The Calgary Flames delivered a timely performance on Hockey Day in Canada, earning a 4–2 win over the New York Islanders Saturday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Calgary entered the game with a few storylines swirling. Forward Matvei Gridin was recalled from the AHL earlier in the day and slotted into the lineup alongside Connor Zary and Nazem Kadri, while Dustin Wolf got the start between the pipes. Despite ongoing trade speculation, defenceman Rasmus Andersson was also in the lineup—and made his presence felt.

The Flames opened the scoring midway through the first period as Yegor Sharangovich continued his hot stretch. Andersson found him in the high slot, and Sharangovich snapped a glove-side shot past David Rittich for his fifth point in three games, giving Calgary a 1–0 lead.

The game tilted decisively in Calgary’s favour early in the second period with a flurry of goals. After weathering a couple of Islanders chances, the Flames doubled their lead when Adam Klapka redirected a Kevin Bahl point shot past Rittich. Bahl picked up his second assist of the night on the play.

Just over a minute later, Ryan Lomberg set up Justin Kirkland on a 2-on-1, and Kirkland roofed the puck to make it 3–0—his first goal since last November. Klapka added the secondary assist.

The Flames weren’t done. Yan Kuznetsov jumped into the rush moments later, walked in off the blue line, and wired a shot off the crossbar and in to cap a four-goal burst on just 10 shots.

New York responded quickly, with Jean-Gabriel Pageau scoring his eighth of the season less than a minute later to cut the deficit to 4–1.

In the third period, Islanders head coach Patrick Roy pulled his goalie with more than eight minutes remaining, sparking an unusual sequence that nearly saw Wolf score a goalie goal as his long attempt slid just wide of the empty net.

The Islanders finally capitalized late when Anders Lee scored his 300th NHL goal on a sharp-angle shot that squeaked through Wolf, but Calgary held on the rest of the way to secure the 4–2 victory.

Three Takeaways:

1. Making the Most of Their Looks

Calgary was opportunistic all night. The Flames had just eight shots halfway through the game but scored three times on those chances, turning efficiency into a decisive advantage.

2. Fourth Line Delivers

The Flames’ depth made a difference. Adam Klapka finished with a goal and an assist, Ryan Lomberg added a helper, and Justin Kirkland chipped in with a much-needed goal, providing strong energy and timely scoring.

3. Zary Keeps Rolling

Connor Zary’s strong stretch continued, extending his point streak to five games. He now has two goals and four assists for six points over that span, providing consistent offensive momentum for Calgary.

CALGARY, AB -- After shutting out Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers 1-0 on Thursday, the New York Islanders fell 4-2 to the Calgary Flames. 

The Islanders are now 2-2-1 with two games left on their seven-game road trip. 

David Rittich made 15 saves. Dustin Wolf made 28 saves. 

Here's how it happened. 

The Islanders got off to a tough start, taking back-to-back penalties at the 1:00 mark and the 3:31 mark of the first, but a strong penalty kill kept the game scoreless. 

However, Calgary was able to break the ice at 11:31 of the first after Yegor Sharagovich roofed one past Rittich's left ear from the slot. 

The Islanders didn't allow a shot on goal for the rest of the period, finishing the opening 20 with 10 shots on goal, but couldn't beat Wolf. They missed the net 12 times.

The Flames scored three more unanswered goals early in the third period to take a commanding 4-0 lead.  

At 3:04 of the second period, after Adam Klapka deflected a Kevin Bahl point shot to make it 2-0. 

At 9:50 of the second, Justin Kirkland scored his first of the season after he roofed a Ryan Lomberg 2-on-1 pass over a sprawled out Rittich to make it 3-0. 

Through a screen, Yan Kuzentsov went bar-down from the left point over Rittich's glove at 11:49 of the middle frame to make it 4-0. 

Jean-Gabriel Pageau stopped the bleeding at 12:21 of the second. He peeled around the left circle before he roofed one short side under the cross-bar for his ninth of the season to cut their deficit to 4-1 at 12:21 of the second period:

Pageau pages the toy department @91Butch#Islespic.twitter.com/BhZNM33jzA

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) January 17, 2026

Matthew Schaefer collected the primary assist on the goal, earning his 18th assist and 31st point of the season. Simon Holmstrom, who earned the secondary assist, snapped a two-game point streak and now has six points over his last six games. 

The Islanders missed the net another eight times in that period, bringing their total through 40 minutes to an even 20. 

Roy's squad couldn't muster much in the third period. He decided to pull Rittich with 8:04 to go in the third period, with the Islanders not allowing a goal. 

Anders Lee scored his 300th career goal at 17:04 of the third to cut the Islanders' deficit to 4-2. 

Mr. 300. #Islespic.twitter.com/1yh4ymr4Gv

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) January 17, 2026

Up Next: The Islanders battle the Vancouver Canucks on Monday nightat 10 PM ET. 

Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot will make his 2025-26 season debut tonight against the Washington Capitals as he checks into the Florida Panthers lineup for Donovan Sebrango.

Bjornfot has played 15 NHL games with the Panthers over three seasons, recording no points. The 24-year-old has played 134 games in the NHL with the Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, and the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring one goal and 15 points while averaging 16:03 of ice time. 

Bjornfot was originally selected by the Kings in the first round (22nd overall) in the 2019 NHL draft. 

The Swedish defender was recently named to the 2026 AHL All-Star game, representing the Charlotte Checkers alongside winger Jack Devine. 

Exiting the lineup will be Sebrango. The 24-year-old was a minus-2 and took seven penalty minutes in 12:31 of ice time. He's played 16 games with the Panthers since he was claimed off waivers from the Ottawa Senators.

Bjornfot will be paired alongside Jeff Petry on the third pairing. 

Tonight's contest against the Capitals is the final game of the Panthers' current six-game road trip. The Panthers are 2-3-0 and hoping to end the road trip with a win. 

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The Los Angeles Kings were represented by two of their youngest players on Corey Pronman's latest U-23 rankings. Defenseman Brandt Clarke and prospect winger Liam Greentree both fell into the bottom-tier 7 projection, reserved for players who have incredible potential but have a lot of room to climb up in the rankings. 

Today, we will analyze why Clarke and Greentree rank at the bottom of this list, their stats for this season, future projections, and why they sit very far behind names like Dalibor Dvorsky and Conor Geekie, who sit at the top of tier 7. 

Brandt Clarke Ranked 89th, Tier 7: Middle of the Lineup Player 

Brandt Clarke, drafted 8th overall in the 2021 NHL draft, has already found his role on this team, playing the most minutes of his career this season for the Kings. The 22-year-old defenseman has been a key part of the Kings' blue line this season, already having the most goals he's had in his career, and is on pace to end the year with his best numbers. 

This season, we've seen Clarke step up in big moments for the Kings when games have come close. Clarke, right now, is averaging 17 assists, 23 points with six goals on 18 minutes of ice played for the Kings, in which, if he stays healthy, he will end the season with his best play. 

However, despite Clarke's improvement this season and bright future, Pronmam's evolution reflects the same concerns that scouts have long had. The biggest concern is Clarke's skating, which is rated poor and is well below average, limiting his ceiling despite his above-average puck skills, shot, and hockey sense. 

Right now, we know Clarke is a solid offensive defenseman who can get his own shot up and score when called upon, but what is lacking is the other side of the ice, being a true two-way player. While Clarke has definitely shown some great defensive reads this season with more playing time, he will do so with the right development. It's still too soon to put him ahead of other players who have more opportunities right now.

Motitz Seider is in the TOP

TOP Defensemen by Defense Contribution | 5v5 | Jan 1

1. Moritz Seider #LGRW
2. Brandt Clarke #GoKingsGo
3. Esa Lindell #TexasHockey
4. Vladislav Gavrikov #NYR
5. Sam Malinski #GoAvsGo
6. Mikey Anderson #GoKingsGo
7. J.J. Moser #GoBolts
8. Jake… pic.twitter.com/0rUH0nwXOR

— Benchrates (@benchrates) January 1, 2026

Liam Greentree Ranked 134th, Tier 7: Middle of the Lineup Player

Liam Greentree, selected 26th overall in 2024, remains firmly in the prospect phase but continues to trend upward in the Ontario Hockey League. The 20-year-old winger has yet to play for the Kings, but has posted a great start playing for the Windsor Spitfires. 

His game leans heavily on above-average puck skills and his shot, making him a legitimate scoring threat at the next level. This season, Greentree is averaging 17 goals, 17 assists, and 34 points in 27 games. Those are great numbers that will continue to go up when the season ends if he continues to play well and stays healthy. 

But, as with Clarke, the skating is the issue; sitting below average suggests a longer development curve for Greentree. The Canadian right-winger profiles as a power winger with offensive upside, but is not yet a complete NHL-ready player, placing him squarely at the very bottom ranking of tier 7.  

My Top 5 Prospects in the LA Kings system:
⁰1️⃣ Liam Greentree⁰2️⃣ Carter George⁰3️⃣ Henry Brzustewicz⁰4️⃣ Hampton Slukynsky⁰5️⃣ Erik Portillo

Who’s your No. 1? 👑 pic.twitter.com/BJf6f5wl2g

— Tristan Baker (@TristanBaker_18) August 19, 2025

How Clarke and Greentree Compare to Other Tier 7 Players

Dalibor Dvorsky and Conor Geekie remain at the top of tier 7, with Dvorsky sitting at 64 and Geekie at 65, respectively.  Both Dvorsky and Geekie remain below average at skating, similar to Greentree and Clarke, but have stronger projections due to their offensive ceiling and longer tenure in the NHL. 

Geekie, despite a bad start to this season with zero goals and just one assist and point, has a similar development arc to Greentree but is a bigger body forward with above-average puck skills, a shot, and average hockey sense. 

Dvorsky, meanwhile, is off to a great start after playing just two games last season. The 20-year-old already has seven goals, 10 points, and 3 assists in 38 games. His profile is built on a high-end shot and above-average puck skills and is already making his way as a top-six NHL scorer. 

Final Note

• Clarke offers the most immediate impact in the NHL due to his current role with the Kings. 

• Dvorsky carries the bigger offensive load and upside. 

• Geekie brings size and scoring tools, but remains limited by skating. 

• Greentree is the longest-term project but has similar skillsets to Clarke and Dvorsky, particularly as a scorer. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks are set to take on the Boston Bruins on Saturday night. This Original Six matchup is a special one for the Blackhawks, as they will honor “The Banner Years” to close out the third chapter of their centennial celebration. 

There will be over 20 Blackhawks alumni in attendance, all of whom won the Cup with Chicago in 2010, 2013, and/or 2015. A pregame ceremony hosted by Pat Foley will take place after warmups. 

Scouting Boston

The Boston Bruins came into 2025-26 with mixed expectations. As an organization, the playoffs are a goal every single year, no matter what. However, a tough 2024-25 had many thinking it might be a couple of years before they returned to the postseason. So far, they’ve been a surprise.

The Bruins currently hold the final Wild Card spot in a crowded Eastern Conference with a record of 27-19-2 (56 points). They come into this matchup with Chicago on a five-game winning streak. 

Khusnutdinov-Lindholm-Pastrnak

Mittelstadt-Zacha-Arvidsson

Steeves-Minten-Geekie

Jeannot-Kuraly-Kastelic

Aspirot-McAvoy

Zadorov-Jokiharju

Lohrei-Peeke

Korpisalo

Everything on this Bruins team runs through David Pastrnak. He is one of the three best wingers in the NHL, and he drives offense like a center. His line with Elias Lindholm and Murat Khusnutdinov has been on fire in recent weeks. 

Morgan Geekie has a lot of goals this season, but Khusnutdinov took his spot on the top line. Still, that’s a sniper playing a depth position to keep an eye on if you're the Blackhawks in a pre-scout meeting. 

On defense, forecheckers must avoid former Blackhawk Nikita Zadorov, as he is known to hit them hard. Their number one defenseman, and Team USA star, Charlie McAvoy, is the one who can burn in all three zones. 

Jeremy Swayman, Boston’s number one goalie, will be with McAvoy on Team USA in Milan. He is a big reason the Bruins are having a bounce-back season. Joonas Korpisalo, his backup, will get the start, though. Korpisalo is a competent goalie as well, meaning the Blackhawks must be on their game if they want to break out of their offensive slump.

This isn’t the Bruins team loaded with Hall of Famers as the Blackhawks faced in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, but it’s a feisty bunch led by a handful of superstars at each position. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks are coming off two tough losses at home to the Alberta teams, but they are still 5-4-1 in their last 10. A win over the Bruins would be a strong bounce-back victory, based on how well Boston has played in recent weeks. 

Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky

Bertuzzi-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Donato-Moore-Lardis

Dach-Foligno-Slaggert

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Soderblom

Teuvo Teravainen’s injury is starting to linger. He will not play against the Bruins and is still day-to-day. Jason Dickinson left practice with an injury, but Jeff Blashill said that he will play. 

These lines are well-balanced based on the tools that they have. Each line has a shooter, a playmaker, and a player capable of playing hard in all three zones. 

Arvid Soderblom will get the start in goal. Spencer Knight has been playing incredibly lately, but he gets the night off. He will likely start on Monday night against the Winnipeg Jets. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mika Zibanejad became the Rangers’ all-time leader in power-play goals and his three-goal performance tied the team record for most career hat tricks in New York’s 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Swede scored with a man advantage at 5:38 of the second period, giving him 117 power-play goals and moving him past Camille Henry and Chris Kreider, who each had 116 for New York.

Zibanejad’s first-period goal at 7:26 put the Rangers ahead to stay at 2-1 and he completed his scoring at 8:25 of the second, matching Bill Cook with nine career hat tricks with the Rangers.

Artemi Panarin added two goals and an assist, and Brennan Othmann also scored for the Rangers, who snapped a five-game skid. The Rangers, whose last victory came January 2 against Florida, had lost eight of their last nine games. J.T. Miller, Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck each had two assists. Spencer Martin made 25 saves and earned his first win of the season.

Rangers coach Mike Sullivan earned his 500th coaching win. Sullivan was a two-time Stanley Cup winner in his 10-year tenure with the Penguins. He parted ways with Pittsburgh after missing the playoffs for a third straight season and was hired by New York in May, after Peter Laviolette was fired.

Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and Trevor Zegras each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who lost their sixth straight game. Samuel Ersson made 22 stops.

Flyers center Rodrigo Abols left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. Abols appeared to catch his right foot in an odd position while battling along the boards and struggled to put weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice

The Flyers were without Dan Vladar, Tyson Foerster (arm injury), Bobby Brink (upper-body injury) and Rasmus Ristolainen (upper-body injury for the game.

Up next

Rangers: At Anaheim on Monday for the second game of a four-game trip.

Flyers: At Vegas on Monday in the opener of a three-game trip.

PHILADELPHIA — The Rangers finally found their response.

In the first game since president and general manager Chris Drury declared the team would be entering a retooling period, the Blueshirts powered through the also-spiraling Flyers on Saturday afternoon in a 6-3 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Both clubs rode a season-high five-game losing streak into the contest, but the Rangers’ desperation — which had seemingly gone dormant — was evident from puck drop and fueled a much-needed victory.

“The last couple of days have been pretty emotional for the whole group, and to respond with an effort like they did tonight, for me, is just I think evidence that these guys are quality people and they care a lot about each other and about the Rangers,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the win, the 500th of his career. 

Key skaters, including a few who are on the trade block, shouldered the weight of this one.

Mika Zibanejad recorded his second hat trick of the month, extending his point streak to eight straight games in a dominant performance.

Fresh from learning the Rangers would not give him a contract extension, Artemi Panarin registered two goals and one assist.

Captain J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière all posted two-assist efforts.

Even Brennan Othmann, who has heard his name in trade rumors since October, scored his first NHL goal.

“It felt great,” the 23-year-old said. “It was a long time coming.”

It was a total outpouring from the Rangers amid a precarious time in the organization.

The Flyers may have struck first, but the rest of the first period belonged to the Rangers

After Travis Konecny opened the scoring, the Rangers netted the next three goals to go into the first intermission with a two-goal lead. 

The response was almost immediate, with Panarin capitalizing on an aggressive passing sequence with his linemates, Lafrenière and Trocheck.

Just 21 seconds later, Zibanejad scored the first of his three goals to give the Rangers their first lead of the day.

A tough season for the Rangers has been particularly challenging for Othmann, who competed in his ninth NHL game of the season on Saturday. 

From getting cut from training camp early, hearing the Rangers are willing to move on from him and getting lit up by Washington’s Tom Wilson, the 23-year-old Othmann was overdue for a feel-good performance.

Scoring his first goal in the 34th game of his NHL career, Othmann made it a 3-1 game off a snipe on a 3-on-1 rush.

The Flyers were held to one goal on seven shots in the middle frame, in which the Rangers were able to build a 6-2 lead going into the second intermission.

Scoring a power-play goal, Zibanejad became the all-time leader for the franchise.

And after burying a give-and-go with Miller, Zibanejad now leads the NHL in goals (9) and points (16) since Jan. 2.

“He’s really committed to trying to play the game the right way, the way that we’re trying to play,” Sullivan said. “I think he has personified that most of the year. We’ve challenged him to use his size and his physicality, both offensively and defensively, and I think he’s really embraced that challenge. He’s played extremely well for us.”

The Calgary Flames made a series of roster moves Saturday, shuffling personnel between the NHL club and their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers.

Forward Matvei Gridin was recalled from the Wranglers, while William Strömgren was reassigned back to the AHL. In addition, defenceman Zayne Parekh was sent to the Wranglers on a conditioning loan as he works his way back from injury.

Gridin earns another NHL opportunity following an impressive rookie campaign in the American Hockey League. The 19-year-old was recently named to the AHL All-Star Team and has been one of the Wranglers’ most consistent offensive contributors, posting 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 32 games, along with a plus-6 rating. Gridin also made an early impression at the NHL level, scoring in his Flames debut on opening night against the Edmonton Oilers. He has one goal in four games with the Flames this season.

Parekh, meanwhile, heads to the AHL after missing time due to an upper-body injury sustained following the World Junior Championship, where he helped Canada capture a bronze medal. The Flames had listed the blueliner as day-to-day after the tournament. His conditioning assignment can last up to 14 days.

Strömgren returns to the Wranglers after a brief stint with the Flames. The 22-year-old was recalled on January 5 and made his NHL debut two days later against the Montreal Canadiens. He appeared in three games with Calgary, finishing without a point and posting a minus-1 rating.

It's safe to say that Egor Chinakhov's time with the Columbus Blue Jackets came to an ending that neither party wanted to reach. 

After requesting a trade during the offseason, the 24-year-old winger was finally dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 29. There were a lot of rumors surrounding Chinakhov's desire to start fresh elsewhere, many of which were linked to an apparent rift with former head coach Dean Evason. 

Well, Evason was fired by the Blue Jackets on Jan. 12 and replaced by Rick Bowness, and Chinakhov was asked Saturday in Pittsburgh if he was surprised to hear the news.

"I don't know," Chinakhov said. "I just saw the news, and I texted the guys and how they think about it. And, I mean, I'm not surprised."

Rumors about the strained relationship between Chinakhov and Evason came to a head on Jul. 17, when the trade request was officially initiated publicly by Chinakhov and his agent, Shumi Babaev. Babaev's agency shared Chinakhov's request on social media.

"I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location. Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here," Chinakhov said via the agency's X post. 

Yegor Chinakhov:
I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location.
Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here @BlueJacketsNHLpic.twitter.com/DQ1qU2oHFb

— Shumi Babaev Agency (@BabayevShumi) July 17, 2025

And the Blue Jackets, suffice to say, were not very happy about how the situation was handled publically by Chinakhov or Babaev.

“I’m surprised his agent went public,” Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. “But I’m not surprised it because we’ve talked about it. He got back [from a back injury in 2024-25] and didn’t play well, and [Chinakhov and Evason] fell out of favour."

Waddell also added at the time: “When he came back, he was not the Chinakhov we were hoping he was, and he got healthy scratched at the end. That’s what happens with guys. He couldn’t handle that.”

Since being dealt to Pittsburgh for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick, the Omsk, Russia native has tallied three goals and four points in eight games, largely seeing time on the Penguins' second line with veteran star forward Evgeni Malkin. 

Takeaways: Penguins Take Down Cross-State Rival Flyers In Commanding 6-3 WinThe Pittsburgh Penguins snapped their three-game losing skid with a big win over their rival Philadelphia Flyers to catapult themselves to third in the Metropolitan Division standings

And his new head coach has been complimentary of Chinakhov's work as a Penguin so far. 

“I don’t think he gets enough credit for the way he works away from the puck," Muse said. "He’s done a really good job there in terms of the tracking, the getting back. He’s got some detail to his game. You watch, and he’s changing at the right time, he’s driving wide, he’s drawing a number of penalties.

"So, I think the scoring’s obvious with him, but there’s some things that I’ve learned about him since he’s been here that, maybe, I didn’t know as much but really like.”

Chinakhov has 40 goals and 81 points in 212 career NHL games. His best season came with Columbus in 2023-24, when he registered 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games. 

Chinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsKyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, and it could be a sign of things to come over the next several months.

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Coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday, the Ducks are right back it on Saturday against the same opponent.

A strong game from Beckett Sennecke and a little bit of puck luck aided the Ducks as they erased a 2-0 deficit, with Sennecke and Mason McTavish scoring in the shootout to clinch a winning outcome.

“Second period, we had a great stretch there,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “(Sennecke) had a great game. 
(Goaltender Lukáš Dostál) was outstanding. We turned some pucks over and got some pucks to the net. I thought we checked well. We played hard, knowing that this team has a way of preventing you from even getting close to the net. Scored some greasy and some ugly goals, but we did have some good looks that didn't go in as well. It was a hard fought game. 
All teams know what was on stake or was on the line and we get to go right back at it again tomorrow.”

Tim Washe was one of Anaheim’s goalscorers, collecting his first career NHL goal in the process. His goal tied the game at two apiece.

“We worked on making simple plays, grinding them down low, and then good things happened,” Washe said. “We got our bounces late in the second there, and we were able to put them in.”

Washe’s first NHL goal comes just one day after he was named an AHL All-Star. He had 25 points in 30 games with the San Diego Gulls this season prior to being called up to the Ducks on Jan. 7.

“Amazing feeling, right? That's what you dream of right there,” Washe said. “Credit to Ross (Johnston, who grabbed the puck) and everyone there that made it so special.”

“Pretty hard to believe. Special week and look forward to talking to my family a little bit tonight.”

Anaheim has rolled together two consecutive wins without the likes of Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry, two of their top offensive players. Carlsson will be out of game action for approximately 3-5 weeks as he recovers from a procedure to treat a Morel-Lavallée lesion in his left thigh. Terry has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve on Friday, retroactive to Jan. 6.

“You could look up and down the lineup. Guys are excited for an opportunity. 
I know I am,” Ryan Strome, who scored Anaheim’s first goal, said. “I'm excited to play a little bit more and get a chance with some of our top players and I know some of our guys from San Diego are really excited to be up and contributing, so it's good. 
Everyone’s eager for more opportunity and everyone's hungry and everyone's kind of digging in.

“The thing I think I'm most proud of the boys is it’s been team-first. I think no matter who scores or who gets it done, everyone's happy for everyone. 
I think we've learned a lot about ourselves in this tough stretch we went through. I think we're realizing what it takes to win and it's not easy and that's a great sign for a young team to kind of figure it out. These intangibles and these little things matter, and they're adding up. I'm really proud of the boys last two games.”

Chris Kreider missed Friday’s game with an illness and will likely be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game. If he can’t go, the Ducks will likely roll out the same 11-7 formation from Friday, with defenseman Ian Moore acting as a forward.

The Ducks acquired forward Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins on Friday, with Viel expected to arrive in Anaheim in Saturday. It is unknown if he will be available to play in Saturday’s game.

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Ducks Projected Lines

Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Ryan Strome
Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke
Jansen Harkins - Ryan Poehling - Sam Colangelo
Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Ian Moore

Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov - Drew Helleson

Ville Husso (projected)

Kings Projected Lines

Jeff Malott - Alex Laferriere - Adrian Kempe
Warren Foegele - Quinton Byfield - Joel Armia
Kevin Fiala - Alex Turcotte - Andrei Kuzmenko
Andre Lee - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward

Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci

Anton Forsberg (projected)

The Colorado Avalanche weren't going to stay undefeated at home in regulation for the entire season. Still, many didn't think that the Nashville Predators would be the ones to end that streak. 

Friday, the Predators found the back of the net seven times as it ended the Avalanche's home point streak and undefeated regulation streak in a 7-2 victory. 

The Predators, being a team fighting for a Wild Card spot, the winning effort against the best team in the NHL came as a surprise to many, except for Nashville. 

"That's the next step for our team. To keep stringing these really good performances together against the top teams in the league," Filip Forsberg said. "We know we can do this. We've just got to keep doing it on a regular basis." 

It hasn't come easy. In addition to digging themselves out of the basement of the league, as the Predators were in mid-November, the latest wins have also been about playing more confidently. 

That was abundant in the 4-3 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, where Michael McCarron dropped the gloves with Darnell Nurse 3 seconds into the game, which was followed by a Steven Stamkos goal less than three minutes into the game. 

The 1-0 lead was the first time Nashville had not given up the first goal of a game in 11 straight games. 

Against Colorado, associate head coach Luke Richardson said it was a similar mentality of not backing down from anything the Avalanche were going to throw at them. 

"It's taken months for us to get here and it's a lot of work," Richardson said. "You can see it from the last time we were in here until now, where a team like this flexed its muscles last time, and we crumbled a little bit.

"We talked about that a little bit before the game and I think our leadership showed that we were strong...when they (Colorado) pushed back and made it 2-2, we could've easily crumbled, but that showed the maturity in this team."

Ryan O'Reilly has been a critical part of the Predators' success this season, keeping his play steady through the good and the bad. Friday, he recorded his seventh career hat trick against his former team. 

He leads the Predators with 43 points in 47 games. 

"When we're all pulling the rope together, all five guys on the ice are working and communicating, we can compete with anyone," O'Reilly said. "Tonight, that was a great team we beat, but it's not going to get any easier." 

It is what may be the Predators' most challenging two-game stretch of the season; they travel to Las Vegas 24 hours later to play the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights. 

Nashville does have a win over Vegas this season, dispatching the Golden Knights 4-2 on New Year's Eve, but at the time, the Golden Knights were heavily injured and without their top scorer, Jack Eichel.

With Eichel and a handful of key players back, the Golden Knights have won six straight and gained some space between the Edmonton Oilers for the top spot in the division. 

"We've got a tough one tomorrow that we kind of have to shift the focus, but you can tell for the group that it's a confidence-building win there that we can lean on." 

 Up next: Nashville Predators (23-20-4, 5th Central) at Vegas Golden Knights (23-11-12, 1st Pacific) on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 9 p.m. CST at T-Mobile Arena 

After 34 career games, Rangers' Brennan Othmann finally recorded his first career NHL goal on Saturday afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The 23-year-old forward was able to blast a shot on the fastbreak past Flyers goaltender Aleksei Kolosov to make it a 3-1 game in the first period.

While it's his first NHL goal, Othmann has scored six times in the AHL this season with the Hartford Wolf Pack over 23 games. He has 39 career goals in the AHL across three seasons.

Check out the 2021 first-round pick's goal here:

🚨 BRENNAN OTHMANN'S FIRST NHL GOAL! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/uClwq0dAyz

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) January 17, 2026

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets will meet for the fourth and final time on Saturday. 

Each of the previous three meetings went beyond regulation, with the Penguins winning the last two in overtime.

The two teams most recently met on Jan. 4 in Columbus. The Blue Jackets jumped out to a 4-1 lead and had everything under control late in the second period until the Penguins stormed back to tie it late in the third. Rickard Rakell tied the game with 12.8 seconds left in the game before Sidney Crosby won it in overtime. 

That loss for the Blue Jackets paved the way for a coaching change, as they fired Dean Evason this week and replaced him with Rick Bowness. Bowness is 2-0-0 as the Blue Jackets' head coach, and the team as a whole has won three in a row coming into Saturday's game. 

Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has been tremendous once again this season, compiling 18 goals and 51 points in 43 games. He does it all as the Jackets' top defenseman and will play a big role for Team USA at the Olympics next month. 

Kirill Marchenko is second on the team in goals with 17 and also has 40 points in 43 games. He can strike from anywhere and scored against the Penguins in the game on Jan. 4. 

Dmitri Voronkov has 16 goals and 30 points in 47 games, while Adam Fantilli has 12 goals and 30 points in 47 games.  

Elvis Merzlikins will start in goal for the Blue Jackets after he made 30 saves in a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. 

The Penguins are set to go with the same lineup that they had against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

Forwards

Rakell-Crosby-Rust

Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin

Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defense

Kulak-Letang

Wotherspoon-St. Ivany

Shea-Clifton

Arturs Silovs will start in goal after having the night off on Thursday. 

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Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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

The Montreal Canadiens make the short trek to the Canadian Tire Centre to face the Ottawa Senators tonight.  

This marks the third meeting between these two Atlantic Division rivals after they split the first two games.

My Canadiens vs. Senators predictions point to continued struggles for the middling Senators, with Habs defenseman Noah Dobson remaining a force on the blue line.

Read more in my NHL picks for Saturday, January 17. 

Canadiens vs Senators prediction

Canadiens vs Senators best bet: Noah Dobson Over 2.5 blocked shots (+135 at Bet99)

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson leads the NHL in blocked shots (122) and is in the midst of a particularly hot stretch.

The 26-year-old has blocked 26 shots over his last eight games, cashing the Over in seven of them.

Given the reliability of this player prop, it offers serious value at plus odds. The Ottawa Senators also rank 13th in the league in shots on goal.

Canadiens vs Senators same-game parlay

Habs rookie Oliver Kapanen paces all first-year players with 16 goals and is enjoying a particularly trigger-happy stretch. The Finn has matched Alexander Ovechkin in shots on goal over the past two weeks, cashing the Over in six of his last seven games.

Kapanen is the primary shooter on the Canadiens’ second line, with Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky showing no hesitation in feeding the 22-year-old. He’s firmly established himself as a shoot-first option.

The Habs have scored the fourth-most goals away from home, own an impressive 13-5-6 road record, and sit tied for third in points percentage. Meanwhile, Ottawa has recently spiraled to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

Canadiens vs Senators odds

• Moneyline: Canadiens +100 | Senators -120
• Puck Line: Canadiens +1.5 (-240) | Senators -1.5 (+195)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)

Canadiens vs Senators trend

Montreal has prevailed in four of the last six head-to-head meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Senators.

How to watch Canadiens vs Senators

Canadiens vs Senators latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to be without William Nylander for the next couple of games.

Toronto had an optional morning skate on Saturday in Winnipeg ahead of their matchup against the Jets. The Athletic's Joshua Kloke reported that Calle Jarnkrok will draw into the lineup for Nylander, who reaggravated a lower-body injury on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said, via Kloke, that Nylander is also unlikely to play against the Minnesota Wild at home on Monday.

Maple Leafs lineup news tonight against the Jets: Dennis Hildeby starts. Calle Jarnkrok in the lineup. No Simon Benoit.

Craig Berube said William Nylander is not only out of the lineup tonight but also unlikely for Monday’s game against the Wild.

— Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) January 17, 2026

"I mean, right now, I don't expect him to be in today for sure. Monday, probably not," Berube told reporters on Saturday morning. "I don't know how long it's going to be."

Nylander missed six straight games with the lower-body injury before returning to Toronto's lineup on Jan. 10 against the Vancouver Canucks. He's appeared in the Maple Leafs' last four games, registering three goals and seven points in that span.

Two of those points — a goal and an assist — came in the first period against the Golden Knights before leaving the game with the injury.

Jarnkrok last appeared in Toronto's lineup against the Utah Mammoth (and scored), with Nick Robertson out after blocking a shot one night earlier vs. the Colorado Avalanche. The veteran forward has six goals in 28 games this season.

Dennis Hildeby is set to start for Toronto in Winnipeg, his first appearance since the 6-1 loss to the Mammoth on Jan. 13. The 24-year-old stopped 35 of 41 shots against in that game.

"That was more on us as a team than him," Berube said Saturday morning. "I think he was under siege pretty good there, and I thought he made a lot of really good saves. But for me, like I talked about, his game has really grown.

"I think he's building more and more confidence and understanding the league a lot better. I really like a lot of what he's done." 

Hildeby has four wins and a .911 save percentage in 17 games this season.

Also not in the lineup tonight is Simon Benoit, Kloke reports. Benoit was a late scratch on Thursday against the Golden Knights due to an upper-body injury, despite attending Toronto's skate earlier that morning.

It's unknown how the 27-year-old picked up the ailment. He's day-to-day, per the Maple Leafs.

With Benoit set to miss his second straight game, Philippe Myers likely will remain in Toronto's lineup. Myers was paired alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson against Vegas and had 16:48 of ice time in the overtime loss.

With Nylander out for what's likely the next two games, it's expected that Jacob Quillan will join the Maple Leafs in Winnipeg later today. He'll be the extra forward whilst Nylander is injured.

Expect Jacob Quillan to join the club in Winnipeg today. https://t.co/wZUbyMp917

— David Alter (@davidalter) January 17, 2026

Quillan has played three games with the Maple Leafs this season — two in November and one in December — and is yet to register a point. The 23-year-old has been strong with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, scoring eight goals and 27 points in 28 games.

The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-born forward has played four career NHL games, averaging 7:25 of ice time.