The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to take on the Boston Bruins tonight at 7 PM.    

Boston Bruins - 32-20-5 - 69 Points - 6-1-3 in the last 10 - OTL 2 - 5th in the Atlantic

Columbus Blue Jackets - 29-20-7 - 65 Points - 9-1-0 in the last 10 - Won 7 - 4th in the Metro.

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus returns to action from the Olympic Break with games against teams directly above in the Wild Card race (Boston; 69 pts in 57 GP) and Metropolitan Division (NY Islanders; 69 pts in 58 GP) on Thursday and Saturday.

• CBJ won their final seven games prior to the break. It's tied for the fifth-longest winning streak in a season in club history and the longest since a 10-game win streak from Mar. 3-22, 2018.

• Since Dec. 22, the Blue Jackets have gone 15-5-1 (31 pts, .738 points pct.) and are among NHL leaders in team save percentage (.913/1st-T), points pct. (2nd-T), points (3rd-T), goals-against per game (2.52, 3rd), penalty kill pct. (84.1 pct./5th) and goals-for per game (3.48/12th).

• The club has scored the opening goal in 10 of the past 12 games and has scored the first goal in 34 contests (24-6-4), tied for third-most in the NHL in 2025-26.

• The Jackets lead the NHL in goals scored by defensemen and rank fourth in points with 44-98-142 in 56 games.

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Charlie Coyle posted points in five of the final six games before the break and ranks fourth-T in the NHL in scoring since Jan. 24 with 5-7-12 and four multi-point efforts.

• Adam Fantilli (1-5-6), LW Mason Marchment (4-2-6), RW Mathieu Olivier (4-2-6), F Cole Sillinger have also averaged a point-per-game over the last six contests since Jan. 24.

• Jet Greaves (6-0-0, 2.10 GAA, .924 SV%, 2 SO in 7 GP) and G Elvis Merzlikins (5-1-0, 2.03 GAA, .925 SV% in 6 GP) have each won five starts since Jan. 11.

• Boone Jenner (207-203-410, 783 GP), who is the club's all-time leader in games played and ranks third in goals and points, is one assist from tying David Vyborny (204) for third-most in CBJ history.

• Zach Werenski helped Team USA capture a Gold Medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics (1-5-6, 6 GP). He has posted points in seven-straight games with the Blue Jackets (2-8-10), one shy of tying his career high (5-11-16, Nov. 15-Dec. 1, 2024). He also has points in 20 of his past 22 since Dec. 11 (11-21-32, 10 multi-point efforts).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.7% - 18th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.4% - 23rd in the NHL
• Goals For - 174 - 18th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 176 - 18th in the NHL 

Bruins Stats

• Power Play - 26.3% - 3rd in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 76.4% - 28th in the NHL
• Goals For - 193 - 5th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 179 - 20th in the NHL

Series History vs. The Bruins 

• Columbus is 17-17-0-10 all-time, and 7-9-0-5 on the road vs. Boston.
• The Blue Jackets are 9-8-1 in the last 18 games against the Bruins.
• The winning team has scored four or more goals in four-straight and seven of the last nine meetings.
• The teams have combined for four goals or less in three of the past four games played at TD Garden as well as five of the past eight at Boston since Mar. 16, 2019.
• The winning team has also won by multiple goals in nine of the last 11 games of the series, including by three-plus goals in seven of them.
• The teams have combined for less than 60 shots on goal in six of the past seven meetings, including five-straight (averaging 54 shots over the five).

Who To Watch For TheBruins 

• Morgan Geekie leads the Bruins with 32 goals.
• David Pastrnak leads Boston with 49 assists and 71 points.
• Jeremy Swayman is 22-12-3 with a SV% of .903. He just the Gold Medal for Team USA at the Milan Games.
• Joonas Korpisalo is 10-8-2 with a SV% of .893. Korpisalo is a bronze medal winner for Finland.

CBJ Player Notes vs.Bruins 

• Zach Werenski has 14 points in 21 career games vs. the Bruins.
• Boone Jenner has 13 points in 23 games.
• Cole Sillinger has 3 points in 10 games against Boston.

Injured Reserve

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 18 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 155

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.  

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During this past off-season, the Montreal Canadiens acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Emil Heineman, the No. 16 overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft (Viktor Eklund), and the No. 17 overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft (Kashawn Aitcheson). This was one of the biggest trades of the off-season and naturally created plenty of chatter in the hockey world. 

With the Canadiens needing a star right-shot defenseman on their blueline, it made sense that they brought in Dobson this past summer. Now, as we enter the final stretch of the 2025-26 season, it is clear that the Habs made the right call acquiring him. 

Dobson has come as advertised with the Canadiens, and the truth can be seen with his stats this campaign. In 57 games this season with the Original Six club, the 6-foot-4 defenseman has recorded 10 goals, 28 assists, 38 points, and a plus-12 rating. With numbers like these, there is no question that he has been providing some solid offense from the Canadiens' blueline.

Dobson is also a defenseman whom the Canadiens rely on heavily as well. The 26-year-old blueliner not only plays on their top pairing, but also sees time on both their power play and penalty kill. With this, he is one of the Canadiens' most important players, which was expected. 

Dobson also still has plenty of time to build on his strong first season with the Canadiens. At this juncture of the campaign, the 2018 first-round pick has a real shot of breaking his current career-high of 13 goals, which he achieved during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons as a member of the Islanders. He also needs only two more points to pass his 39 points from last season, which he reached in 71 games. 

The Canadiens have taken another step in the right direction this season, and acquiring a star defenseman like Dobson has been a major reason for it. It will be fascinating to see how he builds on his strong first season with the Canadiens, but it is clear that the Habs made the right call bringing him in. 

Connor Hellebuyck, the primary reason Team USA broke its 46-year Olympic men's hockey gold medal drought, forever dispelled his previous tag of not being a big-game goaltender. 

The three-time Vezina Trophy recipient and reigning Hart Trophy winner, proved to everyone why he's so decorated and in need of a larger trophy cabinet. U.S. President Donald Trump even said on Tuesday he will award Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Let's dive into Hellebuyck's five best performances, three of which came from his first trip to the NHL playoffs. Nobody will be surprised to see which is cemented in the No. 1 spot. 

And I doubt he'll ever top the performance we witnessed to culminate the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.

Connor Hellebuyck's top 5 performances

5. 2017-18 playoffs (Game 4, first round) 

Hellebuyck has five shutouts in 58 playoff games, two of which occurred in consecutive games in the first round of the 2017-18 postseason against the Minnesota Wild. 

Hellebuyck made the identical number of saves in Games 4 and 5, with 30 each. Due to playing on the road with the series still hanging in the balance (2-1 Jets), his Game 4 performance was marginally better.

The Jets won 2-0, leading to their Game 5 series clincher at home.  

4. 2017-18 playoffs (Game 1, second round)

Playing in Nashville, one of the most inhospitable playoff environments, the Jets faced a daunting task against No. 1 seed Nashville in Game 1. 

Hellebuyck made the 4-1 upset appear effortless despite the relentless barrage of attacks he was up against. He made 47 saves on 48 shots, finishing with a .979 save percentage. 

Kevin Fiala broke Hellebuyck's shutout bid early in the third period, but the Jets' netminder was named the first star of the game. 

3. 2020-21 playoffs (Game 2, first round)

The Jets stormed into Edmonton in the second straight COVID-impacted playoffs and prevailed 1-0 over the Oilers in overtime, thanks to Hellebuyck's heroics. 

He made 38 saves against Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Co., providing Winnipeg with a commanding 2-0 series lead heading back to Winnipeg for Game 3. 

What made the goose egg even more impressive is the fact the Oilers haven't been shut out in the playoffs at home since that fateful night at Rogers Place. 

2. 2017-18 playoffs (Game 7, second round)

Easily his best Game 7 performance, Hellebuyck marched into Nashville and silenced the raucous home crowd. 

He made 36 saves on 37 shots for a .973 save percentage, propelling the Jets to a 5-1 victory and securing their place in the Western Conference final against the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Hellebuyck won three of four in Nashville during his most successful playoff series. 

1. 2026 Olympic gold medal game 

With the weight of a nation and a 46-year wait tossed on his shoulders, Hellebuyck stood taller than the world's tallest building, assembling arguably the greatest goaltending performance in any competition, ever.

He faced 42 shots, many of which were of the high-danger variety, and turned aside 41. He made several monumental saves, including on Canada's 5-on-3 second-period power play, and stopped McDavid and Macklin Celebrini on breakaways. 

That merely scratches the surface of his fairytale-like performance on the world's biggest stage.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck top 5 games across NHL and Olympics

The Toronto Maple Leafs are slowly floating into uncharted territory.

Since 2017, the Maple Leafs have been a playoff team, one that's usually hopeful to travel deep into the postseason. They've been buyers at the trade deadline every year, trading picks and prospects away to achieve hockey's greatest success.

But after a troubling 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, only five games remain until the Mar. 6 NHL trade deadline. And despite Toronto still being six points out of a playoff spot, time is running out on their season as other teams continue to win games.

The Buffalo Sabres won on Wednesday night. They move nine points ahead of Toronto. The Washington Capitals also won, moving themselves two points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot.

We could be looking at the Maple Leafs' playoff streak — the longest active in the NHL — coming to an end after nine straight postseason appearances.

"Games matter right now," said Matthew Knies, who had a goal and an assist in Toronto's loss to the Lightning. "Every point matters. We got to be focused and just give a better effort; play like we're a team fighting for the playoffs next game."

Wednesday's game in Tampa couldn't have represented Toronto's season more perfectly.

There have been nights throughout the year when the Maple Leafs give a complete game. However, what happens far more often is that the team either lacks work ethic or execution.

Sometimes it's both.

And when you can't get one or the other on most nights, the game usually ends with a tick going in the loss column. At this time of year, with points so crucial, the Maple Leafs need every win they can get.

Maple Leafs CEO Keith Pelley Says Team Will Do 'Whatever Is Needed' To Contend In 2025-26 Despite Slim Playoff ChancesAccording to TSN, Pelley's email was sent to season-ticket holders on Wednesday, ahead of the team's first game back after the 2026 Winter Olympics.

There wasn't enough time when they pushed late in the third period on Wednesday against the Lightning.

"I thought our effort was pretty good, to be honest," Knies said, "I thought our execution wasn't there, though."

What the Maple Leafs need right now is life. It might already be too late, but maybe one more sign of life — a win against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night — could give management the boldness to hold on just a little bit longer.

Is it worth it, though? That's the real question.

They've got pieces to trade, who could bring back draft picks, something Toronto doesn't have much of for the future. The same goes for high-level prospects; the cupboard is pretty bare.

Auston Matthews Addresses Women’s Hockey Controversy, White House Invite as Maple Leafs Star Returns Ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning GameWhile addressing the "unfortunate" discourse surrounding the President's remarks, Auston Matthews expressed his hope that the dual gold-medal achievements would bring more unity to the country.

When is enough, enough?

Could it have been after Wednesday's loss? It's always possible. But maybe Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving sees this week out, given there are two more big games against divisional opponents, the Panthers and Ottawa Senators.

Whatever management is planning, Toronto's players aren't ready to throw in the towel.

"I think everyone just has energy and is ready to go. I don't think it showed tonight. I think we'll get it back. I think we'll get that desperation back," added Knies. "But, yeah, it's got to show up next game and on the way out of the regular season here."

One year later, Charlie Coyle trade has been a success for Bruins originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins dismantled their roster ahead of the 2025 NHL trade deadline and dealt away many veteran players — including Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Trent Frederic, and Charlie Coyle, among others — for draft picks and prospects.

It was the right decision at the time as the B’s were on their way to finishing with the league’s fifth-worst record. There was no playoff hockey at TD Garden for the first time since 2016.

The Carlo trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs has been a home run for the Bruins so far. The Coyle trade with the Colorado Avalanche has been a success for Boston, too.

Coyle returns to TD Garden on Thursday for the first time since the trade. He comes back to his hometown rink as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who acquired him in a trade with the Avs last June.

Here’s a recap of the March 7, 2025 trade between the Bruins and Avalanche:

• Bruins received: Casey Mittelstadt, Will Zellers, 2025 second-round pick (Liam Pettersson)
• Avalanche received: Charlie Coyle, 2026 fifth-round pick

How has the Coyle trade benefitted the Bruins so far?

Casey Mittelstadt providing versatility, scoring depth

The NHL player the Bruins got in return for Coyle was forward Casey Mittelstadt. He has tallied 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 47 games this season. He’s on pace to score 15-plus goals for the fourth time in his career. He’s also making a positive impact on Boston’s power play, which ranks third in the league with a 26.9 percent success rate. His 52.2 percent faceoff win rate is a career high as well.

Mittelstadt is a solid middle-six forward who’s versatile enough to play center or wing.

Will Zeller has exciting upside

The Bruins also acquired prospect Will Zellers in the Coyle trade. Zellers was a third-round pick by the Avalanche in 2024. He led the USHL in goals with 44 during the 2024-25 season and earned USHL Player of the Year and Forward of the Year awards.

Zellers has carried that success to the University of North Dakota, where he is having a tremendous freshman season with 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 31 games for the No. 3 ranked team in the nation.

Zellers has exciting goal-scoring ability with the potential to be a top-six wing in the NHL.

Zellers with his second of the night to earn us a point!#UNDproud | #LGHpic.twitter.com/zZG0aW93bn

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) February 21, 2026

The Bruins also received a 2025 second-round pick from the Avalanche in the Coyle deal, which turned out to be the No. 62 overall selection. Boston picked Swedish defenseman Liam Pettersson, who skates really well and has an impressive offensive skill. He’s still a raw talent, but there’s a lot to like about his skill set.

Coyle has been productive in Columbus

How is Coyle playing for the Blue Jackets?

He’s been a dependable two-way center and a strong leader for a young Blue Jackets squad. He has 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) in 56 games. He had 35 points in 82 games last season, so he’s bounced back offensively and could reach 50-plus points for just the third time in his career.

The verdict

Even though Coyle is playing well, the trade still has worked out pretty well for the Bruins, and there’s a strong possibility that it could get much better depending on how Zellers and Pettersson develop. Mittelstadt is six years younger than Coyle and has proven to be a good fit in the lineup as a versatile forward.

The final grade on the Coyle trade won’t be complete for several years, but the players involved will have a real impact on this season’s playoff race. The Bruins occupy the second wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings, and one of the teams chasing them four points back is the Blue Jackets.

Thursday’s matchup is the first of three meetings between the Bruins and Blue Jackets over the next seven weeks. Valuable points in the playoffs are at stake in these matchups, and you can bet Coyle and Mittelstadt will have their say in the outcome.

Three weeks removed from their last game in Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Penguins return to action this evening at PPG Paints Arena against the New Jersey Devils. They have 26 games left on their 2025-26 schedule and currently sit second in the Metropolitan division in playoff positioning.

On the downside, they will have to play the majority of those remaining 26 games without Sidney Crosby who will be sidelined with a lower-body injury suffered at the Olympics. That puts his minimum timeline for return sometime around the last week of March and that is the best-case scenario. Until then, it’s next man up as the Penguins enter their toughest and most important stretch of the season.

Puck drop tonight is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.

Pens Points…

After what felt like an agonizing wait, we learned the fate of Sidney Crosby after his injury at the Olympics last week. It’s not the worst-case scenario, but the Penguins will be without their captain for at least the next four week as he recovers from an lower-body injury suffered against Czechia. [Pensburgh]

One person who still believes in the Penguins despite the Crosby injury is Crosby himself. He knows they are in a good position and they have the talent to still perform and win without him in the lineup. That is easier said then done but Crosby’s faith in the team should inspire some confidence. [Trib Live]

There will be a new face wearing a Penguins uniform when the team takes on the Devils tonight, with Samuel Girard now in the fold after being acquired on Tuesday for Brett Kulak. Girard is a former Stanley Cup champion who will be looking for a fresh start with the Penguins. [Pensburgh]

For Girard, transitioning to Pittsburgh is going to take some time after spending almost the entirety of his career in Colorado to this point. He’ll be dropped into a heated playoff race which should make the move easier since that is exactly the same situation he saw with the Avalanche. [Trib Live]

It didn’t take the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins long to get back to their winning ways after being swept the weekend prior. Last week, the Baby Pens went a perfect 3-for-3, moving to 8-1-1 in their past 10 games and further solidifying a potential bye in the Calder Cup playoffs. [Pensburgh]

NHL News and Notes…

Fresh off leading Canada to a silver medal, John Cooper’s return to the Tampa Bay Lightning bench will be delayed until Saturday as Cooper returns home following the death of his father. Cooper will miss two games as assistant coach Rob Zettler takes over in the interim. [NHL]

If the NHL is expecting a big viewership bump on the heels of an exciting Olympic tournament they may come out disappointed in the end. History suggests that won’t be the case when compared to the past despite seeing record viewership numbers for the gold medal game in Milan. [Awful Announcing]

What has to go right for young Sharks to finish strong, make 2026 NHL playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

It’s been seven years since the Sharks weren’t obvious trade deadline sellers.

That was 2019, and a loaded Sharks squad, led by Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns, all in their primes, were eyeing a run to the Stanley Cup.

The Sharks aren’t back like that, just yet.

Heading into Thursday, San Jose’s first post-Olympics-break game against the Calgary Flames, the Sharks are five points out of the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot.

It will be, honestly, an uphill climb for the Sharks to make the playoffs: Beyond newly-minted “generational” superstar Macklin Celebrini, the roster is seriously flawed.

That said, the talent is there, besides Celebrini, for a surprise playoff berth. So what has to go right for the Sharks to make the postseason for the first time since 2019?

Celebrini Must Stay Healthy

There’s arguably no player in the NHL more important to his team than Celebrini.

Celebrini has 81 points, 28 goals and 53 assists, meaning that he’s been involved in 47.9 percent of the Sharks’ 169 goals. Only Connor McDavid and his 98 points, directly part of 48.3 percent of the Edmonton Oilers’ offense, has had a greater impact on his team than Celebrini.

McDavid, however, has fellow superstar Leon Draisaitl and his 80 points riding shotgun. Celebrini, meanwhile, is an astonishing 42 points ahead of second place on the Sharks, Will Smith’s 39.

To put that in perspective, that’s the widest chasm between No. 1 to 2 scorer on an NHL team, followed by Nikita Kucherov’s 34-point differential over Jake Guentzel (60) on the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Simply put, the Sharks cannot afford to lose Celebrini for any extended period of time.

How To Improve Goal Differential?

Easier said than done, but the Sharks need to score more and give up less.

“No team in the National Hockey League has, probably, made the playoffs at a -29 goal differential,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said of San Jose’s current deficit.

Actually, the 2023-24 Washington Capitals squeaked in to the postseason with a -36, but that certainly is the exception and not the rule. Before this Caps’ squad, the last team to make the playoffs with a -20 or worse goal differential was the -27 1996-97 Montreal Canadiens.

Starting at 5-on-5, for Warsofsky, improving San Jose’s -17 goal differential there, begins in the defensive zone.

“It starts with us breaking out pucks. We’ve got to execute our breakouts, support the puck,” he said.

The Sharks have the second-worst 5-on-5 Pass Completion Rate in the NHL at 73.72 percent, per Stathletes, trailing league-best Tampa Bay’s 78.54.

That doesn’t sound like a huge difference, but four or five more errant passes per game certainly can impact your goals against.

“And then, when we’re in our defensive zone, we’ve got to be tight, and we’ve got to have some level of desperation. We got to get into people, and close, and get numbers on pucks,” Warsofsky said. “When we do that, we have a lot of success on the other end of the ice.”

At the other end of the ice, the San Jose bench boss says the Sharks must shoot more. Their 25.5 Shots Per Game is fifth-worst in the league.

“We’ve got to put more pucks to the net,” Warsofsky said. “Then, on top of that, we’ve got to win the next puck.”

San Jose is fifth-worst in the NHL with 79.44 5-on-5 Offensive Zone Puck Recoveries Per 60, which contributes to them being dead-last in the league in 5-on-5 OZ Possession Time.

Perhaps this is an area where the newest Shark, Kiefer Sherwood, a dogged forechecker who wins lots of puck battles, can help with.

Can the Sharks acquire anybody else before the Mar. 6 trade deadline who can strengthen some of these weaknesses?

Where Can Special Teams Be Better?

The Sharks’ special teams actually are closer to average than bad — they’re 16th in the NHL on the power play and 21st on the penalty kill — but any improvement on either score could make a huge impact.

What could get the power play going?

“Just be a little bit more direct in what we want to do,” Warsofsky said, “and not go off script as much.”

For what it’s worth, the Sharks are eighth in the NHL with 8.08 Power Play High-Danger Chances Per 60. San Jose is in good company, the top-five in this category, the Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, and New York Rangers are top-10 power plays.

San Jose might be doing more right on the PP than they’ve being given credit for, they just need more finish.

What about the penalty kill?

“Just being more aggressive. When we sit back is when we take bullets,” Warsofsky said. “Play with more anticipation.”

On the other side of things, the Sharks have allowed 2.26 Penalty Kill High-Danger Chances Per 60, third-worst in the league.

Less high-danger chances allowed should lead to more success on the PK.

Can Goalies Play One Great Month?

Yaroslav Askarov, under the radar, arguably has been the best penalty-killing goalie in the NHL.

Per Stathletes, his +9.52 Goals Saved Above Expected on the kill is the best in the league.

Askarov, however, hasn’t found as much success stopping 5-on-5 shots, his -2.55 GSAE in the bottom half of the NHL.

If Askarov can boost that and put together another month like he did in November, when he went 8-2-0 with .944 Save Percentage, that could be enough to get San Jose into the playoffs.

The same goes for Alex Nedeljkovic, and if he can replicate January’s 5-2-0 record and .916 Save Percentage.

That’s the power of goaltending.

Beyond all the aforementioned X-factors, just one brilliant month from Askarov or Nedeljkovic might be all the Sharks need to punch their ticket to the post-season dance.

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Vegas Golden Knights (28-16-14, in the Pacific Division) vs. Washington Capitals (30-23-7, in the Metropolitan Division)

Washington; Friday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights visit the Washington Capitals looking to prolong a three-game win streak.

Washington has an 18-10-3 record in home games and a 30-23-7 record overall. The Capitals have a 12-14-7 record in games their opponents serve fewer penalty minutes.

Vegas is 14-8-7 in road games and 28-16-14 overall. The Golden Knights have a +19 scoring differential, with 196 total goals scored and 177 given up.

The teams meet Friday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Alexander Ovechkin has 22 goals and 26 assists for the Capitals. Dylan Strome has five goals and five assists over the past 10 games.

Pavel Dorofeyev has 28 goals and 18 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has scored five goals with four assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Capitals: 6-3-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.7 assists, 3.9 penalties and 10 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

Golden Knights: 4-4-2, averaging 3.6 goals, six assists, 2.5 penalties and 6.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.4 goals per game.

INJURIES: Capitals: None listed.

Golden Knights: None listed.

___

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

For the first time since Feb. 3, the Anaheim Ducks played NHL hockey on Wednesday evening, hosting the Edmonton Oilers after the extended Olympic break.

The Ducks entered Wednesday holding the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race. They trailed their Wednesday opponent, who entered the game in second place in the Pacific Division standings, by just one point, making this the biggest game of the season for both teams to date.

Game #57: Ducks vs. Oilers Gameday Preview (02/25/26)

Jackson LaCombe Discusses Olympic Experience, Winning Gold, Ensuing Events

Despite arriving in Anaheim on Tuesday and following his gold medal win on Sunday in Italy, Jackson LaCombe was inserted directly back into the lineup as the Ducks’ top defenseman. Leo Carlsson returned to action after missing the Ducks’ final 11 games heading into the break. Mikael Granlund missed this game with an upper-body injury sustained in Finland’s bronze medal game on Saturday. Ryan Strome and Drew Helleson served as healthy scratches.

Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:

Killorn-Carlsson-Sennecke

Kreider-Poehling-Terry

Viel-McTavish-Gauthier

Johnston-Washe-Harkins

LaCombe-Trouba

Zellweger-Gudas

Mintyukov-Moore

Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks after starting four of Czechia’s five games in Italy last week. He saved 22 of the 27 shots he faced in this game. Dostal was opposed by Tristan Jarry in the Edmonton net to start. Jarry saved 20 of 25 shots before he was pulled with just over 13 minutes left to go in the third, and in a tie game. He was relieved by Connor Ingram, who stopped three of the four shots he faced in the final 12:41 of the game.

Game Notes

Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville earned his 1000th career win as an NHL head coach in a wild 6-5 win over the Oilers. He’s just the second coach in NHL history to reach the milestone, trailing only Scotty Bowman.

“The game was running through my mind,” Quenneville said when asked what his thoughts were when the final buzzer sounded. “It was a tremendous game as far as the unpredictability of the outcome. Both teams were swinging; it looked like they were in complete control of the game.

“It was an important game for us in a lot of ways. They had the puck a lot more than we did, but I thought we found a way to win a game.”

There weren’t many themes to take away from this game, as goals were scored of all varieties, and it was a sloppy affair from both clubs throughout. Though the Ducks gave up two goals early in the first period and two late in the second, with a pair of their own in between, those two-goal leads from Edmonton never felt safe, and this game always felt like one that was going to be decided by which team could harness the chaos best and score last.

The underlying numbers weren’t kind to the Ducks at 5v5, as they held just 40.45% of the shot attempts share, 44.19% of the shots on goal share, and 31.88% of the expected goals share.

Leo Carlsson: After attempting to play through injury for most of December and January, Carlsson regained the explosion that made him one of the NHL’s most dominant players through the first month of the season. His first three steps were quick and powerful, and he was making smart plays through neutral and after entry to optimize his ability to drive defenders back toward their goal line.

“A little tired, a couple of long shifts,” Carlsson said of how he felt returning to game speed. “I was absolutely gassed on the bench, but I felt okay. Stickhandling was okay, too. Speed was fine. So, pretty good.”

Carlsson would settle for distance shots off the rush, but again, optimized them by pouncing on ensuing loose pucks and establishing pressure or finding teammates through the chaos he created. He was processing plays at a faster rate than anyone on the ice at times.

Alex Killorn: Nobody on the Ducks roster can feed Carlsson pucks in transition and at full speed like Killorn can. He makes subtle adjustments as an outlet option, retreating toward his end or hooking his blade around a defending stick to lead his strong, speedy center with a slip pass.

Power Play: The Ducks only went 1-5 on the power play in this game, but manufactured several quality looks, as the coaching staff went to the drawing board over the break. They rotated the point defenseman to one of the flanks in attempts to get forwards out of position before changing sides of the ice with the puck.

When they’d get the openings to do so, the bumper was fed every chance the perimeter players got so that they could get quick shots off before defenders and the goaltender could react and adjust.

Pavel Mintyukov struggled a bit on his unit when carrying pucks up ice, as he had a difficult time fending off the first pressure in the neutral zone and finding his trailing forward with speed.

Lukas Dostal: Dostal has the ability to make difficult saves look incredibly easy. Edmonton worked several pucks low to high in the zone, changed angles on shots, and sent layered screens in front of Dostal’s field of vision, and he would find ways to make saves and even control ensuing rebounds, deflecting them to safety.

Defensive Zone Coverage: The Ducks struggled in this game, not in front of the net or against the rush so much, as they had throughout most of the season. In this game, they often got beaten back to the front of the net, one way or another, when the Oilers moved pucks off the walls and funneled them to the crease. They overcommitted a bit at times, and those little mistakes proved costly and could again if they persist, and if they don’t get the volume of goals they achieved in this game.

The Ducks will next host the Winnipeg Jets on Friday at 7 PM PST at Honda Center.

Ducks’ Dostál, Gudas on Their 2026 Olympics Experience

Ducks at the Winter Olympics: Final Recap

Maxim Masse Talks Prolific Season, Move to NCAA & More

Macklin Celebrini had just finished his first practice back with the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday – fresh off an unforgettable Olympic experience – when he entered a room buzzing with cameras and reporters.

“Most media we’ve had. Ever,” Celebrini said. “Starting to feel like a Canadian market.”

It was a reflection of his soaring popularity. Celebrini’s record-setting performance at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics – capped by a gold medal game watched by tens of millions – has elevated his profile both in the Bay Area and across the NHL.

Macklin Celebrini says the gold medal loss will always stick with him.#MilanoCortina2026

(via: @Sheng_Peng) pic.twitter.com/TMhjl0ADJG

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 25, 2026

Roughly a dozen news outlets attended the Sharks’ practice on Wednesday, more than usual, as Celebrini skated with his teammates for the first time since returning from Italy late Monday night. Some local media were at a Sharks practice for the first time this season, highlighting the team’s growing relevance and Celebrini’s status as one of the Bay Area’s most recognizable sports figures.

Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames, kicking off a six-game homestand, was trending toward a sellout of 17,435. Tickets are also scarce and pricey for San Jose’s weekend matchups against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, and against goalie Connor Hellebuyck – who made 41 saves for Team USA in the gold medal game – and the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.

The Sharks have already sold out 12 of 26 home games this season, after drawing capacity crowds in 15 of 41 games at SAP Center last season.

“This was the goal,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Not to talk to this many media people, but the goal was to get the energy back in the building and get people talking about the Sharks again, and I think the players did a great job of doing that.

“This homestand is going to be pretty much sold out,” Warsofsky added. “Crowds and people are going to be excited to see our team play again.”

Even as Celebrini embraced being back in San Jose, there was still a lingering bitterness from how the Olympic tournament ended.

Playing alongside some of the game’s greatest players, including McDavid, Celebrini tallied five goals in six games, and his 10 points made him the highest-scoring teenager in an Olympics featuring NHL talent.

Yet despite his success, there remained a sense of disappointment. Canada fell to the United States in the gold medal game at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, with the final coming down to 3-on-3 overtime. New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes scored the decisive goal, handing the Americans a 2-1 victory and their first men’s Olympic gold since 1980.

For anyone assuming Celebrini had moved past the heartbreak, think again.

“A lot of those guys I looked up to my whole childhood, and it was an honor play with them and be around them every single day,” Celebrini said at Sharks Ice. “But it sucks. It’s a little sour that you look back at it and just didn’t get the job done.”

When asked how long that feeling would last, Celebrini was blunt.

“Forever,” he said.

Now the Sharks are counting on other Olympians – Sweden’s Alex Wennberg, Switzerland’s Philipp Kurashev, and Slovakia’s Pavol Regenda – to channel the pressure and lessons from international play as their playoff push resumes.

Celebrini said skating alongside McDavid and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon – the NHL’s first- and second-leading scorers, respectively – showed him exactly “where the bar is at.”

“Those guys play with such pace, and they think the game so fast, and the level that they play at, the practice that they play at, probably the fastest practices I’ve ever been a part of. Just being around them, practicing with them, playing with them, it’s a different level.”

The Sharks’ homestand is vital to any postseason hopes, as they entered Wednesday five points out of a playoff spot with 27 games remaining.

Celebrini’s production so far this season – 81 points in 55 games – has been a major reason San Jose remains in the hunt for its first playoff berth since 2019.

“We want to take those next steps, and all this comes along with it,” Celebrini said. “The fans, the attention. We want those expectations. We want that pressure, because that means we’re doing a good thing and we’re trending the right way.

“So I think just at the end of the day, all this comes into it, and hopefully you guys come back more.”

A loss over a Golden Knights team missing five key rotation pieces, including Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, etc, that in itself wasn't enough for the Los Angeles Kings to defeat the Golden Knights at home. 

It looked like the Kings (23-20-14) had this game in the bag, leading 2-1 heading into the third period with a great ending in the second period. Instead, Los Angeles choked in devastating fashion, surrendering five goals in the third period, and lost 6-4 to the Vegas Golden Knights (28-16-14).

Final from LA.#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/a73Silh2G1

— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 26, 2026

It was an electric 40 minutes with Artemi Panarin doing his thing in his debut and Quinton Byfield shining, then it collapsed, another reason why people shouldn't buy the Kings, who can never hold on to their leads this season. 

2 Kings Who Must Show Up For LA's Final StretchThe Los Angeles Kings will look for these two players to finish the season strong as LA fights to stay in the playoff race after the Olympic break.

First Period: Vegas Strikes First

Vegas opened the scoring at 9:01 when Pavel Dorofeyev buried the rebound off a 2-on-1 rush. A missed shot kicked off the end boards, and Dorofeyev stayed with the play, beating Anton Forbserg on the transition to make it 1-0. 

Even with Vegas missing five key rotation players, the Golden Knights are still dangerous in transition. 

LAK Goal - Just like they drew it up!

Panarin's pass through the slot kicks off Byfield's skate and in. Goal was deserved, actually a really good PP until the goal. 1 game, 1 point for 72! 1-1.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 26, 2026

But the Kings' response was quick; a few minutes later, at the 5:29 mark, Quinton Byfield tied the game 1-1, finishing off a sharp sequence set up by Artemi Panarin and Brandt Clarke. Panarin's touch and presence on ice immediately stood out, drawing coverage and creating space. The puck movement was crisp and beautiful to watch as Quinton Byfield snapped home his 12th goal of the season. 

Second Period: Kings Capitalize

The middle frame was tighter and more physically charged. 

Vegas pushed early in the second, winning the puck battles, but the Kings' talent took over the shorthanded Golden Knights. 

The turning point came at 5:16 of the second period, when Vegas turned over the puck at the offensive blue line. Panarin immediately transitioned up ice, feeding Anze Kopitar, who slid a perfect pass to Adrian Kempe, finishing the play cleanly to give the Kings the 2-1 lead.

LAK Goal - Tic-Tac-GOAL!

WOW. Panarin to Kopitar to Kempe in transition, what a goal. Incredible composure from the captain to find Kempe for the goal. 2-1 Kings!

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 26, 2026

It was a textbook transition play that saw some showtime on ice, led by Panarin and the trio of Kempe and Kopitar. Panarin picked up his second assist and point of the night, continuing to show the instant chemistry he brings to the Kings. 

As mentioned, the period got very physical, with Corey Perry dropping the gloves with Jeremy Lauzon after his hit on Byfield. Both teams were very into it tonight, fighting in a big divisional rivalry game. 

After 40 minutes, aside from the fight that resulted in a penalty to Perry, the Kings looked to be firmly in control of this game heading into the third period, leading 2-1. 

Third Period: A Five Goal Avalance

Everything slipped in the final frame. Within four minutes, the Golden Knights scored three goals to extend their lead to 4-2, with three different Golden Knights scoring despite missing five players. 

Vegas is the best team in the third period this season with the best goal differential, so it was always going to be a tough task to close out this team for the Kings, but even without its key players, Los Angeles couldn't do so, and the Golden Knights showed why they're the No. 1 seed in the Pacific Division. 

The momentum quickly shifted as the Kings were unable to create easy shots, while the Golden Knights were the much faster, more physical team, despite being severely shorthanded on the road. 

The Kings did score two more goals in the third period, with Byfield scoring his second goal of the game, his first time this season scoring two goals in a game, and Brandt Clarke keeping Los Angeles alive, cutting the deficit to 5-4, with just under a minute remaining. 

But, off a turnover, the Golden Knights hit the dagger on the empty netter, to win the game 6-4 in Crypto.com Arena. 

Vegas adds an empty-net goal to secure the 6-4 win over the Kings. Could argue that was the worst loss of the season.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) February 26, 2026

Despite the loss, Panarin was great in his debut, finishing with two points and two assists, showing why he will quickly become a game-changer for the Kings, but it still wasn't enough to win tonight. 

Vegas now leads the season series 3-1, winning the last three meetings. 

For the Kings, it's a tough one to swallow, especially against a banged-up team, but all they have to do now is move on and quickly forget about this loss. Los Angeles is back at it again tomorrow night against a tough Edmonton Oilers team, who will likely have most of their guys ready as tip-off starts at 10:30 pm EST. 

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored to give him his ninth 30-goal season and added two assists for 701 in his career and the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory.

Brayden Point had two goals and an assist, Gage Goncalves had a goal and two assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves for the Lightning, who are 20-1-1 in their past 22 games. Vasilevskiy is 17-0-1 since Dec. 20.

Tampa Bay won in its first game back from the Olympic break without coach Jon Cooper on the bench. Cooper, who led Canada to the silver medal at the Milan Cortina Games, will miss two games after the death of his father, Robert.

Assistant Rob Zettler stepped in for Cooper and the Lightning ended the Maple Leafs’ three-game winning streak.

The Russian-born Kucherov got his 700th assist in his 855th NHL game, becoming the second-fastest player born outside of North America to reach the mark and trailing only Peter Stastny (784 games). The milestone assist came on Goncalves’ goal at 7:58 of the second period that gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead.

Kucherov’s 30th goal came at 2:59 of the third and made it 3-0. His nine 30-goal seasons tie him with Steven Stamkos for the most in team history.

John Tavares and Matthew Knies scored and Anthony Stolarz made 32 saves for the Maple Leafs, whose five-game winning streak against the Lightning was stopped.

CAPITALS 3, FLYERS 1

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk and Rasmus Sandin ended long goal droughts and Washington beat Philadelphia, its fifth win in their last six games.

The Capitals now have 42 goals from defensemen this season, the second most in the NHL behind Columbus.

Aliaksei Protas scored an empty-netter for Washington with 26 seconds to play when the Flyers had a six-on-four for his 20th goal of the season, and Logan Thompson made 23 saves. Protas also had an assist.

The Capitals are the only team in the NHL with four players with 20 or more goals this season: Tom Wilson, Alex Ovechkin, Jakob Chychrun and Protas.

Noah Cates scored for Philadelphia 29 seconds into the third period, his first goal in 19 games, and Dan Vladar made 26 stops as the Flyers lost for the sixth time in their last seven games to fall further out of playoff position.

After a scoreless first period, Sandin scored his third goal of the season and his first since Nov. 13 with 6:08 to play in the second. With an assist on the goal, Jakob Chychrun now has 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) in his last eight games.

SABRES 2, DEVILS 1

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — U.S. Olympian Tage Thompson scored his 31st goal of the season and added an assist to help Buffalo beat New Jersey in the NHL’s return to action.

Thompson had three goals and an assist in six games in Milan for the champion United States.

Peyton Krebs also had a goal and an assist, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves. The Sabres have won seven of 10 to improve to 33-19-6.

Buffalo is looking to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons. The Sabres entered Wednesday night in the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Thompson scored in the second period, and Krebs made it 2-0 midway through the third. Timo Meier scored for New Jersey with 2:30 to play.

U.S. Olympic hero Jack Hughes was honored by the Devils before the game, and assisted on Meier’s goal. The Devils showed video of Hughes’ overtime goal in the United States’ 2-1 victory over Canada on Sunday in the gold-medal game.

STARS 4, KRAKEN 1

DALLAS (AP) — Wyatt Johnston scored his 30th and 31st goals of the season as Dallas beat Seattle.

Matt Duchene had a goal and an assist, and Sam Steel also scored for the Stars, who have won seven consecutive games for the first time since last March 22 to April 3.

Johnston scored his 19th power-play goal — the most in the NHL this season and setting a Dallas season record — for a 4-0 lead. He has three consecutive 30-goal seasons and five multigoal games this season. Hitting pipes twice in the third period kept him from a fifth career regular-season hat trick.

Dallas goalie Casey DeSmith, backup to Team USA’s Jake Oettinger, made 18 saves. DeSmith went into play sixth in the NHL with a 2.37 goals-against average.

Defenseman Ryker Evans scored a third-period goal, and Joey Daccord stopped 28 shots for the Kraken.

AVALANCHE 4, MAMMOTH 2

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — U.S. Olympian Brock Nelson scored his 30th goal of the season in Colorado’s four-goal second period and the NHL-leading Avalanche beat Utah.

Parker Kelly, Victor Olofsson and Martin Necas also scored and Scott Wedgewood made 28 saves for Colorado in the first game for both teams following the three-week break for the OIympics.

Nelson scored on a slap shot to make it 3-1 with 7:40 left in the second. With Canadian Olympian Nathan MacKinnon sitting out for the Avs, Nelson moved up to center the top line with Necas and Gabriel Landeskog.

Dylan Guenther scored twice in the second for Utah. Karel Vejmelka stopped 21 shots for the Mammoth.

Kelly opened the scoring at 3:26 of the second, splitting two defenders and snapping the puck around Vejmelka’s side. Olofsson followed with another snap shot six minutes later.

Logan Cooley returned for Utah after missing 28 games because of a lower-body injury. Before his injury, Cooley had 23 points in Utah’s first 29 games and led the Mammoth with 14 goals. He assisted on Guenther’s second goal.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 6, KINGS 4

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Pavel Dorofeyev had two goals and Vegas spoiled Artemi Panarin’s Los Angeles debut by scoring five third-period goals to rally for a win.

Colton Sissons, Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith scored three goals in a span of 4:14 midway through the third and the short-handed Golden Knights overcame the absence of five players who participated in the gold medal game at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Sunday. Ivan Barbashev added a late empty-netter, and Adin Hill made 15 saves.

Vegas played without United States center Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanifin and Canada forwards Mark Stone and Mitch Marner and defenseman Shea Theodore, all of whom are expected to be available when their five-game road trip continues against the Capitals in Washington on Friday night.

Quinton Byfield had two goals, Adrian Kempe and Brandt Clarke scored, while Panarin had two assists in his team debut, but the Kings dropped their fourth straight game.

JETS 3, CANUCKS 2, OT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Cole Perfetti scored off a rebound at 1:37 of overtime to give Winnipeg a victory over Vancouver.

Kyle Connor, returning to the Jets after helping the United States win the Olympics on Sunday, and Gabriel Vilardi also scored, Mark Scheifele had two assists.

Eric Comrie stopped 21 shots. Connor Hellebucyk, who backstopped the United States to the Olympic gold medal, is scheduled to join the team in Anaheim on Friday.

Drew O’Connor and Evander Kane scored for Vancouver, and Nikita Tolopilo made 25 saves.

Vancouver took a 2-1 lead just 38 seconds into the second period when Elias Pettersson won a draw in the Jets’ end and Kane blasted a one-timer past Comrie.

Vilardi tied the it with less than two minutes left in second. Parked in the crease, he banged home a pass from Scheifele.

DUCKS 6, OILERS 5

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Joel Quenneville became the second coach in NHL history to win 1,000 games with Anaheim's comeback victory over Edmonton.

Quenneville joined Scotty Bowman in an exclusive hockey club with a milestone win in the Ducks’ first game back from the Olympic break.

Cutter Gauthier scored the tiebreaking goal with 1:14 to play for the Ducks, who erased a pair of two-goal deficits. Leo Carlsson had a goal and two assists in his first appearance since Jan. 10 for the Ducks, who have won six straight home games and 10 of 12 overall to leapfrog the Oilers into second place in the Pacific Division.

Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard scored late in the second period to put the Oilers ahead, but Carlsson and Olen Zellweger scored early in the third to even it again for Anaheim.

Rookie Matt Savoie then converted a rebound late in a power play for his 10th career goal, but Beckett Sennecke answered 46 seconds later with a slick wrist shot for his 19th goal — tops among NHL rookies.

Gauthier then converted a rebound of Carlsson’s shot, setting off a wild celebration inside a sold-out Honda Center.

Jack Roslovic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for Edmonton. Connor McDavid had two assists, giving the Olympic silver medalist an NHL-best 98 points in 59 games.

Ian Moore and Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks, and Lukas Dostal made 22 saves.

If the San Jose Sharks elect to be buyers at the 2026 NHL trade deadline, one of their top goals should be to add to their blueline. Bringing in a steady right-shot defenseman should be one of their objectives, and the Chicago Blackhawks have an interesting option to consider in defenseman Connor Murphy. 

If the Sharks landed Murphy, he could slot nicely in their top four. Furthermore, due to his solid defensive play, he would also be a clear fit for the Sharks' penalty kill. 

Another appealing factor about Murphy is his experience. The veteran defenseman could be a very good mentor for the Sharks' young players to have around as they look to stay in the playoff race. 

Murphy is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) on a Blackhawks team out of the playoff picture, so there is an expectation that he will be moved. With this and the Sharks needing help on defense, they should be afraid to kick tires on Murphy leading up to the deadline. 

In 57 games this season with the Blackhawks, Murphy has recorded four goals, eight assists, and 12 points. 

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored to give him his ninth 30-goal season and added two assists for 701 in his career and the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory.

Brayden Point had two goals and an assist, Gage Goncalves had a goal and two assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves for the Lightning, who are 20-1-1 in their past 22 games. Vasilevskiy is 17-0-1 since Dec. 20.

Tampa Bay won in its first game back from the Olympic break without coach Jon Cooper on the bench. Cooper, who led Canada to the silver medal at the Milan Cortina Games, will miss two games after the death of his father, Robert.

Assistant Rob Zettler stepped in for Cooper and the Lightning ended the Maple Leafs' three-game winning streak.

The Russian-born Kucherov got his 700th assist in his 855th NHL game, becoming the second-fastest player born outside of North America to reach the mark and trailing only Peter Stastny (784 games). The milestone assist came on Goncalves' goal at 7:58 of the second period that gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead.

Kucherov's 30th goal came at 2:59 of the third and made it 3-0. His nine 30-goal seasons tie him with Steven Stamkos for the most in team history.

John Tavares and Matthew Knies scored and Anthony Stolarz made 32 saves for the Maple Leafs, whose five-game winning streak against the Lightning was stopped.

With Stolarz pulled to give Toronto an extra skater, Tavares scored with 3:41 remaining to end the shutout bid for Vasilevskiy. It came moments after Jake Guentzel missed an empty-net goal for the Lightning when his shot hit the post.

After Point made it 4-1, Knies capped the scoring with 2:47 left for Toronto. Auston Matthews had an assist on the goal, tying Tim Horton for 10th on the career franchise list with 349.

Up next

Maple Leafs: Play at Florida on Thursday night.

Lighting: Play at Carolina on Thursday night.

—

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

The Pittsburgh Penguins held their final practice before Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. 

They practiced for less than an hour on Wednesday after multiple sessions that went over 80 minutes on Sunday and Monday. Wednesday's practice featured Samuel Girard on a pair with Kris Letang after the former was acquired by the Penguins from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. The Penguins also got a 2028 second-round pick in that trade, while sending Brett Kulak the other way. 

A Girard-Letang pairing was something I hinted at in my Tuesday column, and it has the potential to be a peak chaos pair. However, if it doesn't work out, they could look to move Girard down to the third pair with Connor Clifton or Ilya Solovyov. Ryan Shea would likely move up to the second pair with Letang in that instance. 

Regardless, Girard is another puck-mover who the Penguins need on their backend. He's good in transition and exiting his own zone with control. 

He's also super happy about landing in Pittsburgh. 

"Very happy," Girard told SportsNet Pittsburgh's Hailey Hunter. "Like I said, it's a great organization, great players have been through here, and I'm very excited to be around those guys. Those guys have been together for a while, so very excited."

- Sidney Crosby missed practice and will be out for a minimum of four weeks with a lower-body injury. He suffered the injury during the quarterfinals of the Olympics against Czechia. 

Rickard Rakell centered the top line during Wednesday's practice and is slated to stay in that spot when the Penguins play on Thursday. He had Avery Hayes and Bryan Rust as his wingers.

- Speaking of Rust, he knows how important that "next man" mentality is for the team since Crosby is going to be out for a bit. 

"It's super important," Rust said after practice. "Anytime anybody goes out of the lineup, I think everybody's kind of got to ramp up their game a little bit. Guys are going to have opportunities to play in positions that they otherwise may not have been able to play in."

- Ben Kindel is one of many players who will likely see an increased workload with Crosby out, and he's more than ready for it. 

"Just collectively as a group, everybody's going to have to step up a little bit and chip in just a little bit more," Kindel said. "I'm ready for any extra that I need to do to help the team win, and I'll always be ready for that, no matter what the situation is."

Kindel has passed every test that the coaching staff and management staff have given him this year, so what's one more? 

'On Any Given Night, Anybody Can Step Up': With Crosby Out, Penguins Prepared To Elevate GameWith the news that Pittsburgh Penguins' star center Sidney Crosby will miss four weeks with a lower-body injury, his teammates are ready to step up in a big way to propel the Penguins to the playoffs in his absence.

The Penguins have dealt with injuries throughout the season, but this might be their biggest challenge yet, since it's an injury to their best player and it comes during a time when the schedule is turning nasty. Once they get past the Devils and the New York Rangers games, they'll be facing playoff team after playoff team once March starts on Sunday.

Here's what the lines looked like on Wednesday: 

Forwards

Avery Hayes-Rakell-Rust

Kevin Hayes-Novak-Malkin

Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Girard-Letang

Shea-Clifton

Kevin Hayes was in Egor Chinakhov's spot on the second line since Chinakhov and his wife welcomed the birth of their first child. 

Chinakhov will likely play on Thursday, meaning Hayes will be the 13th forward. He's been the 13th forward throughout practice this week.

Puck drop for Thursday's game is set for 7 p.m. ET.

---

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