BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 17: Michael Grier #25 of the Buffalo Sabres is stopped on a third period scoring chance by Tuukka Rask #40 and Matt Hunwick #48 of the Boston Bruins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HSBC Arena on April 17, 2010 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
With Tuesday night’s win over the New Jersey Devils, the Bruins clinched the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and set up a first-round match-up with the Buffalo Sabres.
After missing the playoffs for 382 years, the Sabres won the Atlantic Division with either 108 or 110 points, depending on how their last game of the season shakes out.
Buffalo will close out their regular season tonight against the Dallas Stars in a game that means absolutely nothing to either side, so it should be a real barn-burner.
The match-up will be a meaningful won for some segments of the Sabres fanbase, as the Bruins were a boogeyman of sorts for Buffalo for the better part of a decade.
Some very wise, excellent, good person wrote a post for this site a while back about how the Bruins essentially broke the Buffalo organization back in 2011, sparking a downward spiral that continued until just about this season.
It’s kind of fitting, then, that Buffalo will have to go through the Bruins to continue what has been a pretty remarkable story to this point.
The Bruins and Sabres last squared off in the playoffs in 2010, a first-round series that the Bruins won, 4-2.
Buffalo was the higher seed in that series and took a 1-0 series lead, only for the Bruins to win three games in a row then hold off Buffalo in Game 6.
That series was notable for a variety of reasons, from Tuukka Rask’s Superman save on Mike Grier to Johnny Boychuk tomahawking Thomas Vanek to Miroslav Satan’s 2OT heroics.
(The best part of this is that while all of these occurred just yesterday to me, many of you will read that sentence like it’s from some ancient Sumerian papyrus.)
The best highlight from that series will be obvious to those of you who have been around here long enough:
Big Money Wides at his best.
If you want to tie that series to the present day, there are a couple of interesting threads with the current coaches of the Bruins and Sabres.
Lindy Ruff was the Sabres coach then, just like he is today. He had a few other gigs between then and now, but he’s back behind the Buffalo bench.
Marco Sturm was playing on Patrice Bergeron’s wing for the Bruins during that series, though he went pointless in six games, so it might not be his happiest memory.
This season, the Bruins took three out of four from Buffalo, with two of those games going beyond regulation.
It’s worth pointing out that two of those four games (two Bruins wins) came back in October, before the Sabres figured it out and went on their big run.
We’ll keep you posted as a schedule gets released, but I’d imagine this series won’t start until Saturday or Sunday.
Apr 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New Jersey Devils goalie Nico Daws (50) looks on as defenseman Simon Nemec (17) and Boston Bruins forward James hagen (44) go after the puck during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
The season, mercifully, is over. This mess of a campaign ends with a 4-0 loss to the Bruins. The Devils end the season with 87 points and a 42-37-3 record. [Devils NHL]
Nico reacting to this disappointing season: [Devils NHL]
“Fitzgerald wasn’t the worst GM you could have. There are worse; just look at the Vancouver Canucks or Rangers. Though he’s no longer the Devils’ GM, Fitzgerald did some good things in his time leading the front office. Unfortunately, the cons outweighed the pros. Let’s look back on his best and worst moves as Devils GM as the organization prepares to move into a new era.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“Examining what John Chayka may bring as a possible candidate to take over the New Jersey Devils’ now-vacant General Manager position.” [Devils’ Advocates]
Hockey Links
“‘The Great 8’ skated off into the great unknown Tuesday. Alex Ovechkin insisted again that he’s unsure what the future holds for him following the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their season finale at Nationwide Arena. But the 40-year-old left wing seemed to leave the door open that this wasn’t the end of his NHL career.” [NHL.com]
Jonathan Quick is retiring:
After 19 NHL seasons between the Kings, Golden Knights and Rangers, three-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Jonathan Quick is retiring at the end of the 2025-26 season. pic.twitter.com/bZxd4G77pw
“Columbus Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness questioned his players’ commitment to winning after an uninspired season-ending loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.” [ESPN]
“Before we turn the page to the playoffs for some teams and the offseason for others at the end of next week, The Athletic asked its NHL staff for the player who provided the very best on a nightly basis (our 2025-26 MVPs) and the player who emerged as most disappointing on each team this season. Here’s who our writers picked.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 14: St. Louis Blues left wing Dylan Holloway (81) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) battle for the puck during an NHL game where the St. Louis Blues hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday April 14th, 2026, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis MO (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins closed the regular season on Tuesday night with a wild 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. It was more or less an exhibition game for the Penguins, who iced a lineup of primarily depth players and had nothing to gain or lose in the result. However, it still provided an opportunity for participants to showcase their skills to the coaching staff as the grind of the Stanley Cup playoffs approaches. [Recap]
Penguins rookie defenseman Jake Livanavage, who was just signed to an entry-level contract on April 10, made his NHL debut with the team on Tuesday night, creating a full-circle moment after growing up as a fan and once holding a sign hoping to meet captain Sidney Crosby. [Penguins]
The Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers are set to renew their longstanding cross-state feud in the first round of the playoffs, with players embracing the bad blood and intensity that comes with one of the league’s best rivalries. [Trib Live]
As the Penguins start to turn their attention to key players on the Flyers’ roster, you can, too. Take a closer look at Philly goaltender Dan Vladar and his journey from inconsistent backup to key starter, becoming one of the team’s most important offseason additions. [PensBurgh]
News and notes from around the NHL…
NHL save percentages have dropped to their lowest level in roughly 30 years, driven by smarter, more skilled shooters, leading to higher-quality scoring chances. The growing belief is that modern offenses are outpacing goaltending systems that have become more predictable and position-based. [Sportsnet]
Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz will be out for the first two games of his team’s playoff series against the Minnesota Wild with a lower-body injury. [Sportsnet]
Alex Ovechkin recorded an assist in what could have been his last NHL game, helping his Washington Capitals defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Tuesday. The Capitals say they will continue to support Ovechkin as he weighs his future heading into the summer. [NHL]
The Utah Mammoth took care of business Tuesday night—and got the help they needed elsewhere—to officially secure the top wild card position in the Western Conference.
Utah’s 5–3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, paired with the Anaheim Ducks’ regulation loss to the Minnesota Wild, sealed the outcome. With the result, the Mammoth not only punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but also ensured they will avoid a first-round matchup with the Colorado Avalanche. Instead, Utah will face the eventual Pacific Division champion when the postseason begins.
Mammoth Lean on Speed, Structure to Clinch Playoff Position
While the final scoreline suggested a competitive contest, Utah dictated much of the play. The Mammoth outshot Winnipeg 36–24 and controlled the tempo through sustained offensive-zone pressure, quick puck movement, and active involvement from their defensemen.
Their power play once again proved to be a difference-maker, converting twice on five opportunities. Crisp puck movement and decisive execution allowed Utah to break down Winnipeg’s defensive structure, with Nick Schmaltz playing a central role in both goals.
“We’re a better team when we move the puck quickly and use our speed and catch them off guard a little bit,” Schmaltz told NHL.com. “When we try to drag it back, and teams get set, it’s hard to beat all five guys.”
“So, we need to move the puck up quick in transition and use our speed. We’re pretty difficult to play against.”
Despite allowing the Jets to claw back within one goal late, Utah maintained its composure. Head coach Andre Tourigny acknowledged the game wasn’t flawless but emphasized his team’s ability to respond under pressure.
“There are two parts to it,” Head coach Andre Tourigny explained. “For one, we made it tougher than we should have. But when push came to shove and when it was tight, we played solid.”
“No, we didn’t give much; we were stingy. Even when they had a shift around four minutes, they had the puck in our zone a lot, but nothing other than that. The guys were rock solid.”
That resilience ultimately defined the night. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but it was a mature one—reflective of a team that understands what’s required this time of year.
With their postseason position secured, attention now turns to Utah’s first-round opponent. The Mammoth will face the Pacific Division champion, a race that remains undecided heading into the final days of the regular season.
The Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers are the only teams still in contention. Vegas controls its own destiny and needs just a single point in its remaining game against the Seattle Kraken to clinch the division. Should the Golden Knights fall in regulation and the Oilers defeat the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton would leapfrog Vegas by virtue of the tiebreaker—holding more regulation wins.
If both teams falter, however, Vegas would still emerge atop the division based on its current points advantage.
For Utah, the opponent remains uncertain—but the objective is not. After navigating a tightly contested stretch run, the Mammoth enter the playoffs with momentum, structure, and a clear identity at the most critical time of the season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets got a big bump after changing coaches to Rick Bowness, but a slump down the stretch cost them a playoff berth.
And Bowness was furious, ripping into the team after a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals in the season finale on Tuesday, April 14.
"All you have to do is look at the stat sheet," Bowness said. "Three hits and 23 giveaways. I don't know if I'm back, but if I'm back I'm changing this culture. These guys, they don't care. Losing is not important enough to them. It doesn't bother them. How can you go out and play like that? This is why we're out of the playoffs. That kind of effort."
The Blue Jackets went 21-11-5 after Bowness replaced fired Dean Evason on Jan. 12, but it happened in two stretches. There was a 10-1 run heading into the Olympics and a 2-8-1 slide down the stretch.
An emotional and angry Rick Bowness goes OFF on his #CBJ team after their 2-8-1 finish to the season: “These guys, they don’t care. Losing is not important enough to them … If I’m back, we’re changing this freaking culture.” pic.twitter.com/ZjBpaxhmPB
"We talked about it after the Olympic break," he said. "It's going to get tough. It's going to get hard. So everything is going good when it's going their way and now it gets tough, we don't want to battle back."
Bowness was hired through the end of the season with the plan to talk to general manager Don Waddell after the season about whether he'll return. He said he will change the "freaking culture" if he does.
"Some of those guys are so lucky the season is over and there's no practice tomorrow," he said.
Tuesday's game was meaningless because the Blue Jackets were eliminated on April 14. It was their sixth consecutive loss at home and their sixth season out of the playoffs.
"It's terrible and inexcusable," he said. "If they're not embarrassed by not only tonight, but that, they're on the wrong team."
The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their 2025-26 home schedule with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings. DeBrusk scored twice, including the overtime winner, while Zeev Buium and defenceman Elias Pettersson also found the back of the net. As for Kevin Lankinen, he was solid in net as he stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced.
Vancouver rewarded the home crowd on Fan Appreciation Night as they picked up just their ninth victory at Rogers Arena this season. Overall, the game featured some excitement and ended with a special moment as the entire Canucks team shook Anže Kopitar's hand for the final time in his NHL career. In what has been a frustrating and disappointing campaign, Tuesday's victory was a hard-fought victory that also extended Vancouver's current win streak to three games.
"Well, I'm glad the fans saw a great game," said Adam Foote post-game. "But you know, we just went out, the guys are feeling good about themselves and playing as a team. As you saw again, fighting for each other. You know that was a big game for LA to get, trying to get the home ice and potentially not play, you know who. Well, you guys saw what I liked."
As for DeBrusk, he spoke about the challenges at home this season, saying, "It's been a tough go, especially for the fans. I think that the biggest thing I've noticed is how seats are still pretty much packed, and it's a good crowd every single night. So, you know, it's a small consolation, but especially on fan appreciation night. Guys are talking about it. It is on our minds. And obviously it went the distance, so it was nice to get that one and hear the crowd for the last time this year.
The Canucks were able to skate away with a win largely thanks to Lankinen's play. He stopped all 13 of 15 shots he faced in the second before going a perfect 15-for-15 in the third. With the win, Lankinen also pushes his personal win streak to three games as he picked up his 91st career victory.
One player who deserves some praise for his performance is Aatu Räty. The 23-year-old was dominant in the faceoff dot, as he went 17 for 21 on the night. Räty's ability to win draws virtually anywhere ice has become a useful skill that should help him secure a full-time spot next season.
In the end, Tuesday was a successful night for the organization. The victory featured some impressive performances from young players as well as a rare win at Rogers Arena. Tuesday was also another example of the new culture within the group, as players continued to stand up for one another.
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) scores on Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper (35) as forward Jake DeBrusk (74) battles with defenseman Brian Dumoulin (2) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Filip Hronek wins 2025-26 Cyclone Taylor Trophy
Filip Hronek wins 2025-26 Walter (Babe) Pratt Trophy
Zeev Buium wins 2025-26 Pavel Bure Award
Drew O'Connor wins 2025-26 Fred J. Hume Award
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
9:21- VAN: Elias Pettersson (3) from Kirill Kudryavtsev and Marco Rossi 17:15- LAK: Quinton Byfield (23) from Alex Laferriere and Trevor Moore
2nd Period:
00:52- VAN: Jake DeBrusk (22) from Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek (PPG) 1:04- LAK: Adrian Kempe (36) from Anže Kopitar and Artemi Panarin 2:17- LAK: Alex Laferriere (21) from Drew Doughty and Quinton Byfield 9:20- VAN: Zeev Buium (6) from Nils Höglander and Elias Pettersson
3rd Period:
No Scoring
Overtime:
2:58- VAN: Jake DeBrusk (23) from Elias Pettersson and Tom Willander
Up Next:
The Canucks will wrap up their season on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. This season, Vancouver has beaten Edmonton just once in three attempts. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 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.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Jake DeBrusk scored his second goal of the game in overtime and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on Tuesday night.
DeBrusk collected a pass from center Elias Pettersson and tapped a shot in to seal the victory 2:58 into the extra period.
Defenseman Elias Pettersson opened the scoring for the Canucks (25-48-8), and DeBrusk and Zeev Buium added goals in the second period. Elias Pettersson had two assists. The Canucks won their third straight game for the first time since Dec. 14-20, when they took four straight road victories.
Kevin Lankinen stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced as Vancouver improved to 9-27-5 on home ice this season.
Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each had a goal and an assist for the Kings (35-26-20). Adrian Kempe scored his 36th of the season and Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves.
DeBrusk scored for a third straight game. His three goals across the stretch came on the power play. The 29-year-old winger has scored 19 of his 23 goals with the man advantage this season.
Anze Kopitar played his final game at Rogers Arena and registered an assist on Kempe’s second-period goal. He has 864 career assists, all with L.A. That ranks third among active players with a single franchise, trailing only the Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin (874) and Sidney Crosby (1,107).
The Kings have secured a playoff berth and remain in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot with one regular-season game remaining.
The Kings had their five-game winning streak halted. Los Angeles did earn a point for the eighth straight game (6-0-2).
The Los Angeles Kings (35-26-20) come up short against the Vancouver Canucks (25-48-8) after giving everything they had on the road; the home team capitalizes in overtime to stun the Kings' hopes of capturing home-ice advantage in the postseason.
LA was fighting all night in this game from start to finish, trying to bury the Canucks, who had nothing to play for, but defensive lapses, struggles to win key faceoffs, and poor defensive zone coverage cost the Kings a 4-3 overtime loss.
The game began with Vancouver taking an early advantage in the first period. At the 10:39 mark, the Canucks converted on the left point, beating Darcy Kuemper to give the Canucks the 1-0 lead.
Vancouver got away with a moving screen up high, but the call would stand; Canucks up 1-0.
It was just the second time in the last five games that LA has given up a goal in the first period. In the midst of the King's five-game winning streak, defense has been its greatest strength, but they got off to a slow start.
The Kings looked too comfortable out there after officially clinching a playoff spot on Monday; they didn't look as motivated to get off to a good start, which allowed Vancouver to get on the board quickly.
At one point, the Kings went 15 minutes without even generating a shot on goal. And that shot on goal that ended LA's drought was a goal in transition with Alex Laferriere leading the 2-on-2 rush to find Quinton Byfield for the goal, tying the scoreboard 1-1.
LAK Goal - 23 for 55!
Byfield ties a career high with his 23rd of the season. Red hot down the stretch. Great dish by Laferriere to set it up. 1-1
Byfield continues his red-hot scoring down the stretch of the final games of the season, heading into the playoffs. The first period was a pretty even match, despite LA's slow start. The Kings did a good job tying the game after 20 minutes.
We entered the second period, where the offense would go red-hot for the Kings. After the Canucks converted on their power play goal to retake the lead 2-1 off a face-off win, it looked like the Kings were on upset alert.
But, in a span of nearly a minute and a half, Los Angeles scored two goals to take their first lead of the game, 3-2. Nearly 12 seconds after Vancouver scored, Adrian Kempe scored the goal to tie the game at two.
Kempe did a good job drawing Vancouver's defenders away from him after passing the puck to Anze Kopitar. Kempe got the puck back alone in the slot and beat Vancouver's goaltender to even up the game.
LAK Goal - What a response!
Kempe scores 12 seconds after the Vancouver PPG to tie the game at two. Decent response time. 2-2.
Over a minute later, Drew Doughty's point shot was kicked in by Alex Laferriere on the rebound shot, giving LA the 3-2 advantage. After the Canucks took a one-goal lead, they took a brief defensive break, which led to those two quick goals by the Kings.
LAK Goal - There's that line again!
Doughty's point shot is kicked out by Lankinen and Laferriere buries the rebound. 3-2 Kings.
Credit to Los Angeles for quickly amping it up after going down by one goal; they found a way to take a one-goal lead in a span of a minute.
LA's biggest problem, though, was its defense and faceoff wins. Vancouver was winning key faceoffs that led to goals, and the Kings' zone defense was terrible in the second period.
After a broken stick, LA lost track of the puck and the defender, allowing Vancouver to take advantage and score an easy shot in the slot, tying the score at 3-3. The Kings were not engaged at all in this game, especially defensively; there were too many lapses and errors that we haven't seen in a while, certainly not in the winning streak.
Both teams were careless, turning the puck over in the second period, and had several chances to score on fast-break transitions, but couldn't capitalize. Just like the first period, the second ended with the game tied 3-3.
LA had 15 shots in the second period after a measly four in the opening period, scoring two goals, but the defense and faceoffs struggled, giving up two goals and keeping Vancouver in the game.
We entered the third period, and both teams were sluggish offensively, combining for four shots in the first seven minutes of the final frame. It was one of the quieter periods that the Kings have played this season; nothing was going their way offensively.
Whichever team didn't make any mistakes and cleaned up their errors on offense was going to steal this game in the final minutes of regulation. The Canucks had nothing to lose here, while the Kings need this game.
It would stay that way, forcing the game into overtime. It was the first time LA had gone to extra periods in over a week.
In extra periods, Vancouver would call the game with under two minutes left, with nice puck movement to get an open look and score the game-winner, upsetting the Kings.
Key Takeaways
Big missed opportunity for the Kings in tonight's loss to the Canucks. Despite earning a point and tying Anaheim for the three seed, the Kings could have earned two points; instead, they remained with 90 points. If LA earned two points today, they would've been in a clear position to gain home-ice advantage in the first round after Anaheim lost on Tuesday.
Now, it looks like the Kings' first-round matchup will be against the Colorado Avalanche if Edmonton and Anaheim win their final game, leaving LA at the second wild-card spot.
Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere both had a very good night on offense tonight, each recording one goal, one assist, and two points.
Darcy Kuemper got his first start under the crease for the first time since April 4th. Kuemper was solid, finishing with 21 saves on 25 shots and making a couple of huge saves in the final period, but once again couldn't come up clutch when the game went to overtime.
The Kings will have everything to play for in their last game of the season on Thursday against the Calgary Flames at 6:00 PM PT.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 14: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha (39) shots the puck past St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) for a goal during an NHL game where the St. Louis Blues hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday April 14th, 2026, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis MO (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Pregame
It’s a very Game 82 lineup for the Penguins; there’s no Crosby, Malkin, Rust, Chinakhov, Rakell, Karlsson, Letang, Wotherspoon or Girard as all the top-6 forward/top-4 defenders set their sights on the playoffs. Recent signee Jake Livanavage makes his NHL debut and Rafael Harvey-Pinard makes his Penguin debut after toiling away all season in the AHL.
The Blues are on their front foot for most of the first half of the period, taking control of the puck for the majority of the time but the Penguins weather that storm.
Rutger McGroarty gets the scoring started almost out of no where when an offensive draw by Kevin Hayes pops over to him and McGroarty quickly fires the puck by Jordan Binnington. 1-0 Penguins.
St. Louis gets the first power play of the game, right as it’s ending Avery Hayes pressures Logan Mailloux at the blueline and wins the puck away. Hayes is off to the races and snipes Binnington’s glove side to extend the lead to 2-0 on what offiically goes into the books as an even strength goal but really got started as a shorthanded play.
St. Louis was about to breakout on up to a 3-on-1 rush but Oskar Sundqvist can’t get the puck past Kevin Hayes. Hayes stretches to just barely keep the play onside and quickly moves it down to Anthony Mantha with the Blues out of sorts. Mantha adds to his career-high in goals with number 33 by blowing a shot by Binnington’s blocker. 3-0.
The Blues get on the board courtesy of Ilya Solovyov and Ryan Graves crossing their wires. Graves goes behind the net to make himself available as an option but the puck rolls off Solovyov’s blade to the middle of the ice. That’s trouble, a quick pass finds Jimmy Snuggerud wide open and he fires one by Stuart Skinner to bring the score to 3-1.
Good start for the Pens and the unrelated Hayes boys. Kevin nabs two primary assists, Avery scores a goal to help Pittsburgh to an early 3-1 lead after 20 minutes.
Second period
Elmer Soderblom with a power move for the ages. Ben Kindel gives the big guy a good pass and then he drives to the net with authority wearing the 6’1”, 204 pound defender Tyler Tucker like a cape. While that was happening, Soderblom managed to pull the puck through Michael Kesselring and around Binnington and slam it into the net. Wow. 4-1 Pens lead.
Sundqvist gets on the board to bring the Blues back to within two goals. Livanavage gets turned around and didn’t protect the middle of the ice on Alexey Torpochenko’s shot, Jack St. Ivany was shading over to help cover and Sundqvist was unmarked for the followup. Nothing egregious but certainly a ‘welcome to the NHL’ moment.
The goalfest continues and the Blues get within one goal. The Pens get running around on their defensive coverages a little bit and a fortunate St. Louis bounce has the puck end up on Mailloux’s stick. He wheels to the left, steps into space and shoots it in. 4-3.
The game gets pretty heated considering the non-existent skates, the Pens get a power play after Harvey-Pinard got mauled in front of the net. No dice. Later another post-whistle scrum puts Mantha in the penalty box and this time the Blues score on it to tie the game. Snuggerud nets his second of the night from right in front. 4-4 game.
Well, once down 3-0 and then 4-1, the Blues weren’t packing it up early by any means at home. They claw back to tie the game back up heading into the third period.
Third period
Arturs Silovs takes over at the start of the third. He makes a couple of nice saves then gives up a goal within five minutes. The play breaks down and Livanavage can’t step up to block a shot from Dylan Holloway. 5-4 Blues in front for the first time.
The collapse for the Pens continues, Binnington starts a breakout that catches Solovyov and Graves waaaay too wide when Graves makes a false step forward to pressure a guy he wouldn’t have got to if he had three more seconds. Pavel Buchnevich is the receipent with a breakaway and his shot hits the mark to the top corner of Silovs’ blocker. 6-4.
Dan Muse uses his timeout to settle things down and shout at his team a little, but it looks like that horse has already left the barn and cleared the field at this point.
The Pens get a power play, Avery Hayes scores just after it ends after a great individual effort that sees him get a zone entry, shot, and follows up on the rebound to knock it in off Binnington. 6-5 game.
Pittsburgh pulls the goalie to try and tie it up, doesn’t work when Holloway ices the game on an empty net goal with 1:43 to go and set the score at 7-5.
Some thoughts
Overall a fine debut from the youngster Livanavage to jump from college to the big time. He got a two-year entry level contract starting in 2025-26, so the first year was going away regardless but it was good to see him get a game in the big league. The scouting report was pretty accurate: he’s a great skater that can do a lot with puck retrievals. He’s very small (officially listed at 5’10, which must have been the same measuring tape that said 5’8 Max Talbot was 5’10). He made a few plays that show a nice defensive mindset going to tie up sticks of opponents on the backside of the play with a few choppy moments that are bound to happen along the way. Naturally he showed needing the learning curve that he can’t always hold pucks and skate out of danger in the top league and let the passing change the point of attack quicker than his legs, nothing unexpected. It’ll be interesting to see just how much he’ll be in the mix for an NHL lineup spot next preseason. One would think Livanavage still probably has some time in Wilkes-Barre in his future but this probably won’t be his only NHL appearance given the skillset.
This might be the end of the line for Kevin Hayes, great to see his perseverance rewarded with a couple of assists against one of his former teams. He handled this season impeccably despite what had to be the frustrations of barely getting to play.
Liked to see McGroarty score and noticed he was with the first group of some regular penalty killers (Acciari, Shea and Clifton). McGroarty’s immediate path ahead looks like a lower line winger, adding some PK work to his portfolio could be big for his progression as he aims to find a full-time NHL niche. Much of the same applies for Avery Hayes, who made a bigger impact with the short-handed group tonight. The overall game was meaningless for the team but these kinds of individual opportunities won’t be forgotten moving forward with how coaches and management see what happens with players like this getting some chances they otherwise wouldn’t.
Not to be outdone, Soderblom left a reminder that he’s going to be in the picture and take up a lot of room somewhere on the bottom lines next season too. It’s almost sacrilege to describe a goal as Lemieux-esque but the thought came to mind if only for a big guy paying no mind to a defender all over him and making a nice move to score. Someone like Chinakhov really set the bar high on impressive debuts as a castoff trade but Soderblom’s 5G+5A in 20 games from a low minute role exceeded expectations in a major way.
Loopy after midnight thought: gotta wonder if anyone in NHL history has ever scored two goals in the same game that came within five seconds of a PK ending AND five seconds after a power play ends like Avery Hayes did today.
Felt sorry Stuart Skinner had to be in there for this game, Silovs too for that matter. Not much the goalies could do on a lot of it with the breakdowns in front of a substandard defensive team. The Pens surely wanted to get Skinner some action before the start of the playoffs, today’s game didn’t lend itself to being a nice launching point for a goalie to go into the postseason. Putting Silovs in for the third period does prime an interesting angle for just which goalie will be playing the next game, though his performance was no better (and arguably worse). Hopefully the goalies can turn the page and not put too much stock in a write off game.
Speaking of that, not sure if the Penguins were out of their post-deadline recalls but maybe they should have thought of bringing up Joel Blomqvist or Sergei Murashov to play in this throwaway game. Obviously it makes sense of the benefit of getting the goalies in a rhythm and some playing time late, the trade off is putting them in an impossible situation where the bottom can drop out, which happened tonight. Both goalies already dealt with a three-week Olympic break, what’s a one week game break after that? Every other player of the team of significance got at least a game where they didn’t have to dress (apologies to Tommy Novak and Justin Brazeau), perhaps that strategy should have extended to the netminders too.
Gotta admit, it’s darkly humorous the Pens’ season ends blowing a three-goal lead. Not worth any consternation given that more than half the team was out, just made sense on some levels.
Getting season debuts from Livanavage and Harvey-Pinard put the total number of players to appear in a game for the Penguins at 40 this season, the most in the league this season. They had some injuries and certainly no hesitation about shuttling players in and out of the lineup all over the place. Now, ironically, they’ll hope for someone like Blake Lizotte to heal up soon and health for everyone else to get as much stability as they can for the rest of the way.
And now, we get to the good part. The Pens can take the rest of the week to gear up for their Saturday or Sunday home playoff game against the Flyers. Another regular season is in the books, thanks to all who have come along for the journey!
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored twice as the Utah Mammoth beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Tuesday night and secured the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Schmaltz scored his first goal for the Mammoth 4:54 into the second period on the power-play, assisted by Mikhail Sergachev and Dylan Guenther. He added a power-play goal 7:16 into the third, assisted by Logan Cooley and Clayton Keller.
JJ Peterka, Alexander Kerfoot and Cooley also scored for the Mammoth. Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves in the win for the Mammoth.
Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist and Isak Rosen also scored for the Jets. Gabriel Vilardi added two assists, and Eric Comrie had 31 saves for the Jets, who lost a third straight.
The Mammoth will face the winner of the Pacific Division in the first round of the playoffs, either the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers or Anaheim Ducks.
Up next
Mammoth: Host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday evening.
Jets: Host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday evening.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Gabriel Landeskog scored the go-ahead goal at 15:07 of the third period to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.
The score was tied at 1 in the final five minutes of the game when Cale Makar sent a pass across to Brett Kulak, whose shot deflected in off Landeskog in front.
Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan Mackinnon, with his league-leading 53rd goal into an empty net, also scored for Colorado (54-16-11). Makar, a Calgary native, was back in the Avalanche’s lineup after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. He assisted on all three goals.
The Avs won their final eight road games of the season and were 14-1-0 in their last 15 games away from home. Colorado’s 29-7-5 road record this season is a franchise best. Their 119 points in 81 games ties the franchise record set in 2021-22.
Blake Coleman scored his 20th goal for Calgary (33-39-9). The Flames had their eight-game (7-0-1) home streak halted.
MacKenzie Blackwood made 30 saves for Colorado and improved to 23-10-2. Dustin Wolf made 36 saves for the Flames, slipping to 23-29-3.
After playing Monday in Edmonton, Colorado rested veterans Brock Nelson and Devon Toews. Nazem Kadri (finger) also did not play.
Calgary's Matt Coronato, who has a five-game point streak, did not play. Veteran Ryan Strome also was a healthy scratch.
For many in the league, Game 81 is still either about fighting for a final wildcard spot or determining who they will face in the playoffs. For the Avalanche, it's just game 81, though there are some key notes in the second-last game.
Cale Makar and Artturi Lehkonen are both in tonight, with Devon Toews and Brock Nelson coming out for maintenance. Martin Necas is looking for point 100, and he will secure it as the Colorado Avalanche defeat the Calgary Flames 3-1.
Period 1:
The Avalanche gets the early chance first as Yegor Sharangovich is called for tripping, but can’t capitalize on it. The Flames get their first power-play opportunity not long after, as Parker Kelly is called for tripping, but the Avalanche kill their first penalty.
Not much happened in the first period; the Avalanche were pretty sloppy, with poor decision-making, but they did outshoot them 10-6 and kept the score tied entering the second period.
Period 2:
Avalanche once again gets the opportunity to strike first on the power play as Connor Zary is called for hooking, but can’t capitalize on the chance. It's Blake Coleman who tips Mikael Backlund's shot, and it tips over Mackenzie Blackwood's shoulder and in, opening the score at 1-0. Impressive, really, from Coleman, as Brett Kulak cross-checked him in the process and still managed to get the tip-off.
In his first game back, Cale Makar comes in on a tight angle, manages to squeeze a laser of a pass to Arturri Lehkonen, who rifles it in right off the pass to tie the game 1-1. Martin Necas was initially credited as the secondary assist but was later changed to Sam Malinski, so Necas still sits at 99 points.
Rory Kerins is called for tripping, and into the power play, the Flames are called for too many men. This gives the Avalanche a 5-on-3 for 1:17, but they can't capitalize on the extra-man advantage. Jack Ahcan is called for hooking, but the Avalanche kill it off and head into the third period tied 1-1
Period 3:
Wolf is stopping pretty much everything the Avalanche are sending him, robbing a 2-on-1 from O’Connor. It's Kulak who sends a wrist shot from the blue line that is tipped by Gabriel Landeskog and in to make it 2-1 with less than five minutes left in the period.
Necas with Wolf out of the net sends it to Makar, who sends it to MacKinnon, who buries the empty-net goal to end the game at 3-1, giving Necas his 100th career point for the first time in his career.
The 3-1 win secures 119 points on the season, tying the franchise record, and could break it in their final game of the season against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, April 16.
“I found out last night, just called my mom, my dad, my brother,” Eklund said. “Super excited. Feels like a dream come true. Just crazy to see, for example, [Mat] Barzal and [Bo] Horvat on the ice. Kind of unreal, to be honest. Enjoy the moment.”
His parents, who caught a flight from Sweden to be there in time for the game, got to watch their son record his first NHL point: a secondary assist on a tic-tac-toe passing sequence ending in Bo Horvat’s goal.
It was Horvat’s 300th NHL goal, a milestone that would usually warrant keeping the puck. He would have none of it.
“You’ll never forget your first NHL game and let alone your first NHL point,” Horvat said. “He’s gotta have that. I already told the trainers.”
Eklund skated 15:30 in total, and was put on the top line with Horvat and Simon Holmstrom. His energy was notable, albeit in a game where everyone was going at less than full tilt, and he seemed more than willing to get into puck battles.
“He’s got a great motor,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Relentless. Reminds me a little bit of [Logan] Stankoven who I had in Dallas for a year. He’s got a bright future. Great to get him in his first game and for him to get a point.”
Eklund will need to put on some muscle in the offseason. But he is ahead of schedule, and there is a very real chance he will compete for an NHL job in training camp.
Victor Ecklund made his NHL debut in the Islanders’ 2-1 season-ending loss to the Hurricanes on April 14, 2026 at UBS Arena. Getty Images
“I think that was the importance of him playing tonight,” DeBoer said. “He can go home now for four months with it in his mind, hey, I can play at that level with those guys. Until you actually do it like he did tonight, you don’t really know. So he knows that now and that should fuel him going forward.”
Semyon Varlamov was assigned to AHL Bridgeport on an LTIR conditioning loan.
That opens the possibility that Varlamov, who has undergone two knee replacements since he last played an NHL game on Black Friday in 2024, could make his long-awaited return to the ice with the AHL club.
Bridgeport’s next game is Wednesday night in Hartford.
Isaiah George told The Post he is expecting to play playoff games with Bridgeport.
Kyle MacLean, Marc Gatcomb and Ryan Pulock came out of the lineup on Tuesday to make room for Eklund, Liam Foudy and George.
Pulock, per the Islanders, “has been battling through several injuries.”
Matthew Schaefer, Anders Lee, Emil Heineman and Adam Pelech all finished the season with 82 games played, the first time doing so for all of them except Lee.
Pelech played all 56 games in the shortened 2021 COVID season.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Hunter Haight did not have to wait long for redemption.
One night after seeing what would have been his first NHL goal overturned, the Minnesota Wild rookie got it back in the best way possible, scoring the first goal of his NHL career in front of an electric home crowd.
“It’s frustrating when something like that happens,” Haight said. “But I kind of knew right away that it was going to get called back. So it feels really good to score tonight.”
The goal was a fitting payoff in the final game of the regular season for a player the Wild believes is trending in the right direction.
Haight’s moment came off a setup from Nick Foligno and Marcus Foligno, two veterans who have helped make his adjustment to the NHL easier.
“It’s awesome,” Haight said. “The opportunity to play with those two guys, you learn so much, just the little details. You come back from a shift, and they’re giving you insight on what they see. So, it was really cool to do it.”
Foligno was smiling just as much as Haight was on the bench. And even was hugging him when they announced the goal in the arena.
“Actually, JoJo said, ‘I wonder how many games played versus assists between him and I?’” Foligno said. “So pretty good stat by JoJo. Yeah, I’m just thrilled for him. It’s so cool to watch a kid get his first goal. You know what you felt like when you got yours, and especially the other night when he thought he had it. He scored a way more beautiful one tonight. So I’m thrilled for him, especially in a win.”
“Fliggy got a little sauce on it, and I just tried to settle the puck down quick,” Haight said. “Just made sure I had it before I let it go.”
When the puck went in, the building erupted. Haight soaked it in as the crowd roared, then got an equally memorable reaction on the bench when Foligno wrapped him up after the announcement.
It was the crowd had been in quite some time.
“This crowd is unbelievable,” Haight said. “It was really cool to hear them erupt and roar.”
Of Foligno’s embrace, Haight added: “I’ve always said it, this locker room is full of amazing people. And Fliggy, ever since he got here, he’s been there for me and kind of taken me under his wing.”
For Haight, the goal was more than a single highlight. It was a snapshot of the progress he has made from Game 1 to Game 82, and a reminder of what could be ahead.
Haight, 22, made the team out of camp and played in the first two games of the season. He was later sent down and finished the AHL season with 18 goals and 32 points in 51 games.
He was just named AHL player of the week as well.
“Every opportunity to play in the lineup is big,” Haight said. “I’m trying my best to make sure that I stay and keep doing that. So, yeah, it’s pretty nice.”
His focus now shifts immediately to next season, where his mindset will stay the same. To make the team out of camp again but this time maybe be a regular.
“My goal going into every training camp is to try to make the lineup,” Haight said. “I think I’ve done a great job, development-wise, heading into next season, and I feel really good heading into next year.”
Wild coach John Hynes said Haight’s first NHL goal was a deserved reward, but he also pointed to the bigger picture.
“Really happy for Hunter,” Hynes said. “One that last night it got turned back but he doesn’t have to sit on it for another year. But just his development, I really like the way he’s going about his business. He’s gotten better. Second-year pro, he’s had his stints up here. He’s really produced and played well down in Iowa and you see him come up here and he’s more comfortable. He’s now, for him and for us, showing some things that I think are on a high trajectory, which is a real positive.”
After the disappointment of the overturned goal the night before, Haight made sure this one counted.
And judging by the reaction from the crowd, the bench, and the locker room around him, it was a moment no one there was going to forget.
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Apr 14, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) attempts a shot against the New York Islanders during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images | Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
The Carolina Hurricanes closed out their season with a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at USB Arena.
After clinching the Eastern Conference title by earning a point in Philadelphia last night for the first time in franchise history, they finished with 113 points which is good enough for second place in the league, behind only Colorado. This means the Hurricanes will have home ice against any team in the playoffs except the Avs.
After Boston won their game, it was determined that Carolina will face the Ottawa Senators in round one of the playoffs. Canes Country will have more about that this week.
Felix Unger Sorum earned his first NHL point in his first game when he knocked a puck up to Nikolaj Ehlers, who was streaking up the ice. Ehlers made no mistake and he gave his team a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the game.
Bo Horvat tied the game in the second, but Mark Jankowski found an open spot and put in the game-winner with five minutes and change left.
Brandon Bussi had an excellent game and made 28 saves on 29 shots to earn his 31st win of the season. Bussi had to play in back-to-back games somewhat unexpectedly as Pyotr Kochetkov was not allowed to play for “technical” reasons after being listed as the starting goalie for the game. The team removed him from the injured reserved list at about this same time.
In the meantime, Fred Andersen was not “available” for whatever reasons. This was an odd occurrence.
It was a pretty mild game with little hitting on either side and it looked like the Canes escaped injury free. They will take Wednesday off and then return to practice on Thursday to prepare for the Sens.
Now that we have reached the playoffs it is time to examine some questions, first of which is what goalie should start this series?
AUDIO/VIDEO: Ronan Seeley, Mark Jankowski and Rod Brind'Amour addressed the media after Carolina's 2-1 victory against the Islanders:https://t.co/XOSEEJw6Pr
