DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane scored twice for Detroit to move into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time goals list for NHL players born in the U.S. and lead the Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Kane has 504 career goals, trailing Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538) and Jeremy Roenick (513). The 19th-year veteran entered the night tied with Joe Mullen (502). Earlier this season, Kane passed Modano to become the highest-scoring American-born player in league history. Kane now has 1,383 career points in 1,355 games.
Emmitt Finnie, Moritz Seider and Dominik Shine also scored and Alex DeBrincat had three assists for the Red Wings, who started a four-game homestand by stopping a three-game losing streak.
J.T. Compher added two assists and John Gibson made 25 saves for Detroit, which moved into a tie with Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have two games in hand on the Red Wings, who currently occupy the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Morgan Frost scored late in the first period to put the Flames on the board first, but Detroit scored three times in a span of 5:34 early in the second period to take control. Kane had the first and third goals in that surge.
Matt Coronato added a goal and an assist and Dustin Wolf made 20 saves for Calgary, which finished a five-game road trip through the Eastern Conference at 1-4. The Flames, who have the NHL’s second-worst record ahead of only Pacific Division rival Vancouver, are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.
DEVILS 4, BRUINS 3, OT
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jack Hughes had three assists to extend his productive run since scoring the gold medal-winning goal for the U.S. at the Olympics, and New Jersey dented Boston's playoff chances by beating them in overtime.
Hughes set up Connor Brown’s goal to become the fastest player in franchise history to 400 career points. He also had a hand in Jesper Bratt’s goal and assisted on Paul Cotter’s winner with 6.2 seconds left in 3-on-3 overtime to reach 402 in his 414th regular-season game. Hughes has 12 points in 10 games since returning from Milan.
Cotter also scored early in the third period to give New Jersey a 3-2 lead before David Pastrnak tied it 1:42 later.
KINGS 4, RANGERS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Laferriere had a goal and two assists to lead Los Angeles to a win over New York.
Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson and Trevor Moore also scored for Los Angeles, which has won three of five.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots.
Despite 22 saves from Igor Shesterkin, New York’s four-game winning streak ended.
Vincent Trocheck’s power-play goal 2:29 into the third period spoiled Kuemper’s bid for his third shutout of the season.
It was a game the Detroit Red Wings needed to have, and in the end, they got the job done.
Future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane scored twice on St. Patrick's Day Eve, helping Detroit pick up a 5-2 victory at Little Caesars Arena over the visiting Calgary Flames, the 31st-ranked team in the NHL.
With the win, the Red Wings are now tied with the Montreal Canadiens with 82 points apiece, but remain in the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Bruins, who were beaten in overtime by the New Jersey Devils, are in the WC2 spot with 81 points.
It was the Flames who capitalized in the opening 20 minutes of play, getting a goal from Morgan Frost at the 17:35 mark.
However, Detroit didn't have to wait long to knot the score once the second period began. Kane scored the 503rd goal of his career at 1:03, beating goaltender Dustin Wolf on a breakaway after taking a feed from Alex DeBrincat.
It was another milestone marker for Kane, who passed Joe Mullen for the fourth-most goals scored by a U.S.-born player in NHL history.
Detroit would soon strike twice in short order, starting with a tally from rookie Emmitt Finnie; he capitalized on a pretty three-way passing play from Lucas Raymond and Albert Johansson and had a tap-in at the side of the net.
Just 1:31 later, Kane finished another nifty feed from DeBrincat, redirecting the pass on his backhand past Wolf for career goal No. 504.
While Calgary got a fortunate bounce when Matt Coronato's pass on a two-on-one rush deflected off defenseman Moritz Seider past John Gibson, the 2022 Calder Trophy winner soon got the last laugh.
Seider restored Detroit's two-goal lead with a laser of a wrist shot past the blocker of Wolf while on the power-play for his ninth goal of the season.
Dominik Shine, who dropped the gloves during the first period and had tallied the first NHL goal of his career in last week's win over the Devils, capped the scoring with his second NHL goal while Wolf was on the bench for an extra attacker.
Gibson finished with 25 saves, while Wolf countered with 20 saves.
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The issue, Mike Sullivan said in the aftermath, was one that kept popping up all season. The Rangers needed to change lines on the team’s terms — not on the individual players’ terms. Long changes have burned them before and morphed into an ongoing conversation, and after points in eight of nine games following the Olympic break and a four-game winning streak, it served as a glaring reminder Monday that the Rangers were back.
As the Kings carried the puck into their zone less than five minutes into the second period, the Blueshirts had only three skaters back. When Adam Edstrom wiped out along the boards, that became two. The Kings had five. And when Igor Shesterkin allowed a rebound after Los Angeles’ initial shot, Mikey Anderson stood unmarked by the far post to deposit the rebound into the net and give the Kings a two-goal lead in the Rangers’ eventual 4-1 loss Monday at the Garden, where the return of Artemi Panarin following his trade last month was just about all that Blueshirts fans had to cheer for.
It was part of a second period that Adam Fox called “some of the worst hockey, I think, of our season.” The Rangers were outshot 16-3. Booing from fans followed the frame. And if the last three weeks served as the Rangers teasing that they might’ve somehow, finally, in the most too-little-too-late way possible, turned a corner, this loss — encapsulated by the second period — served as a reality check.
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“We have two guys go to the bench and change in the middle of the neutral zone and we don’t have the puck,” Sullivan said. “I feel like that’s a conversation that we’ve had all year, and we’re still learning a hard lesson.”
It was fitting, in a way, that all this unfolded with Panarin back on Broadway for the first time since becoming the major domino to fall after The Letter 2.0. Rangers fans cheered for him at the end of warmups, when, from near center ice, he flipped a puck into the Kings’ net and then the Rangers’ net and then veered toward the tunnel. They gave him an ovation again during the first timeout, when a tribute played on the scoreboard to welcome back the former franchise cornerstone who arrived as a marquee free agent in 2019 and then matched expectations for the next six-plus seasons.
Panarin even picked up an assist on the first goal of the game when Drew Doughty’s shot from the point found its way through a cluster of traffic and past Shesterkin with 6:31 remaining in the first period.
Los Angeles Kings Artemi Panarin waves to fans as the New York Rangers honor his time in New York with a video during the first period.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Rangers had their chances, even if the shot attempts didn’t rack up and they failed to score three goals in a game for the first time this month. Gabe Perreault nearly ripped a shot past Darcy Kuemper in the opening frame. Jaroslav Chmelar made a strong move toward the net with his backhand and had open space, but he lifted it wide.
Eventually, the Kings, suddenly in the middle of a playoff race in the Western Conference and fueled by their recent pickup, found a way to add to their lead. Anderson flipped the rebound past Shesterkin. Alex Laferriere whacked home another rebound just 11 seconds into a power play and 28 seconds after Anderson’s goal when Vincent Trocheck was called for high-sticking.
“I think we could’ve done a better job just answering with a little bit of pushback to some of the adversity,” Sullivan said.
Trocheck finally got the Rangers on the board 2:27 into the third when he tipped a Fox shot from the point on the power play that dribbled five-hole past Kuemper. Perreault, with just over eight minutes left, hit the post and crossbar on the same shot, nearly giving the Blueshirts a second goal. Urho Vaakanainen flung a puck toward the net that slowly slid untouched across the crease behind Kuemper, but the Rangers couldn’t convert. J.T. Miller felt they could’ve easily tied the game during that final frame.
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin reacts after allowing a goal during the second period.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
By that point, the Rangers had regressed to the mean of their season, returning to the form currently occupying the basement of the Eastern Conference. One goal wasn’t enough to save them. Too many of the mistakes that haunted them throughout the season had already reappeared.
“The second kinda got away from us,” Miller said. “They outplayed us in the second period. Wasn’t our best. But I thought the response in the third was really good again. … The body of work’s been good lately. I don’t think tonight was a step back by any means.”
The Calgary Flames saw a strong start slip away Monday night, falling 5–2 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. A physical opening period and an early Calgary lead were erased by a dominant middle frame from Detroit, which ultimately proved to be the difference.
The first period featured plenty of intensity as both teams established a physical edge. Early in the frame, Flames prospect Hunter Brzustewicz was driven hard into the boards along the wall, prompting teammate Martin Pospisil to immediately respond. Pospisil dropped the gloves with Dominik Shine who was responsible for the hit, energizing the Flames bench and setting the tone for a chippy contest.
Calgary carried that momentum onto the scoreboard later in the period.
With the Flames pushing in the offensive zone, Matvei Gridin skated into the slot and showed patience with the puck. After a subtle fake to freeze the defence, Gridin slid a crisp pass across to a streaking Morgan Frost, who redirected the puck past John Gibson to give Calgary a 1–0 lead.
The momentum swung quickly in the second period, and the Red Wings took full advantage.
Just 1:03 into the frame, Alex DeBrincat spotted Patrick Kane slipping behind the Calgary defence on a broken play. DeBrincat delivered the puck into Kane’s path, and the veteran forward smoothly controlled the pass between his legs before skating in alone and beating Dustin Wolf to tie the game 1–1.
Detroit grabbed the lead a few minutes later. After killing off a Calgary power play, the Red Wings transitioned quickly up ice. Lucas Raymond moved the puck to Albert Johansson, who delivered a one-touch backhand pass across the slot to Emmitt Finnie. Finnie tipped the puck past Wolf at 5:06, giving Detroit a 2–1 advantage.
The Red Wings kept pressing. At 6:37, Kane drove hard to the net and redirected a well-placed feed from DeBrincat past Wolf, extending Detroit’s lead to 3–1.
With the Red Wings on the power play at 11:45, Seider drifted in from the blue line and waited for traffic to form in front of the net before unleashing a pinpoint wrist shot that found the top corner. The goal restored Detroit’s two-goal lead at 4–2 heading into the third.
Detroit Seals It Late
Calgary pushed in the final frame but couldn’t solve Gibson again. The Red Wings eventually put the game away with an empty-net goal from Shine in the closing minutes, securing the 5–2 victory.
Matt Coronato snapped his 15-game goalless stretch with his second-period marker. The winger has been consistently generating chances and staying active around the puck, and this time the effort was rewarded.
2. Second Period Collapse
The middle frame proved decisive. Detroit scored four times in the period, turning a 1–0 Calgary lead into a multi-goal deficit the Flames couldn’t recover from.
3. Young Defence Gets a Look
Flames fans got a glimpse of the future as Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz dressed in the same game. With Yan Kuznetsov out of the lineup, both young defenders saw time on the power-play units.
Mar 12, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during a stoppage in play against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Alex Ovechkin became the fresh face of the franchise for the Washington Capitals more than two decades ago when they selected the big, skilled Russian winger with the first pick in the 2004 NHL draft.
He’s now 40 and nearing the end of his 21st season with them. He hoisted the Stanley Cup as playoff MVP in 2018 and last year passed Wayne Gretzky as the league’s career goal-scoring leader.
Ovechkin has yet to say whether this is it or if he wants to play again in 2026-27, so the front office is planning for either contingency. While doing so, Washington is ushering in a youth movement on the fly, with the trade of 36-year-old organizational cornerstone John Carlson the latest step in turning the page on a generation of players responsible for not only a championship but 16 playoff appearances in 18 seasons.
“They’re these guys (who go from) sometimes they don’t even have a shaving kit to getting married and having families and having the careers that they’re having,” assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said in a phone interview. “Things don’t last forever.”
Capitals are building around a new core
The Capitals have done something rare in the NHL since the salary cap era began in 2005: replenish talent while consistently contending. Brian MacLellan, the general manager from 2014-24, and successor Chris Patrick have simultaneously bought and sold at times and made some shrewd offseason trades and free agent signings along the way.
The result is a new core of players in their mid-to-late 20s and early 30s, all signed through at least 2029: goalie Logan Thompson, defensemen Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy and Martin Fehervary, and forwards Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson, the latter of whom is likely to succeed Ovechkin as captain.
“That’s a pretty good starting point for a competitive team, a Stanley Cup-winning team,” Patrick said. “We just felt like going into the deadline, if we are going to make moves, we should make moves with that in mind — giving us assets that we can use to try to add impact players to this current group.”
Sending Carlson to Anaheim less than 15 hours before the trade deadline made it a sad day for former teammates. He spent 17 years with the Capitals, so Ovechkin called it probably the toughest day of his career from a personal standpoint.
The first- and third-round picks the Capitals got in the trade were among the best returns any team received for a pending free agent rental player. That deal and trading mid-30s fourth-line center Nic Dowd to Vegas added to a stockpile of draft capital: 13 selections in the first three rounds over the next four years.
Some of those picks will be used and others dealt for immediate help. A fast-rising cap has reduced the pool of high-end free agents available on July 1 because teams have plenty of space to re-sign their best players, so the trade market has become the place to go for talent.
“There’s not as big a bucket to shop from this summer, so I think having assets that are tradeable is good,” Patrick said. “Are those trades going to happen? I don’t know. We hope. There tend to be names that become available for some reason or another.”
Plenty of elite prospects already in Washington’s pipeline
The rare playoff misses and sell-offs have allowed Mahoney and his staff to infuse the organization with prospects from all over the world.
Already in the NHL are Ryan Leonard, the No. 8 pick in 2023, and fellow winger Ivan Miroshnichenko, a first-rounder the previous year. Defenseman Cole Hutson, selected 43rd in ‘24 is joining them this week after signing his entry-level contract Sunday fresh off his college season at Boston University ending. Ilya Protas, a find at No. 75 in that same draft, is leading the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears in scoring at the age of 19 and is close to following his older brother to Washington.
“I’m really happy with where we’re at,” said Mahoney, who been head of amateur scouting since 2000. “My guys have done a fantastic job of trying to kind of stockpile the shelves again.”
Protas, a 6-foot-5 center, might be able to slide into Dowd’s old spot as soon as next season. Hutson is a dynamic, offensively minded right-handed shooter whose impending arrival in part paved the way for Carlson to go to the Ducks, because there’s a succession plan in place.
“We felt a little bit more comfortable saying if we have to let a guy kind of towards the end of his career, in his mid-30s go, and could get good assets in return, hopefully we’re in a good spot,” Patrick said. “We won’t be right away, but within the next couple seasons hopefully we’re in a pretty good spot with where our younger guys have come.”
Mahoney, as he did in the late 2000s when the likes of Ovechkin, Backstrom, Mike Green and Alexander Semin were 20 and 21, would love to “speed up the clock” and fast-forward this next crop of prospects to being NHL ready. He knows that’s not possible, acknowledging, “You’ve got to be patient and let it evolve.”
And yet the expectation still is to win now — and whenever Ovechkin hangs up his skates. The Capitals are confident the players who have studied under him will keep the positive culture going and trust that management will keep making moves to supplement the core already in place.
“No one can replace Alex Ovechkin and what he brings to a team,” Patrick said. “Those guys, they just want to know that we’re going to be a competitive team and when it’s time to push the chips in, we will.”
The Los Angeles Kings (28-24-15) end their five-game road trip with a bounce-back 4-1 win over the New York Rangers (28-31-8), snapping New York's four-game win streak, after suffering that disappointing loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
The opening period began with Drew Doughty snapping an impressive long-range shot through traffic to give LA the early 1-0 lead. The Kings once again played great defense to start, frustrating the Rangers on offense despite New York not drawing a penalty; they still struggled to score and generate shots on goal, holding the Rangers to just six. LA outshot the Rangers 8-6 during the quiet offensive period.
The second period began with the Kings remaining hot, scoring two goals in a span of 28 seconds in the first four minutes of the second period to hold a commanding 3-0 lead. It all began with Mikey Anderson putting in the rebound after Alex Laferriere was fed by Quinton Byfield in the slot. LA took advantage and cleaned up the shot on the 4-on-2 rush.
A few seconds later, the Rangers got called on their first power play of the game, and this time Alex Laferriere was able to get the shot up himself and put it through the net to give Los Angeles a 3-0 lead.
LAK Goal - Jersey Kid, New York Goal.
Laferriere scores early on the power play to put the Kings ahead by three. Byfield with his second helper of the night. 3-0 Kings.
Artemi Panarin also returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time since being traded to the Los Angeles Kings. The fans gave him a standing ovation, a much-deserved honor for the four-time All-Star.
Panarin finished the game with one assist and one point, while Alex Laferriere finished with one goal, one assist, and two points. Los Angeles also got help from their defenseman Mikey Anderson, who scored one goal, one assist, and two points, while Quinton Byfield had a nice night spreading the wealth with two assists and two points.
The dominance began in the second period, with the Kings outshooting the Rangers 16-3, once again putting in that defensive effort under D.J. Smith as interim head coach.
The second period would end with the Kings leading 3-0, in the perfect position to win this game.
New York did score on a power play goal to cut the deficit to 3-1 two minutes into the final frame, but couldn't generate goals. Despite outshooting the Kings by a big margin, 13-2, the Rangers had one chance to score and cut the deficit to 1, but hit the crossbar and never got back in the game.
With under two minutes remaining in the final period, the Kings sealed the deal with Trevor Moore capitalizing on the empty-netter to close out the Rangers 4-1 in MSG.
Trevor Moore picks the empty net.
The @LAKings will get the two points at MSG and head home with a 3-1-1 record on their five-game trip.
Overall, it was a great bounce-back win for the Kings in a must-win situation after dropping to sixth over the weekend. Los Angeles is now tied with Seattle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
LA ends their five-game road trip with a 3-1-1 record and stays in the Western Conference playoff race.
The Kings will return to Crypto.com Arena on Thursday to host the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 PM PT.
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Pittsburgh Penguins received a statement performance from Evgeni Malkin in his return to the lineup, as the veteran tallied two goals and an assist in a commanding 7–2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Monday night.
Suiting up for the first time after serving a five-game suspension for slashing Rasmus Dahlin in a March 5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Malkin looked sharp from the opening shift and drove Pittsburgh’s offense throughout the night.
Brock Nelson defended Scott Wedgewood and said the team has to defend better in front of the net.
Erik Karlsson added a goal and two assists, while Bryan Rust, Elmer Söderblom, and Noel Acciari each recorded a goal and an assist. The Penguins (34-18-15) have now won two straight and improved to 2-1-1 through the first four games of their five-game road trip. In net, Artūrs Šilovs made 25 saves.
For Colorado, Nathan MacKinnon and Brent Burns scored, but the Avalanche (44-13-9) dropped their second straight and third in the last four.
It was a difficult night in goal. Scott Wedgewood was pulled after allowing three goals on five shots in the opening 13 minutes. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 12 shots in relief, but Pittsburgh controlled the pace from start to finish.
Jared Bednar “That start is not on Wedgie at all.”
The opening frame was chaotic from the outset, filled with early penalties, odd-man rushes, and a quick momentum swing in Pittsburgh’s favor.
Just 48 seconds in, Malkin was whistled for tripping Devon Toews, giving Colorado an early power play that failed to generate anything.
Moments after exiting the box, Malkin made an immediate impact. Rust found him in stride, and he slipped a backhand past Wedgewood at 3:01 to open the scoring.
Colorado answered quickly. Off a clean breakout led by Cale Makar, Martin Nečas carried the puck into the zone before feeding MacKinnon, who wired a shot past Šilovs to tie the game 1–1.
The deadlock lasted just 15 seconds.
Brock Nelson was quick to come to the defense of Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood in tonight's 7-2 loss:
"I'm sure people are saying goaltending with a number like that, but there's none of them that are on them. We have to be better in front."
Karlsson launched a stretch pass to Anthony Mantha, who broke in alone and restored the lead with a backhand finish.
Colorado’s power play struggled to find rhythm, failing again after a cross-checking penalty to Ville Koivunen.
Midway through the period, Pittsburgh extended the lead. On a 2-on-1, Parker Wotherspoon fed Malkin, who snapped home his second of the night to make it 3–1.
That goal ended Wedgewood’s night, prompting head coach Jared Bednar to turn to Blackwood.
The change didn’t help.
On the first shot he faced, Söderblom buried a rebound off a shot from Connor Dewar to push the lead to 4–1.
Burns responded late in the period, blasting a point shot over Šilovs’ glove with 5:09 remaining to cut the deficit to 4–2.
Despite being outshot 17–7, Pittsburgh capitalized on its chances and carried a two-goal lead into intermission.
Second Period
Colorado had opportunities early but couldn’t solve its power-play issues.
Mantha was called for holding Josh Manson just 3:30 into the period, but the Avalanche came up empty again.
At 10:36, Karlsson fired a shot through traffic that beat Blackwood to make it 5–2. At that point, Pittsburgh had scored five goals on just 10 shots.
Brock Nelson was quick to say that the did not do enough to support their goaltenders. Said their checking game was not good enough and they gave Pittsburgh too many easy looks.
A tripping penalty to Šilovs—served by Egor Chinakhov—gave Colorado another chance, but the power play continued to sputter, dropping to 0-for-4.
Moments later, Pittsburgh got its own opportunity when Nic Roy was sent off for hooking Ryan Shea. Colorado killed that penalty but immediately took another for too many men, extending the Penguins’ advantage.
That sequence proved costly.
Rickard Rakell intercepted a pass in the offensive zone and fed Malkin, who quickly sent Rust in alone. He finished the breakaway to make it 6–2, capping a clinical stretch for Pittsburgh.
Third Period
The Avalanche showed some push early in the third, generating pressure and attacking the net.
Nazem Kadri led the charge with a strong zone entry and a spinning shot, but Šilovs turned it aside.
At 9:06, Pittsburgh added one more. Söderblom delivered a spinning pass that deflected off Acciari and into an open net, with Gavin Brindley and Nick Blankenburg unable to clear the puck.
That made it 7–2 and effectively put the game out of reach.
Notables
Bednar said the injured players will be evaluated at the end of the week to see about their availability for the upcoming eight-day road trip. Those players include Gabriel Landeskog (Upper-Body), Artturi Lehkonen (Upper-Body), Ross Colton (Upper-Body), and Logan O'Connor (Upper-Body).
Next Up
The Avalanche wrap up their homestand Wednesday against the Dallas Stars at 7:30 p.m. MT. The game will air on TNT, HBO Max, and Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM.
TORONTO — It’s been over three months since the Islanders were out of a playoff spot, allowing for the illusion of security.
This Islanders team is, plainly, much better than the last two that made the playoffs and which took until Games 81 and 82 to secure passage into the tournament, respectively, before bowing out quietly in the first round. Nevertheless, it may take this year’s outfit just as much time to clinch a spot.
As they flew north to start a three-game road trip with stops in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on Monday, the Islanders were mired in a five-team race for four spots — two in the Metropolitan Division and both wild-card spots — with the Penguins, Blue Jackets, Bruins and Red Wings.
With 81 points, the Islanders were one spot below the Penguins, who started the day with just as many points before playing the Avalanche, but guaranteed to stay ahead even with a loss, as they have four more regulation wins. Columbus was two points back and out of a spot; the Bruins and Red Wings were both on 80 points and occupying the two wild-card spots. Montreal, it’s worth noting, could easily fall into this race as well; currently, the Canadiens are in third in the Atlantic Division, but just two points ahead of Boston and Detroit.
The most important teams for the Islanders to watch are the Penguins and Blue Jackets, as whoever finishes first of those three will have home-ice advantage in the first round. In that respect, the Islanders do have a schedule advantage.
Pittsburgh — which has been without the injured Sidney Crosby since the Olympic break, though he is on the Penguins’ current road trip and could return soon — has the hardest remaining strength of schedule out of any team in the league. The Blue Jackets have the third toughest and, just for good measure, the Bruins are in between them.
Bo Horvat #14 of the New York Islanders skates against the Los Angeles Kings. NHLI via Getty Images
It’s not all good news though. The Islanders are right behind that trio with a .595 remaining strength of schedule.
The Red Wings, at .575, have by far the easiest strength of schedule out of the quintet, but they’re also dealing with the toughest injury situation. Their top two centers, captain Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, both got hurt right after the trade deadline and were expected to miss at least two weeks.
Remaining strength of schedule, though, does omit a key bit of context: once they get back from Canada, the Islanders have just two road games in their last 12 to close out the season. So, yes, they’ll face some tough opposition, but given the frantic pace of their travel schedule since January, the Isles are probably OK with the trade-off. Their remaining games against the Blue Jackets (March 22) and Penguins (March 30) are also both at UBS.
Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Vegas Golden Knights. NHLI via Getty Images
Even going into this road trip, the Islanders had the most remaining home games left in the league, a considerable advantage, if they can just get through their last few road games unscathed.
If the Islanders do close out strong and make the playoffs, the ideal scenario is anything that gets them home ice in the first round. Beyond that, the Blue Jackets might be the opponent they’d most like to face, though there’s certainly no such thing as an easy matchup.
Pittsburgh has played the Islanders tough in two games they’ve split, plus Crosby would be an intimidating first-round opponent, especially with the potential of this being Evgeni Malkin’s last season. Carolina beat the Islanders in 2019, 2023 and 2024 — there’s no way the Islanders want any part of the ’Canes and a raucous Lenovo Center in another first-round series.
Buffalo doesn’t have any playoff experience, a plus for any potential opponent, but the Sabres are red-hot and being on the Atlantic side of the bracket, with Tampa or Montreal looming in the second round, isn’t exactly ideal.
Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) controls the puck as Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) trails. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Isles are 2-1 against Columbus through three games and it’s been six years since the Blue Jackets have been in the playoffs. That wouldn’t be an easy series either, but it’s one the Isles could reasonably expect to get through.
DENVER — Can virtual NHL officiating be worse than real life? Let's dive in, shall we?
Jokes aside, the Pittsburgh Penguins skated away with a 3–2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in our latest NHL 26 experiment, and the game was actually — gasp — fun to watch. If you missed it, you can check out the full simulation here.
Nathan MacKinnon and Parker Kelly provided the offense for Colorado, while Scott Wedgewood delivered a stellar performance between the pipes with 24 saves that bordered on video game legend territory.
Nathan MacKinnon hitting the net at morning skate.
For Pittsburgh, Bryan Rust scored twice and Justin Brazeau netted the late game-winner. Stuart Skinner was excellent as well, turning aside 33 shots to help secure the victory.
First Period
The Avalanche wasted no time electrifying the crowd at Ball Arena.
Just 29 seconds into the game, MacKinnon pounced on a loose puck along the boards, snapped it toward the net, and beat Skinner cleanly to give Colorado a 1–0 lead before many fans had even settled into their seats.
Pittsburgh quickly responded by cranking up the physicality. On the next sequence, Evgeni Malkin — appearing in his first game after serving a five-game suspension — leveled Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson during a gritty battle along the boards.
Manson bounced right back into the play. Moments later, off a faceoff win from Brock Nelson in Pittsburgh’s zone, the defenseman blasted a point shot that Skinner snatched out of the air with a spectacular glove save.
Nearly eight minutes into the period, Manson returned to the exact same patch of ice and fired another wrister toward the net. This time it beat the goalie but rang squarely off the post, drawing a loud, collective “Ohhh!” from the crowd.
About a minute later, Colorado went to the power play after Noel Acciari was whistled for holding Nelson. The man advantage generated chances, including a slap shot from Martin Nečas, but Skinner stood tall and kept the puck out.
Pittsburgh eventually found its breakthrough with 6:12 remaining in the period.
The sequence began when Parker Kelly mishandled the puck in the defensive zone, allowing Rickard Rakell to intercept the pass and quickly slide the puck into the slot. Rust took it from there, firing a precise shot past Wedgewood to tie the game 1–1.
The Penguins struck again almost immediately.
After crashing the net and forcing chaos around the crease, Parker Wotherspoon worked the puck free and sent it back to Rust in nearly the same shooting lane. Once again, he made no mistake, wiring it past the goaltender to give Pittsburgh a 2–1 lead.
Then came one of those classic EA Sports officiating moments.
Nicolas Roy was called for interference despite Anthony Mantha essentially skating directly into him. Thanks, EA. Fortunately for Colorado, the penalty kill held strong.
Late in the period, Wedgewood produced the save of the night.
With 1:29 remaining, Malkin uncorked a dangerous one-timer that looked destined for the net. Falling backward, the Avalanche goaltender somehow flashed the glove and robbed him in dramatic fashion.
After twenty minutes, the Penguins held a 2–1 lead and a 14–10 edge in shots.
Second Period
Colorado clawed its way back midway through the frame.
Nearly seven minutes into the period, Kelly capitalized on a quick passing play when Sam Malinski fed him in tight. Kelly attempted a backhand that caught Skinner’s blocker and fluttered awkwardly into the net, tying the game 2–2.
It was the kind of opportunistic scoring that highlights Colorado’s depth — the players who quietly deliver when the stars are tied up.
Nečas nearly pushed the Avalanche ahead later in the period with a booming slap shot from the top of the right circle, but the puck was partially deflected before Skinner calmly plucked it out of the air.
Neither team could break the deadlock before the intermission, sending the game to the third period tied 2–2. Pittsburgh held a razor-thin shots advantage at 22–21.
Third Period
The final frame opened with a little bit of everything — pressure, frustration, and plenty of iron.
About three minutes in, Mantha broke through Colorado’s defense and fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle.
Doink.
Off the post.
Colorado controlled possession through much of the first half of the period, outshooting Pittsburgh 8–0 during one extended stretch. A turnover at the blue line created a chance for Gavin Brindley to drive the net, but his shot glanced off Skinner’s glove and stayed out.
Then came another moment of metallic misfortune.
With nine minutes remaining, MacKinnon received a slick pass from Nazem Kadri in the slot and quickly snapped a backhand toward the net.
Doink.
Right off the post again as Skinner sprawled across the crease stacking the pads.
Mantha later joined the unofficial “post club.”
On a clean 2-on-1 rush with 4:30 left, Kris Letang fed him perfectly in stride. Mantha ripped the shot…
Doink.
Again.
The forward covered his face before throwing his arms skyward in disbelief, seemingly wondering what kind of hockey spirits had cursed him.
Unfortunately for Colorado, the cruelest bounce of the night was still coming.
With just 35 seconds left in regulation, Brazeau snapped a shot from the slot that deflected off Zakhar Bardakov’s stick and fluttered past Wedgewood into the net.
An own goal.
A brutal break.
And a 3–2 Penguins lead.
Colorado pulled the goalie for a final push, but the rally never materialized. Pittsburgh held firm in the closing seconds to secure the virtual victory.
Now the only question left is simple:
What happens when these teams meet in real life tonight?
The popularity of the Florida Panthers has grown quite a bit in recent years.
Three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final and back-to-back championships will do that.
Even throughout their current season, which has seen the Panthers struggle to find the same kind of success they’ve seen over the past several years, fans have been showing up and showing out, wherever the Cats might be hitting the ice.
That included Sunday in Seattle, when a plethora of Panthers fans were seen in the building and on the glass at Climate Pledge Arena.
“We get traveling fans who come out and follow us on a road trip, and it is great,” Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said Sunday.
It’s no surprise that Florida’s average attendance at home has seen a big boost.
This season, even with all of the Panthers struggles, they are still averaging the third-highest home attendance in the league, behind only Montreal and Tampa Bay.
But to see all the Panthers fans on the road has been great.
They’re not only showing up along the glass for pregame warmups, either.
Fans are at the practice rinks, they’re outside the team bus wherever it goes, they’re waiting outside arenas after games.
Panthers popularity is a real thing, ya’ll.
“There’s far more people looking for autographs at the hotel, a lot more Panthers jerseys in the fans in road buildings,” Maurice said.
Look for this trend to continue building momentum, as the Panthers should resume their run of Stanley Cup contending seasons in short order.
Florida’s roster is full of elite players who are locked up for several seasons, meaning the team is expected to maintain its spot as one of the top teams in the league.
Seeds that were planted long ago are now finally starting to bear fruit.
Dec 13, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; The Florida Panthers and their fans celebrate and empty net goal by left wing Brad Marchand (not pictured) against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
Artemi Panarin returns to Madison Square Garden with his emotions still raw, just a few weeks after he was traded from the New York Rangers to the Los Angeles Kings.
The Rangers are set to play against the Kings on Monday night, marking the first time Panarin will face off against the Blueshirts since being traded.
Panarin admitted to potentially being emotional, but knows the magnitude of the game, given the Kings’ playoff push in the Western Conference.
"We'll see,” Panarin said about how emotional it will be playing the Rangers. “I'll try not crying. I guess battling for playoffs, I don't have time for that emotion"
There was a lot of buildup to Panarin’s departure from New York, yet everything seemed to reach a boiling point and move quickly in January, less than a month before he ultimately was traded.
The 34-year-old forward entered the 2025-26 campaign without a long-term contract extension in place, as his seven-year, $81.5 million contract extension was going to expire during the 2026 offseason.
Both Rangers’ president and general manager Chris Drury and Panarin spoke vaguely about contract negotiations, not revealing what may transpire in the future, which brought even more uncertainty to the situation.
Ultimately, Drury issued a letter to fans on Jan. 16 outlining the Rangers’ plan to retool the roster, and it was reported shortly after that the Rangers did not plan to re-sign Panarin and would look to trade him ahead of the March 6th NHL Trade Deadline.
Upon being held out of the Rangers’ lineup starting on Jan. 28 due to roster management, Panarin and his agent, Paul Theofanous, were able to explore the market and determine which teams would be willing to give a contract extension that met their demands.
Panarin zeroed in on the Kings as his preferred destination and waived his no-move clause to go to Los Angeles. Almost immediately after being traded, Panarin signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Kings.
“I feel weird actually. It’ll be in my head, and stay in my head and just walk around. I feel like this ended very quick — I was not expecting that, but I also had seven years here, so it was a great time for me,” Panarin said about how everything unfolded with the Rangers.
Now, everything is in the past, and Panarin will enter the world’s most famous arena as an opponent.
NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 22: Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha (18) and New Jersey Devils left wing Jesper Bratt (63) battle for the puck during a NHL game between the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on January 22, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Matchup: New Jersey Devils (33-31-2) versus the Boston Bruins (37-23-6)
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DENVER — Ilya Solovyov didn’t spend long in Denver, but his brief stint with the Colorado Avalanche still produced a moment he’ll remember for the rest of his career — the first NHL goal of his career.
The 25-year-old defenseman scored that milestone marker on Jan. 10 in a 4–0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. With 9:30 remaining in the second period, Solovyov accepted a rink wide pass from Parker Kelly, stepped into the play, and ripped a wrist shot from the top of the left circle past the goaltender. The celebration was instant and emotional as he leapt into the arms of teammate Brent Burns.
"It's good to score when we play at home," Solovyov told The Hockey News. "Yeah, it was a fun (moment), fun memory, so I'll try to (score some more) tonight."
Solovyov has been getting more ice time with the Penguins. Credit: Charles LeClaire
Solovyov’s path to that moment in Denver was far from straightforward. The Belarusian defenseman was claimed off waivers by Colorado in October after spending most of the 2024–25 season with the Calgary Wranglers, the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames.
During that AHL campaign, Solovyov produced 28 points — six goals and 22 assists — tying for the team lead in goals among defensemen. He also appeared in five NHL games with Calgary, recording one assist.
But the move to Denver came with challenges beyond the ice, particularly for his family, who remained behind in Calgary while the logistics of another relocation were sorted out.
“I left my family back in Calgary for a bit. It’s been almost two weeks right now,” Solovyov said shortly after arriving in Colorado. “We have a house over there, so they’re not able to jump in right away. We have to clean everything; we have to call a moving company to pick up all the stuff. We’ve got a bed, a lot of kid stuff, so they’re not able to come right away. Now we’re trying to figure out everything else. The next day I’m flying to Colorado, and the day after that I’m skating by myself.”
Another Move, Another Opportunity
Just 10 days after scoring his first NHL goal, Solovyov’s whirlwind season took another turn. Colorado traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Valtteri Puustinen and a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.
Given those circumstances, it was only natural to ask how his family has handled yet another move.
"It's maybe a little bit easier for me than for (my) family, especially my wife and son," he added. "Moving from Calgary to Denver, like you said, it was a little hard for them, but they try to manage it, and help me as much as they can."
On the ice, Solovyov appears to be settling in with his new club. In 16 games with Colorado, he recorded one goal and two assists for three points. Since joining Pittsburgh, however, his offensive production has already picked up. Through nine games with the Penguins, Solovyov has registered four assists — already surpassing his point total with the Avalanche, aside from the lone goal.
Now, he’ll have an opportunity to show his former team what they may have lost when the Penguins face the Avalanche tonight.
"I'm just trying to play solid, that's it. The last few games haven't been good for me, so I'll just try to (play better)."
The Pittsburgh Penguins have made some changes to their roster ahead of their matchup against the Colorado Avalanche.
The Penguins have announced that they have recalled defenseman Jack St. Ivany from his conditioning stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In addition, Pittsburgh shared that blueliner Alexander Alexeyev has been sent back down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
St. Ivany played in three games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during his conditioning loan, where he had one assist and a plus-1 rating. Now, after getting called back up to Pittsburgh's roster, he will be looking to make an impact.
St. Ivany has not played in a game for Pittsburgh since Jan. 25 due to injury. Yet, he is now ready to return for the Penguins and will look to build on his strong season with the Metropolitan Division club. In 17 games this season for Pittsburgh, he has a career-high seven assists and 40 hits.
As for Alexeyev, he did not make his Pittsburgh debut during his call-up. In 29 games this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he has three goals, seven points, 15 penalty minutes, and a plus-4 rating.
The Montreal Canadiens lost more than the game when they were beaten 4-3 by the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night; they also lost forward Kirby Dach, once again. In the very early stages of the game, forward Jeffrey Viel blindsided Dach with a solid hit. The Canadiens’ player did not see the hit coming at all. He got back up, skating gingerly and headed to the bench; that was his second and last shift of the game.
During the first intermission, the Canadiens announced that he would not be back in the game because of an upper-body injury. The media asked for an update after the game, but there was no news to share. With the Habs benefiting from a day off on Monday, it’s unlikely that we’ll hear anything before morning skate on Tuesday ahead of the evening’s duel with the Boston Bruins.
Ever since he entered the NHL, Dach has been plagued by rotten luck with injuries. From the wrist injury at the World Junior Championships to the concussion with the Chicago Blackhawks and the two knee injuries with the Canadiens, he’s been through a lot. As if that wasn’t enough, he also suffered a broken leg earlier this season.
The Canadiens have not confirmed that he’s dealing with a concussion, but given how the play unfolded, it wouldn’t be surprising. The timing of this latest setback couldn’t have been worse for Dach, who is currently playing the last year of the four-year deal he signed when the Canadiens acquired him.
Of the 312 games the Habs have played since then, Dach has only played 149, for just 48% of the matches. As harsh as it seems to write this, it’s hard to see the Habs committing long-term to the 6-foot-4 and 221-pound forward. While there’s definitely some talent there, his body seems unable to sustain the rigours of an NHL career.
Montreal already signed Kaiden Guhle to a six-year deal, and the defenseman keeps missing time, putting the defence corps under pressure. In four seasons, he has played 195 games, out of a possible 328, which means the Canadiens have had him only 60% of the time.
It’s tough to build a team and need to have a plan B scenario ready at all times, especially given the constraints of the salary cap. Montreal already has to do that with Guhle, and doing it with Dach as well could hurt the team. At the end of the season, Dach will be an RFA but will become a UFA at the end of the 2026-27 season. If the Canadiens choose to give him yet another chance, I would be surprised if the contract had much term on it. It’s hard not to feel for Dach, but hockey is first and foremost a business at the professional level.
