The Buffalo Sabres will undoubtedly be a team to keep an eye on leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. With the Sabres being one of several teams in the Eastern Conference playoff race and having a real chance of snapping their 14-year playoff drought, there is certainly a chance that they will look to add to their roster ahead of the deadline.
When looking at the Sabres' current group, one trade need they could look to address is the right side of their defense. Bringing in a steady right-shot defenseman who can move up and down the lineup would be beneficial for the Sabres, and they have an interesting target to consider in Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud.
Whitecloud was recently acquired by the Flames as part of the deal that sent star defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. While Whitecloud's time in Calgary is just getting started, he is already being discussed as one of their trade candidates.
If the Sabres brought in Whitecloud, he would give the right side of their blueline a nice boost. He could slot nicely on their bottom pairing and would also give them another possible option for their penalty kill to consider.
Whitecloud would also be more than a rental for the Sabres if acquired, as he has an affordable $2.75 million cap hit until the completion of the 2027-28 season. With this, he would have the potential to help the Sabres for more than just this season, which adds to his appeal.
In 49 games this season split between the Golden Knights and Flames, Whitecloud has posted two goals, eight points, 66 blocks, and 70 hits.
While the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to exact revenge on Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, Toronto got no favors from their incoming opponents, who fell to the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Thursday.
The Bruins picked up two points in the standings to increase their lead on the Leafs for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference by three. It should be noted that the Leafs (57 points in 50 games) have a game in hand on the Bruins (60 points in 51 games).
Eastern Conference Wild Card standings per NHL.com
Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres, who hold the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, picked up a 4-2 win on the road against the Montreal Canadiens. The Sabres have 61 points in 50 games. The only thing that could have been worse for Toronto is if the game had gone to overtime and the Canadiens squeaked out a point. However, that was not the case here.
The defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers picked up a 2-1 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets. They moved to just two points back of the Leafs in the Eastern Conference standings with 55 points in 49 games while also having a game in hand on Toronto. As far as tiebreakers go, if Florida gets level with Toronto, the Panthers have five more regulation wins in Toronto and that serves as the first tiebreaker.
The good news for Toronto is that the Ottawa Senators fell 5-3 to the Nashville Predators. Ottawa remains four points back of the Leafs.
As it turns out, scoring three goals in less than a minute is a winning strategy!
The Bruins scored three goals in a 52-second span of the first period, added another in the second, then held off a late Vegas charge to earn a 4-3 win at TD Garden.
The first two goals of the game, one by Charlie McAvoy and one by Elias Lindholm, came just 30 seconds apart during a costly double-minor to Vegas’s Tomas Hertl.
David Pastrnak led the way on offense for the B’s, recording a goal and two assists.
Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves in the win. The Finnish netminder has won his last four starts and six of his last eight.
McAvoy got the scoring started just nine seconds into the aforementioned double minor, making it 1-0 Bruins.
The Bruins grinders forced a turnover a few seconds after the ensuing puck drop, and Tanner Jeannot capitalized with great shot to beat Akira Schmid and make it 3-0 Bruins.
After falling behind 6-0 in Dallas on Tuesday night, the Bruins decided to take the opposite approach on Thursday night and go ahead 4-0. It seems like that might be a better strategy. Thank you for reading my analysis.
Per Judd Sirrott on the NESN broadcast, the Golden Knights came into last night’s game with one the best road penalty kills in the league, making B’s doubly successful power play even more impressive.
While the recent (until Dallas) winning run was a team effort, Korpisalo has been quietly good for a while now. While he might like the Dorofeyev goal back, he made a few big saves early in the first period prior to the B’s goal-scoring outburst. While Korpisalo had his struggles earlier in the season, he has rounded into form of late.
Lindholm and Morgan Geekie also had multi-point nights for the B’s, with Lindholm having a goal and an assist and Geekie having two assists.
The B’s managed to hold Vegas to a 1-for-4 mark on their own power plays, an impressive feat against the league’s fourth-best power play.
The B’s will be back in action on Saturday night, hosting the Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden.
Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes said it’s not up to him whether Quinn Hughes will play with Brock Faber at the Olympics.
But if Team USA coach Mike Sullivan needed any convincing, all he has to do is look at the stats since Hughes arrived in a blockbuster trade to Minnesota last month. What started out as a one-game trial has turned into a six-week tour de force, with Hughes and Faber combining for seven goals and 41 points in 20 games.
Chemistry this instant is not easy to find. Which is why you have to imagine that the dynamic defensive duo, who seem so similar but bring different elements that complement each other’s game, will be paired together in Milan next month.
“Both of them are obviously high-end players,” said Hynes, who is an assistant coach for Team USA. “I would say they’re a little bit different in the way that they play. But they’re both excellent skaters, I think they can break the puck out well, they can transition the puck well, and obviously you see their skating ability, whether it’s off the rush or in the offensive zone, they’re mobile and they make very good decisions with the puck.
“From a defensive standpoint, they’re both committed guys. They’re not just one-way players — they play a strong, two-way game.”
Chances are the Olympics were not on Bill Guerin’s mind when the Wild GM acquired Hughes in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 18. But considering that Guerin is also the GM of the U.S. Olympic team, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a defense pairing that looks like they’ve been playing together for years — not weeks.
After all, the Olympics are a short tournament with little lead-up time. The last NHL game is on Feb. 5. A week later, the U.S. starts the tournament against Latvia on Feb. 12.
Not that Hughes needs much time to feel comfortable, anyway. From the moment he arrived in Minnesota, Hughes has fit in seamlessly with the Wild, helping the team to a 11-5-3 record. In 20 games, he has two goals and 24 points. Faber has also benefitted, scoring five goals and 17 points, while adding about a minute more per game in ice time.
“The way he moves — from the time he got here, I think everyone was like, 'Whoa,' " said Faber said of Hughes. “You don’t realize how good he is until you see it and you play with it. He’s only going to get better the more comfortable he gets. Obviously, he’s been playing so good for us. He’s been a huge part of why we’re winning games. Just such a great addition.”
The U.S., which also has two pairs of brothers — Quinn and Jack Hughes, and Matthew and Brady Tkachuk — is not the only country that will be bringing along the familiarity of linemates.
Canada’s top pairing will likely feature Colorado’s Cale Makar and Devon Toews, who have been playing together in Colorado for years. Finland will also send defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell, as well as forwards Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz — all Stars players.
That is, if Sullivan decides to keep the experiment going and keep Hughes and Faber together.
"Look, obviously they feel comfortable with each other so we'll see where it goes," said Hynes.
If last week's game in Las Vegas between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights taught us anything, it's that the rematch on Friday at Scotiabank Arena is sure to be an emotionally-charged game.
Mitch Marner returns to Toronto and will play as a visitor for the first time since the sign-and-trade that saw the player leave for the desert.
And following Toronto's last game, a 2-1 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings, spme of Marner's ex-teammates were asked about what they expect it will be like in the building when they play against the former Leaf of nine seasons.
He's been a special player for this team for a long time. He's been a big presence in the community as well, not just with hockey. So I would hope it's a warm welcome. I know he has nothing but good memories here, and I think the fans have experienced a lot of good memories with him as well. So he's a great guy. It's unfortunate he's not with our group anymore. But, yeah, I mean, I hope hockey is a place of respect, and I hope that the fans pay him respect. And I can't speak for everyone. and I don't know how everyone feels, but, just with playing with him. I know he's been an unbelievable guy, and it's going to be emotional for him.
It's going to be good. I think Mitch did a lot for this city while he was here. He was a really good player for this team for a while. I was fortunate to play with him for only a short period of time, but he did a lot of good things, and, yeah, I'm sure it's going to be........... loud *smirk*.
A lot of emotions, but if there's anything I can say, it's a beautiful thing in all regards. Obviously, he was here for a long time, but I hope he just comes in and takes advantage of the opportunity to appreciate just all the memories that he's built over his years here, and there's definitely going to be an extra spring in his step for sure. But overall, I think we want to just continue to play our game, focus on ourselves, but that will be an emotional one for him for sure.
- Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo on Marner's return.
With the standings being as tight as they are right now, each game is of pivotal importance, but especially those intra-divisional matchups like the Montreal Canadiens’ Thursday night match-up with the Buffalo Sabres. After being beaten by those same Sabres 5-3 a week ago, Martin St-Louis’ men had an opportunity to get a do-over against Lindy Ruff’s formation.
Even though it was Jakub Dobes who backstopped the Canadiens to their first win against the Minnesota Wild since 2019 on Tuesday night, the coach had elected to give the net to Samuel Montembeault for Thursday’s game. It was understandable since Dobes had given three goals on just 19 shots on Tuesday night. Still, Montembeault hadn’t looked great either in his only game since Jacob Fowler was sent back down to the Laval Rocket, surrendering five goals on 34 shots to the Ottawa Senators.
They say fake it ‘till you make it because if you believe in yourself, others will. As regretful as it is to write, the Canadiens do not seem to be confident when Montembeault is in the net. Once again, on Thursday night, the first shot he faced went in. Granted, it was on a two-on-one, but still, to win, you need a goaltender who will make the tough saves, the ones that make you think that your last line of defence can do the job. On that play, all three of the Canadiens’ forwards went deep in the Sabres’ zone, Lane Hutson applied pressure in their territory as well, and Jayden Struble didn’t play well on the odd-man rush, but if the goalie pulls off a spectacular save, we have a different game.
Then, the Sabres’ second goal was a shorthanded marker. Noah Dobson was outworked and overtaken on the wing, but Montembeault was passive and deep in his own net. Yes, Dobson should have been more of a nuisance for Beck Malenstyn, but nothing prevented Montembeault from making a poke check.
Buffalo took a 3-0 lead early in the second frame when Zach Benson hit both posts before scoring on his third shot. Of course, the defence shouldn’t let a team take three shots in close succession, but if Montembeault stops the first shot from hitting the post and makes the save, he doesn’t end up looking like a weathercock in his net, and the next two shots don’t happen right under Hutson and Struble’s noses.
Three goals on just nine shots, those are not numbers that inspire confidence. That being said, at least in the third period, Montembeault made a big save on Alex Tuch on a breakaway, which allowed the Canadiens to stay in the game and prevented the Sabres from getting a second shorthanded goal in the same game.
Making Adjustments
After the Habs fell behind 3-0, they woke up. On an offensive zone faceoff, Kirby Dach dished out a great hit along the boards, which allowed Mike Matheson to get the puck back. He then left it for Suzuki, who fed Cole Caufield in the high slot. The sniper one-timed it in, bringing the Canadiens back within two.
Less than 10 minutes later, St-Louis elected to send Zach Bolduc out on an offensive faceoff with Suzuki and Caufield. While the Habs lost the draw, it was Bolduc who then intercepted a pass and got himself alone in front of the goalie, who couldn’t freeze the puck on his shot, allowing Suzuki to take the rebound and score to make it 3-2 Buffalo. The coach’s decision to send the Trois-Rivieres native out for the draw was an inspired one. After the game, he explained that he felt Bolduc had played well and wanted to manage Dach's minutes since he had just returned from injury.
On the other bench, though, it took about two seconds for Ruff, who had just seen his team give up two goals in less than 10 minutes after forging itself a three-goal lead, call for a timeout and give his men a stern talking to. Buffalo only allowed two more shots in the rest of the period, and it stopped the Canadiens from building up their momentum right away. That’s one way to prevent a hemorrhage and an example the Habs’ coach could follow. Oftentimes, he seems reluctant to use his timeout.
A Recurring Issue
If the Canadiens have got the message about shooting more, they finished the game with 34 shots on goal, but they still struggle to play a full 60 minutes and start playing the right way straight from the puck drop. Two of the goals they gave were within three minutes of the start of a period, and their power play has been atrocious for the last two games.
The man-advantage doesn’t mean you don’t have to play as well or be as patient. It’s incredible to see how impatient the top unit can be when it’s time to enter the zone on the man-advantage, while they can be as patient as a young parent who never says no to their spoiled toddler when they are set up in the offensive zone, passing the puck.
In the game against the Wild, Caufield tried to beat three guys on his own to enter the zone on the power play, when by definition, a power play means you’ll have at least one man open on the ice. Tonight, the zone entries were just as hard, and, just like Tuesday, the power play coast the Canadiens’ momentum; it didn’t give them any, especially after it gave up a goal and nearly gave up a second one.
In the end, for much of the game, the Canadiens were dominant; they led 34-17 in shots, they won 64% of the faceoffs (36-20), and they led 28-26 in hits, but not playing for 60 minutes can be fatal, which it was on Thursday night.
This defeat leaves the Habs in a precarious position in the standings, with a two-point lead over the Sabres, but Buffalo has a game in hand. They are also just three points ahead of the Boston Bruins, who won tonight as well. As luck would have it, the Canadiens’ next game on Saturday will be against the Bruins, in Boston, and needless to say, it will be a do-or-die affair.
The 2025-26 NHL season is more than halfway complete and plenty will be happening down the stretch.
The biggest event will be overseas as the league shuts down to send its players to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014. Games will be played in Milan, Italy.
After the Olympics, it's a quick turnaround to the NHL trade deadline, then teams have more than a month to position themselves for a playoff spot. The playoffs open on April 18.
Here is a look at the key dates for the remainder of the 2025-26 NHL season, including the Olympic break and trade deadline:
The NHL will take a break from Feb. 6-24 for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. There are seven games on the schedule on Feb. 5. No trades can take place during the Olympic break.
When is the Olympic men's hockey tournament?
The tournament starts on Feb. 11 with two games. The USA opens play on Feb. 12 against Latvia. All teams will play three games during the round robin, which runs through Feb. 15. The three group winners and the best second-place team get byes to the quarterfinals.
Playoff qualification games are on Feb. 17 for teams ranked fifth through 12th, quarterfinals are Feb. 18 and semifinals are Feb. 20.
The bronze medal game is Feb. 21 and the gold medal game is Sunday, Feb. 22.
When does the NHL resume play after the Olympics?
Play resumes on Feb. 25 with eight games.
When is the NHL trade deadline?
The NHL trade deadline will be at 3 p.m. ET on March 6.
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end with six games on April 16.
When do the NHL playoffs begin?
The Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.
When is the NHL draft lottery?
The date of the NHL draft lottery is to be determined.
When is the last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final?
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
The Pittsburgh Penguins traveled to Edmonton, Alberta, on Thursday night for a date with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Tristan Jarry, and the Edmonton Oilers. However, a three-goal outburst in 37 seconds set the tone for the night, as the Penguins were en route to a 6-2 win, getting their first win in Oil Country since December 2019. [Recap]
General manager Kyle Dubas has quietly assembled a 2025-26 Penguins team that may be more than good enough for a playoff spot in what most thought would be another down year. His hot streak, however, dates back to the start of the 2024-25 campaign, and it’s put the Penguins on a path for success in the short- and long-term. [PensBurgh]
Eleven-year-old Katherine Haskey, who has Down syndrome, has found a sense of belonging in hockey through her close bond with Penguins rookie Ben Kindel, who treats her as a fellow player, not simply as a fan with a medical condition. Kindel’s consistent kindness has helped Katherine feel safe, valued, and confident both at the rink and in her own hockey journey. [Sportsnet]
Before Thursday night’s game, the Penguins activated defenseman Erik Karlsson from injured reserve, while subsequently placing defenseman Ryan Graves on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury. [Trib Live]
Acquired in the trade that sent Tristan Jarry to the Oilers, defender Brett Kulak has given the Penguins a reliable, steady presence on the back end who has jelled nicely alongside Kris Letang. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
The Toronto Maple Leafs were scheduled to practice outdoors this weekend, but due to extreme weather conditions in the forecast, the special practice session, originally slated from Saturday to Monday, has been canceled. Weather forecasts predict that the temperature in Toronto will drop as low as -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 degrees Celsius) throughout the weekend. [Sportsnet]
The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Josh Doan to a seven-year, $48.65 million extension. [TSN]
Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin underwent surgery for a lingering lower-body injury that will prevent him from playing for Sweden in the Olympics next month. [Associated Press via Sportsnet]
Buffalo Sabres (28-17-5, in the Atlantic Division) vs. New York Islanders (27-18-5, in the Metropolitan Division)
Elmont, New York; Saturday, 1 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Islanders and the Buffalo Sabres face off in Eastern Conference play.
New York is 14-8-2 at home and 27-18-5 overall. The Islanders have a 19-2-3 record when scoring three or more goals.
Buffalo has gone 12-11-2 in road games and 28-17-5 overall. The Sabres have a 26-4-4 record when scoring at least three goals.
The matchup Saturday is the second time these teams square off this season. The Sabres won 3-2 in a shootout in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Matthew Schaefer has scored 13 goals with 21 assists for the Islanders. Anthony Duclair has eight goals and two assists over the last 10 games.
Rasmus Dahlin has seven goals and 29 assists for the Sabres. Tage Thompson has scored six goals with nine assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Islanders: 5-4-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.1 assists, 3.2 penalties and 6.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
Sabres: 7-2-1, averaging 4.2 goals, 6.9 assists, four penalties and 9.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
INJURIES: Islanders: None listed.
Sabres: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights meet in a non-conference matchup.
Toronto is 24-17-9 overall and 16-6-6 in home games. The Maple Leafs are 20-9-4 in games they score three or more goals.
Vegas has gone 12-6-6 in road games and 24-13-12 overall. The Golden Knights have a +17 scoring differential, with 163 total goals scored and 146 conceded.
The teams meet Friday for the second time this season. The Golden Knights won 6-5 in overtime in the previous matchup. Pavel Dorofeyev led the Golden Knights with two goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: John Tavares has 18 goals and 25 assists for the Maple Leafs. Auston Matthews has seven goals and four assists over the last 10 games.
Mitchell Marner has 12 goals and 40 assists for the Golden Knights. Jack Eichel has six goals and 12 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Maple Leafs: 5-2-3, averaging 3.2 goals, 4.7 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 4.2 goals, 7.4 assists, 2.5 penalties and 6.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
INJURIES: Maple Leafs: None listed.
Golden Knights: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Fantasy hockey is a constant process that loops through the following four phases: monitoring, realizing, adjusting and complaining. And just when we think we've figured it out, various situations or surprises will pop up to remind us that we, in fact, know nothing.
But don't worry. This column can help, no matter your league standing. Check out the following upward-trending NHLers who should be able to work on any lineup.
(Rostered rates as of Jan. 23)
Forwards
Elias Lindholm, BOS (Yahoo: 31%): Lindholm missed most of November and didn't get on the scoresheet during his first two games back but has since reeled off 26 points from the last 26 in addition to 41 shots and 228 faceoff wins. He's well-positioned centering the Bruins' first line and power play (17 PPPs overall), averaging 17:35 of ice time over that stretch. David Pastrnak may be Boston's primary play driver, though Lindholm regularly skates with him and is obviously more available for fantasy purposes on a club that's scored 46 times across 11 matchups.
Mats Zuccarello, MIN (Yahoo: 22%): While Zuccarello's return to action was more recent than Lindholm's, he's also been able to consistently produce by way of six goals, 11 assists, seven PPPs and 34 shots through 17 contests. He's also a regular on Minnesota's lead attacking units, sharing the ice with Kirill Kaprizov. Expect Zuccarello to continue racking up the offense on a Wild team that's even more dangerous with Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson now back from injury.
Jason Zucker, BUF (Yahoo: 11%): Zucker also encountered a couple of physical issues this season but has been lethal when healthy with 25 points over 31 outings — 11 coming on the man-advantage. His scoring hasn't been as eye-popping as the last two entries, yet a goal, four assists, 10 shots and seven hits during the past week and a place on Buffalo's top PP/top-six works just fine. As long as Zucker can stay in the lineup, you can put him down for enough counting stats to boost any fantasy roster.
Anthony Duclair, NYI (Yahoo: 7%): Duclair's goal on Wednesday now has him at eight across eight appearances — three of those PPGs. Throw in 15 shots on 16:06 of ice time a night and a place alongside Mathew Barzal for both even-strength and the power play to make for a favorable scoring situation. With these numbers, it's amazing Duclair is still only covered in the single-digits. Click on his name to help fix that oversight.
Jonathan Toews, WPG (Yahoo: 4%): Toews going back to his hometown for his first NHL action since 2022-23 has to be the feel-good story of the season. And while only nine points came during the first 35 games, he's turned it around by recording 10 from the last 15 — including two PPGs, joining the big guns on the lead group. Toews has also benefited from Gabriel Vilardi switching over to his wing at five-on-five and sits second in the league for faceoff success rate at 61.6% (from a total of 651). There have been rumors about Edmonton being interested in Toews, but his going there would probably decrease his value, as he'd likely fit somewhere in the bottom half of their depth chart. Regardless if that happens, don't expect Toews to provide much outside of scoring.
Yegor Sharangovich, CGY (Yahoo: 3%): Even though the Flames are technically still alive for a wild-card berth, they've started selling by trading Rasmus Andersson to Vegas with more moves projected leading up to the March 6 deadline. The club also ranks 31st with an average of 2.52 goals, but there have been a couple notable fantasy performers of late. Sharangovich had been inconsistent early on, and he was eventually scratched for two contests. That eventually led to him posting three goals, three assists, three PPPs and 11 shots across five appearances while frequently logging 17-plus minutes. Sharangovich will be asked to keep scoring for Calgary, though a move away could hurt his fantasy outlook.
Ethen Frank, WSH (Yahoo: 2%): Frank went undrafted and then starred over five NCAA seasons before earning his first pro contract and winning back-to-back Calder Cups. After a brief stint in the AHL and on IR, he immediately contributed for the Caps, tallying assists during each of his first two outings and a four-point effort two weeks later. Frank was eventually rewarded with a place on Washington's lead man-advantage where he's picked up two PPGs. Even though that spot has been reclaimed by the now-healthy Tom Wilson, Frank remains with Alex Ovechkin at even-strength while accumulating four goals, an assist, 18 shots and 12 hits from the last seven. The organization has put its trust in him. Maybe you should, too.
Kaapo Kakko, SEA (Yahoo: 2%): Kakko suffered a broken hand during preseason and then quickly went back on IR due to another injury. He finally reemerged at the end of November, but it wasn't until mid-December where he took off via 15 points, 29 shots and 14 hits over 19 matchups. Kakko has bounced around Seattle's first three lines while doing well at each stop, so there shouldn't be any concern regarding his placement. Monitor his progress to see if he can maintain this type of output before adding him.
Defensemen
Jake Walman, EDM (Yahoo: 34%): Walman missed nearly two months before returning last week and producing a shorthanded goal, three assists, 16 shots and 10 blocks over six games. He also filled in for Leon Draisaitl on Edmonton's elite power play and provided a PPA there Sunday, but lost that prime placement when the star reappeared on Thursday. Walman should keep contributing within a top-five attack coming off a 40-point campaign while collecting sufficient stats in other areas.
John Klingberg, SJ (Yahoo: 9%): Klingberg has frequently endured injuries throughout his career yet remains reliable when available. After another short spell on the sidelines, he regained the quarterbacking duties on the Sharks' top man-advantage while pairing with Dmitry Orlov at even-strength. Since returning, Klingberg has managed a goal (PPG), two assists, nine shots, seven hits and nine blocks on 21:23 of ice time a night. Those stats may not be outstanding, though they're solid when combined with his responsibilities and track record.
Alexandre Carrier, MTL (Yahoo: 6%): Carrier will get overlooked in fantasy due to having become more of a defense-first player on an offensively loaded Montreal blueline. Let's not forget he once notched 30 points with 20 and 25 the previous two seasons, and is currently riding a 10-game run that's seen him go off for four goals and three assists in addition to 14 shots and 27 blocks. Even after Carrier was moved off a five-on-five duo with Lane Hutson, he still potted a pair. Take a chance on him while he's hot and part of one of the league's best scoring sides.
John Marino, UTA (Yahoo: 5%): This column previously discussed Mammoth defenders Sean Durzi and Nate Schmidt based on their secondary scoring skills, but I bet you didn't realize Marino was significantly outperforming both of them, having already registered 24 points (tying him with the likes of Seth Jones and Brandt Clarke) — including seven from the last eight outings. The offense will inevitably drop off, but he's got plenty of cross-category output and is averaging around a shot, hit and block over that stretch alongside a plus-30 overall.
Goaltenders
Anton Forsberg, LA (Yahoo: 8%): Darcy Kuemper left Tuesday with an upper-body injury but has reported himself as ready to go. While he was sidelined during the second half of December, Forsberg covered almost all of the netminding and has remained hot by posting a 2.12 GAA and .926 save percentage in eight appearances. So there's no guarantee Kuemper will automatically slide back into the lead role, considering his 3.43/.867 line since New Year's Day. The Kings have been anemic on offense, but their defense remains excellent at minimizing shots against to allow either goalie more opportunities to pick up wins.
Alex Nedeljkovic, SJ (Yahoo: 4%): You may have seen Nedeljkovic throw punches with Sergei Bobrovsky on Monday. And even though that's earned him attention, his recent play should be the thing that gets him on more fantasy rosters. Nedeljkovic has won his last four — the last two at Washington and Florida — during which he's only allowed a combined nine goals on 115 shots. Yaroslav Askarov has struggled the last month with a 4.32 GAA and .852 save percentage. The duo has been splitting starts of late, which will probably continue, so Nedeljkovic can at least be used as a decent daily streamer.
The Detroit Red Wings got a firsthand look at why Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov is going to be the highest-paid player in NHL history.
Kaprizov scored twice on Thursday evening, including the overtime game-winning goal, as part of Minnesota's 4-3 overtime victory at Grand Casino Arena.
Kaprizov's recent eight-year, $136 million contract extension, which will kick in at the start of next season, carries a $17 million cap hit, the largest of any player to have suited up in the NHL.
The Red Wings, who picked up a point in the standings, now sit atop the Atlantic Division with 67 points, moving past the idle Tampa Bay Lightning. However, they won't like the fact that they weren't able to protect the three separate leads they had during the contest.
Lucas Raymond opened the scoring in the first period of play, sniping home a power-play goal past goaltender Filip Gustafsson. But late in the frame, it would be Kaprizov scoring what was the first of his two goals on the evening, knotting the score at 1-1.
Raymond once again found the back of the net late in the second period, capitalizing on a fortunate bounce that sent the puck right onto his stick alone in the slot before beating Gustafsson with a low shot through the pads, helping Detroit take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.
The third period was a back-and-forth affair, as both teams traded goals in short order. Mats Zuccarello scored less than a minute into the period, which was his first of what would be two goals of his own, knotting the score.
James van Riemsdyk continued his impressive season, tipping home a pass from rookie Emmitt Finnie at the side of the net to give Detroit a 3-2 lead; it was van Riemsdyk's 14th goal of the season, while Finnie picked up his first point since Dec. 23.
Just seconds later, Zuccarello scored again, picking up a rebound and beating Talbot during a goal-mouth scramble to knot the score yet again.
Late in regulation, the Red Wings had a prime opportunity to seize the lead after Alex DeBrincat moved in alone on a breakaway, but his top-shelf attempt sailed over the net.
Not long after Larkin had the chance to score his second overtime game-winner in 24 hours, Kaprizov sealed the victory for the Wild.
Talbot, who played multiple seasons with Minnesota earlier in his career, made 35 saves, while Gustafsson stopped 30 of 33 shots that he faced.
Travis Hamonic was in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 21, as Simon Edvinsson wasn’t available because of a lower-body ailment.
The Red Wings will wrap up their three-game road swing with a matchup against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday evening.
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BOSTON (AP) — Charlie McAvoy started a three-goal flurry in a 54-second span in the first period, David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists and the Boston Bruins held off the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Thursday night.
Boston won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Elias Lindholm and Tanner Jeannot also scored for the Bruins, who made the Golden Knights pay after a double minor for high-sticking was assessed to forward Tomas Hertl at the nine-minute mark of the opening period. Appearing in his second straight game, Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves.
Vegas cut a 4-0 deficit in half during the opening minutes in the third period behind goals from Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertle. The Golden Knights made it three straight when Pavel Dorofeyev scored with 2:35 left with goalie Akira Schmid off for an extra skater,
Schmid remained in net after a shaky sequence that began when McAvoy blasted one from just inside the blue line for his fourth goal of the season. The goal came 10 seconds into the four-minute power play.
Boston kept charging and made it two power-play goals in 30 seconds when Lindholm scored between the circles for ninth goal of the season. Pastrnak assisted on both power-play goals.
Jeannot capped the spree off a feed from Sean Kuraly with 9:54 left.
SABRES 4, CANADIENS 2
MONTREAL (AP) — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves, Jason Zucker, Beck Malenstyn and Zach Benson gave Buffalo an early lead and the Sabres beat Montreal for their 17th victory in 21 games.
Peyton Krebs added an empty-netter in the third. The Sabres improved to 28-17-5, beating Montreal for the second time in eight days.
Cole Caufield scored for the fourth straight game for Montreal, and Nick Suzuki also connected, The Canadiens dropped to 28-16-7. They had won two in a row.
Samuel Montembeault stopped 13 shots in his first regulation loss since being called up from a conditioning assignment with Laval of the AHL on Dec. 27.
Buffalo is two points behind Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division.
BLACKHAWKS 4, HURRICANES 3, SO
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —Oliver Moore scored in the shootout on his 21st birthday and Spencer Knight stopped five of six shots by Carolina to give Chicago a shootout win.
Connor Murphy, Ilya Mikheyev and Nick Lardis scored in regulation for the Blackhawks. Knight, who shut out Winnipeg on Monday night, made 28 saves in regulation and overtime for his second straight win.
Joel Nystrom, Jordan Staal and Jackson Blake scored for the Hurricanes, whose five-game home winning streak ended. Frederik Andersen stopped 18 shots and four more in the shootout.
The win capped an eventful night for Moore, who celebrated a milestone birthday. He was on the wrong side of a fight with Alexander Nikishin in the second period and then nearly won the game in overtime but was robbed by Andersen.
Chicago led 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2, but couldn’t put the Hurricanes away in regulation. Carolina has yet to lose in regulation with top defenseman Jaccob Slavin in the lineup (8-0-3).
BLUE JACKETS 1, STARS 0
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jet Greaves had 28 saves for his third career shutout, Zach Werenski scored his 19th goal of the season, and Columbus beat Dallas.
Werenski scored at 8:48 of the first period with a wrist shot from the right circle that went through traffic and inside the far post with assists from Damon Severson and Isac Lundestrom, who had missed 12 games with a lower-body injury suffered in practice on Dec. 27.
The Blue Jackets have now won five of their last six.
Casey DeSmith stopped 21 of the 22 shots he faced but could not prevent the Stars from losing for the fourth time in their last five games. The Stars outshot the Blue Jackets 28-22.
Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle played in his 1,000th career game, the fifth player to reach the mark in a Columbus uniform. He scored into an empty net late in the game but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Murphy and Blake traded goals 82 seconds apart near in the back half of the third period to send it to overtime.
Andersen came up with a pair saves — on Moore and Frank Nazar — in the third period to keep the game tied at 2 . He made two bigger saves — on Wyatt Kaiser and Moore — in overtime.
PREDATORS 5, SENATORS 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Steven Stamkos broke a tie with 2:13 left with his third goal of the game and Nashville overcame a three-goal deficit to beat Ottawa.
After Stamkos tied it at 3 with 9:53 left with his second power-play goal of the game, Ryan O’Reilly beat the Senators to the puck behind the goal line and popped it out front to Stamkos, who batted it out of the air past goalie James Reimer.
O’Reilly set up the tying goal, too, firing a cross-crease feed to Stamkos with the man advantage. Nashville got the power play when Tim Stutzle cross-checked Stamkos.
Predators captain Roman Josi, playing his 1,000th NHL game, also assisted on the tying goal. The defenseman is the 84th player in NHL history to play his first 1,000 regular-season games with one franchise.
Stamkos had his second hat trick of the season and 16th overall to push his season goals total to 24. Jonathan Marchessault also scored, and Cole Smith had an empty-netter. Juuse Saros made 23 saves to help Nashville end a three-game losing streak.
PANTHERS 2, JETS 1, SO
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart beat Connor Hellebuyck in a shootout to help give Florida a victory over Winnipeg.
Winnipeg shooters Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele came up empty against Daniil Tarasov in the tiebreaker.
Sam Bennett scored in regulation, and Tarasov stopped 17 shots for two-time defending champion Florida. Matthew Tkachuk had an assist for his first point of the season in his second game back from adductor muscle surgery.
The Panthers are 4-2-0 in their last six to improve to 26-20-3.
Cole Perfetti scored for Winnipeg, and Hellebuyck stopped 19 shots. The Jets are 5-1-2 in their last eight to get to 20-23-7.
PENGUINS 6, OILERS 2
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Anthony Mantha scored twice, Sidney Crosby made it three in an early 37-second span and Pittsburgh beat Edmonton.
The 37-second spree was the fastest three goals in Penguins history and the fastest three allowed by the Oilers.
The Penguins scored on three of their first four shots. Just 2:20 in, Justin Brazeau made a nifty pass through a defender’s legs to Mantha, who deflected it in. Twenty-two seconds later, Mantha scored on a breakaway. Crosby struck 15 seconds after that, deflecting a pass from the slot into the net.
Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist, Rickard Rakell, and Egor Chinakhov also scored and Arturs Silovs made 30 saves. The Penguins have won three straight and are 10-2-2 in their last 14 to get to 25-14-11.
Jake Walman and Matthew Savoie scored for Edmonton, and Tristan Jarry made 16 saves against his former team. The Oilers have lost two in a row and four of six to fall to 25-19-8.
WILD 4, RED WINGS 3, OT
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov scored his second goal of the game 45 seconds into overtime to give Minnesota a victory over Detroit.
Kaprizov came down the middle and beat goalie Cam Talbot with a wrist shot from between the circles.
Mats Zuccarello also scored twice, and Filip Gustavsson made 31 saves.
Quinn Hughes had three assists, giving him 43 on the season, tied for the most among NHL defensemen. Hughes has seven assists in his last four games and has had at least three assists in a game four times since joining the Wild in a trade with Vancouver on December 12.
Lucas Raymond had two goals and James van Riemsdyk also scored for Detroit. Talbot made 35 saves.
The point for getting past regulation moved the Red Wings into tie with Carolina atop the Eastern Conference with 67 points. Detroit had won eight of its last nine.
The Red Wings took three one-goal leads, but the Wild answered each time.
Because after yet another win on Thursday, I think it's safe to say that this is a pretty good hockey team.
On the second leg of a back-to-back, the Penguins earned their third straight win when they beat the Edmonton Oilers, 6-2, to continue what has been a perfect Western road trip so far. They got two goals from Anthony Mantha as well as tallies from captain Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, Evgeni Malkin, and Egor Chinakhov.
Goaltender Arturs Silovs stopped 30 of 32 Edmonton shots on the night, while Oilers' netminder - and ex-Penguin - Tristan Jarry stopped just 16 of 22 shots.
This was an impressive win for the Penguins, who have largely struggled against the Oilers. In fact, they were 2-8 in their last 10 games against Edmonton coming into Thursday's matchup.
But they came to play. And they set the tone from the start.
Just 2:20 into the game, Justin Brazeau found Mantha crashing the net off the rush, feeding him a pass that he put home to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Then, just 22 seconds later, Mantha - again - was sprung by Brazeau, this time on a breakaway. Mantha beat Jarry backhand and put the Penguins up by two early.
And they weren't done. Only 15 seconds after that goal, Ryan Shea threw a shot-pass toward the slot area, where Crosby was waiting to redirect it. Crosby successfully found the back of the net on the deflection, and within 35 seconds, the Penguins had scored three on the Oilers and had a commanding early lead.
The @penguins tallied three goals in a span of 37 seconds.
There have only been two other instances in franchise history where Pittsburgh scored three goals in a shorter span:
The Oilers did respond early in the second period, as Jake Walman capitalized on a shorthanded odd-man break from the slot to cut the lead to 3-1. But the Penguins never really let up, even if the Oilers were getting a few chances. Later in the period, the Penguins put on the extra attacker on a delayed penalty call, and Rakell sniped a shot from the left circle past Jarry after a gorgeous feed from Malkin to restore the three-goal lead.
Then, just under two minutes later, Malkin had a breakaway opportunity, and he beat Jarry five-hole on the backhand to put Pittsburgh up, 5-1.
The Penguins still had more in the tank, too. Early in the final frame, Tommy Novak carried the puck from the neutral zone into offensive zone traffic, and he managed to forward the puck to a breaking Chinakhov down the left side. The 24-year-old Russian winger placed a bullet of a shot top-shelf for his fifth goal in 12 games as a Penguin to make it 6-1.
Matt Savoie did add a late tally for the Oilers, but it wasn't nearly enough, as the Penguins were able to shut down Edmonton late and not give them anything to work with. They also managed to blank both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who was playing in his first game since Jan. 15 after attending to family matter in Germany.
Sure, the Oilers had a few chances, and some puck luck didn't go their way. But there was never really a point in the game, aside from a late power play in the first period, where it felt like they were in control. The Penguins were frustrating the heck out of them. They were disrupting plays and getting their sticks on everything. Their goaltender was making big saves, and their defensemen were blocking shots.
The Penguins' stick detail around their own net and in the defensive zone as a whole has been wildly impressive since the holiday break, and that continued into Thursday. They didn't give the Oilers much in terms of high-danger chances - save for a five-on-one opportunity that Edmonton managed to botch entirely - and they largely controlled possession.
The all-around game from the Penguins right now is something to marvel at. In October, they were scoring at a ridiculous rate while still displaying some warts on defense. Now, those warts are all but gone, and the Penguins are all of a sudden a pretty dangerous hockey team.
- Anytime the Penguins have a bit of an onslaught, it seems like Crosby doesn't show up on the scoresheet much. The same thing happened on Thursday, as the captain only recorded one point.
But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
The Penguins are getting contributions from up and down their lineup, and it seems to be a different line every single night. The fourth line has had their flowers. On Thursday, it was the third line. Wednesday against the Calgary Flames, it was the second line.
The Penguins not needing to rely on their first line for production - which has been a consistent theme for the previous three seasons - is a very big deal. And it's simply a bonus when Crosby, Rakell, and Bryan Rust are clicking, too.
This team can roll four lines, and they're all a threat to deliver on offense. That's a massive development.
- I think I've mentioned Chinakhov in just about every takeaways piece.
But, wow, was that shot something else.
Chinakhov sniped that one top-shelf, and it was in and out so fast that no one - including Jarry himself - even realized it went in other than Chinakhov and Ryan Shea.
I have no idea what was going on in Columbus or why things didn't work out for Chinakhov there. But between his unrivaled shot, his speed, his defensive conscience, and awareness in all three zones, this guy is legitimate.
What a get by Dubas. A guy with a shot like that isn't good by accident.
- Malkin was, once again, flying on Thursday. He now has 39 points in 35 games this season, and he, Chinakhov, and Novak are operating from the stratosphere right now.
He's hit another level. And he deserves another contract next season if that's what he wants.
- Jack St. Ivany deserves a lot of credit for how he's played in these last couple of games. Not only is that two multi-point games in a row, he also blocked a shot with his left foot on that late first-period power play by the Oilers, and he was in substantial pain afterward. He wasn't putting weight on his leg and was forced to continue his shift.
Well, he finished his shift by contributing to a zone clear then finally making his way to the bench, when he went down the runway. He returned for the second period and played the rest of the game.
That was a pivotal block in this game, and he's been much, much better in the last couple. Hopefully, that can continue.
One of the gutsiest shifts you'll see all season in the @NHL
- Much has been made about Stuart Skinner's run with the Penguins as of late, and deservedly so.
But Silovs deserves his flowers, too.
Walman's goal is probably one he'd want to have back. But, otherwise, this was one of the best games he has played as a Penguin. There was a sequence just before the end of the first period when Zach Hyman crashed the net on a breakaway and nearly tucked the puck in. Silovs stopped it with his right pad against the post, but the puck was laying on the goal line.
Instead of panicking, Silovs maneuvered carefully and allowed defenseman Parker Wotherspoon to aid him with his stick, and he managed to not let the puck cross the goal line.
Silovs has been much better as of late, as three of his last four appearances have seen save percentages of .920 or above. But he has a knack for coming up big in the game's biggest moments, and he did that again Thursday.
If the Penguins can continue to get this goaltending from their tandem, they'll be fine the rest of the way - and they may just have a run in them.
Jan 22, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) makes a save on on Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman (18) during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
- So, let's talk about these Penguins.
They're playing well defensively. They're getting scoring from up and down their lineup. They're getting good goaltending. They're top-five in both special teams categories.
At this point, it might be okay to say that this is, simply, a good hockey team.
Nothing they're doing is by accident anymore. They're not on a PDO bender. They're not getting lucky. They're not just opportunistic.
No. They're legitimately outplaying some of the best hockey teams in the league at five-on-five, and they're not only outplaying them, they're outworking them and controlling the vast majority of the 60 minutes per game.
The process is there for this hockey team. The underlying metrics support that, too, and I'll have a piece on that Friday. They are playing a sustainable brand of hockey, and it happens to be a winning brand of hockey.
Now, we shouldn't just be talking playoffs. This team could very much compete for the division. They're two points ahead of the New York Islanders for second place in the Metro, six points in front of the next divisional team in the Philadelphia Flyers, and just six points back of the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes with a game in hand.
This isn't a mirage. This is real. The Pittsburgh Penguins are a competitive hockey team, and if they can keep this up, it may be okay to set sights even higher by the end of the regular season.
There’s nothing better than an unexpected return to the lineup, each team has a good one tonight. Nine days ago, Erik Karlsson wasn’t to be re-evaluated for two weeks. He’s back tonight. Arturs Silovs starts in goal.
Edmonton gets a welcome return of their own, Leon Draisaitl is back from Germany on a family business in time for the game. Former Penguin goalie Tristan Jarry faces his old team for the second time.
The Penguins strike early, Anthony Mantha gets behind the defense and Justin Brazeau gets the puck to Mantha with a really nice pass that Mantha steers over Tristan Jarry. But wait – Mantha might have been off-side on the rush. Edmonton takes their timeout to give it an extra long look, they ultimately decide to not challenge it, goal stands.
It only takes 22 seconds for another Mantha goal. He again gets behind the defense, this time in the neutral zone. Again Brazeau feeds Mantha the puck, this time for a breakaway. Jarry’s defense was to fall belly first to the ice, didn’t work as he still gets beat low. 2-0 goal.
The Oilers look stunned, they’ll take another big shot only 15 seconds after that goal. Ryan Shea throws a puck on net, Sidney Crosby curls out of no where into the middle of the ice to deflect the puck. It’s another goal, three of them coming 37 seconds across. Jarry doesn’t know whether to cry or wind his watch.
Luck may have turned, Connor Dewar hits the post and the puck stays out. Silovs makes a nice save at the other end. The Pens get the first power play, Bryan Rust takes a nice shot but Jarry stops it. Connor McDavid rockets up the ice, Crosby tries to stay with him, he also gets his stick into McDavid’s hands a few times and the refs even up the penalties by sending Crosby off. The Pens kill the penalty.
The fireworks continue, Evgeni Malkin sets up Egor Chinakhov in front, a sprawled out Jarry keeps the puck out the net with 20 seconds left. The play goes right back down the other end, Zach Hyman beats Silovs but not the post. The puck falls right to the goal-line however it miraculously stays out in a scramble.
Connor Clifton heats tempers up by slamming Mattias Janmark into the boards from behind.
An exciting, shocking and thrilling period. Three goals in a 37 second span ripped it open early, not much settled from there. Pittsburgh’s up 3-0 on the scoreboard, Edmonton out-shot them 13-9, yet somehow did not score.
Second period
McDavid takes a penalty for slashing Erik Karlsson’s stick. It’s the Oilers who score, Jake Walman takes off on the rush. 3-1 game.
On a delayed penalty call against the Oilers the Penguins worked their 6v5 group. Malkin makes a beautiful pass from behind the net through about three sticks to get to Rickard Rakell. Rakell measures his shot and wires an equally nice wrister past Jarry. 4-1 game, no penalty on the Oilers after all since the Penguins scored. That’s one way to shield the struggling Pittsburgh power play.
Bouchard kisses a shot off the crossbar, it stays out. A little later in the sequence Malkin pokes the puck away from McDavid and even though he’s at the end of a 1:21 long shift the big guy races down the ice on a breakaway. Malkin moves to his backhand, it looks like he runs out of room but he pulled so much lateral movement out of Jarry that there was enough room for the puck to slide in. 5-1 game.
Ben Kindel hurries and accidentally shoots the puck over the glass with 3:03 to go, giving Edmonton a power play. The Oilers take a ton of offensive zone time, the Pens PK holds strong with Silovs standing tall on a few big stops.
Say it in your best Doc Emerick voice: “what action!”. Another incredible period of hockey, highlighted by two insanely skilled plays by Malkin. The Pens head into the third period up by four goals.
Third period
The Pens keep pourin’ it on. Novak gains a zone entry and dishes a routine looking pass over for Egor Chinakhov. There’s nothing routine about Chinakhov’s release that scorches in and out of the net so fast Malkin shoots the rebound. 6-1 lead.
Edmonton gets one in garbage time, Matt Savoie unleashes a top shelf snipe from the right faceoff circle with about six minutes left making the score 6-2.
The rest of the game plays out quietly, Pittsburgh gets out with a convincing win and another strong effort.
Some thoughts
If we’re in the trust tree, I’m pretty sure Mantha was offside on that first goal. The Edmonton video team no doubt had a better look and more technology to stop and pause it and look at all the angles, so maybe he wasn’t or was just too close to call with the on-ice decision saying it was good. Kinda looked like he was off from what I could see with his back leg getting into the offensive zone just a little bit before the puck did. A little too close for comfort though all is well that ends well.
Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak got a nice ‘welcome back’ video and a big standing ovation during the first TV timeout. At 3-0 at that point, you know a lot of people were thinking in that moment and over the course of the night about just why that trade had to be made for the Oilers, if only for one night.
3 goals in 37 seconds? You don’t see that type of goal explosion every day.
The competitiveness in Crosby was on display turning on the jets to not let McDavid skate away from him. Crosby even started in a trail position, not too many are going to go the full length of the ice with McNasty in that situation. The competitiveness went over the line for the refs with the series of little slashes along the way but in that moment there was just no way Crosby was going to allow McDavid gain separation.
Jack St. Ivany took the full brunt of a ‘Bouch bomb’ slapshot from Evan Bouchard, he can really bring it. St. Ivany was hobbled to the the extreme. Naturally, he was back for the start of second period and able to shake it off like it was nothing.
A lot was made, here included, about the goalie usage decisions. At the end of the day, no choice is a bad one when both goalies are playing extremely well. Silovs’ performance might not draw a lot of attention, which is a shame because it deserves it. 29 stops on 31 shots and anytime a goalie holds McDavid (and Draisaitl) off the scoresheet they probably had a great night. Silovs certainly qualified for that praise.
The final score said blowout, the way it ended up there was anything but one-sided. As mentioned above, the first goal was a whisper away from being overturned which could have butterfly effected the whole night. It truly is a wonder that Wotherspoon helped keep the puck out of the net when the puck was laying literally on the goal-line and no less than Draisaitl right there to jam it in with Silovs out of commission seconds after it hit the post and stayed out by the narrowest of margins in the first place. Then, at 4-1, Bouchard narrowly misses scoring only to almost immediately have Malkin create and convert a breakaway in a turn of fortune that salted the game away. It’s not to say the Penguins were necessarily lucky because a team still has to make their luck through their own efforts, more like it was very close to swinging in a different direction. A blowout game can still have its precarious moments.
To that end the final score wasn’t completely indicative of how the Pens played, which wasn’t perfect. They were a bit reckless up 3-0 when it came to some decisions with the puck and when it came to pinching up, willing to trade chances with Edmonton when they didn’t have to. They gave up a goal while on the power play. They didn’t have an even strength shot for well over 10 minutes in the second period. Obviously when you get a huge goal outburst it doesn’t have to be a flawless 60 minutes, the Pens were very good and certainly flexed enough offensive muscles to deserve a big win; there just was more to the story than simply the score at the end of the night.
How about the 39-year old Malkin A) having the burst to stay ahead of Ekholm chasing him at the end of a 1:21 shift, B) keeping a rolling puck on old ice in his possession and C) converting a very wide deke. Outstanding effort, everyone in this matchup obviously hones in on Crosby and McDavid, Malkin gave what should be a needless reminder that those two aren’t the only special, special players involved.
This was the Pens first win in Edmonton since December of 2019. Back then Dan Muse was an assistant coach in Nashville working with Nick Bonino as a player, Justin Brazeau was in the ECHL, Yegor Chinakhov was playing in a lower-tier Russian league having gone undrafted in the NHL a few months earlier. Ben Kindel was 12 years old! It had been a while.
Certainly one of the more thrilling, satisfying and biggest wins of the season for the Pens to shake off what had been a house of horrors for them, win a third game on this road trip on a back-to-back effort. The Penguins have definitely had much lower high water marks of their whole seasons the past few years then this, even though at this point they still have high hopes to keep the momentum going to finish the trip strong on the last leg coming up in Vancouver.
