Game Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Islanders 2/3/2026

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-11, 67 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ New York Islanders (30-21-5, 65 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:30 p.m. ET

How to Watch: National broadcast on TNT, streaming on HBO Max

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins have just one game left after tonight, a Thursday road matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, before the Olympic break. The team will hope to give everyone, especially Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, some time to rest up before NHL play resumes on Feb. 26 with a home game against the New Jersey Devils.

Opponent Track: Like the Penguins, the Isles are coming into this game on the second part of a back-to-back. While the Penguins were losing to the Ottawa Senators, the Islanders were also looking flat in a Monday night 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.

Season Series: The Penguins won the season opener thanks to a third-period goal from Justin Brazeau back during the second game of the season in Pittsburgh on October. 9. The Pens will meet up with the Isles one more time in Elmont on March 30.

Getting to know the Islanders

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Ondrej Palat – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal

Emil Heineman – Jonathan Drouin – Simon Holmstrom

Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Anthony Duclair

Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

DEFENSEMEN

Mathew Schaefer / Ryan Pulock

Adam Pelech / Tony DeAngelo

Carson Soucy / Scott Mayfield

Goalies: Ilya Sorokin (starter), David Rittich

Potential scratches: Adam Boqvist, Max Shabanov, Calum Ritchie

Injured Reserve: Kyle Palmieri

  • Jonathan Drouin has spent most of his career as a winger, although the Islanders are currently running him as a center. He has just three goals in 49 games since he signed with the Islanders last summer, and he’s been struggling on the face-off dot as of late (he had a 36.4 percent success rate on the draw last night against the Washington Capitals).
  • The Islanders suffered a second-period collapse last night against the Capitals, blowing a 1-0 lead by allowing two goals in 32 seconds and never recovering.
  • David Rittich started last night (he made 20 saves on 23 shots in the 4-1 loss), putting Ilya Sorokin on track to start against the Pens.

Season stats
via hockeydb

  • The Islanders’ power play is running at 16 percent this season, ranking them down at for 26th in the NHL.
  • Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has been a driving force behind the Isles’ climb back into the playoff picture this season. He has 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 56 games of his first NHL season, the third-most points among rookies and sixth-most goals among all defensemen.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – 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

Brett Kulak / Ryan Shea

Ilya Solovyov / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner

Potential Scratches: Kevin Hayes, Rutger McGroarty

IR: Kris Letang (broken foot, out at least four weeks), Ryan Graves, Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones, Jack St. Ivany

  • Bryan Rust should be back in the lineup tonight after serving out the final game of his three-game suspension on Monday. That could bump Rutger McGroarty back out of the lineup.
  • The Pens are looking to bounce back from a flat loss to the Senators on Monday night. Head coach Dan Muse called the Penguins’ performance last night “far off the mark” from where the team has been lately:
  • Especially notable last night was continued struggles by Evgeni Malkin, who is seemingly playing hurt and who committed three official giveaways, and the Penguins’ top line. The Justin Brazeau/Sidney Crosby/Rickard Rakell trio earned the fewest expected goals for of any line the Penguins iced last night, per MoneyPuck. The Pens will hope the return of Bryan Rust can spark something there by re-shuffling the lines.
  • Arturs Silovs played in the defeat, so Stuart Skinner will likely be expected to get the nod against the Isles.
  • Last night was the first time the Pens have finished a game without a point since a Jan. 11 shutout loss to the Boston Bruins.
  • The Penguins currently have two points and two games in hand on the Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division, so a win tonight could be key down the stretch of the playoff race.

Carlo trade has been a home run for Bruins, and it could get even better

Carlo trade has been a home run for Bruins, and it could get even better originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Toronto Maple Leafs should probably stop trading with the Boston Bruins. Many of these deals have backfired tremendously for Toronto, especially over the last 20 years.

The Andrew Raycroft-for-Tuukka Rask swap in 2006 was a disaster for Toronto. The Phil Kessel trade in 2009 that gave the Bruins two top-10 picks (Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton) was a bad one for the Leafs. Even the Tomas Kaberle trade in 2011 ended up being a swing-and-a-miss for the Leafs despite the veteran defenseman being mostly underwhelming during his short time with the Bruins. The B’s did win the Stanley Cup a few months after that deal.

The latest example is the Brandon Carlo deal that was made just before the NHL trade deadline on March 7 of last year. Carlo has largely been a disappointment for the Leafs with five points in 33 games this season.

In case you forgot, here are the details of the 2025 trade:

  • Leafs receive: Brandon Carlo
  • Bruins receive: Fraser Minten, 2026 first-round pick (top-five protected), 2025 fourth-round pick

Let’s start with Minten.

He has blossomed into a productive two-way center after getting a chance to play regular NHL minutes. Minten was Toronto’s second-round pick (No. 38 overall) in 2022, and he played in just 21 games for the Leafs over the last two seasons before being dealt to Boston. Not only did Minten make the Opening Night roster, he has cemented himself as a key part of the Bruins lineup.

Minten has tallied 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 56 games. He has a very realistic chance to score 20-plus goals. One of the reasons why the Bruins had the league’s second-best record in January was Minten’s improved offensive production. He posted 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 14 games, including a three-point performance in a win over the Philadelphia Flyers last Thursday. He was also named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for January.

“(Minten) was a steal for us,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm told reporters on Jan. 30. “He just has that quality, I would say, to be up and down the lineup right away at his early age.”

Minten is improving as a scorer, he’s responsible defensively, he kills penalties, he’s played on the power play of late, and he plays with a high hockey IQ. Could he become a top-six center long term? It’s definitely possible, but at the very least he should be a strong No. 3 center for quite a while.

The Bruins desperately needed a boost at center following the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Minten and 2025 first-round pick James Hagens have given the B’s some hope at that position going forward.

Another important aspect of the Carlo trade that has been great for the Bruins is the 2026 first-round pick they acquired.

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The Leafs have reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in nine consecutive seasons, but that streak is in serious jeopardy of ending this year. Toronto entered Tuesday with the 12th-worst record in the league based on points percentage. The Leafs are seven points behind the Bruins for the second and final wild card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

If the Leafs miss the playoffs, the Bruins could get a lottery pick to close out this trade. The 2026 selection sent from Toronto is top-five protected, so it would need to fall outside of that range to go to the Bruins in 2026, but the odds are in Boston’s favor. And that would be a huge coup for the Bruins when you look at all of the high-end defenseman prospects who could be available in the No. 6 to No. 12 pick range in the upcoming draft.

In summary, the Bruins got a 21-year-old center who could tally 50-plus points in his first full NHL season, plus a potential lottery pick from one of their biggest rivals (inside the division, too) for an aging defenseman who has not lived up to expectations on his new team.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeeny has his faults. His draft record isn’t sparkling (although it’s improved lately) and he’s missed on plenty of free agents. But his trade record is phenomenal, and this deal with the Maple Leafs has been a massive home run for Boston so far.

And depending on where that 2026 Leafs first-round pick lands, the trade could get even sweeter for the Bruins. Get ready for “Leafs pick watch” in March and April.

Pens Points: Streak Snapped

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 2: Egor Chinakhov #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal in the first period during the game against the Ottawa Senators at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 2, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Coming off six straight victories, the Pittsburgh Penguins were due for a dud performance and that is exactly what they delivered in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators in their final home game before the Olympic break. Despite being badly outplayed most of the night, the Penguins did lead 1-0 in the first period and had the game tied at 2-2 with about five minutes left before old nemesis Claude Giroux scored the eventual game winner to halt the Penguins winning run. [Pensburgh]

It’s a quick turnaround for the Penguins who head to Long Island for a contest later this evening against the New York Islanders. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM and will be broadcast on TNT.

Pens Points…

Three games stand between the Penguins and the Olympic break, a number that will be down to just two following last night’s game against the Senators. They may be hot coming into the week, but it’s imperative they keep that momentum rolling heading into the hiatus. [Pensburgh]

While the Penguins understood why Bryan Rust was suspended, they were quietly fuming at the length of the suspension for a first time offender. That anger was multiplied over the weekend when franchise villain Tom Wilson was let off with nothing for a violent hit. [The Athletic $$]

In victories over the Blackhawks and Rangers, it was the Penguins depth scoring that did most of the damage when it came to putting the puck in the net. After seasons of weak depth that held the team back, it’s turning into a strength for the 2025-26 Penguins. [The Hockey News]

There were no splashy free agent signings for the Penguins last summer, but those players they did bring in have played like superstars this season. Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau, and Parker Wotherspoon have all outplayed their contracts and boosting the Penguins playoff push. [The Hockey News]

NHL News and Notes…

Jared McCann had a massive week for the Seattle Kraken and takes home First Star of the Week honors from the NHL. Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy went unbeaten last week and capped it off with a goalie fights in the Stadium Series to nab Second Star. [NHL]

Following a career in hockey that has spanned over two and a half decades, Barry Trotz will step back and retire from his role as general manager of the Nashville Predators. Trotz will remain in the job until his replacement is named and will then transition into an adviser role. [NHL]

Lightning host the Sabres after shootout win

Buffalo Sabres (32-18-5, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (35-14-4, in the Atlantic Division)

Tampa, Florida; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lightning -227, Sabres +186; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres visit the Tampa Bay Lightning after the Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout.

Tampa Bay has a 35-14-4 record overall and a 7-3-1 record in Atlantic Division games. The Lightning have gone 13-4-2 in games their opponents commit more penalties.

Buffalo has an 11-4-2 record in Atlantic Division play and a 32-18-5 record overall. The Sabres are fifth in the league with 187 total goals (averaging 3.4 per game).

The matchup Tuesday is the first meeting of the season between the two clubs.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jake Guentzel has 24 goals and 33 assists for the Lightning. Nikita Kucherov has six goals and 15 assists over the past 10 games.

Tage Thompson has 29 goals and 28 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has scored seven goals with three assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 8-1-1, averaging 3.3 goals, 6.4 assists, 4.5 penalties and 13.2 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game.

Sabres: 7-2-1, averaging 4.2 goals, 6.9 assists, four penalties and 9.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

INJURIES: Lightning: None listed.

Sabres: None listed.

___

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

Golden Knights bring losing streak into home matchup with the Canucks

Vancouver Canucks (18-32-6, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (25-16-14, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights will try to end a five-game losing streak when they play the Vancouver Canucks.

Vegas is 25-16-14 overall and 7-4-4 against the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights have a +11 scoring differential, with 181 total goals scored and 170 conceded.

Vancouver is 5-6-2 against the Pacific Division and 18-32-6 overall. The Canucks have a 7-8-4 record in games decided by a goal.

Wednesday's game is the first time these teams square off this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Eichel has 19 goals and 45 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has seven goals and one assist over the last 10 games.

Drew O'Connor has 13 goals and eight assists for the Canucks. Teddy Blueger has five goals and one assist over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 3-5-2, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.8 assists, 2.3 penalties and 5.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game.

Canucks: 2-7-1, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.6 assists, 2.9 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.8 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.

Canucks: None listed.

___

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

Jonathan Drouin shifts to center as Islanders give their lines a major overhaul

Islanders left wing Jonathan Drouin skates with the puck in front of Capitals center Aliaksei Protas during the second period on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington.
Islanders left wing Jonathan Drouin skates with the puck in front of Capitals center Aliaksei Protas during the second period on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington.

WASHINGTON — The lethargic effort by the Islanders on Saturday night prompted a drastic change in their forward lines for Monday’s 4-1 loss against the Capitals.

Not only was Mathew Barzal shifted back to the wing and reunited with Bo Horvat for just the fourth time this season, but the second line featured Jonathan Drouin starting at center for the first time all year.

Islanders left wing Jonathan Drouin skates with the puck in front of Capitals center Aliaksei Protas during the second period on Monday in Washington. AP

Drouin skated between Emil Heineman and Simon Holmstrom, another combination the Islanders had never deployed together.

The only forward line that stayed untouched was the fourth line of Kyle MacLean, Casey Cizikas and Marc Gatcomb.

Anthony Duclair moved down to the third line with Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, while Ondrej Palat skated with Barzal and Horvat.

“I was pretty happy the way things went with the Horvat line [and] Drouin line,” Roy said after the game. “Even the Pageau and Cizikas [lines]. I thought we did a lot of good things, but unfortunately maybe not enough offensively to score more than one goal.”

The Islanders have been keeping the idea of Drouin playing in the middle in their back pockets for a while, having occasionally skated with him there when others missed practices.



Drouin has also frequently taken faceoffs, and took a 50.9 percent rate at the dots into Monday, when he went 4-for-11 on faceoffs.

Trying Heineman and Holmstrom, two Swedes who are close off the ice, together, could also help to spark Heineman, who has hit a bit of a wall lately.

“I like playing center,” Drouin, who has occasionally played the position in both the NHL and in juniors, said pregame. “You’re more free a little bit up the ice, you’re not stuck on the wall as a winger watching your defensemen. More free, a little more instinct.”


The revamped power-play units, with Matthew Schaefer, Barzal, Horvat, Holmstrom and Palat together on the top unit, produced an 0-for-2 night.


David Rittich stopped 20 of 23 shots in nets on the front end of the back-to-back, with Ilya Sorokin scheduled to play Tuesday against the Penguins at UBS Arena.

Islanders goaltender David Rittich clears the puck against Capitals left wing Anthony Beauvillier (left) during the second period. AP

Roy said goalie coach Sergei Naumovs made the decision.

“That was a tough one because Ilya was so good here in Washington at the beginning of the season,” Roy said. “Probably one of his better games. They’re both good teams, Washington and Pittsburgh. Sometimes you just go with what the goalie coach’s feeling is.”


Scott Mayfield fought Tom Wilson 1:47 into the third after Wilson hit Holmstrom near center ice.

Though the hit was legal, Mayfield called it “a little awkward, kind of high.”

Flames Rally Falls Short in 4–2 Defeat to Maple Leafs

The Calgary Flames delivered a spirited effort Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, but an early three-goal deficit proved too much to overcome as they fell 4–2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Calgary welcomed back rookie defenceman Zayne Parekh, who returned to the lineup after completing his AHL conditioning stint with the Calgary Wranglers. The game marked Parekh’s first NHL appearance since Nov. 7.

© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Toronto wasted no time opening the scoring. On the Maple Leafs’ first shot of the night, William Nylander broke in alone just over a minute into the game and snapped a glove-side shot past Dustin Wolf to give the visitors a 1–0 lead. The goal extended Nylander’s point streak against Calgary to 12 straight games.

Nylander continued to drive Toronto’s offence in the second period. After collecting the puck behind the net, he spotted Mattias Maccelli in the slot, who one-timed a shot past Wolf to make it 2–0. The Maple Leafs then sustained heavy pressure in the Flames’ zone, and Nylander struck again—this time finding former Flame Troy Stecher, who chipped the puck by Wolf to stretch the lead to three.

With the assist, Nylander recorded his 46th career three-point game, tying Doug Gilmour for eighth in franchise history.

© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Calgary finally found life midway through the period. Joel Farabee slipped a pass to Nazem Kadri at the side of the net, and Kadri picked his spot, roofing a shot over Joseph Woll to cut the deficit to 3–1. The goal was Kadri’s 10th of the season, continuing his strong production against his former club.

Kadri and Farabee teamed up again shortly after, this time with Kadri sending a hard saucer pass across the crease that Farabee redirected past Woll to pull the Flames within one.

The Flames pushed hard in the third period, generating several quality chances and ringing a shot off the post, but Woll held firm in the Toronto crease. With Wolf pulled for the extra attacker in the final minute, Bobby McMann sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal, securing the 4–2 win for the Maple Leafs.

© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Three Takeaways

1. Effort Was There, Finish Wasn’t

Calgary outshot and outhit Toronto, firing 30 shots on goal and generating enough looks to erase the deficit, but puck luck and timely saves never swung in their favour.

2. Coronato Continues to Impress

Matt Coronato was one of Calgary’s most dangerous forwards, leading all players with seven shots on goal while logging 19:27 of ice time.

3. Encouraging Return for Parekh

Zayne Parekh was trusted in late-game situations in his first NHL contest since early November. While there were moments of adjustment, his confidence with the puck, clean passing, and overall presence were noticeable signs in his return.

Canucks Remain Winless Against The Mammoth After 6-2 Loss In Utah

The Vancouver Canucks kicked off their road trip with a 6-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth. Vancouver's goal scorers on the night were Liam Öhgren and Teddy Blueger. As for Kevin Lankinen, he did not have a strong night as he stopped 14 of the 20 shots he faced in the game. 

Monday's game was the definition of lower energy from the Canucks. Outside of a few moments, Vancouver struggled to generate any form of offence, as they finished the night with 23 shots. Overall, it was a disappointing effort made worse by the fact that this game occurred during the annual moms' trip. 

Defensive issues were once again the story for the Canucks. Whether it was missed assignments or lost stick battles, Vancouver struggled in their own zone all night. The game also featured a hat trick as Nick Schmaltz buried his third of the night in the third period.

"I think defensively, we just weren't good enough," said Blueger post-game. "We weren't tight enough. We knew they liked the cross-seam plays, and then we gave up a bunch of chances early in the first period. Lanks made some big saves and then just kept doing that throughout the second, and they made us pay for it."

As for a storyline from this game, that would be the departure of Filip Chytil. He played 7:36 through two periods and was absent from the bench at the start of the third. Post-game, Head Coach Adam Foote said Chytil "tweaked something" while responding to being asked if it was a head injury with "I hope not".

Lastly, ice time will once again be a discussion point after Monday's game. Jonathan Lekkerimäki played just 12:03 and was the only player outside of Chytil to play under nine minutes at even strength. With the game out of hand after the second and the team in a rebuild, there is no reason why a player like Lekkerimäki should be stapled to the bench in the third period. 

Feb 2, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Liam Ohgren (92) follows through on a shot for a goal against Utah Mammoth defenseman Nick DeSimone (57) during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Feb 2, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Liam Ohgren (92) follows through on a shot for a goal against Utah Mammoth defenseman Nick DeSimone (57) during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Ultimately, there were not a lot of positive takeaways from Monday's loss. Outside of the Öhgren, Blueger and Conor Garland line, the Canucks looked flat all night and were making simple mistakes that should not be happening this late in the season. In the end, though, Monday was another victory for the tank as Vancouver once again added some separation from the rest of the league at the bottom of the standings.

Stats and Facts:

- Vancouver has given up 198 hat tricks in franchise history 

- Teddy Blueger scores his fifth goal in nine games this season

- The Canucks are now 0-4-1 all-time against the Mammoth

- Vancouver has given up 72 second-period goals this season

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

3:35- UTA: Nick Schmaltz (20) from John Marino and Barrett Hayton
7:04- VAN: Liam Öhgren (4) from Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger
7:37- UTA: Nick Schmaltz (21) from Sean Durzi

2nd Period:

8:45- UTA: Mikhail Sergachev (9) from Nick Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther
12:16- UTA: John Marino (5) from Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz
16:05- UTA: JJ Peterka (20) from Kailer Yamamoto and John Marino
18:48- VAN: Teddy Blueger (5) from Conor Garland and Marcus Pettersson

3rd Period:

12:22- UTA: Nick Schmaltz (22) from Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse

Up Next:

The Canucks play their final game before the 2026 Winter Olympics on Wednesday when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights. Last season, Vancouver failed to pick up a victory over Vegas in their four meetings. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. 

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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Ottawa 3 Pittsburgh 2: Giroux's Greasy Goal Gives Senators Fourth Straight Win

For the first time all season, the Ottawa Senators have put together four regulation victories in a row.

Claude Giroux’s disputed goal with under five minutes to play snapped a 2–2 draw and gave the Senators a 3–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday night.

Tim Stützle and Michael Amadio had the other Senators goals, while Drake Batherson had two points on the night, along with Stützle. Linus Ullmark made 14 saves for Ottawa, which outshot the Penguins 31–16.

But it will be the Giroux goal that everyone will be talking about around water coolers on Tuesday.

Giroux started the play deep in Ottawa’s end, causing a turnover and slipping the puck to Nick Jensen, who fed Batherson in stride. As Giroux sprinted up the middle, Batherson tried to feed Stützle with a saucer pass that got deflected into the air. Stützle swatted it down with a baseball swing and it ended up right on the tape of Giroux for a clean break to the net.

Former Senator Erik Karlsson got caught flat-footed on the play and hacked at Giroux in desperation a couple of times, sending the veteran sliding into goaltender Arturs Šilovs and the goalpost. Because of the contact with Šilovs, the puck slid across the goal line.

Officials initially ruled no goal and gave Karlsson a tripping penalty. But while Giroux was down on the ice, shaken up, officials reviewed the play and determined it was a good goal.

The only reason for officials to allow the goal was because it was Karlsson who caused the collision and was penalized for it. But for some reason, the Penguins still wanted to challenge for goalie interference, which everyone knew would would fail.

Egor Chinakhov led Pittsburgh with a goal and an assist and gave the Penguins a 1–0 lead midway through the first period. When Michael Amadio tied the game early in the second period, the celebration seemed uncommonly big. His linemates were fully aware that it was his first goal in 24 games, going back to mid-December.

Stützle made it 2–1 Ottawa less than seven minutes into the third period, finishing what his linemate started. After Penguins defenceman Ryan Shea turned the puck over at Ottawa’s blueline, Jordan Spence chipped it to Batherson for a breakaway. He didn’t score, but Stützle was right there behind him to tuck in his 26th goal of the season.

Two minutes later, Thomas Chabot lost position on Tommy Novak and, when a shot came from Shea at the right point, Novak jammed home the rebound. After Chabot left Saturday night’s game early and arrived at Monday’s practice late, he was described as a game-time decision, apparently dealing with a right hand or wrist issue.

That set the scene for Giroux’s big goal, greasy as it was, late in the third period.

Few players have ever been a bigger thorn in the side of the Penguins than Giroux. According to the NHL’s website, he now has 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) in 33 games in Pittsburgh. That’s the most points and assists by any visiting player.

The victory was another crucial one because the rest of the East can’t stop picking up points. Buffalo got two more on Monday, despite being outshot 41-20, handing Florida its fourth straight loss, 5-3.

So while the Sens are now two points clear of the two-time champs, they remain eight points behind the Sabres. Montreal lost in overtime to Minnesota, so the Canadiens’ lead on the Sens is cut to nine. The Leafs and Red Wings both got two points on Tuesday as well.

The Boston Bruins are now the target, the second wild card, seven points up on the Sens. The Bruins imploded in the Stadium Series game in Tampa on Sunday night, blowing a 5–1 lead and losing in overtime. 

To extend their streak, the Senators will have to find a way to win in Carolina on Tuesday, a place where they haven’t had much historical success at all, let alone in part two of a back-to-back situation.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

John Gibson Earns Fourth Shutout, Red Wings Hit Back With 2-0 Win Over Avalanche

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Following their dismal 5–0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit Red Wings team captain Dylan Larkin said he and his teammates intended to come to Denver for the rematch with something to prove.

The result on Monday evening was one of Detroit's gutsiest victories of the season, as they returned the favor against the Avalanche, shutting them out by a 2-0 final score at Ball Arena. 

It also marks Detroit's first regulation victory over the Avalanche since 2017 at Joe Louis Arena. 

The Red Wings found the back of the net right from the get-go, as Marco Kasper scored his sixth goal of the season just 33 seconds into the game after successfully converting a two-on-one rush with Lucas Raymond.

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With Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood pulled for an extra attacker late in the third period, Lucas Raymond sealed the victory by scoring into the vacated net for his 19th goal of the season. 

Kasper's early first-period goal was all the offense Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, who was pulled after 40 minutes on Saturday, needed to work with. He stopped all 21 shots the Avalanche fired his way, picking up his fourth shutout of the season. 

It's the most shutouts Gibson has posted in a season since he had four during the 2017-18 campaign, while still with the Anaheim Ducks. 

Detroit’s victory earned two crucial points in the standings, keeping them in second place in the Atlantic Division.

They trail the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning by just two points, while the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres remain uncomfortably close in the rearview mirror.

Detroit has just one game remaining on Wednesday evening before the schedule takes a multi-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Red Wings will make just their second-ever appearance at Delta Center in Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth; they won't play again until Feb. 26 against the Ottawa Senators. 

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Bedard & Celebrini Score, Blackhawks Beat Sharks 6-3

CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks ended the pre-Olympic break portion of their home schedule on Monday night with a match against the San Jose Sharks at the United Center. 

Coming into the game, the San Jose Sharks were the only NHL team that the Blackhawks had yet to play. For the next decade, Macklin Celebrini vs Connor Bedard will highlight this matchup, but there is a lot of talent on both sides. 

In the first period, Bedard kicked off the scoring with his 23rd of the season. This goal ended a 0-26 stretch on the power play that spanned multiple weeks. Bedard now has goals in three straight games. He is heating up after a slow return from his injury.

By the end of the period, the Blackhawks had a 1-0 lead and only allowed the San Jose Sharks one shot on goal. 

The second period was significantly more eventful. Connor Murphy, Ryan Donato, and Sam Rinzel scored three unanswered goals to make it 4-1. 

The Sharks eventually got one when Celebrini set up Will Smith with a beautiful pass through the goal crease. Less than one minute after, however, Ilya Mikheyev took the momentum right back when he made it 5-1. 

San Jose wouldn't go quietly into the night, however, as Celebrini scored a goal of his own to get the Sharks back within three. That 5-2 score held through the second intermission. 

In the third period, Shakir Mukhamadullin was set up for a nice backhand goal by former Blackhawks forward Philipp Kurashev. San Jose getting within two made them believe that they could get it tied. They tilted the ice in a big way during the third period. 

Despite their pure domination during the final frame, the Sharks had one bad play that led to Ryan Donato's second goal of the game (fourth point). The 6-3 score stood as the final in favor of the Blackhawks. 

A key role in the victory, despite all the goals and breaking through on the power play, was the penalty kill. 

San Jose went 0-4 with the man-advantage. They made some nice plays, but good sticks, solid positioning, top-notch instincts, and a few good saves by Spencer Knight allowed the Hawks to kill four straight penalties. They are up to 85.6%, which leads the league by over one full percent. 

This is a big win for the young Blackhawks. They are still pretty far below the playoff line, but after a handful of losses in a row, they needed a win for morale. There is a long break coming up, and they'd like to enter it feeling good about themselves. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Blackhawks are back in action on Wednesday night when they pay a visit to Ohio to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be Chicago's last game before they break for the Olympics. 

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Avalanche Suffer First Shutout Of The Season In 2-0 Loss To Red Wings

With only two more games left before the Olympic break, the Colorado Avalanche hoped to spark a win streak to end this first half of the season, with the 4-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings as a catalyst. Well, the exact opposite happened, and with the power play continuing to get worse each game, the Avalanche got a taste of their own medicine, being shut out at home, with a 2-0 loss.

Period 1:

The Red Wings don’t waste any time as they come out early with a 2-on-1 opportunity, and it's Lucas Raymond from Marco Kasper to open the scoring, 1-0. Mason Appleton gets called for delay of game as he sends the puck over the glass, and the Avalanche gets their first power play of the night.

Though their power-play struggles continue, this unit looks nowhere near as good as it did back in Detroit. The first period did not look great for the Avalanche, as they were outshot 8-5, with Detroit getting a lot of offensive zone time and the Avalanche not generating much.

Period 2:

The second period wasn’t any better for both teams as a whole. Sam Malinski is called for tripping, and Taylor Makar is called for hooking, but the Avalanche continue to do a good job on the penalty kill and negate both penalties.

The Red Wings were able to adjust as the period went on, the Avalanche werent able to, and it showed. Missed passes, shots going wide on the net, and MacKenzie Blackwood having to come up with big saves to keep it within a one-goal game. Come the end of the period, the Avalanche were outshot 15-4 in the period, matching a season low in shots in the second period.

Period 3:

Albert Johansson called for tripping, but the Avalanche just can’t get anything going on the man-advantage. Blackwood is doing everything he can to keep the Avalanche in the game, including robbing Andrew Copp on the doorstep, as it was set up with Alex DeBrincat getting away from Clae Makar across the boards.

Blackwood is pulled with 2:30 remaining in the period, and Reymond finds the empty net to close the game off at 2-0. With this loss, this is the first time the Avalanche have been shut out this season. For the Red Wings, this is their first regulation win against the Avalanche since March 18, 2017.

The Avalanche face the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, Feb 4, in their final game before the Olympic break.

Nathan MacKinnon Sparks Fury Among Red Wings FansNathan MacKinnon Sparks Fury Among Red Wings FansHow dare Nathan MacKinnon defend a teammate.
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Jason Zucker breaks 3rd-period tie in the Sabres' 5-3 win over the Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jason Zucker broke a tie on a power play at 5:31 of the third period and he Buffalo Sabres beat the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 5-3 on Monday night.

The Sabres have won six of seven and took over the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They hold a 10-point lead over the Panthers. Florida, which has lost four straight, trails Boston by nine for the final playoff position with 27 games remaining.

Peyton Krebs had a goal and an two assists for the Sabres. Tage Thompson, Zach Benson, and Josh Doan also scored for Buffalo, with Rasmus Dahlin had two assists. Alex Lyon, who has won 11 of his past 12 starts, made 38 saves.

Sandis Vilmanis, Evan Rodrigues, and Uvis Balinskis scored for Florida. Sergei Bobrovsky made 15 saves.

SENATORS 3, PENGUINS 2

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Claude Giroux scored with just over five minutes remaining in the third period and Ottawa beat Pittsburgh.

Giroux skated in on goal, was tripped by Erik Karlsson and went hard into the post. The net lifted off its moorings, but officials determined the puck crossed the line first at 14:52.

Giroux, a longtime Philadelphia Flyer, tied Alex Ovechkin for the most points against Pittsburgh by an active player. He has 23 goals and 78 points in 72 games against the Penguins.

Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle scored in his third straight game and Michael Amadio scored his first goal since Dec. 11 at Columbus. Stutzle has four goals in his last five games.

Linus Ullmark made 14 saves for the Senators, who won their fourth straight game. Ottawa has points in nine of its last 11 games overall. Ullmark joined Tony Esposito and Bob Froese as the only goalies in NHL history to win each of their first eight games against Pittsburgh.

Tommy Novak scored for Pittsburgh, and Egor Chinakhov added a goal and an assist. Chinakhov has seven goals in 16 games with Pittsburgh since he was traded from Columbus. Evgeni Malkin continued a six-game point streak with an assist.

CAPITALS 4, ISLANDERS 1

WASHINGTON (AP) — Martin Fehervary and Anthony Beauvillier scored 31 seconds apart in the second period, and Washington beat New York.

Clay Stevenson won his second straight game in goal for the Capitals, who pulled within two points of the Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Stevenson has been forced into action with Washington’s top two goalies — Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren — both injured.

This was Stevenson’s third NHL game.

Nic Dowd also scored for the Capitals in his 500th game with the franchise. John Carlson scored into an empty net with 2:25 to play on a shot that traveled almost the entire length of the ice.

New York led 1-0 after one period on a goal by Mathew Barzal. Tom Wilson’s errant pass from the corner in his own zone ended up on Barzal’s stick right in front of the net.

WILD 4, CANADIENS 3, OT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov scored his second goal of the game on a power play at 3:38 of overtime to give Minnesota a victory over Montreal.

Minnesota got the power play when Phillip Danault hooked Kaprizov in front of the goal. Kaprizov took a feed from Quinn Hughes and fired a shot past Jakub Dobes from the high slot for his 32nd goal of the season.

Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber also scored, and Hughes had three assists to reach 50 for the season. Filip Gustavsson made 17 saves.

Faber tied it at 3 at 7:05 of the third, racing onto the puck down the right side for a quick shot. Quinn assisted on the goal.

Hughes assisted on Kaprizov’s first goal to tie the Russian’s team-record assists streak at nine and push his franchise-record points streak for defenseman to nine. Kaprizov had assists in nine straight games in 2022-23.

PREDATORS 6, BLUES 5

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Steven Stamkos scored twice in the third period to help Nashville rally for a victory over St. Louis.

Ryan O’Reilly also scored twice and Michael McCarron and Filip Forsberg added goals for Nashville. The Predators scored five straight goals to erase a four-goal deficit and win their second straight.

Earlier Monday, Predators general manger Barry Trotz announced his impending retirement. Trotz, who succeeded inaugural general manager David Poile in July of 2023, will stay in the position until his successor can be hired.

Pavel Buchnevich scored twice and Jake Neighbours, Philip Broberg, and Colton Parayko also scored for St. Louis, losers of seven of eight. Joel Hofer made 22 saves, and Jorday Kyrou had three assists.

BLACKHAWKS 6, SHARKS 3

CHICAGO (AP) — Ryan Donato had two goals and two assists, and Chicago beat the San Jose.

Ilya Mikheyev added a goal and three assists in Chicago’s final home game before the Olympic break. Connor Bedard, Connor Murphy and Sam Rinzel also scored, and Spencer Knight made 25 saves.

The Blackhawks had lost five in a row. They improved to 3-6-2 in their last 11 games.

Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist for San Jose, which dropped to 1-2-1 on a five-game trip. Will Smith and Shakir Mukhamadullin also scored.

STARS 4, JETS 3, OT

DALLAS (AP) — Thomas Harley scored at 2:05 of overtime, and the Dallas Stars matched their longest winning streak of the season at five games with a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night.

The goal came moments after Jake Oettinger made a pad save on Mark Schiefele’s breakaway in a matchup of the top two goalies for Team USA in the second-to-last game before the break for the Milan Cortina Olympics. Oettinger and expected U.S. starter Connor Hellbuyck each stopped 24 shots.

Mikko Rantanen put Dallas ahead 3-2 with 7:43 left in regulation on a weaving play through two defenders, but Logan Stanley got the Jets even on a 6-on-5 goal with 1:43 to go.

Jason Robertson had his 199th career goal and team-leading 31st this season and Nils Lundkvist scored as the Stars won their 18th one-goal game, tying the New York Islanders for the NHL lead.

Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Perfetti had a goal and an assist apiece for the Jets, and Scheifele had two assists.

RED WINGS 2, AVALANCHE 0

DENVER (AP) — John Gibson stopped 21 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and Lucas Raymond scored and had his team-leading 41st assist as Detroit beat Colorado.

Gibson improved to 22-11-2 with his 28th career shutout, which was Colorado’s first since Feb. 4, 2025, ending a run of 87 consecutive games with at least a goal.

Detroit was 0-14-1 in its previous 15 games against Colorado entering Monday, including a 5-0 home loss two days earlier in which Gibson allowed four goals on 17 shots.

After being shut out on Sunday, the Red Wings scored 33 seconds into the first period, with Raymond finding a wide-open Marco Kasper on an odd-man rush.

It was the third time in the past nine games Kasper has scored after he was held without a goal in 44 of his previous 45 games. Prior to his assist, Raymond had gone three consecutive games without a point, his longest pointless stretch of the season.

Raymond scored his 19th goal of the season into an empty net with 30 seconds remaining.

MAMMOTH 6, CANUCKS 2

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nick Schmaltz had his second hat trick of the season and added two assists for a five-point game in Utah's victory over Vancouver.

Schmaltz had his third career NHL hat trick to push his season goals total to 22, one shy of his career high set with Arizona in 2021-22.

JJ Peterka scored his 20th of the season, John Marino had a goal and two assists and Mikhail Sergachev also scored to help Utah end a two-game losing streak. Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves.

Schmaltz scored twice in the first as Utah took a 2-1 lead. In the second, Sergachev connected on a power play and Marino and Peterka pushed the advantage to 5-1. Schmaltz completed the hat trick with 7:38 left in the third, scoring off a feed from Clayton Keller on a break.

Liam Ohgren and Teddy Blueger scored for Vancouver. Kevin Lankinen stopped 14 shots.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, FLAMES 2

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — William Nylander scored on a breakaway 35 seconds into the game and added two assists that helped Toronto beat Calgary.

Matias Maccelli and defenseman Troy Stecher also scored as the Maple Leafs won their second straight following a six-game losing streak. Toronto halted an 0-5-1 slide by winning 3-2 in a shootout Saturday at Vancouver.

Bobby McMann’s empty-net goal sealed it with 25 seconds remaining. Joseph Woll made 28 saves, improving to 5-0-0 against Calgary.

Toronto has won eight in a row versus the Flames, its longest active streak against any team.

Nazem Kadri and Joel Farabee each had a goal and an assist for the struggling Flames, who have dropped six of seven. They snapped a five-game skid (0-3-2) with a 3-2 victory Saturday against San Jose when Farabee scored a short-handed goal to break a third-period tie.

Dustin Wolf stopped 18 shots.

Takeaways: Penguins' Six-Game Win Streak Snapped By Senators In Lethargic Effort

Lately, it's been pretty easy to write serenades about the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have had their way with most of the teams they have played.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case on Monday.

The Ottawa Senators came to Pittsburgh and defeated the Penguins, 3-2, to snap the team's six-game win streak. Pittsburgh has now won just two of their last 11 games against the Senators, who didn't give them much to work with the entire game. 

Through two periods, the Penguins had just 10 shots on goal to the Senators' 23, and they never really found a way to get to the hard-forechecking and possession game that has made them so successful lately. Ottawa was shutting them down in the neutral zone, and the Penguins had a hard time breaking out of their own zone. 

"They jammed it up in the middle," forward Noel Acciari said. "We struggled getting out of our zone and getting in their zone. And the simple play was, tonight, just get it behind them and try and forecheck. But, it wasn't our best tonight.

"Ten shots over two periods is not going to win games, but we know we've got better, and it's a quick turnaround for tomorrow."

Out of the gate, the Penguins were pretty lethargic, and they were outworked from the jump. However, that didn't stop Evgeni Malkin from, once again, connecting with fellow Russian Egor Chinakhov, who was breaking through the slot. Chinakhov finished the play for his 10th of the season and seventh goal as a Penguin to put Pittsburgh in front, 1-0, early on. 

But, from there, the Penguins ran into some penalty trouble - which threw off their game - and the Senators pretty muc controlled all the momentum despite the goal. Michael Amadio tied the game from the slot just a minute and a half into the second period, and - miraculously - the score remained that way until the third because of the work of Penguins' goaltender Arturs Silovs, who was outstanding throughout this game. 

With a little more than 13 minutes to go in regulation, a bad change by defenseman Erik Karlsson led to a breakaway opportunity for Tim Stutzle, who capitalized for his 26th of the season to put Ottawa on top, 2-1. Two minutes later, Tommy Novak tied things up with a garbage goal at the net front, and the Penguins were still hanging on.

However - with just over five to go - Claude Giroux received a pass from Stutzle and crashed into the Silovs as Silovs stopped the initial shot attempt. However, the puck trickled into the net in the aftermath, and it was called a good goal on the ice. The Penguins challenged for goaltender interference on the play, but they lost the challenge and ultimately lost the game, 3-2. 

Silovs - who stopped 28 of 31 shots on the evening - did not agree with the ruling.

"I don't know. For me, it doesn't make sense," Silovs said. "He came in, I stopped the puck, and then the second... he goes like 25 miles [per hour] going down. Like, what do you expect me to do? I don't understand how they think, whether they're protecting players or not, especially for goalies... I don't understand this rule.

"Like, what's the position there? I would understand if it goes straightaway in, then I would agree with the call. But, it's a second effort, so I don't really agree with the call."

'Every Line's Able To Bring Some Offense': Penguins' Quick-Strike Offense Key To Success This Season'Every Line's Able To Bring Some Offense': Penguins' Quick-Strike Offense Key To Success This SeasonThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winning a lot of hockey games this season - and it starts with the team's ability to keep piling on offense

Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this 3-2 loss:

- Honestly? There's not really much to say about this one. This is a bad matchup for the Penguins, and this team just has their number. They were never, at any point, the better team in this game, and it showed in the end result. 

And, honestly? The end result indicated a closer game than it actually was. 

Look, losing this one isn't the end of the world. Maybe this opinion is unpopular, but when you win a lot of hockey games, a team almost earns the luxury of having a dud here and there. It's been happening frequently lately to the best team in the league in the Colorado Avalanche, as they have lost three of their last eight games by a score of 7-3 against the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, and Montreal Canadiens.

This is one that you lock away in a box and leave. The Penguins need their best Tuesday against the New York Islanders - who lost to the Washington Capitals, 4-1, on Monday - and I expect a response, especially after seeing how much head coach Dan Muse was seething after the game. 

How Three Key Free-Agent Additions Are Paying Huge Dividends For The Penguins How Three Key Free-Agent Additions Are Paying Huge Dividends For The Penguins The Penguins were busy in free agency over the summer, and three of the players they brought in have been fantastic.

- Silovs was truly magnificent in this game, and I think it was one of his best as a Penguin.

He made a ton of key saves early, and throughout the year, the early parts of games is where he has struggled the most. But he was dialed in all night long, and he was the only reason this game was as close as it was. 

His teammates owe him a very fancy steak dinner after this one.

- Chinakhov continues to make me wonder what the Columbus Blue Jackets were thinking. This guy just has such great instincts on top of having a 99th percentile shot in this league.

And, if I'm the Penguins, he's out there in six-on-five situations and on the first power play unit. There's no sense in not having the guy with the best shot on your team - and some of the best offensive instincts - out there in almost every key offensive situation. 

What a player this guy has been for the Penguins and for Malkin. 

- Speaking of the power play, it was another rough one for them, even if they only got one opportunity in the latter half of the third period. It's just one of its last 16, and there isn't really anything going right on that unit right now. 

A switch-up in personnel may be in order, but honestly? I just think it comes down to more player movement and quicker, more decisive puck movement. The Penguins are also overpassing right now and not getting nearly enough pucks - or bodies - to the net. 

Revisiting The Top-Five Moments Of The 2016 Stanley Cup Championship RunRevisiting The Top-Five Moments Of The 2016 Stanley Cup Championship RunPrior to their game on Saturday against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">New York Rangers</a>, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> celebrated their 2016 Stanley Cup champion team, as 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the championship run.

- This was a disaster of a game for every Penguin not named Silovs in general, but boy, was this a dud from Karlsson.

Karlsson has been one of the Penguins' best players all season long, but he struggles against his former team. He doesn't not have a goal against the Senators in his career, and he is a minus-5 - which doesn't account for that bad change. 

Not a good game from the blue line in general, but he stood out in particular. 

- The top line is not functioning well for the Penguins right now. This four-game stretch for Sidney Crosby has been rough - he has just one point in the last four games - and without Bryan Rust, they haven't been able to generate anything, as Justin Brazeau doesn't look like a fit there. 

If Rust wasn't returning Tuesday, I think a look for Rutger McGroarty with Crosby and Rickard Rakell would be warranted. But, with Rust set to return against the Isles, it's probably a moot point. 

Still, even with Rust in the fold before his suspension, something has been off. It's nice that the Penguins are getting secondary scoring, but at some point, the top line needs to produce at its customary rate again if the Penguins want to continue winning down the stretch run of the season.

Erik Karlsson Hits Career Milestone On SaturdayErik Karlsson Hits Career Milestone On SaturdayErik Karlsson notched his 700th assist during Saturday's game.

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Nashville Predators tie franchise record for largest comeback in victory over Blues | Recap

After falling into a 5-1 hole in the second period, the Nashville Predators scored five unanswered goals for a miraculous comeback victory over the St. Louis Blues, 6-5 on Monday at Bridgestone Arena. 

It ties the franchise record for the largest comeback in the game, four goals, set in a 7-5 win over the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 21, 2025, when Nashville also came back after going down 5-1. 

Steven Stamkos scored the game-tying and game-winning goal in the third period. 

The Predators were down by just a goal at the end of the first period, with Ryan O'Reilly recording his first tally of the night on the power play.

However, in the first four minutes of the second period, the Blues scored three unanswered goals, two of which came just 30 seconds apart.

The early second-period barrage saw the Predators pull Juuse Saros for Justus Annunen after Saros allowed five goals on 21 shots. 

The Predators began to turn things around near the end of the second as Michael McCarron and Filip Forsberg scored to make it a two-goal game. Forsberg now has four goals in three games. 

In the third, O'Reilly netted his second of the night to cut the Blues' lead down to a goal. Stamkos took over, scoring twice to tie the game and give the Predators the lead. The second goal was his ninth game-winning goal of the season. 

While they didn't score, Roman Josi had four assists and Luke Evangelista had three assists. Josi is riding a red-hot scoring streak, with 37 points in 42 games. 

Nashville was able to hang on for the final 10 minutes of the game for its 17th comeback win of the season. The Predators improve to 26-23-6 on the year and steal two points for 58 on the season. 

This story will be updated.