NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Tucker scored twice and Alex Lyon stopped 26 shots and tied a Buffalo record with his ninth straight victory as the Sabres beat the New York Islanders 5-0 Saturday.
Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch also scored as the Sabres won their third straight and for the fifth time in seven games. Ryan McLeod and Mattias Samuelsson each had two assists.
Lyon, who signed with the Sabres in July after two seasons with Detroit, recorded the sixth shutout of his career and tied the Buffalo record of Gerry Desjardins (1976-77) with nine consecutive wins.
Buffalo improved to 18-3-1 in its last 22 games.
David Rittich made 16 saves for the Islanders, who were playing their first home game after a seven-game trip in which they went 3-3-1.
Rittich, who last started on Jan. 17 against Calgary, entered the game with a 4-2-2 record 2.46 goals-against average versus Buffalo. He slipped to 11-7-3 this season.
Zucker opened the scoring 33 seconds into the second period, scoring on a wrist shot, off a rebound of a shot by Jack Quinn. Thompson extended the lead to two goals, scoring past a sliding Rittich at 19:47 of the second.
Zucker’s second goal of the game, 25 seconds into the third, stretched the lead to 3-0. Dahlin scored into an empty net at 14:02 of the period and Tuch completed the scoring approximately 30 seconds later by tipping a shot from Samuelsson by Rittich.
Bo Horvat was back on the ice with the Islanders after being sidelined for nine games due to a lower-body injury.
On January 16th, 2026, the New York Rangers released a letter to their fanbase addressing the current state of their franchise. After 'Fire Drury' chants flooded the ice at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers general manager addressed the state of the team by officially declaring the Rangers as a team that will be moving forward with a 'retool' not a rebuild.
"This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects." - Chris Drury
In their ensuing retool, the Rangers have had discussions with upcoming unrestricted free agent Artemi Panarin, the team's leading scorer. Panarin, 34, has been informed by New York's brass that he will not be offered a contract extension from the club, meaning the four-time all-star will likely be on the move come the NHL's trade deadline.
Of course plenty of teams are interested in the dynamic winger, including the Los Angeles Kings. However, as elite as Panarin is, pursuing him may not be the best course of action for the Kings to take.
Extent of the Kings Interest
On the most recent episode of '32 Thoughts' Elliotte Friedman brought up the Kings as a potential suitor for Panarin, and even said that he thinks the forward would not mind playing in Los Angeles. With that being said, he doesn't think the Kings make the move unless he comes with a contract extension in place.
Panarin is expected to ask for a four to five year deal for his next contract which would take him into his age 39 season. With his play style, his production shouldn't be expected to take a major hit, so his ability make plays and put the puck in the back of the net would help the Kings who struggle mightily in that department.
In 51 games with the Rangers this season, Panarin has scored 19 goals along with 37 assists for 56 points on a putrid Rangers team. He would rank first on the Kings in all three of those departments. It's not unreasonable for the team to express interest in a guy that would seemingly be your best player if acquired, but that doesn't always mean it's the right move.
It's abundantly clear that this Kings roster needs an upgrade, and Panarin would be just that, but does he really fit their timeline?
Right now, the Kings provide zero threat to win the Stanley Cup, so why should they offload young assets to acquire a 34-year-old winger that doesn't push them over the edge.
Even if they can manage to lock up Panarin to the four-five year deal he's expressed interest in, what would that look like in terms of AAV? Can you pay him more than Adrian Kempe, because that may have to happen in order to get him signed. Many teams in win-now mode will be all over Panarin who will be the biggest fish in July's free agency period. Overpaying for a veteran winger in his mid 30's while you're not a serious contender doesn't seem wise, especially when winger isn't the biggest positional need.
Obviously we are in the midst of the final season of Anze Kopitar's illustrious career, and with him leaving, leaves a gaping hole at the center ice position. Artemi Panarin does not fill that hole.
Instead of using time and resources on Panarin, the Kings would benefit more from searching for a replacement for Kopitar. Of course virtually nobody can live up the legacy that Kopi has built in the L.A. but there needs to be a plan beyond this season.
Quinton Byfield will likely get the first crack at the first line center job next season, but why not bring in another center that is available to provide some friendly competition for the role. Much like NFL teams do for their starting quarterback role when the position is in limbo.
Artemi Panarin is an incredible player and it wouldn't be the end of the world if they were to make the trade for him, but at this moment in time. He doesn't fit the needs or timeline of the Los Angeles Kings.
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If the Islanders don’t watch out, they are going to have a playoff race on their hands.
Such is the state of play following Saturday’s 5-0 loss to the Sabres in which the Islanders were utterly embarrassed on home ice, their power play dysfunctional and their top line benched for the entire third period.
The loss means that, if the Flyers beat the Islanders on Monday night in Philadelphia, they will move ahead of New York for third in the Metropolitan Division on points percentage, with the loser below the playoff cutline entirely.
The schedule has been unforgiving to the Islanders, but nevertheless, this is not the position they imagined themselves in a few weeks ago.
It is, though, exactly what they deserve at the moment.
Jason Zucker of the Buffalo Sabres is greeted by his teammates on the bench after scoring a goal during the second period when the New York Islanders played the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“I felt good about our game,” coach Patrick Roy said, “until they scored that second goal.”
That second goal, with Zach Benson feeding Tage Thompson on an odd-man rush where Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair failed to backcheck in the dying embers of the second period, sucked the life out of the crowd and sucked the life out of the Islanders.
The entire top line — Barzal, Duclair and Anders Lee — was benched for the whole third period as a result, and the Islanders gave no semblance of coming back. At that point, the afternoon became about the message Roy was trying to send more than salvaging a result.
“It sends a big message,” Casey Cizikas said. “… Guys gotta be responsible. They gotta be held accountable. That’s what Patty did.”
Up until then, the moments in which they could have seized hold of this one were myriad.
There was Tony DeAngelo’s shot off the rush late in the first period that Alex Lyon stretched over to make a great save on; there was Max Shabanov’s backhand in front; there were a trio of shorthanded rushes all on the same Buffalo power play; there were two Islander power plays that amounted to nothing at all; there was a Cizikas goal wiped off for interference and a Barzal goal that came right after the first period buzzer.
Casey Cizikas’ goal was overturned in the Islanders’ loss to the Sabres. Robert Sabo for NY Post
That was all before Buffalo scored for a second time, and the afternoon went to hell.
The dam broke in the third, with Zucker scoring again inside of 30 seconds before Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch poured it on late, all with the top line sitting and watching.
“The standard here is to win,” Roy said. “And I hope it does because I think Barzy’s a leader on this team. Unfortunately for Anders, he was on that line. Sometimes you gotta take it for the team.”
The power play, whose units were changed up to try to achieve equilibrium following Bo Horvat’s return, is worth dwelling on. Patrick Roy did succeed in creating two equal units: they were just both equally bad.
David Rittich of the New York Islanders reacts after he allows a goal to score during the third period. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Duclair and Cal Ritchie, who had combined for the Islanders’ past three power-play goals, were no longer on the same unit. Neither were Matthew Schaefer and Barzal. The result was two units that could hardly complete one zone entry between them.
Horvat, in his first game back from a lower-body injury, did not seem to be missing much of a step.
Ditto Isaiah George in his season debut for the Isles following a call-up in place of Ryan Pulock, though his partner, Adam Boqvist, had a nightmare performance.
Despite going down early, the Utah Mammoth scored three unanswered goals in the second period, propelling them to a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday at Bridgestone Arena.
The game was originally scheduled for 2:30 p.m., but the start time was moved up to 12:20 p.m. due to inclement weather in Nashville. The unofficial attendance was around 6,000.
"You're begging for good starts, and I thought we had a really good start, and then we started losing our game a little bit," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said.
Steven Stamkos scored less than three minutes into the game on the power play, off a one-time feed from Roman Josi to make it 1-0. It was Stamkos' 25th goal of the season and eighth power play goal of the year.
Utah turned it on in the second period, scoring three goals over a 5:10-minute stretch. Kailer Yamamoto and Mikhail Sergachev had two points each in that stretch.
The second period got away from us," Ryan O'Reilly said. "It's my job for my line to be harder against their top line. They had a couple of big goals there, and that's a couple of games in a row where I and the top line haven't played their top line the way we've needed to."
Jonathan Marchessault responded later in the second period, scoring his second goal in two games to cut Utah's lead down to one.
It's the first time the Marchessault has two goals in two games or fewer since Oct. 13, when he had two goals in a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators.
A holding-the-stick penalty on Roman Josi proved costly in the Predators' comeback effort as Barrett Hayton scored off a rebound to restore the Utah two-goal lead.
In the third period, JJ Petrka was taken down by Michael Bunting on a breakaway to the empty net. By rule, that's a goal and secured the Utah win.
The Mammoth have now won five straight and have a three-point edge in the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Juuse Saros dropped to 20-17-3 on the year, making 25 saves on 29 shots.
The Predators drop to 24-23-4 on the season and have lost three of their last four. They will face the Bruins next in Boston on Tuesday.
"It was a great opportunity for us to really show what we are willing and want to be a playoff team," Brunette said. "It was a great opportunity and we fell a little bit short."
The Buffalo Sabres signing of winger Josh Doan is the first major move made by Jarmo Kekalainen with the club he inherited from deposed GM Kevyn Adams, signing the young winger to a to a seven-year, $48.65 million contract ($6.95 million AAV). The Sabres before their Saturday afternoon matinee against the New York Islanders, were the hottest team in the NHL, with a 17-3-1 record in the last 21 games.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his recent 32 Thoughts podcast theorizes that since the Sabres have had nothing but success since Kekalainen took over last month, that he would be hesitant to tinker with the club’s roster for fear of messing up their mojo, but Buffalo faces a deadline when it comes to winger Alex Tuch, who is a pending unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Sabres signing Josh Doan could have ramifications on the future of Alex Tuch
Friedman indicated that the fact that Doan, forward Zach Benson, and defenseman Michael Kesselring were to be restricted free agents at the end of this season, as well as the dead money on Jeff Skinner’s buyout increasing to $6.44 million next season were factors in negotiations with Tuch, with who the Sabres reportedly were not willing to go over $10 million per season on a new contract, but believes that the Sabres could push the Benson and Kesselring contract talks to the summer and get Tuch signed to a long-term extension.
There have been no indications that Tuch’s camp is willing to come off their ask of more than $10 million on an eight-year deal, similar to the contract signed by LA forward Adrian Kempe earlier this season, which would put the Sabres in the dilemma of keeping the 29-year-old winger as an own-rental and risk losing him for nothing on July 1. That would be counter to what Kekalainen said at his opening press conference in December, where he said he would not make any moves just to snap the club’s 14-year playoff drought, but now that doing that is a reality, it may change the organization’s calculations.
Swimming with sharks is a dangerous form of aquatics.
Skating with the Sharks once was tons of fun for San Jose's visiting NHL teams.. That is, until this year with GM Mike Grier's sextet making a serious bid for a Pacific Division playoff berth.
The Rangers, who now have become "The Loser Team Of GM's Letters," completed their four-game Western tour at the Shark Tank with an anticipated loss; this time 3-1.
With absolutely nothing to play for now but pride – not in abundance on this New York team – the Beloved Blueshirts left for home after having to rely on third-string back-up goalie Spencer Martin to get them through this whole ugly mess.
"You can't blame Martin," says The Old Scout. "The Rangers didn't get goals for Igor Shesterkin nor Jonathan Quick; so why should they get red lights for Martin?"
Based on how the Rangers seem to have given up, it likely will get murkier when they host the Bruins on Monday at The World's Most Infamous Arena – that is, infamous for this disheveled home team.
Apart from savoring what's left of the season, certain New York players are left with personal challenges.
Last night, for example, in addition to trying to win a game, there was the matter of stopping Macklin Celebrini who led the Sharks in scoring last year and this term could possibly top the NHL scoring list.
But last night The Celebrini Gang – associates include Will Smith and William Eklund – played a speedy game with Celebrini supplying the difference with two first period goals.
By contrast, the Rangers' core scorers – Breadman Panarin, Vin Trocheck, Mika Zebanejad, J.T. Miller – are getting old by NHL standards and playing old.
Worse still, the kids who are supposed to be their "future" are producing the square-root-of Chai Nothing.
ELMONT, NY -- The New York Islanders have recalled defenseman Isaiah George from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. Defenseman Cole McWard has been loaned back to the AHL after playing three games, serving as a healthy scratch for the last six games.
Defenseman Ryan Pulock is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not play against the Buffalo Sabres at 1 PM on Saturday.
"We're excited to see Georgy," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "He's been playing really well. I mean, every time we had a call-up, unfortunately for him, he was hurt. So we're excited to have him come here right now. And as you see, we rotate the guys who played in Bridgeport. We had Mitchell come in play some games. We had Warren playing some games, and then McWard and Georgie today. So, I mean, we love our young guys, and we trust them, and I think it's a good opportunity for him to play. Played so well last year at first when he came up last season. Unfortunately, he had a concussion, I think, against Toronto with Domi, and it was a little tougher after that, but I'm confident that he's going to play really well."
George, 21, played 33 seasons with the Islanders in 2024-25, recording five points (one goal, four assists), averaging 15:39 minutes per game.
"He's a really good skater," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "He's got that ability to get the puck out on his own."
This season in Bridgeport, in which he sustained two longer-term injuries, one upper and one lower, the Oakville, Ontario native has recorded 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 24 games.
He's looked tremendous since returning from his latest injury.
After dropping a game they couldn’t afford to fall against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, the Montreal Canadiens have another important divisional battle on Saturday night, this time against the Boston Bruins, at TD Garden. It will already be the third duel between the two sides this year, with each team bagging a win so far. Boston won the initial matchup 3-2 in November, while Montreal grabbed a 6-2 triumph right before the Christmas break.
Boston has been on fire since the start of the year; however, they are 8-2-0 in the last 10 games and won their previous game on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. It has allowed them to surge up the standings, and they are currently hanging on to the second wildcard spot with 60 points, just three points away from the Canadiens, who have a precarious hold on the Atlantic Division’s third-place. Meanwhile, the Habs are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
It will be interesting to see if Martin St-Louis chooses to make some lineup changes. When the two teams last met, the Canadiens received 32 penalty minutes and the Bruins 36, after Josh Anderson and Tanner Jeannot dropped the gloves after three seconds of play, and Arber Xhekaj and Nikita Zadorov did the same after eight and a half minutes of play. The gritty defenseman has been a healthy scratch for the last two games, and Jayden Struble has not looked excellent in those two tilts.
if i tell that i'm literally OBSESSED with zadorov and xhekaj fighting yesterday, at the point of it's looping on my head, can you believe it? seriously, look how AMAZING those moves are. gods, i wish i could see this more often in nhl games.pic.twitter.com/XIXRiCcGBy
Alexandre Texier could also be ready to return since he’s currently day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and if he is, someone would need to come out of the lineup. Kirby Dach has played the last two games on the first line, but it has proven to be quite a challenge for him after sitting out for so long, while Zachary Bolduc got some shifts alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield in the last game. The Canadiens are set to practice at 11:30 AM in Boston, and we should know more then.
The starting netminders have yet to be confirmed, and after Samuel Montembeault gave up three goals on just 16 shots (the 17th shot was in an empty net) on Thursday, one can certainly wonder if the Canadiens will opt to turn to Jakub Dobes. The Czech netminder also gave up three goals in his last start, on 19 shots, and he has 15 wins this season compared to Montembeault’s nine. The Becancour native has a 3-7-1 record against the Bruins with a 3.78 goals-against average and a .880 save percentage. He was in the net for the Habs’ defeat against Boston in November. Meanwhile, Dobes has yet to face Boston but has a 15-5-3 record this year with a 3.01 GAA and a .887 SV.
At the other end of the ice, Jeremy Swayman has played the two games against the Habs this season and has a 10-2-1 record against Montreal with a 2.92 GAA and a .894 SV. Meanwhile, backup Joonas Korpisalo has an 8-2-0 record, a 2.49 GAA, and a .916 SV.
Up front, Brendan Gallagher is the Habs’ biggest points producer against the Bruins with 30 points in 45 games. Captain Nick Suzuki is second with 16 points in 20 games, while Josh Anderson and Noah Dobson both have 13 points in 22 games. Suzuki and Cole Caufield are both on a four-game point streak, having recorded a matching seven-point record in that span. The center has two goals and five assists, while the sniper had five goals and two assists.
As for the Bruins, David Pastrnak is still the player to watch; he has 45 points in 34 games against the Habs, including three in the first two meetings this season, on top of being on a five-game point streak. Elias Lindholm comes in second place with 25 points in 36 games, and Charlie McAvoy wraps up the top three with 16 points in 25 games.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, with Jake Brenk and Brian Pochmara officiating, while Brandon Grillo and Scott Cherrey will serve as linemen. After the game, the Canadiens will return home, where they will play their last two home games before the Olympic break this week, against the Golden Knights on Tuesday and the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.
The Montreal Canadiens will visit the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday, January 24, for a classic matchup between these two Atlantic Division rivals.
My Canadiens vs. Bruins predictions and NHL picks suggest yet another thrilling offense-driven game between the two Original Six teams.
Canadiens vs Bruins prediction
Canadiens vs Bruins best bet: Alexandre Carrier Over 1.5 blocked shots (-180)
Since January 7, no one has blocked more shots than Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier. He ranks one ahead of his teammate Noah Dobson despite playing significantly fewer minutes.
The Quebec City native has 27 blocked shots over his last nine games, and has scored four goals during that time for good measure.
He trails only Mike Matheson among Habs defensemen in shorthanded ice time, and will be largely entrusted to fend off the Boston Bruins' fourth-ranked power play. He's in line to hit the Over for blocked shots once again.
Canadiens vs Bruins same-game parlay
Nick Suzuki was recently named to Canada's Olympic roster, and deservedly so, as the 26-year-old leads the team in points (57) and ranks 11th in the NHL in assists (41). He has helpers in four consecutive games and 10 in his last 10 games.
With Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman underperforming thus far, it's worth noting Montreal has put up at least four goals on Boston in three of their last five meetings — including potting six behind Swayman just over a month ago.
Boston has won seven of the last 10 meetings, but has lost two of the last three. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Bruins.
How to watch Canadiens vs Bruins
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, Sportsnet
Canadiens vs Bruins latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
The official dropped the puck, and Glass snapped it back to his teammate and New Jersey Devils defenseman, Simon Nemec. The 21-year-old’s shot was blocked by Marcus Pettersson.
The puck took a bounce off the boards behind Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen, and Devils rookie Lenni Hämeenaho pounced.
Only 1:41 into the game, New Jersey held a 1-0 lead at Rogers Arena. Glass was the first of Hämeenaho’s teammates to celebrate the winger’s first career NHL goal.
“It was a great feeling," Hämeenaho told NJD.TV of scoring, "Something you kind of don’t know before it happens, so it was great, a great feeling.”
It was a backhand shot that beat Lankinen, who was born a little over six hours south of Hämeenaho’s hometown of Kajaani, Finland.
It took seven periods of play at the NHL level for Hämeenaho to score. A player who historically has taken time to get comfortable in new situations, whether it was the rookie tournament or the start of the season in the American Hockey League (AHL), has adjusted quickly to the NHL, never looking out of place.
"We have been kind of building towards this," head coach Sheldon Keefe told NJD.TV. "Obviously, Lenni’s development in Utica in particular is something that we have been monitoring and waiting and feeling like we would get a look like this when he was ready for it.
“As I spoke about this morning, Glass’s progression, his game in the last month or six weeks, he has been hot in scoring, but his overall game has been very, very solid,” Keefe continued. “Because of that, I think he is now able to help carry a line, and Gritsyuk has helped. Now you get Lenni involved, and you can move (Brown) around, and you can get more from your group that way. That is kind of what we have been waiting for. But Lenni’s development and the patience that we have shown to allow him to find his game and to come up when he is ready has really served us well in the early going.”
His offensive contributions continued in the second period as he picked up his first NHL assist on Glass’ 12th goal of the season at 3:14, giving the Devils a 3-0 lead.
The middle frame was a back-and-forth period with Nico Hischier and Connor Brown additionally scoring. Unfortunately, the Devils surrendered three goals to Canucks’ Linus Karlsson, Teddy Blueger, and Zeev Buium.
Entering the third period, the Devils held a 4-3 advantage over the Canucks. It was Glass, Hämeenaho’s linemate, that extended New Jersey’s lead to 5-3, securing the team’s third consecutive victory.
“There was a lot of chaos in the game, some that we created ourselves, particularly at the end of the game, but it is a lot better to learn inside the chaos after a win, there is no doubt about that,” Keefe said.
On Saturday night, in his third NHL game, Hämeenaho celebrated the first multi-point game of his career. By comparison, it took him 14 games with the Utica Comets (AHL) for him to have a two-point game.
The Devils will conclude their roadtrip on Sunday afternoon with one final stop at Climate Pledge Arena to face the Seattle Kraken.
"It’s been a really good road trip for us,” Keefe said. “I think as much as you don’t love some of the things that happened today, giving the game back a little bit in that second period, giving them life and hope at the end of the game, some of that can serve as a nice little jolt on this road trip to keep us focused and keep us improving along the way.”
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It’s a relatively busy evening across the National Hockey League, with nine games on the schedule. My NHL player props will include Ryan O’Reilly, Ivan Demidov, and Nikita Kucherov.
Ryan O’Reilly is having a nice campaign for the Nashville Predators, scoring 18 goals and assisting 32. He’s been on fire as of late, cashing the Over in helpers in six consecutive appearances. During that span, the veteran has registered eight assists.
In a victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday evening, O’Reilly had three assists. On Tuesday, he also had a pair of goals and a helper. The Preds welcome the Utah Mammoth to town this afternoon, and O’Reilly has compiled 17 assists in 27 games in Nashville.
Also, he’s tallied a pair of helpers in two meetings with Utah in 2025-26. O’Reilly will stay hot.
Ivan Demidov has already notched 32 assists for the Montreal Canadiens this season, serving as one of their top playmakers. He’s a dangerous weapon offensively. The Russian has cashed the Over in helpers in two of his last three outings, compiling three assists during that span.
While Demidov didn’t get in on the action on Thursday evening against the Buffalo Sabres, he did set up a pair of goals on Tuesday in a victory against the Minnesota Wild. The Habs hit the road tonight for a classic matchup with the Boston Bruins, and Demidov has played well away from the Bell Centre.
On the road, the 20-year-old has 15 assists in 25 games. He’s also tallied an assist in two meetings with the Bruins this season.
Nikita Kucherov is an absolute beast, sitting top-15 in the league in goals with 25 to his name. The veteran has scored 12 across his last 15 appearances, and he’s found the back of the net in four of his previous seven games.
Kucherov just scored on Friday evening against the Chicago Blackhawks, and he’s bagged 16 of his goals on the road. The Tampa Bay Lightning happen to be in Columbus this evening to face the Blue Jackets.
He scored once in three meetings with the Blue Jackets last season, and Kucherov is clearly thriving as a goal scorer when he’s away from Benchmark International Arena. He’ll produce the goods.
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Connor McDavid’s shot rates on home soil are nothing short of spectacular. They’ve been especially high since Zach Hyman returned to the lineup, and my Capitals vs. Oilers predictions are banking on that remaining the case. Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Saturday, January 24.
Capitals vs Oilers prediction
Capitals vs Oilers best bet:Connor McDavid Over 3.5 shots (+105)
Connor McDavid has generated a whopping 4.7 shots on 7.1 attempts per game in Edmonton. Those outputs have predictably led to a ton of Overs, with McDavid clearing this line in 18 of 24 home dates — a 75% clip.
His numbers have reached even greater heights with Hyman by his side. McDavid has averaged 5.2 shots on 7.3 attempts when Hyman rides shotgun, and recorded 4+ shots in 13 of his last 14 at home.
The Edmonton Oilers tend to go as their captain goes. Well, McDavid’s goals have dried up over the past handful of games, and they’ve dropped four of six as a result.
McDavid will want to snap this scoring funk sooner rather than later to help get his team back on track. The good news is he has a great matchup to help him take matters into his own hands.
The Washington Capitals rank 26th in shot suppression and 8th in pace over their past 10 games. They’re giving up a ton of volume and playing a high-paced brand of hockey that should suit McDavid perfectly.
Washington has also allowed the 2nd-most shots to centers during this stretch.
This is a fantastic matchup across the board. One I expect the league’s best player to take advantage of.
Capitals vs Oilers same-game parlay
McDavid and Hyman both rank in the Top 5 in goals over the past two months. They are scoring machines, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins skates with them at 5-on-5 and on the power play, making him a prime candidate to pick up a helper.
The Oilers have averaged 3.9 goals over their past 10 against Bottom-10 shot suppression teams.
The Capitals fit that criteria and are expected to start backup Charlie Lindgren after giving Logan Thompson the nod on Friday night. Edmonton’s offense should lead them to two points here.
Connor McDavid has averaged 5.5 shots on goal over his last 14 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Oilers.
How to watch Capitals vs Oilers
Location
Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
Date
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Monumental SN, Sportsnet
Capitals vs Oilers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
He’s averaging 1.6 shots on goal per game in 2025-26, and while that number sits at just 1.5 at home, there’s reason to believe he’ll be busy tonight.
The 28-year-old has hit the Over in shots on net in five straight appearances at the Canadian Tire Centre.
In his last game at home a week ago against the Montreal Canadiens, Chabot had two SOG. A few days before that? Another three shots on target against the Vancouver Canucks.
He’ll put another two pucks on net, at the very least, tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Hurricanes vs Senators same-game parlay
We’ll stick with Dylan Cozens for both legs of my SGP. The former first-round pick has tallied assists in back-to-back games, and he’s registered four helpers across his last five appearances.
In Cozens’s last game at home, he set up a goal against the Habs. He’s compiled nine helpers on home ice this season as well.
Cozens is averaging 2.34 SOG per contest, and he’s comfortably cashed the Over in six consecutive outings. Also, he had two shots on target at home against Montreal last Saturday.
At the Canadian Tire Centre, the 24-year-old is averaging 1.95 SOG per contest.
The Ottawa Senators have hit the 1P game total Over in 13 of their last 15 games (+11.45 Units / 55% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Senators.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Senators
Location
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
Date
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN South, Sportsnet One
Hurricanes vs Senators latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
In what was arguably the biggest game of the year — with Mitch Marner returning to town for the first time — the Toronto Maple Leafs started and ended flat.
Now, going into this game, you'd expect every Maple Leafs player to be jacked up, for many reasons.
One: They're playing against a former teammate in Marner, whose return couldn't have been more anticipated. Two: Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, out for over two months with an injury, was returning to the lineup. Three: They lost to Vegas in overtime just over a week ago.
It had all the signs of being a big game from Toronto.
That was, until Vegas took over early and didn't let up. Even with a late push in the second period with goals from John Tavares, Laughton, and then Bobby McMann to make it a one-goal game, the Maple Leafs couldn't catch up to the Golden Knights.
"[We] made a push in the second period. Got us back in the game. I thought probably 10, 11 minutes of that period were really good and played the way we wanted to start the game.
"Third period, we've got to be better. We've got to make a bigger push than that."
Scott Laughton is not happy with the lack of urgency in Toronto's game, among other things.
"It's simplicity, too. I mean, you're D are tired. You don't need to come back with the puck and make it harder. You chip pucks in, you fill lanes, you make it easy on your D, and you…
This isn't something we haven't seen before. For some reason, whenever the Maple Leafs need to go all in, they turn around and fold.
Why?
"I don't have that answer for you. I wish I did," Berube continued.
"I mean, we've been a real good home team here for a long time this year. I remember the last road trip we went on, and we came back home, we were a little bit the same way, kind of like in and out in the games, not quite detailed, not playing with the urgency that is needed and the simplicity that's needed.
"That's something definitely I talk to the team about after the game. We've got to fix it."
Beyond all the reasons listed of why Toronto should've come out firing, there's still the playoff picture: if the Maple Leafs defeated Vegas on Friday, they would've moved one point behind the Boston Bruins for second in the wild-card race.
Every game matters right now, and the Maple Leafs lose yet another at home.
"Yeah, it's concerning," said Laughton. "They come in off probably a late night. We know how that feels. Stolie's first game in a month, two months, and that's what we put up."
Craig Berube on tonight's game.
"For me, the standard's got to be better and higher. We're at home here. We're not playing consistently enough with the urgency that is needed."
Toronto welcomes the NHL's leader, the Colorado Avalanche, into the city on Sunday afternoon. They'll then face the Buffalo Sabres, who are a few points ahead of them, currently in the first wild-card spot.
After that, the Maple Leafs set off on their Western Canada road trip before the Olympic break.
Six games left; a possible 12 points on the line.
How they handle this next stretch will not only dictate their plans for the trade deadline in March, but likely their entire season.
"I think we understand where we're at and the importance of every game," said Tavares, who had Toronto's first goal on Friday against Vegas, "but just the need to execute, to be sharp, to battle through whatever challenges there might be, whether you feel good, whether you don't.
"Just the way we have to give ourselves the best possible chance to win hockey games, earn results. We just haven't been as consistent for 60 minutes coming back home here."
