Category: NHL

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (30-15-12, 72 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ New York Rangers (22-29-7, 51 points, 8th place Metropolitan Division)

When: 12:30 p.m. ET

How to Watch: National broadcast on ABC

Pens’ Path Ahead: Things are about to get busy for the Pens, who are back home for a 1 p.m. ET matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights tomorrow and then go on to play five games over the next nine days.

Opponent Track: The Rangers are still looking for their first win since the Olympic break after blowing a 2-0 lead in what became a 3-2 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

Season Series: The Pens and Rangers split this series early in October (the Penguins won 3-0 in New York before losing 6-1 at home five days later) before the Pens just barely held off the Rangers from a comeback in a 6-5 win at home on Jan. 31.

Hidden Stat: The Rangers are tied for the fewest home points (17) and fewest home wins (six) of any team in the NHL after going 6-15-5 at Madison Square Garden so far this season. (The Pens rank sixth for road wins after compiling a 16-7-5 record in away games).

Getting to know the Rangers

Projected lines

FORWARDS

J.T. Miller – Mika Zibanejad – Gabriel Perreault

Will Cuylle – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafrenière

Conor Sheary – Noah Laba – Brendan Brisson

Tye Karate – Sam Carrick – Taylor Raddysh

DEFENSEMEN

Vladislav Gavrikov / Adam Fox

Braden Schneider / Will Borgen

Matthew Robertson / Vinent Iorio

Goalies: Igor Shesterkin, Jonathan Squick

Potential scratches: Urho Vaakanainen, Jonny Brodzinski, Scott Morrow

Injured Reserve: Adam Edstrom, Matt Rempe

• The Rangers sent Brennan Othmann back to the AHL yesterday after claiming Tye Kartye off waivers from the Seattle Kraken. Kartye was a regular healthy scratch in Seattle, but he’ll see if he can get back to the form that saw him post 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) in 77 games of his 2023-24 rookie campaign with the Kraken. He could be making his Rangers debut today against the Pens.
• Kartye could be poised to get more opportunities given the number of trade rumors surrounding the selling Rangers. Players including Braden Schneider, Vladislav Gavrikov and Vincent Trocheck have been popping up in the rumor mill lately.
• Both Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox, who had each been sidelined since early January, returned to the Rangers’ lineup Thursday. So was Sheary, who had missed 15 games with a lower-body injury.
• Despite his team’s overall struggles this season, Shesterkin ranks top-10 in both save percentage (.912) and goals against average (2.47) among goalies who have made at least 20 appearances this season.

Season stats
via hockeydb

• The Rangers are without their leading producer this season after trading Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings earlier this month.
• Even with 34-year-old Panarin playing on the West Coast, the Rangers are being led by their veterans. Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller, all 32, lead the Rangers in points without Panarin.
• Alexis Lafrenière ranks fourth on the active roster with 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 58 games. His 0.52 career points-per-game rate is the fourth-lowest among former No. 1 picks with at least 400 NHL games played, per ESPN.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Avery Hayes – Rickard Rakell – Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard (?) / Kris Letang

Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner

Potential Scratches: Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Ilya Solovyov

IR: Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany

• Sam Girard, who missed Friday’s practice while being evaluated for a lower-body injury, is traveling to New York with the team.
• Stuart Skinner has a career 5-1-1 record against the Rangers, although he was in net as the Pens narrowly avoided blowing a late lead against the Blueshirts back on Jan. 31.
• The Penguins are 13-3-3 since acquiring Egor Chinakhov in December, a 19-game stretch over which Chinakhov has recorded 13 points (nine goals, four assists).
• Kris Letang is heading into today’s game just two points shy of 800. He could be the 21st defenseman and fourth active blueliner after Brent Burns, teammate Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman to reach the milestone.

The Islanders remain on the road in Columbus before coming back home tomorrow for a meeting with the Panthers. Both opponent are chasing to get back in the wild card spots, though it’s looking bleak for the two-time defending Cup champs. The Blue Jackets have two games in hand on the Isles but trail by three games, and those extra games mean their post-Olympic schedule is all the more compressed.

Let’s not hear the cannon tonight, okay?

First Islanders Goal picks go here.

Islanders News

• Previewing tonight: The third of four meetings with the CBJ, who have a new coach (and former Islander benchman) since last meeting. [Isles]
• Takeaways: Patrick Roy says these guys are fun to watch and composed till the end. [Isles]
• The Skinny: “Ilya Sorokin remains unbeaten in regulation against Montreal (6-0-2) and added his first assist of the season.” [Isles]
• Matthew Schaefer, Islanders and NHL record holder. [Isles] He’s special, that lad. [Po$t]
• Here are some impressive “EDGE” stats from his rookie season thus far. [NHL]
• Speaking of which, if you orient the math just so, counting Schaef-daddy, then the Islanders win the Dobson trade. [Newsday]
• Bo Horvat and Ondrej Palat reflect on their Olympics experiences. [Isles]

Episode 5 of On The Island is out and it’s focused on “the details”:

Elsewhere

Just four scores last night, but the Capitals won and the Sabres continued to roll.

• Adam Fox is not in the mood. [Post]
• Trade deadline talk: Bill Guerin still has more to do, while the tanking teams are fully prepared for the tank. [NHL]
• Trade rumors: apparently Sergei Bobrovsky, who’s old, having a terrible season and finishing a mammoth contract, feels like he deserves more. [Sportsnet]
• But Steven Stamkos and his NMC have no intention of leaving Nashville. [TSN]
• Whether he admits it or not, Connor Ingram may have to be the answer in Edmonton after the Oilers’ strange bet on Tristan Jarry. [Sportsnet]
• Chris Drury was booed by Smurfs fans during a moment honoring the U.S. gold medalists. [Post]
• Tyler Seguin is believed out for the season and playoffs. [TSN]

Washington Capitals (31-23-7, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (32-17-9, in the Atlantic Division)

Montreal, Quebec; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Canadiens -158, Capitals +133; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Washington Capitals after Noah Dobson's two-goal game against the New York Islanders in the Canadiens' 4-3 overtime loss.

Montreal is 32-17-9 overall and 16-11-2 at home. The Canadiens have allowed 187 goals while scoring 200 for a +13 scoring differential.

Washington has gone 12-13-4 on the road and 31-23-7 overall. The Capitals have a 28-8-3 record when scoring three or more goals.

The teams play Saturday for the third time this season. The Capitals won 3-2 in overtime in the last meeting. Ethen Frank led the Capitals with two goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has 18 goals and 47 assists for the Canadiens. Cole Caufield has 11 goals and two assists over the last 10 games.

John Carlson has 10 goals and 36 assists for the Capitals. Aliaksei Protas has scored four goals and added six assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 6-2-2, averaging four goals, 7.3 assists, 3.6 penalties and 7.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.

Capitals: 7-2-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.6 assists, 3.7 penalties and 9.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

INJURIES: Canadiens: None listed.

Capitals: None listed.

___

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

There has been a whole lot going right for the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2025-26 season, and much of it can be credited to the work of general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. 

He brought in the right free agents during the offseason, including defenseman Parker Wotherspoon and forwards Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha. He has also managed to get maximum value from the trades he has made.

And one of those trades - and, inarguably, the best so far - was the one in late December that landed winger Egor Chinakhov for a second- and a third-round pick.

The 24-year-old forward - selected 21st overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2020 - requested a trade from Columbus over the summer, and his season didn’t start off the way he or the Jackets would have wanted it to. Before heading over to Pittsburgh this season, he had just three goals and six points in 29 games to go along with a minus-6. 

Since then? Nine goals and 13 points in 20 games, and the vast majority of those have come playing on the same line as Evgeni Malkin. In fact, Malkin has six assists on Chinakhov’s nine goals, and five of them are primary assists.

A 39-goal pace for Chinakhov isn’t too shabby, but neither is an 87-point pace for the 39-year-old Malkin, who is on an expiring contract. Chinakhov is the kind of scoring winger that Malkin has lacked since the days of Phil Kessel from 2015-19, and their chemistry has, undeniably, been a huge asset to the Penguins winning hockey games, as they are 13-3-4 since acquiring Chinakhov.

On Saturday, Malkin clarified to reporters after the Penguins’ 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers that contract extension talks between his representation and the Penguins’ would stall until the offseason. According to Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now, Malkin and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas will meet next week to discuss.

Malkin: Contract Extension Talks Will 'Wait [Until] End Of Season'It appears that contract talks between veteran star forward Evgeni Malkin and Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins will be pushed back until the offseason

And, if the Penguins have been paying any attention to the magic of the Malkin-Chinakhov combination, it should be a no-brainer to bring Malkin back for another season or two.

The striking thing about Chinakhov is that his goal-scoring doesn’t appear to be a fluke. Yes, it’s highly unlikely that he will continue at his current pace for the rest of the season, but it’s also worth considering that he’ll be playing a more elevated role without Sidney Crosby in the lineup for a few more weeks. 

But his shot is legitimate. So are his hockey smarts and his ability to somehow always expose the soft areas of the ice and be in position to create scoring chances. So is his defensive ability. So is his speed. This is a player who is not only a scoring threat, but a complete package. 

Takeaways: Penguins Blow Two Goal Lead, Lose To Rangers In ShootoutThe Pittsburgh Penguins stumbled against the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon, losing 3-2 in a shootout.

Malkin’s playmaking is still legitimate, too. He is on pace for 68 assists, which would be the second-highest total of his career behind his 2008-09 campaign in which he registered 35 goals and 78 assists for 113 points. He is probably beyond the point in his career where he will be putting the puck in the back of the net with much regularity, but that’s almost a non-issue if he can consistently set up a player who is capable of putting the puck in the back of the net with regularity. 

The fact is that Chinakhov is a revelation for Malkin and the Penguins, and he’s the exact kind of player who has the potential to extend Malkin’s career. With no Chinakhov in the picture, it’s very possible that Malkin would not be producing at the rate that he is, and even if he was, there’s no guarantee he would have the talent around him beyond this season to sustain this level of production. 

Chinakhov is also a restricted free agent this offseason, and he has already expressed his desire to return to Pittsburgh. At this point, why not make Malkin and Chinakhov a package deal?

NHL Rumors: 2 Trade Fits For Penguins' Stuart Skinner Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner has created some chatter as a trade candidate. Which teams could make sense as landing spots for him?

---

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pierre-Luc Dubois had two goals and an assist to lift the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night.

All three of Washington’s goals came in the second period, with Jakob Chychrun adding his 22nd of the season. Braeden Bowman and Tomas Hertl scored in the third for the Golden Knights.

The Capitals pulled within two points of the New York Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division and within two of Boston for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card. Washington is 2-0 since the Olympic break and has won six of its last seven.

The Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights had a three-game winning streak snapped despite the return of five Olympians. Vegas was without two Americans (Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin) and three Canadians (Mark Stone, Mitch Marner and Shea Theodore) in Wednesday’s win over Los Angeles. All were back on the ice Friday.

The Golden Knights scored five third-period goals in that 6-4 victory over the Kings and they nearly pulled off a big comeback at Washington. Bowman broke up Logan Thompson’s shutout bid early in the third, and Hertl’s power-play goal made it 3-2 with 10:45 still to play, but that was as close as Vegas could come.

SABRES 3, PANTHERS 2

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Alex Lyon made 27 saves to beat his former Florida teammates for the second this month, helping Buffalo win for its eighth victory in 11 games.

Lyon played for the Panthers during the 2022-23 season. He has won two of his past four starts — both against Florida.

Beck Malenstyn gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead with 8:22 left, sending a slap shot from the point through traffic and past Daniil Tarasov. Florida challenged for goalie interference after Buffalo defenseman Mattias Samuelsson’s stick made contact with Tarasov’s glove, but the goal stood.

The Sabres won 2-1 at New Jersey on Wednesday night in their return from the Olympic break. They are tied with Detroit for second place in the Atlantic Division. Buffalo has missed the playoffs an NHL-record 14 straight years.

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers are in serious danger of missing the playoffs. Florida, which has lost six of its past eight, is eight points behind Boston for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 23 games left.

Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs also scored for Buffalo. Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett scored for Florida.

MAMMOTH 5, WILD 2

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lawson Crouse scored twice, U.S. Olympian Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists and Utah beat Minnesota to end its winning streak at six games.

Logan Cooley and Barrett Hayton also scored and Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves to help the Mammoth rebound from a 4-2 home loss to NHL-leading Colorado on Wednesday night in their return from the Olympic break. Utah holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, three points ahead of Seattle.

U.S. Olympian Matt Boldy scored and assisted on Kirill Kaprizov’s goal for Minnesota. Second behind Central Division-rival Colorado in the West, the Wild are 9-2-1 in their last 12. They beat the Avalanche 5-2 on Thursday night in Denver.

Cooley opened the scoring with a short-handed goal with 6:37 left in the first period. The former University of Minnesota star got the puck on the right side off a deflection and put a shot between Wallstedt’s legs for his 15th goal.

Keller scored his 18th at 4:26 of the second. Nick Schmaltz forced a turnover on a forecheck and fed Keller on the right side.

Crouse made it 3-0 at 7:49 of the second. He came down the middle, took a pass from Keller and beat Wallstedt with a backhander.

Kaprizov countered for Minnesota on a power play with 5:57 left in the second. He has 33 goals this season.

DUCKS 5, JETS 4, OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Chris Kreider beat Connor Hellebuyck off a rebound at 4:47 of overtime to give Anaheim a victory over Winnipeg.

Beckett Sennecke kept the puck and shot on a two-on-one break, with Kreider backhanding the loose puck in at the side of the net.

After Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov and Ryan Poehling scored third-period goals to give Anaheim a 4-3 lead, Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor tied it with 1:22 left and Hellebuyck off for an extra attacker.

Hellebuyck made 35 saves in his first game since backstopping the United States to Olympic gold.

Jacob Trouba also scored for Anaheim, Sennecke had three assists and Lukas Dostal made 29 saves. The Ducks have won seven in a row at home and 11 of 13 overall.

Anaheim won two nights after returning from the break to beat Edmonton at home for coach Joel Quenneville’s 1,000th NHL victory. The Ducks have five games left on a nine-game homestand.

Winnipeg rookie defenseman Elias Salomonsson had his first NHL goal and Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi also scored. Well back in the race for a playoff spot, Winnipeg has a game left on three-game trip before an eight-game homestand.

The Buffalo Sabres were one of multiple teams linked to forward Kiefer Sherwood before the Vancouver Canucks traded him to the San Jose Sharks. It was easy to understand, as the Sabres could use a hard-nosed forward who also contributes offensively in their top nine.

While the Sabres missed out on Sherwood earlier this season, they should consider making another push for him with the deadline rapidly approaching.

According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, the Sharks are open to trading Sherwood if they do not come to terms on a contract extension. 

If the Sharks end up making Sherwood officially available, the Sabres should consider making a major push for him. With the Sabres currently in a good spot in the standings, they are in a position to boost their forward group. Landing Sherwood would give them just that.

If the Sabres acquired Sherwood, he would have the potential to be a strong fit in their top nine. Furthermore, due to his solid two-way play, he would also be a clear fit on the Sabres' power play and penalty kill if acquired.

In 46 games this season split between the Canucks and Sharks, Sherwood has recorded 17 goals, 23 points, and 222 hits. 

Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov did not hold back when asked about a controversial goal that was scored Friday night.

The Panthers were hosting the Buffalo Sabres, one of several teams Florida is chasing in a late-season push for a playoff spot.

With the game tied at one during the third period, a long shot by Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn went past Tarasov’s waiving glove and into the top of the net.

There was just 8:22 on the clock.

The goal gave Buffalo a lead they would not relinquish, eventually skating to a 3-2 victory for the despondent Panthers.

Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice called for an official review on the goal, as replay showed Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson hitting Tarasov’s glove with the blade of his stick while trying to position himself for a redirection.

It seemed like a simple enough review.

Samuelsson’s stick hit Tarasov’s glove as the goaltender was trying to catch the puck.

Goal stands and Maurice isn't happy.

Tarasov's glove was clearly hampered. pic.twitter.com/bNg8BI0OeI

— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) February 28, 2026

The NHL’s Situation Room did not feel the same way, ultimately allowing the goal and giving the explanation of the contact between the stick and the glove being incidental.

After the game, Tarasov did not hold back when asked what he thought about the play.

“Oh absolutely, it was contact before the shot,” he said. “They called Toronto, and I don’t know what these guys are smoking there, or they were disappointed about yesterday’s loss, I don’t know.”

From the goaltender’s perspective, he was in his crease and he was trying to reach for the puck, and that ability was hindered by an opponent’s stick.

For Tarasov, a 26-year-old who has been tending goal long enough to have a good idea what is and isn’t goalie interference, he was left flabbergasted by the call.

“I go to catch the puck and this guy is driving into me, and they said it was kind of slightly contact that’s allowed because he tried to tip the puck,” said Tarasov. “But I can’t even move a different way, and he stopped me from reaching for the puck.”

It was a sentiment that was also felt by Maurice.

His reaction on the bench was a combination of shock and anger.

“I thought he was riding the glove, and made contact with it twice, so for me that one was pretty quick and pretty easy, I didn’t really spend much time thinking about it,” Maurice said. “They felt it was more incidental.”

Paul Maurice was in DISBELIEF after his challenge for goalie interference didn't overturn the Sabres' go-ahead goal 😳🫣 pic.twitter.com/3UcdxQgUjr

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) February 28, 2026

Then, unsolicited and in one breath, Maurice both let you know how he felt about the call and showed you that he has his goaltender’s back.

“I think (Tarasov) gave you probably the best answer,” Maurice said. “Just ride on what he said.”

We’ll see how this impacts the Panthers moving forward.

They remain eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 23 games to go. 

Next up for Florida will be a road matchup with the New York Islanders on Sunday, the first of a four-game, six-day road trip.

Buckle up.

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Photo caption: Feb 27, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) defends hit net against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The Kings’ mascot gave up his jersey number for Artemi Panarin, and in return, the ex-Rangers star decided to ice him out.

Panarin, who was traded to the Kings shortly before the Olympic break earlier this month, was looking to adopt the jersey No. 72 upon arriving in Los Angeles. But the number was already taken by the team’s mascot, Bailey.

A number trade then commenced between the two parties, with Panarin giving the mascot a Rolex watch in return for the No. 72 jersey, with the Kings posting the exchange on social media Friday.

Our 72s pic.twitter.com/mdthCYTJmm

— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 25, 2026

Since the two will never be on the ice at the same time, Bailey will continue to wear the number in the stands, which seems to be a clear win-win for the mascot.

The reason behind Bailey wearing No. 72 is “because it’s always 72 degrees in Los Angeles,” according to NHL.com.

After agreeing to waive his no-movement clause with the Rangers, the 34-year-old Panarin said he “tried to find a team for myself that was where I wanted to be” while facilitating the trade to Los Angeles.

The Rangers shipped Panarin off to the Kings on Feb. 4, getting prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional draft pick in return.

Upon acquiring Panarin, the Kings signed him to a two-year, $22 million contract extension.

Despite his breakup with the Blueshirts, Panarin said that he was “pretty proud” to don the Rangers jersey and made some good memories while on the team.

“Six-and-a-half seasons is a pretty long time [to be in New York]. … A lot of good memories, a couple [Eastern] Conference finals. It was a great group of guys,” Panarin told reporters on Feb. 6. “I was pretty proud to wear [the Rangers’] jersey.

“And thank you to the fans. I have to make a video, actually.”

For the second straight year, the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens will play a preseason game in a non-NHL arena. But the setting will be anything but neutral. The teams will meet Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, in Trois-Rivières, Que., at Colisée Vidéotron.

Last fall, the Senators agreed to play two preseason games in Quebec City in hopes of winning over Nordiques fans who've now been without their NHL team for about 30 years.

This year's Sens visit to La Belle Province is because Saint-Boniface, a municipality about 30 km away from Trois-Rivières, was the winner of last year's Kraft Hockeyville contest. Saint-Boniface, which has just over 5,000 people, received $250,000 for upgrades to Aréna de Saint-Boniface and $10,000 worth of youth hockey equipment from NHLPA Goals & Dreams.

However, the local rink wouldn't be able to accommodate an NHL game. So instead, it will be played at Colisée Vidéotron, which seats over 4000 people and is home to the Trois-Rivières Lions, the Montreal Canadiens ECHL affiliate.

So just like last year's matchup in Quebec City, where Montreal beat the Senators 5-0, the stands will again be jammed with Canadiens fans, although snarky NHL fans might also point out that's also true for the games in Ottawa.

“In Quebec, hockey is part of everyday life—from local arenas to the pride fans have in their favourite team,” said Simon Laroche, President of Kraft Heinz Canada om. [ress release."

"This pre-season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators for the community of Saint-Boniface provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate hockey culture in Quebec as we mark the program’s 20th anniversary.”

According to the press release, Aréna de Saint-Boniface's future was uncertain, but thanks to the upgrades, the community has a happy home for the next wave of hockey players.

GM Steve Staios says the Senators are always committed to grassroots initiatives, both in the Ottawa-Gatineau region and elsewhere in the country.

"We are proud to once again participate in Kraft Hockeyville," Staios said in the release. "Over the years, we have witnessed that hockey is part of the fabric of the communities that we visit.  We look forward to the opportunity to bring Ottawa Senators hockey to these areas as a celebration of our sport and the Canadian communities that continue to grow the game."

The matchup is just four days away from the 20th anniversary of the first Kraft Hockeyville game in Salmon River, NS, which also featured these same two teams. This will be the tenth time the Senators have taken part.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

The Florida Panthers are desperate for every point they can get, which is what made Friday’s result so frustrating.

Florida played well enough to win, but a strong game by the Buffalo Sabres and their goaltender, and a very questionable game-winning goal, led to the Panthers falling 3-2 to their division rivals.

An entertaining opening frame ended on a high note for the visitors thanks to a late-period power play.

Sabres forward Alex Tuch scored on his third shot of the game, giving Buffalo a 1-0 lead with 2:12 on the clock.

That’s how the score would remain until the latter stages of the second period.

This time it was Florida on the power play, and right off the ensuing faceoff, Matthew Tkachuk picked up the puck, went to the net and after a quick backhand-forehand move, popped a shot between Alex Lyon’s blocker and the near post to knot the score at one.

Buffalo took a 2-1 lead just past the midway point of the third period on a very controversial goal.

A point shot by Beck Malenstyn got past the glove of Daniil Tarasov, but that’s because Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson hit Tarasov’s glove with the blade of his stick a moment before the puck arrived.

Florida challenged the play for goalie interference, and after a lengthy review the officials decided that the goal should stand.

Goal stands and Maurice isn't happy.

Tarasov's glove was clearly hampered. pic.twitter.com/bNg8BI0OeI

— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) February 28, 2026

To say Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice was incredulous on the bench would be an understatement.

Buffalo added an empty-net goal, and Sam Bennett scored during the final minute to make it a one-score game again, but it would be all for not. 

On to the Islanders.

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Photo caption: Feb 27, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) cannot make a save against a shot on goal by Buffalo Sabres left wing Beck Malenstyn (not pictured) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Predators star Steven Stamkos isn't ready to leave Nashville.

Stamkos denied a report from The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun that he might be willing to waive a full no-movement clause in his contract to be traded to a legitimate contender.

"I haven't talked to (general manager Barry Trotz) at all about that," Stamkos said, adding there was "zero" chance he'd be willing to waive his no movement clause.

"Obviously there's stuff that gets reported," Stamkos said. "But what I'll say, with this group, we want to be together. I can only control what I can control, but I love being here."

Stamkos, 36, has drawn attention ahead of the March 6 NHL trade deadline.

In The Athletic's Feb. 26 report, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild were mentioned as potential trade partners.

The Predators (27-24-7, 61 points) are coming off a 4-2 win over the Blackhawks that puts them within two points of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. But even if Nashville makes the playoffs, they'd face a tough task going up against teams like Colorado, Vegas, Dallas or Minnesota in the first round.

That's fueled speculation that Trotz, who announced his retirement on Feb. 2, might be willing to sell off players like Stamkos to improve the team's future.

At least for himself, Stamkos doesn't see that happening.

"We want to play in meaningful hockey games and we're playing in meaningful hockey games right now," Stamkos said.

This season, Stamkos leads the Predators with 29 goals in 58 games, giving him 56 goals in two seasons with Nashville. The four-year contract he signed in 2024 includes an annual $8 million cap hit and runs through the 2027-28 season.

Prior to his arrival in Nashville, Stamkos spent 16 seasons with Tampa Bay after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. On Dec. 31, Stamkos scored his 600th NHL goal, becoming the 22nd player in NHL history to pass the milestone.

ROOKIE CONFIDENCE: Why Matthew Wood’s tying goal was 'biggest of the game' for Predators

Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex atjdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators' Steven Stamkos has had 'zero' trade talks with Barry Trotz

The Pittsburgh Penguins held a practice on Friday afternoon before flying to New York for Saturday's game against the New York Rangers.

The Penguins are coming off a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night and will be in second place in the Metropolitan Division heading into that game.

All healthy players were present for practice, except defenseman Sam Girard, who made his Penguins' debut on Thursday. He skated on the second pair with Kris Letang. 

Girard was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, along with a 2028 second-round pick, for fellow defenseman Brett Kulak. 

Here's how the lines looked when the team did line rushes: 

Forwards

Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin

A. Hayes-Rakell-Rust

Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Shea-Letang

K. Hayes-Clifton

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Kevin Hayes was filling in for Girard, while Ryan Graves and Ilya Solovyov were skating on the fourth defensive pair. Penguins PR confirmed during practice that Girard wasn't on the ice because he was being evaluated for a lower-body injury. 

Defenseman Sam Girard will not practice today as he is undergoing evaluation for a lower-body injury. pic.twitter.com/2POc7nU9go

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) February 27, 2026

Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed after practice that Girard will travel to New York for Saturday's game, so he hasn't been ruled out. Girard blocked multiple shots during Thursday's game, so hopefully it's nothing too serious.

- The Penguins ended Friday's practice with a shootout, which is never a bad idea. The Penguins are 1-7 in shootouts this season and need all the practice they can get in them. There were some nice goals scored on both Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs. 

- This is a big weekend for the Penguins as they try to stay in second place in the Metropolitan Division heading into next week. They'll face a Rangers team on Saturday that has already waved the white flag on the season and is the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins have won two of the three previous meetings against them this year. 

After that game, the Penguins will come home to play the Vegas Golden Knights for the first time this season. This will be a big test for the Penguins, since the Golden Knights are first in the Pacific Division and a top Stanley Cup contender this season.

Both games will be nationally televised. Saturday's game will start at 12:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and Sunday's will start at 1 p.m. ET on TNT.  

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As part of the busy 2025 offseason for Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman, he acquired veteran goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks.

In return, he sent goaltender Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick back to the Ducks. 

While Gibson didn't get off to the start that he would have liked in the first two months with his new club, he's been among the NHL's best goaltenders since the calendar flipped to December and beyond. 

He turned in another fine performance on Thursday evening, stopping 26 shots from the Ottawa Senators in a 2-1 overtime victory that vaulted the Red Wings back into second place in the Atlantic Division. 

Despite his elite run of play, Gibson is keeping an all-business approach and, as he put it, just trying to play his game to give his club a chance to win. 

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“I just kind of try and approach it (like) I just try to play my game and focus on that; If I sat here and told you that I could draw it all up, I’d be lying to you," Gibson said afterward. "You can’t control the bounces and all that, so I’m just trying to keep the puck out of the net and give us a chance to win.”

"They had their chances, and fortunately, we were able to capitalize (on ours) and win the game." 

Since Dec. 1, Gibson has gone 19-5 while posting an impressive 1.89 goals-against average. He has also posted four shutouts during that span. 

This is the kind of goaltending that the Red Wings envisioned from Gibson when they acquired him in late June, and it's resulted in them being in as advantageous a position at this point in an NHL season as they've been in a decade. 

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Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner has found himself entering the rumor mill with the 2026 NHL trade deadline right around the corner. Teams looking for depth between the pipes could consider targeting Skinner, as he has plenty of playoff experience due to his time with the Edmonton Oilers.

Due to this, let's look at two teams that could consider targeting Skinner if the Penguins end up shopping the pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). 

Anaheim Ducks 

The Ducks stand out as a potential landing spot for Skinner. The Ducks could use an upgrade over Ville Husso for their backup role, and Skinner would provide them with just that if acquired. Petr Mrazek is also out for the season, so Anaheim would benefit by adding another netminder. 

Furthermore, the Ducks are in a position to be buyers right now, as they are third in the Pacific Division standings with a 31-23-3 record and 65 points. While Skinner would not be the biggest of splashes for Anaheim, he would still improve their goalie depth, which is a clear need. 

Ottawa Senators 

The Senators could also make sense as a trade destination for Skinner. Backup goalie options like Leevi Merilainen, James Reimer, and Mads Sogaard have all struggled this season with the Senators, so it could make sense for Ottawa to take a chance on Skinner. Starter Linus Ullmark has had a tough season for Ottawa, as evidenced by his .884 save percentage in 31 games. 

With the Senators needing to move up the standings to help their playoff odds, they should not be afraid to bring in a potential goalie upgrade like Skinner. He could form a nice tandem with Ullmark as the Senators look to keep their playoff hopes alive.