Todd McLellan Speaks On Integrating Justin Faulk Into Red Wings Defensive Corps

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As part of their 2026 NHL Trade Deadline acquisitions, the Detroit Red Wings picked up veteran defenseman Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues.

Faulk, who crossed the 1,000 career games played threshold this season, was acquired by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman in exchange for Justin Holl, a first- and third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and forward prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov.

While he wasn't able to play in Detroit's 3-1 setback on Friday evening against the Florida Panthers, they expect him to be slotted into the lineup for Sunday evening's tilt against the New Jersey Devils. 

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Following practice in Detroit on Saturday before they departed for New Jersey, head coach Todd McLellan said that while they anticipate Faulk suiting up, they'll observe how he acclimates to his new teammates. 

“We're going to put him in and play him, and we'll have to observe just how comfortable he'll be in playing with certain partners," McLellan said. "We may think, ‘He'll fit really good with Ben Chiarot,’ and that is the plan a little bit to put him there, and get your four guys rolling out,” McLellan said of Justin Faulk.

“But we have to observe and pay attention to who he is playing well with, and see how it goes with his partner.”

Right now, no decision has been made as to which defenseman will slot out of the lineup for Faulk. 

Detroit hopes Faulk’s presence will help stabilize their increasingly precarious position in the standings. Just a week ago, the Red Wings held second place in the Atlantic Division, but after two straight losses combined with wins by their division rivals, they now occupy the first Wild Card spot.

While Faulk is expected to make his Red Wings debut immediately, the same can't be said about David Perron, who was re-acquired on Thursday evening from the Ottawa Senators. 

Perron, who played for the Red Wings from 2022 through 2024, underwent sports hernia surgery in January and isn't expected to be available to play for at least the next two weeks. 

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Calgary visits Washington after Farabee's 2-goal game

Calgary Flames (25-30-7, in the Pacific Division) vs. Washington Capitals (31-26-7, in the Metropolitan Division)

Washington; Monday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Calgary Flames visit the Washington Capitals after Joel Farabee's two-goal game against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Flames' 5-4 win.

Washington has a 31-26-7 record overall and a 19-11-3 record on its home ice. The Capitals have a +12 scoring differential, with 199 total goals scored and 187 allowed.

Calgary has a 9-18-3 record in road games and a 25-30-7 record overall. The Flames have a -33 scoring differential, with 153 total goals scored and 186 allowed.

Monday's game is the second time these teams match up this season. The Capitals won 3-1 in the previous matchup.

TOP PERFORMERS: Alexander Ovechkin has 24 goals and 26 assists for the Capitals. Pierre-Luc Dubois has four goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Matthew Coronato has 14 goals and 16 assists for the Flames. Farabee has five goals and three assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Capitals: 6-4-0, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.7 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

Flames: 4-5-1, averaging 2.3 goals, 4.2 assists, 3.6 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

INJURIES: Capitals: None listed.

Flames: None listed.

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

Sabres bring win streak into game against the Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning (39-18-4, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (38-19-6, in the Atlantic Division)

Buffalo, New York; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lightning -125, Sabres +105; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres take on the Tampa Bay Lightning with a six winning streak intact.

Buffalo has a 13-4-3 record in Atlantic Division play and a 38-19-6 record overall. The Sabres are 15-5-4 in games they score at least one power-play goal.

Tampa Bay is 39-18-4 overall with an 11-4-1 record against the Atlantic Division. The Lightning are first in NHL play serving 14.1 penalty minutes per game.

The matchup Sunday is the third time these teams meet this season. The Sabres won 6-2 in the last meeting. Joshua Norris led the Sabres with two goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson has 34 goals and 32 assists for the Sabres. Jason Zucker has four goals over the past 10 games.

Nikita Kucherov has 32 goals and 68 assists for the Lightning. Brayden Point has five goals and eight assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 7-2-1, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.6 assists, 3.7 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

Lightning: 6-4-0, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.7 assists, 5.4 penalties and 17.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sabres: None listed.

Lightning: None listed.

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

Pittsburgh takes losing streak into matchup with Boston

Boston Bruins (35-22-5, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (31-17-14, in the Metropolitan Division)

Pittsburgh; Sunday, 4:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Penguins -125, Bruins +105; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to stop their three-game losing streak when they take on the Boston Bruins.

Pittsburgh has a 31-17-14 record overall and a 15-9-8 record on its home ice. The Penguins have gone 31-4-7 when scoring at least three goals.

Boston has a 35-22-5 record overall and an 11-14-4 record in road games. The Bruins have a +14 scoring differential, with 206 total goals scored and 192 given up.

The teams square off Sunday for the third time this season. The Bruins won the previous matchup 2-1.

TOP PERFORMERS: Erik Karlsson has six goals and 34 assists for the Penguins. Benjamin Kindel has four goals and two assists over the last 10 games.

David Pastrnak has 22 goals and 51 assists for the Bruins. Viktor Arvidsson has scored six goals and added one assist over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Penguins: 4-3-3, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.4 assists, four penalties and 10 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

Bruins: 5-2-3, averaging 3.4 goals, six assists, five penalties and 10.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

INJURIES: Penguins: None listed.

Bruins: None listed.

___

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

Joel Farabee scores 2 goals as Flames edge Hurricanes 5-4

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Joel Farabee scored twice and had an assist to lead the Calgary Flames to a 5-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night.

Morgan Frost had a goal and two assists for the Flames, who snapped a four-game winless skid. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist in his debut for Calgary, and Blake Coleman also had a goal and an assist. Dustin Wolf made 25 saves.

Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists for the Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes, who lost in regulation for just the second time in their last 16 games (12-2-2). Sean Walker, Alexander Nikishin and Andrei Svechnikov also scored for Carolina.

Brandon Bussi stopped 20 shots, but his nine-game franchise record-tying winning streak ended.

In their first game without No. 1 center Nazem Kadri, who was traded to Colorado on Friday, the Flames got off to a rough start as Jarvis scored 44 seconds in on the game’s first shot.

Calgary bounced back in the second with three goals to take the lead for good. Strome, acquired from Anaheim on Friday, got it started by scoring 19 seconds into the period off a feed from Olli Maatta — who also made his Flames debut after coming from Utah in a trade on Wednesday.

Strome had his first multipoint game since Dec. 7, when he had two assists against Chicago.

Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud (upper body) left the game in the first period and didn’t return.

Up next

Hurricanes: Host Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Flames: Visit Washington on Monday.

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

Bo Horvat lifts Islanders over Sharks in OT for crucial win in tight playoff race

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Islanders player Bo Horvat scoring the game-winning goal against San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, Image 2 shows New York Islanders players Bo Horvat (14), Matthew Schaefer (48), and Simon Holmstrom (92) celebrate a game-winning goal
The Islanders defeated the Sharks in overtime Saturday.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — It wasn’t pretty, they didn’t find their game until the third period and really, who cares about that.

The Islanders got out of the SAP Center with two points in hand, and that is what matters most after Saturday night’s 2-1 overtime win against the Sharks.

With the Blue Jackets — whose chances of catching the Islanders looked all but done after they fell seven points back just over a week ago — picking up points seemingly every night, there is suddenly a three-team race for the last two Metropolitan Division playoff spots to worry about, and Bo Horvat’s game-winner jolted the Islanders to the top of it, ahead of the Penguins and into second in the Metro.

So, forget pretty. Especially on the road and especially against a Sharks team that had the Islanders on their heels for a lot of this game. Forget that it wasn’t a great second period. What matters is what came next.

“I thought maybe the third was our best period of the road trip,” coach Patrick Roy said. “I thought we simplified our game, we put pucks deep. We had to get our forecheck going, win those battles in the corners, low to high and throw pucks at the net.”

Indeed, it was the best period the Islanders played in California this trip, and by an order of magnitude. Finally, they held onto pucks, established a game down low and created sustained pressure. Finally, the top line, which had not looked quite right all trip, started making a positive impact on every shift.

If there was one less-than-positive piece of those 20 minutes, it’s that the Islanders failed to convert on the power play after Kiefer Sherwood’s roughing penalty handed them a chance to end it at 16:15 of the period, their third scoreless power play in three tries on the night.

The penalty kill that followed when Adam Pelech went for holding shortly after the game returned to even strength, though, was an exercise in grit, with Horvat making a crucial block on Dmitry Orlov and Ilya Sorokin his best save of 30 on the night with a stop on Will Smith that helped send the game to overtime.

Bo Horvat scores the game-winning goal in the Islanders’ 2-1 overtime road win over the Sharks on March 7, 2026. Imagn Images


And, after finishing off the kill in the extra period and suffering through 3:11 of overtime while barely touching the puck with the game at four-on-four, the Islanders finally got their chance at 4:20 of OT, when Matthew Schaefer sprung Horvat on the rush.

Horvat, promptly, ended the game and made it 9-0 for the Islanders in games that end at three-on-three.

“It builds us confidence for sure,” Horvat said. “We definitely weren’t at our best the last two games and we knew that. I thought we were a heck of a lot better here tonight.”

The Islanders celebrate after securing an overtime win against the Sharks on March 7. Imagn Images

Brayden Schenn’s debut had its moments, good and bad, and he admitted to having nerves for the first time in a long time. His screen in front helped DeAngelo’s shot to beat Yaroslav Askarov 11:37 into the night, and his hit on Mario Ferraro along the left-hand wall was the hardest of the night for either team. Cal Ritchie appeared reasonably comfortable on the wing, especially early in the night.

“Do I think I had my A-game? No,” Schenn said. “I just tried to buy into the team system and do whatever they asked me to do. I feel like, obviously, I have more offensively to give. But at the same time, I’m just happy to be part of a win.”

Schenn’s line with Ritchie and Ondrej Palat came out of the night with poor numbers, but that was largely a factor of being matched with Macklin Celebrini’s line, which scored against them just 33 seconds into the second period on Celebrini’s snap shot from the slot.

Brayden Schenn delivers a hit during the Islanders’ March 7 game win over the Sharks. AP

Anthony Duclair, who returned to the lineup in place of a healthy-scratched Kyle MacLean, had a solid night on the fourth line, which was solid all night. DeAngelo had one of his better games too.

The trio of stars who didn’t look quite right in Anaheim or Los Angeles — Schaefer, Horvat, Mat Barzal — were much better in this one, though it did take them a while to get going. Once they did, it served as a reminder of why they are so crucial.

“You can tell it’s a special group of guys that play for one another and that’s how you win hockey games,” Schenn said. “They’re all not flashy and pretty and that’s what it looked like tonight. We gutted it out.

“Big block by Bo. Big game-winner by Bo.”

Islanders 2, Sharks 1 (OT): Horvat winner keeps Isles perfect in overtime

Who’s gonna be the hero? | NHLI via Getty Images

Bo Horvat scored with a nifty backhand on a breakaway as the Islanders continued their insane overtime record (9-0) and salvaged a win from their California swing, defeating the San Jose Sharks, 2-1.

Brayden Schenn made his Islanders debut and was a presence for both the regulation goal for and against, settling in next to Ondrej Palat and the center he’s temporarily bumped to wing, Cal Ritchie. Wearing the #10 ceded to him by new #92 Simon Holmstrom, Schenn was credited with winning 6 of his 14 faceoffs, a blocked shot and a check in 17:26 of ice time.

[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]

The first two periods were not super eventful, though that in itself is a big improvement over the previous two games. There were a few good saves from both star goalies. Tony DeAngelo broke the ice with a shot through traffic midway through the first period. The Isles were victimized by super sophomore Macklin Celebrini finding space just 33 seconds into the second period to tie it at 1-1.

The rest of the second was a standstill, but the Islanders came out with real jump in the third and logged 11 of the first 13 shots. They couldn’t convert though, and every Celebrini rush provided a scare, just as every Matthew Schaefer counter doused the flame.

With time winding down, the Islanders were perhaps gifted with a power play with under four minutes in regulation, when noted pest(ilence) Kiefer Sherwood took a run at Mat Barzal on the Isles forward’s way to the bench. Barzal got a crosscheck back at him, but perhaps Sherwood’s reputation and prior behavior earned him the only call.

As they always do, however, the Isles completely wasted that power play. There was a TV timeout, and Patrick Roy started the second unit, which promptly skated in offside to burn their 30 seconds.

And worse, the officials gave the Sharks a chance of their own when Pelech held Sherwood’s arm on a counterattack after J-G Pageau failed to get the puck in at the Sharks blueline. The Sharks spent the final 1:28 of regulation on the power play and got a couple of golden chances that required five-star saves from Sorokin.

The power play carried into overtime for about 30 seconds of 4-on-3, but the Isles killed that off with some great anticipatory interceptions by Schaefer.

Horvat’s winner came when things were back to 3-on-3 with a great threaded feed from Schaefer, his 26th assist of the year. He got a step around all three Sharks and slipped a backhand through Yaroslav Askarov’s wickets, which proved a better approach than shooting him in the mask.

Up Next

It’s Schenn Packing Day as the Islanders finish this road trip Tuesday in St. Louis, where Schenn will get to pick up his things, do a farewell wave and hopefully take two points from his former team.

The win nudges the Islanders into 2nd in the Metro, a point ahead of Pittsburgh, which lost in extra time (as did Columbus). Both have two games in hand on the Isles.

Horvat Plays Hero; Islanders Beat Sharks 2-1 In Ovrtime For Post Trade-Deadline Win

The New York Islanders snapped their two-game losing streak, defeating the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in overtime on Saturday night. 

Bo Horvat played hero, beating San Jose's netminder Yaroslav Askarov five-hole on a backhand breakaway try at 4:20 of overtime, an extra frame that began with the Islanders killing off the final 32 seconds of Adam Pelech's penalty.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 30 of 31 in the win. 

Tony DeAngelo got the scoring started at 11:37 of the first period, a wrister that beat Askarov from the point. Then, Macklin Celebrini tied the game just 33 seconds into the second period. 

That was the lone scoring in regulation. 

Brayden Schenn, whom the Islanders acquired at the trade deadline, played 17:26 minutes, recording a shot, a hit, and a block. He went 6-for-14 in the face-off dot (43%). 

The Islanders wake up on Sunday morning in second place in the Metropolitan Division. 

UP NEXT: The Islanders conclude thier four-game road trip (1-2-0) against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night at 7:30 PM ET. 

Takeaways: Penguins Fall To Flyers, Shootout Losses Becoming Psychological?

If you've been paying any manner of attention to the Pittsburgh Penguins this season, you may have heard about their immense struggles in shootouts. 

And, unfortunately, those woes continued on Saturday in a key divisional matchup against the cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers.

All three Penguins' shooters failed to score in the shootout, and Flyers' forward Trevor Zegras was able to capitalize to give his team the 5-4 shootout win. After this shootout loss, the Penguins are now 1-9 in shootouts this season, and they are in third place in the Metropolitan Division after a New York Islanders overtime win. 

At this point, the shootout is legitimately costing the Penguins precious points in the standings. The team practices it frequently. The players can get the job done in practice, as can their goaltenders.

But 1-9 when it actually counts? Just seven goals on 28 attempts? Only a whopping 11 saves on 27 attempts against?

At this point, it's not a matter of effort, or even skill. The Penguins have three historically good shootout performers in Rickard Rakell, Egor Chinakhov, and Bryan Rust. 

No. It's, probably, mostly a psychological thing at this point. 

"Yeah, I think it might be," said Rakell, who missed on his attempt Saturday. "I mean, everybody knows it. Everybody really wants to score in the shootout, but it might one of the instances now where we're gripping the stick a little bit too tight and not really doing what we want to."

Even Erik Karlsson, who rarely gets an opportunity in shootouts, agreed that they might be in their own heads at this point. 

"Yeah, probably," Karlsson said. "Overtime and shootout usually go one way or another. Obviously, we've been on the short end of things for most of the season. I don't think it's for a lack of effort or trying. It's just the hand that we've been dealt, and hopefully, we can find a way - if we get in these situations again - to turn it around.

"And we're trying to. Obviously, today, again, we had a good opportunity to and couldn't capitalize on it. And that's the way it is sometimes."

'Find A Way To Write Our Own Story': After Quiet Deadline, It's Time To See What These Penguins Are Made Of'Find A Way To Write Our Own Story': After Quiet Deadline, It's Time To See What These Penguins Are Made OfKyle Dubas and his Pittsburgh Penguins were relatively quiet at the NHL trade deadline - which speaks to the GM's belief in his current group of players.

Obviously, the shootout struggles are a huge point of emphasis. But the Penguins also surrendered multiple leads in this game before the shootout even happened.

Tommy Novak opened the scoring on the power play with a shot from the slot three minutes into the opening frame to make it 1-0 Penguins. However, 54 seconds later, Owen Tippett one-timed a pass from Trevor Zegras and past Stuart Skinner to tie the game.

Then, three and a half minutes into the second period, the story was the same. Rickard Rakell notched his 12th of the season on a top-shelf snipe from the high-slot area to restore the one-goal lead. But, again, the Flyers responded a little over a minute later when Alex Bump, all alone at the net front, made a nifty move to beat Skinner for his first NHL goal in his first NHL game.

The Penguins responded 59 seconds later, though, as Rakell won a faceoff back to linemate Egor Chinakhov, who fed a one-timer to Erik Karlsson. He slammed it home to put the Penguins back up, 3-2. 

But, once again, Philadelphia responded. Denver Barkey scored his third of the season to tie the game at 3-3 a tick past the midway point of the third, which sent the game to overtime.

And, in overtime, the Penguins had a prime opportunity to end the game when Flyers' goalie Dan Vladar interfered with Karlsson and sent the Penguins to a four-on-three power play. But the Penguins were unable to convert and, clearly, had tired bodies on the ice near the end of it, as they kept all but one member of their first power play unit on for the entire two minutes.

Once the game went to a shootout, things felt inevitable. Anthony Mantha, Rakell, and Chinakhov all missed their opportunities for the Penguins, and Zegras - as he usually does - put them away and gave Philly the 4-3 shootout win.

Head coach Dan Muse, too, understands that the shootout struggles are probably getting to the players quite a bit. But he was also willing to shoulder some blame.

"It's a factor," Muse said. "I'm not going to say it's the only one. I think any time a part of your game's not going well consistently, then there's conversations about it. And then, there's buzz about it. And then, it wears on you. And then, you get in these situations, too, and rather than attacking them, rather than being excited for them, there's some of that.

"And some of that falls on me. I've got to do a better job of helping these guys with it. I'm not throwing just on the players or just on the shooters or just on the goalies, it's collective. I mean, the record is what it is. So, collectively, it hasn't been good enough, and I'll take some blame on that, too."

'You Know That Things Are Happening': Penguins' Players Talk Deadline Day, Belief In Group'You Know That Things Are Happening': Penguins' Players Talk Deadline Day, Belief In GroupWell, the biggest day of the NHL's regular season has finally arrived.

Here are a few quick observations from Saturday's loss:

- As much as shootouts are a problem for the Penguins, so is closing games in regulation and overtime. 

The Penguins had plenty of opportunities to put this game away, and they just didn't do it. It's been an issue for them all season long in what has, otherwise, been a magical season. They barely showed signs of life on that overtime power play opportunity.

If the Penguins aren't going to get any better at shootouts, they need to find ways to prevent it from ever getting to that point in the first place. 

- The defensive effort was lacking in key moments during this game. Ben Kindel experienced a particularly rough outing, as he was on the ice for all three goals against and lost his man on two of those. Penguins' defensemen were allowing Flyers' players to break through the middle and to the net-front far too easily as well.

The shots don't really tell the story in this one. Yes, they only surrendered 15 shots on goal, and yes, they mostly kept play to the outside. But, in those few moments where they did let down their guard, they were burned every time.

- The Sam Girard-Kris Letang pairing has been a nightmare in these few games for the Penguins. Both try to play the same brand of high-risk, offensive-minded hockey, and they are always out-of-sync and caught out of position relative to each other.

Trading Brett Kulak when he was meshing so well with Letang is the only gripe I have about a move that Kyle Dubas has made this season. I understand the intent of getting a second-round pick and a puck-moving defenseman with term as opposed to keeping a rental. But Kulak and Letang had legitimate chemistry, and he was bringing the best out of Letang.

But, what's past is past, and I think Muse needs to swap Girard and Ryan Shea.

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.

- As rough as the third line had it Saturday, there was a pretty good sequence of events in the first period for them. 

First, a nice zone keep by Girard led to an offensive opportunity, as Ville Koivunen - playing in his first game back from the AHL and waiting for the puck below the goal line - made a ridiculous pass to set up Kindel in the slot, who simply couldn't finish the play. Then, Avery Hayes came in and leveled Cam York on the wall, and Jamie Drysdale took exception to it.

Hayes and Drysdale fought, and Drysdale took the insitgator and sent the Penguins to the power play. The building went nuts for Hayes' fight, as he clearly understood the rivalry and the assignment.

I'd like to see more of the kid line on Sunday.

- Speaking of Sunday, to say this game is a must-win is probably an understatement. The Penguins have lost four straight games to the Boston Bruins, who are in the final wild card spot in the East and beat Pittsburgh 2-1 on Mar. 3. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are just three points behind the Penguins. The Islanders are one point up, even though the Penguins have two games in hand on them. Boston is just one point down on the Penguins. 

Of course, every point matters. But the Penguins really, really need two on Sunday.

Boston Bruins At Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchBoston Bruins At Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchThe Pittsburgh Penguins will try to take two points from the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

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Anaheim Ducks 2026 Trade Deadline Review

The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. Several significant prices were paid to acquire players league-wide, and other prices weren’t met, leaving many players rumored to be on the move to stay put with their current teams. What was rumored to be a “buyer’s market” quickly became a “seller’s market,” and now the NHL landscape is more solidified for the stretch run of the regular season, with playoffs on the ever-nearing horizon.

The Anaheim Ducks have been one of the busiest “sellers” since Pat Verbeek took over as general manager just before the 2022 trade deadline. They’ve stocked up on high-end young talent via the draft and trades, added some seasoned veterans, hired the second-winningest coach in franchise history, and are now on the precipice of their first playoff appearance since 2018, which would end the NHL’s third-longest such streak.

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-5 Shootout Win over the Canadiens

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek on 2026 Trade Deadline Moves

The Ducks made two trades in the 24 hours before Friday’s noon PST deadline, so here are reviews of those deals:

The Anaheim Ducks acquire defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick

Derek Lee-The Hockey News
Derek Lee-The Hockey News

Ducks Acquire John Carlson from Capitals

Embracing the “buyer” label, Verbeek actively attempted to put his team into the “contender” category when he pulled off perhaps the deadline’s biggest blockbuster trade. Carlson is in the final year of his eight-year contract, which carries an AAV of $8 million. No contract extension talks have been had or will be had during the season. Carlson is a pure rental.

The conditions on the pick rely solely on the Ducks making the 2026 playoffs. If they make the playoffs, they’ll transfer their 2026 first-round pick to the Caps. If they don’t qualify, they’ll have the option to send their 2026 or 2027 first-round pick.

Carlson (36), in his 17th NHL season, has scored 46 points (10-36=46) in 55 games and leaves the Capitals franchise as their defensive leader in all categories for defensemen and a Stanley Cup champion in 2018.

This is an interesting move for the Ducks from two angles. 1) Trading a first-round pick isn’t a move non-cup-contending teams make in exchange for rental players. 2) Carlson doesn’t fit the expected archetype for a defenseman the Ducks would have been looking to add at this year’s deadline.

The Cost

“I think when you have an opportunity to better your team, I think that’s your responsibility and your duty to do that,” Verbeek told the media following the deadline. “I think we have enough draft picks. We have enough prospects coming. Is it worth it to give up a conditional first-rounder? In my opinion, yes, it is. And so to get the quality of a player with John Carlson, then it made sense not only to us, but to our organization. So that’s how I viewed it.”

The Ducks are projected to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years, since 2018. They’ve stockpiled talented current young players and prospects at every position during their extended playoff absence, and the potential path to the Western Conference Final is the easiest (on paper) in the Pacific Division, widely regarded as the weakest division in the NHL.

Does adding a 36-year-old defenseman for 20 games line up with the assumed “contending window” for the Ducks? If the Ducks win one or two playoff rounds this spring, then the window is open now.

If the fit is undeniable and Carlson is a big part of whatever run the Ducks make during their projected playoff appearance, Verbeek has stated he hopes to re-sign Carlson following the season.

“It’s worth it to give this group experience, give them a chance to make the playoffs, and to do well in the playoffs,” Verbeek said. “That’s kind of how I looked at it, with the hope that we’ll be able to re-sign him when this season’s over.”

Parting with a first and third round pick for a player who plays 20 regular season games and a potentially short playoff run can understandably give some pause. However, if that player re-signs with the club on a reasonable contract extension, the deal becomes a lot easier to swallow and could even be received more glowingly.

The Fit

The other area of intrigue with Carlson’s addition to the Ducks’ roster is his fit along the blueline. Looking at the left side of their defense corps, it’s full of dynamic and offensively gifted young players: Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger.

If one had speculated an add to the blueline for Anaheim at the 2026 deadline, one would likely have assumed they’d have added a traditional “shutdown/stay-at-home” defender. Frequent names on trade lists fitting that archetype were players like Colton Parayko, Tyler Myers, Brandon Carlo, etc.

However, Verbeek zigged when a zag was expected. Carlson has been one of the most consistent and productive offensive-oriented defensemen in the NHL for nearly the last two decades.

The Ducks are one of the poorest defensive teams in the NHL in 2025-26 and have gotten where they are off the backs of their high-octane offense and spectacular starting goaltender, Lukas Dostal. So in a surprising and refreshing move, Verbeek seemingly leaned into his team’s strength and acquired an offensive play-driving puck-mover from the backend in Carlson.

Carlson’s offensive output shouldn’t dismiss his defensive impact, however. Even at age 36, Carlson, before the trade, played in all situations for the Caps, including ranking second among Washington blueliners in shorthanded TOI/G (2:28) and power play TOI/G (2:33).

Though his defensive metrics haven’t been spectacular, he’s a quality skater, cerebral positionally, and fundamentally sound. It’s possible that switching from the Caps’ man-coverage in the defensive zone to the Ducks’ pressure-zone coverage system could benefit Carlson, as he won’t be exerting as much energy in his end during elongated sequences and should give a boost to the Ducks’ exit numbers.

In theory, the Ducks’ system could enhance what he does well and allow him to translate that ability to the defensive side of the puck.

The Anaheim Ducks acquire a 2027 seventh-round pick from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Ryan Strome

Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Ducks Trade Ryan Strome to Flames

Strome was one of two signings Verbeek made on his first day of unrestricted free agency in his first summer as an NHL general manager in July 2022, with Frank Vatrano representing the other. Strome was signed to a five-year contract that carried a $5 million AAV and had no trade protection attached.

Strome was an eerily consistent producer for Anaheim, scoring 41 points in each of his first three seasons with the Ducks. He was projected to start the 2025-26 season in the middle-six for new coach, Joel Quenneville, but missed the first 16 games of the season with an oblique injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Beckett Sennecke, who grabbed hold of that spot and refused to relinquish it, as he currently leads all rookies in scoring.

Strome struggled to carve out a role for himself outside the top six and even served as a healthy scratch for 12 games this season. He’d been a positive locker room presence for the Ducks during three of their leanest years in franchise history, and he’s too skilled to be continuously kept out of the lineup.

Moving him to Calgary, even though his value was at its lowest, will allow him to play meaningful minutes again for the remainder of this season and next. Calgary will absorb Strome’s full cap hit, clearing $5 million off Anaheim’s books for the summer of 2026, where they’re expected to sign star RFAs Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson to sizable contract extensions, as well as RFAs Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and Ian Moore. In addition, if Verbeek plans on re-signing any number of pending UFAs like Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, or Radko Gudas, he’ll need all the cap space he can get.

The Ducks are in a transitional period in their franchise’s history, on the cusp of returning to the playoffs and now even looking to make a deeper run than anticipated. Though the roster remains imperfect, and they’re playing a firewagon brand of hockey, Verbeek has made a statement to his roster and to the league that the Ducks view themselves as true contenders.

Ducks Sign Ryan Poehling to Four-Year Extension

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-1 Win over the Islanders

'Find A Way To Write Our Own Story': After Quiet Deadline, It's Time To See What These Penguins Are Made Of

Looking ahead to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, many were anticipating some bigger moves ahead of the 3:00 p.m. ET cutoff on Mar. 6.

Well, as it turns out, there wasn't much activity at all - not from the league, and not from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The lone move that Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas made on deadline day was to acquire forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. Soderblom, 24, is a massive physical presence at 6-foot-8, 252 pounds, his forechecking, speed for his size, and two-way game were all attributes that drew the Penguins to him.

However, given the Penguins' current predicament - they are still without Sidney Crosby, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury but skated with the team Friday, and Evgeni Malkin, who was suspended five games by the Department of Player Safety - there are many who wanted to see the team shoot a bit bigger in the trade market (size aside, of course).

The Penguins are stretched thin at the center position, they have the toughest strength of schedule remaining in the NHL, they're missing their top-two points producers, and they're barely hanging on to second place in the Metropolitan Division with two teams chasing closely behind them.

Nevertheless, Dubas chose to stay the course. And he believes in the group that they have.

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.

"Obviously, the mix has worked quite well," Dubas said. "They've got some chemistry. Dan [Muse] has done a great job coaching them. The staff has done a great job. We just have to deal with some absences this year for various different reasons, and continue to stay with it. 

"Find a way to write our own story, regardless of what everyone else expects it to be."

Dubas's actions - or inactions - at the deadline didn't simply speak to the market he was dealing with. Yes, he did say prices were sky-high, and teams weren't willing to meet asking prices. Yes, he did say that teams' respective positions in terms of playoff contention - including his own - played a factor in choosing not to buy big. Yes, at the end of the day, he didn't do much at all. 

But a big part of the equation was the fact that he already added to this team - and that they've already responded to those additions. Through trade, he added Stuart Skinner, Egor Chinakhov, and Brett Kulak - then Sam Girard - all of whom are upgrades over the players who would be in those positions otherwise based on the roster the team began the season with. 

Penguins Sign Goaltender To Entry-Level ContractPenguins Sign Goaltender To Entry-Level ContractThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> are pretty well-known at this point for the goaltending depth they possess in their system. Netminders like Sergei Murashov, Joel Blomqvist, and 2025 draftee Gabriel D'Aigle have received a fair amount of attention.&nbsp;

Since the Chinakhov trade, the Penguins are 14-5-4, and they've been playing better systemic hockey. They've been getting contributions from up and down the lineup, and even Crosby went pointless in four out of his last six games before the Olympic break while his team went 4-1-1. 

And Dubas points to those contributions from everyone - as well as his team's ability to respond well to adversity and respond after bad games - as defining qualities of this particular group of players. 

"I think the contributions from some of the younger guys throughout, but then, whether it's been Chinkahov, Brazeau, Mantha, the rise of the Lizotte line... I think that's led us to have success and give the team the chance to see it all the way through" Dubas said. "I think, especially since we've come back from Christmas, it's not just been the wins, but the way that the team has gone about winning that shows that, when we're at our best, it's a very good team."

He added: "For me, the greatest thing about the team the whole year has been the way that we've weathered times that haven't been great. The way that the team responds when things don't go well... the team always finds a way to respond, even with guys out of the lineup."

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.

Without both Crosby and Malkin, there are some players, in particular, who are going to have to step up even more. That includes Rickard Rakell, who is already being asked to man the center position, which he hasn't played regularly since his teens and early-20s. That also includes Erik Karlsson, who will be relied upon to drive more offense from the blue line. And it especially includes 18-year-old rookie Ben Kindel, who has already impressed with his 200-foot play and will probably need to hike up the production. 

But that's just what these Penguins have done. They've stepped up when things have gotten hard. They've responded after tough losses. They've fought tooth and nail for every point they've gotten this season. 

And that's not only a testament to the talent that populates the roster, it also speaks to the chemistry of the team and the locker room.

Mar 7, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) skates with the puck in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Mar 7, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) skates with the puck in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

"I think the mentality is very much, 'We're gonna make the most of what we have,'" Dubas said. "And I think Dan has led that, but the players have been right there with him every step of the way, and it's a huge credit to them for being able to stick with that throughout the year.

"That said, we have our biggest challenges ahead, and it will be the ultimate test of that. But I think that's also the most exciting part of being here and being in this position is we have a great opportunity now, and we have to make the most of it and find a way."

Dubas believes in his team as-is, and his team has a belief in themselves. Now, it's time for them to show everyone exactly what they're made of down the stretch run of what has been a magical season so far. 

'You Know That Things Are Happening': Penguins' Players Talk Deadline Day, Belief In Group'You Know That Things Are Happening': Penguins' Players Talk Deadline Day, Belief In GroupWell, the biggest day of the NHL's regular season has finally arrived.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

The Kings Defeat Feels The Same

Another game where it felt like the Kings were in control against the Montreal Canadiens falls just short of their grasp. 

The Los Angeles Kings  (25-23-14) appeared to be in control early and for the entire game, but couldn't close the door on the Canadiens, surrendering two quick third-period goals in a 4-3 loss on Saturday night. 

Despite dominating the opening period, outshooting the visiting team 16-1, the Kings watched another game in which they held a late lead and let it slip away in the final minutes, as the Canadeins capitalized on the power play and a momentum shift to steal this game. 

The Kings did play much better on 5-on-5 tonight, generating good looks on offense, and played much better on defense, until it counted. It is a tough loss to walk away from, but a learning experience under the new interim head coach, DJ Smith, who has this team playing much better. 

Kings Control the First Period

Los Angeles came out flying in front of their home crowd, completely tilting the ice in the opening frame, peppering Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobes with 16 shots while allowing just one.

The defensive pressure paid off in the opening frame with the captain, Anze Kopitar, opening the scoring for Los Angeles. Kopitar finished a sequence set up by Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin at 5:48 of the first period to give the Kings the early 1-0 advantage. 

Artemi Panarin helped drive the play throughout the period, consistently creating chances and keeping the Canadiens pinned to their zone. 

Even with the overwhelming shot advantage, Los Angeles left the door open by scoring just once, something that would come back to haunt them later. It felt like the margin should've been bigger for Los Angeles heading into the second period, but Dobes did a good job limiting the Kings from extending the game to a 2-0 lead. 

The Kings thought they had a goal with Samuel Helenius, who thought he had scored to extend the lead to 2-0, but the call would stand as a goalie interference. LA decided not to challenge the call and move on to the next play.   

Canadiens Push Back in the Second

Montreal found its footing in the second period and quickly erased the Kings' lead. 

Forward Jake Evans tied the game at 1-1, and Taylor Ward felt he was cross-checked into Kuemper, which affected the play. Los Angeles declared it would not challenge again and continued to play after taking a timeout to talk things over.

The Canadiens then grabbed the lead at 4:19 of the period when Juraj Slafkovsky finished a play created by Nick Suzuki and Alexandre Carrier. Slafkovsky finished the night with two goals, one assist, and three points, one of the key contributors to the Candiens' comeback win. 

Los Angeles answered shortly after. Newly acquired forward Scott Laughton tied the game 2-2 at 2:29 of the second period, burying a chance set up by rookie Jared Wright and defenseman Brandt Clarke. 

Laughton was just the third skater in the last 15 years to record a goal in his first LA Kings game after being traded to the franchise (Sean Durzi on Nov. 24, 2021, and Carl Grundstrom on March 9, 2019). Overall, he is the 68th skater in team history to score in their team debut. 

The teams headed into the final period tied 2-2, looking like it would end in a dogfight. 

Laferriere Gives Kings the Lead

Los Angeles regained the lead early in the third off the faceoff win,  Alex Laferriere capitalized on a rebound created by Clarke’s point shot.

At this point in the clutch, with LA outplaying the Candiens throughout the whole game and taking a 3-2 lead, it looked like this goal could help them escape with this win. 

Montreal Scores Twice in Under a Minute

Instead of holding on and playing clutch defense, Los Angeles once again folded in crunchtime. 

After a penalty was called on the Kings, the Canadiens struck on their first power play goal of the game, with Slafkovsky scoring his second goal of the game to tie the game 3-3 for Montreal. 

Just over a minute later, Nick Suzuki gave the Canadiens back their lead, who were also great tonight, finishing with one goal, two assists, and three points to help lead the comeback win for Montreal. 

The comeback stunned the Kings and left them shell-shocked after having the game in their hands. 

Panarin, Kempe, and Kopitar continue to dominate in their line, showcasing elite offense, but once again, it wasn't enough because of penalty kills, face-offs, and defensive breakdowns in the clutch. 

If there is an underlying issue that the Kings are facing and the biggest recurring theme in their losses this season— and even in some of their wins — it’s these challenges closing out games when it gets close, we saw it happen in the playoffs last year when they had that meltdown, blowing the 2-0 series lead, it looks like the Kings haven't gotten over that series loss yet. 

Final Thoughts

And ultimately, it hasn't changed because we've been seeing the same story all season long. When it looks like Los Angeles gets off to a big start, everyone already knows how it will end, losing the game in crunch time.

Even with the Kings being the far better team tonight, outplaying the Canadiens, it still came down to the wire, where Los Angeles has shown no ability to win when it gets there. 

Both the numbers on the statsheet and on-ice production showed that Los Angeles was the better team tonight, outshooting the visiting team 39-23 and controlling large stretches of the game, but defensive breakdowns and the costly third-period penalty proved decisive.

You have to give credit to the Canadiens for not giving up, and goaltender Dobes for turning aside 36 shots, and the forwards Suzuki and Slafkovsky for coming up big in the clutch to help make this comeback possible.  

The loss will definitely sting because, under head coach DJ Smith, Los Angeles looks much better and more organized on ice, especially in terms of effort. But tonight, a brief lapse late in the third period erased all the effort they put in for 60 minutes. 

Instead of walking away with a statement win, Los Angeles has to leave with yet another result that has been ailing them all season long. 

The Kings' next match will be on Monday, March 9, at 4:00 PM EST, where they will begin their five-game road trip against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

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Golden Knights Set To Celebrate Women’s History Month At Sunday’s Game Against Oilers

The Vegas Golden Knights will spotlight Women’s History Month on Sunday night when they host the Edmonton Oilers at T-Mobile Arena, turning the matchup into a celebration of women making an impact both in hockey and throughout the Las Vegas community.

Fans arriving early can add a little gold to their game-day look, with complimentary hair tinsel and face gems available outside on Toshiba Plaza. Inside the arena, supporters will also have the chance to share their appreciation by filling out “The Woman Who Inspires Me” signs on the concourse near Sections 11 and 12.

The team will also roll out several Women’s History Month–themed items for fans looking to take something home, including canvas tote bags and specialty pucks available at The Arsenal at City National Arena and The Armory at T-Mobile Arena.

Before puck drop, Miss Nevada Abigail Bachman will ring the ceremonial pregame siren. Bachman serves as the executive director of Nevada Miss Amazing, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering girls and women with disabilities. She’s also part of the Autism Cares Advisory Committee in Las Vegas and works closely with Best Buddies of Nevada.

Throughout the night, the arena atmosphere will lean into the celebration. The Golden Belles and Vegas Vivas will perform during the game, while Knight Club will feature a female DJ during the second intermission. Fans in attendance could also find themselves taking part in the 5-Prize Frenzy, where prizes created by female artists will be up for grabs.

The Golden Knights will also use the evening to recognize women who have made a difference in the local community, including the presentation of a Women’s Business Award.

During the first intermission, the spotlight will shift to the ice as two all-girls youth teams face off in the Mites at Knight showcase — a moment that reflects the growing presence of girls in hockey.

Off the ice, the organization is also hosting several VGK youth hockey players who are interested in sports careers. The girls will spend time shadowing women working across departments in the Golden Knights’ business operations, getting a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to work in professional sports.

Overall, the night is designed to celebrate the women helping shape the game, the community, and the future of hockey.

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Arvidsson’s breakaway winner lifts Bruins past Capitals for a 12th straight home win

Viktor Arvidsson scored the go-ahead goal on a breakaway 4:28 into the third period and the Boston Bruins beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 on Saturday for their 12th straight home victory.

Pavel Zacha also scored for the Bruins, who have their longest home win streak since a 14-gamer during their 2022-23 season when they set an NHL record with 65 victories. Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves and Elias Lindholm added an empty-netter.

Arvidsson scored the winner by slipping a wrister over goalie Logan Thompson’s left pad after taking a short backhand pass from Casey Mittelstadt.

Aliaksei Protas scored for Washington, which lost its third straight. The teams meet again in Washington on March 14.

It was the Capitals’ first game since trading longtime defenseman John Carlson to Anaheim before Friday’s trade deadline. He was with the team for nearly 17 seasons and it affected the locker room.

The Bruins haven’t lost at TD Garden in 2026; since a 6-2 loss to Montreal on Dec. 23rd.

DEVILS 6, RANGERS 3

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jack Hughes had a hat trick and an assist, Nico Hischier scored the go-ahead goal, and New Jersey beat New York for its fourth straight win.

Hischier scored a power-play goal at 8:05 of the third — his team-leading 21st — to give the Devils a 4-3 lead before Hughes scored twice, including one into an empty net, for his fourth career hat trick.

Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer also scored for the Devils, who are nine points out of a playoff spot. Bratt and Connor Brown had two assists each and Jacob Markstrom made 17 saves.

Will Borgen, Vladislav Gavrikov and Will Cuylle scored for the last-place Rangers, who were coming off a 6-2 home win over Toronto on Thursday. New York is 4-12-3 since winning the Winter Classic over Florida on Jan. 2.

SABRES 3, PREDATORS 2

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tage Thompson and Jason Zucker scored less than two minutes apart in the second period and Buffalo held on to win its sixth game in a row, beating Nashville.

Josh Doan scored 16 seconds into the third period for a 3-1 lead and Alex Lyon made 23 saves for Buffalo, which played the first of a five-game homestand and has now earned a point in 13 of its last 15 games.

Thompson extended his point streak to a career-best 10 games (six goals, five assists) with his goal with 7:21 to play in the second period. Zucker made it 2-1 with 5:43 to play in the period.

Zachary L’Heureux scored his first goal of the season to give the Predators a 1-0 lead at 1:17 of the second period and Matthew Wood added a power-play goal with less than four minutes to play to pull Nashville within 3-2. Juuse Saros made 21 saves.

With an assist on L’Heureux’s goal, Nashville’s Jonathan Marchessault now has 300 career NHL assists.

The Sabres are now 29-2-0 this season when they have the lead after two periods.

FLYERS 4, PENGUINS 3, SO

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Trevor Zegras scored the only goal of the shootout to help Philadelphia defeat Pittsburgh.

Owen Tippett, Alex Bump and Denver Barkey scored for the Flyers, and Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots.

Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson scored for the Penguins, and Stuart Skinner stopped 12 shots a day after Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin was suspended for five games. The Penguins were also without captain Sidney Crosby, who is out for a minimum of four weeks because of a lower-body injury.

Tippett scored his 20th goal of the season less than a minute after Novak opened the scoring for the Penguins. It marked Tippett’s fourth consecutive season with at least 20 goals.

Bump scored in his NHL debut to tie the game at 2. With his family in the stands, he scored short side after a no-look pass from Nikita Grebenkin just over a minute after Rackell put the Penguins ahead 2-1 early in the second period.

Karlsson scored a minute later, and Barkley scored midway through the second to even the score at 3.

CANADIENS 4, KINGS 3

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Juraj Slafkovsky scored his second goal 49 seconds before he set up captain Nick Suzuki for the tiebreaker with 4:33 to play, leading Montreal's rally for a victory over Los Angeles.

Jake Evans also scored and Jakub Dobes made 35 saves for the Canadiens, who salvaged the final stop of their three-game California road trip with a late surge led by their offensive stars.

Shortly after Slafkovsky tied it on Montreal’s only power play, Cole Caufield forced a turnover that went from Slafkovsky to Suzuki for a one-timer that slipped underneath Darcy Kuemper’s arm.

Montreal had its NHL-leading 20th comeback victory one night after making a late rally — and then blowing a lead — in a wild 6-5 loss to Anaheim.

LIGHTNING 5, MAPLE LEAFS 2

TORONTO (AP) — Nikita Kucherov had three assists in a four-goal first period and added another in the third to give him 100 points on the season as Tampa Bay cruised past listless Toronto.

Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel, with a goal and an assist each, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Ryan McDonagh and the newly reacquired Corey Perry scored for Tampa Bay, which snapped a four-game slide.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves. Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli added two assists.

Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson scored for Toronto. Anthony Stolarz stopped 28 shots.

The Maple Leafs, who started the night eight points back of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and were booed off the ice, have dropped seven straight since returning from the NHL’s Olympic break.

Tampa Bay tops the East and the Atlantic Division with 82 points, which put them 17 clear of Saturday’s opponent.

Toronto captain Auston Matthews, who hit the post in the third period on a shot that glanced off Vasilevskiy, has now gone 11 games without scoring, and has just one goal in his last 15 games.

MAMMOTH 5, BLUE JACKETS 4, OT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Logan Cooley scored his second goal of the game at 2:08 of overtime and Utah overcame Columbus’ tying third-period burst to win its third straight victory.

Clayton Keller broke free on the right side in the 3-on-3 overtime, slipping a cross-ice feed through traffic to Cooley.

Utah holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Mammoth ended Columbus’ three-game winning streak and left the Blue Jackets two points out of the East’s final wild card.

Michael Carcone had a goal and an assist for Utah. Kevin Stenlund and Dylan Guenther also scored, and Alexander Kerfoot had two assists. Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves.

Damon Severson, Mathieu Olivier, Adam Fantilli and Mason Marchment each had a goal and an assist for Columbus. Kirill Marchenko had two assists to extend his points streak to four games, and Charlie Coyle added two assists to push his streak to five games. Elvis Merzlikins made 18 saves.

Stenlund broke a 2-2 tie three minutes into the third, and Cooley made it 4-2 on a breakaway 1:54 later.

JETS 3, CANUCKS 2, OT

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Josh Morrissey scored 1:49 into overtime to become the highest-scoring defenseman in franchise history, lifting Winnipeg to a victory over NHL-worst Vancouver.

The winning goal by Morrissey, who missed the last five games after being injured while playing for Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics, gave him 417 career points to surpass Dustin Byfuglien for the Jets record. He tied the mark with an assist on Gabriel Vilardi’s tying goal.

Mark Scheifele also scored in regulation and had two assists and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves for the Jets, who extended their points streak to six games.

Linus Karlsson had a goal and an assist and Liam Ohgren also scored for the Canucks, who have lost 11 of 13. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for Vancouver, which beat Chicago on Friday night to end a seven-game skid that started in January.

SENATORS 7, KRAKEN 4

SEATTLE (AP) — Shane Pinto had a goal and two assists in Ottawa’s four-goal spree in the first and second periods in a win over Seattle.

Linus Ulmark made 17 saves to help Ottawa improve to 3-1 on a five-game trip. The Senators are four points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Seattle has lost two in a row and four of its past six. It holds the second wild card in the West after San Jose’s overtime loss to the New York Islanders.

Tyler Kleven, Dylan Cozens and Michael Amadio also scored after Jacob Melanson gave Seattle an early lead.

After Eeli Tolvanen scored for Seattle to cut it to 4-2 late in the second, Warren Foegele, Tim Stutzle, and Brady Tkachuk pushed Ottawa’s lead to five in the third.

Matty Beniers and Brandon Montour had late goals for the Kraken. Joey Daccord made 29 savss for Seattle.

ISLANDERS 2, SHARKS 1, OT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Bo Horvat scored with 39.6 seconds left in overtime, lifting New York to a win over San Jose.

Tony DeAngelo also had a goal and Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves for New York, which snapped a two-game skid and improved to 9-0 this season in overtime. It was also the Islanders’ second win over the Sharks this season.

Macklin Celebrini scored his 32 goal of the season for the Sharks, who also lost in overtime against St. Louis on Friday. Yaroslav Askarov had 32 saves.

Brayden Schenn made his debut for the Islanders after being acquired from the Blues at the trade deadline for forward Jonathan Drouin, a goaltending prospect and first- and third-round picks in the draft this year. He had one shot and a blocked shot in 20 shifts and 17:26 of ice time.

Both teams had early goals before the game hit a scoring lull.

After Celebrini’s goal 33 seconds into the second period tied it at 1, the teams went nearly 44 minutes without scoring.

FLAMES 5, HURRICANES 4

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Joel Farabee scored twice and had an assist to lead Calgary to a victory over Carolina.

Morgan Frost had a goal and two assists for the Flames, who snapped a four-game winless skid. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist in his debut for Calgary, and Blake Coleman also had a goal and an assist. Dustin Wolf made 25 saves.

Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists for the Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes, who lost in regulation for just the second time in their last 16 games (12-2-2). Sean Walker, Alexander Nikishin and Andrei Svechnikov also scored for Carolina.

Brandon Bussi stopped 20 shots, but his nine-game franchise record-tying winning streak ended.

Morrissey scores OT winner in return to set Jets' points mark for defensemen in 3-2 win over Canucks

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Josh Morrissey scored 1:49 into overtime to become the highest-scoring defenseman in franchise history, lifting the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 victory over the NHL-worst Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.

The winning goal by Morrissey, who missed the last five games after being injured while playing for Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics, gave him 417 career points to surpass Dustin Byfuglien for the Jets record. He tied the mark with an assist on Gabriel Vilardi's tying goal.

Mark Scheifele also scored in regulation and had two assists and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves for the Jets, who extended their points streak to six games.

Linus Karlsson had a goal and an assist and Liam Ohgren also scored for the Canucks, who have lost 11 of 13. Kevin Lankinen stopped 32 shots for Vancouver, which beat Chicago on Friday night to end a seven-game skid that started in January.

With Winnipeg trailing 2-1 in the third period, Vilardi scored his 24th goal of the season at the 15:12 mark to tie it. Vilardi scored a goal in all three matchups against the Canucks this season, all victories for the Jets.

Winnipeg improved to 9-2-0 in its last 11 against Vancouver.

Up next

Canucks: Host Ottawa on Monday.

Jets: Host Anaheim on Tuesday.

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