Category: Ice Hockey

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The Vancouver Canucks welcome the Vegas Golden Knights to Rogers Arena tonight, with puck drop scheduled for 10 p.m. EDT. 

Jake DeBrusk is thriving offensively, and my Golden Knights vs Canucks predictions focus on his ability to create opportunities. 

Read more in my NHL picks for Tuesday, April 7.

Golden Knights vs Canucks prediction

Golden Knights vs Canucks best bet: Jake DeBrusk Over 2.5 shots on goal (+145)

Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk has 19 goals and 19 assists while averaging 2.64 SOG per game in 2025-26. The 29-year-old is on a heater right now, cashing the Over in shots on goal in six of his last seven.

During that span, DeBrusk has also notched six points. The opportunities he’s creating are often turning into goals or assists. 

DeBrusk has only three SOG against the Vegas Golden Knights this season across two meetings, but the visitors just allowed 32 shots on target to the Oilers.

DeBrusk is also a top-line guy, and he’s playing heavier minutes this month, giving him more chances to take aim.

Golden Knights vs Canucks same-game parlay

DeBrusk has a goal in three straight games and has at least one point in six of seven.

Brock Boeser has 44 points this season, which is third on the team behind Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson. He’s a high-usage player and has hit the Over in points in five of his last seven appearances. 

During that span, Boeser has collected eight points. He already has five in April, and he found the back of the net against Vegas at the end of March.

Golden Knights vs Canucks SGP

• Jake DeBrusk Over 2.5 shots on goal
• Jake DeBrusk Over 0.5 points
• Brock Boeser Over 0.5 points

Golden Knights vs Canucks odds

• Moneyline: Golden Knights -245 | Canucks +200
• Puck Line: Golden Knights -1.5 (-105) | Canucks +1.5 (-115)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)

Golden Knights vs Canucks trend

The Vancouver Canucks have hit the Game Total Over in 13 of their last 20 games (+6.35 Units / 29% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Canucks.

How to watch Golden Knights vs Canucks

Golden Knights vs Canucks latest injuries

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Cole Caufield is just one goal away from joining Nathan MacKinnon as the only players to reach 50 goals this season.

My Panthers vs. Canadiens predictions see Caufield hitting that incredible milestone against a Florida team limping to the finish line.

Let’s get into my NHL picks for Tuesday, April 7.

Panthers vs Canadiens prediction

Panthers vs Canadiens best bet: Cole Caufield anytime goal (-105)

Cole Caufield is in a great spot to score his 50th goal. He’s rested, playing at home, and finds himself in a very favorable matchup.

The Florida Panthers have struggled defensively all season, and things have only gotten worse as they’ve shut key players down and pulled the plug on the year.

Only the Chicago Blackhawks have allowed more high-danger chances over the past 10 games, which is a recipe for disaster given the Panthers slot 30th in save percentage.

Caufield has found the back of the net in 55% of his games against Bottom-10 defenses.

Panthers vs Canadiens same-game parlay

Juraj Slafkovsky skates on Cole Caufield’s opposite wing at 5-on-5 and is also a mainstay on the top power play unit, making him a threat to produce each night.

Slafkovsky hasn’t gone more than two straight games without a point since November – and that’s the mark he’s sitting on now.

Lane Hutson has picked up an assist in 75% of his games against Bottom-10 defenses. He is one of the best playmaking defensemen in the sport, and he should be able to pick apart this vulnerable Panthers team with his precision passing.

Panthers vs Canadiens SGP

• Cole Caufield anytime goal
• Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points
• Lane Hutson Over 0.5 assists

Panthers vs Canadiens odds

• Moneyline: Florida +175 | Montreal -210
• Puck line: Florida +1.5 (-130) | Montreal -1.5 (+110)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)

Panthers vs Canadiens trend

Cole Caufield has scored in four of his past seven games against Florida. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Canadiens.

How to watch Panthers vs Canadiens

Panthers vs Canadiens latest injuries

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A woman gave birth on the seventh floor of Rogers Place as the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Las Vegas Knights in Alberta, Canada on Saturday.

Oilers play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels announced the baby’s birth on the Sportsnet broadcast before the start of the third period.

“Breaking news: We have word that someone has gone into labor here tonight,” Michaels said. “There’s a baby being born on the seventh floor at Rogers Place as we speak.

“So someone’s going to have a great story to tell.

“It would be nice to have the mother join us on ‘After Hours’ to describe what’s happened but that could be asking a bit much,” Michaels joked.

A baby is currently being born at Rogers Place… in the middle of the Oilers game pic.twitter.com/02Tcg1GN2d

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 5, 2026

No further details, including the mother’s identity, were shared publicly.

This isn’t the first instance of a baby being born in the middle of a professional sports game.

A woman gave birth to a baby boy during the third inning of a Padres-Giants game at Petco Park in 2015.

The Oilers lost to the Knights, 5-1, ending Edmonton’s five-game win streak.

The Oilers are fighting for the top spot in the Pacific Division, tied with the Anaheim Ducks with 87 points. The Knights are in third.

All three of the teams have five games remaining in the NHL’s regular season, which concludes on April 16.

The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs start on April 18.

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The Calgary Flames visit the Dallas Stars this evening at the American Airlines Center, with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT. 

Morgan Frost is a huge offensive catalyst right now for Calgary, and my Flames vs. Stars predictions and NHL picks are eyeing him to keep it up. 

Flames vs Stars prediction

Flames vs Stars best bet: Morgan Frost Over 0.5 points (+120)

Morgan Frost is having a respectable campaign for the Calgary Flames, scoring 21 goals and tallying 20 assists. The 26-year-old has cashed the Over in three of his last four games, notching six points during that span. He also scored twice against the Ducks on Saturday.  

He also found the back of the net last Thursday against the Golden Knights, logging a point in back-to-back road games.  

Frost has 20 points in 38 outings, and he's scored one goal in two games against the Stars this season. He also leads the Flames in power-play points with 15. 

Flames vs Stars same-game parlay

Matt Coronato is averaging 2.45 shots on goal per game this season. While he’s only hit the Over twice in his last seven, I’m focusing on Coronato’s track record against Dallas. 

Across two matchups, he has seven shots on target. He’s also averaging 2.44 SOG on the road, and has nine points in his last 10 games.

Matvei Gridin hasn’t played a ton of NHL minutes this season, but he’s put up some decent numbers. Gridin is creating lots of chances lately, cashing the Over in SOG in two games in a row. He had three on target in Saturday’s win, scoring once and tallying an assist. 

Gridin also put four pucks on net in Thursday’s loss to Vegas. He had two SOG in one meeting with Dallas this season.

Flames vs Stars SGP

• Morgan Frost Over 0.5 points
• Matt Coronato Over 2.5 shots
• Matvei Gridin Over 1.5 shots

Flames vs Stars odds

• Moneyline: Flames +210 | Stars -260
• Puck Line: Flames +1.5 (-130) | Stars -1.5 (+110)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 | Under 5.5

Flames vs Stars trend

The Flames have covered the puck line in nine of their last 12 games for +6.55 units and a 34% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Flames vs. Stars.

How to watch Flames vs Stars

Flames vs Stars latest injuries

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The last road trip of the season for the Florida Panthers has shifted north of the border.

Florida’s final three road games will come in Canada, starting on Tuesday night when they battle the Montreal Canadiens.

While Montreal is fighting for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, Florida is hovering toward the bottom of the league standings.

Entering play Tuesday, the Panthers were the sixth-to-last in the NHL, only two points ahead of the Seattle Kraken and New York Rangers.

Finishing in the bottom 10 will be good for the Panthers, because if they end up with a top-10 pick at this summer’s NHL Draft, they get to keep it.

Florida initially sent their 2026 first round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Trade Deadline deal that brought Seth Jones to the Panthers, but it turns out that the pick was top-10 protected.

At the time, it seemed silly to think that something would happen to the Stanley Cup contending Panthers to the point where they would somehow earn such a high draft pick, but a dozen or so injuries later, here we are.

Should Florida end up retaining their pick, it will be interesting to see what Panthers General Manager Bill Zito decides to do with the selection.

One option would be to flip the pick ahead of the draft and pick up a player or players who can help the team immediately, while another would be to select a player high enough that he could bolster Florida’s prospect pipeline and potentially be a star for the team in a few years, when the Cats could be looking to retool.

Meanwhile, Montreal is just two points back of both the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning, who each have 102 points and sit atop the Atlantic Division.

The Canadiens and the Lightning each have five games remaining on their respective schedules while Buffalo has four.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday’s tussle in Montreal:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Mackie Samoskevich – Eetu Luostarinen – A.J. Greer

Noah Gregor – Tomas Nosek – Jesper Boqvist

Cole Reinhardt – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza

Gus Forsling – Dmitry Kulikov

Tobias Bjornfot – Seth Jones

Donovan Sebrango – Mike Benning

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Photo caption: Jan 8, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault (35) makes a save against Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) during the second period at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Over at The Athletic, hockey writer Scott Wheeler has been rolling out his detailed evaluations of each NHL team’s prospect pipeline, ranking all 32 organizations over the past month. The series began on March 9 with the Florida Panthers at 32nd, followed by the Dallas Stars on March 10.

Nearly a month later, Wheeler turned his attention to the Detroit Red Wings, slotting them fourth overall in his rankings. Detroit’s system is deep and loaded with high-end talent, including first-round selections and emerging prospects who project as future NHL impact players. Wheeler also broke down the Red Wings’ pipeline into tiers, offering insight into each player’s development and potential.

The first tier features the organization’s most recognizable and highly anticipated prospects. Leading the way is goaltender Sebastian Cossa, followed by Trey Augustine and defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Carter Bear, Nate Danielson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, and Emmitt Finnie round out the top group. These are the names many Detroit fans are already watching closely, with expectations that several could become key contributors at the NHL level.

The second tier includes players who are steadily building excitement within the fan base. Max Plante headlines the group as one of Detroit’s recent draft steals while Eddie Genborg has already made the jump to North America, skating with the Grand Rapids Griffins at just 18 years old. He is joined by teammate Amadeus Lombardi, who at 22 continues to show offensive upside through his early professional seasons.

Wheeler’s Top Ten Red Wings Prospects:

1. Sebastian Cossa
2. Trey Augustine
3. Axel Sandin-Pellikka
4. Carter Bear
5. Nate Danielson
6. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
7. Emmitt Finnie
8. Max Plante
9. Eddie Genborg
10. Amadeus Lombardi

The third and final tier highlights a mix of under-the-radar risers and longer-term projects. Anton Johansson recently arrived in North America and is finishing the season with the Griffins. Defenseman Shai Buium has shown flashes of offensive ability, while goaltender Michal Pradel turned heads at the World Juniors with Slovakia after beginning the tournament as a backup.

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

Rudy Guimond has posted dominant numbers in the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats, though Wheeler notes the strength of the team in front of him as a factor. Jesse Kiiskinen, still developing in Finland, rounds out the tier as a player with intriguing upside.

Among the honorable mentions are Larry Keenan, Brent Solomon, Dylan James, Ondrej Becher, Michal Svrcek, and Noah Dower-Nilsson, who recently signed his entry-level contract with Detroit and could emerge as a contributor in the coming years.

Detroit Red Wings are No. 4 in Scott Wheeler’s 2026 NHL prospect pool rankingsThe Red Wings have several projectable top-nine forwards, a top young D prospect and two of the best goalie prospects.

Wheeler’s analysis is one of the most comprehensive looks at the Red Wings’ prospect system currently available and reinforces the belief that Detroit’s rebuild continues to trend in the right direction.

With the top two prospect pipelines yet to be revealed, some debate has emerged around the Calgary Flames, who were ranked just ahead of Detroit. While Calgary boasts high-end talent such as Zayne Parekh and Cole Reschny, some observers believe the overall depth still favors the Red Wings.

The final two rankings are set to be released Wednesday, bringing Wheeler’s extensive series to a close.

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.

Stuart Skinner was sitting on the bench, serving as the back for Saturday’s game against the Panthers when a puck left the playing area and struck him in the face. It caused damage near his left eye to the point where he couldn’t play as scheduled on Sunday after swelling set in, as seen in the team’s post-game video from the lockerroom after Sunday’s win.

For what it's worth, Stuart Skinner did have an abrasion near his left eye after yesterday's game: https://t.co/gYgCR8flcWpic.twitter.com/CGp3DyJwHq

— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) April 5, 2026

Skinner’s unexpected malady meant trouble for the Penguins in the short term – they physically couldn’t get their top AHL goalie Sergei Murashov to Pittsburgh to join the team in time for the Sunday afternoon game, following Wilkes-Barre playing at Lehigh Valley on Saturday night themselves. For a short-term patch the Pens played Arturs Silovs a second-straight day and had ECHL goalie Taylor Gauthier serve as the backup, since it was easier to make the quick 60-mile jaunt from Wheeling to Pittsburgh.

The longer-term ramifications of that random, errant puck on Saturday could have bigger impacts. The Pens are off until Thursday, giving Skinner time to heal up. Silovs can always take the net on Thursday and if Skinner is good to go for the following game on Saturday against Washington, the incident could fade away as a minor footnote.

There’s another path available as well, as seen from this morning’s transaction to officially call up Murashov from the AHL. The Penguins were off yesterday after playing a ridiculous 20 games in 36 days, they’ll return to practice today, presumably with a new goalie out there.

Goaltender Sergei Murashov has been recalled from the @WBSPenguins (AHL).
 
Goaltender Taylor Gauthier has been re-assigned to WBS. pic.twitter.com/40cEikONtK

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 7, 2026

The timing of Skinner’s fluke injury a few games before the playoffs looms large to potentially open the door for Murashov. At a bottom line level, the Penguins could use a goalie upgrade. Whether or not the 22-year old Murashov represents a boost in level of play is another topic, though it’s captivating to see it play out now.

The Penguins’ goalies recently:

• Silovs posted a -10.26 GSAA over just eight games from March 5th to April 4th. He managed a 5-3-0 record, mainly because the explosive Pittsburgh offense was able to outscore the problems in net. Silovs had a 3.92 GAA and .842 save% in that eight game where Silovs surrendered up 4+ goals six out of the eight times. To his credit, Silovs was better when the Penguins needed him to play a back-to-back, managing 29 stops on 31 shots in Sunday’s game.
• Skinner hasn’t been much better, posting a 4-4-5 record since January 31st with a .870 save% and 3.54 GAA. It’s been tough minutes and games, as reflected by a -0.16 GSAA in this stretch, but he’s not stopping a lot more than the average expected and the team has only won four out of his last 13 starts.

The Pittsburgh offense has done a lot to paper over deficiencies in net, the Pens’ 3.96 goals/game since January 21st ranks first in the league. Their 3.58 goals/against is down at 26th. A team can’t count on winning 5-4 type of hockey games in the playoffs and in addition to defensive details that need to be cleaned up, it’s not a stretch (or exactly a new idea) that a change between the pipes could lead to an improvement for the club. Neither Silovs nor Skinner has risen to the occasion lately and Murashov is clearly a talented netminder who has proven his mettle at the AHL level to the tune of a 23-8-3 record, 2.13 GAA and .922 save% this season that ranks second in the entire league.

The Pens have had their share of surprise late-season goaltenders emerge for the playoffs, and it’s fitting this is the 10th year anniversary of Matt Murray working his way up from AHL goalie to NHL playoff stalwart, as well as the 25th anniversary of minor league journeyman Johan Hedberg coming out of no where to lead the Pens on a deep playoff run. Are the stars aligning to see Murashov get a chance to add a chapter to that story?

We may find out as soon as Thursday, dependent on Skinner’s eye situation and whether or not the Pens even play Murashov against the Devils or decide to let Silovs keep on playing in hopes of an upturn in performance. Suddenly, and in a most unexpected way, the Pens might have an opportunity to make a change in net that could drastically change their look for the playoffs if they want to give Murashov a shot in net.

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It’s an 11-game slate tonight across the National Hockey League, with lots of stars in action. My NHL player props will focus on Cole Caufield, Nikita Kucherov, and Taylor Hall. 

Read more in my NHL picks for Tuesday, April 7. 

Best NHL player prop bets today

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Our best NHL player props for Tuesday, April 7

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Cole Caufield anytime goal

+115 at BET99

Cole Caufield is sitting just one goal shy of 50 on the season, and he’s already set a career-high. The Montreal Canadiens star has found the back of the net in four of his last six contests, and he scored twice last Thursday against the Rangers.

The Habs take on the Panthers tonight, who are already out of playoff contention and have decided to sit a lot of their main guys for the remainder of the campaign.

Caufield has already scored once against them across two meetings this season, and he’s netted four times in his last four home outings. 

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SCRIPPS, RDS

Prop #2: Nikita Kucherov anytime goal

+115 at BET99

Nikita Kucherov ranks third in the NHL in goals, scoring 43 times in 2025-26. He’s an electric player for the Lightning, one of the top Stanley Cup contenders.

The Russian has scored in three straight games against the Sabres, Bruins, and Penguins, and none of those teams are a pushover. 

Kucherov has done a lot of his damage on the road, scoring 28 times in just 36 contests. The Bolts visit the Senators this evening, and he’s already netted twice against them this season in one matchup. The Sens are also 19th in goals allowed, giving up 3.08 per contest.

Tampa’s best player will keep it rolling here. 

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: The Spot, RDS2

Prop #3: Taylor Hall Over 0.5 assists

+105 at BET99

Taylor Hall has carved out a nice role for himself as an experienced veteran on the Hurricanes. He’s scored 16 goals and tallied 28 assists this season for a total of 44 points in 77 contests.

Hall has cashed the Over in points in three straight, most recently scoring on Sunday against Ottawa. 

The 34-year-old is up against one of his former teams in the Bruins tonight, and he’s already collected two points in two meetings with them.

Hall is much more productive at home, notching 29 points in 40 games. That’s compared to only 15 points in 37 contests on the road. 

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NESN, FDSN SO

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

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The 2024-25 season did not treat Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kindly. The 27-year-old goaltender finished this past campaign with a 24-24-5 record, an .887 save percentage, and a 3.20 goals-against average. 

With how last season went for Luukkonen, some had questions about his future with the Sabres. While this was the case, there is no question that he has silenced his critics with his play this season.

Luukkonen has been one of the Sabres' big reasons for their major turnaround this season. In 33 games this season with Buffalo, he has a 20-9-3 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.55 goals-against average. With this, he has not only had a bounce-back season with the Sabres but has been among the NHL's top goaltenders.

Luukkonen is only continuing to impress as the season rolls on, too. In his most recent start against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, he stopped 23 out of 25 shots in Buffalo's big 4-2 win. 

Overall, it is hard not to be happy with Luukkonen's play this season. He has been taking his game to a new level for the Sabres, and it will be fascinating to see how he finishes off the campaign from here. 

For one last time this season, the Montreal Canadiens will take on the defending champions, the Florida Panthers, on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre. This will be the third meeting between the two sides, and the Habs will be going for the season sweep after winning the first two matchups. In fact, Montreal has now won seven consecutive games against the Florida outfit, with the visitors only having won three of the last 10 tilts.

While the hosts have a fantastic 8-2-0 record in their last 10 games, the visitors have a 4-6-0 record over the same span and have lost their last two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, being outscored 14-6 in the process. It should be noted that Florida is playing without many of its regulars right now: captain Aleksander Barkov, who has missed the entire season; Brad Marchand; Evan Rodrigues; Sam Reinhart; Anton Lundell; Aaron Ekblad; and Jonah Gadjovich. Most of whom are likely to be out for the rest of the season.

Canadiens’ Laine May Not Play, But He Supports The Team
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Canadiens’ Matheson Quietly Having Good Bounce Back Season

Both teams had a day off yesterday and have yet to confirm who will be tending the net, but I would expect Jakub Dobes to be back in the net after Jacob Fowler lost 3-0 to the New Jersey Devils in his last outing. The Czech netminder has won his only game against the Cats, shutting them out 4-0 in his NHL debut back in December 2024. As for Fowler, he has never faced them since Samuel Montembeault was on duty for both games against his former team this season.

Meanwhile, Sergei Bobrovsky has a 16-10-1 record against the Canadiens with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage, while backup Daniil Tarasov is 0-1-1 with a 2.72 GAA and a .897 SV. The backup was in net for the Cats’ last game, so the smart money is on Bobrovsky being back between the pipes, eager to bounce back after being yanked in a 9-4 loss against Pittsburgh.

Up front, fans and media alike are still on the “Cole Caufield 50-goal watch”, and the sniper has put up 14 points in 16 duels against the Cats, including eight goals, but only one of those was scored against Bobrovsky. Brendan Gallagher remains the Canadiens’ most productive player against Florida with 24 points in 42 games, but captain Nick Suzuki is fast catching up with 23 points in just 21 games. That bodes well for Suzuki, who currently has 95 points and just needs one to tie Pierre Turgeon as the Canadiens’ captain who has put up the most points in a single season with 96 in 1995-96. With five games to go, chances are Suzuki would also like to reach the century mark, and a depleted Panthers side might just be exactly what the doctor ordered. Finally, Josh Anderson is tied with Caufield as the Habs’ third most productive player against the visitors, but he needed 25 games to register his 14 points.

As for the visitors, uber pest Matthew Tkachuk is their most productive player against Montreal with 28 points in just 26 games, followed by Sam Bennett, who has 24 points in 30 games and Seth Jones, who has 15 points in 28 tilts. Reinhart, Ekblad and Marchand would all have been up there, but as mentioned earlier, they are all out of commission.

Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch the game on RDS, TSN2, and SCRIPPS. Eric Furlatt and Justin Kea are set to officiate, while Trent Knorr and Jeremy Faucher will be the linemen. The Canadiens are currently third in the Atlantic Division, two points behind the Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who now both have 102 points thanks to the Sabres’ 4-2 win over the Bolts on Monday night. As for the Carolina Hurricanes, they lead the Eastern Conference with 104 points, and are still mathematically catchable.

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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The Vancouver Canucks (22-46-8) hit the ice on Tuesday as they battle the Vegas Golden Knights (35-26-16). The Canucks will be looking for an elusive home win, as they have just eight in 39 games at Rogers Arena this season. As for the Golden Knights, they have been on a roll of late as they enter Tuesday with three-straight victories. 

For Vancouver, the power play will be a focus. The Canucks have scored with the man advantage in the last five games and seven of the past eight. At this stage of the season, it is a positive to see the power play clicking, as it means Vancouver's top players are finding the back of the net. 

As for second periods, they remain a topic of discussion surrounding the team. The Canucks have allowed a goal in the second period in each of the past 22 games and lead the NHL with 111 allowed in the middle frame. While Vancouver won't set the record for goals allowed in the second period, they are well on their way to the most against in the 21st Century. 

Players To Watch:

Marco Rossi:

Marco Rossi has been a bright spot over the past few weeks. He is contributing to the power play and is showing he can be an impactful second-line center. If the Canucks have eyes on a win on Tuesday, they will need a big performance from Rossi both with the man advantage and at even strength. 

Mark Stone:

Mark Stone continues to be Vegas' heartbeat. The Olympian is up to 67 points in 55 games, which includes 24 goals. With points in each of his last three games, odds are Stone will once again find his way onto the scoresheet. 

Vancouver Canucks (22–46–8): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 15–33–48

Filip Hronek: 8–38–46

Brock Boeser: 21–23–44

Jake DeBrusk: 19–19–38

Linus Karlsson: 15-18-33

Goaltenders: 

Kevin Lankinen: 9–26–5

Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1

Nikita Tolopilo: 5–9–2

Jiří Patera: 0–1–0

Vegas Golden Knights (35–26–16): 

Points: 

Jack Eichel: 25-57-82

Mitch Marner: 23-54-77

Mark Stone: 24-43-67

Pavel Dorofeyev: 35-26-61

Ivan Barbashev: 22-36-58

Goaltenders: 

Akira Schmid: 16-10-6

Adin Hill: 10-9-5

Carter Hart: 7-3-3

Carl Lindbom: 2-4-2

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT 

Venue: Rogers Arena 

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650 

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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EAST MEADOW, NY -- Top forward prospect Victor Eklund could be a call-up option for the New York Islanders before the season comes to a close, per general manager Mathieu Darche. 

"We're looking at everything for sure," Darche said as his team tries to recover from a four-game slide to get back into a playoff spot with four games to go. "Eklund has done really well in Bridgeport. Obviously, he's put up points. There are other aspects of the game. Obviously, there's a first adjustment. What makes the adjustment maybe a bit easier for him is that he played against men this year in the SHL."

Through his first four AHL games, the Islanders' second of three first-round picks at the 2025 NHL Draft (No. 16) has recorded six assists.

The Islanders Eklund Question Begins To EmergeThe Islanders need a spark — and Victor Eklund might be it. Should New York call up the 19-year-old with the playoffs at stake?

But, as Darche said, it's more about points, and well, he's been really strong in all three zones. He has a tremendous grasp of where he needs to be positioned, too, and he's got a drive, a motor that will make him a fan favorite. 

Eklund, who signed his three-year entry-level deal last August, is eligible to be recalled without the Islanders having to make any kind of roster moves. 

The first season of his ELC will slide if he plays fewer than 10 NHL games, including the postseason, if the Islanders qualify. 

Even if recalled, the 19-year-old will be eligible for the AHL Playoffs.

If not this season, Eklund will be a player to watch at training camp, as he'll certainly be fighting for a roster spot ahead of the 2026-27 season. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are in the Motor City for the first of three straight road games. This game features the Detroit Red Wings. 

Detroit Red Wings - 40-29-8 - 88 Points - 4-6-0 in the last 10 - Lost 2 - 6th in the Atlantic

Columbus Blue Jackets - 38-27-12 - 88 Points - 3-6-1 in the last 10 - Lost 3 - 5th in the Metro  

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus fell 2-1 to Winnipeg in its most recent contest on Saturday. It begins its final road trip of the regular season on Tuesday at Detroit and includes games at Buffalo (Thursday) and Montreal (Saturday).

• The Blue Jackets play all four of their games this week against the Atlantic Division. The club has earned points in 18 of its last 22 games against the division dating back to Apr. 8, 2025 (13-4-5).

• CBJ rank second in the NHL in scoring the first goal of the game (46) and fourth in goals scored in the opening period (79).

• The Jackets have also earned points in 25 of their past 33 contests overall since Jan. 11 (20-8-5, 45 pts.). The club ranks third in the league in goals-against per game (2.61) and fifth-T in points pct. (.632) over that stretch.

• The team has earned points in 10 of its last 14 road games, ranking fifth in the league in points pct. since Jan. 11 (9-4-1, .679).

• Columbus leads the NHL with a franchise-record 57 goals scored by defensemen in 2025-26 (57-133-190, 77 GP).

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Adam Fantilli has set single-season career highs in assists and points with 21-34-55 in 77 contests.

• Jet Greaves has earned points in 15 of his last 19 starts (12-4-3, 2.34 GAA, .913 SV% in 20 GP), ranking fifth among goaltenders in GAA and seventh in SV% since Jan. 11 (min. 6 GP).

• Kirill Marchenko has posted assists in three of the past four games (1-4-5) and is the fifth player in Blue Jackets history with 25-plus goals in consecutive seasons (31 in 2024-25; 26 in 2025-26).

• Mason Marchment has collected assists in each of his past three outings (1-4-5) and has 2-5-7 in his last six games. He ranks second on the team in goals since making his CBJ debut on Dec. 20, 2025 (14-14-28 in 34 GP).

• Zach Werenski, with 21-57-78 in 70 games in 2025-26, sits two assists shy of tying the franchise's record for assists in a single season set by Artemi Panarin (79 GP in 2018-19) and matched by the defenseman in 2024-25 (81 GP). He's also two points away from becoming the third American-born defenseman in NHL history with consecutive 80-point campaigns (Brian Leetch, 1990-91 - 1991-92 with NYR; Phil Housley, 1991-92 - 1992-93 with WPG).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.5% - 21st in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 76.3% - 27th in the NHL
• Goals For - 236 - 18th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 234 - 22nd in the NHL   

Red Wings Stats

• Power Play - 22.0% - 13th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.3% - 25th in the NHL
• Goals For - 223 - 22nd in the NHL
• Goals Against - 231 - 12th in the NHL

Series History vs. The Red Wings

• Columbus is 49-52-1-15 all-time, and 21-28-0-8 all-time in Detroit.
• Columbus has earned points in four-straight meetings of the series vs. Detroit (3-0-1) and five of the last six (3-1-2).

• CBJ have earned points in three consecutive road games (1-0-2) and five of the past six at Little Caesars Arena (3-1-2).

• After going 19-39-11 vs. Detroit from 2000-12, the Blue Jackets are 30-13-5 since the 2012-13 campaign.

• The road team has recorded points in 10 of the last 12 games of the series dating back to Apr. 9, 2022 (7-2-3).

• The teams have combined for seven or more goals in 13 of the past 16 contests, including the last seven-straight.

• The winning team has scored four or more goals in 16 consecutive games since May 7, 2021, and in 18 of the last 20 in the overall series dating back to Mar. 2, 2021.

• Five of the past six games at Detroit have been decided by a single goal with three decided in overtime (CBJ; 1-2).

• CBJ has scored a power play goal in five of the past six meetings overall (6-of-13; 46.2 pct.)

Who To Watch For TheRed Wings

• Alex DeBrincat leads the team with 39 goals and 81 points.
• Lucas Raymond leads Detroit with 48 assists.
• Goalie John Gibson is 28-20-3 with a SV% of .904.

CBJ Player Notes vsRed Wings

• Boone Jenner has 29 points in 35 games vs. the Red Wings.

• Zach Werenski has 25 points in 27 games.
• Charlie Coyle has 14 points in his career against Detroit.

Injured Reserve & Other Injuries

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 39 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
• Damon Severson - Missed 5 Games - Upper Body - OUT FOR THE SEASON
• Dmitri Voronkov - Missed 4 Games - Upper Body - Week-to-week
• Mathieu Olivier - Missed 3 Games - Upper Body - OUT FOR THE SEASON

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 198

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play. 

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One area the Philadelphia Flyers still need to address, regardless of a successful playoff push, is the center position. By the sounds of it, they'll be one of many teams queueing up to sign a burgeoning KHL star.

On Monday, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that north of 15 NHL teams--effectively half the league or more--have interest in Dinamo Minsk center Vitali Pinchuk, who had 31 goals and 66 points in 65 games this season.

And, a few hours later, Daily Faceoff NHL insider Anthony Di Marco added that the Flyers have at least some degree of interest in the 6-foot-3 center, which we can assume places them within Seravalli's group of teams as well.

Pinchuk, 24, has steadily improved each year he's been in the KHL, progressing from zero points in 12 games in 2021-22, to 14 points in 61 games in 2022-23, to 43 points in 66 games last year, to 66 points in 65 games this year.

Not sure if it's already been said, but I'm told the Flyers do have some level of interest in Vintali Pinchuk.@DailyFaceoff

— Anthony Di Marco (@ADiMarco25) April 6, 2026

With Trevor Zegras, Noah Cates, Sean Couturier, and Christian Dvorak all in the fold for the foreseeable future, any center the Flyers sign will have to be a meaningful addition.

Pinchuk's rather steady developmental curve bodes well for an NHL future, even if he isn't necessarily a star at the end of the day.

The Flyers, of course, also covet size, as evidenced by many recent draft selections. Jack Berglund, Porter Martone, Spencer Gill, Shane Vansaghi, and Carter Amico are all physical forces who bring other positive traits to the table, be it skating, intangibles, or just raw skill.

Pinchuk, we can safely assume, has the skill, evidenced by his 31-goal explosion this year, and he's plenty big for the NHL.

Flyers' Rick Tocchet Nailed His Latest Lineup ChangeThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> are, perhaps surprisingly, seriously threatening for a berth in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, and it comes as a result of everyone pulling together at the perfect time.

It helps that the Belarusian pivot has previously played with Flyers goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov, as well as AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms forward Zayde Wisdom.

If the Flyers need a second opinion to complement the scouting reports they will invariably have in-house, they don't have to go very far to find one.

Now that two trustworthy insiders have come together to virtually guarantee the Flyers' interest, at least to some extend, it's a situation to watch for the fast-approaching NHL offseason.

The Penguins got some seemingly positive updates on a key penalty killer just before the end of the regular season.

The Sportsnet Pittsburgh broadcast shared footage this weekend of Blake Lizotte, who has been sidelined since March 14 with an upper-body injury, skating and taking shots ahead of Sunday morning practice.

“He’s continuing to progress,” Penguins coach Dan Muse told reporters before Sunday’s win over the Florida Panthers. “He has been on the ice some, so he’s progressing.”

When asked if there is hope Lizotte could return by the end of the regular season, Muse answered, “There’s always hope. He’s progressing. It’s been moving along, in a good place, but I’m not in a position right now to have an exact date. But he’s making good progress.”

Muse not ruling out the possibility that Lizotte returns before the end of the regular season is notable because that would be earlier than his initially projected recovery timeline.

The Penguins announced on March 17 that Lizotte would be re-evaluated in four weeks, a day that falls three days after the season wraps up on April 14.

The acquisition of Elmer Söderblom, who has three goals in his last five games, has made the loss of Lizotte from the fourth line sting less at even strength.

But his absence from the penalty kill has been a factor throughout this final stretch of the regular season. The Penguins boasted the No. 2 penalty kill in the NHL (84.2 percent) until Lizotte’s injury, after which point the unit has ranked 30th with a 67.6 percent success rate.

The question for the Penguins could be who gets bumped out of the healthy lineup if Lizotte is able to return in time for the postseason now that Söderblom has made his case to stay with his size and physicality.

If Lizotte and Söderblom both stay in the lineup, the Penguins might end up looking at another winger like Justin Brazeau or Tommy Novak as the odd man out.

Either way, the Penguins will hope Lizotte’s return to skating means he might be able to rejoin the team for a potential postseason run. The team first needs to clinch their ticket to the playoffs, which could happen as soon as Thursday with a road win over the New Jersey Devils.