MONTREAL — It came down to one period.

The Toronto Maple Leafs fell to the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 at the Bell Centre on Saturday, a loss defined by a disastrous second period.

The Leafs actually started well, carrying the pace of play and outshooting the Canadiens 9-3 in the opening frame. But once Montreal opened the scoring on Lane Hutson’s goal midway through the first, Toronto wasn’t able to get its game back.

What ensued was a fall expected from a team having lost their confidence. Montreal struck one more time in the first period and twice more in the second period, outshooting the Leafs 16-2, leading up to their fourth Habs goal. That marker finally prompted the mercy pull of goaltender Joseph Woll.

It is a familiar narrative for a Leafs team that has now lost seven of its last eight games.

“We just weren't able to get off our heels there for a good portion of it,” John Tavares said of Montreal’s play in the middle frame. "And then we give up the early one, which really hurts,” Tavares continued. “That continues to feed life into their game and [forces] us to continue to have to dig out of a bigger and bigger hole. So, we have to do a better job of maintaining the momentum and then how we get our game going... the other direction and staying with it and battling through times like that.”

The Leafs clearly lack confidence during this recent slump. While head coach Craig Berube acknowledged injuries to much of the roster as a contributing factor, he seems to be out of answers when trying to figure out why the Leafs stop playing when trailing in games.

"What I've seen a few times this year is when we get down a couple of goals at times — this happened in the second period — where we go out there and we don't play. We don't play with any urgency or any confidence in the second period because we get down a couple of goals,” Berube said.  “That's an excuse all day long for me. This is a veteran hockey team. It's inexcusable, and it's on me too. It's on all of us. And with a veteran team like that, that shouldn't happen."

This is essentially a plea from Berube to the leadership group to step up when times are tough—something they haven’t done. That’s fair, but there is no sign that a solution is going to come from anywhere else.

Toronto doesn’t have the assets or ability right now to make a big trade. They need help before things sink fast.

“This is what we have, and we've got to be better. We've got to be better. That's the bottom line. I mean, we showed we could do it,” Berube said.

“These guys have been out for a while now. We played some pretty good hockey at times. That didn't happen tonight. And like I said, we came up with that mindset in the first period and we did a pretty good job. But you can't lose all the momentum because they scored a couple of goals. Like I said, we're a veteran team and it's inexcusable.”

The Leafs have now lost seven of their last eight games and fell to 1-6-0 on the road this season. That doesn't bode well for a club that is about to embark on a five-game road swing beginning Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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The stage was set for an epic battle at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. Even though the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs have both been struggling of late, this is the kind of rivalry matchup that brings out the best in everyone and plenty of away fans, making the building electric.

With both Xhekaj brothers playing, the Habs wasted no time throwing big hits, and while they weren’t shooting much on net, they built momentum that way and by killing a two-minute penalty.

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A Rare Saturday Night Home Start For Dobes

With Samuel Montembeault having been pulled from the last game, Martin St-Louis decided to give rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes a rare Saturday night start at the Bell Centre, and the coach didn’t regret his decision in the first frame.

While Toronto put 11 shots on net, Dobes stopped them all, even though he was almost beaten on a wrap-around after overplaying a shot to his right, but he got to the puck in extremis to make the save. Aside from that, we saw some safe and sound goaltending by the Czech netminder in the first frame. The one shot that did beat him ended its run on the crossbar, and there was no harm done.

Toronto finally broke through on their 15th shot of the night, a bullet of a shot from Oliver Ekmann Larson that got the best of Dobes. While he received only six shots in the second frame, he remained alert and tracked the puck pretty well. This is the kind of performance that could go a long way toward rebuilding his confidence.

The Canadiens played a deep game in the final frame, taking only three shots and attempting to manage both the game and the puck, but it still allowed the Leafs to see more of the puck and attack more. Dobes was steady, stopping eight of the nine shots he faced. Toronto did hit another puck, but you’ve got to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky, as they say.

When all was said and done, Dobes stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced, giving him a .923 save percentage, the kind of number he had accustomed us to earlier in the season.

A Successful Baptism Of Fire

Much had been made of Florian Xhekaj’s insertion in the lineup, and it turned out to be a good move by the Canadiens’ coach. St-Louis had said earlier in the day that he wanted the youngster to play his game in the Canadiens’ game, to be smart even if he’s walking the line, and that’s precisely what he did.

He seemed to energize his line, and after 40 minutes, four Habs had three hits: both Xhekaj brothers, Josh Anderson and Jayden Struble. On top of it, Anderson also scored his fourth goal of the season, a picture-perfect shot above Woll’s shoulder, and the youngest Xhekaj got his first career point on the play.

In the third frame, defenseman Dakota Mermis took some liberties with Brendan Gallagher, pushing and shoving him for a whole shift before ramming him into the Leafs’ net. The younger Xhekaj took note, and when he had a chance, he forced Mermis to answer the bell, sending the Bell Centre into a frenzy. The crowd loved it, and so did his teammates, who went to congratulate him in the box for taking care of his teammates. Meanwhile, his big brother was beaming with pride on the bench.

As first games go, it would have been hard to write a better scenario, as the hero of the night said himself, it would have been if he scored a goal, but he had no complaints. As for the coach, when asked about the youngster’s first game, he replied:

He played to his identity; he brought his game: his toughness, his pace, his presence.

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The coach also spoke about the coaching staff in Laval, crediting them with how ready the players recalled lately have been:

I tip my hat to the staff in Laval. We got a lot of call-ups recently, and the guys come, and they look ready; they don’t look out of place. I know there are other players that are knocking on the door too down there, our staff do a great job to facilitate the transition.

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With the way Xhekaj’s first game went, Joshua Roy shouldn’t expect to get back in the lineup anytime soon.

Slafkovsky’s Big Night

Tonight, Jujar Slafkovsky wasn’t on the top power-play unit; he had lost that spot to Ivan Demidov, and he still found himself skating on the second line alongside the young Russian and Oliver Kapanen. After a challenging game Thursday night against the Washington Capitals, the first overall pick of the 2022 draft stood very tall and shone bright.

The coach obviously liked what he saw:

Listen, tonight was one of his best games of the season. That’s his standard; we try to keep him there, and it’s hard. But you know, when he plays like that, he makes you want that all the time. […] I think for any young player, the last box to check is consistency. They show their ceiling, and it’s hard to find that consistency at a young age, but that’s what we’re after.

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Slafkovsky’s stat line was impressive on the night: two shots, two shots blocked and two missed ones; one hit, one takeaway and one blocked shot. But what was even more impressive was the confidence with which he skated, the awareness he showed on the ice and his ability to play an effective transition game. Furthermore, even though he didn’t get an assist on Noah Dobson’s first goal of the night, that wouldn’t have gone in if it hadn’t been for the way he screened the goaltender. He did get an assist on the second Dobson tally, however, a tic-tac-toe with Demidov and the blueliner.

In the end, the Canadiens secured a much-needed 5-2 win and showed they can still be a dominant team when they pay attention to the details and commit to both sides of the game. Granted, this was a depleted Leafs side missing its number one goaltender, its captain, Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, but the Canadiens have their own injury woes as well and just rose above.

The Canadiens will take a day off tomorrow. Still, they will be back on the ice in Brossard on Monday morning at 10:30. Their next three games will be out west, where they’ll take on the Utah Mammoth (a side they beat 6-2 two weeks ago, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche  in the second game of a back-to-back.

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The Florida Panthers dropped a tough one on Saturday night in Sunrise.

It was a Stanley Cup Final rematch with the Edmonton Oilers, and unlike during the past couple postseasons, this time it was the Oilers who came out on top, pulling away late to defeat the Panthers 6-3.

Despite facing a three-goal deficit early in the second period, the Panthers did what they usually do and attempted to mount a ferocious comeback, thrilling the 19,534 fans who packed Amerant Bank Arena.

Goals by Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Reinhart 3:26 apart had the building rocking and rolling, but that was as close as the Cats would get, allowing a pair of empty-net goals in the final minutes to take what was a close game and make it appear anything but.

Now the Panthers will embark on a one-game road trip to Nashville before returning to South Florida for their longest homestand of the season.

Let’s get to Saturday’s takeaways:

ROUGH NIGHT FOR BOB

Fresh off what was his best outing of the season – a 32-save shutout of the New Jersey Devils on Thursday – Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky struggled mightily against Edmonton.

It started with a weak goal from a bad angle just 25 seconds into the game that squeaked between Bob’s skate and the post, and then it ended with a goal from a worse angle in which the puck went off his shoulder and into the net.

Bobrovsky was called to the bench after playing just 26:45 of the game, allowing four goals on 17 shots.

While he did stop four of the five high danger shots sent his way by Edmonton, Bob also allowed two low danger shots to get by him, and those can be demoralizing for any squad.

“Yeah, he had had enough,” Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said of his decision to pull Bobrovsky. “I think, like our team, Bob is so very consistent and so very strong, there's no point in leaving him in. We're down 4-1, we're going to open up our game, so it's a great time for Danil (Tarasov) to go in. He came in off a really great performance the last time, and he’s scheduled to play (Monday) in Nashville, so he gets some work to tune him up before he plays.”

CLOSER EXTRAORDINAIRE DANIIL TARASOV

Speaking of Tarasov, boy oh boy did he perform well in relief of Bobrovsky.

It’s never easy for a goaltender to come into a game cold off the bench, but don’t tell that to Tarasov.

During his five seasons in the NHL, Tarasov has been called into action off the bench five times, including Saturday against Edmonton.

In those five appearances he has yet to allow a goal, stopping all 51 shots he’s faced during the 138 minutes and 17 seconds of relief time he’s played during his career.

That’s quite impressive.

On Saturday, Tarasov made 12 saves against the Oilers, including all five of the high danger shots sent his way, in 32:47 of ice time.

“He made four or five really big saves,” said Maurice. “We're pushing at that point, so we're not in our defensive structure as much as we like, so we give up more than we wanted to in that part of the game and he had to make those saves to give us a chance to be able to come back.”

UVIS STEPS UP

Aaron Ekblad was expected to play on Saturday night, but he never came on the ice for pregame warmups and was eventually ruled out of the game with what the Panthers called an upper-body injury.

Turns out, Ekblad is under the weather. He’ll travel with the team to Nashville on Sunday and barring any setbacks, should be back in the lineup on Monday against the Predators.

With Ekblad out, Maurice called upon Uvis Balinskis to step into a top pairing role alongside Gus Forsling.

Balinskis said he didn’t find out until he arrived at the rink that his role had expanded for the night, but he sure seemed to handle it well on the ice.

When the dust settled, Balinskis ended the night with an assist and a plus-one on-ice rating to go with a season-high 19:01 of ice time.

“I thought he was right on,” Maurice said of Balinskis. “When you get moved up the food chain in the National Hockey League, you're playing against a completely different kind of player. And I thought he was trying to win the game, so he wasn't passive, and he wasn't tentative at all. He was aggressive, physical…I liked his game.”

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Photo caption: Nov 22, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) makes a save against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

One year ago, right wing Anthony Mantha tore his ACL on a freak kind of play as a member of the Calgary Flames. 

At that point in the season, Mantha had only played in 13 games, and he missed the rest of the year. It's safe to say that - upon signing a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer - he felt there would probably be a bit of a reacclimation period. 

When looking at his numbers this season, it sure doesn't seem like it. 

The 31-year-old forward has gotten off to a fast start with his new team, as he has eight goals and 14 points in 21 games. Those numbers are good for a 31-goal, 55-point pace - both of which would be career-highs for him.

Mantha may not necessarily have expected this start. But he's not surprised by it.

"Obviously, things are going well," Mantha said. "I was not expecting to get off to that start. I mean, I worked on it over the last 11 months of rehab - physically and mentally - to have that kind of start. And I did everything I could to have that kind of start.

"So, am I surprised? I would say, not really. But, obviously, when it does happen, you take it the right way, and you need to keep pushing forward."

Takeaways: Penguins Lose Heartbreaker To Seattle Kraken, Fall Out Of Playoff PositionAfter a <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/takeaways-penguins-no-show-in-5-0-loss-to-minnesota-wild">disappointing effort in a 5-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild</a> on Friday, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' young goaltender Sergei Murashov declared that the team would come out much better on Saturday.

His hard work to come back from a major injury hasn't gone unnoticed by his coach, either. 

"I think it goes back even in the summertime. I know it was important to him to just set himself up there for the start of the year," head coach Dan Muse said. "And coming off an injury, being out for a while, too, I think he clearly - based on the start - put in that work. You've seen steps taken here, too. So, that's what we're looking for.

"Obviously, credit to him for putting in that work, and we want to be able to work together with him here so he can continue to take those steps in his game."

Mantha's career season up to this point came in 2018-19, when he put up 25 goals and 48 points in 67 games for the Detroit Red Wings, the team that drafted him 20th overall in 2013. He's had the opportunity to play with some elite talent throughout his career, including Dylan Larkin and Alex Ovechkin.

But he's never flanked a playmaker quite like Evgeni Malkin, who - as his centerman - has been a big part of Mantha's success so far this season.

Penguins Have Found Their Ideal Fourth-Liner In Connor DewarPittsburgh Penguins forward Connor Dewar has been outstanding this season.

"Playing with Geno for sure helps," Mantha said. "He's an All-Star, Hall-of-Fame guy, and he's just able to find those plays that maybe other centermen can't necessarily find. That's why he's had so much success in his career. And, for me, to blend in, I let him do his own things, try to find the open spot or try to find that give-and-go. Because you know he loves to play with the puck."

But it's not just Malkin's playmaking that has helped elevate Mantha's game to high level. There has been a lot of discussion around the size of the Penguins' second line this season, whether it's Justin Brazeau - a 6-foot-6, 232-pounder currently injured - or Kevin Hayes at 6-foot-3, 217 pounds on the left wing. 

Malkin and Mantha both stand at 6-foot-5, and Mantha is 240 pounds. The size of their line - the biggest line Mantha has ever played on - gives them an advantage in puck battles and net-front positioning.

"I think it's just that we're creating space for each other, whether it's a low pick or winning those one-on-one battles, and then getting out of corners," Mantha said. "Just making space for each other and having a net-front presence. I mean, either me or Braz, or me or Hayesy... you know Geno's going to be playing with the puck and more roaming around than straight at the net-front. So, everyone kind of plays their own role, and it's been connecting."

As far as his tenure in Pittsburgh so far, Mantha is fitting right into a locker room that is tight-knit as well as diverse in terms of age, background, and experience. And he has noticed the way that everyone and everything has effortlessly gelled together.

Mantha gives a lot of credit to the Hall-of-Famers in the room, too, and he hopes that his time as a Penguin continues to be a positive experience like it has been for the guys in the room so far.

"Obviously a lot of - how do you say it - a lot of older guys with maturity," Mantha said. "Quite a bit of middle-aged guys, like 25 to 33, 34, you know. And a couple rookies. I mean, the blend of everyone and just being shown in the proper way by those vets and learning every day... and the maturity level.

"Like, you need to bring it up a notch when you're around those guys. And it's been positive for everyone."

For Pittsburgh Penguins' Olympic Goaltender Artūrs Šilovs, No Stage Is Too BigPittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs - acquired from the Vancouver Canucks over the summer - has proven he can perform when the stakes are highest and will get another chance with Team Latvia at the 2026 Olympic Games.

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The Calgary Flames (7–13–3) saw a two-goal lead disappear in the third period, but ultimately secured the extra point with a 3–2 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars (13–5–4) on Saturday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Matt Coronato jump-started the offence with a power-play marker—his eighth goal of the year—while Joel Farabee added his fifth to give Calgary early control. Nazem Kadri chipped in with a pair of assists and later delivered the decisive shootout tally to lock down the win.

In goal, Devin Cooley turned in another strong outing, stopping 28 shots to earn his second consecutive victory.

Cooley entered the night riding the momentum of his first win of the season against Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday and carrying a 1.80 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage through six outings. He was tested immediately, as Dallas pushed hard right out of the gate. The Flames’ netminder stood tall through an early Stars power play, turning away several in-tight chances and stopping all 13 shots he faced in a sharp opening frame.

The Flames fizzled on their first powerplay attempt, but broke through on their second man advantage of the period. Coronato took a feed from Nazem Kadri, spun out from the side of the net, and slipped the puck past Casey DeSmith to give the Flames a 1–0 lead.

The middle frame opened much like the first—with Cooley stealing the spotlight. The Flames netminder turned away another wave of Dallas pressure, including a spectacular glove stop on Alexander Petrovic that sent the building into one of its loudest, most genuine eruptions of the season. The surge of energy rippled through the crowd and seemed to lift the Flames bench.

Calgary kept the momentum rolling by running all four lines and pushing play consistently into the Stars’ end. They fired 17 shots on goal in the period but couldn’t extend their lead.

Tensions spiked in the final minute when Mikko Rantanen drove Coronato into the boards from behind, earning a five-minute major and game misconduct for Boarding. This was the second consecutive game where Rantanen was ejected for boarding.  Jonathan Huberdeau - who picked up an assist in the contest - immediately stepped in to defend his teammate, dropping the gloves and picking up both an instigator, five-minute fighting major and a 10-minute misconduct. Coronato, cut from the hit, headed straight to the locker room.

The tone inside the Saddledome shifted sharply as the horn sounded. Despite the chaos, Calgary carried a 1–0 lead into the third.

Calgary extended its lead early in the third, just 1:50 in, when Rasmus Andersson’s point shot was redirected by Joel Farabee for his third goal in two games, putting the Flames up 2–0.

Dallas pushed back. At 6:44, Jason Robertson cut the deficit when he stepped into the slot and let a shot go that glanced off a skate and slipped past Cooley, making it 2–1. The Stars completed the comeback at 16:53, when Roope Hintz converted a backhand feed from Robertson and fired it over Cooley to even the score at 2–2.

The Flames found themselves down two men late in regulation but held firm, killing off a critical 5-on-3 to reach overtime. With no solution in the extra frame, the game moved to a shootout—where Kadri ended it with a slick backhand move to secure the win.

Three Takeaways:

1. Cooley’s confidence is growing fast

Devin Cooley followed up his first win of the season with another composed performance. His positioning was sharp, his reads were on point, and he battled to limit second-chance looks. With each start, he’s looking more assured, and you can see the ripple effect—his teammates appear increasingly settled playing in front of him.

2. Kuznetsov logging big minutes

Yan Kuznetsov quietly shouldered a heavy workload, leading all Flames defencemen with 8:20 in the opening period and finishing with a substantial 22:55 total ice time alongside partner MacKenzie Weegar. This marked his ninth NHL appearance of the season, and he’s now all but certain to hit the 10-game threshold that officially burns the first year of his entry-level contract.

3. Kadri sets the tone again

Nazem Kadri was everywhere. He drew two penalties, picked up a pair of assists, and buried the shootout winner. From the opening faceoff, he dictated the pace and drove play—another reminder of how essential he is to Calgary’s identity and competitiveness.

The Final Word: 

Cooley on the team performance:

“When everyone’s going together, we’re a really solid team. We just went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the league and I thought we were incredible.”

Huberdeau on the overall group effort:

“I thought we were a fast team tonight, I think that was one of our best games, I felt, all year.”

Coronato on the bounces: 

“I think as a group I think we’re playing with more confidence, we’re playing better... It’s just sticking with the same plan, trying to play our game, getting to the net…We knew if we kept sticking with it, the bounces and the chances would start to turn.”

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nick DeSimone scored the tiebreaking goal 7:32 into the third period and the Utah Mammoth beat the scuffling New York Rangers 3-2 on Saturday night to snap a four-game losing streak.

JJ Peterka and Clayton Keller also scored for the Mammoth, who overcame a 2-1 deficit in their seventh comeback victory this season. Karel Vejmelka made 20 saves.

Vladislav Gavrikov and Artemi Panarin scored for the Rangers, who have lost four consecutive games — all in regulation and three by one goal. They finished 0-3 on their Western Conference road swing.

Jonathan Quick stopped 31 shots in a terrific performance for New York.

DeSimone scored unassisted off a deflection for his second goal this season and first game-winner.

Utah struck first on Peterka’s goal at the 10:08 of the first period. Peterka poked in the puck with his stick from behind Quick’s skate.

Gavrikov tied it at 15:19 when Adam Fox’s pass redirected off the shaft of his stick. Panarin gave the Rangers the lead at 8:07 of the second when he scored on a breakaway, with the puck squeezing through Vejmelka and dribbling across the goal line after he initially made the stop.

Keller pulled the Mammoth even following a takeaway by Kailer Yamamoto, snapping the puck over Quick from close range at 11:15.

DeSimone fired a slap shot off the shin pad of a Rangers player to put Utah ahead.

Up next

Rangers: Host the St. Louis Blues on Monday night.

Mammoth: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night

After a disappointing effort in a 5-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Friday, Pittsburgh Penguins' young goaltender Sergei Murashov declared that the team would come out much better on Saturday.

Well, it was a much better effort from the Penguins against the Seattle Kraken. 

But, unfortunately, it wasn't enough. 

The Penguins fell to the Kraken, 3-2, with just 49.6 seconds left in overtime on a Brandon Montour goal despite Pittsburgh dominating much of the extra frame. They are now 0-2-3 in overtime and shootouts this season, and they fell to 10-6-5 overall. 

And - with an Ottawa Senators win Saturday - the Penguins have officially fallen out of playoff contention. 

There was no score after one, and the Kraken went up early in the first when Mason Marchment used a screen to capitalize off of a defensive zone turnover by Penguins' forward Ben Kindel. Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby tied the game late in the middle frame off of a gorgeous feed by Connor Dewar from the left wall, as he was perched at the net-front and got on one knee to put it home.

Then, five minutes into the third period, Evgeni Malkin put the Penguins ahead on the power play with his sixth goal of the season by burying the loose change at the net front. However, the Penguins could not hold on, as Matty Beniers sniped a perfect shot past Murashov in the back half of the third to tie the game and force the overtime. 

The Penguins are in a bit of a slide, and they need to find a way to come out on top of these close games in order to find their footing again. The response in general was good, but - according to head coach Dan Muse - it wasn't good enough. 

"I'm not going to keep coming in here and saying that one point is good enough. It's not," Muse said after the game. "And I think we're better than that. Our standard needs to be better than that."

Takeaways: Penguins No-Show In 5-0 Loss To Minnesota WildWell, there certainly wasn’t much to write home about in this one.&nbsp;

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Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this tough loss:

- I had seen former Penguins' head coach Mike Sullivan get angry a few times last season. Sullivan was very much reactive to the results of each game. 

However, Muse was angrier Saturday than I've seen a Penguins' head coach in quite a while. 

You could practically see steam coming out of his ears at the podium. He is typically such an even-tempered guy, but not Saturday. He couldn't stop saying how the Penguins simply haven't been good enough and that the results right now aren't good enough. 

I'll just let you read this one.

"Our game was better. But we just came out of this weekend with one out of four points. That's not good enough. So, was our process better? It was. But we need to get points. We had an opportunity to, so, it's a fine line. Those little details, the little things, they make a difference here. Finding a way to get another opportunity. Finding a way to take away one of theirs. And so, I'm not going to sit here and say that that's good enough. It's not. We're past that. We need points right now, and we have a weekend here where the game was no good yesterday, it was much better today, but if you go through this month, it's been too many games here where we've said there's positives to take from. 

So, I liked our game more. I thought we did a lot of things that we need to do on a consistent basis. I think we did a lot of things that are going to lead to success. But one out of four points on the weekend is not good enough."

- - Penguins' head coach Dan Muse on Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken

Frustration is starting to boil over for both coaches and players. The Penguins need to stop the bleeding fast, even if they feel they're getting the better of most of these games. They need to find a way to finish and shut things down like they were able to do at the beginning of the season. 

- I thought Murashov was really solid for most of this game. However, I didn't like the overtime goal. It was a shot from distance that he was off-angle for and was simply beat on.

It's hard to blame him for this loss at all, and I'm not. He's also a 21-year-old rookie who has largely been a positive since his recall. But I think he'd tell you - after watching it - that he'd like to have that one back.

Still, this kid's confidence really is something. He makes himself as big as possible in net and challenges shooters at the top of the crease. There's no panic in his game whatsoever. It's impressive.

Penguins' Forward Hits MilestoneThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> always seem to be hitting milestones, especially with all-time greats in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson on their team.

- At this point, I'm not convinced that having Matt Dumba or Connor Clifton in the lineup is any more a net positive than simply letting the rookie in Harrison Brunicke get some runway.

I realize he's probably headed for an AHL conditioning stint right before getting loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship. But if the Penguins' bottom pairing on the right side continues to be an issue, you reach a point where you just let the kid play.

It's been three weeks since he's seen a game. Not ideal for anyone, honestly. 

And if it's not going to be Brunicke again at any point this season for the Penguins - it's becoming doubtful at this point - Jack St. Ivany should be given a look as soon as he returns from injury. 

- The lack of production from Bryan Rust on the top line is starting to become a problem. 

After a stretch of five points in three games, Rust has no points in the last five. With Rickard Rakell out of the lineup, he needs to be dependable in terms of putting the puck in the back of the net. And he has only registered 10 shots on goal in the last five games. 

He needs to get more pucks to the net, and if he doesn't, the Penguins need to start thinking about shifting things around. This team is having a hard time scoring without two top-six players in its lineup, and sooner or later, they simply need to score more goals.

I'd give it one more game before a shakeup.

Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby Hits New Milestone Sidney Crosby hit a new milestone on Saturday night.

- Speaking of, I really think it's time for the Penguins to give some of their youngsters a shot.

It's tough to expect the team to bring up Rutger McGroarty from the AHL after just two games in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but he has two goals in those two games - and they were both beautiful skating plays, with the latest being a shorthanded tally that he carried almost 200 feet in a 1-0 win over the Providence Bruins. He doesn't look a step behind in the slightest over that two-game sample.

Tristan Broz centered McGroarty and Avery Hayes - who also just returned from a short-term injury - on Saturday. Broz, especially, has stood out this season, as he has eight goals and 13 points in 18 games and continues to play solid two-way hockey.

The Penguins need some help scoring goals right now, and they could use some young legs. It can't hurt to give these guys a look until the Penguins start getting healthy again. Pull the trigger. It's time. 

MCGROARTY SHORTY 🚨

For every shorthanded goal we score, Borland and Borland will donate $250 to the Penguins GOALS foundation. This is shorty #3 on the year! pic.twitter.com/TNDBeOvRCu

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) November 23, 2025

- The Penguins are 2-4-3 since Justin Brazeau left the lineup due to injury. 

Am I saying Brazeau is the MVP of this Penguins' season so far? No. But that's no coincidence. He was the second top-six player to go down, and - with Noel Acciari exiting at the same time - this team has not been the same ever since.

Of course, injuries are usually not an excuse. But there comes a point where they do start to actually become a bit of an excuse. 

I think the Penguins are at that point. They can't tread water much longer as is. If some of these guys don't come back soon - or if they don't attempt to shake things up by trying some younger players in their lineup - things could get ugly very quickly, especially with a gauntlet of a schedule in the month of December. 

Rakell, Brazeau, and Acciari are all skating. While Rakell probably still won't be back until the end of December, hopefully the other two make their way back as soon as possible. There is only so much a team can do and only so much depth a team has when an injury situation is as bad as the Penguins.'

They need a jolt. And they need it fast. 

For Pittsburgh Penguins' Olympic Goaltender Artūrs Šilovs, No Stage Is Too BigPittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs - acquired from the Vancouver Canucks over the summer - has proven he can perform when the stakes are highest and will get another chance with Team Latvia at the 2026 Olympic Games.

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Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Rutger McGroarty played in his second AHL game for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday night since returning from an undisclosed injury. 

The injury kept McGroarty out of training camp, the preseason, and the first month of the regular season before he returned to action in WBS on Nov. 15. He scored his first goal of the year in that game off a wicked deke in front of the net. 

WELCOME BACK RUTGER pic.twitter.com/2d3C3eUsk3

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) November 16, 2025

He played his second game of the season on Saturday and scored his second goal of the year. The goal came while the WBS Penguins were shorthanded, and it was a beauty. He was skating down the left side before cutting to the middle and making a beautiful move around a Providence Bruins skater. He finished the play off with a gorgeous move in front of the net. 

It ended up being the game-winner as WBS secured a massive 1-0 win over the Bruins. 

MCGROARTY SHORTY 🚨

For every shorthanded goal we score, Borland and Borland will donate $250 to the Penguins GOALS foundation. This is shorty #3 on the year! pic.twitter.com/TNDBeOvRCu

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) November 23, 2025

McGroarty made that look so easy, and he's carrying the momentum that he had at the end of last season into this season. He had his second stint with the big club at the end of the 2024-25 season, and it went much better than his first stint did at the beginning of the season. He scored his first NHL goal with the Penguins on Apr. 3 against the St. Louis Blues and added two assists down the stretch. 

McGroarty didn't look out of place with Penguins captain Sidney Crosby last year, but even if there's not a spot for him on the top line when he eventually comes up later this year, he could still slot into a spot on the third line. First-round pick Benjamin Kindel is still the third-line center and has been carrying his own line in just about every game he has played in so far. 

Getting to see him and McGroarty play together would be a ton of fun. Heck, Penguins head coach Dan Muse could even opt to put Ville Koivunen in the other winger spot to have an all "kids" third line once he gets healthy. 

McGroarty looked NHL-ready going into the year before he got hurt. Now, he's working his way back, and if he keeps this up, it won't be long until he's back playing meaningful NHL minutes with the big club. 

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A costly lapse of 15 seconds in the game haunted the Nashville Predators in their 3-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday at Bridgestone Arena. 

The Predators were chasing the lead nearly the entire night, as Brent Burns picked the puck up off the boards and sniped a shot past Juuse Saros just 15 seconds in. Nashville's offense poured it on, outshooting the Avalanche, 35-26, but couldn't find the back of the net. 

Nathan MacKinnon and Jack Drury added empty net goals in the final two minutes of the game.

"You feel really good with the effort, and I thought we dictated the pace of the game against a fast team," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "We had our opportunities. 
They didn't go in, but overall I really liked our game.

"It's a little bit redundant. We've said this many times here in this room, and all you can do is keep doing what you're doing and believe." 

Here are three takeaways from the Predators loss to the Avalanche. 

"Keep working"

It took Brent Burns exactly this long to score in Nashville. pic.twitter.com/6qq12c8XHW

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 23, 2025

Being down is nothing new for the Predators, but they have not been chasing a lead 15 seconds into a game. However, Brunette was straightforward, saying the team just needed to "stick with it" to turn things around.

The Predators had nearly 20 shots in the first period and put the puck on net 35 times against the top team in the NHL. It also successfully killed off three penalties and won the face-off battle, winning 32-of-56 draws. 

It was a game that, at the end of the night, felt frustrating for the Predators. Both Roman Josi and Jonathan Marchessault said it was another game in which they felt they played well but came up short again. 

"I feel like I keep saying the same things, but the first period I thought we played really well," Josi said. "They got the first one, but after that, I thought we had so many looks and grade A chances." 

Marchessault went so far as to say he's working as hard as he can but isn't generating the offense the Predators need. 

"I feel like I'm personally working as hard as I can," Marchesault said. "I feel like I create stuff, and you just don't get the bounces that we're looking for." 

In response, Brunette said he needs to "stick with it" and that the offense will come, feeling that the Predators will eventually round a corner. Nashville had an impressive outing against the Avalanche, but it's going down as yet another loss. 

"Keep working. It's not gonna go, if you stop working, it's not gonna come," Brunette said on Marchessault. "That's all you can do in these situations when you go through something like that...I believe he's (Marchessault) really working. It's not going to be easy for him, and the only solution for me is to keep working." 

Josi returns 

Josi's status was in flux all week after returning to the practice, but it was announced Saturday morning that he would play against the Colorado Avalanche. His presence was missed, as he was able to open up the ice a bit more for the Predators and spark their game. 

"There was a big difference having Jos (Josi) back in the lineup," Marchessault said. "It opened up a lot of things on the offensive side and it's definitely great to have him back." 

He took 24 shifts and played 19:40 minutes, recording four shots and a block. Josi finally got to play with Nic Hague on the second pairing, which has been the plan since the preseason, but had never come to action due to injuries from Josi and Hague. 

"I felt good," Josi said. "It felt nice to be back. I've been skating for a while now, which has been good to get my legs going. When you're injured, it's tough watching from afar." 

Needing another strong performance 

While the Predators lost to the Avalanche, it was arguably one of their best games of the season. Outside of the first 15 seconds, the Predators were the better team for the majority of the night. 

Saros had a strong night as well, making 25 saves on 26 shots against one the top lines in the NHL. 

The Predators will need a similar performance on Monday against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. They are coming off a 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, but have been paced by Brad Marchand, who has 23 points in 19 games this season. 

Up next: Florida Panthers (11-9-1) at Nashville Predators (6-11-4) on Monday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena 

Mackenzie Blackwood has insisted in recent weeks that all he needed was steady minutes and a consistent rhythm to rediscover his form. On Saturday night in Nashville, he proved it, delivering a commanding performance in Colorado’s 3–0 shutout of the Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Blackwood made 35 saves in a heroic performance, while Brent Burns, Jack Drury, and Nathan MacKinnon scored for the Avalanche, who extended their winning streak to eight games to improve their NHL-best 15-1-5 record.

It wasn't a perfect game. The Predators outshot the Avalanche 35-26 and Colorado struggled with puck control at points in the game, but Blackwood stood tall and made incredible saves throughout the game.

Nashville's Juuse Saros made one mistake 15 seconds into the game and that decided the game. He stopped 23 of 24 shots in an otherwise great performance.

First Period

The Avalanche needed only 15 seconds to seize a 1–0 lead. Burns gathered a loose puck at the point and rifled a shot through traffic, a blast Saros never picked up. Just like that, Colorado was in front. But from that moment on, the first period belonged almost entirely to Nashville.

BRENT BURNS LIGHTS UP THE BOARD JUST 15 SECONDS INTO THE GAME 🚨 pic.twitter.com/TzIOalkxo5

— NHL (@NHL) November 23, 2025

Despite striking first, the Avs were on their heels for long stretches as the Predators dictated the tempo, outshooting Colorado 7–2 at one stage. Still, Colorado found ways to manufacture key moments. Burns delivered again later in the frame, laying out for a sliding block on a Steven Stamkos chance to disrupt what looked like a dangerous rush.

Luke Evangelista nearly broke through with nine minutes left, snapping a shot off the short-side post as Colorado continued to struggle exiting its own zone. Moments later, with under six minutes remaining, the Avalanche were staring down a delayed penalty when Nashville kept possession long enough for Roman Josi to hammer a one-timer off the rush. Blackwood, however, delivered a stellar save to preserve the lead—before Martin Nečas was sent off for holding.

After a successful kill, Blackwood produced an even more dazzling moment, robbing Filip Forsberg from point-blank range with a spectacular glove save that left the crowd gasping.

Second Period

The middle frame opened with a scare, as a turnover at the blue line gifted Forsberg another prime opportunity. But Blackwood—now fully settled in—stonewalled him yet again.

Devon Toews was whistled for tripping shortly after, though replays showed Evangelista actually stepping on Toews’ stick. Nevertheless, Nashville returned to the power play. Colorado’s penalty killers handled their business, and soon after the Avs earned their own man advantage when Forsberg slashed Cale Makar’s stick clean out of his hands.

It was the first look at the reconfigured top power-play unit featuring Gabe Landeskog in place of Victor Olofsson. They generated a few sequences, but nothing found the net.

As the period progressed, the Avs flipped the script. Unlike the opening 20 minutes, Colorado controlled possession and pace, while Blackwood continued authoring his best performance of the season.

Olofsson nearly doubled the lead with under four minutes remaining. He burst onto a loose puck in Nashville’s zone and got a shot off despite being hacked on the hands by Spencer Stastney, but no penalty was called.

The period ended scoreless, and after 40 minutes, the Avalanche still held a 1–0 edge behind Blackwood’s brilliance.

Third Period

Nashville earned another power play less than four minutes into the third when Toews was penalized for interference after losing his stick. Colorado’s penalty killers, perfect to that point, remained flawless once more.

The Predators then handed the Avs another opportunity when Michael McCarron took an interference penalty on Drury, but Colorado’s power play came up empty again. At that stage, the two teams were a combined 0-for-5 with the man advantage.

Midway through the frame, the Avalanche generated multiple grade-A looks, but Saros kept them alive. He denied Drury on a net-front jam attempt and then robbed Brock Nelson with a sharp glove save on a backhander.

OMG Mackenzie Blackwood...what a save.

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) November 23, 2025

Blackwood promptly delivered the save of the night at the other end, kicking out his pad to stone Erik Haula. Colorado surged back with MacKinnon slicing through the neutral zone, though his attempted feed to Landeskog didn’t connect.

With fewer than two minutes left, Nashville pulled Saros for the extra skater. MacKinnon promptly found the empty net to extend the lead to 2–0, and Drury followed with a second empty-netter to cement a 3–0 victory.

Shutout for Mackenzie Blackwood. Welcome back, King.

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) November 23, 2025

Mackenzie Blackwood, sensational from start to finish, earned the shutout.

Next Game

The Avalanche have no time to rest as they have another game tomorrow against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks, losers of their last two games, come into the game with a 10-7-4 record. Coverage from United Center kicks off at 5 p.m. 

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The Edmonton Oilers walked into Sunrise expecting a battle, but their Stanley Cup Final rematch with the Florida Panthers turned into something closer to a street fight. Edmonton emerged with a massive regulation win, closing out their seven-game road trip with attitude, pushback, and a whole lot of attitude in a game that offered a bit of retribution. 

Jack Roslovic got things started early, putting a soft one past Sergei Bobrovsky for the 1–0 lead. Anton Lundell answered, but Roslovic buried his second just 36 seconds later after Evan Bouchard froze the entire rink with a shot fake before feathering a perfect pass. Roslovic now sits at 9-8-17 in 22 games, riding one of the hottest stretches on the team. 

Mattias Ekholm extended the lead on a late power play, and Vasily Podkolzin’s bad-angle snipe chased Bobrovsky from the game entirely.

Edmonton looked in full control at 4–1, but Florida stormed back with two in the second, outworking the Oilers and threatening another ending where the Oilers let one slip away. 

Things Got Physical And The Oilers Got Two Empty-Netters

The real turning point? The willingness of the Oilers to stay in the fight. There were scrums, shoves, facewashes—and even an MMA-style slam throughout the game. Instead of backing down, the Oilers pushed right back, matching Florida’s intensity shift for shift.

Edmonton didn't fold when the Panthers made a goalie switch, and Daniil Tarasov came in and played outstanding hockey. Florida pushed in the second period, and they outplayed Edmonton in the middle frame. Tarasov didn't allow a goal, so the Oilers had to score twice when the Panthers pulled him in an attempt to tie the game. 

This was a tired Oilers group that had traveled on one of the most trying road trips of the season. Getting three points out of a final four has to be seen as a win. 

Key Oilers Defenseman Unexpectedly Missing From Morning WarmupJake Walman's absence from warmup sparks concern. Is it rest, or has the defenseman's physical game taken its toll before facing the Panthers?

Notable Performances:

Stuart Skinner quietly delivered one of his steadier nights, stopping 35 shots and holding off a desperate Florida push. The goals against were not a result of his making mistakes. Anton Lundell jammed home a puck in the crease, and Darnell Nurse lost sight of his man in the crease. The other two goals were one-timers that would have been difficult for Skinner to stop. He noted 

Jack Roslovic continues to impress. The thought was that he might drop off with his play and his production would decline, but that hasn't happened. Offensively, he looks confident and he's providing the kind of depth scoring the Oilers have need for some time. He's got nine goals since joining the team. "This game was a good momentum builder," said Roslovic after the game.

Connor Clattenburg didn't look out of place in his first NHL game. He was looking for action, but didn't get any takers. Hey may not stay in the NHL for long, but there is a lot to like about this player. 

Matt Savoie looks like he's coming along. He was hard on the puck, smart defensively, and got rewarded with one of the last two goals. 

Evan Bouchard had three points, played big minutes, and made some nice plays on two goals. Ekholm and Bouchard played well together. 

The Panthers pulled the goalie twice, but Connor McDavid and Matt Savoie sealed it with a pair of empty-netters. The Oilers haven't always been known for capitalizing on the empty-net situations. They did twice. 

The Oilers showed something important: they can handle the nastiness in a Stanley Cup rematch with a team they wanted to beat, and they can finish off a difficult road trip and feel better about their game as things start to get a little easier for them. 

As the team inches toward its 30-game evaluation point, this was the kind of win that makes the front office think twice about tinkering too much. "The fact we came out .500, we should be pleased. There were some games that got away from us... a little bitter for us. Overall, I like where our guys are going."

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The Ottawa Senators' seven-game road trip is off to an excellent start. Tim Stützle had two points, including the game winning goal in the third as the Sens defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Saturday night. After their victory in Anaheim on Thursday, it's the second time in three days the Senators rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win in California, 3-2.

The game marked the return of Thomas Chabot after his November 11th upper body injury. However, on a late third-period power play, he appeared to injure himself again while following through on a wrist shot from the point. He left the ice and was in visible discomfort on the bench in the final few minutes.

Just over a minute into the game, Will Smith gave the Senators a slap in the face, appearing to open the scoring 1:27 into the first period, but his goal was overturned on an offside challenge. 

The Senators struck first on the power play at the 7:50 mark of the first period. Tim Stützle carried the puck down the left wing and appeared to be trying to hit Claude Giroux on the far side, but his hard pass was redirected into the net by Dylan Cozens in the slot. Cozens’ eighth goal of the year made it 1–0.

With less than four minutes to go in the first, the Sharks tied things up on their own power play. John Klingberg’s wrist shot beat a screened Linus Ullmark to make it 1–1.

Just under eight minutes into the second, after a poor neutral zone turnover by Stützle, Barclay Goodrow made it 2–1 for the Sharks. Alex Wennberg appeared to smack home a rebound in the slot, but they ruled the puck went in off a falling Goodrow to give San Jose the lead.

The Senators have been waiting for Fabian Zetterlund to recapture the scoring form he once showed in San Jose, and a return to the Bay Area seemed to serve him well. Zetterlund, who had only one goal in his previous 20 games, broke in over the blue line and absolutely ripped one home to tie the game at 2. It was his first goal in San Jose since the Sharks traded him last March.

With under seven minutes to play, a great stretch pass from Jake Sanderson sent the Senators in on a 2-on-0 with Drake Batherson and Nick Cousins. After a chaotic finish to the play, the puck somehow ended up sitting right on the goal line. Stützle out-hustled everyone to jam in the loose puck for what would stand as the game-winning goal.

Ullmark made 17 saves, including a couple of beauties from close range in the dying seconds. 

With the win, the Senators improve to 11-6-4 on the season. After a flat 2-4-1 start to the season, start, they've gone 9-2-3 since.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is already one of the best players in NHL history, and on Saturday, he added a new milestone to his outstanding career. 

After notching a goal and an assist against the Seattle Kraken, he became only the sixth player in NHL history to notch 500 multi-point games, joining Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Dionne, Mark Messier, and Gordie Howe.

Crosby is also the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach 500 multi-point games.

Sidney Crosby (1,373 GP) became the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach 500 multi-point games, behind only Wayne Gretzky (738 GP) and Marcel Dionne (1,262 GP). #NHLStats

Tune in 🌎: https://t.co/dT34F4MhkCpic.twitter.com/EMuJCryIjt

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) November 23, 2025

Crosby scored the tying goal in the second period to make it a 1-1 game before getting an assist on Evgeni Malkin's goal in the third period that made it a 2-1 game. The Penguins eventually lost in overtime, thanks to a game-winning goal from Brandon Montour. 

Despite that, Crosby hit a new milestone and is also getting closer to passing Mario Lemieux for the Penguins' franchise record in points. He's 13 away from tying Lemieux and 14 away from passing him.

The Penguins will be back in action on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers set a franchise record by scoring three goals in just 26 seconds in the first period on Saturday night against New Jersey, getting two from Tyson Foerster in 17 seconds and one from Matvei Michkov on their way to a 6-3 win over the Devils.

The Flyers scored three goals in the fourth-fastest time in NHL history. Boston needed 20 seconds when it scored three against Vancouver in 1971. Washington (1990) and Chicago (1952) scored three goals in 21 seconds, and the Montreal Maroons needed 24 seconds to score three against the Rangers in 1932.

The Flyers scored three goals in 35 seconds on a March 1, 1979 game against Boston. Behn Wilson, Blake Dunlop and Al Hill scored for the Flyers in a game that ended in a 4-4 tie.

The Flyers and Devils were tied at 1 in the first when the scoring barrage started.

Michkov scored his fifth goal of the season in his 100th career game at the 12:06 mark. Foerster beat Jake Allen on two consecutive shots at 12:15 and 12:32 for his sixth and seventh goals of the season.

All three goals were at even strength.

Foerster’s two goals in 17 seconds were the fastest by a Flyer since Jeff Carter netted two in 13 seconds against Atlanta on Jan. 8, 2008.

The Flyers took a 4-1 lead on a night they honored Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent, who died two months ago at age 80.

Bobby Brink made it 5-1 in the second period, and Trevor Zegras scored on a breakaway in the third for a 6-3 lead.

Timo Meier, Nico Hischier and Simon Nemec scored for the Devils.

Allen stopped 23 shots. He had allowed only four goals total in his last three starts and entered with a .920 save percentage and a 2.13 goals-against average.

Dan Vladar had 32 saves for the Flyers, who still allowed the first goal for the seventh straight game.

Up next

Devils: Host Detroit on Monday.

Flyers: Play Monday at Tampa Bay.

The Detroit Red Wings offered their fans a thrilling comeback victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday afternoon, coming back from a 3-1 third period deficit to seize a 4-3 victory in overtime.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Forward Alex DeBrincat played the role of hero for Detroit in the extra session, scoring his seventh goal of the season and capping a comeback victory that was made possible by third period goals from defensemen Ben Chiarot and Moritz Seider along with another impressive performance from Cam Talbot in net. 

Assisting on the goals by Chiarot and Alex DeBrincat was forward Patrick Kane, who has now tied former Red Wings forward Brendan Shanahan in total career NHL points with 1,354. He's now tied for 29th place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list.

Benny makes it a one-goal game! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/8vh8aAOvez

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 22, 2025

CAT BEING CAT#UltraMoments | @MichelobUltrapic.twitter.com/mK2mWn2CpJ

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 22, 2025

Kane is playing in his second full season with the Red Wings, and third overall, since he decided to join the club as an unrestricted free agent nearly two full years ago in December 2023. 

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