It’s been a busy week.

With the playoffs right around the corner, every team in the NHL is feeling the pressure.

The Detroit Red Wings sit outside the second Wild Card position in the Eastern conference, currently occupied by the Montreal Canadiens. Even if they don’t admit it, they feel pressure to secure their first playoff berth since the 2015-16 season.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Teams that have already secured a playoff position are fighting tooth and nail to get a more advantageous placement before the playoffs begin. Home ice advantage can be a huge difference maker, so winning as many regular season games beforehand is imperative.

Last weekend, the Red Wings were embarrassed by the Vegas Golden Knights, to the tune of a 6-3 loss. After the loss was official, they made a late night (early Sunday morning) move in sending down defender Brogan Rafferty to the AHL.

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Trey Augustine had himself a night that weekend as well. The Red Wings goalie prospect was a significant contributor to Michigan State securing another Big Ten Title.

The Grand Rapids Griffins secured an extra body to help them with their playoff run. The organization brought over prospect Emmitt Finnie, who finished his season with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL.

But then, the organization got some bad news. In the opening minutes of their contest against the Utah Hockey Club, goaltender Petr Mrazek was injured. He has not returned to game action since then.

The game against Utah was significant for another reason. Austin Watson scored his first goal with the Red Wings in their victory. 

Injury was added to injury shortly after. Goalie Cam Talbot was unavailable to the Red Wings against the Colorado Avalanche due to injury, so they emergency recalled Sebastian Cossa from the Griffins to fulfill backup goaltender duties. 

After losses to the Avalanche and Ottawa Senators, Cossa was returned to the Rapids due to a healthy Talbot.

The Red Wings closed out the month of March with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Despite the Bruins not being in playoff position, it was still significant for the Red Wings’ playoff hopes to win this game.

The Red Wings play again on Tuesday, April 1st, against the red-hot St. Louis Blues.

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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored the overtime winner against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, his 24th career extra-period goal, which is second all-time behind Alex Ovechkin, who has 27. 

Considering Crosby has scored a regular season goal against every team, we thought it was time to look at which teams the captain scored an overtime goal against.

- Anaheim (Oct. 31, 2024)

- Buffalo (Dec. 22, 2008, Oct. 16, 2024)

- Columbus (Mar. 7, 2023)

- Detroit (Jan. 17, 2020)

- Edmonton (Oct. 23, 2018)

- Florida (Nov. 23, 2009)

- Montreal (Jan. 10, 2015)

- Nashville (Apr. 10, 2022)

- New Jersey (Mar. 29, 2018)

- New York Islanders (Mar. 24, 2006, Dec. 3, 2013, Mar. 3, 2018)

- New York Rangers (Dec. 31, 2005, Mar. 27, 2016, Jan. 30, 2021)

- Ottawa (Mar. 30, 2025)

- Philadelphia (Nov. 16, 2005, Nov. 27, 2017, Jan. 31, 2020)

- Utah (Jan. 29, 2025)

- Washington (Apr. 7, 2016, Jan. 19, 2021)

- Winnipeg (Feb. 16, 2017)

Crosby has scored an overtime goal against 16 teams and is still waiting to find the back of the net versus Boston, Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, and Vegas. 

'When He Speaks, Everyone Listens': How Sidney Crosby's Mentorship Has Passed On To Multiple Generations Of TeammatesFollowing the team's regular practice on Dec. 16, Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby took some extra time out of his day to do something pretty much everyone around him is accustomed to witnessing on a day-to-day basis.

He's never scored a game-winning goal against San Jose, St. Louis, and Vegas. Crosby ranks 12th overall all-time with 97 game-winners and first in Penguins history ahead of Evgeni Malkin (86), Jaromir Jagr (78), and Mario Lemieux (74).

Crosby scored one career overtime goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs on May 16, 2016, against the Tampa Bay Lightning at PPG Paints Arena, then CONSOL Energy Center. 

Of course, there's no talking about Crosby and overtime magic without mentioning his Golden Goal from the 2010 Olympics, one of hockey's most memorable moments. 

Before retiring, will Crosby catch Ovechkin for the NHL record regarding regular-season overtime goals?

Don’t think of this as Nick Nickson’s final season behind the microphone for the Kings. Think of it as an encore.

Nickson planned to be golfing by now. He planned to be following his grandkids, Casey and Avery, to their games and attending the birthday parties and anniversaries he had to miss in more than five decades as a hockey broadcaster.

The Kings had other plans, summoning Nickson to a meeting in the summer of 2023 where he worried he might be fired before he could tell them he was ready to retire. Instead the Kings told Nickson, their longtime radio voice, they wanted him to simulcast the radio and TV calls. And they wanted a two-year commitment.

“Had it not been for the change, last year might have been my last,” he said.

The fact it wasn’t makes this season positively, absolutely the last one. (We think.) At 71, Nickson says he has too much he wants to do and not nearly enough time between games in which to do it, so his career will end when the Kings’ season does.

“I’m doing this on my own terms, which I’m grateful for,” he said during an hourlong lunch that was heavy on remembrances and void of regrets. “Some people around the league said ‘Nick why? You still sound so good.’ And yeah I appreciate that.

“But I want to be able to enjoy doing what I want while I’m still healthy. The timing is right.”

The Kings will honor Nickson when they play host to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, a tribute he believes will be heartfelt even though it’s April Fool’s Day.

“I thought of that when they mentioned April 1st, ” Nickson said. “But because so many people are preparing for it, I don’t think it’s going to be a joke. I think it will actually happen.”

In his 44 seasons with the Kings, Nickson says he has called more than 3,800 games while narrating the rise of hockey in a desert. He watched the Triple Crown line of Charlie Simmer, Marcel Dionne and Dave Taylor; welcomed Wayne Gretzky to L.A.; and saw Jim Fox, Daryl Evans and Jarret Stoll move from the ice into the broadcast booth.

Two other players, Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake, went from Nickson’s broadcasts into the Kings’ front office as president and general manager, respectively.

“For the culture of a franchise to have people that have been around a long time, it means a lot,” said Robitaille, now Nickson’s boss. “You have your core fans that follow the team and when they’ve been listening to Nick Nickson for all these years they’re part of the family. It’s hard to describe.

“Everybody grew up listening to them and then next thing you know, they get married and they have kids, and they’re still listening. I hear those stories over and over.”

That’s because Nickson described more than just hockey. He did the play-by-play of history, calling the Kings’ two Stanley Cup championships. His radio call of the final six seconds of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final is arguably the franchise’s most memorable moment.

“The long wait is over! After 45 years, the Kings can wear their crown!”

Nickson’s Hall of Fame career — he became the third Kings broadcaster, after Bob Miller and Jiggs McDonald, to be enshrined when he was voted in by his peers in 2015 — began with the minor league Rochester Americans a year after he graduated from Ithaca College, where he served as sports director for the school’s radio station. Two years later he began calling games for the New Haven Nighthawks, the New York Rangers’ AHL affiliate.

That’s where he got the break that changed his life. The Rangers, who had a player-development agreement with the Nighthawks, briefly ended the relationship in 1981 and the Kings, who were looking for an AHL partner, moved in. The Kings needed more than just a minor league affiliate, however.

Pete Weber had left his seat next to Miller, creating an opening in the broadcast booth. Kings coach Parker MacDonald knew Nickson from his time in New Haven, and though MacDonald wouldn’t last the season behind the bench, he was there long enough to push Nickson for the job.

Read more:Arellano: A Dodgers broadcasting legend reflects on life, superstar-laden team

“So we hired him,” Miller said.

With the move West, Nickson joined perhaps the most storied and iconic group of sports broadcasters ever assembled in one city. In addition to Miller, Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín were calling Dodgers games, Chick Hearn was doing the Lakers, Tom Kelly was on USC football and Ralph Lawler soon moved north from San Diego with the Clippers.

All six are Hall of Famers. Yet Nickson, the youngest of the group at 27, fit in immediately.

“He was just great to be around,” Miller said. “Nick was always so well prepared. Great player identification. Kept up with the play, all the fundamentals.”

But the key to his success and that of the other Hall of Famers was stability, Nickson said. Scully and Jarrín both spent more than six decades with the Dodgers. Hearn and Lawler did 41 seasons with Lakers and Clippers, respectively. Nickson, meanwhile, is retiring after 44 seasons with the Kings, the same as Miller, who retired in 2017.

“It’s unusual that a broadcaster stays with one team for a number of years. The era of broadcasters sticking with one team for 40, 50 years is probably gone,” said Nickson, whose time with the Kings was measured in a series of short-term contracts that were always renewed. “You have that connection. It’s just a comfort level.”

“What we’ve had to offer and how we’re presented the game, I think it has educated [people] into being a more appreciative hockey fan,” he added. “That only is natural if you’re in that space for that long.”

As a result, giving up the job — and the game — after five decades won’t be easy. Just ask Miller, who was at a Kings game last weekend shortly after surgery for an aneurysm.

“You know, I still miss doing play-by-play,” he said. “There are certain games I’ll be watching on TV and my wife will say, ‘Do you miss that?’ I don’t miss preparation these days, with players changing teams and so many teams. But there are times I’d watch the game and say, ‘Yeah, I’d like to be doing the play-by-play.’”

Read more:Mikko Rantanen's hat trick leads Colorado past the Kings

As for Nickson, “well, he’s a golfer,” Miller said. “He’s got grandkids. So I don’t think he’ll have any problem getting used to it.”

Nickson has one confession he’d like to make before signing off the final time, though. That memorable call at the end of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs? He worked on that ahead of time.

The Kings were so dominant that spring, Nickson was confident they would win before the final series with the New Jersey Devils even started.

“That’s when I came up with what I eventually said,” he remembered.

But the genius wasn’t in the words, it was in the timing, with Nickson pronouncing the word “crown” as the final horn sounded.

He’s had nearly two seasons now to think about how he’ll end the final broadcast of his 44-year career, one that draws closer with every passing game.

“Maybe,” he finally offered, “I should that say ‘After 44 years the long wait is over.’”

Give that man his crown.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Could Bruins get top-five draft pick? Here's what needs to happen originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It’s been almost 20 years since the Boston Bruins’ own first-round draft pick landed in the top five, but that streak might end this season as the Original Six franchise continues to tumble in the NHL standings amid a seven-game losing streak.

The B’s are in free fall right now. They just wrapped up a four-game Western Conference road trip plus an away game against the Detroit Red Wings and went 0-5-0.

With nothing left to play for over the final eight games of the regular season, the Bruins should play as many young players/prospects as possible and embrace tanking. Getting a high draft pick is the only remaining objective in what has been a disastrous 2024-25 season for Boston.

The Bruins entered Monday tied with the Buffalo Sabres — yes, the same Sabres team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2011 — for the sixth-worst record in the league based on points percentage (.466). Based on actual points, the B’s are tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the sixth-worst record (69 points).

Securing a top-five pick is a very real possibility for the Bruins. They haven’t done that since 2006 when they selected forward Phil Kessel at No. 5 overall.

Before we get into what needs to happen for the Bruins to have a top-five selection, here’s a look at their current NHL Draft Lottery odds, per Tankathon.

• No. 1 pick: 6.5 percent chance
• No. 2 pick: 6.7 percent
• No. 3 pick: 0.2 percent
• No. 7 pick: 44.4 percent
• No. 8 pick: 36.5 percent
• No. 9 pick: 5.6 percent

So, right now, the most likely spot for the Bruins to land in the lottery is the No. 7 pick, although they could jump as high as No. 1 and as low as No. 9.

What needs to happen for the Bruins to land a top-five pick? Well, they need to continue losing and get some help from a few other teams winning. More specifically, the B’s need the Seattle Kraken, Philadelphia Flyers and Sabres to win as many games as possible.

The Kraken and Sabres both have very tough remaining schedules, which isn’t good for Boston. The Flyers have the second-easiest remaining schedule and have won back-to-back games since firing head coach John Tortorella last Thursday.

Here’s the remaining strength of schedule for teams No. 4 through No. 10 in the current draft order, per Tankathon. The higher the rank, the tougher the schedule.

• No. 4, Kraken: 4th
• No. 5, Flyers: 31st
• No. 6, Sabres: 3rd
• No. 7, Bruins: 22nd
• No. 8, Penguins: 24th
• No. 9, Ducks: 5th
• No. 10, Islanders: 8th

As we’ve noted before, the top 10 of the upcoming draft is pretty strong, and there are several high-end center prospects, which is good for the Bruins due to their severe lack of strength at that position.

Michael Misa (Saginaw), James Hagens (Boston College), Anton Frondell (Sweden) and Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton) are among the centers worthy of a top-10 pick. Misa would be the ideal pick for the B’s. He has 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games in the OHL this season. But he’ll probably be gone by the No. 2 or No. 3 pick. Frondell is an excellent option, too, but might not make it past pick No. 5.

The difference between the No. 4 or No. 5 pick and the No. 7 or No. 8 pick is a large one, whether the Bruins want to keep the pick or potentially look to package it for an impact player who can help right away.

The goal for the Bruins over the next two weeks should be losing as many games as possible and bolstering their odds of winning the draft lottery next month. Nobody likes to lose, but this path is what’s best for the short- and long-term health of the organization.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the San Jose Sharks 8-1 on Sunday night.

San Jose is coming off a 6-1 loss at the hands of the New York Rangers on Saturday.

Adrian Kempe and Warren Foegele scored two goals for the Kings, while Phillip Danault, Trevor Moore, Trevor Lewis, and Andrei Kuzmenko scored the other goals for LA. David Rittich made 22 saves.

Cam Lund scored his second NHL goal and second goal in as many nights. Marc-Edouard Vlasic returned from an upper-body injury. Georgi Romanov made 28 saves.

Sharks Draft Debate: Michael Misa Or Matthew SchaeferNHL Draft season is around the corner and the San Jose Sharks could have a much harder decision in 2025 if they pick first again.

Danault gave the Kings the 1-0 lead at 5:35 of the first period with a one-timer off a pass from Quinton Byfield.

What a pass Quinton pic.twitter.com/E7104LFJ9a

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

As the power-play wound down, Kempe netted his 30th goal of the season at 15:`13. Anze Kopitar fed a pass to the top of the crease that Kempe one-timed through Romanov's five-hole.

THAT'S 30 FOR JUICE 🧃 pic.twitter.com/vH8WX55GA1

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

Lund scored his second NHL goal just 19 second after the Sharks killed his penalty at 4:52 of the second period to make it a 2-1 game.

Cam Lund beats his man to the net and brings the Sharks back within 1!#TheFutureIsTealpic.twitter.com/mptTkh7PAn

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 31, 2025

Moore pushed the lead back to two goals, 3-1. Moore found soft ice behind the Sharks' defense and beat Romanov through the five-hole.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVE TREV pic.twitter.com/D8UzcfkcGT

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

Foegele added another power-play goal to make it 4-1 at 13:21.

Warren Foegele
4-1 #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/u079SSghMm

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) March 31, 2025

Foegele deflects home his second of the game to make it 5-1.

MCFLURRIES FROM FOEGY! pic.twitter.com/hF4tl5LHKH

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

Kempe scored his second goal of the night and 34 seconds after Foegele scored his second. 

ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIC pic.twitter.com/ET1wzJG1gk

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

Kuzmenko made it 7-1 before Lewis scored 36 seconds later to make it 8-1.

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Follow Max on Twitter: @Real_Max_Miller

The Toronto Maple Leafs capped off a successful California road trip with a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night. The club secured five of a possible six points, going 2-0-1 in three games and creating some breathing room at the top of the Atlantic Division. 

With the win, the Leafs now hold a three-point lead over both the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, sitting at 94 points with just eight regular-season games remaining.

The three-game swing happened all in four nights, and although it started shaky, it ended as a success. On Thursday, the club scratched and clawed their way to earn a single point against the San Jose Sharks, scoring twice in the final 44 seconds to force overtime. Despite falling 6-5 in a shootout, they salvaged a crucial point in a game they didn’t deserve.

'We're Starting To Find A Groove': Maple Leafs' Power Play Success A Positive Entering Final Stretch Of Regular SeasonToronto scored four of their five goals against San Jose on Thursday with an extra man on the ice.

Two days later, the first of a back-to-back, Toronto earned a 3-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings, thanks to a three-goal third period. The Kings, the NHL’s best home team this season, entered the game riding a seven-game win streak on home ice and had collected points in 15 straight contests. The Leafs found a seam in the third period after being shut out in the opening 40 minutes, securing two more points and catapulting to the top of the division. 

On Sunday, the trip concluded in Anaheim, where Steven Lorentz delivered the game-winning goal at 11:35 of the third period to lift the Leafs past the Ducks. Toronto weathered a strong push from Anaheim, getting outshot 31-23 and spending long stretches of the game in their own zone, including a first period where they were heavily outplayed.

'In The Playoffs, That's Going To Be Huge': Steven Lorentz Scores Fourth Game-Winning Goal Of Season In Maple Leafs' Win Over Ducks Lorentz had two goals in the playoffs last spring with Florida, one of which was a game-winner.

Regardless, they cashed in on important points when it mattered. 

“It's great. It's not an easy road trip,” said star forward Mitch Marner. “But anyway, three games and four nights to get used to a three-hour time change. The San Jose game wasn't easy. We made some big mistakes that they counted on. I thought we battled back to get a point, which is great. And these last two, both teams are very good, very hard to play against. So we knew these are important points. We wanted to get them. Just happy with us digging in and battling for them.”

Toronto’s schedule doesn’t get any easier. The Leafs return home to host the Panthers on Wednesday night, though Florida will be playing the second half of a back-to-back after facing the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.

From there, the Leafs face a tough seven-day stretch with matchups against the Columbus Blue Jackets before facing both the Panthers and the Lightning on a back-to-back in Florida on April 8 and 9. With only Eastern Conference opponents remaining on the schedule, every game carries weight.

“Yeah, it's no secret what's going on in the standings right now. All these points matter,” said Lorentz. “We've got three big games coming up against the two teams that are in the mix with us. So those are definitely important games, and important points on the line.”

“At the same time, we just have to take it a game at a time. We can't be thinking of just those three games. We've got eight or nine other ones that we've got to play into. So I think it's just one step at a time, and that's what we've got to focus on. It's just bringing our best every night. Eight games would be great to play our best hockey every single night, but mistakes are going to happen as long as we address those, and we keep going in the right direction, then we're happy.”

Toronto has won six of their last eight games, trending in the right direction towards the postseason. With the ability to win in different ways, whether grinding out low-scoring games or mounting comebacks late, the Leafs have begun to get in a “playoff mindset,” says goaltender Joseph Woll. 

“I think every game throughout the season matters, but these points are very important, and I'm just trying to get myself in a playoff mindset before it starts. I think that's the mood around the room,” said Woll. “I think that's the kind of game we're trying to play as a team. So I think we've done a good job of that.”

“Just the importance of everything, of every moment, right? In the playoffs, the margin for error is even smaller. So I think it's that much more important to be dialed in for a full 60, right? Like goals happen quick, mistakes happen quick. So I think, you know, from my standpoint, at least, it's dialing in the focus to make sure you're there and you're giving your best and you're fully present for all 60 minutes-plus,” he added.

‘Fortunately, It Worked Out In My Favor’: Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews Reflects On Lengthy Review, Controversial Short-Handed Goal Against KingsThe Toronto Maple Leafs got back in the win column in Los Angeles on Saturday, defeating the Kings 3-1. With the win, they moved from third to first in the Atlantic Division with 92 points.

The remaining eight games see seven opponents in or fighting for a playoff spot. For now, they’ve put themselves in an excellent position, controlling their own destiny. However, they cannot afford to take their foot off the gas.

Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Game 73: The Los Angeles Kings (40-23-9) host the San Jose Sharks (20-43-9) to close out the season series with their Northern California rival.

The LA Kings will look to get back to their winning wins at Crypto.com Arena after losing to Toronto on March 29th.  Grinder Jeff Mallot will make his third straight start in place  of injured Tanner Jeannot. Currently in 2nd place in the Pacific Division, the Kings will be looking to go two points clear of the idle Edmonton Oilers. The Kings and Oilers appear to be headed to a fourth straight 1st round playoff confrontation. The only question remains seems to be which squad with have home ice in this series.

San Jose has the worst record in the NHL but have had success against their Southern California rivals, winning two out the first three games in the season series. 18-year-old Macklin Celebrini has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in the month of March and 53 points in his rookie campaign after being selected 1st overall by San Jose in the 2024 NHL Draft. Georgi Romanov will make his second career NHL start in goal tonight for the Sharks. Former King Tyler Toffoli checks in with a team leading 27 goals on the year for San Jose.

Season Series:

Oct. 24--LA 3, SJ 2

Oct. 29--SJ 4, LA 2

Nov. 25--SJ 7, LA 2

Last Ten:

LA Kings: 7-3-0

San Jose Sharks: 4-6-0

Leading Scorers:

LA Kings-- Adrian Kempe, 29 goals, 58 points

SJ Sharks--William Eklund, 17 goals, 54 points

Probable Staring Goalies:

LA Kings--David Rittich, 14-13-2, 2.77 GAA, .888 SV%

SJ Sharks--Georgi Romanov, 0-1-0, 3.66 GAA, .874 SV%

Starters against the Sharks 👇@SimonLawGroup | #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/vxTvIojbcS

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

1st Period:

Brandt Clarke with a shot from the point that is easily saved by Romanov.

Good right-pad save from Rittich to keep the game scoreless.

Kuzmenko forces Romanov to make a nice on his wrister from in tight.

Trevor Moore is taken down and LA will go on the power play early in the first.

5th worst power play in the NHL comes out to try to take the lead in this one.

Fiala with a lot of dangles but can't find the net.

LA turnover creates a shorthanded opportunity for the Sharks.

GOAL: Phil Danault scores just as the penalty expires for his 8th of the season. LAK 1-SJS 0. Assists to Quinton Byfield (26) and Trevor Moore (19)

PHILLIP!

1-0 LAK pic.twitter.com/4YgRFHSPuF

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

BIG stop by Rittich on a walk-in attempt by Carl Grundstrom.

Quinton Byfield comes right back the other way but Romanov denies him. 

San Jose to go on the power play. LA's Drew Doughty goes off 2 minutes for slashing.

Now other LA King penalty. Phil Danault goes off two minutes for high-sticking. San Jose with now have a long 5 on 3 power play and an excellent chance to tie the game.

Celebrini steps into one and draws iron. 

HUGE kill by LA as San Jose squanders their 5 on 3 power play.

PENALTY PALOOZA continues. SJ penalty to Noah Gregor, two minutes for hooking.

BIG slapper from Doughty stopped by Romanov.

Sustained o-zone time by LA on this power play but still unable to convert.

GOAL: Adrian Kemp from the slot on a nice pass from Kopitar. "Juice" makes it 2-0 on his team leading 30th goal of the season.

THAT'S 30 FOR JUICE 🧃 pic.twitter.com/vH8WX55GA1

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

END OF ONE

LA 2, SJ 0

The first period story comes down to special teams. LA kills off SJ's 5 on 3 opportunity and the goes on to score a power play goal of their own. 

Shots on goal:

LA 8

SJ 7

2nd Period:

Puck is down and the second period is underway in LA.

Quick counter by San Jose but Rittich makes the stick save.

Doughty with a point shot into traffic that doesn't get through onto Romanov.

Quinton Byfield gets tripped up in the neutral zone and LA will go on the power play for the third time. LA 1/2 on the power play on the night.

Kempe with a one-timer that goes wide.

LA with some good pressure on this power play.

Good sequence from the second power play unit but SJ kills off the penalty.

GOAL: San Jose kills the penalty and immediately makes it a 2-1 hockey game on a goal from Cam Lund, his second of the year. Proving correct again the timeless axiom from Barry Melrose: "A two goal lead is the worst lead in hockey".

GOAL: Trevor Moore takes a nice feed from Kopitar in the slot and beats Romanov down low for his 16th goal of the year. LA retakes a two-goal lead.

OMG!

3-1 LAK pic.twitter.com/jVf2KAndGr

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

Kuzmenko springs Kempe on a nice breakout pass. Kempe draws a hooking penalty and LA will go back on the power play.

Good looks and possession from LA there but unable to beat Romanov.

LA to the power play again as Ferraro goes right back into the box for tripping. 

Good one-time attempt from Kempe turned away by Romanov.

GOAL:  Clarke gets a nice shot through from the point and Warren Foegele knocks in the rebound for a power play goal. Foegele's 21st goal of the year, a new career high.

Eklund walks out and gets a sharp turnaround shot on goal but Rittich turns it away.

WHAT A PASS FROM KOPITAR 🤯

🇺🇸: @espn ➡️ https://t.co/S5tPrXCygm
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctFpic.twitter.com/nTDIu8iRxh

— NHL (@NHL) March 31, 2025

Kempe on the rush fires one wide.

Fiala darts through center ice and gets a hard shot in on Romanov get the rookie makes the safe.

GOAL: Warren Foegele redirects a Mikey Anderson point shot five-hole for his 21st goal of the `season. 

WE GET MCFLURRIES!

5-1 LAK pic.twitter.com/mk2eB9F2VO

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

GOAL: Adrian Kempe finishes off a BEAUTIFUL passing play starting by Andrei Kuzmenko for his 31st goal of the year. 

this is nsfw pic.twitter.com/ffc1Dd1fet

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

END OF TWO:

LAK 6

SJS 1

The Kings turned a close game into a route with some highlight reel passing plays and nice finishing touches. After scoring seven goals against both Carolina and Boston, LA now has six goals in this one with still 20 minutes remaining in this one.

What appeared to be a trap game for LA has turned into a romp.

3rd Period:

Kempe skates right up the middle in front of Romanov but he makes the save.

Big scrum as LA takes exception to a hit from behind on Lewis and the refs are sorting out who is going to the box.

Somehow San Jose ends up with a powerplay for some reason out of all that.

Sharks unable to get set up on the power play and LA kills off the man advantage.

Refs trying to figure out who should come out of the box, not a master class from the zebras tonight right now.

Things have been sorted out and both sides are now skating 5 on 5 with 12:36 remaining in the 3rd.

GOAL: Andrei Kuzmenko skates right through the middle of the ice and fires off a laser that beats Romanov.

No stoppin' that sorry pic.twitter.com/oUKVHla6F7

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

GOAL: Trevor Lewis makes it 8-1, which is the most goals that LA has scored in one game all season.

TREVOR LEWIS GOAL!

8-1 LAK pic.twitter.com/j4NzYNUzLP

— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 31, 2025

Jeff Mallot with a breakaway but Romanov makes a tough glove save to deny his bid for a 1st NHL goal.

Eight LA skaters have multiple points on the evening, including Kopitar with three assists and Kuzmenko with a goal and two assists.

The Philadelphia Flyers are a perfect 2-0-0 in the Brad Shaw era following John Tortorella's dismissal, which is great for the players, but bad for their 2025 NHL Draft lottery chances.

At the time of this writing, the Flyers are 27th in the NHL in points percentage at .460, putting them narrowly behind the likes of Seattle and Nashville and just ahead of Buffalo, Boston, and Pittsburgh.

The .001 difference between Seattle (.459) and Philadelphia (.460) actually represents a 0.7% increase in odds to land the No. 1 overall pick. MoneyPuck, the wildly popular public analytics site, gives the Flyers a 8.4% chance of landing the top draft selection this summer, while the Kraken, who are marginally worse, have a 7.7% chance of doing this.

With and without Tortorella, the Flyers have insisted they are not in the business of throwing games away to improve their draft positioning. Matvei Michkov, who was a top draft pick himself, is driving the bus away from the bottom.

The 20-year-old Russian phenom has four goals and an assist in two games since Tortorella's abrupt firing, and the Flyers have scored 13 goals across this span overall.

Indeed, the Flyers were buoyed by Buffalo's shocking 8-5 win over Washington on Sunday afternoon, but they may want to be careful with their results with so few games remaining.

Philadelphia is in pole position to land a top-5 pick, and potentially a No. 1 pick, for the first time since 2022, when they drafted Cutter Gauthier with the fifth pick.

Who could the Flyers draft inside the top-5?

Assuming the Flyers stay put in the lottery and the standings and pick fifth in the 2025 draft, Tankathon predicts they draft Swedish center Anton Frondell, missing out on top forwards Porter Martone, James Hagens, and Michael Misa.

In this instance, the Flyers pass on forwards Caleb Desnoyers, Roger McQueen, Jake O'Brien, and Victor Eklund, among others.

Frondell, 17, is a versatile two-way center who thinks the game at a high level and has some serious skill, but struggles to impose himself in games consistently.

The 6-foot center is capable of playing wing if needed, though the Flyers will assuredly require his services in the middle of the ice.

Frondell has bounced back from a slow start to post 11 goals, 14 assists, and 25 points for Djurgårdens IF in HockeyAllsvenskan this season, but his draft projections currently peg him as high as second and as low as 18th on the given draft boards.

So, while Frondell could stylistically be a strong fit with Michkov due to his shot, hockey IQ, and willingness to play a power game, it is evident that the Swede is no sure thing to be a stud in the eyes of many draftniks.

Can the Flyers take a risk like that with such an important draft selection? Maybe, but they already did it once with Jett Luchanko in the 2024 draft.

MoneyPuck currently projects the Flyers to finish with 75.5 points; they have 69 points with seven games left on their schedule.

Anton Frondell vs Victor Eklund - Who's The Best Prospect?Re-uploaded due to a sound problem.David St-Louis breaks down two games of Victor Eklund, Anton Frondell, and Jakob Ihs-Woznkiak and looks at their strengths...

Remaining games for the Flyers include a matchup with big draft implications with Nashville, Montreal, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Ottawa, Columbus, then Buffalo again.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News Flyers team site and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey, @SGNolan, @TheHockeyNews

There was hockey being played on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, although one might not even know it for how low-event it was.

Nevertheless, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby found a way to, yet again, come through for his team.

Crosby one-timed the overtime game-winner on a power play, and that lone goal gave the Penguins a tight 1-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. The goal extended Crosby's point streak to nine games, which is the longest active streak in the NHL.

But as big as Crosby was - as well as Tristan Jarry, who earned his first shutout of the season in a 31-save effort - that wasn't the story of the night.

Forward prospects Rutger McGroarty - who turned 21 Sunday - and Ville Koivunen were deployed in the Penguins' top-six against the Senators, and they did not disappoint. It was McGroarty's fourth NHL game and Koivunen's NHL debut, and both rookies made an impression.

"I thought they both had great games," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "I thought they played hard, they brought us some energy, you can see that their hockey-IQ is high, their compete level is high... I'm sure they were playing on adrenaline for obvious reasons. When you get called up and have an opportunity to play in the NHL, it's a dream come true for these guys.

"So, I'm sure they were playing on adrenaline, but I thought they had a huge impact. I thought they played really well, and I thought they fit in on the lines."

The captain agrees. And he had some great things to say about McGroarty, who flanked his left.

"I thought he played well," Crosby said. "He was in on the puck, in on the forecheck, creating turnovers, had a couple chances in and around the net. I thought he competed really hard."

Koivunen also felt really good about his NHL debut, 

"Felt very good," Koivunen said. "Of course, it was fun to win. Really exciting game, and I was pretty happy."

---

Here are some thoughts and observations from Sunday's win:

- Something that stood out right away about Koivunen is his puck pursuit game. During his very first shift with Rickard Rakell and Connor Dewar, he came in hard on the forecheck and won a few puck battles, also forcing a turnover later in the shift. Later, he also performed a nice stick lift on Ottawa forward Drake Batherson to shut down a play.

I also like Koivunen's game at the net front. He has a lot of smarts in the danger areas, and it's easy to see why the 21-year-old has seen so much success at the AHL level this season. He doesn't shy away from contact and he excels in the hard areas of the ice, too.

"I was curious to see how Ville would do with the pace and the size of the NHL, and I thought he handled it extremely well," Sullivan said. "I look forward to watching him here more."

Once Malkin is healthy, I'm looking forward to seeing a line of Koivunen, Malkin, and Rakell. They saw the ice together quite a bit during training camp, and I'm curious to see how Koivunen responds to a full-time center who also happens to be a future hall-of-famer. More on that "full-time center" thing later.

McGroarty also pointed out that Koivunen scored on his first shot during his "rookie lap." Props there, too.

"Luckily, I didn't fall, so I was happy with that," Koivunen joked.

- Much of what applies to Koivunen also applies to McGroarty.

I didn't think he stood out quite as much as Koivunen on Sunday, but the details and subtleties in McGroarty's game are what impress me. He's rarely out of position, he has great offensive instincts, and he made a few tough passes in the offensive zone, and he even had a two-on-one with Kevin Hayes that he simply fumbled.

Overall, he felt great about his game Sunday, and he felt pretty natural next to 87.

"I feel like my first couple of shifts, [I was] just adjusting to the speed - I'd say my first two to three shifts - and just how fast he plays and the tempo he plays at," McGroarty said. "And then, just kind of reading off of him as well. I mean, he's such an easy player to read off of, and his communication is great. And he's just a very good hockey player. Just getting used to that tempo just the first two to three shifts, then after that, I felt really good."

'Sid and the Kids': McGroarty, Koivunen Skate With Crosby, Top-Six In PracticeSid the Kid may have broken a major Wayne Gretzky record in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

His skating is certainly better than it was back in October, but I do think there's still room for improvement in his first step. I know this is something he has been working on.

However, McGroarty said he was wearing two different skates at the end of the game because one of the ones he was wearing malfunctioned.

When asked how awkward it felt, he quipped that they were "brand new" and that it did feel pretty awkward.

"First time ever putting them on," McGroarty said. "I baked 'em, and that was my first time ever putting them on. So, yeah, they [felt] different."

#LetsGoPens forward Rutger McGroarty said he was playing with two different skates on at the end of the game. Equipment manager Andrew Taglianetti had to act fast, and he got a backup skate 😂

"I baked 'em, and that was my first time ever putting them on. They felt different."

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) March 31, 2025

Well, having two different skates on certainly doesn't help a player's skating. Haha.

 - Re: Full-time center: I commend Rakell's effort at center, and all things considered, he doesn't look too shabby out there. He's going to the right areas of the ice, he's making good decisions, he's shooting the puck (tied for the team lead with 10 shot attempts Sunday), and he looks like he's been there before.

However, faceoffs are certainly a problem. Rakell hadn't won a single faceoff heading into the third period - he did win a few in the third - and Crosby was taking some strong-side offensive zone draws for that line throughout the night.

3 Takeaways From Penguins Thrilling Overtime Win Over SenatorsThe Pittsburgh Penguins (30-34-11) ended a miserable three-game losing streak with a 1-0 overtime win over the playoff-bound Ottawa Senators on Sunday evening at PPG Paints Arena. 

This isn't a role Rakell will be expected to play moving forward, so it's not a big deal. But it's certainly a tell that he hasn't played the position in a while when faceoffs are a struggle to that extreme.

- Noel Acciari gets his fair share of ire on social media and in fan circles. Sure, he doesn't provide much of anything offensively, and he is 33 years old in a bottom-six role.

But teams - even good ones - need this kind of player on an NHL roster.

Acciari laid out seven hits and had yet another blocked shot on Sunday. He now has 168 hits on the season - the next-closest player is Rickard Rakell with 109 - and he is tied with Kris Letang for the team lead in blocked shots at 96, which is typically not a forward-leading stat.

This low-event, low-scoring, tight-checking, defense-first game is the exact kind of game where a team needs someone like him in the lineup. He takes hard minutes away from the top players and plays a fearless game. 

"He's an important player for us," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "I think a lot of his contributions don't always show up on the highlight reel or they don't show up on the scoresheet. Those are the 'thankless jobs' that we're talking about.

"He pays a price. There's a cost to winning, and he's willing to pay it. I think Noel's been an invaluable player for us throughout the course of the year."

He won't be around for the rebuild, but he has more value than given credit for.

Wheeling Nailers Clinch ECHL Playoff SpotThe Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are headed back to the Kelly Cup playoffs, clinching a playoff spot with a 3-2 victory over the Bloomington Bison on Sunday. 

- The Penguins have seven games remaining. McGroarty and Koivunen were truly impressive on Sunday, and I imagine they'll be around until the end of the regular season. 

It was easy to tell that simply having those two around injected some energy into a dejected group of players. If Penguins' fans are going to take solace in anything this season, take it in watching these guys get a nice run of NHL hockey to close out the season. 

If they play anything like they did against the Senators, I'm sure they'll have something to show for it, too.

---

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Seth Jarvis scored twice, Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 6-4 on Sunday.

Dmitry Orlov, Mark Jankowski and Logan Stankoven also scored for Carolina, which has won two straight. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 27 shots.

Pierre Engvall scored twice, Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist, and Anders Lee also scored for the Islanders, who have lost five straight (0-3-2). Bo Horvat had two assists and Marcus Hogberg finished with 24 saves.

Lee tied the score 4-4 at 4:05 of the third period. After Orlov put the Hurricanes in front midway through the third, Jarvis got his second of the night and 29th of the season with 2:46 remaining to cap the scoring.

Engvall’s second of the game at 1:37 of the second gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead. However, Aho had a power-play goal for his 28th of the season to tie it at 8:35 and Jarvis scored short-handed with 2:31 to go in the middle period to put the Hurricanes up 4-3.

Jankowski and Stankoven scored 13 seconds apart in the first period to put Carolina up 2-0 less than 5 minutes into the game. Engvall and Palmieri scored to tie it with 8:33 left in the opening period.

Takeaways

Islanders: New York remained tied with Detroit three points out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with two other teams ahead of them as well.

Hurricanes: Carolina has won 11 of 13 and has a strong hold on second place in the Metropolitan Division and home-ice in the first round of the playoffs. The Hurricanes trail first-place Washington by nine points, and lead third-place New Jersey by nine.

Key moment

Orlov got the puck on the left side, skated toward the middle and fired a slap shot from center point through traffic and under Hogberg’s blocker for the go-ahead goal at 9:19 of the third to give the Hurricanes a 5-4 lead.

Key stat

Jarvis’ short-handed goal gave Carolina 10 on the season, tied with Tampa Bay for third in the NHL. They trail only the New York Rangers (15) and Florida (12).

Up next

Islanders host Tampa Bay on Tuesday, and Hurricanes host Washington on Wednesday.

The Vancouver Canucks quest for a spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs got a little harder thanks to their regulation loss against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. Vancouver fell 3-1, finishing their six-game road trip with a 2-2-2 record. The loss had a massive impact on the Canucks playoff odds, as Vancouver finally dipped below a 10% chances of qualifying for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

With Playoff Chances Crashing, Canucks End Road Trip With A 3–1 Loss To Winnipeg

Canucks Prospects Tom Willander & Aiden Celebrini Advance To The 2025 NCAA Frozen Four

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According to MoneyPuck.com, Vancouver's odds to secure a playoff spot have dropped to 9.7%. The Canucks are projected to finish with around 90 points, which would be five points below the playoff bar. As of 3:55 pm PT on Sunday, the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild are projected to secure Wild Card spots, while the Pacific Division will be made up of the Vegas Golden Knights, L.A. Kings and Edmonton Oilers. 

While the regulation loss to Winnipeg did not eliminate the Canucks, it means Vancouver will need to go on a long run to end the season. The Canucks have eight games remaining, and may need to win at least seven to qualify for the playoffs. This is in large part due to the recent play of the Blues, who have won nine straight and currently have a six-point advantage over Vancouver. 

The Canucks return home from their road trip on Wednesday to face the Seattle Kraken. Seattle has already been eliminated from playoff contention and will be looking to put another massive dent in Vancouver's 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs hopes. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 pm PT from Rogers Arena. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins (30-34-11) ended a miserable three-game losing streak with a 1-0 overtime win over the playoff-bound Ottawa Senators on Sunday evening at PPG Paints Arena. 

In one of the least expected outcomes in recent memory, the Penguins, led by Tristan Jarry, kept the pesky Senators off the board just 24 hours after their 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Like last week, the Penguins will depart their hometown victorious as they embark on a grueling three-game swing in the Western Conference. 

Let's discuss their latest overtime triumph. 

Will the Real Tristan Jarry Please Stand Up

Social media collectively sighed when Mike Sullivan announced that Jarry would start his third consecutive game despite giving up eight goals on 19 shots and getting the hook in each contest.

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and on pace to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks of the regular season. 

However, Jarry silenced the critics on Sunday with a 31-save shutout, his first of the 2024-25 season and 20th in his career. He is now the third Penguins goalie to earn 20 shutouts behind Marc-Andre Fleury and Tom Barrasso.

Jarry didn't stand on his head or bail Pittsburgh out. He just played solid and made the necessary saves when called upon. It was quite a rebound performance from his previous two outings on the road.

Crosby Does It Again

Captain Sidney Crosby, fresh off securing his 20th season with a point-per-game average, tallied Sunday's only goal, his 24th overtime lamplighter. He remains second in the NHL record book behind Alex Ovechkin, who is still ahead by three overtime winners. 

After receiving a standing ovation for his latest achievement, Crosby played a passionate game. With less than five minutes left, he took a late penalty after getting into a tussle with Artem Zub.

BREAKING: Sidney Crosby Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Point-Per-Game Seasons RecordAfter 20 years in the making, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has made NHL history.

Crosby led the Penguins with six shots on goal and was 69.2% in the face-off circle. Meanwhile, he was out skating with rookie Rutger McGroarty and Ville Kouivnen, who are now sitting next to the future Hall of Famer in the dressing room. 

Even though the season is winding down, and there's no chance at the playoffs, Crosby continues to dazzle and lead the Penguins.

Rookies Defy the Odds

Head coach Sullivan is famously known for playing his veterans and never letting the young kids get a fair shot. On Sunday, in a scoreless game through regulation, both McGroarty and Koivunen played over 16 minutes, each logging more than 25 shifts.

Koivunen made his NHL debut and had two shots, while McGroarty suited up for his fourth NHL contest and had three shots with a blocked shot and four hits. 

Penguins Call Up Star Prospects Koivunen & McGroartyAfter a disastrous road trip, the Pittsburgh Penguins are calling up some reinforcements from the AHL. On Friday morning, they announced that prospects Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty are bound for Pittsburgh.

At the AHL level, Koivunen is the league's second-best scorer and didn't get to find the back of the night in Pittsburgh. But he should be up for the remainder of the season and could become the 30th Penguins player to score this season on the upcoming road trip. 

Meanwhile, McGroarty is also looking for his first NHL point, and departed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has one of the team's hottest players with 18 points in 19 games. 

It will be fun to watch the duo down the stretch and the impact they can have given top-six minutes and a chance to utilize the skills that have earned them a call-up in the first place. 

The Chicago Blackhawks lost to the Utah Hockey Club 5-2 on Sunday afternoon, but that is far from the main story. This rebuilding team hasn't been in the playoff race once this season, and that's not what they are thinking about now. 

All they care about is the development of the organization from top to bottom. Right now, more than half of the roster is 25 years old or younger. The NHL team is a developmental team at this point. 

Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel are the latest additions to the group. After losing with the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the NCAA Tournament last week, they decided to turn pro. On Sunday, they made their debuts together as a pair. 

"It's unbelievable, having to do it with a buddy." Sam Rinzel said about making his debut alongside his college teammate in Moore. "It means the world. It brings a level of [comfort] to you, it adds to your confidence, I think for sure." 

Rinzel was incredibly noticeable in his first NHL game. He had a handful of grade-A scoring chances that will eventually go in as his timing and awareness improve. After the game, he admitted that "scoring is hard". 

"I felt good. Honorable." Rinzel said when asked how he felt about his debut as an individual. "It was so fun, guys are great."

The Blackhawks have a young room with a lot of players within the same age bracket. They are all there to grow and learn together. 

"It was obviously really fun," Oliver Moore said of his NHL debut. "Definitely something I'll never forget. Right from the national anthem and on, something I'll never forget." 

Moore knows that winning is the most important thing, but he was also clearly over the moon about making his NHL debut. 

"At the end of the day, I just want to play hockey. That's what I'm here to do." Moore continued. "I think trying to play your game, trying to help the team win in any way you can out there." 

It is not going to be easy for these guys every single night once they get going in their NHL careers. It is hard to recreate the jubilation of your first NHL game, so now they need to adjust to playing hockey at the highest level night in and night out. 

"I felt good. I think Fliggy and Veleno did a really good job of helping me, just talking to me. You know, it's a different game than college. It's a lot bigger." Moore said when asked about what he learned from his first game that he can improve on going forward. 

The Blackhawks put him on a good line with two other forwards at different stages of their careers who can help him along the way. They did something right, as Moore praised them the first opportunity he got. 

Neither of them collected their first career NHL goal or point in the loss, but they both made an impact. Rinzel had a handful of high-quality scoring chances that will go in if he continues to go at that pace. Moore created a breakout for Artyom Levshunov and Nick Foligno that resulted in a Joe Veleno goal as well. His speed was noticeable as well. 

There are eight more games for the Chicago Blackhawks. These two will likely skate in all eight of them as they prepare for a summer of NHL prep. If all goes right, they have as good of a chance as anyone to make the opening night roster. Like their NHL debut, they'd like to do that together too. 

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