Must See: Canucks' Tom Willander Scores First Career NHL Goal Versus The Minnesota Wild

In a matchup that saw the Vancouver Canucks suffer a last-minute injury issue with the departure of center Elias Pettersson, it was Tom Willander who brought some positivity to the game against the Minnesota Wild by scoring his first career NHL goal. The defenceman now has a goal and seven assists in 19 games played at the NHL level. 

Willander, the 11th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, signed his entry-level contract with the Canucks back in May. He began the season in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks and made his NHL debut on October 28 against the New York Rangers.

Despite only being 20, the defenceman has played excellently throughout his first few NHL games, resulting in him skating in games during which defenceman Elias Pettersson and Pierre-Olivier Joseph were healthy-scratched in his stead.

Willander's goal tonight breaks a streak for Minnesota goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who had previously posted shoutouts against all Canadian teams he had faced so far this season. He is not the only Canucks defenceman to score tonight, however, as Pettersson also found the back of the net. Willander also tallied an assist on Pettersson's goal. 

The Canucks currently have a 3-1 lead against the Wild after two periods.  

Nov 11, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) handles the puck against the Winnipeg Jets in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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Observations From Blues' 2-1 Win Vs. Senators

No, the St. Louis Blues didn’t break the dam and full the net with goals. No, they didn’t run their opposition out of the building.

But they did get a win, and at this point, that’s all that matters, bagging the two points.

Thanks to the heroics of Joel Hofer with a career-high 41 saves, two goals from Jake Neighbours and a penalty kill that was bend-but-don’t-break and rock solid, the Blues survived against the Ottawa Senators, winning 2-1 at Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario on Saturday.

And with their win, the Blues (10-12-7) swept the season series from the Senators (13-11-4) after beating them in St. Louis, 4-3, on Nov. 28, and became the last team to reach double figures in wins on the season.

Even in the win, it’s the 10th time in the past 11 games the Blues have failed to score more than two goals in a game, but it was enough thanks to Hofer’s outstanding game.

Let’s go right into the game observations:

* Hofer was outstanding – He didn’t have to sprawl all over the ice with the Senators pumping 42 shots at him throughout the game, but it was a Velcro-kind of a game for the Blues’ goalie.

Everything that came his way stuck to him, there were few to no rebounds. The one save Hofer made that really stuck out was the stop he made in a 1-0 game off a 2-on-1 on Claude Giroux at 12:07 of the second period.

If that goes in, who knows how the offensively-challenged Blues react. But he just kept turning the Senators away and making them feel like they would not be able to get one past him tonight.

It almost worked until the whistle-happy officials put the Senators on the power play seven times (more on that below).

Hofer also stopped Tim Stutzle in the waning seconds in close.

And heck, to top things off, Hofer nearly had himself a goalie goal, the second time he’s come close to it (one is coming). And he even earned himself a roughing minor with seven seconds left in the game when a brouhaha broke out in the Blues’ zone that for all intents and purposes, cost the Senators one last-ditched effort to try and tie the game:

Hofer was only beaten by a Fabian Zetterlund power-play goal at 15:39 on a scramble in front on the Senators’ seventh man advantage.

Since his last what you would consider a bad outing against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 27, Hofer is 3-3-2 in 10 appearances with a 2.26 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.

* PK won the game early – Let’s face it, the penalty kill as a whole hasn’t been good for the Blues this season. Largely due to their ineptness on home ice.

On the road, a different story, and this game could have been won or lost in the first period.

It started when Robert Thomas got a double-minor for high-sticking close pal Brady Tkachuk at 4:32. The Blues killed it off despite the Senators getting four shots.

Then Jake Neighbours was guilty of a pair of minors. One for interference at 11:05 and another for tripping at 14:03. And the Blues came out of unscathed.

They had to spend so much time killing penalties in the first period that when Neighbours put the Blues’ first shot on goal 25 seconds in, they went 19:33(!) before getting their second of the period and were outshot 15-2.

On one hand, the that’s good to see the penalty kill working so hard and well, but on the other hand, could some of the penalties been avoided: sure. The Thomas one was unfortunate. Brayden Schenn’s high-sticking was a bad call, lifting the opponents’ stick into his own face but wasn’t overturned in the second and the there’s a Dylan Holloway delay of game and Justin Faulk slash (that finally yielded a goal) in the third period.

The Blues were 6-for-7 on the penalty kill and started 6-for-6.

* Blues got battered, lost Kyrou to lower-body injury – Part of the success, especially of the PK mentioned above is the blocked shots that were certainly felt by Philip Broberg, who took one off the inside of the knee and needed help off the ice before returning, and Oskar Sundqvist also slumped over on the bench after feeling one also.

But the Blues lost Jordan Kyrou to a lower-body injury when he took a hit from Stephen Halliday inside of three minutes into the game, what looked like a knock on or around his left knee and being sidelined for the remainder of the game.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery told reporters after the game that Kyrou is considered day to day and they’re hopeful it’s no more than a week to 10 days so he will join Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist), Alexey Toropchenko (leg burns) and Nathan Walker (upper body) on the sidelines with various injuries.

* Like a good Neighbour(s), Jake was on the doorstep twice – Coaches continuously harp on it. Whether players heed those words or not sometimes can be a different story.

On Saturday, Neighbours scored each of his goals within a couple feet of the goal line.

His first that put the Blues up 1-0 won’t make the highlight reels, but being where he’s supposed to be for loose pucks (in and around the crease) was enough for him to find one and tap it home at 17:36 of the second period:

It came after the Blues’ first power play had ended (the Senators already had five by that point).

And the second one, which turned out to be the game-winner, came after a face-off win, getting a puck into the Ottawa zone and Jake Sanderson trying to rim it around and out, but it was a clever play that Pavel Buchnevich picked it off the boards, spun and found Neighbours cross ice at the back post for the tap-in just 12 seconds into the third to make it an all-important 2-0:

* The Blues now head off to face the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday in the anticipated matchup since the 1-for-1 trade of acquiring Logan Mailloux for Zack Bolduc on July 1.

https://x.com/i/status/1997511286519632274

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Canadiens And Jets Will Face Off In 2026 Heritage Classic

The Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets will take on each other at the 2026 NHL Heritage Classic, the league announced on Saturday.

This outdoor game will take place on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, hosted in Winnipeg at Princess Auto Stadium, the home of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

This is the eighth NHL Heritage Classic and the first since 2023, when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Calgary Flames at Commonwealth Stadium. Edmonton won that game 5-2.

Princess Auto Stadium is hosting the NHL Heritage Classic for the second time, following the previous occasion in 2016. The Jets took on the Oilers, seeing Edmonton take that contest 3-0 in front of a crowd of 33,240 people.

More recently, Winnipeg played its second outdoor game against Calgary in the 2019 Heritage Classic, defeating the Flames 2-1 in overtime at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

As for the Canadiens, this 2026 outdoor outing will be their first since 2017, and their fifth in total. Montreal is 2-2-0 in such occasions and lost to the Ottawa Senators 3-0 at Ottawa’s Lansdowne Park in its last affair.

Dallas Stars To Host NHL Stadium Series Game At The Home Of NFL's CowboysDallas Stars To Host NHL Stadium Series Game At The Home Of NFL's CowboysThe Dallas Stars could bring in one of the NHL's largest crowds ever for their outdoor game in 2027.

This outdoor tilt between the Habs and the Jets is the third event scheduled in 2026. Later this season, the New York Rangers visit Miami to play against the Florida Panthers at LoanDepot Park on Jan. 2.

NHL Unveils Rangers And Panthers' Winter Classic UniformsNHL Unveils Rangers And Panthers' Winter Classic UniformsThe Panthers' first outdoor game uniform features the leaping panther, while the Rangers will wear a Centennial jersey-inspired look.

In addition, on Feb. 1, the Tampa Bay Lightning are hosting the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium for the second outdoor game in the state of Florida within a month of each other.

Furthermore, with the announcement of the 2026 NHL Heritage Classic, the league also announced that they have agreed on a multi-year extension with Tim Hortons - the title sponsor of the Heritage Classic - to lengthen an already longstanding partnership.


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Ilya Sorokin's 32 saves carry Islanders to 2-0 win over Lightning

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Ilya Sorokin stopped all 32 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season, tying the Islanders’ franchise record for career shutouts, and New York beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on Saturday night.

Sorokin recorded his 25th career shutout to tie Glenn “Chico” Resch for most in Islanders history.

Calum Ritchie scored in the third period and Casey Cizikas added an empty net goal with 2 seconds left.

Jonas Johansson finished with 17 saves for Tampa Bay, which lost its third consecutive game. The Lightning also lost to the Islanders in New York on Tuesday.

Tampa Bay was shutout for the first time this season.

The Islanders scored the winning goal in the second half of a four-minute power play chance after Brandon Hagel was called for a high-sticking double minor against Cizikas at 10:14 of the third period, a call that was upheld after video review.

After Tony DeAngelo fired a puck from the point that was deflected by Anders Lee, Ritchie collected it off the end boards, put it between his legs and chipped the puck past Johansson at 12:46.

Lightning captain Victor Hedman was activated off long-term injured reserve before the game and returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with an undisclosed injury.

Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy missed his second consecutive game with an undisclosed injury while Lightning leading-scorer Nikita Kucherov also missed Saturday due to an undisclosed injury.

Up next

Islanders: At Florida Panthers on Sunday.

Lightning: At Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.

Devils suffer season-high fifth straight loss after 4-1 defeat to Bruins

BOSTON (AP) — Morgan Geekie scored his 22nd goal, Jeremy Swayman made 29 saves and the Boston Bruins beat New Jersey 4-1 on Saturday night, sending the Devils to their season-high fifth straight loss.

Fraser Minten, Casey Mittelstadt and Andrew Peeke also scored for Boston, and Elias Lindholm set up Geekie’s score early in the second period. Geekie has the second-most goals in the league, trailing Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon by two.

The Bruins were without star winger David Pastrnak, who was sidelined for the fifth straight game with an undisclosed injury.

Timo Meier scored for New Jersey and Jake Allen stopped 17 shots.

Pulled after giving up five goals in a loss at Detroit in his previous start, Swayman made a 2-1 lead after two periods hold up despite the Bruins getting outshot 30-21.

Boston ended a string of alternating wins and losses in its previous seven games by winning its second straight.

Swayman cut from his right to left, making a pad save on Connor Brown’s close bid with just under five minutes left in the third period.

The Bruins had just nine shots on goal through two periods but led 2-1 after Lindholm stole a clearing attempt, turned and sent a cross-ice pass to Geekie, who one-timed a shot from the left circle 72 seconds into the period.

Geekie extended his point streak to five games (five goals, four assists).

Mittelstadt scored with 3:35 left in the game and Peeke added an empty-netter.

Minten one-timed a shot inside the far post from the right circle, making it 1-0 at 17:42 of the opening period.

Shut out in their previous two games, the Devils tied it under a minute later when Meier collected a loose puck in the slot and slipped it past Swayman.

Up next

Devils: At Ottawa on Tuesday.

Bruins: Open a three-game trip Tuesday at St. Louis.

Winnipeg To Host 2026 Heritage Classic vs. Montreal Canadiens

The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they will host the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Field, the home of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, on October 25th, 2026. They will face off against the Montreal Canadiens. 

The open air venue last staged the event in 2016 when the Jets faced the Edmonton Oilers. Winnipeg fell 3-0 in that game as Edmonton’s young star Connor McDavid recorded an assist and helped power his team to victory.

This will be the Jets’ first appearance in an outdoor game since 2019 when they defeated the Calgary Flames in overtime at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. The Canadiens will play their fifth outdoor game and their first since 2017, entering with a 2-2 all-time record in such events.

That matchup remains one of the franchise’s most memorable recent moments, and anticipation is already building for their return to the national outdoor stage.

Penguins Notebook: Lines Changed, Injured Players In

The Pittsburgh Penguins took to the ice for practice in Dallas on Saturday, and it appears that two players may be poised for a return to the lineup when they face the Stars on Sunday.

Forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari - who missed all of November with upper-body injuries - took line rushes with the team at practice. In addition, the Penguins re-assigned forward Joona Koppanen to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS).

It's safe to say that the Penguins have been missing both players in their everyday lineup, so getting either player back for Sunday's game would be a welcome sight. With the return of Brazeau, the Penguins would be getting back one of their two injured top-six players - which should help matters with scoring, as Brazeau has six goals and 12 points in 12 games this season. 

Brazeau reunited with Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha on the "mutant line," while Acciari slotted back in on the fourth line.


Here were the lines and pairings at Saturday's practice, which shifted around a bit with Brazeau and Acciari back in the mix:

Forwards
Novak-Crosby-Rust
Mantha-Hayes-Brazeau
McGroarty-Kindel-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensemen
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Shea-Letang
Graves-Dumba
(Imama-Clifton)

Penguins Place Big Forward On WaiversPenguins Place Big Forward On WaiversThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> have made another move to clear up some space on their roster.&nbsp;

- It is worth noting that even with Koppanen re-assigned to WBS, the Penguins will still have to make a roster move in order to activate both Brazeau and Acciari from injured reserve. 

Boko Imama is the most obvious candidate, as he won't need to pass through waivers since he has been with the team for less than 14 days. But another thing to keep in mind is that rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke's conditioning loan will come to a close after he plays his fifth game with WBS on Saturday against the Hershey Bears, and he currently occupies a roster spot with the NHL roster. 

Obviously, the easiest thing would be to option Imama, especially as the Penguins will likely lend Brunicke to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship, assuming he is named to the preliminary roster. But it's still something to keep in mind. 

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Earns Big Win Over Lehigh Valley On FridayWilkes-Barre/Scranton Earns Big Win Over Lehigh Valley On FridayWilkes-Barre/Scranton got a big win over Lehigh Valley on Friday night.

- Arturs Silovs has only started one of the Penguins' last five games, in which he gave up four goals on 16 shots in a 7-2 loss to  the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 29 and was pulled after the fourth. 

It stands to reason that Silovs will, likely, get one of the Penguins' next two starts, but it's becoming increasingly clear that the Penguins have - at least, temporarily - decided on Tristan Jarry as their primary goaltender. 

The Penguins have won the four games that Jarry has started since he returned from IR, and they lost the sole game Silovs started. Silovs has given up eight goals in his last two starts after a very promising start to the season - and he was pulled in both appearances. 

Revisiting The Jake Guentzel Trade TreeRevisiting The Jake Guentzel Trade TreeOn Thursday, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> will take on the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> in Florida, as Pittsburgh looks to hold onto its playoff positioning and Tampa looks to extend its Atlantic Division lead.&nbsp;

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

Shootout Salutations: Are Shootouts Still Exciting In Season 20?

By Jared Clinton, Features Writer

Usually, Anniversaries are met with a little flourish. Maybe a card. Maybe some cake. Flowers, at the very least. If nothing else, though, you expect a modicum of acknowledgement that you’ve reached a milestone, especially when it’s one of those big, round numbers.

But when it comes to the 20th anniversary of the shootout in the NHL, the whole thing came and went without much fuss. So, if not the NHL, let us be the ones to take a moment to recognize it has been two decades since the league adopted the shootout. In fact, when the puck dropped on the 2025-26 season, it had been almost 20 years to the day since the first time fans got to see a shootout in NHL action.

The very first NHL shootout came in the ‘Battle of Ontario’ Oct. 5, 2005, the opening night of 2005-06. The shooter-goalie matchup? It was one with Hall of Fame proportions: the Ottawa Senators’ Daniel Alfredsson had the puck on his stick, with Ed Belfour guarding the crease for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The result? A simple but effective attempt by Alfredsson. His tally, combined with the goaltending of Dominik Hasek, helped the Senators etch their name in the record book as winners of the NHL’s first official shootout.

Since then – and prior to the start of this season – an additional 2,485 games have been decided by way of shootout. That’s a hair more than 10 percent of all regular-season games the past 20 years. And those shootouts have taken on all shapes and sizes, from two-round sweeps and back-and-forth affairs to out-and-out marathons. The longest shootout, which took place Dec. 16, 2014, went 20 rounds, with Florida eventually defeating Washington when Nick Bjugstad netted the winner.

And though the central conceit of the shootout has always been to produce clear-cut winners and losers, it has also delivered iconic moments. Within months of the shootout’s introduction, in a Nov. 26, 2005 outing that saw the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers deadlocked after regulation and overtime, Blueshirts defenseman Marek Malik stepped up to take his turn in the then-record 15th round of the shootout. Staring down Washington’s Olie Kolzig, Malik wound down the ice, tucked the puck back between his own legs and found twine, sending the Madison Square Garden crowd into a frenzy.

While NHL Shootouts Remain Polarizing, Penalty Shots Are Still ExcitingWhile NHL Shootouts Remain Polarizing, Penalty Shots Are Still ExcitingAn NHL insider made an interesting point about encouraging the referees to call more penalty shots, and he's right. Even though the very similar shootout has lost its shine, the penalty shot remains thrilling.

Moments like those – or Pavel Datsyuk’s chip shot, Patrick Kane’s deft dekes or more obscure efforts such as Linus Omark’s spinning start – are seared into the minds of hockey fans. The shootout, in its own way, has shone a brighter spotlight on the dazzling displays of high-end skill that elite-level talents possess. “As a fan, I love the shootout,” said Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger. “Whenever I went to Wild games (as a kid) and it went to a shootout, it was like winning the lottery.”

Not everyone is as enamored by the shootout, however. Among those who make their living on big-league ice, the perception of the shootout is somewhat mixed.

Seattle Kraken captain Jordan Eberle is one of the most frequent participants in the player-goalie tete-a-tete. He entered 2025-26 with 87 career shootout attempts, 18th-most in league history. Even before he arrived in the big leagues, Eberle had carved out a reputation as a smooth operator in the skills competition, notably for his heroics in the World Junior Championship. Most remember his game-tying goal against Russia in the 2009 WJC semifinal but forget he also scored the shootout-winner.

Much like one of his breakaway attempts, though, Eberle zigs where you expect him to zag. “I’m not a huge fan of the shootout,” he said.

In part, his dislike stems from changes made over the past two decades. Before the NHL removed the mandate ahead of the 2014-15 season, the ice would be dry-scraped before each shootout. The fresh surface, he said, provided for the slick puckhandling that once made the shootout a must-see event. But when that went away, so did much of Eberle’s enjoyment.

He also feels the conditions surrounding the shootout have changed. “When the shootout came, OT was 4-on-4, and I don’t know the percentage on those games ending, but it was a lot lower than it is now,” he said.

Vasily Podkolzin and Spencer Knight (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)

It’s true. There has been a marked change in the number of games ending in extra time since the shift to 3-on-3 overtime. In the first 10 seasons of the shootout’s NHL existence, during which overtime was four-a-side, nearly 57 percent of all contests that went past regulation needed a shootout to find a winner. But the move to 3-on-3 in 2015-16 resulted in an almost immediate uptick in sudden-death outcomes. Prior to this season, exactly two thirds of all games that have gone to overtime since 2015-16 have ended in the extra frame.

And in the eyes of some, the success of 3-on-3 is cause to embrace longer overtimes and even further reduce the likelihood that games are decided by shootout. “There should be a change,” said Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark. “We’ve already changed the offensive game a lot in general, with 3-on-3 and overtime. My two cents, we should add five more minutes of overtime, like at the 4 Nations. Because it comes down more to play.”

4 Nations Face-Off: The NHL Finally Gave The Players What They Wanted, And The Players Delivered4 Nations Face-Off: The NHL Finally Gave The Players What They Wanted, And The Players DeliveredAlmost 15 years to the day from when Sidney Crosby scored the Golden Goal for Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics, Connor McDavid grabbed the torch and <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/game-day/oilers-connor-mcdavid-shines-in-the-spotlight">scored the decisive overtime goal</a> to win the 4 Nations Face-Off.

There’s another reason, though, why Eberle, Ullmark and several others throughout the league would like to see overtime extended: being on the wrong side of the result can be tough on the psyche. “It’s funny how you can play a really good game – and I’ve been in this spot – and you’re the last guy to shoot and you miss, how crappy you feel,” Eberle said.

That’s a sentiment that Ullmark echoes. “From the perspective of a goaltender, you can go out and play the best game of your life and have a shutout – and the other goalie can play phenomenal as well – then you go out there and let in three (shootout goals), and you feel like the worst goalie ever,” Ullmark said. “That’s just how it is, plain and simple. And I think a lot of other goalies feel the same way.”

A lot? Perhaps that’s the case – and you can be sure no netminder enjoys feeling like the goat in a losing effort – but the league’s masked men are not a monolith. Ask avowed shootout fan Oettinger, and he’ll tell you there’s a thrill to the all-or-nothing dynamic. “Some people think it’s stupid, but I think it’s fun,” he said. “As a goalie, you’re in the spotlight and get to decide the game.”

Cold Water Poured On Report Oilers Have Acquired Goalie From PenguinsCold Water Poured On Report Oilers Have Acquired Goalie From PenguinsWild goalie rumors swirled, but sources confirm no trade has been finalized between the Oilers and the Penguins.

And while the shootout has its detractors, step into any arena or tune into any game in which a shootout is taking place and you can feel the building living and dying with every attempt. In some respects, it is the game distilled down to its purest form: shooter versus goaltender, head-to-head, with victory or defeat hanging in the balance. “It’s why we play the game,” said Detroit Red Wings right winger Alex DeBrincat. “You get that pressure of the game on your stick, just you and the goalie. It’s a different experience than you get anywhere else.”


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This is an excerpt of a feature that appeared in The Hockey News' Prospects Unlimited issue. We profile plenty of top prospects such as Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Zeev Buium and Marco Kasper. 

Elsewhere in the issue, we take a look at each NHL team's prospect pool, and we explore several PWHL teams, as well as features on the AHL, ECHL and the NCAA. 

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

Panthers snap losing streak with thrilling comeback victory, defeating Columbus 7-6 in overtime

The Florida Panthers welcomed the Columbus Blue Jackets to Sunrise for a fun Saturday afternoon matinee.

Florida never led the game, until it was over, falling behind 4-1 and 6-4 before coming back and earning a thrilling 7-6 victory in overtime.

It was Columbus who got on the scoring started, finding the back of the net early and often.

Just under eight minutes into the game, Damon Severson picked up a power play goal to give the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead.

Florida responded quickly, as Evan Rodrigues jumped all over a Columbus turnover in their own end and waited out goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to knot the score at one 2:07 later.

When the second period arrived, Columbus suddently couldn’t stop scoring.

They picked up a trio of goals less than five minutes apart, suddenly taking a 4-1 lead just past the game’s midway point.

Finally, Florida slowly began to chip away at the deficit.

Carter Verhaeghe scored a pair of goals less than two minutes apart to bring the Panthers back within one of Columbus, first defelcting a point shot by Seth Jones past Merzlikins, then picking up a power play goal off a cross-ice pass from Brad Marchand.

It took less than three minutes after that for Jones to game, wiring home a perfectly placed wrist shot in the top corner of the net with Florida once again on the power play.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, a bad bounce led to Columbus re-taking the lead late in the second period as Cole Sillinger took advantage of a loose puck after it bounced over the stick of Gus Forsling.

The Blue Jackets scored a sixth goal early in third, converting on a 2-on-1 and taking a 6-4 lead 2:27 into the third period.

A gorgeous goal by Brad Marchand less than two minutes later, making a move to his backhand and beating Merzlikins under his pad to cut the Jackets’ lead back to one.

With 5:42 to go, Anton Lundell took advantage of a bad turnover by Columbus after Merzlikins tried clearing the puck, but it deflected off hoard of players and ended up on Lundell’s stick with nothing but an empty net to shoot at.

The game would end up going to overtime, and Florida had to come up with a huge 4-on-3 penalty kill to avoid a fifth straight defeat before they could come up with a game-winner.

As time was running out, Brad Marchand found a streaking Sam Bennett, and his goal with 3.2 seconds left sealed the victory for Florida.

Wow.

On to the Islanders.

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Photo caption: Dec 6, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) celebrates a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second period with center Sam Bennett (9) at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

'I'm Not Superman': Hughes' And Canucks' Frustrations Should Be A Sign Of Changes To Come

Since Nov. 9, the Vancouver Canucks have won two out of 12 games (2-7-3), the least amount of wins in the NHL in that span. Now, they've hit rock bottom – literally, as they're the NHL's worst team with a 10-15-3 record.

Vancouver has indeed had some injuries to key players, including injuries to starting goalie Thatcher Demko and forwards Conor Garland and Filip Chytil. But all the losing is starting to wear on Canucks players – most notably, on star defenseman Quinn Hughes.

As one of the NHL’s premier blueliners, Hughes logs more ice time than any other skater in the league at an average of 27:30 per game. However, Hughes made it clear this week he can’t pull off his civilian clothes and turn into a superhero who can carry Vancouver to wins all by himself.

“I’m not perfect, not Superman,” Hughes told the media earlier in the week. “Yeah, I get tired, for sure…there’s definitely moments in games where, you know, I’m breaking out pucks, I’m transporting pucks to the neutral zone, I’m doing my thing in the O-zone…(and) trying to create scoring chances for our team. And that’s hard to do for half the game.”

Indeed, when you’re on the ice as much as Hughes is, you’re going to see the good and bad in your team, and fatigue is bound to play a factor.

But as the Canucks have slid down to the bottom of the standings, there is increasing speculation about trades that are likely to be made by Canucks GM Patrik Allvin and Vancouver president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford

Red Wings Should Pursue Sherwood To Solve Lack Of Depth ScoringRed Wings Should Pursue Sherwood To Solve Lack Of Depth ScoringThe Detroit Red Wings' top scorers are shining, but the dropoff in points-production is steep after that. Could a trade with the Vancouver Canucks give Detroit the offensive boost it needs before the trade deadline arrives?

As one of the longest-serving management figures in the game, Rutherford is famous for making moves well in advance of the season’s trade deadline.

That’s what we saw from him last season when the Canucks dealt center J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers on Jan. 31 of this year, amid a rift with Vancouver center Elias Pettersson.

In any case, the Canucks have two wins in their past 10 games, and their upcoming schedule is a killer. They'll be facing teams such as the Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks – all teams that are either in a playoff position right now, or that are close to a playoff spot.

By the time the calendar year ends, Vancouver’s playoff aspirations could be all but completely snuffed out. And at that point, there may not be any Canucks players who are untouchables when it comes to trades.

Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

Aside from the Canucks stating they are willing to get younger in the trade market, only the team's front office knows who could potentially be out the door next.

The Canucks look like they’re in dire need of a major makeover, and while the moves Rutherford and Allvin make may be shocking, the truth is that hanging onto the status quo would be even more of a shock.

When you’re as much of a disappointment as Vancouver has been, there should be few, if any, sacred players on the roster. With a rebound that is less likely by the day, the only question now is who gets moved out of Vancouver, and how deep the cuts to the Canucks are going to be.

Vancouver has made its bed with this brutal start to the year. And the rest of the way this season, they’re going to have to lie in that bed and change the makeup of the roster for years to come.


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Rangers Remain Upbeat After Encouraging Performance Against Avalanche In Losing Effort

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

While the New York Rangers didn’t come away with two points in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon, there’s a lot to be encouraged about from a Blueshirts perspective.

The Avalanche currently hold the best record in the NHL, so the Rangers’ players and coaches knew the challenge that was ahead of them. 

Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen arguably make up one of the most explosive lines in the NHL, and Mike Sullivan tasked his newly formed shutdown trio of J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Conor Sheary to contain them. 

Led by the effort and hard-nosed play of Miller, the Rangers not only contained MacKinnon’s line, they also neutralized Colorado's potent offense. 

Seeing the Avalanche’s 42 shots on net doesn't paint the full picture. Colorado had stretches of pressure, but the Rangers played a defensively sound game, staying in their structure, while limiting the amount of high-quality scoring chances and dangerous odd-man rushes. 

Mike Sullivan was specifically impressed with how Miller’s line played from a defensive standpoint. 

“J.T. and Troch in particular, those two guys, they have a 200 foot game. MacKinnon is a handful, he's big and he's strong and he's powerful. J.T. is big and strong and powerful also,” Sullivan said. “We just felt, it gives us the best chance to try to neutralize one of the more dynamic players in the league… I think those guys, they take those challenges, they embrace those. I think they're competitive guys, so when you give them a challenge like that, they tend to elevate their games. J.T. is one of those guys.”

Going into the third period, the Rangers found themselves in a 1-0 hole, but it was Conor Sheary who tied the game with his first goal as a Ranger and first NHL goal since April 11, 2024. 

The Rangers signed Sheary to a professional tryout contract during the offseason, and he earned a roster spot out of training camp. 

Sheary has been in the lineup for a large part of the season, even playing a top-six role for a portion of the year. He just couldn’t find the back of the net, and now, he’s finally back on the scoresheet, which he describes as a relieving feeling. 

“I feel like I've been getting a lot of good chances throughout this year. It's a relief to get one,” Sheary said. “Hopefully I can build off that, but to contribute to the team and help the team gain a point, I think, is really important. Hopefully I can continue to do that.”

Despite trailing 2-1 in the final stages of the third period, the Rangers found a way to even up the score in the form of an Artemi Panarin goal after an onslaught of pressure with an empty net. 

The Rangers clawed their way back the against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night after being down late in the game, and they were able to do it again against Colorado. 

It seems as if the Blueshirts are beginning to build confidence and a mentality that the team could come back in games. It stems from their success playing with a 6-on-5 advantage. 

“I think they're doing a great job,” Sullivan said of the Rangers’ 6-on-5 play. “They're buying into the structure, they're executing, they're making good plays, they're getting pucks to the net… We were trying to encourage them to put more pucks in play, create those broken plays, let's get numbers around the net, and let's try to win pucks and then create off the shot, so to speak. I think they're buying into that.”

Rangers Secure Win Over Senators With Strong All-Around Performance Rangers Secure Win Over Senators With Strong All-Around Performance It was all about the fundamentals in the New York Rangers’ 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

The Rangers ultimately came away with one point instead of two due to MacKinnon’s goal in overtime. 

Even after a loss, the mood around the locker room was positive and upbeat. 

Sullivan has attempted to build a new identity since he arrived. It’s an identity formulated on playing a physical brand of hockey, and driving offense through their defensively sound game and relentless play, whether it’s forechecking hard or creating a strong net-front presence. 

Over this recent three-game stretch, the Rangers have shown they are adapting to Sullivan’s philosophy. 

“We talk about identity. It seems like every time we get some momentum like this, feeling good about our game, we kind of regress and go back to the other version of the game we don't like,” Miller said. “It's really important that we kind of reset every game and have that mindset of we haven't earned anything yet, just we have to keep going. If we want to build a standard and identity, we have to do it every single day, so that's kind of been the mindset lately.”

The Rangers will be back in action on Sunday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Game Preview: New Jersey Devils at Boston Bruins

The New Jersey Devils hit the road today to take on the Boston Bruins.

The Devils are 16-11-1 while the Bruins are 16-13-0.


What to Know - Devils

The Devils are kicking off their two-game road trip today in Boston, after playing four straight games at home. Not only have the Devils dropped their last four games, but they have also been shut out for two games, having gone 128 minutes and 9 seconds without scoring.

These results have pushed the Devils out of a playoff spot. A win today would put them back in contention.


What to Know - Bruins

The Bruins, on the other hand, are coming off a win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, but have struggled as of late without David Pastrnak.

They have won five of their last 10 games, thanks to strong offensive performances. Specifically, forward Morgan Geekie has had an incredible start to the season. Geekie has 21 goals so far this season, ranking second in the NHL for goals, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon.

The Bruins currently sit atop the Atlantic Division and are heading into the matchup with a strong home record of 10-5-0.


Lineup Changes

The Devils have made several lineup changes. Angus Crookshank made his season debut with the Devils last night. Crookshank had just over ten minutes of ice time during the Devils' 3-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.


Lineups

Jacob Markstrom started last night, so Jake Allen will likely play for the Devils today. 

Jeremy Swayman starts in the net for the Bruins. He last played on Tuesday, when he saved 18 of 23 shots he faced.

The projected Bruins lineup is:

Steeves-Lindholm-Geekie

Mittelstadt-Zacha-Arvidsson

Jeannot-Minten-Kastelic

Khusnutdinov-Kuraly-Eyssimont

Zadorov-Aspirot

Lindholm-Peeke

Lohrei-Soderstrom


Injuries

Both teams have injury struggles. The Devils lack center Jack Hughes, hampering their offense. The full injury list is below.

Devils: J. Hughes (finger), Pesce (upper body), Dadonov (undisclosed), Kovacevic (knee), MacEwen (undisclosed), McLaughlin (undisclosed)

The Bruins are also missing star players. David Pastrnak has missed time with an unknown injury, as has Charlie McAvoy, who suffered a facial injury.

Bruins: Pastrnak (unknown), Callahan (lower-body), Jokiharju (undisclosed), McAvoy (face), Blumel (lower-body)


Overall

This is the first meeting of the two teams this season. They will meet again on March 16 and again on April 14.

The puck will drop at 7 PM at TD Garden.

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Artemi Panarin's last-minute goal forces OT but Rangers fall to Avalanche, 3-2

NEW YORK (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored 2:46 into overtime for his second goal of the game, helping the Colorado Avalanche top Artemi Panarin and the New York Rangers 3-2 on Saturday.

MacKinnon finished Colorado’s third win in four games when he beat Igor Shesterkin for his NHL-best 24th goal. He also batted the puck past Shesterkin at 15:26 of the third, lifting the Avalanche to a 2-1 lead.

MacKinnon has 10 goals and five assists in his last nine games.

Parker Kelly also scored for Colorado, and Martin Necas had three assists. The NHL-leading Avalanche bounced back nicely after losing 6-3 at the New York Islanders on Thursday night.

Panarin and Conor Sheary scored for New York, which had won five of six. Shesterkin made 39 saves.

The Rangers trailed 2-1 before Panarin scored his 10th goal at 19:18 with Shesterkin pulled for an extra skater.

The Avalanche jumped in front when Kelly tipped a shot by defenseman Sam Malinsky past Shesterkin at 7:06 of the second.

Sheary tied it at 1 with his first goal as a Ranger at 4:23 of the third. Sheary beat Blackwood with a high shot after outskating Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar.

Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves for Colorado.

Up next

Rangers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

Avalanche: Visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.

MacKinnon Nets Overtime Winner as Avalanche Top Rangers in Controversial Finish

Nathan MacKinnon scored just 2:46 into overtime, lifting the Colorado Avalanche to a 3–2 win over the New York Rangers in a Saturday afternoon showdown at Madison Square Garden. 

But the victory didn’t come without controversy. 

New York forced overtime with 42 seconds remaining when Artemi Panarin hammered a one-timer from Mika Zibanejad over the shoulder of Mackenzie Blackwood. Colorado head coach Jared Bednar immediately challenged the play for a missed stoppage, arguing Panarin had made contact with the puck using a high stick earlier in the sequence. 

By rule, high-sticking is defined as making contact with the puck above shoulder height during regular play, or above the height of the crossbar when a goal is scored. The replay appeared to show Panarin’s stick rising well above the shoulders of Joel Kiviranta—listed at 5-foot-11—before the puck struck the ice. Despite what seemed like clear visual evidence, officials upheld the goal, leaving the Avalanche bench momentarily frozen in disbelief as Madison Square Garden thundered in approval.

Despite the added hurdle, the Avs still found a way. MacKinnon capped off the afternoon with two goals, pushing his season total to 24. Parker Kelly added his sixth of the year, and Martin Nečas put together a three-assist performance. Blackwood was sharp as well, turning aside 24 shots. 

For the Rangers, Panarin wasn’t the only one to strike—Sheary also found the back of the net—and Igor Shesterkin was brilliant in defeat, finishing with 39 saves. 

First Period 

At 7:26 of the first period, Cale Makar was sent to the box after delivering a reverse hit on J.T. Miller despite his man not having possession of the puck, resulting in an interference call. The Rangers generated several dangerous looks on the ensuing power play, but Colorado escaped unscathed as both Panarin and Will Cuylle rang shots off the post. 

For much of the opening frame, the Avalanche found themselves pinned in their own end. New York’s relentless, punishing forecheck caused repeated problems, and Colorado struggled to cleanly break through the pressure. 

 Late in the frame, Nečas went on a breakaway, but was denied by Shesterkin.  

Second Period 

Kelly broke the tie 7:06 into the second period, redirecting a Sam Malinski shot from his knees to give Colorado a 1–0 lead. The entire sequence was sparked by Nečas, who curled behind the net with possession and whipped a sharp backhand pass up the boards to Malinski, setting the play in motion.

Third Period/Overtime 

Sheary pulled the Rangers even 4:23 into the third period, taking a saucer pass from Vincent Trocheck, deking past Nečas, and fought off Makar before snapping a perfectly placed shot past Blackwood. 

Moments later, after Matthew Robertson was called for tripping Valeri Nichushkin, Colorado went to the power play. But the opportunity came with a scare: Trocheck’s attempted clear struck Makar directly in the helmet, sending the defenseman immediately to the bench in visible discomfort. He eventually returned to the ice.  

With 4:34 remaining, MacKinnon delivered again. He pounced on a rebound off a Nečas shot, batting the puck out of midair for his 23rd of the season to restore Colorado’s lead at 2–1. 

Brock Nelson briefly appeared to tie the game just 26 seconds later. The on-ice ruling was a good goal, but video review showed the puck never actually crossed the goal line, wiping the tally off the board and preserving Colorado’s one-goal edge. 

The Rangers pulled Shesterkin for the extra attacker with 1:50 to play, setting the stage for a frantic, somewhat controversial finish. Following Panarin’s goal and the failed challenge, the game went to overtime, where MacKinnon delivered as the hero. 

Next Game 

The Avalanche (20-2-6) finished off a back-to-back on Sunday as they square off against Trevor Zegras and the Philadelphia Flyers (15-8-3) at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Coverage begins at 11 a.m. local time.  

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Red Wings Should Pursue Sherwood To Solve Lack Of Depth Scoring

The Detroit Red Wings have been an above-average team thus far this season, posting a 14-11-3 record to keep them in the thick of the hunt for a Stanley Cup playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

One of the key reasons why is that their top-three forwards are doing much of the heavy lifting on offense.

For reference, Red Wings star center and captain Dylan Larkin has 15 goals and 31 points this year. Right winger Lucas Raymond has 21 assists and 31 points, and right winger Alex DeBrincat has 14 goals and 29 points.

All three forwards are putting together points at above a point-per-game pace, which has to make Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman happy. But after that, there are only three other Wings forwards with more than 10 points – right winger Patrick Kane (18 points), left winger Emmitt Finnie (13 points) and center Andrew Copp (11 points).

In the past, the Red Wings' biggest issues in recent years have been in net. But the dropoff after their top point-producers this season has to be concerning. 

That brings us to the $16.5-million in salary cap space that Wings GM has to play with right now – a total that would rise to a whopping $52.7-million by the NHL’s March 6 trade deadline.

If the Vancouver Canucks decide to trade veteran forward Kiefer Sherwood – who currently has 12 goals and 16 points in 28 games – you’d have to think Detroit could be a great landing spot for him.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood Draws Interest, Plus Islanders BuzzNHL Rumor Roundup: Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood Draws Interest, Plus Islanders BuzzVancouver Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood has become one of the most notable players in the trade market, plus the New York Islanders could be considering their options in this season's trade market.

Sherwood is slated to be a UFA at the end of this season, and the Red Wings have plenty of space to keep him in a Detroit uniform for the foreseeable future. Not to mention, the 30-year-old only costs $1.5 million against the salary cap.

That said, you have to feel for Wings fans who see their team on the precipice of ending their nine-year Stanley Cup playoff drought without seeing Yzerman making notable additions to the roster this season.

It would also help Detroit’s cause if Yzerman made an addition on the back end, but the priority at the moment has to be bringing in scoring help. 

Kiefer Sherwood (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

The Red Wings have all three of their first-round draft picks for the next three seasons, as well as two second-rounders. So it would behoove Detroit to spend one of those draft assets to acquire a difference-maker. But Yzerman will have to move fast if he wants Sherwood, who has appeal to many teams.

Regardless, the Wings should not stand pat. The Atlantic has five teams within four points of each other at the top of the division, and that competitiveness could remain throughout the season.

But the parity around the league is such that there isn’t a slew of trade options available at this moment, and if Detroit fails to pick up someone like Sherwood, they may have an even tougher time lining up a trade as the season continues to unfold.

There’s no time like the present for the Red Wings to acquire a veteran contributor. The longer they wait, the harder it could be to pick up a needle-mover to help push them into the post-season.

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