In a ridiculous back-and-forth affair against the first-place Carolina Hurricanes, the Penguins ultimately fell 6-5 in overtime in Sidney Crosby's return, moving just one point ahead of Long Island.
That gives the Islanders the opportunity to leapfrog Pittsburgh on Thursday night when they battle the Ottawa Senators, who lost 5-1 Wednesday night to the Washington Capitals in Cole Hutson's NHL debut.
After Thursday, the Islanders will have played one more game than Pittsburgh, which doesn't play again until Saturday night, when they host the Winnipeg Jets.
The Vancouver Canucks (21-38-8) welcome another Eastern Conference team to Rogers Arena on Thursday as the Tampa Bay Lightning (41-21-4) visit for the only time this season. Tampa Bay is firmly in a playoff spot, but has struggled of late with a 3-7-1 record over its last 10. As for Vancouver, the team is starting to find some consistency as they enter Thursday night with two wins in their last three games.
Off the ice, Thursday is a big night on the calendar as it is the annual Canucks For Kids Fund Telethon. Fans can donate both at the game and online. The Canucks are also offering a promotion in which every donation over $100 comes with a photo featuring Filip Hronek, Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser.
Shifting focus back to the ice, Vancouver has the chance to pick up back-to-back wins for the first time since December. As for back-to-back home wins, that hasn't happened for the Canucks all season. Ultimately, with a strong performance, Thursday could become a special night for the fans at Rogers Arena
Players To Watch:
Liam Öhgren:
Liam Öhgren has found a home as a key member of the BRÖ line. The 22-year-old has two assists in his last three games and has at least one shot on goal in six straight. Whether it is getting in on the forecheck or finding teammates in open space, Öhgren is showing he can be an impactful player in the top six.
Nikita Kucherov:
Nikita Kucherov remains one of the best players in the NHL. He is coming off a five-point night on Tuesday and is up to 111 points in 62 games. A potential Hart Trophy finalist this year, Kucherov will most likely feature on the scoresheet on Thursday night.
Dec 8, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (86) stick checks Vancouver Canucks forward Max Sasson (63) during the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Vancouver Canucks (21–38–8):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 15–25–40
Filip Hronek: 7–31–38
Brock Boeser: 16–19–35
Jake DeBrusk: 14–18–32
Linus Karlsson: 12-17-29
Goaltenders:
Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1
Kevin Lankinen: 8–21–5
Nikita Tolopilo: 5–6–2
Jiří Patera: 0–1–0
Tampa Bay Lightning (41-21-4)
Points:
Nikita Kucherov: 37-74-111
Jake Guentzel: 29-41-70
Brandon Hagel: 31-32-63
Darren Raddysh: 17-41-58
Brayden Point: 16-28-44
Goaltenders:
Andrei Vasilevskiy: 31-12-3
Jonas Johansson: 10-9-1
Brandon Halverson: 0-0-0
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
After rising to the challenge against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens will play another do-or-die game on Thursday night, this time on the road against the Detroit Red Wings. As things stand, the Wings have the second and last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 82 points.
The Bruins have the same number of points and games played, but hold the first tiebreaker with 27 regulation wins to Detroit’s 26. The hosts put an end to a three-game losing streak when they beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 on Monday. Todd McLellan’s men are 4-2-2 in their last 10 games, while the Canadiens are now 5-3-2.
Neither coach has yet confirmed who will start in net, and the Canadiens will not hold a morning skate. Martin St-Louis will speak to the media at 11:45, when we should find out. Jakub Dobes was great in the last game, and it will be interesting to see if that earned him another tour of duty. The Czech netminder has only played one game against the Wings so far, which he won. He has a 1.00 GAA and a .968 save percentage. Meanwhile, Jacob Fowler has also played one game against Detroit, but he lost it and has a 3.18 GAA with a .870 SV%. As for Samuel Montembeault, who still seems to be on the sidelines, he has a 4-1-2 record, a 2.67 GAA, and a .914 SV%.
At the other end of the ice, John Gibson and Cam Talbot both have winning records against the visitors. The former has seen the lion’s share of the work this season and was in the net on Monday for the Wings’ win over the Flames. He’s 8-3-1 against the Habs with a 2.40 GAA and a .922 SV%. As for the latter, he’s 9-4-1 with a 1.60 GAA and a .939 SV%. Needless to say, whoever is in net, it won’t be an easy game for the Canadiens.
After the win over Boston and with Kirby Dach sidelined, it would be surprising to see Martin St-Louis make any changes. Brendan Gallagher is the Canadiens’ top point producer against the Wings with 34 points in 39 games, including two points in as many games this season. Captain Nick Suzuki comes in second place with 18 points in just 21 games, while Phillip Danault also has 18 points in 27 games. Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky are currently running four-game point streaks, while Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson are both on three-game point streaks.
James Van Riemsdyk leads the Wings in points against the Habs with 35 points in 50 games, followed by Patrick Kane, who has 25 points in just 29 games, and captain Dylan Larkin, who also has 25 points, but in 36 games. Unfortunately for the Wings, however, Larking is currently sidelined and won’t be ready to return for at least another week. It’s worth mentioning that Alex DeBrincat has 22 points in just 21 games, and the diminutive winger is currently on a four-game point streak.
Each team has won one of the two duels they’ve played so far this year, and they’ve split the last 10 games evenly, winning five each. The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on FDSNDET, TSN2, and RDS. TJ Luxmore and Kelly Sutherland are set to officiate, while Tyson Baker and CJ Murray will be the linemen.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 18: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes makes a save against Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at Lenovo Center on March 18, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
A long five game road trip that began in Raleigh, North Carolina eight days prior and featured stops in Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Denver came to a close last night right back where is started with a familiar result that has become all too routine for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.
Trailing on four different occasions last night against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Penguins battled back each time and even pulled ahead briefly in the third period before ultimately falling in overtime by a score of 6-5 at the Lenovo Center. Sidney Crosby returned to the lineup for the first time since the Olympics and scored the Penguins opener, followed up by a pair of goals from Erik Karlsson, along with additional tallies by Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel. Ultimately the five goals were not enough as the Hurricanes posted six to claim the overtime victory and further cement their Metro division lead over the Penguins and Islanders. [Pensburgh]
Even with the loss, the Penguins will still be feeling good, going 2-1-2 on the trip despite missing key players for the majority of this stretch. They now get consecutive days off for the first time post-Olympic break before returning to action this weekend with a back-to-back set against the Winnipeg Jets and yet another date with the Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon.
Pens Points…
Caught in their worst losing stretch of the season heading into Sunday night, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were desperate for a victory and thanks to Rutger McGroarty, the Baby Penguins snapped the losing skid with a 3-1 victory over Lehigh Valley and remain comfortably in a playoff bye position. [Pensburgh]
Tommy Novak has been a jack of all trades for the Penguins this season, moving up and down the lineup to fill in wherever he is needed. What allows him to do that is how malleable his game can be and when he’s playing in a top six role, his skill with the puck really stands out on the ice. [PPG]
NHL News and Notes…
Jack Hughes has spoken openly about his frustration towards the Hockey Hall of Fame for staking ownership to his gold medal winning puck from the Olympics. Despite his pleas to get it for himself, the Hockey Hall of Fame has no plans on surrendering the puck back to Hughes anytime soon. [ESPN]
Russis or No Russia? That is the biggest question surrounding the 2028 World Cup of Hockey which was a central focus of the ongoing GM meetings this week. No formal decision on Russian participation is imminent, but should the war in Ukraine still be ongoing, it’s unlikely Russia will be included. [Sportsnet]
If the jersey fits, you must acqu—, erm, uh, sign here. | Getty Images
Cole Eiserman has decided to make the leap, signing an NHL entry level contract with the Islanders rather than sticking around NCAA Boston University to enjoy the finer perks of college life. The USNTDP product and 2024 first-rounder finished his sophomore year at BU with continued demonstration of his NHL-plus-caliber shot and continued speculation about if and when the rest of his game will reach the level needed to unleash that shot in the orange and blue.
As a first step, he’ll try that in the orange and blue of the AHL (still as of now) Bridgeport Islanders. He can join them ASAP, whereas fellow ELC signer Kashawn Aitcheson will have to wait until his OHL Barrie season is over.
Returning back to the NCAA though, it sounds like Danny Nelson will stick with Notre Dame for his senior season to potentially play two brothers, accomplishing in South Bend what the Hughes could not accomplish in Newark.
Oh, but that’s all Future (maybe) Islanders! We are about Present Islanders. They are in Ottawa (or Kanata, whatever) tonight to face the Senators, who are still pushing for their playoff lives but suffered a damaging loss to the Capitals in a North American Capital Derby last night. I’m not entirely sure of this, but it definitely looks like had the Senators received halfway competent goaltending through the first three quarters of the season, they’d be in a more secure position than they are now.
Matthew Schaefer made hundreds of friends and family (and his ol’ grandma) proud in his return to Toronto, while Brayden Schenn marvels at how good the kid is. [NHL | Post]
Cal Ritchie also put on a show in his homecoming, though. [LHH | Newsday]
Schaefer is dominating at 18, while Eiserman is hoping to inch his way into the pros at 19. [NHL | Isles]
It’s eight games in 13 nights, but the Islanders are in the right frame of mind to tackle it. [Newsday]
The Skinny from the win in Toronto: “The Isles are 15 games over NHL- .500 for the first time since the end of 2021.” (Thank you, 10-0 OT record.) [Isles]
Periodic reminder that planning on having a Schaefer land in your laps is not, actually, much of a plan. [Athletic]
Approached about his Iron Man mask after three assists, Mathew Barzal talked about the importance of each game. [Isles]
The narrative around Adin Hill has shifted dramatically—and not without reason.
Not long ago, the Vegas Golden Knights netminder was a focal point of fan frustration, his inconsistent play fueling calls for a change in goal. But over the past five games, Hill has delivered a composed and technically sound stretch that has stabilized Vegas in a meaningful way. His recent shutout performance against the Chicago Blackhawks underscored a growing sense of confidence in his game—one that had been notably absent earlier in the season.
This resurgence is not occurring in isolation. Vegas has made subtle but important adjustments to its defensive structure, prioritizing responsibility and puck management in its own zone. The additions of players like Cole Smith and Nic Dowd have helped reinforce a more disciplined, stay-at-home presence. As a result, high-danger scoring chances have been limited, sightlines have improved, and Hill has been able to play with greater composure rather than reacting to breakdowns.
Hill looks more settled, more controlled, and far less exposed.
Ironically, as the defensive side has tightened, the Golden Knights’ offensive consistency has wavered. Earlier in the season, Vegas relied on its ability to outscore mistakes. Now, despite flashes—such as decisive wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago—the attack has lacked the same reliability on a night-to-night basis. It has created a role reversal of sorts: where goaltending once lagged behind, it is now helping to mask offensive inefficiencies.
Hill’s recent form matters because it rebalances the identity of this team.
Why This Stretch Matters
For much of the season, instability in net—whether due to injury or underperformance—undermined an otherwise capable roster. Now, with Hill providing dependable minutes, the Golden Knights have a foundation they can trust. While his season-long numbers (a 2.95 goals-against average and .875 save percentage) remain underwhelming on paper, they no longer fully reflect his current trajectory.
It’s also worth remembering that Hill has delivered in high-leverage moments before. During Vegas’s championship run in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, he stepped in following an injury to Laurent Brossoit and provided stability at a critical juncture. With offensive leaders like Jack Eichel and Mark Stone driving play, Hill’s timely saves helped tilt momentum and ultimately contributed to the franchise’s first title.
That version of Hill—the one capable of elevating his play when it matters most—appears to be re-emerging.
If Vegas can pair this level of goaltending with a more consistent offensive attack, the implications are significant. The Golden Knights may not yet be a fully formed contender, but with improved health and a clearer defensive identity, they are trending toward becoming a far more complete team.
And if Hill continues on this path, the conversation around him won’t just change—it already has.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Noah Cates scored on a deflection off goalie Lukas Dostal's skate at 2:17 of overtime and — after a review for offsides on the play — the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Pacific Division-leading Anaheim forced overtime on Leo Carlsson's goal with 1:54 left in regulation.
Dan Vladar made 34 saves to help Philadelphia rebound from a 2-1 shootout loss to Columbus at home Saturday night. The Flyers are six points behind Boston and Detroit for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots.
Luke Glendening had his first goal of the season and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia. Trevor Zegras was held off the scoresheet in his first game in Anaheim since his offseason trade. He scored twice in Philadelphia’s 5-2 home victory over the Ducks on Jan. 6.
Cutter Gauthier also scored for Anaheim, and Dostal stopped 24 shots. The Ducks beat Montreal 4-3 on Sunday night to finish 2-2 on a Canadian swing.
Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas served the third game of a five-game suspension for kneeing Auston Matthews in a loss at Toronto on March 12. Matthews tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season.
Defenseman John Carlson played his second straight game for the Ducks after a trade-deadline deal with Washington. His Anaheim debut was delayed by a lower-body injury.
Glendening opened the scoring at 2:50 of the first period, his first goal in 57 games this season with New Jersey and Philadelphia. Tippett made it 2-0 at 7:53 of second with his 23rd of the season. Gauthier cut it to 2-1 on a power play with 38 seconds left in second with his 35th goal of the season.
Philadelphia's Nick Seeler fought Jansen Harkins in the third period.
The Calgary Flames returned home on Wednesday night and picked up a hard-earned 2-1 shootout win over the St. Louis Blues to kick off their homestand on the right note.
It didn’t take long for the Flames to get going. Just 2:34 into the first, Connor Zary drove the net and finished off a slick feed from Ryan Strome, lifting it past Joel Hofer to open the scoring. That makes goals in back-to-back games for Zary, who continues to be a noticeable presence.
From there, it turned into a night of what could have been.
The Flames thought they had doubled their lead midway through the period when Martin Pospisil buried a one-timer after a turnover at the blue line, but the Blues challenged for offside and won, wiping it off the board.
Later in the period, it looked like Calgary had finally restored that two-goal cushion. Zary knocked down a bouncing puck and fed Yegor Sharangovich, who snapped it home cleanly. Once again, though, a challenge from St. Louis overturned it, this time due to a high stick on the initial touch.
Despite carrying the 1-0 lead into the second, the game quickly evened out. At 3:47, the Blues capitalized on a partial odd-man rush, with Jimmy Snuggerud setting up Dylan Holloway, who found a way to beat Devin Cooley to tie it 1-1.
Calgary thought they had an answer.
Mikael Backlund led the rush and spotted Joel Farabee alone across the line, threading a perfect pass for what looked like the go-ahead goal. But for the third time on the night, the Blues challenged and for the third time, it was called back after being ruled offside.
The third period came and went without a goal, sending things to overtime.
In the extra frame, Zary drew a high-sticking penalty to give the Flames a golden chance on the power play, but they couldn’t convert, pushing the game to a shootout.
That’s where the Flames finally got their reward.
Farabee converted on his attempt, and then Matvei Gridin stepped in and snapped a confident shot top corner to seal it, giving Calgary the 2-1 win.
Three disallowed goals could’ve derailed the night, but the Flames stuck with it. They kept their pace, stayed engaged, and eventually found a way to get the extra point.
2. Zary driving the play
Another strong showing from Zary. He was involved early, created chances, and even drew a key penalty in overtime.
3. Youth stepping up
Gridin showed confidence and swagger in the shootout, and Zayne Parekh was active throughout, calling for pucks, jumping into plays, and looking comfortable running the power play. Signs the young group is gaining trust.
It seems that on a nightly basis, the no-quit attitude of the Pittsburgh Penguins is on full display, even when they're pretty much down and out of a hockey game.
Well, that was certainly the case on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguins - with captain Sidney Crosby in their lineup for the first time since before the Olympic break - had absolutely nothing in the first two periods of this game. They were turning pucks over left and right, getting completely caved in by Carolina's forecheck, and leaving goaltender Stuart Skinner out to dry.
By all measures, it was nothing short of a miracle that the Penguins were only down by a goal - a 2-1 score - heading into the third period. Skinner was responsible for that, as he was brilliant when he had to be in this game to give his team a chance.
And even if the Penguins ended up on the wrong side of an overtime result yet again, the third period was one for the ages - and just another example of the character present in this group of players.
Pittsburgh lost to Carolina, 6-5, on an overtime goal by defenseman Sean Walker with just 29 seconds remaining in the extra frame. However, this was only after a third period that saw the Penguins finally come to life, as they registered five goals and kept finding ways to bounce back, even when Carolina struck.
To say things started out messy and awful for the Penguins is an understatement. After coming out of the gate pretty strong, Pittsburgh was rewarded with a power play opportunity approaching the midway point of the first, and almost right away, Carolina forward Jordan Martinook took it back the other way and scored a shorthanded goal to give the Canes a 1-0 lead.
The Penguins were awful the rest of the period, and the second was no different. Crosby did score halfway through the second to even the score at 1-1, but Carolina kept coming, and they got it back seven minutes later when Jackson Blake put one home to restore a one-goal lead for the Hurricanes.
Then, at the end of the second, Crosby and Andrei Svechnikov were going at it, and Svechnikov got the extra penalty for holding the stick. Jordan Staal took a tripping penalty less than 30 seconds into the third, and the Penguins found themselves on a five-on-three opportunity for a minute and a half.
And that's when the Penguins' best player since at least the Olympic break really took over. Erik Karlsson scored the equalizer with a slapshot bomb from the point for his second point of the game, but Carolina's Taylor Hall got the lead back for the Canes less than three minutes later to make it 3-2.
That was only the beginning of the crazy, too. Less than four minutes later, Bryan Rust found himself on a breakaway opportunity, and he buried it to knot things up yet again. But, again, Logan Stankoven scored on the power play with seven minutes to go in regulation to put Carolina up, 4-3.
But Karlsson struck again. Less than two minutes after the Stankoven goal, Karlsson made a fantastic keep with his foot at the offensive blue line, and the puck found its way back to his stick off a feed from defense partner Parker Wotherspoon. Karlsson undressed Sebastian Aho before finding his way to the slot, where he buried a scorching wrister to tie the game at 4-4.
Then, just 23 seconds later, Anthony Mantha found rookie Ben Kindel breaking into the offensive zone, and with Shayne Gostisbehere on his heels, he was able to beat Frederik Andersen and give the Penguins their first lead of the game at 5-4 with 4:51 remaining in regulation.
It was definitely setting up to be a feel-good win for the Penguins, who came back resoundingly after starting the game with one of their worst efforts of the season. Skinner made another unbelievable save Superman-style shortly after to preserve the one-goal lead for the Penguins.
Unfortunately, the craziness continued, but this time, not to the Penguins’ benefit. With under three minutes to go in regulation, K’Andre Miller found the back of the net in the form of a deflection to tie it up at 5-5 and force overtime, where both teams controlled at various points but the Canes got the last laugh with the Walker goal.
Of course, getting two points at this time of year is paramount, especially with the Columbus Blue Jackets just three points behind and out of the playoffs and the New York Islanders just one point back. However, it’s tough to be disappointed in the result, especially in a game where the Penguins probably had no business earning any points.
Win, lose, it doesn’t matter - these Penguins fight to the death, and they aren’t going away.
Here are just a few quick thoughts and takeaways from this entertaining slugfest of a game:
_ I don’t know what else to say about Karlsson right now.
This guy is fourth in the NHL in points (17 points in 11 games) since the Olympic break behind only Nikita Kucherov, Martin Necas, and Connor McDavid. Yes, you read that right.
And if you’re watching Karlsson, the points don’t even begin to scratch the surface of what he’s meant to the Penguins this season and down the stretch run. He’s making defensive plays. He’s been outstanding on the penalty kill. He’s unchained and allowing himself to play to his ability to create offense and use his skating and vision to his advantage.
Karlsson has been magnificent, and I do not think the Penguins are a playoff-bound team without him this season. He’s been the best version of himself since 2017 with the Ottawa Senators, and he has been this team’s MVP this season.
Put your hand up if you're grateful for Erik Karlsson 🖐️
Most Points Since Olympic Break: Nikita Kucherov - 20 Martin Necas - 19 Connor McDavid - 19 Erik Karlsson - 17
_ As for the MVP of this game? Karlsson has a case. But I’ve got to give this to Skinner.
It’s not often that you say a goaltender was outstanding when they surrender six goals. But he was. In fact, the Hurricanes would have put up double digits had he not been spectacular.
Carolina scored six times because the Penguins’ defense was that atrocious in front of Skinner. Not because of Skinner. He was great in this game, and he continues to be serviceable for the Penguins.
_ Crosby didn’t look the least bit rusty in this game. There were a few instances of misplays defensively - which, to be honest, has been an issue for his entire line this season - but he, by and large, looked 100 percent in this one.
The Penguins were actually playing well without Crosby, but having him back in the lineup sure was noticeable. It allowed 26-goal Mantha to slide back down to the third line, and he, Kindel, and Justin Brazeau clicked again immediately.
The depth of this lineup is much more evident with its best player back, and it certainly makes the Penguins a four-line matchup nightmare for most teams.
_ Kris Letang’s play as of late has been concerning. He simply cannot do very much right at the moment, and it is hurting the Penguins.
He was only credited with one giveaway against the Hurricanes, but it went beyond that. He was losing puck battles all night. His passes were errant. His decision-making was slow, and a processing delay was evident. It’s been like this for most of the season, aside from a stretch with left-side blueliner Brett Kulak, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers but sent to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Sam Girard and a second-round pick later on.
Honestly, yes, the trade made sense. Girard is younger, has more offensive upside, and the Penguins recouped that second-rounder out of it, too. But Kulak was getting the best out of Letang we’ve seen this season, and they’re a pairing that just clicked.
I think that trade is the only thing that may come close to a bit of a blip on Kyle Dubas’s radar this season.
Mar 18, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) skates with the puck past Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
_ Well, the Penguins ended their hardest road trip of the entire 2025-26 season with six out of 10 points.
Not bad at all.
But things don’t get any easier for the rest of the month. The Penguins will take on the climbing Winnipeg Jets, then the Hurricanes again, and then the Avalanche again before playing the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, Islanders, and Detroit Red Wings to close out March.
The Islanders are just one point back of the Penguins, and the Jackets are three points behind. They both play Thursday, and the Penguins don’t. This race is tight. Very tight. But, for Penguins’ fans, I’m sure it’s nice to care about the outcomes of each of these games at this time of year again.
This team has something special about it, and I do believe they can make a run if they can get to the dance. But, alas, they still have to get there first, and - even if they have the tiebreakers and are in the advantageous position right now - it’s still going to be an adrenaline-rushed race to the finish line.
• Dan Vladar was excellent with 34 saves on 36 shots.
The 28-year-old surrendered two or fewer goals for the 27th time in 41 starts this season.
With 1:54 minutes left in regulation, the Ducks tied it at 2-2 when they emptied their net for the extra attacker. Leo Carlsson scored off a rebound after Vladar made a pair of saves.
Cutter Gauthier trimmed the Flyers’ lead to 2-1 with 38 seconds remaining in the second period. The former Flyers prospect made a great move in close just as some 4-on-4 action turned into an Anaheim power play.
But Vladar finished with his season high in saves. The Flyers needed all of them, especially when the Ducks — a very good team at coming from behind — made their push.
Anaheim netminder Lukas Dostal stopped 24 of the Flyers’ 27 shots.
Luke Glendening opened the scoring in the first period. It was 36-year-old’s first goal with the Flyers.
Owen Tippett then cushioned the Flyers’ lead in the second period with his fourth goal over the last six games.
• Gauthier is having a big-time season. With 35 goals, he’s on pace to score over 40.
But he hasn’t beaten the Flyers since he turned them down and forced a trade in January 2024. The Flyers have gone 4-0-0 against Gauthier and the Ducks, while outscoring them 17-5.
• The Flyers have continued to hang around in the playoff race.
They moved to within six points of both the Eastern Conference’s first and second wild-card spots.
“When you look at the season, I think if you can take out that kind of middle stretch where you lose a bunch of games, those are hard to get out of,” Travis Sanheim said last Saturday. “Besides that, I’ve liked a lot of our play, we’ve played well against some good teams, have shown that we have a good hockey team and can play against anyone and win, really, any game.”
Rookie Cole Hutson scored in his first NHL game to help the Washington Capitals defeat the Ottawa Senators 4–1 on Wednesday night. The loss means the Senators remain five points out of a playoff spot, trailing the two wild-card holders, the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings.
Hutson signed a three-year entry-level contract with Washington on Sunday after completing his second season at Boston University. He looked like a carbon copy of his brother, Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens.
At the other end of the age spectrum, 40-year-old Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring in the second period. With that goal, Ovechkin reached the 25-goal mark for the 20th time in his career, tying the NHL record held by Gordie Howe. He outraced a flat-footed Ridly Greig to the net and redirected a Rasmus Sandin pass past Linus Ullmark to break a scoreless tie 8:09 into the middle frame.
Seconds later, Nick Cousins broke free on a partial breakaway and beat Logan Thompson between the legs, but as the puck trickled toward the goal, it took a sharp right turn and hit the post.
It summed up a frustrating night, one of several posts the Sens hit during the game, as the Senators generated more than enough chances to take control earlier. Their shooters simply couldn't put the puck in the net.
Late in the second, with the Senators caught on a long shift, Tom Wilson beat Ullmark from a bad angle on the short side to make it 2–0. With Ottawa struggling to finish, it was a terribly timed weak goal, but Ullmark helped to make up for it with a terrific pad save on a Ryan Leonard breakaway in the third.
The Senators pulled their goalie early for the extra attacker, and it paid off with 2:41 to play when Tim Stützle scored his 31st goal, redirecting a pass from Claude Giroux. But the hope was short-lived. Less than a minute later, Aliaksei Protas scored into the empty net, then Hutson added another empty-netter for his first NHL goal to put the game out of reach.
The Senators outshot the Capitals 35–25 on the night, and will now need to regroup quickly for another important matchup. They host the New York Islanders Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre.
Jesper Bratt reached 500 NHL points, and Connor Brown and Jack Hughes each had three points in the New Jersey Devils 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
“Always fun coming to the Garden and playing here,” Jack Hughes told NJD.TV. “Unreal atmosphere, unreal rink, unreal fans, a lot of Devils fans here tonight. Always just really fun coming here and playing."
On their second shot of the game, the Rangers opened the scoring off a snap shot from defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.
Nico Hischier scored the Devils' first goal at the 16:14 mark while Gabe Perreault was in the penalty box serving a holding penalty. Brown and Bratt assisted on the power play goal.
With 4:43 remaining in the first period, Arseny Gritsyuk gave New Jersey a 2-1 lead. It was the rookie's 13th goal of the season, which is currently tied for the 10th most among first-year players.
Within the first minute of the second period, New York tied the game at 2-2 as Jacob Markstrom allowed goals on back-to-back shots. Mika Zibanejad celebrated his 28th goal of the season and 17th career goal against New Jersey.
Brown gives New Jersey a 3-2 lead with eight minutes remaining in the middle frame. It marked the Devils' second power play goal of the night. Jack Hughes and Hischier were credited with the assists.
Timo Meier extended the Devils' lead to 4-2 early in the third period. Paul Cotter, who scored the game-winning goal in New Jersey’s last game, picked up the lone assist.
Conor Sheary scored the Rangers' third goal of the game at the 10:19 mark of the final frame, but three minutes later, Jack Hughes scored to get the Devils ' two-goal lead back. Entering the game, Hughes had 14 points in 12 career games at Madison Square Garden.
Jesper Bratt scored New Jersey’s final goal of the night with 3:38 remaining in regulation. Jack Hughes picked up his third point of the night, earning an assist on the goal. Per Leo Scaglione Jr. of MSG Networks, “Jack has 35 points against the Rangers since 2019. His 20 goals and 35 points against the Rangers are the most of all NHL players since 2019.”
The Devils will hit the road for the next four games with stops in Washington, D.C., Dallas, Nashville, and Carolina. New Jersey will face the Washington Capitals on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Capital One Arena.
Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jack Hughes and Connor Brown each had goal and two assists to help the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.
The Devils are 10 points behind Boston and Detroit for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots. They opened a five-game trip after going 5-2 on a homestand.
Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt each had a goal an assist for New Jersey, and Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier also scored. Jacob Markstrom made 14 saves.
Vladislav Gavrikov, Mika Zibanejad and Conor Sheary scored for New York. Jonathan Quick stopped 33 shots.
Last in the East, the Rangers have lost two straight after winning four in a row.
HURRICANES 6, PENGUINS 5, OT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sean Walker scored with 28.3 seconds left in overtime as Carolina beat Pittsburgh, spoiling Sidney Crosby’s return to the Penguins’ lineup.
Jackson Blake had a goal and two assists, Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall and Walker each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Jordan Martinook and K’Andre Miller also scored and Nikolaj Ehlers finished with three assists. Frederik Andersen made 30 saves.
Erik Karlsson had two goals and an assist, Crosby added a goal and an assist, and Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel also scored for Pittsburgh. Stuart Skinner stopped 38 shots in the second matchup in nine nights between the top teams in the Metropolitan Division that went beyond regulation.
Pittsburgh completed a 2-1-2 trip that began with last week’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Eastern Conference- and Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes.
CAPITALS 4, SENATORS 1
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 922nd goal and Cole Hutson scored his first to lead Washington past Ottawa.
Ovechkin is a goal shy of 1,000 — if his 77 postseason tallies are included.
The Capitals are still six points out of a playoff spot with time running out, but this was an encouraging night for the franchise. Hutson made his NHL debut less than a week after the end of his season at Boston University, and the 19-year-old defenseman showed off his smooth skating and stickhandling throughout the night, finally scoring into an empty net with 25.7 seconds remaining.
It was the 40-year-old Ovechkin who opened the scoring in the second period when Rasmus Sandin’s pass bounced off his right skate past goalie Linus Ullmark. That momentarily gave Ovechkin sole possession of the team lead in goals this season with 25, but then Tom Wilson beat Ullmark later in the period for his 25th.
Ovechkin has led the Caps in goals in all 20 seasons of his career, sharing the top spot only once — with T.J. Oshie in 2016-17.
He and his beloved longtime broadcast partner Mickey Redmond have often been ranked at the top by fans in NHL commentator rankings, and it's well deserved!
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Zakhar Bardakov went to the box for tripping Nils Lundkvist 2:06 into the game. As a result, Dallas went on an early power play. Dallas had a few chances, but Colorado played great defensively and made several clears to kill off the penalty.
Cale Makar initiated the breakout about 6:30 into the period and with time and space, sent Valeri Nichushkin on a breakaway, but Oettinger made the save.
At the halfway point of the period, only one shot was record on net. You heard that right. Just one. That shot belonged to the Avalanche.
Dallas got their first shot on net with 3:55 left in the period when Jason Robertson fired a one-timer, but Wedgewood made the stop. On the next sequence, Mavrik Bourque snapped a wrister from top of the right circle, but that was also gloved by Wedgewood.
Jamie Benn took a penalty late in the first after bear hugging and throwing Brock Nelson down to the ice for no apparent reason. Colorado followed up with a power play goal when Necas fed Makar a one-timer that clanged off the left side post and in to make it 1-0 Colorado.
Second Period
Wedgewood made an excellent stop to start the period as both teams turned up the pressure, a far contrast from the opening period that saw just eight shots on goal combined. Within the first few minutes, there were a combined five shots, with Colorado contributing three of them.
About four minutes into the period, a shot that bounced off Oettinger nearly ended up in his own net, but Stars defenseman Esa Lindell ended up catching the puck with his glove and put it back in play in a brilliant move to keep the game at 1-0.
At 6:18, Robertson tied the game at one when he batted in a rebound from top of the left circle to make it a 1-1 game. Wedgewood tried everything in his power and lunged with his stick in an attempt to snag it, but was too late.
Just over a minute later, Jack Drury got his hands on the puck and let a wrister go, but Oettinger gloved it. Frustrated, Drury slammed his stick to the ice in response.
As we approached two minutes to go in the period, the Avs poured the pressure on Dallas, but they just couldn't get the puck in the net. Makar fired a shot from the point and the puck got away from Oettinger and Brock Nelson tipped the puck, but it went by the net.
Oettinger made a scintillating save on MacKinnon with 1:08 left in the period when Sam Malinski set up a pass from behind the net, but Oettinger slid across the crease and made a low glove save and MacKinnon just stared in disbelief.
Near the end of the period, both Makar and Stars forward Michael Bunting were penalized: Makar for interference and Bunting for embellishment, although the latter appeared to be the wrong call. Bunting was furious and slammed his stick against the glass after the call was made. As a result, the third period began with 1:42 of 4-on-4.
Third Period
9:00 into the third period, Stars defenseman Tyler Myers went to the box for hooking Parker Kelly, and the Avalanche earned a critical opportunity on the power play.
The first shot from Makar went wide, but the second shot from the two-time Norris Trophy winner was deflected by Brock Nelson, but it ended up right in Oettinger's lap.
Dallas defenseman Lian Bichsel fired a shot from the point off the boards that bounced towards the crease, but Wedgewood was ready for it and made the stop.
Moments later, for the second time in as many games, Colorado was penalized for having too many men on the ice, which gave the Stars, who own one of the best power plays in the NHL, an opportunity to potentially take the lead in this game.
Following several crucial saves from Wedgewood and great defensive play, the Avalanche killed the penalty.
