OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his first-period goal against the Ottawa Senators with teammates at the players' bench on March 26, 2026 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins got a bit of a boost Thursday night when it comes to their chances of making the NHL’s postseason for the first time since 2022.
Going into Thursday night’s game, HockeyViz had listed the Penguins as having an 83% chance of qualifying for playoffs as the team sat in third place in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division.
With the shootout win, the Penguins playoff chance jumped to 90%, according to HockeyViz.
Other results around the league including the Capitals win, Blue Jackets loss, Flyers win, and Islanders win brings the Penguins’ playoff chance back to around 87% at the conclusion of the night’s games.
OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his game-winning shootout goal against the Ottawa Senators on March 26, 2026 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins traveled up to Canada’s capital city on Thursday night to fight the Senators, another team jockeying for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Pittsburgh lost Sidney Crosby to injury early in the second period, but others stepped up, leading to the second shootout win over the last five days. [Recap]
With the Penguins’ recent run of form in goal, how much sense does it make calling up Sergei Murashov to stop the bleeding? One argument is that a call-up is becoming increasingly justified. The “right time” may be sooner than later, especially if Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs continue to falter, but only if Murashov can be supported. [PensBurgh]
The Penguins recalled forwards Avery Hayes and Joona Koppanen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Thursday morning, as the team deals with a sudden barrage of injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Blaze Lizotte, Anthony Mantha (potentially now Sidney Crosby), among others. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Former Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato has been named as the U.S. coach for the IIHF World Championships. [Sportsnet]
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will take place on May 5. [Sportsnet]
Mike Sullivan’s first season with the New York Rangers has not gone as planned, as the Original Six franchise has been officially eliminated from postseason contention. [TSN]
Congratulations if you made it to the fantasy hockey playoffs, and commiserations to those who fell short.
For those still in it, do everything you can to advance. Strategize your lineup and check it right up until lock. Don't be afraid to swap out a better player with less favorable opportunities, and be sure to consider someone from the list below.
Owen Tippett, PHI (Yahoo: 42%): Tippett has rounded back into form over the last 10 games by posting eight points, 37 shots, 30 hits and 10 blocks. He's skating in the top six and on the second power play, though the latter area hasn't been the most plentiful for the Flyers, as the team comfortably ranks last at 14.5% efficiency. If Philadelphia wants to get back into the playoff picture, Tippett and others will need to keep producing.
Patrick Kane, DET (Yahoo: 34%): The ageless Kane continues to be an offensive force on a club desperate to not come up short of qualifying for the postseason again. He's been supplying his share via three goals, six assists and 31 shots over nine outings, with three of those helpers coming on Detroit's lead man-advantage. Kane needs to be on more rosters based on recent output. Do your part in increasing his coverage.
Blake Coleman, CGY (Yahoo: 25%): Coleman has taken on a larger role with the Flames since the trade deadline, moving up to the first line and power play, where he's notched eight points — including his first power-play point of the season — on top of 35 shots and 20 hits while averaging 18:11 of ice time. Expect him to keep it going, as he was already a decent cross-category performer before a few teammates were dealt, while the Flames' current forward talent is a bit thin.
Bobby McMann, SEA (Yahoo: 25%): McMann received his get-out-of-sinking-ship card at the deadline, coming over from Toronto after tallying 19 goals and 13 assists through 60 contests. And it didn't take him long to fit in with his new team as he went off for two goals — one of those a power-play goal — an assist, four shots and four hits during his Kraken debut. McMann has since grabbed another four markers (and second PPG), two helpers, 16 pucks on net and 11 hits. Fantasy managers may be hesitant to add him considering a history of brief production bursts, yet he already holds better placement in Seattle than he ever did with the Maple Leafs.
Gabe Perreault, NYR (Yahoo: 19%): The Rangers' season has been so rough that they're close to clinching last in the East, which isn't very surprising since every other team in the conference boasts a winning record. Despite this probable event, there's hope for the future. Perreault received a brief look with the Rangers in November before going to the minors and dominating, which resulted in another NHL return that saw him find the scoresheet in each of his first three games. Additionally, thanks to sharing the ice next to J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck, and now Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere, Perreault has picked up 13 points and 21 shots this month.
Viktor Arvidsson, BOS (Yahoo: 19%): Boston's second line has been crucial throughout the campaign, with the trio mainly staying together. Arvidsson has made people forget about his disappointing stop in Edmonton by accumulating 20 goals and 22 assists, with 16 of those points being generated during the last 18 matchups. He's also been busy firing shots on net with 39 during this span and 154 overall. If the Bruins want to make the playoffs, they'll need Arvidsson and others up front to come through.
Jonathan Marchessault, NSH (Yahoo: 14%): Marchessault fared well in his first season with Nashville as he racked up 56 points, including 23 power-play points. Slow production and a month-long absence derailed his momentum, but the stats would revert to more normal numbers after reappearing in late January by way of four goals, 14 assists — three of those being power-play assists — 54 shots, 22 PIM and 24 hits. As Marchessault is back on the Predators' top man-advantage and excelling for his team, maybe he can do the same for fantasy squads.
Jordan Staal, CAR (Yahoo: 8%): You can stop reading this section now if you believe Staal has been included here due to his scoring. It's all about the secondary contributions for Carolina's 37-year-old third-line center and penalty-killing master. Staal's three points in the last seven matchups are only a bonus in relation to the 12 shots, 25 hits and 70 faceoff wins. Take a chance on a player who's on the backup power play and potted a power-play goal last Friday while part of a strong offense with Nikolaj Ehlers regularly by his side.
Defensemen
Filip Hronek, VAN (Yahoo: 50%): A player earning three mentions in this column during one season needs to be someone who can definitely improve your fantasy squad. The Canucks may be destined to finish last in the league, but they've looked more lively — and healthier — of late, with a few of their key contributors leading the way. Brock Boeser was discussed again last week, so let's give further appreciation to Hronek, as he's reeled off nine points, 24 shots, 19 hits and 11 blocks in the last 11 games while averaging a whopping 25:46 of ice time. As Vancouver's quarterback on the first power-play unit, he's delivered four power-play points over that stretch. Ignoring plus-minus, Hronek represents a solid addition in most formats.
Owen Power, BUF (Yahoo: 20%): It would be wrong to label Power as a first-overall draft bust even though he hasn't yet reached any elite scoring totals, since most defenders would be more than happy producing a combined 108 points over the previous three seasons. He's been slightly off the pace this year, though he has registered four goals and five assists across 13 appearances to go with 16 shots and 18 blocks on 22:13 of ice time per game. Power may no longer assume a man-advantage role, yet he is paired at even-strength with Bowen Byram and continues to hold offensive upside within a dangerous Buffalo attack.
Jake McCabe, TOR (Yahoo: 18%): McCabe is enjoying the most ice time of his career, which has mainly paid off on the stat sheet. Going back to March 12, he's notched four points, eight shots, eight hits, eight PIM, 26 blocks and a plus-6 rating at just under 24 minutes of ice time per outing. While McCabe's special-teams participation mainly involves the shorthanded side, he benefits from a 5-on-5 partnership alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Anyone who is solid for physical categories who can also chip in with scoring usually proves to be a decent fantasy performer.
Carter Yakemchuk, OTT (Yahoo: 4%): The Ottawa blue line has been decimated by injuries, with Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot the most notable casualties. With five in total currently out, Yakemchuk was called up from the AHL on Monday. The 2024 first-rounder recorded 36 points over 50 minor-league matchups and immediately starred for the Senators on Tuesday during his debut with his first NHL goal and assist. Yakemchuk also alternated with Jordan Spence on the man-advantage while picking up a power-play assist. His power-play time could diminish, as Sanderson is set to return soon, but Yakemchuk will likely still be involved offensively.
Goaltenders
Jake Allen, NJ (Yahoo: 16%): Streaming goalies later in the regular season can be important as there are usually more back-to-backs, and both recommendations here will soon be involved in that situation. Allen hasn't been the most consistent, while most of New Jersey's starts have gone to Jacob Markstrom, though Allen has won two of his last three appearances. Allen was also on fire during a five-week span over October and November when he posted a 7-3 record alongside a 2.13 GAA and .920 save percentage. Markstrom will probably start Saturday in Carolina, which would leave Allen with the more favorable Sunday matchup at home against the Blackhawks.
Elvis Merzlikins, CBJ (Yahoo: 9%): Entering Thursday, the Blue Jackets sat second in the Metropolitan Division thanks to victories in five of their last six games. Over that stretch, Jet Greaves produced a 1.59 GAA and .934 save percentage across his five outings. The other one was ably handled on Saturday by Merzlikins, as he faced only 17 shots versus Seattle. Columbus will welcome San Jose and Boston this Saturday and Sunday, and the netminder allotments haven't yet been announced as of writing. The Sharks have recently struggled, while the Bruins are surging again, so the former could be considered as the more favorable opponent. Either way, Merzlikins is nearly guaranteed to get action on a club motivated to remain in the playoff race.
Washington Capitals (36-28-9, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (32-26-15, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Saturday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Washington Capitals after Mark Stone's two-goal game against the Edmonton Oilers in the Golden Knights' 4-3 overtime loss.
Vegas is 32-26-15 overall and 16-12-8 in home games. The Golden Knights have conceded 223 goals while scoring 227 for a +4 scoring differential.
Washington has gone 14-17-4 in road games and 36-28-9 overall. The Capitals have committed 284 total penalties (3.9 per game) to rank 10th in NHL play.
The teams meet Saturday for the second time this season. The Capitals won 3-2 in the last meeting. Pierre-Luc Dubois led the Capitals with two goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell Marner has 19 goals and 51 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has four goals and four assists over the last 10 games.
Alexander Ovechkin has 29 goals and 27 assists for the Capitals. Ryan Leonard has scored four goals with one assist over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 3-6-1, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.4 assists, 4.4 penalties and 10.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Capitals: 5-3-2, averaging 2.8 goals, four assists, 4.1 penalties and 10.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body), Carter Hart: out (leg), Jonas Rondbjerg: out (lower body).
Capitals: Ethen Frank: day to day (lower-body), David Kampf: out (not injury related).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Frustration was the clear winner in the Vancouver Canucks’ 4–0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings tonight. There were lots of frustrating elements to tonight’s game, from the Canucks logging only 19 shots on goal to awkward shift lengths such as Tom Willander getting caught on the ice for over three minutes. The lone solid performance on the night came from Kevin Lankinen, who stopped 34 of 37 shots faced.
A weakness of Vancouver’s early on tonight was their inability to clear the crease of traffic from the Kings. Los Angeles’ first two goals of the game came off of some extremely timely bounces — first off Scott Laughton’s leg and off the stick of Trevor Moore after that.
In his fifth consecutive start, a choice that has not come without questions, Lankinen played exactly the way he needed to in order to try and get his team a win. He faced 25 shots within the first half of the game, including 15 during just the first period, with the Kings getting up to 32 shots on goal by the 40-minute mark. With the loss tonight, Lankinen records his first regulation loss against the Kings since the beginning of his career with the Canucks.
“We need to play way better for him. We have not played good enough at all, especially for him. He tries to make every save possible,” Zeev Buium said post-game of the goaltender’s effort and how the team can help him out. “We need to do a way better job of getting guys out of the crease and just not letting them get there in the first place. I think we’re trying to do that. I think that’s just the biggest thing, is just playing a little bit harder. Not panicking, too. I think we get the puck sometimes and we just rim it or make a hard play. Sometimes we can collect it, talk to each other, communicate, and exit as a unit of five instead of just whacking it off the glass or something.”
The Canucks’ penalty kill was also a talking point in today’s game. On their first kill, Vancouver surrendered the goal-against from Laughton. During their next kill, they very nearly allowed another power play goal-against during a scrambled play in Lankinen’s crease, though the whistle went before the puck could cross the goal line.
The frustration bubbled over near the end of the game when a group of Canucks got into a tussle with some members of the Kings down in the corner of Los Angeles’ zone. Players like Willander and Linus Karlsson were caught in pushing-and-shoving matches, while Buium dropped the gloves with Kings defenceman Brandt Clarke. Buium spoke on the frustration level and how it factored into his scrap.
“You lose like that, especially on home ice, it’s never fun.You see your teammates getting kind of jumped a little bit … they’re up 4–0. I don’t think that necessarily needs to happen, but I’m glad that we all stuck up for each other.”
“It’s hard on everybody right now, and it’s not easy, but we have to learn from this,” Filip Hronek added. “No one else is going to help us. We have to keep grinding.”
Mar 26, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) and defenseman Tom Willander (5) watch defenseman Marcus Pettersson (29) battle with Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (55) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Vancouver surrenders a power play goal-against in their third consecutive game
Canucks finish the home stand with a record of 2–6–0
Zeev Buium records his first NHL fight
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
17:34 - LAK: Scott Laughton (11) from Quinton Byfield and Trevor Moore (PPG)
2nd Period:
1:21 - LAK: Trevor Moore (10) from Mikey Anderson and Alex Laferriere
19:21 - LAK: Artemi Panarin (26) from Adrian Kempe
3rd Period:
17:36 - LAK: Quinton Byfield (18) from Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty (ENG)
Up Next:
With their home stand now wrapped-up, the Canucks will now set their sights on a four-game road trip. Their first stop will be a match against the Calgary Flames on Saturday at 7:00 pm PT, before they head south to take on the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Minnesota Wild.
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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If there's one thing for certain about the 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins, they've sure dealt with their fair share of adversity throughout the season. They've also managed to follow up some of their worst performances of the season with some of their best.
There wasn't just one player who wore the cape for the Penguins in this one. A few of them did. But, perhaps, none stood taller than goaltender Stuart Skinner, who made ten-bell save after ten-bell save in third-period and overtime onslaughts by the Sens, as he stopped 26 of 29 shots on the evening.
And right behind Skinner in the hero line were a pair of Swedes.
The Senators got off to an early 1-0 lead when Drake Batherson took advantage of a struggling Penguins' penalty kill and netted his 28th of the season on the power play not even five minutes in. The Penguins began to tilt the ice a bit after that, though, getting several chances of their own - many of which were generated by the Penguins' first line at the time of Crosby, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust.
Well, they were finally rewarded later in the first when Erik Karlsson had an excellent zone keep at the right point, and he recognized Rakell winding up for a one-time opportunity in the high slot right away. Karlsson dished it to Rakell, who hammered it home for his 16th of the season to make it 1-1.
But, once again, the Sens responded in the second period. Just like they scored on their first shot in the first period, they also scored on their first shot in the second period less than two minutes into the middle frame when Nick Cousins snuck one past Skinner along the goal line to restore Ottawa's lead - and this was after an apparent collision between Cousins and Crosby along the boards, which appeared to be the play that took Crosby out of the game.
The Penguins didn't wait long to respond to Cousins's tally, though. Less than two minutes later, Ben Kindel briefly took over first-line center duties and joined Rakell and Rust on a good offensive zone shift. Kindel got the puck to Rakell, who played it off himself high in the zone to work his way around a few defenders, eventually resulting in a nice toe-drag move to pass the puck to Karlsson on the right side. Karlsson zeroed in toward the middle, picked his spot, and sniped one past Linus Ullmark to knot the game up at 2-2.
The Penguins dominated the second period, and a late-period penalty by Dylan Cozens for tripping carried over into the third. Just 22 seconds in, Artem Zub cleared the puck over the glass, and the Penguins got a glorious five-on-three opportunity for almost a minute and a half.
For a second, it looked as though they might not take advantage. But, nearing the end of the two-man advantage, Karlsson and Rakell connected yet again when Karlsson fed Rakell for a fading one-time blast from the left circle that beat Ullmark and gave the Penguins their first lead of the game, 3-2.
But, just as Pittsburgh responded quickly in the second, Ottawa did the same in the third, and it was Batherson again. With the score tied at 3-3 - and after yet another failed goaltender interference challenge by the Penguins - the Senators made a strong push in the back half of the third period, forcing Skinner and the Penguins' defense to stand on their heads and be up to the task.
And, it was the same story in overtime. Although there were chances at both ends, the Sens largely controlled possession, but the Penguins and Skinner were able to hold them off to force a shootout - and same with Ullmark, who stopped Tommy Novak on a breakaway opportunity with just 11 seconds to go in the extra frame.
Then came the shootout, where the Senators were 3-0 in stark contrast to the Penguins' abysmal record of 2-10 going in. Batherson was able to get one past Skinner to open things up, and Ullmark stopped Rakell on the first shot. Skinner then stopped Tim Stutzle before Egor Chinakhov - we'll get to him later - went five-hole on Ullmark to tie things in the shootout. And, once again, Skinner was able to stop Shane Pinto, leaving things in the hands of the Penguins' third shooter.
That third shooter happened to be the 18-year-old rookie Kindel, who scored in his last shootout attempt. With the game on his stick, the young center was able to live up to the moment, as he snuck one through Ullmark to give the Penguins a much-needed two points in a building they hadn't won a game in since February 10, 2022 and against a goaltender they had never won against.
Here are some takeaways from this inspiring team win by the Penguins.
- Well, let's get the bad news out of the way.
Muse said after the game that Crosby's injury was lower-body and that he was still being evaluated. And this came after the Penguins were already missing Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte to injury.
If the Penguins want to make any kind of noise down the stretch and into the playoffs, should they get there, they absolutely need to get a bit healthier. The win was inspiring, obviously - as many this season have been when the Penguins were faced with adversity out of their control - but they can only overcompensate for so long without their best players and without true center depth, as Lizotte is also out, likely, for the rest of the regular season.
You've just got to hope that Crosby avoided the worst. They need him.
- Or, in the short-term, at least, maybe they don't. Because those two aforementioned Swedes have stepped up in a massive way.
Rakell now has six goals and 14 points in his last 11 games, and this was his best performance of the season. He was everywhere in all three zones all night long, and it was easy to tell he wanted desperately to be the guy to step up without 87.
He's been very good since the Olympic break for the Penguins, and even though he has quietly racked up points and gone about playing a really solid two-way game since then, it's nice to see him have a very loud game like this one.
As for Karlsson? I mean, what else can you say? He is now up to 12 goals and 57 points in 67 games overall, and he has the second-highest point total (22) in the National Hockey League since Feb. 28.
We're seeing vintage Erik Karlsson, folks 👀
• Six goals over his last six games • Three-straight three-point games on the road • Seven multi-point games over his last 10 outings • Ranks second in the NHL with 22 points since February 28 pic.twitter.com/XEBB9nYCla
He's just been absurd. I have not seen a Penguins' defenseman play at this high a level since the pre-Crosby days. And that's nothing against Kris Letang, who is an all-time great Penguin. Karlsson is this team's MVP this season, and I don't really think it's all that debatable.
- Another guy who was magnificent in this game? Chinakhov.
I'm not kidding when I say he could have had five goals if not for Ullmark and if not for the iron. Right after Karlsson's goal, Chinakhov put a scorching wrist shot off the post, and he had about three or four high-danger scoring chances in the second period alone.
Everyone knows by now that the Penguins got a good player in Chinakhov, as he's undoubtedly been one of their best players since his acquisition. But I actually think the Penguins may have a star winger on their hands in Chinakhov.
It's not like the things he's doing aren't very sustainable. He backchecks hard, he has speed, he uses that speed to create chances, and he isn't reliant on others to create. He has looked good next to Malkin, he's looked good next to Novak, next to Kindel, next to Rakell and Rust...
It doesn't matter where you put this guy. He's a threat nearly every time he takes the ice. And if you take his combined skill set and emphasize the fact that he has a world-class shot, the Penguins certainly have something special here.
- That was some special stuff from Kindel.
He has had an outstanding rookie season with 17 goals and 33 points in 69 games. And he's only going to be more productive as time goes on and has he plays a bigger role in the lineup with better players.
But the fact that he stepped on the ice to take a potential season-altering shootout shot - smiling while doing so - and was able to drown out the noise and bury it at 18 years old speaks volumes about this kid's poise and confidence.
It may not count on the scoresheet, but it was a huge goal from the rookie. I expect him to be a huge part of these final 10 games for the Penguins, especially if Crosby and Malkin are out.
- Not going to spend a lot of time on the goalie interference ruling. I thought the challenge was a bit of a questionable one from Dan Muse only because - even if there was unprovoked contract from Claude Giroux on Skinner - it was minimal, and the risk of having to go on the penalty kill in a tie game during the third period was a big one.
But what I will say is this: If the ruling that called back Justin Brazeau's goal against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday was setting any kind of bar - even if it's the wrong one - for consistency with the rulings, Batherson's should have been called back as well. They were nearly identical plays, as Giroux's skate and stick made minimal contact inside the blue paint with Skinner, arguably throwing him off enough that he couldn't make the save.
The Penguins are now 0-for-9 in goaltender interference challenges. It's truly remarkable.
- Skinner was lights-out in this game, and he is the biggest reason they were able to come away with the two points. He was making key point-blank save after point-blank save in the first part of the first period, and he was simply outstanding in the third and beyond.
I know the Penguins have done a goaltender rotation all season long that has mostly worked for them. But with just 10 games left and the playoffs on the line, it's time for them to commit to whoever has the hot hand.
As of Thursday, that's Skinner. So, he should start Saturday against the Dallas Stars. And if he plays well against the Stars, he absolutely should get the net in what will be the biggest game of the season against the Islanders on Monday.
Should anything change, going right back to Silovs is fine. But Skinner stepped up when his team needed it most on Thursday, and he needs to be rewarded for that.
- The Penguins cancelled their scheduled practice on Friday, so we are unlikely to get an update on Crosby until at least Saturday.
Stay tuned. But if the Penguins can rally like they did Thursday for the rest of the season, maybe they'll be okay after all.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves for his third shutout of the season and 39th of his career to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Trevor Moore had a goal and an assist for the Kings, and Scott Laughton, Artemi Panarin and Quinton Byfield also scored. Mikey Anderson had a pair of assists.
The victory moved the Kings within one point of the Nashville Predators, who hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race.
One of the best stops by Kuemper, whose last shutout was on Dec. 6 against Chicago, came at the 10:43 mark of the first period when Teddy Blueger launched a blast from the slot and the goalie kicked out his right leg to send the puck soaring with the toe of his skate.
Kevin Lankinen made 34 saves for the Canucks, who lost their fourth straight game. Vancouver has been shut out five times this season, with four coming at home.
The Kings opened the scoring with Laughton's power-play goal 17:34 into the first period. Stationed at the top of the faceoff circle, Byfield took a shot that hit the skate of Laughton as he jumped in front of the net, deflecting the puck in past Lankinen.
Byfield sealed it with an empty-netter with 2:24 left in the game.
New York Islanders Tony DeAngelo looks to pass during the second period against the Calgary Flames at UBS Arena, Saturday, March 14, 2026.
Tony DeAngelo will miss 1-2 weeks with a lower-body injury, the Islanders announced before their match Thursday against the Stars.
DeAngelo hurt himself while getting back to defend an odd-man rush against the Blackhawks on Tuesday, leaving the eventual 4-3 loss in the first period and not returning.
The Islanders did get a major reprieve to their back end Thursday when Ryan Pulock returned, having missed two games with a lower-body injury of his own.
“Felt like yesterday I made some improvements and then this morning I felt good,” Pulock said after the 2-1 win at UBS Arena in which he skated 20:53. “Just as long as I can help this team, obviously I’m going.”
Minus DeAngelo, the Islanders still operated with slightly jumbled pairs. Carson Soucy, a lefty, took DeAngelo’s usual spot to the right side of Adam Pelech while Scott Mayfield played his off side to the left of Adam Boqvist.
With DeAngelo missing a period that could extend through the second week of April, it’s still more than possible that the Islanders will need George — called up as the seventh defenseman Tuesday — at some point.
New York Islanders Tony DeAngelo looks to pass during the second period against the Calgary Flames at UBS Arena, Saturday, March 14, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Boqvist, usually the seventh defenseman, is unlikely to stay in the lineup long if he begins to struggle, and was healthy-scratched for a long chunk of this season behind AHL call-ups while the Islanders searched for someone to replace the injured Alexander Romanov.
It was fitting that Romanov rejoined the Islanders in a full-team skate for the first time Thursday morning before their first game against Dallas since Mikko Rantanen injured Romanov’s shoulder with a brazenly illegal hit Nov. 18.
Romanov skated in a noncontact sweater in an encouraging sign in his recovery from surgery that was originally projected to keep him out 5-6 months. Roy said there are still no plans for him to return during the regular season, though the playoffs remain a possibility should the Islanders make it that far.
“I’m sure he’s excited,” Roy said. “First, it’s fun to see him there, see how hard he had to work to get back where he is today. It’s fun for the guys as well, for him and for us, seeing him back. I’m not saying he’s gonna play tonight, but I’m sure he feels good to be with the boys and enjoy the guys.”
Rantanen, notably, did not feature for the Stars, as he’s still dealing with an injury suffered during the Olympics. He is on the road with the Stars, who hope to have him back by the end of their trip.
After four straight losses, the Los Angeles Kings (29-25-18) got a much-needed win on Thursday, cruising past the Vancouver Canucks (21-42-8) 4-0. LA dominated Vancouver wire-to-wire from opening tap, outshooting the home team 32-12 in the first 40 minutes of regulation.
Los Angeles won 72.2% of its faceoffs while Vancouver won just 27.8%. The Kings also scored on a power-play goal tonight, going 1/2, and held the Canucks 0/2.
After opening the first two minutes of the first period with a deflected shot by Scott Laughton that went inside the net, Los Angeles never looked back, outplaying the Canucks on both sides of the floor to bounce back and get closer to the playoff picture.
The game started fast with the Kings aggressive on offense, outshooting the Canucks 15-7 in the first period. Los Angeles would once again score the very early goal in the opening frame to hold onto a 1-0 lead.
LAK Goal - Kings open the scoring on the power play. Byfield shot, Laughton deflection, 1-0. Another important point for 55.
The defense was great early on, despite Vancouver getting solid looks. Darcy Kuemper was great under the crease tonight, stopping all of the Canucks 19 shots that came at him.
In the second period, the Kings jumped out to a 3-0 lead, first scoring a goal two minutes into the period after Trevor Moore recovered Mikey Anderson's shot that was deflected on the way through.
It was another dominant period for Los Angeles, holding Vancouver to another single-digit shot period and outshooting their opponent 17-5, dominating on both offense and defense.
The next 17 minutes would be quiet, until the Kings won the faceoff and Artemi Panarin converted on the power play to give Los Angeles a commanding 3-0 lead on the 2-on-1 rush with 39 seconds left in the period.
LAK Goal - Artem-three Panarin!
2-on-1 rush, backhanded shot, 3-0 Kings. Practice what you preach situation as the Kings go out and build on a lead.
Panarin finished the game with one goal and one point, bouncing back after putting up zeroes in the last game against the Calgary Flames.
It was the 30th time this season that Vancouver allowed multiple goals in the second period.
The final period was pretty much the same; Los Angeles held Vancouver scoreless for the remainder of the final frame, and the Kings scored in the last two minutes on an empty net goal to win the game.
FINAL - Kings 4, Canucks 0!
A necessary two points in Vancouver. Kings now one point out of the final wild card spot in the West, heading back to LA to begin a seven-game homestand.
This was a dominating game for the Kings, but let's not overreact. It was against the Canucks, who are the worst team in the NHL, so Los Angeles won a game that they were supposed to get.
It's a good way, though, to bounce back against a struggling team and get back in the win column. Los Angeles now has 76 points and is one point behind Nashville for the final playoff spot and three points behind Vegas for the third seed in the Pacific Division.
Artemi Panarin was great, even though he finished with just one point and one goal; it's his fourth goal in the last five games and his 18th point in 16 games since being a King.
Quinton Byfield once again had a good game, coming around at the right time of the season, tallying one goal, one assist, and two points. Los Angeles is tough to beat whenever Byfield plays well.
Trevor Moore also had a great game, finishing with one goal, one assist, and two points, his second consecutive game with an assist and a point.
Darcy Kuemper was great tonight, defending the net, saving all 19 of the Canucks shots to earn his third shutout of the season.
The Kings will begin their crucial seven-game home stand Saturday, hosting the Utah Mammoth at 6:00 PM PT.
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The Calgary Flames dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. It marked the fourth time in the last five home games Calgary has gone beyond regulation.
The Flames came out flying, with a 3-on-0 rush in the opening minute, but a case of overpassing kept the game scoreless. Calgary thought it had opened the scoring shortly after, when Yegor Sharangovich snapped a shot past Ville Husso, but the goal was overturned following an offside challenge.
Calgary carried the play through much of the opening frame, outshooting Anaheim 11-8, but the game remained scoreless after 20 minutes.
The Flames broke through early in the second. Just 1:06 in, Joel Farabee picked up the puck off a line change and slid a pass to Blake Coleman, who drove the net and tipped it past Husso for his 17th of the season. Olli Maatta also picked up an assist. 1-0 Flames.
Anaheim answered quickly. At 3:07, Mikael Granlund walked into the slot and wired a shot into the top corner to tie the game 1-1 with an unassisted goal.
After a scoreless remainder of the period, the teams entered the third tied.
Calgary regained the lead midway through the third during a sustained offensive push. With a Ducks player down injured and unable to get back into the play, the Flames kept possession in the zone. Olli Maatta found Matvei Gridin, who ripped a shot past Husso for his fifth of the season at 7:46. Matt Coronato added the secondary assist. The helper gave Maatta nine points (1G, 8A) in 11 games since joining Calgary.
The Ducks pulled even again on the power play late in regulation. Granlund buried a rebound off a John Carlson point shot from a sharp angle at 16:27, tying the game 2-2 and setting the stage for overtime.
Calgary ran into trouble in the extra frame, taking its second too-many-men penalty of the night when Zayne Parekh stepped onto the ice early. The Ducks made them pay in the final second (4:59), as Granlund completed the hat trick, finishing a setup from Carlson with a high shot to seal the 3-2 win.
Three Takeaways:
Maatta producing offensively
Olli Maatta continues to make an impact at both ends of the ice, now with nine points (1G, 8A) in 11 games since joining the Flames.
Coronato staying consistent
Matt Coronato extended his point streak to four games (1G, 3A) and now has six points (2G, 4A) over his last six outings.
Sharangovich driving play
Yegor Sharangovich was heavily involved throughout the night. He had a goal overturned, hit a post, and drew a penalty in one of his more noticeable offensive performances despite not recording a point.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Mikael Granlund capped off his hat trick scoring on the power play with 1 second remaining in overtime on Thursday night to give the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames.
Granlund has seven goals during a four-game goal streak that has him up to 19 on the season as Anaheim extended its winning streak to four games.
The Pacific Division-leading Ducks opened the night with a five-point cushion on the Edmonton Oilers and a six-point lead on the Vegas Golden Knights.
Rookie Matvei Gridin and Blake Coleman scored for Calgary, which extended its point streak to five games (4-0-1). Gridin stretched his point streak to four games (one goal, three assists).
Ville Husso, who made 23 saves, improved to 9-7-1.
Devin Cooley, who had 30 stops, fell to 9-10-4.
The game got off to an inauspicious start for the Flames. First, Pavel Mintyukov’s turnover in the opening minute of the game resulted in a 3-on-0 breakaway for Calgary but Gridin, Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato over-passed it and never got a shot on goal.
Three minutes later, it appeared that Yegor Sharangovich had given Calgary the lead, but Anaheim challenged for offside and the goal was overturned. It was the fifth goal the Flames have had waved off by video review during its homestand.
Calgary eventually took the lead on Coleman’s goal 1:06 into the second period when he redirected Joel Farabee’s pass inside the post. But Granlund tied it on an unassisted goal two minutes later.
The Ducks lost two defensemen to injury. Radko Gudas (lower body) left the game late in the second period and Mintyukov got hurt when he took a shot from Olli Maatta high in his chest in the third.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored his 47th and 48th goals of the season to propel the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.
Jack Drury scored his career-high ninth goal of the season for the NHL-leading Avalanche, who ended a four-game road trip with a 4-0-0 record. Artturi Lehkonen added an assist in his return after missing 11 games with an upper-body injury.
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 22 shots for Colorado.
Mark Scheifele scored twice and leads the Jets with 34 goals.
Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves.
Scheifele set a career-high in points when his pair of goals gave him 88 points.
Colorado entered the game ranked 27th on the power play, but made good on a big opportunity. Six seconds after a 38-second two-man advantage expired, MacKinnon scored 13 seconds into the third to break the 1-1 tie with the power-play tally. He added his second goal at 3:55.
The Jets challenged MacKinnon’s second goal for goaltender interference, but it stood and gave Colorado a 3-1 lead early in the third.
Up next
The Jets begin a four-game road trip with a rematch in Colorado on Saturday.
A pair of calls on the Nashville Predators down the stretch proved costly in a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena.
Halfway through the third period, Fedor Svechkov was called for tripping on Jack Hughes, seeing Svechkov partially make contact with Hughes on a poke check.
While that was killed, Matthew Wood was later called for tripping on Evgenii Dadonov, another call that was heavily disputed by the Predators.
Western Conference Wild Card Standings
WC1: Utah Mammoth - 80 PTS (vs. Washington)
WC2: Nashville Predators - 77 PTS (vs. New Jersey, L 4-2)
1. Seattle Kraken - 74 PTS (vs. Tampa, W 4-3 OT)
2. Los Angeles Kings - 74 PTS (vs. Vancouver)
3. Winnipeg Jets - 72 PTS (vs. Colorado, L 3-2)
4. San Jose Sharks - 71 PTS (vs. St. Louis, L 2-1 OT)
Nico Hischier tipped in a shot from Jack Hughes on the power play to give the Devils the go-ahead goal. Timo Meier added an empty net goal in the final minute to ensure the win.
"It's frustrating and it pisses me off a little bit the way that the game ended on that power play goal," Steven Stamkos said. "It's tough. The refs call what they see, no matter how much we yell and scream, then they're not changing the call once it's made."
Stamkos did add that it was known in advance that the Devils wouldn't give the Predators much to work with on penalties. New Jersey is the least-penalized team in the NHL, with 506 total minutes, and ranks 13th in the league on the power play.
Nashville got one power play out of the Devils on a Jonas Siegenthaler tripping call; however, it was unable to convert on the man advantage.
"Jersey doesn't take a lot of penalties. We knew that before the game," Stamko said. "We are not gonna get a three, four, five power place. We couldn't afford to take three or four ourselves. We took two, they took one. It just sucks to miss out on at least a point in those situations."
The Predators fell into a 2-0 hole early, with Jesper Bratt and Hischier scoring.
Reid Schaefer found the back of the net on a breakaway in the second period to get the Predators on the board. It was his sixth goal of the season.
Stamkos tied the game later in the frame, getting the puck from Luke Evangelista off a steal and scoring on the backhand to tie the game.
On the empty net goal by the Devils, Evangelista made the save of the primary shot, but couldn't find the puck as it had dropped inbetween his legs. Eventually, Meier got to the loose puck and poked it in.
Nashville was outshot 30-18 and lost 65% of total face-offs. Late penalties by Stamkos and Evangelista saw the Predators officially commit 26 PIM to New Jersey's two.
"They (the officials) call what they see, and we deal with it. Unfortunately, it probably affected the outcome of the game," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "We left it up to chance, and when you leave it up to chance, there's gonna be nights like this."
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Holloway scored with 3 seconds left in overtime to lift the St. Louis Blues to a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.
Dalibor Dvorsky also scored for the Blues, who won their third straight. Joel Hofer made 24 saves.
Alexander Wennberg had the lone goal for the Sharks, who have dropped six in a row (0-5-1). Yaroslav Askarov made 11 saves before leaving with an injury and was replaced by Alex Nedeljkovic.
With the game tied at 1, the Sharks tried to win it when Macklin Celebrini passed to Dmitry Orlov, whose wrist shot went wide. Phillip Broberg got the rebound and sent a long pass down the left side to a streaking Holloway, who caught up with the puck, skated in front of the net and put a backhander past Nedeljkovic for the win.
Dvorsky gave the Blues a 1-0 lead in the second period off assists from Holloway and Jimmy Snuggerud.
Wennberg tied it for the Sharks with a wrister 5:04 into the third.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Hischier scored two goals to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.
Jesper Bratt scored a goal and added two assists, Timo Meier scored an empty-net goal, and Jacob Markstrom made 16 saves for the Devils, winners of five of six. Jack Hughes and Jonas Siegenthaler had two assists apiece.
Reid Schaefer and Steven Stamkos scored and Justus Annunen made 26 saves for the Predators, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.
Nashville entered Thursday three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the Western Conference’s second wild card berth.
With time winding down in the third and the Devils on a power play, Hughes’ shot from the left side tipped off Hischier and past Annunen at 14:07.
Bratt scored the game’s first goal with 1:58 remaining in the opening period.
Siegenthaler faked a shot from the high slot and slid a pass to Jack Hughes in the right circle, where his one-timer deflected off Bratt.
Hughes has a seven-game point-scoring streak.
Bratt has scored in a career-high five straight and has 19 goals on the season.
Hischier made it 2-0 at 9:13 of the second when Bratt’s wrist shot from the left side tipped off Hischier and snuck past Annunen on the near post.
Schaefer halved New Jersey’s lead less than two minutes later on a breakaway, slipping a wrist shot between Markstrom’s pads.
Stamkos made it 2-2 with 7 remaining in the second on a backhand from just outside the crease, his 36th goals of the season.
Nashville’s Matthew Wood hit the left post with 1:45 left in a bid to tie the game.
Up next
Devils visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
Predators host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
