster a little more tired and banged up.”
Team USA winger Kyle O’Connor says the NHL players are “just chomping at the bit” to play in the Olympics again. Getty Images
Those concerns were shelved during negotiations with the IOC and IIHF for a few reasons.
First, the agreement to go to the Olympics also came with the agreement to hold the 4 Nations Face-Off and, starting in 2028, the World Cup of Hockey. That is a win-win: Players are more than happy to get more opportunities to play best-on-best, and judging by the rousing success of the 4 Nations last season, the World Cup — over which the league and players association have joint control — will be a ratings bonanza and cash cow.
“I think having this consistent schedule moving forward is gonna change the dynamics as far as the fan experience,” Walsh said. “I’m from Boston, I hear it all the time: Is there gonna be another 4 Nations? I try to explain to people, we have a World Cup of Hockey. … I think it’s important for us that people want to see this tournament, make it exciting. That [growth] will be measured at some point; I don’t think you can measure it yet.”
Second, going back to the Olympics was a major priority for the players. It helped, too, that Walsh, unlike certain predecessors, established a strong relationship with Bettman early and the league also recognized that, though the Olympics stood to benefit most from their presence, being there would help grow the game.
Third, negotiations with the IOC and IIHF went well. Costs such as transportation and insurance — the latter of which has turned into an ongoing issue at the World Baseball Classic — needed to be shouldered by those parties. Medical standards identical to the NHL’s were also incorporated.
Sidney Crosby, celebrating during Canada’s win over the U.S. in the gold medal game in 2010, is making his Olympics return. AFP/Getty Images
“Certainly, we weren’t going to pay for the privilege of shutting down,” Bettman said.
The IOC agreed to write the check, so that hurdle was cleared.
“What was not on the list [of issues],” Walsh said, “was the ice. Know what I mean?”
The last hurdle
The first thing that needs to be said about the Santagiulia Arena in Milan is that it is expected to be complete, or, better put, complete enough to stage a competition.
That such a thing was recently in question, though, is a problem unto itself. And if not for the determination of the players, who have taken an attitude that they will play in the Olympics come hell or high water, it’s certainly possible that the state of the arena would be threatening the tournament at large.
The Santagiulia Arena, which will stage most of the men’s games and both the men’s and women’s gold medal games, will have a capacity of approximately 3,000 fewer seats than planned because of construction issues.
Construction of 14 dressing rooms is coming down to the wire, the luxury suites are unfinished, the dimensions of the ice are off by a few feet, the first test event wasn’t held until just a few weeks ago and featured a stoppage of play due to a hole in the ice. The practice rink, which is adjacent to the game rink, has been slow to complete too, though The Post was told last week that it is on schedule.
The good news, relatively speaking, is that the hole in the ice is baked into the expectations for the first game on a new sheet of ice, and not quite as alarming as it sounds. The bad news is, well, pretty much everything else. The ice may be playable, but that is different from the ice being good.
“I was disappointed that the arena wasn’t as much of a priority as we had hoped,” Bettman said. “That they [hadn’t] begun building it sooner, so this wasn’t a bit of a fire drill down the end.”
The NHL and the NHLPA have both tried to keep things diplomatic regarding a situation that will at best narrowly avoid being a total embarrassment. But when Walsh and Bettman spoke to The Post in mid-January, their frustration was obvious.
“I just think when you’re building something like this for the Olympics, I would have thought a sense of urgency would have settled in a lot earlier, where you would have this thing done,” Walsh said. “… You’re talking about the world coming to your city and your country, you would hope that the arena would have been looking — not actually world class — but complete.
Marty Walsh, the head of the NHL Players’ Association, said he knew from the beginning of his tenure how badly the players wanted to return to the Olympics. AP
“From what I understand, they’re working around the clock now. They just started to work around the clock. Quite honestly, they should’ve been working around the clock all along. If it was coming to my city and I was in charge, I’d say let’s get this thing done.”
The NHL’s agreement with the IOC includes the 2030 Games, where hockey will be played in the Stade de Nice in France — a venue that already exists as a soccer stadium, but which will need to be fitted for hockey and divided into two indoor arenas.
The hope is that Kirsty Coventry, who was appointed head of the IOC last year and thus is not taking the brunt of the blame for the current situation, prevents something similar from happening four years from now.
“My expectation is that they learned from the experience,” Bettman said. “And hopefully we won’t see a repetition of it.”
Russia, Russia, Russia
Another point of contention in this return to best-on-best competition: the exclusion of Team Russia, which has been expelled from international competition due to the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
That decision — as regards both the Olympics and the 2028 World Cup of Hockey — is essentially out of the NHL’s and PA’s hands, and perhaps even the IOC’s.
First and foremost, the political echelon in European countries would need to be comfortable with the idea of their national teams playing on the same sheet of ice as Russia’s, an inherently uncomfortable thought given the propaganda value of sport. That question might even supersede those involving ongoing ceasefire negotiations, or the Trump administration’s relative warmth toward Vladimir Putin.
“I wouldn’t isolate the United States because of what’s going on here with the president and his relationship, or lack thereof, with Putin,” said Walsh, who was secretary of labor under Joe Biden when Russian soldiers began marching toward Kyiv. “Nobody’s said to us, ‘Let the Russians play,’ as far as political leadership. It’s a world issue and I think it has to be resolved on a world stage.
“I don’t think Canada and the United States can even begin to open the door here. It really has to be Europe.”
It’s little secret that Russian players want to participate, though most have refrained from commenting on the geopolitical situation, in large part because doing so could affect their families at home.
The IIHF and IOC have signaled openness to allowing Russian and Belarussian athletes at the youth level to play starting in 2028.
“That’s entirely their call,” Bettman said.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he was “disappointed” about all the problems with the Olympic hockey venue. Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn
Drop the puck
Once the tournament begins with Slovakia facing Finland next Wednesday, though, it’s a safe bet that all the concerns will be relegated to the back burner.
If the hockey is good, then a global TV audience won’t care much about whether the luxury suites in the arena are complete, or even if the ice is as good as it could be.
It will be about hockey, Olympic best-on-best hockey, and the stage which produced Sidney Crosby’s golden goal, T.J. Oshie’s shootout heroics, Dominik Hasek carrying Czechia to gold, and the Miracle on Ice will have the spotlight shining on it again.
“I think there’s nothing, in any sport, that compares to our best-on-best,” Bettman said. “The energy, the excitement, the passion, the skill that our players bring to the game is extraordinary.”
Indeed, as the date has grown closer, the excitement to get to Italy has grown palpable in NHL circles. The players, after all, have waited 12 years for this.
“I think everyone’s just chomping at the bit,” Team USA winger Kyle Connor told The Post. “The intensity, the buzz, the awareness of what the 4 Nations brought, now to take that to the scale of the Olympics. As a player, just thrilled to be able to involve more countries as well.
“Just do best-on-best hockey. It’s what you want as a competitor.”
The Montreal Canadiens were playing their last game before the Olympic break on Wednesday night against the Winnipeg Jets, and Martin St-Louis decided to give Samuel Montembeault a start for the first time in two weeks, despite Jakub Dobes’ recent form. It was a gutsy decision from the coach, given the fact that Dobes hadn’t lost in regulation in 10 games and that the Canadiens desperately needed the two points.
A Tough Start
The Habs looked like they weren’t ready for puck drop, but thankfully, Montembeault was. He made several big saves in the first few minutes, and while he did give up a goal just six minutes in, it must be said that the Jets were on a power play at the time, and that there was nothing the goaltender could have done on that shot. Furthermore, that goal stemmed from a Phillip Danault mistake on the penalty kill; he had a golden opportunity to clear the zone, but he tried to clear it down the middle, right where the Jets defenseman was.
The Bécancour native stopped two odd-man rushes in the first frame alone, and it was because of his ability to weather the storm, making 12 stops, that the Canadiens didn’t find themselves in a bigger hole.
He was also able to shut the door for the rest of the game, making 37 saves on the 38 shots he faced for a .973 save percentage. After what he has gone through so far this season, this performance will allow him to head into the break with a positive mindset.
Taming One Of Their Demons
The Canadiens have struggled all season in the second period, so much so that before the game, they had a minus-10 differential in the middle stanza, while the Jets were plus-four, but it didn’t look like it on Wednesday night. The Habs scored two goals in 1:16 to take a 3-1 lead over the Jets.
Josh Anderson found the back of the net first, with a perfect deflection off a Jayden Struble shot after five minutes of play, and then Lane Hutson scored one of his most impressive goals of the season off an Anderson pass. The power forward’s feed was behind the defenseman, who caught the pass on his backhand, pivoted while skating towards the net, and scored short side high up on a Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck.
As for Montembeault, he added another 13 saves to his tally, keeping the Jets at bay and allowing the Canadiens to go back to the dressing room with a 3-1 lead with 20 minutes to go.
The Veterans Stood Up
When the Jets came out strong in the first frame, it was the veteran line of Danault, Anderson and Gallagher who stood up and turned the tide. The three veterans combined for seven points and were a constant pain in the Jets’ side. Danault won 12 of the 18 draws he took, Anderson registered the go-ahead goal early in the second, and Gallagher delivered the gut punch that sent the Jets down crashing early in the third frame.
While many analysts were talking about players’ heads being either in Milan for those who are heading to the Olympics and on holiday for the others, the trio was completely focused on the task at hand.
With his three points, Gallagher is now the 26th-highest scorer in Canadiens’ history with 483 points. The 33-year-old can now set his sights on Vincent Damphousse, who’s 25th, but it won’t be easy to catch him since he’s on 498 points. The diminutive winger is also 14th overall in goals and 38th overall in assists.
After many injury-plagued seasons, he played all 82 games last season and has not missed a game so far this year. He has now skated in 891 games with the Canadiens and will soon overtake Patrice Brisebois, who is in 13th place in all-time games played with the Sainte-Flanelle with 896. If he stays healthy, the veteran could reach 1,000 games before the end of his contract since the regular season will have 84 games starting in 2026-27.
With this 5-1 win, the Canadiens moved into second place in the Atlantic Division, at least momentarily. On Thursday, while the Habs will all be heading out on holiday or to the Olympics, the Buffalo Sabres will be taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins, meaning that when the league shuts down for the break, the Sabres and the Habs will have played the same number of games.
It looked like a trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs was unlikely for the Maple Leafs as they entered their four-game West Coast road trip last week. They had just lost five straight at home and were eight points out of a playoff spot.
It got worse when they lost to the Seattle Kraken last Thursday; Toronto then was 10 points out of the final wild-card spot. That's when reports surfaced that the Maple Leafs might lean towards being sellers as they approach the March 6 trade deadline, which makes a lot of sense.
Toronto was free-falling in the standings, losing game after game. It felt like their season was slowly — and surely — in jeopardy, and that their consecutive playoff streak (the longest in the NHL) was coming to an end.
However, after wins against the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers, Toronto is sitting in a different position. They're now six points out of the final wild-card spot, currently held by the Boston Bruins.
"We talked about coming out of the break, we've got to be prepared and ready to go because we've got, obviously, some catching up to do here," said head coach Craig Berube on Tuesday night after their win in Edmonton.
"But three wins going on the break is a good boost for our team, and I'm proud of our team, the way they competed on this road trip."
All of this begs the question: Where do the Maple Leafs go from here?
The case for being sellers
I think we could all agree that the Maple Leafs have gotten beaten up on the trade front in recent years.
The Fraser Minten-Brandon Carlo deal with the Bruins is one example of that (though Carlo's game is on an upward trajectory as of late). I think you could say the same with paying the Philadelphia Flyers a first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin for Scott Laughton.
Now, Laughton and Carlo are important to the Maple Leafs' makeup, but many believe it was an overpay for those two in particular. I would agree, to a degree (we'll save that for another day).
Toronto, though, could recoup some of those lost assets ahead of this year's deadline if they decide their season is over.
They've got a few trade chips in unrestricted free agents, like Bobby McMann, whose 19 goals are one off matching a career-high set last season. Laughton is also a UFA at the end of this season.
Those two in particular (McMann, especially) could bring back a decent return.
McMann's a strong, powerful skater who can score and is cheap at a cap hit of $1.35 million. Laughton is a faceoff magician and an incredible teammate. If they're calling it quits on the season, the Maple Leafs need to capitalize on an investment.
Carlo and Simon Benoit have also surfaced as players that Toronto could move to regain some draft capital.
A retool for the Maple Leafs would be approved by most if they remain outside of a playoff spot.
But in their current position in the standings, could they wait a little longer after the Olympic break to decide on the season? They must have several alternative options if things go south, or north.
But apparently not.
TSN's Chris Johnston reported on Wednesday that the Maple Leafs' stance on the trade front hasn't changed, despite inching closer to the second wild-card spot in the East.
"From the Brad Treliving side of things, the Leafs' front office, they've started garnering and engaging in what their players are worth on the market," Johnston reported.
"I don't expect a three-game winning streak, and even perhaps if it extends beyond the break, where the Leafs win a couple games out of the break, I don't believe that's going to alter what this front office wants to do...
"I think the Leafs are going to get a good sense over the break, in terms of what the value is for (their players) is on the market, monitor those decisions. And as we get closer to March 6, I do still think you're going to see the Leafs sell, to some degree."
The case for staying in the playoff race
If you're a Maple Leafs fan, this could likely be what you want.
And I don't blame anyone for wanting Toronto to try to remain in the playoff picture.
This season, more than ever, feels wide open. Aside from the Colorado Avalanche, there are no real sure bets to win the Stanley Cup. Don't get me wrong, there are some strong teams, like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars.
However, I believe that, when all the chips are down, Toronto still has dangerous enough players to hang with those teams. The same goes for them against the Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings, all of whom sit higher than the Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.
The playoffs are a different animal, though.
Keep in mind, Toronto's season has featured some pretty big highs and lows, which is why I'd say if you still have belief, you're not entirely wrong for it.
They lost Anthony Stolarz for a few months, but Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby held down the fort. Thesame occurred on defense with Carlo during the months he was out. They're also currently without Dakota Joshua (lacerated kidney) and Chris Tanev (groin) — both important players in the grand scheme.
Auston Matthews is back to being himself. William Nylander is flying. And if their win against Edmonton taught us anything, it's that when the Maple Leafs play like a team, they're still a robust hockey club.
It's still okay have hope in them; it's what being a fan is all about.
Remember, too, that the Olympic break could do some damage to teams, whether it's injuries or decelerating a club's hot streak. There are definitely a couple of teams in each conference that are riding the high of a strong season.
"I don't know about it," said Berube on whether the almost three-week break could throw some teams into a rut.
"I mean, listen, the Olympics are going to have a lot to say about that, in my opinion. Coming out of the Olympics, you never know what happens, injuries and all that sort of thing.
"But we can't worry about that. We've got to make sure we're prepared and we get the work in when we get back to work and get ready to go again. Right out of the break, we've got two tough opponents in Florida."
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 26: Tage Thompson #72 of the Buffalo Sabres handles the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 26, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-12, 68 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ Buffalo Sabres (32-18-6, 70 points, 3rd place Atlantic Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and MSG-B, streaming on ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The path for most of the players is an enviable one to spend some time with their families in tropical confines during the NHL’s three-week Olympic break that starts after tonight. The Pens don’t play again until three weeks from tonight at home against New Jersey (Feb 26) leaving for a lot of R&R in the future for most of the team.
Opponent Track: The Sabres have slowed down recently, if ever-so-slightly. They’ve traded wins and losses in the last four outings (beating LA, losing to Montreal, beating Florida and losing to Tampa [OT]) and are 6-2-2 in their last 10. That’s pretty decent, but then again they were 8-2-0 in the prior 10 game stretch and 8-3-0 before that. Since Thanksgiving, Buffalo’s 23-8-2 record is the best in the NHL.
Season Series: The Penguins won 4-2 back on November 26th, dropping Buffalo to 29th place in the NHL with a 9-10-4 record. That wasn’t quite rock bottom for the Sabres (they would lose 5-0 to NJ in the next game) but it was close. After tonight’s game, Buffalo makes one more trip to Pittsburgh on March 5th to close out the three-game season series.
Hidden Stat: Pittsburgh has points in five-straight road games (4-0-1) and are 7-1-1 in their last nine road games, per Pens PR.
Getting to know the Sabres
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Josh Doan – Noah Ostlund – Konsta Helenius
Isak Rosen – Tyson Kozak – Brock Malenstyn
DEFENSEMEN
Mattias Samuelsson / Rasmus Dahlin
Bowen Byram / Owen Power
Zach Metsa / Jacob Bryson
Goalies: Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis
Potential scratches: Zach Benson, Jordan Greenway, Michael Kesselring
Norris, who last played on Jan 14, was nearing a return. It remains unknown as of now if he’ll be able to comeback for this last game before the break or if they will keep him to the side until afterwards.
The break is coming at a good time for Buffalo, Benson and Greenway are also dealing with injuries and starting goalie Luukkonen unfortunately had to pull away from Team Finland due to his injury.
The man dubbed the ‘Lyon King’ has been instrumental in Buffalo’s turn of play. Alex Lyon is 11-1-0 with a 2.08 GAA and .930 save% since December 7th when the Sabres started making their big turnaround. Ellis played on Tuesday against Tampa, so presumably the net will be Lyon’s tonight.
Many others, of course, have been stepping up too. Thompson has 36 points (17G+19A) in the last 28 games. Dahlin (10G+19A) has been amazing as well. McLeod (6G+20A) has been stacking up points. Tuch (13G+11A) in his last 27 is playing his way into a big ticket in his contract year.
It’s a big shame that Norris (who has played 8, 50, 56 and now 19 games this season) can’t stay off the IR. His talent is right there but his availability has not allowed him to unlock it.
Key to the game: Which offense comes through?
This game features the two hottest offenses since Christmas, with Pittsburgh and Buffalo tied at exactly 4.05 goals/game. The better question could be reversed for which defense and goaltending can stand up to those offenses but it does stand to reason that the winning team is going to need (at least) four goals tonight.
Another key will be the first period. The Penguins are tops in the NHL with 28 total goals in the first periods since Christmas, the Sabres aren’t far behind with 26. Pittsburgh has been stingier by only allowing 11 first period goals, compared to 20 by Buffalo. A strong first is a great base to have for the rest of the game, the Penguins can’t rest on that alone since Buffalo has been great in the second periods (outscoring opponents by a combined score of 26-13). As a result, the Sabres have only been trailing in one game out of their last 20 after the second period mark.
A troubling statistical outlook shows the Sabres as a team that gets stronger as the game goes along (29 third period goals). The third has been the weakest for the Pens, giving up 20 goals. This likely will not be a comfortable game if the Pens are clinging to a late lead, but that situation is often times better than the alternative.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Brett Kulak / Ryan Shea
Ilya Solovyov / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner
Potential Scratches: Rutger McGroarty, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves
IR: Kris Letang, Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (suspended), Jack St. Ivany
The Penguins had an off day yesterday as they finish out this stretch.
Mantha has been red hot lately, almost a shame the break is coming up to stop his recent tear. It’ll be interesting to see how the Pens’ productive second line stacks up against a Buffalo team that can roll two solid defensive pairs in the matchup category there.
Canada won the last Olympic gold medal that featured NHL players when it defeated Sweden 12 years ago. Bruins center Patrice Bergeron took home his second Olympic gold medal that year.
The Bruins have actually had a player win Olympic gold in each of the last three tournaments that included NHL players:
2014 in Sochi: Patrice Bergeron, Canada
2010 in Vancouver: Patrice Bergeron, Canada
2006 in Turin: P.J. Axelsson, Sweden
Will another Bruins player(s) win gold this time?
Here’s everything Bruins fans need to know about the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Bruins players competing
The Bruins will have eight players (plus prospect Dans Locmelis) competing at the Olympics. Only the Tampa Bay Lightning (nine), Minnesota Wild (nine) and Florida Panthers (10) will have more NHL players in Milan-Cortina.
United States
Jeremy Swayman, Goaltender
Charlie McAvoy, Defenseman
Czechia
David Pastrnak, Right wing
Pavel Zacha, Center/wing
Sweden
Elias Lindholm, Center
Hampus Lindholm, Defenseman
Finland
Henri Jokiharju, Defenseman
Joonas Korpisalo, Goaltender
Latvia
Dans Locmelis, Center
Key format details
Teams will receive three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime or shootout win, one point for an OT or shootout loss and zero for a regulation loss.
In the preliminary rounds, overtime periods are 3-on-3 for five minutes. If the score is tied after OT, a shootout will determine the winner.
If the score is tied after regulation in a qualification playoff, quarterfinal, semifinal or bronze medal game, there will be a 10-minute 3-on-3 OT period. If neither team scores in OT, a shootout will determine the winner.
If the gold medal game is tied after regulation, 20-minute 3-on-3 overtime periods are played until there is a winner. There is no shootout in the gold medal matchup.
Preliminary round games involving Bruins players
Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images
David Pastrnak will be aiming for Olympic gold with Czechia.
Each of the 12 teams will play three preliminary round games from Feb. 11 through Feb. 15. Every team advances to the single-elimination tournament, with the top four teams receiving a bye to the quarterfinals.
(All times ET. All games also available on Peacock).
Wednesday, Feb. 11
Slovakia vs. Finland, 10:40 a.m. on USA Network
Sweden vs. Italy, 3:10 p.m. on USA Network
Thursday, Feb. 12
Czechia vs. Canada, 10:40 a.m. on USA Network
Latvia vs. United States, 3:10 p.m. on USA Network
Friday, Feb. 13
Finland vs. Sweden, 6:10 a.m., USA Network
France vs. Czechia, 10:40 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14
Sweden vs. Slovakia, 6:10 a.m.
Germany vs. Latvia, 6:10 a.m. on CNBC
Finland vs. Italy, 10:40 a.m. on USA Network
United States vs. Denmark, 3:10 p.m. on USA Network
Sunday, Feb. 15
Switzerland vs. Czechia, 6:10 a.m. on CNBC
Denmark vs. Latvia, 1:10 p.m. on CNBC
United States vs. Germany, 3:10 p.m. on USA Network
When is the medal round?
Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will play a key role on Team USA.
There will be four qualification playoff games on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The four quarterfinal games will be played on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The two semifinal matchups are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 20. The bronze medal game is Saturday, Feb. 21 and the gold medal game is set for Sunday, Feb. 22.
The gold medal game will start at 8:10 a.m. ET on NBC.
Other important info to know
–Olympic hockey typically has been played on a larger rink than the standard NHL size, but the 2026 Olympics will use NHL rink dimensions.
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 26: Josh Dunne #44 of the Buffalo Sabres battles against Ryan Shea #5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 26, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
With the NHL prepared to hit pause on the 2025-26 season, two of the most unlikely playoff contenders will meet before the Olympic break begins and players scatter either to Italy for The Games or to some far away dentation for some earned R ‘n R.
On the shores of Lake Erie, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres will meet later this evening in a crucial showdown of two teams with playoff aspirations looking to build momentum heading into their extended time off.
Puck drop between the Penguins and Sabres is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Pens Points…
At 3:00 PM on Wednesday, the NHL’s Olympic roster freeze went into effect, putting a temporary stop to most player movement until later this month. When the freeze lifts, it will be a sprint to the NHL trade deadline which will be less than two weeks away. [Pensburgh]
Two wins in two tried made for a perfect weekend for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with victories over Syracuse and Lehigh Valley. To top it off, defenseman Matt Dumba was named AHL Player of the Week after recording six points across the two games. [Pensburgh]
There were serious injury concerns surrounding Anthony Mantha when the Penguins signed him over the summer, but the thought was if he could stay healthy and produce, he could be flipped at the deadline. Well he’s stayed healthy and has been productive, but don’t hold your breath for a trade to come. [The Hockey News]
It’s barely February and already several Penguins have posted career seasons or are well on course to do so. Connor Dewar is one of those players, having setting new career marks in goals and points while playing a pivotal role of the Penguins lethal fourth line. [Trib Live]
In hopes of getting his develop back on track, the Penguins recalled prospect Melvin Fernstrom back to North America from his pro team in Sweden and have assigned him to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins where he will spend the rest of the season. [Trib Live]
Defenseman Caleb Jones has been suspended 20 games for violating the NHL performance enhancing substance policy. The suspension is without pay and Jones will receive a mandatory referral to Player Assistance Program for evaluation and possible treatment. [NHL Relations]
NHL News and Notes…
For years, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare tried and failed to help his native France qualify for hockey at the Olympic Games. Now 40, Bellemare will captain his home country in its first Olympics since 2002, and the tournament will serve as his swan song as a player. [AP]
A pair of NHL superstars will have the honor of carrying their nation’s flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics this Friday in Milan. Leon Draisaitl will escort the German flag around the San Siro while David Pastrnak will do the same for his native Czechia. [NHL]
Just before the Olympic freeze went into place, the long rumored trade of Artemi Panarin was completed, with the New York Rangers sending the winger to the Los Angeles Kings for a prospect and a pick. Panarin signed a two-year extension with the Kings as well. [Sporting News]
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings visit the Vegas Golden Knights after Andrei Kuzmenko scored two goals in the Kings' 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken.
Vegas is 8-4-4 against the Pacific Division and 26-16-14 overall. The Golden Knights have a 5-4-4 record in games their opponents commit fewer penalties.
Los Angeles is 23-18-14 overall and 5-2-8 against the Pacific Division. The Kings are 18-1-7 in games they score at least three goals.
Thursday's game is the third time these teams meet this season. The Golden Knights won 3-2 in overtime in the previous matchup.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mark Stone has 20 goals and 36 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has six goals and one assist over the past 10 games.
Quinton Byfield has 11 goals and 19 assists for the Kings. Adrian Kempe has five goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 3-5-2, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.6 assists, 2.3 penalties and 5.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Kings: 4-2-4, averaging 2.4 goals, four assists, 4.3 penalties and 11 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.
Kings: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 04: Josh Manson #42, Nathan MacKinnon #29, Valeri Nichushkin #13 and Devon Toews #7 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate after a goal against the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on February 04, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
In their last game before the NHL Olympic break, the Colorado Avalanche took on the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena. While they tried to lose but were unsuccessful, the Avalanche secured a 4-2 win before a group of eight players head off for the Winter Olympics in Milan.
Let’s break down all the action from tonight!
First Period
After a lackluster offensive performance in the last game, the Avalanche brought some energy to start the game and outshot San Jose 14-5. Of course, there was more power play futility to witness as the Avalanche couldn’t convert on two early opportunities. While the Avs had some good looks overall in the first period, Yaroslav Askarov stopped every single shot he saw, and kept this game at a 0-0 tie heading into the second period.
Second Period
Just over a minute into the second period, Artturi Lehkonen would get the Avs on the board first and give them a 1-0 lead as he crashed the San Jose net, and managed to find the puck in a scramble and put it past Askarov. There was a video review to make sure there wasn’t anything illegal in the mess at the net front but the goal stood.
Lehkonen would give the Avs a 2-0 lead, as Nathan MacKinnon would find him with a phenomenal cross-ice pass as he came flying into the offensive zone, and he made no mistake and one-timed the puck past Askarov. With 17 shots put on net in the second period alone, the Avalanche were firmly in control after the second period.
Third Period
It should have been an easy win at that point but San Jose would tie the game at 2-2, though, with goals from Timothy Liljegren and Philipp Kurashev, both of which came early in the second period. Liljegren would beat Mackenzie Blackwood with a one-timer, and Kurashev would manage to put a bit of a knuckle-puck past Blackwood to tie the game.
After that the game felt a bit tense for the next 10 minutes but Josh Manson saved the day and scored the go-ahead goal to give the Avs the lead back, as he let a one-timer rip from the point and beat Askarov cleanly to give Colorado a 3-2 lead.
Brock Nelson would add an empty-net goal for the Avalanche after that, giving us the final score of 4-2 and a secured victory.
Takeaways
It was certainly nice to see the Avs end on a high note before heading off for the NHL Olympic break. Over the past few games, it wasn’t really hard to see that they had kind of looked past these games and seemingly were just wanting to get to the Olympic break, which is understandable, but it was still nice to see them depart for the next three weeks riding off of a win. Now, Colorado gets some really valuable time for their injured players to rest up and relax, while a handful of them head off to Milan to represent their respective countries in the Olympics. Hopefully, we get to watch some exciting Olympic hockey, and the rest of the Colorado team now gets some valuable time to rest up before the NHL regular season continues after the break.
Upcoming
With the NHL Olympic break now in full swing, Colorado’s next regular-season game is at home on Wednesday, February 25th against the Utah Mammoth at 7 p.m. MT.
The Vancouver Canucks will officially enter the 2026 Winter Olympic break after a 5–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Two defencemen found the scoresheet for Vancouver, with Elias Pettersson and Pierre-Olivier Joseph scoring the Canucks’ lone two goals of the game. Kevin Lankinen made his second consecutive start, stopping 26 of 31 shots faced and will now head to Italy to represent Finland at the Olympics.
Despite not being the most eventful, the start of this game didn’t go poorly for the Canucks. They managed to limit Vegas to seven shots on goal while also killing a penalty. While Lankinen did end up having to make a couple of big stops, for the most part, Vancouver did their due diligence to keep high-danger chances away from their goaltender.
Vancouver’s power play has been a talking point as of late as well, as prior to tonight, they’d only scored once in their last nine games. As a change-up, the Canucks switched their first-unit up by subbing Garland in for Jonathan Lekkerimäki. They were unable to convert on their lone power play awarded in the first period, generating only two scoring chances.
Tonight was a big game for defenceman Elias Pettersson, who faced his fair share of challenges in the first period after being crunched into the boards by Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar. In the second period, it was the young Pettersson who gave the Canucks a bit of life by joining the rush and scoring after Vancouver quickly allowed two goals.
Last game, the line of Liam Öhgren, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland played well for the Canucks. This trio repeated their efforts tonight, generating some jump early on in a scoreless first period while also generating a fair amount of chances for the Canucks. Vancouver’s first goal of the game came as a direct result of this line’s drive into the O-zone, with Blueger’s retrieval along the boards factoring into Öhgren’s rush feed to Pettersson. This line’s efforts didn’t stop there, however, as more O-zone pressure from the trio gave Joseph the space to shoot the puck on Akira Schmid, giving the defenceman his first goal as a Canuck after being denied earlier in the game.
Despite being able to cut their deficit to one, Vancouver suffered a brief collapse at the start of the third period that allowed Vegas to widen the gap to three within the span of a minute. Pavel Dorofeyev was left all alone at Lankinen’s back-door on the Golden Knights’ first goal of the third period, while Alexander Holtz capitalized on an open opportunity in the slot to make it 5–2 for Vegas. From there, the Canucks were unable to generate enough quality chances to cut the lead, putting only four shots on goal during the final period.
"You've gotta experience it," Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said post-game of what can be worked on regarding not letting quick goals-against impact the team. "We're a young team [...] we're going to see blips of it here and there. We need everyone on board and when we're playing our best hockey, everyone is, we had blips of it today, but we just have a tiny breakdown there, a couple mistakes on a couple of goals, leave the slot open just on bad reads, and that'll continue to be worked on, and it is what it is. It's a young group. This level of a team, that experience, they're going to take advantage of that in these situations."
The Canucks will officially enter the 2026 Olympic break with a record of 18–33–6, cementing themselves safely in 32nd in the NHL throughout the bulk of February. When they return, they could end up regaining quite a few bodies in the lineup, as Marco Rossi, Brock Boeser, Filip Chytil, Nils Höglander, and Zeev Buium are all currently out.
Feb 4, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) skates against Vancouver Canucks left wing Liam Ohgren (92) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Canucks enter the 2026 Olympic break with a record of 18–33–6
Vancouver has scored only power play goal in their last 10 games
Teddy Blueger is now up to four goals and three assists in eight games since returning from injury
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
No Scoring.
2nd Period:
5:09 - VGK: Jack Eichel (20) from Rasmus Andersson and Mark Stone
6:34 - VGK: Cole Reinhardt (3) from Braeden Bowman and Shea Theodore
7:11 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (D) (2) from Liam Öhgren and Teddy Blueger
7:39 - VGK: Ivan Barbashev (16) from Mark Stone and Jack Eichel
19:51 - VAN: Pierre-Olivier Joseph (1) from Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger
3rd Period:
2:33 - VGK: Pavel Dorofeyev (25) from Mitch Marner and Reilly Smith
3:31 - VGK: Alexander Holtz (3) from Keegan Kolesar and Jeremy Lauzon
Up Next:
With tonight’s loss, the Canucks are now on break as the 2026 Winter Olympics begin. Elias Pettersson (Sweden), Kevin Lankinen (Finland), Teddy Blueger (Latvia), Anri Ravinskis (Latvia), Filip Hronek (Czechia), David Kämpf (Czechia), and Lukas Reichel (Germany) will now head to Italy to represent their respective countries. Vancouver’s next game isn’t until February 25, when they take on the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena at 7:00 pm PT.
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.
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.
The Calgary Flames closed out the pre-Olympic break schedule with bragging rights, knocking off the Edmonton Oilers 4–3 in a spirited Battle of Alberta on Wednesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Calgary struck first and wasted no time doing it. On their opening shot of the game, Mackenzie Weegar slid the puck to Jonathan Huberdeau at the top of the circle, and he snapped a far-side wrist shot past Tristan Jarry for a power-play goal just minutes in. The tally marked Huberdeau’s 10th of the season and set the tone for a special-teams-heavy opening frame.
The second period delivered the physical edge expected in a rivalry game. Joel Hanley and Ty Emberson dropped the gloves in a spirited bout that energized the building, and Calgary fed off that momentum. After hemming Edmonton in their zone, Zach Whitecloud sent a point shot toward the net that deflected off Connor Zary and in, extending the Flames’ lead to 3–1.
Edmonton pushed back once again on the power play before the break. Connor McDavid worked the puck to Evan Bouchard, who found Draisaitl at the side of the net for his second power-play goal of the night, trimming the deficit to 3–2. The assist marked Bouchard’s 300th career NHL point.
The Oilers finally pulled even early in the third when Kasperi Kapanen threw a puck on net that slipped through Cooley, with Bouchard collecting his third assist of the game. But the tie was short-lived.
Moments later, a broken-play scramble saw the puck bounce to Ryan Lomberg, who jammed it home after Jarry couldn’t control the rebound. That goal stood as the winner, sealing a 4–3 Flames victory in a game that had the intensity of playoff hockey.
Cooley finished the night with 36 saves to earn his seventh win of the season, helping Calgary head into the Olympic break on a high note.
Three Takeaways
1. Special teams stole the spotlight
Both teams leaned heavily on the power play, combining for four man-advantage goals. Calgary capitalized twice, while Edmonton’s top-ranked unit answered right back, keeping the game tight from start to finish.
2. Devin Cooley continues to deliver
Under constant pressure, Cooley stood tall with 36 saves and made several key stops to preserve the lead. Adding his first NHL assist was the cherry on top of another confident performance.
3. Matvei Gridin keeps making his case
Gridin recorded a goal and an assist and looked comfortable in a high-tempo rivalry game. Even with a likely return to the AHL during the break, his play made it clear he’s knocking on the door for a longer NHL stay.
DENVER — Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, Josh Manson netted the go-ahead goal at 12:44 of the third period, and Nathan MacKinnon notched his 700th career assist in a two-assist performance as the Colorado Avalanche overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4–2 at Ball Arena on Wednesday.
Valeri Nichushkin set up three of Colorado’s goals, while Brock Nelson also scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves to secure the victory for the Avalanche (37–9–9), who are 3–3–0 in their past six contests. The win also ended a three-game home losing streak, as the team had not triumphed at Ball Arena since a 5–2 victory over the Washington Capitals on January 19.
MacKinnon on reaching 700 career assists: “I think everyone gets a little better as they get older. I’ve played for 13 years, so it’s not that impressive… I think this could end at any moment. I’m not thinking about any milestone; I’m truly not.”
Nathan MacKinnon post-game media availability.
Phillip Kurashev and Timothy Liljegren scored for the Sharks and Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves in a valiant effort between the pipes.
First Period
Nelson came close to opening the scoring early, threading a crisp cross-ice pass to Victor Olofsson, whose one-timer was expertly denied by Askarov’s blocker.
Just under four minutes in, Parker Kelly was whistled for slashing John Klingberg, giving Colorado its first power-play opportunity. The Sharks’ penalty kill, however, held firm, allowing only a single shot on goal.
Later, Nelson was sent to the box for hooking Kurashev, but San Jose’s man advantage was brief. Alex Wennberg was assessed a hooking minor of his own, creating 41 seconds of 4-on-4 action before the Avalanche returned to the power play for just over a minute.
Colorado generated several dangerous chances, including a prime rebound opportunity for Lehkonen, who swung at a loose puck only to be denied by an impressive pad save from Askarov. Moments later, Jack Drury was struck by a MacKinnon shot and went down in pain. The play was immediately halted, though Drury later returned. Despite the pressure, the Avalanche’s power play remained scoreless.
Shots on goal are 21-6 for the Avalanche, which was ironically Randy Johnson's record during the D-Backs 2001 World Series winning season.#goavsgo#avs@TheHockeyNews
The team earned another man-advantage opportunity with 2:22 left in the period after Kiefer Sherwood—making his Sharks debut following a trade from Vancouver—was penalized for holding Brent Burns.
Second Period
Colorado broke through just 1:05 into the second frame. A loose puck in the crease triggered a chaotic scramble, with players tumbling into the blue paint as Askarov sprawled along the goal line. Lehkonen emerged victorious, jamming the puck home to give the Avalanche a 1–0 lead.
MacKinnon to Lehkonen.
Lehkonen has scored both goals for the Avalanche tonight. And that's his 19th of the season.#goavsgo#avs@TheHockeyNews
Later, Kurashev was called for high-sticking Cale Makar, giving Colorado its third power play of the night, but the team was once again unable to convert.
Lehkonen struck again with a blistering one-timer from the right circle off a MacKinnon feed, doubling the lead to 2–0. The assist marked a milestone for MacKinnon, the 700th of his career.
The period ended with Colorado holding a commanding 2–0 lead and an overwhelming advantage in shots, 32–13.
Third Period
San Jose responded quickly, scoring twice within the first four minutes. Liljegren opened the period with a point shot that beat Blackwood, followed shortly by Kurashev, who capitalized on a turnover at center ice for a breakaway to tie the game.
Colorado regained the lead with 7:16 remaining when Manson received a pass from Nichushkin and unleashed a slap shot over Askarov’s glove during 4-on-4 play, as Macklin Celebrini and Brent Burns were serving separate penalties.
Nelson sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 1:17 left, sending the Avalanche home with a 4–2 win.
Brock Nelson gets the empty-net goal to make it 4-2.
Brent Burns goes off for slashing… and then it’s overturned after officials determined his stick was broken prior.
With the three-week Olympic break underway, the Avalanche will return to action on February 25 on the road against the Utah Mammoth. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time.
Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images
Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
