Category: Ice Hockey

Pregame

Lots of changes for the Penguins who are playing without Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel tonight, including the surprise omission of Egor Chinakhov who misses another game with a lower body injury. That means Elmer Soderblom, Hendrix Lapierre and the newly called up Rutger McGroarty get the chance to play tonight. Arturs Silovs gets a second start in a row.

The visiting Panthers look to rebound from last night’s 5-1 loss in Ottawa with this lineup. It’s the first look in the NHL for 6’9” goalie Cooper Black, who sets an NHL record for the tallest netminder in league history.

First period

Good start for the Penguins, they control most of the early play and get the first handful of shots (the Panthers do nab an excellent first shot and a great save by Silovs). Sidney Crosby nearly scores in front off a rebound but a Florida defenseman blocks it. A little later, Crosby springs Rickard Rakell for a breakaway and he gets hooked. Rakell is able to get the shot away so the infraction results in a power play and not a penalty shot.

The first group gets lots of zone time, little of quality chances. The second group forces Florida to clear the puck over the glass for a brief 5v3 and another power play. Doesn’t result in a goal.

Pittsburgh eventually finds that first goal at even strength, courtesy of Nick Robertson’s fifth goal of the season on a nice curl and drag move to get the puck away from the defender while also changing the angle on Black.

Shots are 8-5 Pittsburgh, very quality first period for them with very few lapses and plenty of pressure and puck control. Silovs’ save on the first shot was strong and other than that it was just about all Pens.

Second period

Florida responds with a better showing to start the second and earn their first power play of the game when Evgeni Malkin gets the gate for tripping. Silovs makes another good stop on a Seth Jones shot with his blocker and the Pens PK takes care of business.

Florida ends up with 10 of the first 13 shots of the period, the Pens score on the 14th overall shot of the frame. Silovs gets the play started by punching the puck out to start a rush the other way. Malkin dishes to the side for Ville Koivunen. Koivunen sauces a pass in for Lapierre, who does a nice job to keep control of the rolling puck on his backhand before flipping to and beating Black on on the forehand. 2-0

The third line builds on that, McGroarty and Andrei Kuzmenko cause all kinds of havoc in front of the net and get Black scrambling around but the goalie recovers with an assist from a desperate defensive player sprawled out in the crease. More Penguin pressure leads to Garnet Hathaway making a very Garnet Hathaway move to hit Kuzmenko from behind into the boards, Pens go to a power play with Kuzmenko needing to see the trainers.

The third Penguin power play ends up empty like the others.

Silovs gets his stick up and clips Sam Bennett, taking a four-minute penalty as a result. The team picks him up with a strong kill, McGroarty lifts a puck way up the ice for Connor Dewar to get a breakaway rush. Rakell and Robertson get a look on a 2-on-1. Neither score though gotta love the effort all over the place.

Pittsburgh survives most of the long PK to end the period, shots on the game are 17-15 FLA. The Panthers were a lot better in the second, the Pens found a way to weather that storm while extending their lead going into the second intermission.

Third period

The Pens kill off the short time on the carryover power play, then Silovs makes a good stop on Matthew Tkachuk from in front of the net. It pays off a minute later, Malkin puts the puck through a sliding Gustav Forsling, who doesn’t get a piece of it. Malkin recovers quickly and snaps the puck by Black on that sort of broken play. 3-0 with 18:23 to go.

Time is ticking off, everything looks in control, Koivunen loses a puck and resorts to taking a player down that (though easy enough to say from the keyboard) he probably didn’t need to do with coverage behind him and far from the net. Florida gets a power play and chance to crawl back into the game with 5:59 to play.

The Panthers even pull the goalie to gain a 6v4 advantage. They hit a post but don’t come any closer to scoring.

Florida gets a o-zone faceoff so they keep the goalie pulled. Robertson scores another on a long-range shot. 4-0 with 2:26 to go.

Rest of the game ends quietly enough, Silovs gets his second shutout of the season and the Pens end their losing streak.

Some thoughts

• Robertson up to six goals on the season, tied with Malkin for the team lead. Despite the three forwards leaving the lineup for this game, Robertson didn’t get a promotion in role/line. That might be a minor footnote at this point since the team can rely on Robertson+Dewar to be the core of their important defensive line. Despite that informal designation, Robertson did what he does best – use his finishing ability to score goals. It seems like he is something of an untapped asset for the team while not being utilized in a more marquee role, but to his credit, he’s showing that he doesn’t need prime minutes or plum offensive-minded, skilled linemates to be productive.
• Two of those players in such a role playing with Evgeni Malkin made a play tonight. Koivunen had the time on the rush to use his vision and playmaking to setup Lapierre. Lapierre, who is not much of a finisher with just now 15 career NHL goals in 165 games, showed some nice hands to score. That’s what the team wants, and seriously needs to see out of guys like that making the most of an opportunity with players like Rust, Kindel and Chinakhov unavailable tonight.
• Speaking of Malkin, that’s three goals in the last four games and six in 11 to start the season. Not bad at all for a 40-year old!
• Loved the game from Silovs on a variety of fronts. Naturally, there’s the fact he stopped all the shots (hot analysis: always great when a goalie does that). Made a few really quality saves when the game was close too. Beyond that, he was active in playing the puck, notably on the sequence that resulted in the Lapierre goal and in other instances besides that. Good on him for elevating and helping the team out as more than just a shot stopper and getting actively involved in helping out in other areas.
• Also was impressed by the Pens strategy playing such a tall goalie. Being 6’9” and 250 pounds has its obvious advantages for blocking out a lot of the net. It’s also a challenge to be that size and be in the goalie crouch. The Pens were shooting a lot (see the Lapierre and Robertson goals) in the areas above the leg pads and under the arms. Dewar shot there on his breakaway too. A lot of times the default at the NHL level is to elevate to the top shelf, be it coincidence or plan on this night the Pens were frequently looking to exploit a different type of area on a different type of goalie than they’d usually see.
• One thing about Kuzmenko is that he’s no stranger to trying difficult but pretty passes. (I always think back to this setup from 2025 when he was with the Kings as the quintessential play of his). A lot of times with the Pens, he’ll wire a pass into an area where there isn’t even a teammate. If there was it would be a big time chance. So maybe it’s low percentage plays in a sense, but in some ways it’s like he operates on a different plane mentally than a lot of his teammates. And, after a 35 assist rookie campaign in 2022-23 he usually gets a rate of about 25 assists per season, so that’s been a problem stretching several teams now. It’s a challenge to rectify how such a skilled player doesn’t produce compared to the talent level.
• That said, one of the best and most noticeable games by Kuzmenko this season. It doesn’t look like he’s going to be the type of force multiplier that changes games on his own but at this point it’s nice to see him look like he’s getting on track a little more.
• It looks good to turn in any direction after a performance like this, one area where the Pens really took control was the penalty kill. Florida had nearly six minutes in the second period on the power play, Pittsburgh yielded all of two shots on goal against (and zero in the nearly four minute stretch late in the period). While no one can be faulted for feeling no lead is ever safe with this team late in a game, at that point they were showing about full control on this game.
• The Penguins improved to 17-2-7 in the last 26 instances in games where the opponent played the prior night and they did not, per Bob Grove. Can only play what the schedule makers give you, gotta feast in those situations (because heaven knows with a league-high 15 b-2-b games of their own this season, the show will end up on the other foot enough times). Florida did look a little depleted and not at their best after the emotional game in Ottawa last night, but hey, they had plenty of shots and chances to turn the game around tonight and failed to do so.

Good time for the Penguins to play one of their most complete games since the opener. Goalie was great, team defense was very mindful and clean, offense was opportunistic and provided more than enough of a cushion. Coming back home did them well after a dreadful road trip, the good news for them is they have a couple more at PPG Paints, next one coming up Saturday night against Nashville.

The San Jose Sharks were in the Canadian capital on Thursday night as they visited the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata. 

Michael Amadio nearly scored on a breakaway chance for the Senators' first shot of the night, but Yaroslav Askarov came up big with a massive save.

German forward Tim Stutzle continued his hot start to the season while the Sharks had a delayed penalty, beating Askarov on his glove side to give the Senators an early 1-0 lead less than halfway through the first period. Considering the Senators were coming off of an emotional game the previous night, this was a worst-case scenario start for San Jose. They needed to take advantage of the Senators' tired legs early in the game, yet they trailed early.

The Senators thought they had doubled their lead just over two minutes later, as a wrist shot from the point by defenseman Carter Yakemchuk trigged a goal celebration, but after a short review, it was ruled that the puck went off the crossbar and never crossed the goal line. Just seconds before the halfway point of the opening frame, the Senators hit a post once again. 

The Sharks were able to get an equalizer off the stick of a pinching Nolan Allan, who fired a snap shot over the glove of Samuel Ersson at 11:04 in the first period. After their goal, the Sharks seemed to take a step up and were controlling the game a bit more. 

Igor Chernyshov blocked a shot with his arm and immediately went down the tunnel to the Sharks' dressing room just moments before the Sharks began their first power play after Amadio tripped Darnell Nurse.  During the intermission, the Sharks announced that Chernyshov was considered doubtful to return and ultimately missed the remainder of the game:

Young Sharks Forward Suffers Injury Against Senators, Doubtful to ReturnLate in the first period of the San Jose Sharks' game against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, Sharks forward Igor Chernyshov blocked a shot off of his arm and was in clear pain as he skated off the ice. He struggled to even carry his stick following the blocked shot and after a moment on the bench, he went down the tunnel into the Sharks' dressing room.

There was another scary moment for the Sharks around the midway point of the second period, as Jake Sanderson had a knee-on-knee collision with Will Smith. Sanderson got two minutes for tripping, while Smith was able to get back on his skates quickly. Unlike on their first opportunity, the Sharks took advantage of the man advantage as Tyler Toffoli found the back of the net with a wrist shot from the point, giving the Sharks a 2-1 lead. 

Roughly a minute and a half after the go-ahead goal, Darnell Nurse went to the penalty box for roughing, handing the Senators their first power play of the night. During the penalty kill, a diving Collin Graf was able to redirect a Ty Dellandrea pass into the back of the net for a shorthanded goal, doubling the Sharks' lead. 

Just seconds after Nurse left the penalty box, Graf picked up his second point in 1:18 as he connected with a wide-open Jacob Trouba in front of the net. Trouba tipped the puck past Ersson, giving the Sharks a 4-1 lead.

Dmitri Orlov was penalized for a hold on former Shark Fabian Zetterlund during a puck battle in the corner, giving the Senators a power play opportunity with just over two minutes remaining in the middle frame. Askarov made a tremendous save on Drake Batherson, denying an almost certain goal during the penalty kill, maintaining the Sharks' three-goal lead. 

The Senators would eventually break through and cut into that lead, as Jordan Spence fired a shot from the slot past Askarov at 6:24 in the third period. 

The Sharks had another forward in major discomfort near the midway point in the period, as Ty Dellandrea blocked a shot that left him in some pain. Wisely, he cleared the puck down for an icing call, allowing him to change due to the injury while his teammates had to stay out. 

Macklin Celebrini took down Yakemchuk with just under four minutes remaining in the game, sending the Senators to the power play. Ottawa then opted to pull their netminder as well, making it a 6-on-4. Almost immediately, Zack Ostapchuk fired the puck down the ice and into the empty-net, restoring the Sharks' three-goal lead. Ivar Stenberg then scored another empty-netter, making it 6-2.

For the first time this season, the team in teal were able to hang on to a lead in regulation, securing a 6-2 victory

TORONTO — The correlation between Alexis Lafrenière’s expanded role and the strongest start of his NHL career is evident. 

It wasn’t until his seventh season that the 2020 No. 1 overall pick was deployed on the top line, skated on the first power play unit and logged nearly 20 minutes of ice time a night, almost every night, from Day 1 of a new campaign. 

There’s no use in rehashing all the reasons why it unfolded this way. The logjam of top-six forwards ahead of him when he was drafted is well documented and the inconsistencies in his game that made it difficult to entrust him with such assignments are known. 

Through his first three and a half weeks with such responsibilities, however, Lafrenière has thrived. 

“I think he’s opened up — or developed — other aspects of his offensive game,” head coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday before Lafrenière scored a goal in the Rangers’ 5-4 loss to the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. “In particular, his grind game down low in the offensive zone. He’s always been a guy that’s been dangerous off the rush. He’s a talent. He’s a talented player. Rush offense tends to be talent-driven. But one of the things that I try to challenge him with, when I first became the coach here, was the better teams in the league a lot of times they get numbers back, they take the rush away. So then what? How do you produce offense, right? I try to challenge him on his down-low game. 

“He’s a lean guy, but he’s hockey strong. He’s so capable of creating offense from below the goal line, hanging on to pucks, rolling off of checks, and making next plays, getting inside at the net and creating off of a loose puck at the net front. He’s got a great stick. He sees it extremely well and he’s strong. We’ve tried to challenge him as a coaching staff in developing that aspect of his game. I think when you look at the second half of the season last year and continuing through this year, that’s the biggest area of his game that I think we’ve seen the biggest growth.” 

Not only was Lafrenière tied for seventh in the NHL with seven goals entering Thursday’s game, but the 25-year-old led the Rangers in goals and points (13). He had posted at least one point in seven of his prior eight games, including a six-game point streak that tied the longest of his career. 

His four multipoint games this season — including an empty-net abetted hat trick against the Islanders earlier this month — were the most of the Blueshirts and tied for the 11th most in the league. 

Sullivan said he thinks Lafrenière has “made a concerted effort” in the game down low since the start of the season. 

Now, Lafrenière is averaging just under a minute and a half more ice time than last season. His increased involvement in the Rangers’ game has led to an increased output of production and on-ice impact. 

“I don’t think there’s any question, I think [his expanded role] helps,” Sullivan said. “One of the things that I said to him when I became the coach was … we had a long conversation before we even stepped on the ice. We all wanted to try to help him build his game and get his game to another level, and he agreed. Part of my job, I think as the coach, is I got to provide a pathway for that player to do so. And so that’s what I’ve tried to do. 

“He’s getting significant power play time, he’s playing in the top six. And to his credit, he’s taken advantage of it. He’s done a terrific job.” 

The Minnesota Wild will be without forward Maxim Shabanov for Thursday night's game due to an upper-body injury.

Wild head coach John Hynes indicated following Thursday's morning skate that the team had one game-time decision among its forwards. That player turned out to be Shabanov, who will not suit up tonight.

The 26-year-old Russian winger has appeared in all 10 games for Minnesota this season, recording two goals and four assists for six points while averaging 14:57 of ice time per game.

Shabanov has been a productive contributor for the Wild early in the 2026-27 season, ranking fifth among Minnesota players in points.

Over his last five games, Shabanov has recorded one goal and two assists for three points. He scored against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 12 before registering assists in consecutive games against the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets.

He was held off the scoresheet in Minnesota's 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

Shabanov is in his second NHL season after joining the Wild from Russia. Through 54 career NHL games, the 5-foot-9 winger has recorded seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points.

His absence leaves Minnesota without another offensive contributor as the Wild continue to navigate injuries throughout their lineup.

The severity of Shabanov's injury and whether he will miss additional time beyond Thursday's game remain unclear.

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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Florida Panthers goalie Cooper Black skated onto the PPG Paints Arena ice alone during pregame warmups on Thursday night, a time-honored hockey tradition given to rookies everywhere.

It took Black fewer strides to make the memorable lap than most.

Call it one of the upsides of being 6-foot-9.

Black made NHL history in his first career start when he became the tallest goaltender to ever appear in a regular-season game. Black is listed as two inches taller than Ben Bishop, Ivan Fedotov, Mads Sogaard and Mikko Koskinen, all 6-foot-7.

The 25-year-old from Alpen, Michigan, who started playing when he was 8 and had a 5-inch growth spurt between his junior and senior years in high school when he shot up from 6-0 to 6-5 and kept right on going, was excellent in his first period.

Black, called up from Florida's AHL affiliate in Charlotte recently after Jacob Markstrom went down with a shoulder injury, stopped Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang with his blocker pad on a wrist shot about two minutes in. He also turned aside a breakaway opportunity by Penguins forward Rickard Rakell before giving up a goal to Nick Robertson, who beat Black to the glove side.

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice praised Black's development in recent years. Florida signed Black as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2024. Black blossomed last season in Charlotte, posting a 25-13-4 record with a 2.47 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.

“A man that size, it takes a long time to grow into that body,” Maurice said before adding with a laugh, “I think he’s done.”

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Talk about the game with Pens fans here!

The Buffalo Sabres puzzlingly made no moves of consequence to replace the offensive firepower lost when winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram departed last summer. Tuch scored more than 30 goals in three of Buffalo's last four seasons and 33 last season. Byram scored a career-high 11 goals, third in defensive scoring behind Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson. 

GM Jarmo Kekalainen opted to rely almost exclusively on internal growth from the club’s young forward group to make up the offensive gap, but through 10 games, the Sabres who finished 5th in the NHL with 288 goals last season (3.51 goals per game), are 20th in the NHL with 28 goals (2.8 goals per game). The club has trailed by two or more goals in nine of their 10 games, and still have a record of 4-4-2. 

Playoff standout Zach Benson, who scored 13 goals in the regular season, is without a goal, while forwards Josh Doan (25 goals), Ryan McLeod (14 goals), Peyton Krebs (12 goals), Jiri Kulich, and Konsta Helenius have one. The Sabres welcomed back veteran winger Jason Zucker, who scored 24 goals last season, and he scored their only goal in a 3-1 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday, but the lack of production is something that is beginning to concern head coach Lindy Ruff. 

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"We  talked  about  missed  nets,  missed  opportunities.  I  think  we're  31st  or  32nd  in  terms  of  missed  nets.  I  thought  we  had  some  great  looks  in  the  first  period.  Some  good  looks  in  the  second  period  too.  I  still  think  we  miss  the  net  too  often," Ruff said. mentioned. " Our  guys  got  frustrated.... and  then  we  turned  into  trying  to  get  a  little  bit  too  fancy  when  we  hit  the  line.  We  had  to  get  it  below  the  line,  win  some  battles.  Those  battles  got  to  turn  into  opportunities.”

Other than Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn (each with five goals), Buffalo’s forwards have not been able to cash in on their chances. Kekalainen did not add a forward in a trade or via free agency over the summer to provide some secondary offense. A couple, Stanley Cup winner Vladimir Tarasenko and former 40-goal scorer Patrik Laine, are still on the market.  

With Zucker back, the Sabres have to hope that their anemic power play will begin to produce, but more than that, they will need more than just Thompson and one or two others to begin hitting the back of the net.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

Ron Duguay, a longtime New York Rangers star who finished his NHL career with the Kings, has died of cancer. He was 69.

The Rangers announced the loss of “one of the most popular players in franchise history” on Thursday morning after being informed by Duguay’s family.

“Ron’s signature skating style — with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice — captivated The Garden Faithful, and his skill, tenacity, and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers,” the team said in a statement. “We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron’s friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Read more:Air Force identifies member who died after rappelling accident during NAVY-UTSA pregame

Former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican U.S. vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who dated Duguay over the last several years, posted on social media that the one-time NHL All-Star “passed away peacefully” Thursday “after a hard-fought battle with cancer.”

“It’s with a shattered heart, but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now,” Palin wrote. “He fought so hard. Love never ends.”

On Sunday, Palin posted photos that appeared to show her holding Duguay’s hand while he was in a hospital bed. “Prayers for Ron Duguay are felt & appreciated,” she wrote.

Born in Sudbury, Ontario, Duguay was selected by the Rangers at No. 13 overall in the 1977 draft. Known for his long, curly hair and flashy lifestyle — “why, he even danced with Cher at one of Manhattan’s best-known discos,” the New York Times wrote in 1983 — Duguay became a star during the six seasons of his initial stint in New York. He helped the Rangers make the 1979 Stanley Cup Final and earned his only All-Star nod in 1982.

Duguay was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 1983 and had the two best seasons of his career, including career highs of 89 points on 38 goals and 51 assists during the 1984-1985 season. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and a second time for the Rangers before wrapping up his career with the Kings from 1988 to 1989.

Overall, Duguay had 673 points (305 goals, 368 assists) in the NHL regular season and playoffs. He went on to play in the minor leagues, including two seasons with the IHL’s San Diego Gulls, and spent 12 years calling Rangers games as an MSG Network analyst.

“Ron greeted each day with the biggest smile, an incredible zest for life, and a positive outlook that shone through everything he saw, everything he did, and every life he touched,” the NHL Alumni Assn. wrote on X. “He will be remembered not only for the player he was, but for the extraordinary person he was. His warmth, his laughter, his kindness, and his beautiful spirit will forever remain in the hearts of his family, friends, teammates, and the entire NHL Alumni community.”

Read more:Heidi Burge Horton, South Bay basketball star who inspired a Disney Channel movie, dies at 54

The Kings reposted the alumni association’s statement and added: “Our hearts are with Ron’s family & loved ones and we join them in mourning his passing.”

In 2024, Duguay was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, which had started in his colon before spreading to his liver and other parts of his body, according to a post on the GoFundMe page set up by his three adult children to help pay for his medical and travel costs. He lived in Florida but had to make regular trips to Orange County for treatment.

“Early this morning, our beloved father took his final breath after fighting a long and courageous battle. He fought with everything he had, right until the very end,” daughter Shay Thomas wrote on Thursday in a separate GoFundMe post. “Our hearts are shattered, and the world feels a little less bright without him in it. He will be missed by so many, but we find peace in knowing that he is finally free from pain and suffering.

“He fought the good fight until his very last breath, and today, Heaven gained a truly special angel.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

On Thursday, the CHL announced that the Québec Remparts have been selected to host the 2028 Memorial Cup. The tournament is scheduled to be played at the Vidéotron Centre, which has a capacity of 18,200. The Remparts are one of the most successful QMJHL teams when it comes to Memorial Cup championships, as they picked up victories in 1971, 2006 and 2023. 

While the tournament is a year and a half away, it is very possible that a former Vancouver Canucks prospect will play a key role for Québec. That former prospect is Pierre-Cédric Labrie, who is currently an assistant coach with the Remparts. During his playing career, Labrie was a physical winger who signed an ELC with the Canucks on July 9, 2007. 

Vancouver signed Labrie after an impressive career in the QMJHL. The undrafted forward recorded 63 points and 113 penalty minutes in 69 regular-season games. Labrie also skated in 15 playoff games, where he recorded 18 points and 41 penalty minutes. 

QMJHL's Quebec Remparts To Host 2028 Memorial CupQuebec City will officially host the 2028 Memorial Cup, with the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts being named as one of four participating teams in the event.

Labrie spent two and a half seasons with the organization before being traded in 2010 to the St. Louis Blues for center Yan Stastny. He would play 175 regular-season games with the Manitoba Moose, where he recorded 39 points and 256 penalty minutes. Labrie recorded 1,200 penalty minutes over his 708-game AHL career and even got a chance at the NHL level, where he played 46 games over three seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

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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A Florida Panthers player making his NHL debut is also going to make some league history.

On Thursday, goaltender Cooper Black is set to see his first NHL action when the Panthers visit the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Florida signed the undrafted netminder in April of 2024 after a standout collegiate career with Dartmouth College.

During his two-plus years with the franchise, Black has done well to move up Florida’s goaltending depth chart, placing himself as the team’s apparent third NHL goaltender heading into the current 2026-27 season.

That’s why he’s already been recalled by the Panthers from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers twice this season due to injuries to Jacob Markstrom.

He’s also a giant.

The 25-year-old Black measures in an eye-popping 6-foot-8, which will put him in some very rare air (no pun intended) once he officially makes his NHL debut tonight.

That’s because he will officially become the tallest goaltender to ever hit the ice for an NHL game.

Currently, the height record for an NHL netminder is 6-foot-7, and it’s held by five different players.

They are Ben Bishop, who played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings, Mikko Koskinen, who played with the Edmonton Oilers, Mads Sogaard, who played with Ottawa, Ivan Fedotov, who played with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Dennis Hildeby, who played with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Congrats to Black on his historic night, it will be one that he’ll likely never forget.

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The pressure for the Buffalo Sabres to make a move for Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck likely increased after a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen has publicly said that the club will only make a deal that they believe will improve the club, but starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen lost his third of the last four starts against the once-struggling Flyers, who registered their third straight victory.  

Luukkonen indicated to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News that he spoke to the Sabres GM prior to Wednesday’s loss and said that he had trust and confidence in the club’s goaltending, and to just concentrate on performing well, but that has not silenced the speculation that Buffalo is looking to upgrade between the pipes.  

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Kekalainen said in a radio interview on WGR 550 on Tuesday that he is always looking at deals that could make his club better, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed on Thursday’s 32 Thoughts podcast that the Sabres and the Utah Mammoth could be waiting for the asking price for the 33-year-old to come down. 

“I think (Buffalo and Utah) are kind of hoping that Winnipeg feels a bit squeezed,” Friedman said. “I’m not sure that’s actually going to work, but that’s the way I think those teams feel.”

The Carolina Hurricanes reportedly are also interested in Hellebuyck and have an offer that does not include RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who would likely not sign a contract with the Jets. Unlike the Dylan Larkin situation with Detroit, where it was revealed this week that he has expanded his trade list to 10 teams, there has not been a specific number of clubs indicated by the Jets or Ray Petkau (Hellebuyck’s agent) how many teams he is willing to go to.  

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Yaroslav Askarov's career-high 41 saves fuels Sharks' dominant win vs. Senators originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Sharks finally won in regulation, and they needed their goalie to do it.

San Jose beat the Ottawa Senators 6-2 on Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre, earning its first regulation win of the season in the team’s 11th game. Each of the Sharks’ first five victories had come in overtime or a shootout.

Yaroslav Askarov stopped 41 of 43 shots, a career high, topping the 39 he made in a December 2024 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Initially, he was credited with 40 saves but after the game the NHL amended his total to 41.

Askarov said his game has been trending up even when the results were not there.

“Feels like every game I feel better and better, the last few games, even like the games before when I couldn’t find a way to win, but I also felt good,” Askarov told reporters. “Just like need to keep it going, it’s a long season.”

He described his highlight save as a read that went wrong. Askarov said he was a little late on the first pass, and Tim Stützle’s fake left him with only one option.

“I was a little bit late, that’s why I had no more options, only like diving to the right side,” Askarov said.

The Senators, who entered 7-3-0, pushed hard. Stützle gave Ottawa a 1-0 lead early in the first period, and Nolan Allan tied it for San Jose. Ottawa then fired the last 12 shots of the second period, and Askarov stopped every one.

The Sharks broke the game open with three goals in 4:05 midway through the second period. Tyler Toffoli scored on the power play, and Collin Graf made it 3-1 shorthanded, redirecting a Ty Dellandrea pass on the penalty kill.

Jacob Trouba scored 78 seconds later, set up by Graf and Darnell Nurse, who received the puck as he was leaving the penalty box. Graf and Trouba each finished with a goal and an assist, and Graf’s was his fourth career shorthanded goal.

Graf credited the penalty kill’s speed up ice for his bigger role there.

“We got a lot of fast guys that have good sticks and can get up there, so we might as well play to our strengths a little bit,” Graf said.

Asked about moving around the lineup, Graf joked that the line stops at the kill.

“Probably no defense. I think PK will be as far defensive as I go,” Graf said. “My versatility was sort of on full display tonight.”

Zack Ostapchuk and Ivar Stenberg added empty-net goals in the final 3:29. Graf said the group still has work to do after the third period.

“I thought I did well, still have stuff to work on for us as a group in the third, but happy we got the win,” Graf said.

San Jose, now 6-4-1, heads to Boston to close the road trip with a regulation win finally on the board.

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