BUFFALO, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 27: Michael Kesselring #8 of the Buffalo Sabres battles for position to screen Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Boston Bruins with Hampus Lindholm #27 during an NHL game on December 27, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Just the facts
When: Tonight, 7:30 PM
Where: KeyBank Center – Buffalo, NY
How to follow: TNT, HBO Max, NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
Tage Thompson: 36G-36A-72PTS; Rasmus Dahlin: 15G-50A-65PTS; Alex Tuch: 29G-30A-59PTS
Alex Lyon: 20-8-4, 2.64 GAA, .912 save percentage
Game notes
After what was probably their worst team-wide effort of the calendar year at home against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, the Bruins are right back at it on Wednesday night, visiting the Atlantic-leading Buffalo Sabres.
Yes, the “Atlantic-leading” Buffalo Sabres! After some fits and starts at the beginning of the season, the Sabres have been on an absolute tear of late. Prior to the weekend’s games, they were on a near-historic run of 32-6-2 in their last 40 games and they’re 8-1-1 in their last ten.
The last of those games, however, was a loss, a 6-5 OT loss in Anaheim on Sunday night. That game wrapped up Buffalo’s West Coast trip, so tonight’s home game will be their first in Buffalo since March 14.
It feels like it’s been forever since these two teams played, with the last match-up coming shortly after Christmas, a 4-1 Sabres win in Buffalo. Prior to that, they played twice at TD Garden in the span of three weeks in October, both of which ended up Bruins wins.
For the Bruins, they’ll be looking for a far better effort than the one we saw at TD Garden Tuesday night. That game saw the Bruins disconnected, discombobulated, dysfunctional, dis-whatever else you can think of. They managed to stay in the game mostly because the Leafs are bad, but if they play that way tonight, it’ll be over before the end of the second period.
Josh Doan, acquired from Utah in the JJ Peterka trade last June, has been excellent for Buffalo this season. The 24-year-old has 23G-24A-47PTS in 71 games, far eclipsing his previous best output for Arizona/Utah. Doan is one of a handful of Sabres who have contributed invaluable depth scoring this season, along with guys like Noah Ostlund (11G), Josh Norris (10G), Sam Carrick (9G), and Logan Stanley (9G).
Alex Lyon has started the majority of Buffalo’s games this season, including their last game in Anaheim. He’s 6-0-1 in his last seven starts.
Barring a change of heart from Marco Sturm, Joonas Korpisalo will start tonight for the Bruins. He started two of the three games against Buffalo this season, winning at TD Garden and losing in Buffalo.
For a team with such a potent offense (4th in the NHL in GF/G), the Sabres have a surprisingly average power play, just 16th in the league.
With last night’s loss, the B’s margin of error in the playoff push has essentially evaporated. They’re still in the first wild card spot, one point ahead of Ottawa. However, they’re also just one point ahead of the New York Islanders and two points ahead of Detroit, so…buckle up!
On the other side of the coin, they’re only two points behind Montreal too, so who knows.
There won’t be any schedule-watching tonight, as the only other game on tap is between the Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers. Let’s hope the Leafs make it two wins in a row.
A broadcast note: while this game will be broadcast on TNT, it should also be shown locally on NESN, per both the NHL website and a NESN broadcast schedule. While the Celtics are playing tonight as well, they got bumped to 105.7, so the B’s will be on The Sports Hub.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 5-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Despite falling on the scoresheet, the Canucks did win the analytics battle on Tuesday. Vancouver held a 32-25 even-strength scoring-chance advantage and won the even-strength high-danger scoring-chance battle 14-13. In the end, though, it wasn't enough as the Ducks skated away from Rogers Arena with a victory.
Looking at the heatmap, the Canucks struggled to protect the front of Kevin Lankinen's net. As for the offensive zone, Vancouver threw the puck at the net from everywhere. Overall, it was a high-event game with both teams testing the goaltenders as much as possible.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Anaheim Ducks, March 24, 2026, Natural Stat Trick
To wrap up Tuesday's loss, Jake DeBrusk had a strong night from an analytics perspective. During his 12:07 of even-strength ice time, the Canucks had a 7-2 shots advantage and won the even-strength scoring chances battle 8-4. DeBrusk also scored Vancouver's first goal and finished the game with four shots on net.
The Canucks wrap up their homestand on Thursday when they battle the L.A. Kings. Vancouver and L.A. will play three more times this season, with two being played at Rogers Arena. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Mar 24, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Linus Karlsson (94) and forward Drew O'Connor (18) battle with Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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Mathieu Olivier (15), Zach Werenski (21), and Mason Marchment (17-GWG) provided the offense for the Blue Jackets in a 3-2 CBJ win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. Jet Greaves played lights out to earn his 24th win of the season.
This was a massive win for the Blue Jackets' playoff hopes. The Islanders, Penguins, and Bruins all lost in regulation to move the CBJ into second place in the Metro. The Hurricanes also lost and are just 9 points ahead of Columbus. While the Jackets probably won't catch Carolina, they now have a new target to aim for.
First Period - SOG 10-3 Flyers - No CBJ Goals
The first five minutes of the first period didn't have much action, with lots of back-and-forth action but very little offense. Jet Greaves made a massive breakaway stop on Owen Tippett to keep the game scoreless. The Jackets, to this point, haven't really been able to get any real shots on Goaltender Dan Vladař either.
At 12:23, the Flyers' Trevor Zegras was called for high-sticking Dante Fabbro to give the CBJ their first power play. But just a minute into the man advantage, Kirill Marchenko was called for hooking Noah Cates while on a shorthanded breakaway to give Cates a penalty shot. Jet Greaves made a massive save, though on the penalty shot, to keep the game scoreless. Columbus goalies have stopped 17 of the last 18 penalty shots against, going back to 2010.
Sean Couturier would put the Flyers up 1-0 at 17:07 into the first. The Flyers are carrying play at this point and aren't giving the Jackets anything to work with. After Couturier laid a big hit on Mason Marchment, he recovered to find himself in front of Jet Greaves for an easy goal.
Second Period - 11-7 Columbus - CBJ Goals: Olivier, Werenski
Mathieu Olivier scored his 15th goal of the season just 44 seconds into the period. He and Zach Werenski played a little tic-tac-toe to put one past Vladař to even the score.
Zach Werenski would score his 21st goal of the season less than two minutes later when Marchment and Severson fed the Norris candidate to put the Blue Jackets up 2-1. Zach Werenski came out of the locker room ready to put the team back in the win column.
With 7:09 left, Mathieu Olivier took a penalty for interfering with Noah Juulsen. He was flat out bigger and stronger than Juulsen and ended up in the box. The Jackets were able to kill it off, but not without a little anxiety and big saves from Jet Greaves.
With 2:46 left in the second, Christian Dvorak and Dante Fabbro started chuckin' knucks after Matvei Michkov and Fabbro exchanged pleasantries.
The period would end with the CBJ enjoying a 2-1 lead. This was a much better period for Columbus, and more of how they've been playing for the last two months.
Third Period - SOG 9-5 Philly - CBJ Goals: Marchment
With 15:22 left in the third period, Mason Marchment would score his 17th goal of the season. No one in the arena, including the refs, knew Marchment scored except Mason and the CBJ bench. They stopped play after about 30 seconds and announced the goal.
Adam Fantilli drew a power play when he took a high stick from the Flyers' Owen Tippett, giving the Jackets their second power play. The Flyers were able to kill it to keep the score 3-1 in favor of the CBJ.
Philly pulled Vladař with 3:01 left in the third period to try to cut the lead. Jamie Drysdale scored to make it 3-2 CBJ with 2:04 left in the third period.
After the last two minutes of extreme pressure, the Blue Jackets were able to hold off the pressing Flyers 3-2.
Final Stats
CBJ APP
Player Stats & Notes
Mathieu Olivier scored his 15th goal
Zach Werenski scored his 21st goal and recorded his 56th assist.
Mason Marchment scored his 17th goal and recorded his 19th assist.
Damon Severson picked up two assists.
Kirill Marchenko tallied his 34th assist. The assist is his 200th career point.
Adam Fantilli got his 32nd assist.
Team Stats
The Jackets went 0/3
The Columbus PK stopped the one Flyer power play.
Columbus won 46% of the faceoffs - 23/50
The Blue Jackets had 25 hits and 10 blocks.
Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets travel to Montreal to take on the Canadiens on Thursday.
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Over the last few years, the Montreal Canadiens have often struggled against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Tuesday night’s tilt at the Bell Centre was no different. Martin St-Louis can keep his cards close to his chest when it comes to his lineup, all he wants, but it’s not going to make an iota of difference if the players he puts on the ice aren't ready to go when the puck drops.
After missing the last two games with an upper-body injury, Josh Anderson was back in the lineup, taking over from Joe Veleno. At the same time, the coach had elected to go back to Jakub Dobes in net, despite Jacob Fowler winning the last game. A wise decision considering the Czech netminder made 14 saves in the first frame while his team was largely “sleepskating” on the ice.
The first period, especially its first 12 minutes, was worrying for the Canadiens. It looked like the puck was a hot potato none of their players were comfortable handling; perhaps it had to do with the coaches' warning them about the Canes' intense, fast forecheck. Whenever they’d get the puck, they’d get rid of it in a hurry, often handing it right back to the visitors.
After 20 minutes, the shots were 16-4 Carolina, and had it not been for Dobes, the score would have been much worse than 2-1. The goalie was peppered with shots, and they were not easy ones either. The first goal came when Mike Matheson tried to block a shot from the blueline with his stick and deflected it past Dobes. As for the second goal, it came from Oliver Kapanen turning the puck over in the defensive zone, inexplicably sending it from the blueline to the slot where Jordan Staal was all alone. It was easy for the Canes’ captain to give his team a 2-0 lead.
Thankfully for the Finnish rookie, he made up for his mistake when he deflected a Jayden Struble shot past Frederik Anderson to put Montreal on the scoreboard later in the first period.
Speaking about the first frame, the coach explained:
You try to talk about it before the game, but you have to live it. We shot ourselves in the foot early with giveaways and penalties; it was hard to get momentum, but I feel we found our game toward the end of the first. We spoke about their pressure in between the first and the second, once again, about how the team could get through that. We were better in the third, but it’s not an easy team to play when you’re leading by one goal; you try to play with little calculated risk, and they’re in your face the whole time. You have to try to put pucks deep and capitalize on their aggressiveness; that’s how we were able to separate ourselves with Demidov’s goal. Then we had to close out the game, which isn’t easy against a team that shoots everything from everywhere.
- St-Louis on his team's game
Caufield Activated
As is often the case when Montreal is in trouble, Cole Caufield rose to the challenge, scoring the game-tying goal nearly six minutes into the second frame. The goal came just at the right time after Montreal failed to capitalize on two Hurricanes penalties, even though they enjoyed a 29-second five-on-three.
His goal seemed to jump-start the Habs, and it even looked like he had his 45th of the season less than four minutes later, but the puck ended up deflecting on Juraj Slafkovsky. Still, Caufield had an assist on that goal two, and his redirection of Noah Dobson’s slapshot was perfect. While the sniper is chasing the 50-goal mark, that goal was the big Slovak’s 28th of the season, and it’s looking increasingly likely that he will reach the 30-goal mark.
After 40 minutes, Montreal had a 3-2 lead while the Hurricanes led 26-15 in shots, but they were unable to get anything past Dobes in the middle Stanza.
Dobes’ Best Game Of The Season
Goaltending hasn’t been a force for the Canadiens this season, but since January, Dobes has found plenty of ways to win. Tonight, he went for the good old making a truckload of saves. St-Louis rarely speaks a lot about his goaltenders, but tonight, he gave the Czech netminder his due:
I feel he plays big; he’s confident, but I can’t speak to his technique. He’s been excellent tonight, especially with the start we had to our game; he made some big saves. You look at the attempted shots, it’s a team that shoots from everywhere, and that creates a lot of chaos; you have to be alert, and he was.
- St-Louis on Dobes' performance
The coach also added that his performance gave the team a lot of confidence and that he often does it. St-Louis’ decision to give him the next speaks volumes about how he feels about Dobes now. Earlier in the season, he didn’t hesitate to sit him even if he was doing well to try and get his number one netminder going, but now, he clearly sees that Dobes is the hot hand, and he doesn’t want to mess with that.
It feels like Dobes has finally earned the organization's respect despite competing with the former number one and the youngster generally regarded as the Canadiens’ goaltender of the future. His performances since the new year have forced the Habs not to skip his turn.
The Canadiens will have an optional skate at the Bell Centre tomorrow before getting back on the ice on Thursday night for one last home game before a five-game road trip. The Columbus Blue Jackets, who are currently battling for a playoff spot, will no doubt be desperate for the win, and the Canadiens will have to be ready from the get-go.
BOSTON — The Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves in familiar territory early Tuesday night, digging a hole with three penalties in the opening 25 minutes against the Boston Bruins. Despite trailing 1-0 after the first period and facing early trouble in the middle frame, the Leafs found a spark from a familiar source in Matthew Knies.
The turning point arrived when Knies flexed his size in the neutral zone, wrestling the puck away from Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei before breaking free for a shorthanded breakaway. Knies beat Jeremy Swayman to knot the game at 1-1, an individual effort that served as the catalyst for one of the Leafs’ most complete performances in recent memory. Following the 4-2 victory, his teammates were quick to praise the rare blend of attributes the sophomore forward brings to the lineup.
“It always just impresses you when he pulls it off,” captain John Tavares said of Knies’ highlight-reel goal. “His ability to just be so strong and just how physically mature he is, he’s a beast. He’s a very unique player at his age to have that type of strength, and then after that to have the soft hands and the poise and touch to score a beauty like that. He’s got a nice package as a player. We’re obviously very lucky to have him.”
The shorthanded marker was Knies’ 19th of the campaign, and he later added an empty-netter to reach the 20-goal plateau for the first time. With 59 points in 69 games, the Arizona native continues to set new career highs across the board. The performance is particularly notable given Knies has been navigating a lingering knee injury. While some wondered if he might shut things down with the Leafs’ playoff positioning relatively secure, Knies has remained adamant that playing won’t aggravate the issue. Based on his showing at TD Garden, the injury isn’t slowing his production.
“Just the power he presents and strength in skating I thought he was really good all night for us. Did a lot of good things,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of Knies.
The game took a physical turn after Knies’ first goal when Nikita Zadorov leveled Tavares from behind. Rookie Easton Cowan didn’t hesitate to jump in for his captain, challenging the veteran defenseman. That grit continued into the third period when Dakota Joshua dropped the gloves with Zadorov, signaling a collective pushback from a Toronto squad that showed plenty of resolve.
Statistically, it was a dominant night for the visitors. The Leafs fired 35 shots on goal, their highest total since a shootout win over Vancouver, and outshot their opponent for the first time since March 5. Anthony Stolarz remained sharp in the crease, making 18 saves on 20 shots, including several high-danger stops of a difficult variety, to preserve the win for Toronto.
Mar 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Jesper Bratt (63) skates with the puck on a breakaway during the third period against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Plenty of goals once again. Jack Hughes scored two goals, and the Devils hung on for a 6-4 win over the Stars on Tuesday. [Devils NHL]
Well!
Sheldon Keefe says that Gritsyuk will have to be evaluated tomorrow, get some imaging done before they can determine the severity of a potential injury. #NJDevilshttps://t.co/RPfhCePmcf
After a solid stretch of the season, a look around the roster at some players who are rising and and trending down: [Infernal Access ($)]
“It’s too little too late, but the New Jersey Devils have finally opened up their offense. After struggling to score for much of this season, they’ve started lighting the lamp more often since the Olympics.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
A look at the prospect pool: “The Devils’ pool lacks a top prospect up front, but they have a star goalie (as well as another who is intriguing), multiple legit D prospects and some peripheral forwards who could play games.” [The Athletic ($)]
“Anton Silayev, drafted 10th overall by the Devils in the 2024 NHL Draft, is currently battling with Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL playoffs. Once his post-season run comes to a close, the 6-foot-7 blueliner is expected to sign his entry-level contract with the Devils.” [The Fourth Period]
Hockey Links
“NHL goaltending is quickly becoming one of the most volatile positions in all major sports. Here’s some evidence to support that belief, along with possible explanations for why.” [The Athletic ($)]
“The New York Rangers were awarded an extra shot on goal on Tuesday as part of their 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators Monday night, bringing their total for the game up to 10. The additional shot helped the Rangers avoid the dubious record of being the first team in the salary-cap era to be held to under 10 shots on net in a game. The mark would have also been the fewest shots on goal allowed by the Senators in franchise history.” [TSN]
An impressive number for Paul Maurice:
Paul Maurice becomes just the second coach in NHL history to reach 2,000 games 👏 pic.twitter.com/vXlmiOCtzs
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Ville Koivunen (41) is congratulated by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Sebastian Aho (25), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins center Tristan Broz (26), and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Rutger McGroarty (2) after scoring a goal during the first period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins managed to win two out of three games on a road trip through Canada last week. WBSPenguins.com with the details on each game:
Wednesday, Mar. 18 – PENGUINS 1 at Laval 5 Gabe Klassen scored Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s only goal in its first meeting with the North Division-leading Rocket. As a result, the Penguins have lost five in a row at Place Bell, with their last victory in Laval coming on Jan. 13, 2018.
Friday, Mar. 20 – PENGUINS 2 at Belleville 1 (SO) A 28-save night by Joel Blomqvist helped the Pens win a war of attrition against the Sens. Aidan McDonough logged a power-play goal in the middle frame, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton went three-for-three in the shootout with strikes from McDonough, Klassen and Avery Hayes. Blomqvist denied the league’s top goal-scorer, Arthur Kaliyev, to earn his first AHL shootout win.
Sunday, Mar. 22 – PENGUINS 4 at Toronto 3 The Penguins constructed a commanding 4-0 lead, which proved to be important insurance after a third-period fright from the Marlies. Hayes and McDonough both secured one-goal, one-assist first periods, while Rafaël Harvey-Pinard lit the lamp twice, including the game-winner.
Perhaps word will trickle back to Pittsburgh that Avery Hayes scored a shootout goal on a nice forehand deke move. Hayes was unused by the NHL Penguins over the course of three potential shootouts in the NHL during games that he recently played in.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) March 21, 2026
Wilkes will get another chance to see Laval (first place in the North Division) on Saturday at home and try to repay the favor from last week’s game. WBS then stays at home on Sunday for another meeting with Lehigh Valley.
Here was the lineup the WBS Pens used last game, it’s outdated already since Ville Koivunen has been called back up to Pittsburgh. Center Tristan Broz remains out with his undisclosed injury that has held him out for all of March.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) March 22, 2026
Aidan McDonough, a 26-year old playing on an AHL contract this season, has been the most consistent player for Wilkes all year long. McDonaugh has an active four-game point streak (2G+3A) and recently surpassed Broz for the team lead in scoring this season, McDonough having notched 36 points in 57 games over Broz’s 34 points in 45 games. Koivunen (33 points in 29 games), Hayes (32 points in 39 games) and Rutger McGroarty (26 points in 25 games) all have spent enough time in Pittsburgh and/or injured to not quite be the AHL’s leading scorer.
The end of the season is drawing near, WBS only has nine more games to go before the playoffs start. They still look locked into second place, the most important number for the rest of the regular season is sitting at 14. That’s the magic number for any points gained by the Penguins or lost by the Charlotte Checkers to ensure that WBS secures the second position and gains a first-round bye in the playoffs, eventually having their opening playoff series against whomever comes out of the 3/6 divisional matchup.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 24: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) skates with the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (28) during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Colorado Avalanche on March 24, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. One week after the Penguins dispatched the Avalanche on their home ice, the Colorado hockey team returned the favor, pulling away early and defeating Pittsburgh 6-2. [Recap]
The Penguins received a mixed bag of injury news before the game. Evgeni Malkin missed the Avalanche game due to an undisclosed day-to-day injury, while defender Ryan Shea was cleared to return after missing Sunday’s clash. [PensBurgh]
After leaving against the Winnipeg Jets with an injury and missing Sunday’s contest against the Carolina Hurricanes, the aforementioned Shea was eager to return to the lineup on Tuesday, saying the timing was frustrating given how well he had been playing. [Trib Live]
Penguins prospect Harrison Brunicke remains focused on making the NHL roster, despite the up-and-down nature of the nine-game trial he received at the start of the season. He is using his time in juniors to continue on the upward trajectory. [Trib Live]
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas says he has no plans to trade Erik Karlsson this summer. [TSN]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Connor McDavid clarified recent comments he made in support of Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper, saying they were not meant as criticism of his own team; they were meant to compliment a strong opponent. [Sportsnet]
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice made history on Tuesday night, joining Scotty Bowman by becoming the second coach in NHL history to coach 2,000 career regular-season games. [NHL]
Edmonton Oilers (35-28-9, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (32-26-14, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Edmonton Oilers visit the Vegas Golden Knights after Connor McDavid's two-goal game against the Utah Mammoth in the Oilers' 5-2 win.
Vegas is 32-26-14 overall and 10-5-4 against the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights have a +five scoring differential, with 224 total goals scored and 219 allowed.
Edmonton is 11-5-3 against the Pacific Division and 35-28-9 overall. The Oilers have scored 250 total goals (3.5 per game) to rank third in the league.
The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams square off this season. The Oilers won 4-2 in the previous matchup.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell Marner has 19 goals and 51 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has five goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
McDavid has 40 goals and 78 assists for the Oilers. Zach Hyman has four goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 3-7-0, averaging two goals, 3.4 assists, 4.4 penalties and 11.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Oilers: 5-4-1, averaging three goals, 4.7 assists, four penalties and 9.2 penalty minutes while giving up 3.4 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body), Carter Hart: out (leg), Jonas Rondbjerg: out (lower body).
Oilers: Curtis Lazar: out (undisclosed), Leon Draisaitl: out (lower-body), Colton Dach: out (undisclosed), Trent Frederic: out (undisclosed), Mattias Janmark: out for season (undisclosed).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Chicago Blackhawks (27-31-13, in the Central Division) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (34-24-12, in the Metropolitan Division)
Philadelphia; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Blackhawks take the ice in a non-conference matchup.
Philadelphia has a 15-12-8 record at home and a 34-24-12 record overall. The Flyers have a 5-5-8 record in games decided by one goal.
Chicago has a 14-15-6 record in road games and a 27-31-13 record overall. The Blackhawks have gone 22-6-7 in games they score three or more goals.
The matchup Thursday is the second time these teams meet this season. The Flyers won 3-1 in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Trevor Zegras has scored 22 goals with 34 assists for the Flyers. Owen Tippett has five goals and one assist over the last 10 games.
Tyler Bertuzzi has 29 goals and 23 assists for the Blackhawks. Frank Nazar has five goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Flyers: 6-3-1, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 4.6 penalties and 11 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Blackhawks: 4-3-3, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 3.9 penalties and 8.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Flyers: Rodrigo Abols: out (ankle), Tyson Foerster: out (arm).
Blackhawks: Shea Weber: out for season (ankle), Andrew Mangiapane: out (undisclosed), Oliver Moore: out (lower body), Sacha Boisvert: day to day (not injury related ), Matt Grzelcyk: out (upper-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Vegas Golden Knights came out flying Tuesday night, controlling play early and dictating tempo—but what followed was a sharp unraveling that turned a promising start into a lopsided 4–1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
Vegas did everything right in the opening minutes except the one thing that matters most: score. The Golden Knights piled up early pressure, firing nine shots and holding Winnipeg without one for nearly the first 10 minutes. Yet by intermission, they were trailing—a familiar and frustrating theme—as Kyle Connor punished a rare defensive lapse, converting one of Winnipeg’s first legitimate chances into a 1–0 lead.
The lone goal for Vegas.
From there, the game didn’t just shift—it tilted irreversibly.
Winnipeg seized full command in the second period, with Mark Scheifele orchestrating the turning point. The veteran forward delivered a composed yet clinical performance, registering a goal and two assists while igniting a decisive surge—two goals in under two minutes—that transformed a fragile one-goal game into a commanding three-goal cushion. What had been a contest defined by Vegas’ early control quickly became one dictated by Winnipeg’s efficiency and opportunism.
The Golden Knights eventually found a lifeline on the power play, with Colton Sissons finishing to trim the deficit. But the response lacked staying power. Vegas went 1-for-5 with the man advantage, and too often their offensive zone time dissolved into low-danger sequences against a Jets team that defended with structure and patience, forcing play to the perimeter and neutralizing second-chance opportunities.
Behind it all, Connor Hellebuyck provided the stabilizing presence. The Winnipeg netminder turned aside 26 shots, absorbing Vegas’ early surge and maintaining composure as momentum swung. His performance didn’t just preserve the lead—it ensured there would be no path back.
Scheifele later punctuated the night with an empty-net goal, sealing both the result and a signature performance that underscored Winnipeg’s ability to weather pressure and strike with precision.
For Vegas, the loss adds to a growing pattern that’s becoming difficult to ignore. Strong starts have become routine; sustaining them has not. Despite flashes of cohesion, the Golden Knights have now dropped four of their last five, with recurring lapses turning early control into eventual frustration.
The blueprint is evident. The follow-through remains elusive.
Until that disconnect is resolved, even their best beginnings will continue to fade into the same disappointing end.
The Calgary Flames extended their season-best run to four straight wins on Tuesday night, edging the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in a shootout at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Dustin Wolf turned aside 23 shots and came up with the key stops late, while Zayne Parekh and Olli Maatta each scored their first goals of the season to help Calgary claw back twice in the game.
Los Angeles struck early, opening the scoring just 2:35 into the first period. Joel Armia found Quinton Byfield at the blue line with a slick feed, and the Kings forward broke in alone before finishing on the backhand through the wickets of Wolf. Drew Doughty picked up the secondary assist as the Kings carried a 1-0 lead through the opening frame.
The second period didn’t offer much in terms of chances, but Calgary found a goal late. At 14:50, Olli Maatta got just enough of a one-timer, off a pass from Victor Olofsson, and beat Darcy Kuemper to even the score. It marked Maatta’s first goal as a Flame. Ryan Strome also drew an assist on the play.
Wolf made sure the game stayed tied heading into the third, turning aside a pair of quality chances with two big pad saves in the final minutes of the period.
The Kings wasted no time restoring their lead in the third period. Just 17 seconds in, a puck chipped out of the zone landed on Byfield’s stick, sending him in alone again. This time, he beat Wolf clean with a blocker-side shot to make it 2-1, with Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere adding assists.
Calgary responded on a two-man advantage (13:02). Zayne Parekh found space in the high slot and snapped a wrist shot past Kuemper to tie the game, 2-2. Matt Coronato and Matvei Gridin picked up assists on the power-play marker.
Overtime settled nothing despite a wide-open extra frame. Olofsson generated a pair of strong looks, and Morgan Frost rang a shot off the post on a 2-on-0, but the game remained deadlocked. In the shootout, Yegor Sharangovich scored the winner, despite losing the puck as he deked to the backhand, it slowly slid forward and slipped through Kuemper’s legs to seal the win.
Blake Coleman was noticeable from the opening shift. He pressured pucks, set the tone on the forecheck, and logged strong minutes on the penalty kill. His effort level hasn’t dipped, even this late in the season.
2. Flames finding momentum
Calgary is in the middle of its longest winning streak of the year, now four straight victories during this six-game homestand. It’s a stretch that’s brought some life back into the group.
3. Parekh rewarded
Zayne Parekh continues to trend upward. Both of his NHL goals have come against the Kings, and this one, scored on the power play, felt like a long time coming given how he’s been playing.
The Los Angeles Kings (28-25-18) lost another tough game Tuesday night, this time coming up short in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Calgary Flames (30-34-7).
Despite coming out with a point, the Kings still lose, fail to hold on to their lead, and are now three games back in the race for the final playoff spot.
A game that Los Angeles needed desperately because the teams they're competing with keep winning, the Kings struggle to hold a third-period lead.
The Kings' loss on the road against the Flames today continues their losing streak, now seven consecutive road games. Los Angeles is now 0-7 in the last seven matchups on the road against Calgary,
Los Angeles was aggressive on defense from the get-go, holding the Flames to six shots in the first and second periods. But both teams were very sluggish offensively, struggling to get shots up.
However, Los Angeles scored the first goal in the opening period, two minutes into the opening frame. Quinton Byfield capitalized on the nice breakaway, showcasing his speed to bury the goal and give Los Angeles the early lead.
LAK Goal - Q!
Byfield picks up right where he left off in Utah, opens the scoring with a nice breakaway goal. 1-0 Kings.
The rest of the period would end slowly, with neither team being able to get a shot up. Even though the Flames had six shots, they had a lot of chances to tie the game, but Darcy Kuemper did a good job saving the puck in tight situations.
That would change for Calgary, though, in the second period, where they finally got a shot up through the net, tying the game 1-1.
Defenseman Olli Maatta converted on the quick wrist shot, scoring his first goal since being acquired by the Flames, giving life to Calgary.
Los Angeles was unable to capitalize on the quick goal they got in the first period, coming up short on the power play and leaving the door open for a goal that would put the Flames right back in it.
The Kings once again outshot the Flames 9-6 in the second period, but went scoreless in the period.
Off the gate, Quinton Byfield once again scored a brekaway goal 17 seconds in the final frame to give Los Angeles back the lead.
LAK Goal - QuinTWOn Byfield!
Great speed to get in alone, buries his shot inside the far post 17 seconds into the third period. 2-1 Kings.
It was an excellent way for Byfield to use his speed and outrun the Flames to get a clean look at the net, giving the momentum back to Los Angeles.
The lead didn't last, though, for the Kings, once again leaving the door open for the home team to tie it up.
The Flames scored on their first power play of the night to once again tie the game 2-2. The Kings didn't play a good third period; despite scoring a goal, they were held to seven shots and got outshot 10-7.
The game went to extra periods, and it was certainly a very sloppy one for both teams. Los Angeles had several key turnovers, but the Flames couldn't capitalize on them to score. Calgary had a very good look at a 2-on-1 fastbreak possession, but couldn't hit the puck inside the net, forcing the game to go to a shootout.
Both teams would convert one goal in three rounds of the shootout, with Artemi Panarin scoring an incredible lob shot to force a fourth round. In the fourth round, Los Angeles would miss, and the Flames would get it to go to come away with the comeback victory at home.
Very heartbreaking loss for the Kings, especially at this point in time, where they could've pulled themselves closer to a playoff spot; they're now three games back of the Nashville Predators for the final spot.
The four-game skid for the Kings is making it much tougher every day to keep up with the teams in the Western Conference, and soon it will be very difficult to move closer to the playoff picture.
Quinton Byfield scored the only two goals on the night to keep Los Angeles in it, but still couldn't find a way to win the game. Darcy Kuemper looked much better tonight, coming up clutch in overtime and the shootout rounds, but couldn't get the timely stop in the fourth round.
Los Angeles will end its three-game road trip on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks at 7:00 PM PT.
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Unfortunately, a week later - after some goaltending and defensive meltdowns as well as another goaltender interference ruling gone wrong - the result was reversed.
The Avalanche ousted the Penguins, 6-2, taking advantage of some defensive miscues by the Penguins as well as subpar goaltending. Arturs Silovs stopped just 24 of 29 shots for the Penguins, and the Penguins were credited with 15 giveaways.
The most prominent one came courtesy of defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who coughed up the puck at the offensive blue line to Nathan MacKinnon early in the first period, and MacKinnon brought it down on a breakaway opportunity and capitalized to put the Avs up, 1-0.
Not even four minutes later, Egor Chinakhov - who now has four goals and 12 points in his last 10 games - one-timed a puck from the right point and behind Scott Wedgewood to even the score at 1-1. However, Colorado got three unanswered first-period goals from Sam Malinski, Martin Necas, and Parker Kelly to cushion themselves with a 4-1 lead heading into first intermission.
The Penguins came out flying in the second period, and they appeared to cut the deficit to two with 12 and a half to go in the middle frame when Justin Brazeau picked up the loose change in front on a diving play. However - as things have gone for the Penguins all season long - the Avs challenged for goalie interference and won, reversing the call on the ice and keeping the score 4-1.
The Penguins failed to convert on a double-minor by Nazem Kadri for high-sticking after that, and Necas registered his second of the game in the final minutes of the period to make it 5-1. Just past the midway point of the third, Rickard Rakell cut into the deficit and gave the Penguins some life, but Ross Colton’s empty-net goal a little less than five minutes later sealed the 6-2 win for the Colorado.
Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this one:
- I don't know how many more times this needs screamed from the rooftops, but it's malpractice not to have Chinakhov on the first power play unit.
This unit is struggling right now. It started out well in the first three games out of the Olympic break, going 4-for-10. Since then? It has goals in just seven of the last 46 opportunities, and three of those have been five-on-three goals. That’s good for just a 15.2 percent conversion rate, which, stretched over the whole season, would be the second-worst conversion rate in the league.
Chinkahov is a shoot-first player and has one of the best shots in the National Hockey League. He also has excellent vision and can use his skating to his advantage to maintain movement on the unit. He's a "trigger man", if there ever was one.
He should absolutely be with elite playmakers Crosby and Karlsson on that unit, whoever else they’d have to take off. My choice would be Rust (assuming Malkin is healthy and in for Anthony Mantha), but with Malkin out, he should definitely be on it in Mantha’s place.
- It’s not a secret that the Penguins are bleeding goals-against right now.
I wrote a piece on the defensive corps beyond the first pairing being an issue right now, which definitely holds true. But goaltending hasn’t been much help, either.
Silovs has a sub-.860 save percentage in five of his last six starts after a hot run prior to the Olympic break. Stuart Skinner has a sub-.900 save percentage in four out of his last five starts.
That isn’t good enough.
I know a ton of people are clamoring for prospect Sergei Murashov to get some starts down the stretch run of the season here. I’m not sure I agree. I’m still of the belief that it’s never a good idea to thrust your best goaltending prospect into a must-win, high-pressure, high-stakes situation during the stretch run of an NHL season where your team is trying to make the playoffs.
If, on the off-chance, it works out spectacularly, then great. But, if it doesn’t, you risk it permanently stunting the growth of your most prized prospect - and that’s a risk that isn’t worth taking, in my opinion. Especially since Murashov’s last five games in the AHL have not been overly confidence-inducing, either.
- Yes, the members of the Penguins’ top line are producing just fine. Crosby has a goal and five points in his four games since returning from injury. Rakell has four goals and 11 points in his last 10 games. Rust has seven goals and 14 points in his last 10.
That said, I’m not sure I wouldn’t try switching things around.
This has less to do with the top line and more to do with the rest of the lineup. Yes, Chinakhov is producing, as he has four goals and 12 points in his last 10. Yes, Evgeni Malkin is producing when he’s in the lineup with two goals and five points in the four games since his suspension. Yes, Anthony Mantha has mostly been producing despite a goose egg in the last three games.
But it doesn’t look as awesome for others. Brazeau has one goal three points in his last 12 games and none in his last five. Ben Kindel has two points in his last 10. Tommy Novak has one point in his last eight. Connor Dewar has one goal and four points in his last 18 games.
The depth scoring on this roster with Crosby in the lineup needs revived. Give Kindel some 2C minutes instead of Novak. Have Novak center Elmer Soderblom or Ville Koivunen and Brazeau and Kindel center Chinakhov and Rakell. Maybe plug Mantha up with Crosby and Rust. Or, keep Mantha on the second line with Kindel and plug Rakell there, switching him with Chinakhov.
Not having Malkin and Blake Lizotte in the lineup is hurting this team’s bottom-six, but I think they can better-construct these lines in the meantime. If I’m the Penguins, I give this a shot:
- Speaking of switching things around, I’m not really sure how to address these defensive pairings.
You can’t split up Parker Wotherspoon and Erik Karlsson. Messing up the one thing that has worked with consistency is certainly a risk this late in the season, and it’s probably not worth the small chance that the second pairing will improve drastically enough to offset the first pairing being messed with.
I’m not sure Sam Girard and Letang can stay together much longer. You can stick Ryan Shea with Letang, but in all honesty, the results haven’t been much different.
- This goaltender interference thing is truly something else. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Not only are the Penguins 0-for-8 in their own goaltender interference challenges this season, the opposition is also 4-for-5 against them. So, that’s a combined 1-for-13 for the Penguins on goaltender interference this season.
This is absurd. I will say that Tuesday’s had a bit more gray area than others, as Brazeau’s skate did touch Wedgewood’s in the blue paint, even if barely. I don’t think Brazeau’s contact with Wedgewood had much of anything to do with his ability to make the save or not, as I think Devon Toews’s stick was the bigger culprit. But, technically, Brazeau did contact him in the blue paint, so I could see why they might overturn.
However, given the much more blatant goaltender interference on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets that didn’t go the Penguins’ way? The one in the Blue Jackets-Islanders game on Sunday? The one in the Toronto-Boston game Tuesday?
This is becoming a pattern, and it’s a questionable one, at best. These kinds of numbers stacked against one team simply do not happen. And the goal reversal very well may have affected the outcome of the game because, if that goal stands, the score is 4-2 with 12 and a half minutes still to play in the second period, and the Penguins had all of the momentum on their side.
The league needs to figure out this problem. No, a 35 percent success rate on coach’s challenges this season overall does not mean this is entirely a “Penguins problem.” But it is disproportionately affecting the Penguins, and if things continue the way they’ve been going, it could affect the outcome of their season.
That simply cannot happen.
- The Penguins got lucky on the out-of-town scoreboard on Tuesday. Even though the Blue Jackets leapfrogged them for second place with a regulation win over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Islanders, Red Wings, and Bruins all lost in regulation.
Pittsburgh has the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, a team they've won just two of their last 10 games against. Even though this is the Penguins' hardest week of the regular season schedule-wise - and the Blue Jackets and Islanders have harder remaining schedules than the Penguins, who close out the season with six straight games against current non-playoff teams - it's certainly in their best interest to get two clean points on Thursday. Especially since the Sens currently occupy the second wild card spot just one point behind the Pens.
If the Penguins can survive the rest of this week, a very important contest on Mar. 30 looms with the Islanders. That feels like the one to circle on your calendar, folks.
The Islanders were unhappy with the goaltender interference call that went against them Sunday, but could at least add afterward that it didn’t end up mattering in the 1-0 win over the Blue Jackets.
As for the missed icing call Tuesday night that led to the Blackhawks’ fourth goal in an eventual 4-3 win, well, there was no such solace.
After Wyatt Kaiser sent the puck up the ice, with Tyler Bertuzzi diving and missing in an attempt to get a stick on it before it crossed over the blue line, the Islanders were so sure that it would be whistled down that Adam Pelech and Scott Mayfield both temporarily seemed to slow up.
Instead, there was no call and Nick Lardis stripped the puck from Mayfield behind the net, setting up a streaking Frank Nazar, who made it 4-1 Chicago at 6:02 of the second.
“The referee said he made a mistake to us,” coach Patrick Roy said. “It was over. That’s all it was. That’s all. It was bad timing for us. It’s unfortunate, but that’s part of the game, I guess.”
Part of the game, maybe, and the Islanders bear some blame for not playing to the whistle, but this was a brutal time for such a missed call with the Islanders fighting for their playoff lives every night. The explanation on the ice, apparently, was that the puck hit Cal Ritchie.
“I don’t even know what that was about,” Ritchie said. “They said I touched the puck or something on that play. I wasn’t even near the play. Yeah, it’s a little frustrating.”
Ilya Sorokin reacts dejectedly after giving up the team’s fourth goal to Frank Nazar after a referee’s “mistake” call during the Islanders’ 4-3 loss to the Blackhawks on March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena. Robert Sabo for New York Post
Indeed, the video confirms Ritchie’s description to be correct.
For the rest of the night, the UBS Arena crowd mock-cheered on every icing call.
At the time of the goal, it did at least appear that the missed call would be inconsequential, with the Islanders down 4-1 and looking sluggish at best.
After they recovered their game in the third period to get within 4-3 at the final buzzer, though, it looms large. Even a point from getting as far as overtime could make a big difference in a race that appears ready to go down to the wire.
Chicago Blackhawks center Frank Nazar (91) scores a goal during the second period when the New York Islanders played the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“We had an icing,” captain Anders Lee said. “We had an icing. They said that it hit Cal Ritchie. So I don’t have the time, really, to go back and look. We had a game to play, so I’ll let you guys take care of that, but Cal said it didn’t hit him.”
