Avalanche Explode For Four-Goal First Period, Cruise Past Penguins

Martin Nečas delivered a statement performance with two goals, while Nathan MacKinnon continued his torrid scoring pace with his NHL-leading 46th of the season, as the Colorado Avalanche rolled to a commanding 6–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.

The game turned decisively in the closing minutes of the opening period, when Nečas, Sam Malinski, and Parker Kelly struck in rapid succession—three goals in just 1:55—to blow it open and silence the Pittsburgh crowd. The outburst not only seized momentum but also served as emphatic redemption for Colorado, which was on the wrong end of a lopsided loss to Pittsburgh just a week earlier in Denver. Cale Makar factored into the surge as well, recording an assist on Nečas’ first goal to bring his career point total to 499, putting him on the doorstep of another milestone.

A beauty of a goal from Nathan MacKinnon.

Colorado never looked back from there. MacKinnon’s goal further underlined his MVP-caliber season, while Ross Colton added an empty-net tally late to cap off the dominant effort.

Between the pipes, Scott Wedgewood was steady and composed, turning aside 27 shots to backstop the league-leading Avalanche. The win marks their third straight on a four-game road trip, with the finale set for Thursday in Winnipeg.

For Pittsburgh, Egor Chinakhov and Rickard Rakell provided the lone offensive breakthroughs. Kris Letang added a secondary assist on Chinakhov’s career-high 17th goal, reaching a significant personal milestone in the process—becoming just the 21st defenseman in NHL history to record 800 career points.

Artūrs Šilovs, meanwhile, endured a difficult start and was unable to recover, finishing with 23 saves as Colorado’s early surge proved too much to overcome. The loss is Pittsburgh’s third in its last four games, a setback that further complicates its position in an increasingly tight Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Penguins were also without veteran center Evgeni Malkin, who remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The 39-year-old had been instrumental in Pittsburgh’s dominant showing against Colorado last week, scoring twice in his return from a five-game suspension, making his absence all the more noticeable in this rematch.

First Period

At 3:57 of the opening frame, Colorado’s defensive coverage briefly unraveled, allowing Tommy Novak to slip undetected into open ice. He found himself in alone with a clean look, but Wedgewood stood tall, squaring up and turning aside the chance with a calm, technically sound stop to keep the game scoreless.

Just over a minute later, the Avalanche capitalized on a costly turnover. MacKinnon anticipated a pass from Parker Wotherspoon, jumped the lane, and exploded up ice on a breakaway. With confidence, he snapped a shot that rang cleanly off the crossbar and down across the goal line, giving Colorado a 1–0 lead with his league-leading 46th goal.

Pittsburgh responded 3:12 later in a sequence layered with irony. Samuel Girard—facing his former club after a deadline deal—helped initiate the play that led to Chinakhov’s equalizer. The winger stepped into a one-timer from distance and beat Wedgewood clean to knot the game at 1–1.

The tie didn’t last. With 4:36 remaining, Malinski restored the Avalanche lead with a determined individual effort. After being denied earlier in the shift by a sharp blocker save, he stayed engaged in the play, found a shooting lane through traffic, and snapped a shot past Šilovs for his first goal in 27 games.

Moments later, discipline issues proved costly for Pittsburgh. After Noel Acciari was sent off for tripping Josh Manson, Colorado’s power play struck with ruthless efficiency—needing just five seconds. Makar won the draw sequence and quickly fed Nečas, who hammered a one-timer past the goaltender for his 33rd of the season, extending his road goal streak to eight games.

Before the Penguins could regroup, the Avalanche struck again. Just 35 seconds later, Kelly capped off a relentless offensive surge, finishing a crisp one-timer off a feed from Logan O’Connor. The goal—his career-high 16th—pushed the lead to 4–1 and underscored Colorado’s overwhelming pace. For O’Connor, the assist marked a meaningful return, recording a point in his first game back after nearly a year sidelined by a second offseason hip surgery.

By the end of the period, the Avalanche had seized complete control, pouring in four goals and outshooting Pittsburgh 15–12 in a dominant, momentum-shifting frame.

Second Period

At the 7:05 mark, Wedgewood delivered arguably the save of the night, sprawling across the crease to rob Ben Kindel with a spectacular diving glove stop. Kindel—fresh off his heroics in the earlier NHL 26 simulation—could only look skyward in disbelief.

Moments later, Justin Brazeau appeared to cut into the deficit, jamming home a loose puck while down on his knees. However, after a brief review, officials overturned the goal, ruling his left skate had entered the crease before contact from Devon Toews disrupted the play and knocked the goaltender off balance. The decision drew visible frustration from the Penguins bench and head coach Dan Muse.

Colorado faced a test midway through the period when Nazem Kadri was assessed a double-minor for a high stick on Novak. Despite the extended penalty, the Avalanche penalty kill held firm, limiting quality looks and preserving the three-goal cushion.

Nečas struck again late in the period, capitalizing on a rebound opportunity with 2:31 remaining. After a point shot from Toews created chaos in front, he pounced on the loose puck and buried it to extend the lead to 5–1.

Third Period

The final period took on a chippy, penalty-filled tone. Manson and Brent Burns were sent off, giving Pittsburgh a 5-on-3 advantage. Colorado managed to kill off one of the penalties, and shortly after, O’Connor and Anthony Mantha exchanged roughing minors as tensions escalated.

Pittsburgh’s discipline continued to falter, with Letang toecalled for tripping Gabe Landeskog and Bryan Rust for hooking Brock Nelson, handing Colorado a brief 5-on-3 of its own. This time, however, the Avalanche power play came up empty.

Rakell eventually broke through for Pittsburgh, making it 5–2 after an unusual bounce sent the puck over the back of the net. Sidney Crosby reacted instantly, one-touching a pass to Rakell, who finished before Wedgewood could reset—an opportunistic play the goaltender had little chance to stop.

With under four minutes remaining, Pittsburgh pulled Šilovs in a last-ditch effort, but Colton sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal, putting the finishing touches on a decisive 6–2 Avalanche victory.

Avs Extend Central Division Lead

The Avalanche not only picked up two points with the win, but also got help in the standings as their Central Division rivals both lost. The Dallas Stars fell 6-4 at home to the New Jersey Devils, while the Minnesota Wild dropped a 6-3 decision on the road to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Colorado now holds a 104-97 point advantage over Dallas, with Minnesota sitting in third place at 92 points.

Next Game

The Avalanche (47-13-10) square off against the Winnipeg Jets (30-29-12) at Canada Life Centre on Thursday. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. local time in Denver.

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Sabres Goalie Is Proving His Doubters Wrong Big Time

The 2024-25 season was undoubtedly a tough year for Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In 55 games during this past season with the Sabres, he had a 24-24-5 record, an .887 save percentage, and a 3.20 goals-against average.

While Luukkonen had a season to forget for the Sabres in 2024-25, he is certainly proving his doubters wrong in a major way this campaign for Buffalo.

Luukkonen has been one of many reasons for the Sabres' major step forward this season, and the truth is in his stats. In 28 appearances this season for Buffalo so far, he has a 17-8-2 record, a 2.54 goals-against average, and a .911 save percentage. With numbers like these, there is no question that Luukkonen has been enjoying an excellent bounce-back season with the Sabres.

Luukkonen has always been staying hot as the season rolls on. In his most recent appearance on March 21 against the Los Angeles Kings, he stopped 26 out of 27 shots he faced. This was after he recorded a 29-save shutout against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 17. With this, he has been thriving with the Sabres.

It will now be interesting to see how UPL finishes off this campaign from here, but it is clear that he has had a nice season for the Sabres in 2025-26. 

Flyers lose to Blue Jackets, fall short in another big game at home

Flyers lose to Blue Jackets, fall short in another big game at home originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

After an impressive sweep of a three-game road trip, the Flyers failed to build on it.

They lost to the Blue Jackets, 3-2, Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

In a meaningful game, it was another disappointing home loss for the Flyers.

Sean Couturier and Jamie Drysdale scored the club’s goals. Drysdale’s marker came late in the third period as the Flyers emptied their net for the extra attacker.

The Flyers (34-24-12) again couldn’t win four games in a row. They haven’t won more than three straight in over two years. The last time they did it was Feb. 6-12 of the 2023-24 season.

“There’s still a lot of hockey left, we still believe in our group,” Couturier said. “We’re going to refocus, get ready for next game, move on and try to get another winning streak going.”

Rick Tocchet’s club dropped to seven points back of the Blue Jackets (38-22-11), who took over second place in a tight Metropolitan Division. The Flyers went 0-2-1 against Columbus this season.

“It’s not like we were going to win out the rest of the year,” Travis Konecny said. “We lost one game against an opponent that was above us, it’s frustrating. But it is what it is. You just regroup. There’s nothing else you can do.”

• Dan Vladar made 16 saves on 19 shots.

The Flyers spoiled a strong first period by surrendering two goals in the opening 2:28 minutes of the second period.

“Couple of mistakes and now you’re chasing the game,” Tocchet said. “But the first period was great, it should have been 3-0.”

It looked like the Flyers had a poorly-timed line change on Mathieu Olivier’s game-tying goal. Zach Werenski handed the Blue Jackets the 2-1 lead when he skated through the slot untouched for a wide-open look.

“You come out for the second, you’ve got to be ready to play the same way and the same style that was working for you in the first,” Travis Sanheim said. “We got away from that and the structure.”

Mason Marchment dealt the Flyers a blow 4:38 minutes into the third period as he cushioned Columbus’ advantage. At that point, the Flyers were in a real hole and the energy in the building was gone.

Blue Jackets netminder Jet Greaves stopped 24 of the Flyers’ 26 shots.

In the first period, he denied Owen Tippett on a breakaway and Noah Cates on a penalty shot to keep the game scoreless.

But Couturier later put the Flyers ahead 1-0. He did an excellent job to win a puck race and keep the Flyers in the offensive zone before being rewarded with the goal.

The Flyers, though, let the momentum go early in the middle stanza.

“I think we just didn’t execute the first five minutes of that second, it cost us the game,” Couturier said. “Other than that, I thought we played a good game, it was tight game out there. It was just a bad couple of minutes there to start the period and it cost us.”

• The Flyers have too often come up short in big games on home ice.

They gain some steam, but then they lose it.

This month, they’ve dropped four of five games (1-3-1) at Xfinity Mobile Arena and have scored just 1.80 goals per game.

They missed out on winning four straight when they were blanked by the Mammoth, 3-0. Four nights later, they were blown out by the retooling Rangers, 6-2. They lost to these same Blue Jackets, 2-1, in a shootout 10 days ago.

“You’ve got to embrace it, get the crowd on your side,” Tocchet said. “Don’t be nervous. I think especially the first period, I thought they were cheering for us, we were getting pucks on net, we had breakaways. That’s the stuff I think you get fans excited about; you’ve just got to sustain it.”

The Flyers had a chance to gain ground in the standings because a lot of scores went their way on a busy Tuesday night around the league. They’re five points back of the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot and six back of third place in the division.

“We’re in a fun spot, we’re playing in high-pressured games,” Konecny said after morning skate. “We know that there’s a good chance that if we keep playing the way we do, we could actually get in. At this point, we know that the teams ahead of us have the pressure and we’re chasing them. Just keep applying it, keep putting it on them and just enjoy the games.”

• Couturier (upper body), Denver Barkey (upper body) and Luke Glendening (lower body) all returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with injuries.

Tyson Foerster, while wearing a non-contact jersey, participated in morning skate and had rehab work after it. The 24-year-old winger is recovering from surgery he had on his arm in December.

While he appears to be making good progress, he’s not expected to return this season.

• The Flyers are back in action Thursday when they host the Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Red Wings Drive NHL Viewership Surge in Bruins Clash Becomes Season’s Third-Most Watched Game

The Detroit Red Wings are once again proving their impact on the NHL’s growing popularity, setting another major benchmark in television viewership. For the second time this season, Detroit has played a central role in delivering one of the league’s most-watched games.

Saturday night’s matchup between the Red Wings and the Boston Bruins drew an average of 1.3 million viewers and peaked at 1.5 million. That audience made it the third-most watched NHL game of the season, continuing a trend of strong national interest when Detroit is in the spotlight.

The Red Wings were already responsible for the previous season high earlier this month, when their game against the New Jersey Devils brought in 941,000 viewers. That broadcast stood as ESPN’s most-watched NHL game in five years, excluding Opening Night and outdoor showcase events.

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In a statement, ESPN highlighted the league’s broader growth across its platforms. NHL on ABC viewership is up 51 per cent compared to last season, while NHL games across ESPN networks are averaging 800,000 viewers through 37 broadcasts, which is a 26 per cent increase year over year.

Detroit’s role in those gains is no surprise as they've been long considered one of hockey’s marquee franchises, the Red Wings continue to show that when the team is competitive, fans across the continent pay attention.

That momentum could carry into another major audience draw on Tuesday night, when the Red Wings face the Ottawa Senators in a game loaded with playoff implications. With postseason stakes rising, Detroit may once again find itself at the center of one of the NHL’s most-watched broadcasts as the race intensifies.

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Public Skate: Bruins vs. Maple Leafs

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 11: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates with the puck against Mason Lohrei #6 of the Boston Bruins during the first period at TD Garden on November 11, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

In normal times, this would be a nice early playoff preview, with the Bruins and Maple Leafs preparing to meet in the first round for the 1,399th consecutive year.

Instead, the Leafs are just about the only Atlantic Division team not in the playoff picture (along with Florida), while the Bruins are hoping to hang onto their spot.

If you said before the season that the Leafs and Panthers would miss the playoffs but the Sabres and Bruins would get in, you probably would’ve gotten some funny looks.

Anyways, that’s all a bit premature at this point. Tonight’s task is to secure two points against a Toronto team that is just about done with this season.

Bruins! Maple Leafs! LIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!

Discuss.

Penguins Forward Day-To-Day With Upper-Body Injury

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their best players for Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche.

Evgeni Malkin is out for the game with an upper-body injury. He appeared to injure his hand while blocking a shot during Sunday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was flexing it after blocking the shot, but still finished the game. 

Penguins PR announced the news shortly before Tuesday's morning skate. 

Ville Koivunen will replace Malkin in the lineup after he was brought up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton prior to the morning skate. He's set to skate on the third line with Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau. 

Malkin has been outstanding for the Penguins this season, compiling 15 goals and 52 points in 50 games. He's in the final year of his contract, but hopes to remain with the Penguins next season.

Puck drop for Tuesday's game between the Penguins and Avalanche is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh.


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Sabres Notes: Prepping For Home Stand, Greenway Practices


The Buffalo Sabres finished their four-game Western road swing on a losing note, but earning seven of a possible eight points. After a day off, the Sabres practiced for nearly an hour at KeyBank Center in preparation for the opener of their four-game homestand against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. The Bruins play Toronto in Boston on Tuesday and will be playing the second of back-to-back games against Buffalo. 

Head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media after practice:

Where do things stand with injured forward Jordan Greenway?

This time of year, it's important to have depth and we've got depth up front, and we'll see how (Jordan) progresses through practice. Will get him some physicality. I thought watching him skate, (he) really well. What he tried seemed to put him in a place he may be a player again........he just (had) a different type of treatment,he spent time with a guy out of town that is pretty familiar with what he's dealing with.

People are comparing this club to the Sabres Eastern Conference finalists in 2006 and 2007, how does this club compare?

I think you look at the line depth we had back then, it's almost identical. You could score one through four, every line brought a certain type of element. I mean, you look at this road trip with what our lines have done in every game. You get (Benson) scoring now, Carrick is tossing goals in. So that is very similar to what we had going on back then, for sure.

 Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Who has the Sabres most surprising standout been?

A couple of home games ago, the crowd in the third period started chanting, “Oh Ah, Sabres on the Warpath.” What is it like to hear that again?

I think it's really special. You look at the Tampa game coming back in that game after being up, and then you look at the Anaheim game, and this just sort of 'never quit, give it everything you got' mentality, and we just have to continue that from game to game. But I think the energy in our building has really been great for our group. I mean, it's probably the first time they've experienced that type of energy here, and probably everything that's around town, the excitement that's going on, so, I think, embrace it, but know there's a lot of work to do.

Why has the goalie rotation between Alex Lyon and UPL worked?

It really comes down to both playing well. And we just feel that with the schedule, the way it is, as many games as there are, it is really hard with travel and back-to-back to play one goalie. I think you have to be a special goalie (to play) 65-70 games. With 60 games, that's hard.......we've been fortunate that, not only two, we've had three. I mean, (Colton Ellis) has stepped in and given us good hockey too. That's been a big plus.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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Motown Showdown: Injury-Ravaged Senators Bring Up Top Prospect For Crucial Battle With Red Wings

We've reached a stage where the Ottawa Senators have played so well, their fans don't need to pay as much attention anymore to the out-of-town scoreboard.

It's never very cooperative anyway.

With just a dozen games left in the season, Tuesday night’s showdown in Motown (7 pm: TSN5, RDS2) is the only focus.

The Senators (83 pts) and Red Wings (84 pts) are both within striking distance of the New York Islanders (85 pts) for the second wild card spot in the East. The Sens have also sneakily closed to within three points of Boston (WC2) and Montreal (A3),

For those who do like to monitor the league's scoreboard, the Islanders host Chicago on Tuesday, Boston faces Toronto, Montreal entertains Carolina, and Columbus (M3, 85 pts) is at Philadelphia. All games are 7 pm.

As for Detroit and Ottawa, a victory would be huge, setting up all kinds of interesting possibilities. But as exciting as they are, the Senators have far more than their share of challenges leading into this one.

Blue Line Crisis

The Senators have a defence corps that has been completely gutted by injuries.

Already without Jake Sanderson, Nick Jensen, and Dennis Gilbert, the Senators took two more hits in Monday’s 2–1 loss to the New York Rangers. Thomas Chabot and Lassi Thomson both left that game and will not play in Detroit. Head coach Travis Green says both will be out for a while. 

In Chabot's case, it looks like it'll be a long while.

The 29-year-old had been carrying a heavy workload in Sanderson’s absence, was seen postgame wearing a sling and a brace on his right wrist after taking a cross-check from J.T. Miller.

Chabot's absence strips Ottawa of its two most relied-upon defenceman in a game where they need all hands on deck.

Thomson’s situation is also unfortunate, but more from the individual standpoint. Playing his first NHL game in over two years, the 2019 first-round pick left with a lower-body injury. With unrestricted free agency looming this summer, it was a significant career opportunity to show off his wares that was cut way too short.

Baptism By Fire

With the next man up motto now pushed way beyond what's reasonable, the Senators will have to hope the kids are alright. 

Carter Yakemchuk and Jorian Donovan are expected to make their NHL debuts on Tuesday night.

After the Sens brought up Gilbert and Thomson earlier this month, it became clear that the Sens' preference was to let Yakemchuk keep developing in the AHL and then re-evaluate things in the fall. The 2024 seventh-overall pick has been developing steadily, but as a matter of policy, the organization has been deliberate in not rushing him.

With Plan A out the window (along with plans B through D), the Sens now had zero choice but to bring him up.

Yakemchuk, the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, arrives in Detroit on a high note, having just been named AHL Player of the Week. He has 10 goals and 36 points in 50 games as a rookie. But now he’ll be thrown directly into one of the most intense, hostile environments of the NHL season.

On top of their battle for a playoff spot, the Senators and Red Wings don't much like each other.

As for Donovan, the Ottawa native has not played a hockey game since March 7 due to injury and will jump straight into NHL action after a lengthy layoff. Rust is a concern, but so, too, is his readiness level, not to mention the emotional weight of the moment.

Donovan will make his debut for his hometown team, with his father, former Senator Shean Donovan expected to be in attendance.

No Easy Matchups

If there were ever a night to hope for controlled, sheltered minutes, this would be it. But that won’t be an option for Travis Green. 

Detroit will, obviously, have the last change, allowing them to dictate matchups. So with both Yakemchuk and Donovan making their debuts, the Senators will be forced to rely on them in meaningful situations. Todd McLellan will be hoping to take advantage of the two rookies every time he sees them come over the boards.

Green also has no choice but to get the kids in there, just to give others a rest. He'll lean hard again on his top four D again (such as they are), but after they played every other shift for most of the last two periods just 24 hours ago, he can't overdo it either.

Playoffs Come Early

Late March hockey always brings extra urgency, and for these two teams and their fan bases, the playoffs have already begun.

For Ottawa, a win tightens the race and further reinforces the stick-to-their-game plan belief they've had all season. They're on an outstanding run of 13-3-2 that dates back to Jan. 25, which is the fourth-best record in the league during that time frame. Also in that window, the Senators have averaged 3.72 goals per game (5th in NHL), and allowed a league-best 2.22 goals and 21.2 shots per game.

Despite that, since we now see the end of the NHL racetrack off in the distance, there are two big questions. Have they left this playoff charge too late with not enough room for error? And will they be knocked off stride but this insane run of injuries on D?

As Green has preached all season, you can't worry about that stuff. They just need to stay focused on the process and the things they can control.

The Senators will have to find a way to deliver in their most important game of their season so far, and do so while everything is apparently stacked against them.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.

More at The Hockey News:
Tim Stützle Still Puzzled By Senators' Decision To Let Michael Amadio Get Away
Former Senators Prospect Makes Edmonton Oilers Debut Saturday Night
The Buying and Selling Of Jakob Chychrun Never Quite Worked Out In Ottawa
One Year Later, The Fabian Zetterlund Trade Is Still Taking Shape
With Injuries To Sanderson And Jensen, the Sens Top Up Depth At AHL Trade Deadline

Blackhawks Star Connor Bedard Praises Islanders Rookie Matthew Schaefer: 'He's One Of The Faces Of Our Game Now'

ELMONT, NY -- Tuesday night marks the first time Chicago Blackhawks star and fellow No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard battles New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

Back on Dec. 30, an Islanders' 3-2 shootout win in which Schaefer recorded an assist, Bedard was out with an injury. 

"It's insane," Bedard said of what Schaefer has accomplished so far in his first NHL season. "I think he's leading defensemen in goals, which is incredible. I think, especially for him -- last year, he played 17 [OHL] games -- he comes in and just lights the league on fire. It's fun to watch."

Is Bedard looking forward to going up against Schaefer for the first time?

"I'm excited to see him out there today," Bedard said. "I don't know how excited I am to be chasing him around. He can fly. But no...whenever you play a great player -- it's the NHL, you're playing a great player every night -- but for the first time to against something like that [it's fun]. As a competitor -- I'm sure he'd say the same -- it's always fun when you get to compete against some of the best in the league. And so I'm excited to go against him, and then all their other guys."

It was clear the effect that Bedard had at 18, breaking into the NHL. Like Bedard, it's clear Schaefer understands his impact.  

"He's an ambassador for the game. I think you see how he approaches things, and he just knows the impact he has on people," Bedard said.  "So that's cool. And it's really, really fun to watch what he does. And, for just someone to step in like that and do what he's doing, it's incredible.

"You're in a spot, and obviously, he's living out the dream that we're all lucky enough to get to do. And he's embraced it well. He just understands the impact he has on kids and hockey in general. I mean, he's one of the faces of our game now. It just looks like he's having fun with it and enjoying every day. So that's all you can really hope for."

Bedard, a forward, recorded 22 goals and 39 assists for 61 points in 68 games.

Schaefer, a defenseman, has recorded 22 goals with 29 assists for 51 points in 71 games. 

Here's what Blackhawks Jeff Blashill had to say about Schaefer:

"[His season] has been unbelievable," Blashill told reporters. "Just watching him play, he's been an outstanding player for this team. It's one thing to be a really good player as a young player. But it's another thing to be a really good player and help your team be in the playoff battle, which he's done. They got other good players for sure, but he's been a significant factor. I forsee him continuing to be...this doesn't look like a flash in the pan. He looks like an everyday NHL player with a really high ceiling."  

Rangers Recall Adam Sýkora From AHL

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have recalled Adam Sýkora from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

Sýkora was selected by the Rangers in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and he’s spent the past three seasons playing in the AHL.

The 21-year-old forward has recorded 12 goals, 17 assists, and 29 points in 62 games with the Wolf Pack this season. 

To this point, Sýkora is still waiting to make his NHL debut. 

“I know I’m a different player from those the New York Rangers have drafted,” Sýkora said in September. “So, that’s kind of my path — forecheck, backcheck, all the skating, hard work, that’s kind of my job that gets me here. And I want to put it all together to get to the next level. Defensive things, penalty kill, blocking shots and a team player, helping and supporting each other. Be alive on the bench and support the other guys here.”

It’s unclear if he will slot into the Rangers’ lineup on Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In a corresponding move, the Rangers sent Connor Mackey back down to the AHL, opening the door for Drew Fortescue to make his NHL debut in Toronto.

Former Los Angeles Kings Left Winger On Fire After Trade To New Team

It's been over two weeks since the NHL trade deadline, and the Los Angeles Kings made a handful of deals around the occasion. They made some tweaks, departing from right winger Corey Perry and adding center Scott Laughton through notable trades.

In addition, Kings GM Ken Holland traded away left winger Warren Foegele and a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2026 second-rounder and third-rounder in the same year.

Since being shipped to Canada's capital city, Foegele has been on fire.

Foegele, 29, has made nine appearances for the Senators and is already contributing on a regular basis offensively. The Markham, Ont., native has five goals and six points for his new club.

He scored a goal in his debut for Ottawa against the Seattle Kraken on March 7. Not long after, in his fifth game for the Sens, he recorded his first multi-point game of the season, scoring a goal and an assist against the San Jose Sharks.

Now, Foegele is on a three-game point streak, registering a goal in each of his last three appearances. He's been a key contributor to the Senators' push to make the playoffs, as they are two points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Two Former Kings Are Making An Impact In Their New HomesTwo Former Kings Are Making An Impact In Their New HomesThe Los Angeles Kings may have added during trade season, but they also subtracted. Two former Kings have had a positive impact for their new teams since being dealt.

Since he joined, Ottawa has gone on a 7-2-0 run, and it looks like the deal panned out well for the Senators and GM Steve Staios.

What makes his contributions even more impressive is that Foegele is averaging just 11:31 of ice time with the Senators, which is the lowest ice time he's ever averaged in his nine-year NHL career.

With the Kings, Foegele played 47 games, scoring seven goals and nine points. He's almost reached that total already for Ottawa.

Fabian Zetterlund and Warren Foegele (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)
Fabian Zetterlund and Warren Foegele (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)

It was a bit of a head-scratcher to see Foegele's production drop substantially, considering the personal bests he set last season. In 2024-25, the left winger recorded 24 goals, 22 assists, 46 points, and a team-high plus-36 rating.

He has dealt with some injuries this season and was forced into multiple stretches of absence throughout the year. Foegele also had his fair share of healthy scratches, and it became difficult for him to get into a rhythm with the Kings.

At some point, even Holland admitted that he needed to work the phones and find Foegele a new home because the team had too many forwards at the time. With the current absence of Kevin Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko, it feels like Foegele's services could be useful once again.


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Hurricanes vs Canadiens Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

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Montreal Canadiens netminder Jakub Dobes is playing some of his best hockey of the season down the stretch.

My Hurricanes vs. Canadiens predictions expect Dobes to be front-and-center against a Carolina team known for peppering opposing goaltenders with shots.

Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 24.

Hurricanes vs Canadiens prediction

Hurricanes vs Canadiens best bet: Jakub Dobes Over 26.5 saves (-130)

The Carolina Hurricanes are a high volume shot-generation team, averaging 32.3 shots per game (second most). They don’t finish with great efficiency, sitting tied for 18th in shooting percentage.

That leads to a lot of high save counts for opposing goaltenders. Jakub Dobes should be up to the task on Tuesday night.

He has performed well at home all season long, recording a 2.33 GAA and .901 SV%. Those marks are much better than his road outputs.

Dobes also enters play in fine form, posting an impressive .917 SV% over his last five starts.

Hurricanes vs Canadiens same-game parlay

The Montreal Canadiens have scored goals consistently, even against strong defenses. They've averaged 3.78 goals per game vs. teams ranking Top-10 in shot suppression, including a seven-goal outburst the last time they played Carolina.

Cole Caufield has averaged 1.3 points per game following two days of rest, while Lane Hutson has hit the scoresheet in 11 of 14 games after a couple of days off.

Expect both to be productive against a Hurricanes team that sits 27th in team SV%.

Hurricanes vs Canadiens SGP

  • Jakub Dobes Over 26.5 saves
  • Cole Caufield Over 0.5 points
  • Lane Hutson Over 0.5 points

Hurricanes vs Canadiens odds

  • Moneyline: Carolina -135 | Montreal +115
  • Puck line: Carolina -1.5 (+170) | Montreal +1.5 (-210)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)

Hurricanes vs Canadiens trend

Cole Caufield has 14 points over his last 10 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Canadiens.

How to watch Hurricanes vs Canadiens

LocationBell Centre, Montreal, QC
DateTuesday, March 24, 2026
Puck drop7:00 p.m. ET
TVFDSN South, TSN2

Hurricanes vs Canadiens latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Blackhawks Vs Islanders: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 71

The Chicago Blackhawks begin a four-game swing on the East Coast on Tuesday, starting with a visit to the New York Islanders. This will be the second and final meeting between the two this season. New York won the first meeting at the United Center 3-2 in a shootout on December 30th. 

Each team is NHL .500 in their last 10 games. The Islanders are 5-5-0 and the Blackhawks are 3-3-4. For the Islanders, they are in a battle for playoff positioning. One of the Wild Cards or one of the top two spots in the Metropolitan Division is available to them, but they must earn it over the final month. 

Scouting New York 

The New York Islanders, regardless of how this ends, should look at this season as a win. They were in a low place at the end of last season, until they won the lottery. They drafted Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick, and he has completely transformed the franchise. 

He is having the greatest season by a teenage defenseman in NHL history. Entering Tuesday’s action, Schaefer has 22 goals and 29 assists for 51 points in 71 games played. Being a responsible defensive defenseman doesn’t suffer in favor of his offense, either. Schaefer is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. 

Lee-Horvat-Heineman 

Ritchie-Schenn-Barzal 

Palat-Pageau-Holmstrom 

MacLean-Cizikas-Gatcomb

Pelech-Schaefer 

Soucy-DeAngelo 

Mayfield-Boqvist

Rittich 

Everything on offense, defense, and special teams starts and ends with Schaefer. With that said, he doesn’t carry the team by himself. For one, Bo Horvat earned himself a spot on Team Canada with his play. His 29 goals lead the team. There is also Mat Barzal, who leads them with 64 points. 

Other skaters like Anders Lee, Simon Holmstrom, and the recently acquired Brayden Schenn, amongst others, contribute in secondary scoring roles. There is a nice mix of styles throughout the lineup. 

Ilya Sorokin, one of the league’s best goaltenders, will be the backup in this one. The Blackhawks will face David Rittich. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Blackhawks are going to have Anton Frondell in the lineup for the first time as he is set to make his NHL debut. Without much time with the team outside of one morning skate, he is already on the top line and first power play unit. 

Greene-Bedard-Frondell

Bertuzzi-Nazar-Lardis

Burakovsky-Donato-Mikheyev

Teravainen-Lafferty-Slaggert

Vlasic-Levshunov

Kaiser-Rinzel

Del Mastro-Crevier

Soderblom

Frondell is taking the spot of Andre Burskovsky, who slides down to the third line with Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev. This should be a solid veteran depth line going forward, with the young stars truly taking over the top-six.

Ryan Greene and Nick Lardis will continue in their roles that carry more offensive responsibility. Greene has been there for most of the year, while Lardis is new to a full-time top-six role. 

Matt Grzelcyk is injured and will miss the entire road trip, so Ethan Del Mastro is getting more of a look again. Behind the defense will be Arvid Soderblom, who played very well in goal last time out. 

Teuvo Teravainen is another veteran to see a demotion, but his place on the fourth line is necessary. That line can defend, play hard, and even create some offense based on the names there. It could get another boost when Sacha Boisvert makes his NHL debut on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Arvid Soderblom will start in goal for the Blackhawks. He played well on Friday night despite the team in front of him being outclassed by the Colorado Avalanche. It would have been much worse if he weren't excellent. 

More On Anton Frondell's NHL Debut

Blackhawks Top Prospect Anton Frondell Will Make His NHL Debut Against IslandersBlackhawks Top Prospect Anton Frondell Will Make His NHL Debut Against IslandersThe Chicago Blackhawks will have their number one prospect, Anton Frondell, in the lineup on Tuesday night for the first time.

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 PM CT. 

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Pittsburgh Penguins Call Up Promising Prospect

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have recalled forward Ville Koivunen from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Koivunen was just sent down to the AHL by Pittsburgh over the weekend. Now, with this latest news, Koivunen will be heading right back to the NHL roster.

Koivunen getting called back up comes with star forward Evgeni Malkin being sidelined day-to-day with an upper-body injury. 

Koivunen has appeared in 33 games this season with Pittsburgh, where he has recorded two goals, five assists, seven points, and a minus-5 rating. This is after he had seven assists in his first eight career NHL games during this past season. 

While Koivunen has had some struggles at the NHL level this season, he has been continuing to show off his potential in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In 29 games this season with the AHL club, he has 11 goals, 22 assists, 33 points, and a plus-7 rating. 

Maple Leafs vs Bruins Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

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The Toronto Maple Leafs will look to play spoiler against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday, March 24.

My top Maple Leafs vs. Bruins predictions and NHL picks expect Toronto's goalie to continue his strong play and turn away more than enough shots to clear his saves total tonight. 

Maple Leafs vs Bruins prediction

Maple Leafs vs Bruins best bet: Anthony Stolarz Over 27.5 saves (-110)

The Toronto Maple Leafs have surrendered the most shots per game (35.7) while ranking 32nd in Corsi For percentage at five-on-five out of the Olympic break, so starter Anthony Stolarz will be under fire against the Boston Bruins.

Boston sports a league-best 26-9-1 record at home while averaging a respectable 27.7 shots per game, and with the Bruins in the thick of a postseason berth, they’ll be motivated to capitalize on the favorable matchup.

Stolarz has also posted a .925 save percentage with 7.4 goals saved above expected across his past seven games.

Maple Leafs vs Bruins same-game parlay

Allowing the second-fewest goals per home game has been a key reason the Bruins have been so good at TD Garden. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs have scored the third-fewest goals per game (2.36) since the Olympic break.

Turning to the final leg of this same-game parlay, Toronto center John Tavares has recorded three or more shots in each of his last four games. Both totals pace the Leafs, and Tavares is set to see top offensive minutes again tonight. 

Maple Leafs vs Bruins SGP

  • Under 6.5
  • Anthony Stolarz Over 27.5 saves
  • John Tavares Over 2.5 shots

Maple Leafs vs Bruins odds

  • Moneyline: Maple Leafs +160 | Bruins -190
  • Puck Line: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-150) | Bruins -1.5 (+130)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)

Maple Leafs vs Bruins trend

Boston has only hit the Over in 10 of its last 25 games at home (-5.30 Units / -19% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Maple Leafs vs. Bruins.

How to watch Maple Leafs vs Bruins

LocationTD Garden, Boston, MA
DateTuesday, March 24, 2026
Puck drop7:00 p.m. ET
TVTSN4, NESN

Maple Leafs vs Bruins latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.