NEW YORK (AP) — Anaheim defenseman Radko Gudas suspended five games by the NHL for kneeing and injuring Toronto's Auston Matthews.

Ducks captain Radko Gudas has been suspended for five games for his knee-to-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews during the second period of Thursday’s game. Gudas was assessed a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and given a game misconduct. Matthews left the game and did not return.

On Friday, the Leafs announced that Matthews sustained a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion. Though he will be re-evaluated in two weeks, he will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season.

This hit comes just weeks after Gudas’ hit on Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby during the 2026 Winter Olympics, which resulted in a Grade 2 MCL sprain for Crosby. While Gudas’ hit on Crosby was fair and legal, his hit on Matthews was anything but.

This is the fifth time that Gudas has been suspended by the NHL and his first time since 2019, when he was suspended two games for high sticking the Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov.

Gudas has had two longer suspensions in his NHL career. He was suspended 10 games in 2017 for slashing the Winnipeg Jets’ Mathieu Perreault across the neck and suspended six games in 2016 for a late, high hit on the Boston Bruins’ Austin Czarnik.

A phone hearing between Gudas and the NHL Department Player of Safety was held on Friday. Phone hearings carry a maximum suspension of five games, whereas an in-person hearing would have allowed for a longer suspension.

Trade deadline acquisition John Carlson has been targeting Saturday versus the Ottawa Senators or Sunday versus the Montréal Canadiens for his Ducks debut. With Gudas out, Drew Helleson will likely remain in the lineup and Ian Moore, who lined up as a winger in Thursday’s game, will also likely return to the blue line for this weekend’s pair of games.

It didn't look good when Auston Matthews clutched at his knee immediately after absorbing a knee-on-knee hit from Radko Gudas during the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks Thursday, March 12. We now know that will mark Matthews' last minutes on the ice this season.

The Maple Leafs announced Friday, March 13 that Matthews will miss the rest of the 2025-26 NHL season after he suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion on the hit that will seemingly soon result in a suspension for Gudas, who was set to have a disciplinary hearing with the league Friday.

Toronto said Matthews will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks, and the team will give another update then.

Radko Gudas has been ejected from the game for kneeing and Auston Matthews has gone to the dressing room. pic.twitter.com/wTiR9t7Tzw

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 13, 2026

Matthews, 28, had gotten the puck alone in front of the net Thursday when a hard-charging Gudas, 35, drove right through the American star, with Gudas' left leg taking out Matthews' left. Matthews immediately clutched at his leg and needed assistance to get off the ice. Gudas was assessed a 5-minute major for kneeing and a 10-minute game misconduct, ending his night.

OPINION: Maple Leafs' response to Auston Matthews injury shows culture issue

It's a brutal end to what's been a trying NHL season for 2016's top pick. He finishes with 27 goals and 53 points, both career lows, and the Maple Leafs will almost certainly miss the playoffs for the first time in his 10-year tenure.

The former MVP and three-time goal-scoring champ did experience great success at the Milano Cortina Olympics, captaining Team USA to the gold medal in men's hockey – its first since 1980. But his return to NHL play saw the Leafs drop eight consecutive games before Thursday night. That win, however, is overshadowed by the loss of the Leafs captain.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Auston Matthews knee injury update, for rest of Maple Leafs season

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Following their most recent regulation setback, the shorthanded Detroit Red Wings know they must do a better job of taking advantage of the offensive opportunities they get. 

Playing without top centers Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, who both suffered lower-body injuries, has dampened their offensive attack, which already ranks near the bottom of the NHL in five-on-five scoring.

While they could get veteran David Perron back at some point next week, they must make do with the players currently available when they face the powerful Dallas Stars on Saturday evening.

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, who leads the Red Wings with 33 goals scored, believes that the club is going to remain confident despite the absence of several players. 

"I think we played well enough to win, we've got to bury on our chances," DeBrincat said afterward.

"I think we're confident in what we do," he continued. "These are two tough matchups, and we kind of gave away the Florida game at the end of the game. But, two good teams and another one on Saturday. So, we've got to come ready to play right from puck drop, and hopefully get some two points."

Shorthanded Red Wings Fall 4-1 To Lightning In Tampa Bay Playing without both Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, the shorthanded Detroit Red Wings fell in regulation for the third time in the last four games, a 4-1 setback to the Lightning.

Right now, the Red Wings occupy the first Wild Card Spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets hot on their trail. 

They know they can't afford to give away points as they did against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday evening, and it begins with bearing down and not letting chances slip away.

"We just have to get guys to the net, bear down in front and put some in the net," DeBrincat said. "Obviously, they have a world-class goalie over there, but we've got to find a way to put it in."

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Former Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen and his two children, Ty and Faith, are feeling the NHL's embrace following his wife Hannah's death after a lengthy battle with cancer.

News of Hannah Larsen's passing was revealed publicly by former Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella, who passed along his condolences to his one-time assistant in Columbus and the Larsen family March 12 during an appearance as an ESPN studio analyst. Larsen has battled cancer twice himself, and Hannah played a key role in supporting him each time.

The Blue Jackets, the team Larsen spent almost a decade working for as a coach, issued a statement March 13 through social media offering the club's "deepest condolences" and "warmest thoughts."

During his time with the Blue Jackets, Larsen coached the team's AHL affiliate as assistant and head coach when it was located in Springfield, Massachusetts, before joining former coach Brad Richards' staff in 2014-15. Tortorella kept him on staff for six seasons before leaving the Blue Jackets under mutual terms that paved the way for Larsen to replace him as head coach.

pic.twitter.com/dpp2R3yCU2

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 13, 2026

Larsen spent two difficult seasons running the bench in Columbus amid a spate of injuries that led to his firing at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Larsen and his family stayed in the Columbus area, and the former NHL coach took a year off from his professional career to work with his son Ty's youth team.

Deepest condolences go out to Brad Larsen and his family following the passing of his wife Hannah. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Larsen family and all of those who knew and loved Hannah.

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 13, 2026

He was hired by the Calgary Flames on June 11, 2024, to restart his career as an NHL assistant, but took an indefinite leave of absence Dec. 8, 2024, to rejoin his family and care for his wife after her condition worsened.

After news of Hannah Larsen's passing was disclosed, condolences from many in hockey were posted on social media, including former Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent, who worked closely with Larsen as an assistant and replaced him for the 2023-24 season.

Yesterday, we received the terribly sad news of the passing of Hannah, wife of my friend Brad Larsen, after a long battle. My heart is broken for Brad, their two children, and all of Hannah’s family. Sending them all my love and deepest condolences.

— Pascal Vincent (@PascalVincent71) March 13, 2026

Vincent is now in his second season as head coach for the Montreal Canadiens' AHL affiliate, Laval Rocket.

"Yesterday, we received the terribly sad news of the passing of Hannah, wife of my friend Brad Larsen, after a long battle," he said. "My heart is broken for Brad, their two children, and all of Hannah’s family. Sending them all my love and deepest condolences."

Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets, NHL embrace Brad Larsen after wife's death

A natural hat trick from Raphael Lavoie powered the Henderson Silver Knights to a wild 7–6 overtime victory over the Tucson Roadrunners on Wednesday night at Tucson Arena.

Lavoie delivered the decisive moment just 90 seconds into overtime, completing his hat trick and capping one of the most chaotic games of the season for Henderson. The forward’s three-goal performance headlined a back-and-forth contest that featured 13 total goals and multiple momentum swings.

The Silver Knights are now winners of 7 of their last 10 contests.

A Chaotic Opening Period

Henderson struck first when Lavoie opened the scoring at 3:14 of the first period to give the Silver Knights an early 1–0 lead.

The Roadrunners quickly flipped the script.

In a stunning stretch that lasted less than two minutes, Tucson rattled off four consecutive goals to seize control of the game. Austin Poganski started the surge before Scott Perunovich, Cameron Hebig, and Ty Tullio followed in rapid succession to build a 4–1 Roadrunners lead.

Henderson began to claw its way back midway through the period when defenseman Jaycob Megna cut the deficit to 4–2 at the 8:11 mark.

Tucson regained breathing room late in the frame when Julian Lutz found the back of the net with 3:30 remaining, sending the Roadrunners into the intermission ahead 5–2.

Silver Knights Rally in the Second

Henderson wasted no time reigniting the comeback.

Just 11 seconds into the second period, Lavoie scored his second goal of the night off a setup from Tanner Laczynski, cutting the lead to 5–3. The assist marked the 100th of Laczynski’s American Hockey League career.

Momentum continued to swing toward Henderson midway through the period. Matyas Sapovaliv converted on the power play to bring the Silver Knights within one.

Moments later, rookie forward Trevor Connelly completed the rally by tying the game 5–5.

The Roadrunners briefly regained the lead when Poganski netted his second goal of the night less than a minute later, restoring Tucson’s advantage at 6–5.

But the Silver Knights refused to go away.

With just 45 seconds remaining in regulation, Connelly struck again, finishing a play set up by Alex Holtz and Kai Uchacz to force overtime.

Lavoie Finishes the Job

Overtime lasted only a minute and a half.

Lavoie completed the hat trick with the game-winning goal 90 seconds into the extra period, sealing a dramatic 7–6 victory and completing Henderson’s comeback effort.

The Silver Knights will continue their road trip north of the border with a pair of games against the Abbotsford Canucks before concluding the trip against the Calgary Wranglers.

• Saturday, March 14 — at Abbotsford Canucks (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, March 15 — at Abbotsford Canucks (4 p.m.)
• Tuesday, March 17 — at Calgary Wranglers (7 p.m.)

Fans can follow the Silver Knights throughout the road trip by tuning in on 1230 The Game or streaming the broadcast on FloHockey.

The Kings are still chasing a playoff spot after a 2-1 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins. That game was a low-scoring affair, as the Kings tied it with 6 minutes left in the 3rd before Boston won it in overtime. The Islanders are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, in which they clawed back from a 3-0 deficit and scored 4 unanswered goals for the win. This game has major implications for both teams as they are both in the playoff race. This is the second matchup between the Kings and Islanders, and the last meeting ended with the Kings winning 5-3. 

Kings Projected Lines

Here are the Kings' projected lines: 

Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe

Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere

Alex Turcotte - Scott Laughton - Jared Wright

Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward

Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty

Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke

Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci

Darcy Kuemper

Anton Forsberg

Islanders Projected Lines

Here are the Islanders' projected lines: 

Emil Heineman - Bo Horvat - Calum Ritchie

Ondrej Palat - Brayden Schenn - Mathew Barzal

Anders Lee - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Simon Holmstrom

Max Shabanov - Casey Cizikas - Marc Gatcomb

Matthew Schaefer - Ryan Pulock

Adam Pelech - Tony DeAngelo

Carson Soucy - Scott Mayfield

Ilya Sorokin

David Rittich

Injuries and Line Changes

The Kings have scratched Mathieu Joseph and Jacob Moverare, and they do not have any new injuries to report. The Islanders are scratching Anthony Duclair, Kyle MacLean and Adam Boqvist. Both of these teams are playing their first game of a back-to-back. The Kings are likely going to start Darcy Kuemper, and the Islanders are likely to start Ilya Sorokin. 

Key Factors

The Kings will be looking at Darcy Kuemper tonight as he is coming off a 23-save game against Boston, but with the playoffs around the corner, the Kings will need Kuemper at his best, especially during this playoff push. The Kings will also have to beat one of the NHL's best goalies tonight in Ilya Sorokin, who, in his last 5 starts, has a record of 4-1. 

One of the biggest factors for the Kings tonight will once again be the duo of Panarin and Kempe, as since their 1st game against the Islanders, they have combined for 11 points in the last 4 games, making them a major factor in tonight's matchup. It is also worth noting that Anze Kopitar is 2 points away from tying Marcel Dionne for the Kings' franchise points record. 

Overall, this is a very important game for both teams: the Islanders look to overtake the Penguins for 2nd in the metro, and the Kings look to move into the 2nd wild card spot. 

My predictions for tonight's matchup are a 4-3 Kings win. 

The Hockey Show returned this week and had quite a bit of puck-talk to get to.

THS co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork dove into the fallout from an NHL Trade Deadline that the boys felt was somewhat ‘meh’ compared to recent years.

They discussed the Florida Panthers deciding to hang on to their UFAs, Sergei Bobrovsky and A.J. Greer, and how the team could manage their first-round pick, should they end up finishing low enough in the standings. 

Roy and Dave also got into a recent string of violent plays, several of which have led to fines and suspensions involving Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Evgenii Malkin, including two that happened within a couple days, both against Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

Joining this week’s show was Football America host and hockey fan extraordinaire and Pittsburgh native Dave Dameshek.

Dave discussed several topics, including why he’s like to see an NHL division named after Mario Lemieux and the time he and his buddies were at a bar with the Stanely Cup and nearly tried taking off with it for the night.

Wins and fails this week included a touching, overtime high school semi-final goal scored by Colin Dorgan, who lost his mother, brother and grandfather in the shooting at a Pawtucket, RI hockey rink last month, the continuing injuries occurring to the face of Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, an amusing interview height differential between a former player and a current one, and a sentimental visit to the Saddledome by Shoresy star Jared Kesso.

You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:

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The Edmonton Oilers' wins over the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche felt good, and for a couple of nights this week, the Oilers looked like the team everyone thought they would be this season. Hold onto that feeling, because Thursday in Dallas with a 7-2 loss to the Stars was a reminder of where they actually stand.

Dallas is 41-14-10, one of the best teams in the league, and the Oilers went in there on the first night of a back-to-back and got run out of the building.

It's not a mark on their whole season, but it confirmed what's been clear for a while now: this Edmonton team is not going on another legendary run, and June hockey is not in the cards.

"We're on the brink of not making the playoffs," said Kris Knoblauch before the road trip started.

The Oilers are sitting third in the Pacific at 32-26-8, and  while the Oilers were getting owned by the Stars, the San Jose Sharks were topping the Seattle Kraken in the standings. They now sit 31-26-6 with three games in hand over the Oilers.

If San Jose keeps winning, Edmonton is looking at a Wild Card spot. Wild Card 2, potentially, which in the Western Conference right now would probably mean drawing Colorado in the first round. Good luck with that.

Pre-game Stats: Oilers At Blues32-26-8 | 72 PTS

Tonight they play the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis, and the Blues are also playing on the back end of a back-to-back. They beat Carolina 3-1 last night, which, whatever you want to say about where St. Louis sits in the standings, is an impressive result. Carolina is one of the best teams in the East. The Blues aren't going to roll over.

Edmonton needs a win tonight, and they need to play the kind of hockey that got them through Vegas and Colorado earlier this week. More structure, fewer odd-man rushes against, keeping the first shot on goal out of the net. 

The realistic version of this Oilers season ends in the first round of the playoffs, maybe a spirited series, a game or two that reminds you why you watch, but a first-round exit.

McDavid And Oilers Stand Up Physically, But Lose Stinker to StarsConnor McDavid shed his scoring touch for physicality after a disastrous Oilers start against the Stars. Frustration boiled over in a feisty loss.

After all the defensive meltdown through February and into March, the 56 goals surrendered in 12 games, the anxiety, just making it in would count as something.

What comes this summer matters because some real decisions have to be made. Whether that means a new GM, trades, a different approach to the cap,  something has to change.

Knoblauch is probably more complicated of a question than people are making it. There's an argument that this team's problems run deeper than coaching, that the personnel decisions and the structure around him matter more than whether he's behind the bench. But someone is going to be accountable for how this season fell apart, and head coaches tend to pay that price first.

Oilers Goalies Hit Hard With Low Rankings On Recent Tandem PollOilers' goaltending plunges to 31st in recent rankings, revealing a grim tandem performance and challenging playoff hopes amid defensive struggles.

But that's tomorrow's problem. The only thing that matters is the Blues tonight, then Nashville, then the Sharks, then Florida. Game by game, point by point, just get across the playoff line and give the fanbase something to show up for in April. A first-round series, even a short one, is better than watching the standings one more time and realizing you're done too soon.

The Oilers have enough talent and experience to win the games they need down the stretch. Get in, compete, and then spend the summer figuring out why a team this talented keeps finding new ways to make things harder than they need to be.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks signed forward Ty Dellandrea to a two-year, $3.25 million extension on Friday.

The 25-year-old Dellandrea was in the final year of his contract but now is locked up in San Jose through the 2027-28 season.

Dellandrea has two goals and nine assists in 42 games this season but has been sidelined since suffering a lower-body injury on Jan. 6. At the time of his injury, Dellandrea led Sharks forwards by winning 52.3% of his faceoffs, while ranking second with 117 hits and 36 blocked shots. He also had the second most short-handed time on ice among San Jose forwards before his injury.

Dellandrea joined San Jose before last season after spending his first four seasons in the NHL in Dallas. He has 17 goals and 44 assists in 261 career games.

The Sharks also called up goalie Laurent Brossoit from the AHL with Yaroslav Askarov out with what has been described as a minor lower-body injury. Brossoit has made 118 career starts but hasn't played in the NHL since the 2023-24 season. He was acquired in a deal from Chicago in January.

___

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

The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline may have concluded, but that doesn’t mean teams are done swapping players. The Vancouver Canucks announced today that they have swapped prospects with the Edmonton Oilers, exchanging forward Josh Bloom for forward Jayden Grubbe. 

Grubbe, 23, was drafted 65th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers. He found himself with the Oilers via trade after the Rangers flipped him for a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Grubbe wore the ‘C’ for the Red Deer Rebels from 2019 to 2023 and has since played with both the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL and the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL. This season, he has scored seven goals and 12 assists in 28 games with Fort Wayne. 

Bloom, also a third-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, is coming off an impressive stretch of play in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings. The 22-year-old forward has scored 15 goals and 13 assists in 19 games played with Kalamazoo and has also spent 19 games in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks. Vancouver first acquired Bloom in exchange for defenceman Riley Stillman back in February 2023. 

NHL teams are allowed to conduct trades after the deadline, though the players involved in these deals will not be permitted to play in any regular season or playoff NHL games for the rest of the season. 

Vancouver will resume their current home stand with a game against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday at 7:00 pm PT. Abbotsford will play the Henderson Silver Knights on the same day at home at 7:00 pm PT as well. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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After a frustrating loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, the Colorado Avalanche rebounded emphatically on the road tonight, defeating the Seattle Kraken 5-1 to kick off a two-game road trip. The visitors set the tone early, scoring consistently throughout the game to secure a commanding victory.

First Period

Colorado struck first as Martin Necas opened the scoring with his 30th goal of the season. Nathan MacKinnon orchestrated the play with a perfectly timed cross-ice pass, leaving Necas wide open for a clean finish past Joey Daccord.

Martin Necas comes to Colorado and becomes a 30 goal scorer! #GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/xLwwXCLPiR

— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) March 13, 2026

MacKinnon would add to the lead shortly thereafter. Necas returned the favor with a cross-ice setup, allowing MacKinnon to maneuver behind the Kraken net. Attempting a backdoor pass to Nazem Kadri, the puck deflected off a Seattle defender and into the net, giving the Avalanche a 2-0 advantage.

The period concluded with Nic Roy extending Colorado’s lead to 3-0 on the power play. Positioned right in front of the crease, Roy capitalized on a loose puck, finishing with precision just over a minute before the first intermission.

NIC ROY ADDS ANOTHER TO THE BOARD! pic.twitter.com/5CRbmuorHi

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 13, 2026

Second Period

Seattle managed to break through on the penalty kill, as Ryker Evans scored a shorthanded goal past Scott Wedgewood, narrowing the deficit to 3-1.

However, Colorado responded swiftly. Nazem Kadri recorded his first goal since returning to the Avalanche, restoring a three-goal lead with a tally that made it 4-1 heading into the third period. How about that for a dagger?

Third Period

The Avalanche sealed the victory early in the final frame when Joel Kiviranta deflected a shot from Josh Manson past Seattle goaltender Philipp Grubauer, bringing the final score to 5-1.

Looking Ahead

Colorado (44-11-9) concludes this two-game road trip on Saturday, traveling to Winnipeg to face the Jets (26-28-10). Puck drop is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. MT.

Stay tuned with The Hockey News for the latest. 

The Vancouver Canucks are 65 games into their 2025–26 NHL season and, unsurprisingly, still sit at dead-last in the league. They are, however, coming off a 4–3 shootout win against the Nashville Predators that felt like the culmination of strong efforts from the team since the passing of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. Now that the Canucks have weathered the trade deadline, here’s how they stack up to the rest of the NHL after 65 games. 

Team Stats

The most surprising of Vancouver’s team stats may be their faceoff win percentage (48.7%, t-21st in the NHL), which has previously ranked pretty low. Surprisingly enough, it’s the Minnesota Wild (46.5%) and the Buffalo Sabres (45.2%) who sit 31st and 32nd in the NHL respectively when it comes to winning faceoffs. Another intriguing team that sits below Vancouver in this stat is the Tampa Bay Lightning with 47.3% (28th in NHL). 

While it has suffered from dry spells at times, the Canucks’ power play currently ranks higher than some of the NHL’s top teams with a success rate of 18.1%, tying them with the Winnipeg Jets for the 22nd-most in the league. A few other teams currently in a playoff spot also rank behind Vancouver: the New York Islanders (16.2%, 30th), Colorado Avalanche (16.3%, t-28th), and (Utah Mammoth (16.6%, 26th). 

Individual Skater Stats

Vancouver’s leading points-getters, Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson, are currently tied with four other players for 141st in the NHL — Patrick Kane, Valeri Nichuskin, Christian Dvorak, and former Canuck J.T. Miller. On the goal front, it’s Brock Boeser who has taken the new lead for the Canucks in goal-scoring, having potted his 16th of the season against Nashville last night. 

Since Kiefer Sherwood was traded back in January, Aatu Räty has held Vancouver’s lead in hits with 115 on the season, tying him with Andrei Svechnikov and Mackie Samoskevich. He may face some internal competition soon, however, as Hronek (107), Evander Kane (102), and defenceman Elias Pettersson (102) are not far behind. It’s highly unlikely that any of them catch up to Sherwood, however, as he currently remains second in the NHL with 260 hits made. 

Goaltending Stats 

Ironically enough, two of the Canucks’ goaltending stat leads are held by Thatcher Demko, who was ruled out for the remainder of the season and last played on January 10. This includes his eight wins on the season, which has remained a team-high since the 35-game checkpoint. His 2.90 GAA also remains a team-high. 

The most intriguing stat remains Nikita Tolopilo’s .851 SV%, which is currently tied for the sixth-highest in the NHL. From solely the stat’s perspective, Tolopilo is tied with Andrei Vasilevskiy and ranks higher than goaltenders such as Brandon Bussi (.840%) and both Colorado’s Mackenzie Blackwood (.842%) and Scott Wedgewood (.835%). Having said that, Tolopilo has also faced the seventh-least high-danger shots (114) of goaltenders who have played in 10+ games this season. In that particular stat category, Kevin Lankinen leads the way with 293. 

Vancouver will continue its current eight-game home stand with a matchup against the Seattle Kraken tomorrow night at 7:00 pm PT. They will then face the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings before heading back on the road. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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Sorry isn't enough.

The National Hockey League has rescinded the controversial five‑minute major penalty assessed to Nathan MacKinnon for goaltender interference against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram, overturning a call that had ejected the star forward and put him at risk of an automatic suspension.

The league informed MacKinnon on Thursday that the major penalty would be removed from his record, resetting his count under Rule 23.6, which mandates automatic suspensions for players who accumulate multiple major or game misconduct penalties within a defined span of games. With the reversal, MacKinnon is once again clear of any automatic disciplinary risk.

The NHL has RESCINDED Nathan MacKinnon's goalie interference major penalty. 😳

Doing this will stop MacKinnon from getting an automatic suspension per NHL rules if he were to get another major penalty soon. 👀 pic.twitter.com/OUza6Qn726

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 12, 2026

The original call drew immediate scrutiny. Broadcasters and analysts questioned whether MacKinnon’s contact with Ingram constituted true interference or simply a legitimate scoring attempt. Slow‑motion replays showed MacKinnon attempting to avoid the goaltender, while Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse appeared to play a substantial role in driving MacKinnon into Ingram.

Even the NHL’s own review concluded that the play did not warrant a major penalty, with a standard two‑minute minor—or no penalty at all—being the more appropriate ruling.

The incident also highlights ongoing concerns about the league’s centralized replay system. The NHL’s Situation Room in Toronto has access to ultra‑high‑definition cameras and more than a dozen dedicated angles for each game, designed to ensure accurate and timely decisions.

The very purpose of this technology—and the trained personnel monitoring it—is to get calls right the first time.

That it took an entire day to correct the call is troubling. With the tools and personnel in place to evaluate plays immediately, there is no acceptable reason for such a delay.

As the regular season winds down and the playoffs approach, the league faces increased pressure to ensure its replay officials can deliver accurate, decisive rulings without requiring retroactive fixes.

The saying goes, "Hope for the best. Plan for the worst." The last thing the NHL needs is for a mistake to be made, a lengthy review somehow produces the wrong outcome and another investigation the following day reveals that they were wrong all along. 'Oh, wait let's try to fix this. Oh, just kidding.' This is a hypothetical, but, 'The Edmonton Oilers already clinched the series. Sorry, there's nothing we can do.'

The league needs to ensure as soon as possible that everyone involved in these decisions is competent and capable of doing the job properly on the spot. And if they aren't, they need to be replaced.

This is not difficult. In the public sector, if a regular person screwed up on the job and the wrong person was disciplined and/or fired, the person responsible for the mess up would likely lose their job. The same has to be applied to the replay officials and the referees on the ice.

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The shorthanded Detroit Red Wings knew that they were in for a fight on Thursday evening against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

While they played a good road game, they ultimately fell short by a 4-1 final score. 

Tampa forward Brayden Point, who was selected in the third round (79th overall) in 2014 by Steve Yzerman, shut down Detroit's comeback attempt with a goal late in the third period, halting what had been their effort to knot the score at 2-2. 

Jake Guentzel, who broke the ice with the game's first goal early in the second period, salted it away with an empty-net goal soon afterward. 

While the Red Wings halved the Lightning lead thanks to a nifty redirect from J.T. Compher in the third period, they weren't able to come up with the tying marker. 

Detroit continues to play without both Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, along with David Perron. However, they have no choice but to press on and get elevated performances from the players they have available to them. 

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

"We need some offensive production from some individuals that probably haven't produced enough of it, and when they do get the looks, they've got to find a way to finish it," head coach Todd McLellan said afterward. "Guys have to step up, it's just the way it is."

Compher, who scored Detroit's lone goal, echoed McLellan's sentiments by saying that everyone who is able to play must raise their game level. 

"We know the situation with our lineup, that it's not going to be super pretty," he said. "Every guy just got to continue to raise their level, scratch and claw, and find any way we can to get points."

The Red Wings, who have now lost three of their last four games in regulation, conclude their road trip on Saturday evening by meeting the Dallas Stars, one of the top teams in the Western Conference. 

Because of the loss by the Boston Bruins to the San Jose Sharks, Detroit remains in the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Bruins only one point behind.

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