The “Trouba Train” is now a phrase that everyone who follows the NHL is familiar with. When it’s written or uttered, one thing is pictured: the now Anaheim Ducks defenseman delivering a bone-crunching, momentum-swinging hit on an opponent.

It’s drawn its fair share of scrutiny, as he often comes as close to the legality line as possible, sometimes crossing it, as he’s been suspended two times in his NHL career and fined four times by the NHL Department of Player Safety.

The latest appearance of the “Trouba Train” came on Friday night, when the defenseman delivered a hit on Washington Capitals rookie forward Ryan Leonard (20) behind the Ducks' net following a chip-and-chase.

Trouba catches Leonard with his head turned and looking down at the puck behind the net#FlyTogetherpic.twitter.com/lYtAGBkSMH

— Patrick Present (@PatrickCPresent) December 6, 2025

Leonard was bleeding and injured after the hit and did not return to the game with an upper-body injury. He’s since been placed on IR and will be out for an “extended period of time,” according to Caps head coach Spencer Carbery.

After the game, Caps forward Tom Wilson offered his thoughts, revealing he attempted to get retribution for his injured rookie teammate.

“I saw it coming. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and the kid’s in a vulnerable spot,” Wilson said. “Obviously, Leno’s pretty banged up. I asked him (Trouba) to fight, and he said no, so we’ll leave it at that.”

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Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville wasn’t exactly asked for his opinion on the hit after the game, but was asked about his team’s response and praised them for not letting it get out of hand, as things have so many times in the NHL in the past when these situations occur.

“You don’t want to see anyone get hurt,” Quenneville said. “At the end of the day, I think that our response after the hit was in the right way.”

Their game against the Ducks on Friday was the Caps’ finale of a four-game road trip, after which they returned to DC to face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. As mentioned, they’re one of the hottest (if not the hottest) teams in the NHL, registering points in their last eight games, winning seven of them.

Ryan Leonard (8th overall in 2023) seemed to be finding his footing (to say the least) in the NHL, as he entered Friday’s game with seven points (2-6=7) in his previous four games, including a four-point (2-2=4) game on Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks.

“Disappointing” is an understatement when it comes to a team losing a key player to their present and future. Carbery addressed the media on Sunday ahead of the Caps’ game against Columbus, reiterating his dislike of the hit and suggesting the NHL consider a rule change.

“Like I said the other night, I don’t like the hit,” Carbery said. “I understand the league’s stance and the refs’ stance on the hit. To me, we have to do something as a league. I don’t know where this goes; if anything, it’s just the head contact is the key, right? That’s the key to all of this, is the head contact, and whether he’s low, and he’s in a very, very vulnerable spot.

“You can look through the years at certain hits like this. When guys could hunt guys all over the ice. When you’re engaged, a majority of the time, when you’re wheeling the net, and you’ve got a defender on you and a forward’s walking up the half wall, happens a lot in games, and you’re about to pass it to the D, that winger can leave his coverage. His coverage is the D-man in most D-zone coverage. He can leave his coverage and go and hunt that puck that’s engaged, and he can blow him up every single time.

“Now, you’ve got to be careful with that if you make contact, but you could do it,” Carbery continued. “And it used to happen a lot more frequently, especially when there was more physicality in the game, more guys that weren’t as concerned with the puck in their shifts. So that’s the part that I don’t like. It looks old-school to me, of hunting a player who’s in a vulnerable spot. But I understand the league’s perspective on it and the actual hit itself.”

Some more angles of the Trouba hit on Leonard.

I think the argument is that looking from one angle contact maybe seems like shoulder to shoulder/upper chest. But can clearly see it's shoulder to head.

Leonard in a vulnerable spot. You don't hit there.pic.twitter.com/HY0hO0KVei

— Sammi Silber 🏒 (@sammisilber) December 6, 2025

(Author’s Opinion): Carbery’s stance is understandable, and one most coaches, organizations, and fans would have if their player were involved in such an event. However, it can be argued that Leonard wasn’t, in fact, engaged or being checked by the other Anaheim defender (Olen Zellweger) at the time of the hit. Leonard was already beyond Zellweger, slightly overskated a puck, and attempted a behind-the-back pass to a teammate cutting to the slot.

The NHL rule book suggests Trouba’s hit on Leonard is clean, within the rules, and undeserving of discipline. However, discourse will continue surrounding hits of this nature, as it’s truly unfortunate when they result in players, especially star players, missing significant time.

The original call on the ice was a five-minute major and was immediately reviewed by the on-ice officials. Trouba is no stranger to these instances and offered his thoughts when asked how he felt it was handled by the game’s officiating staff.

“It was probably the right way to go about it and make sure everything’s okay,” Trouba said after practice on Saturday. “I’d rather them call the five minutes and review it, and if it’s a clean hit, let’s all move on. It was a clean hit in the hockey game. If it’s a dirty hit, you have the opportunity to review it and make the correct call.”

Leonard has 18 points (7-11=18) in 29 games for Washington this season, and no further update has been given. He was spotted wearing a sling on his left arm following the Caps’ 2-0 win over the Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Anaheim Ducks Prospect Spotlight: Three Ducks Prospects Selected to World Junior Rosters

Ducks Overhaul Penalty Kill Personnel, Early Results Promising

Takeaways from the Ducks 7-0 Loss to the Mammoth

NEWS

From The Archive: Will He Stay Or Will He Go? After 10 years in the NHL wilderness, Duchene finally feels at home. Will he stick long term or become the next member of the summer exodus in Ohio?

The next time an NHL player wonders whether he has an impact on people, he should consider the case of Mason Krieger, a six-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, who has been in speech therapy most of his life but speaks in cogent and complete sentences when he talks about the Columbus Blue Jackets. The day after Matt Duchene scored in double overtime in Game 2 of the Blue Jackets’ second-round series against the Boston Bruins, Mason and his father, Marty, went to a local rink to do a video recreation of the goal, right down to the part where Duchene slid across the ice on his knees in celebration.

From The Archive: Bob, Bread and Butter PANARIN and BOBROVSKY are as good as gone. And yet even with their two Russian superstars on their way out, the Blue Jackets managed to kick the elephant out of the room in training camp and come together for their most successful season ever. It was fun while it lasted.

The way Pierre-Luc Dubois figured, his decision to spend $3,000 on a bottle of Louis XIII cognac last summer was a pretty wise investment. You know how quarterbacks take their offensive linemen out for dinner or send them on vacations? That’s kind of what this was like. After all, Dubois had just made an extra $425,000 in bonus money in the first year of his contract and wanted to show his appreciation for the person most responsible for helping him earn it. Dubois had three goals when Artemi Panarin became his linemate, and Dubois ended his rookie season with 20. So he stroked a check for three large and gave it to teammate Seth Jones, who purchased the elixir because Dubois was too young to do it himself. He still is.

Columbus Blue Jackets' Injury Report - Week 8Injuries plague the Blue Jackets, sidelining five key players including Sean Monahan. Discover who's out and the cascading impact on the team's roster.

The Blue Jackets have been rocked with injuries over the last few weeks. It started with just the injury to veteran defensemen Erik Gudbranson. Unfortunately, now it has gotten worse and has now impacted four other players for a total of five players. Which includes Sean Monahan who hurt himself in last night's game against the New Jersey Devils.

Zach Werenski & Denton Mateychuk Lead The Way For The Blue JacketsDenton Mateychuk may be turning into the defenseman we thought he would be.

When it comes to scoring goals, historically the Jackets defensive corps hasn't been very good. But in the last few seasons, Zach Werenski has taken his game to another level, both offensively and defensively. Werenski is the all-time franchise leader in career assists, and 5th in career goals. 

Blue Jackets Call Up Del Bel Belluz On Emergency RecallDel Bel Belluz gets an unexpected chance to shine with the Blue Jackets, aiming to capitalize on this emergency recall after strong AHL play.

They have recalled Luca Del Bel Belluz on an emergency basis. In a corresponding move, they placed Mathieu Olivier on injured reserve (IR) retroactive to November 24. Olivier is out of the lineup with an upper body injury that he suffered against the Washington Capitals.

Former Blue Jacket Thomas Vanek Elected To IIHF Hall Of FameVanek played 19 games for the Blue Jackets during the 2017-18 season.

Vanek, originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2003, was traded to Columbus on February 26th, 2018, in exchange for Jussi Jokinen and Tyler Motte. He played in 19 games for Columbus, scored 7 goals and totaled 15 points. He also scored a hat trick against Edmonton for Columbus that season. 

Blue Jackets Send Rookie Forward Back To AHLForward Luca Pinelli returns to Cleveland after a brief NHL stint, impressing with his effort despite no points.

Pinelli, 20 was called up on November 25 as part of an emergency recall. During that time, he played in three games, including his NHL debut against his boyhood team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

GAME PREVIEWS & RECAPS

Columbus Blue Jackets (27 pts) vs. New Jersey Devils (33 pts) Game PreviewColumbus is 29-22-1-3 all-time, and 12-10-1-3 at home vs. New Jersey.

The Blue Jackets must find a way to get points in every game. They had a not-so-great November by going 5-5-5. Somehow, though, they're only six points back of Jersey, and could make up ground tonight. In fact, had they not blown so many leads, they could actually be sitting up top with New Jersey in the Metro.

Columbus Blue Jackets Lines, Defensive Pairings, & Scratches For Tonight's Game vs. New Jersey DevilsThe Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to play the New Jersey Devils tonight at 7 PM. Monahan Scores Twice; Blue Jackets Have A Big Third Period To Beat New JerseyThe Blue Jackets record now stands at 12-9-5 with 29 points.

Last night's game turned into an MMA brawl, with a little bit of hockey thrown in for good measure. The story of this game was the second period when everything went sideways. There were 4 fights and 63 penalty minutes handed out. Jonas Siegenthaler, who fought Adam Fantilli, was given a game misconduct because his jersey wasn't properly secured, allowing it to come off. He was booted from the game, in what turned out to be a rare penalty.  

Columbus Blue Jackets (29 pts) vs. Detroit Red Wings (30 pts) Game PreviewColumbus is 48-52-1-15 all-time, and 27-24-1-7 at Home vs. Detroit.

Detroit comes into Columbus having gone 4-4-2 in their last 10 games and are losers of 4 of their last 5. They did win their last game against the Bruins on Tuesday, however. 

The Red Wings beat the Jackets back on November 22nd when Columbus blew a 3-1 third-period lead. They then lost the game 1:50 into the overtime period. 

Columbus Blue Jackets Lines, Defensive Pairings, & Scratches For Tonight's Game vs. Detroit Red WingsThe Columbus Blue Jackets are at home to play the New Jersey Devils tonight at 7:30 PM.Fantilli Scores Twice, Blue Jackets Come From Behind Late To Beat Red Wings In ShootoutThe Blue Jackets record now stands at 13-9-5 with 30 points.

The two teams combined for six goals in the second period, five of which were power-play goals. Dmitri Voronkov took a double minor for high-sticking 7:52 into the second and then took a two-minute minor for high-sticking with 25 seconds left in the period. The Wings scored on all three penalties to put the score at 4-3 going into the third period.

Cannon City Quotables: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Detroit Red WingsBlue Jackets snatch overtime victory, flipping the script on Detroit. Hear directly from players and coaches on the thrilling comeback win.

Dean Evason: Head Coach

• Happy that they got the extra attacker but not thrilled that they got there in the first place
• Mentioned that he is happy with how the team has done in the shootout
• Happy to see Kent Johnson score, so was the team
• Went with a three man defensemen set up largely because of Zach Werenski
• Feels the team got a boost with the return of Marchenko
• Feels the team is as tight as he has ever seen, especially the Metro
• Believes it has something to do with the condensed schedule
• Feels that this season shows just how great the league is and how great the players are

Columbus Blue Jackets (31 pts) vs. Florida Panthers (26 pts) Game PreviewColumbus is 26-21-0-6 all-time, and 10-14-0-2 on the road vs. Florida.

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 18.8% - 16th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 71.8% - 30th in the NHL
• Goals For - 80 - 20th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 89 - 20th in the NHL

Columbus Blue Jackets Lines, Defensive Pairings, & Scratches For Tonight's Game vs. Florida PanthersThe Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to take on the Florida Panthers today at 3:30PM

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The Detroit Red Wings have been thrust into the spotlight in recent days as trade chatter intensifies around Vancouver Canucks captain and former Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes. What began as speculation has taken on new legitimacy after Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirmed that the Canucks have held discussions with both the Red Wings and the New Jersey Devils regarding potential trades for the 26-year-old star defenseman.

Friedman went as far as saying, “I do believe that if Vancouver and Detroit wanted to make a deal, I do believe there is a deal to be made there.” His recent reports around the proposed deal suggest that Vancouver's looking for a reliable center with all signs pointing to rookie Nate Danielson as being the most likely candidate to be the center that he is referring to as part of the deal. 

While the potential cost of acquiring Hughes would be steep, the question looming largest for Red Wings fans is whether the elite defenseman would commit long-term to Detroit. Hughes is under contract through the end of next season, leaving his future beyond that point uncertain.

Friedman emphasized that the situation is murky, noting that nobody has a sense of what Hughes himself wants to do. Fellow insider Frank Seravalli echoed that sentiment, adding that Hughes does not appear to have a firm preference yet regarding his long-term destination. For Detroit, that ambiguity could either be a warning sign or an opening.

Detroit’s front office, led by GM Steve Yzerman, may see an opportunity to persuade Hughes that he could become the final foundational piece in the team’s ongoing rebuild. With emerging young talent at forward and solidifying depth on defense, Hughes could be positioned as the player who accelerates the Red Wings back into contender status.

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

At just 26, Hughes is already widely regarded as the greatest defenseman in Canucks history. Through 455 regular-season games, he has amassed 61 goals and 370 assists for 431 points, along with a career plus-25 rating. He holds Vancouver’s franchise records for both career points and career assists by a defenseman, surpassing longtime standout Alex Edler.

Hughes reached a new peak in the 2023–24 season, posting a career-high 92 points and earning the James Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. His dominance cemented his status not only as Vancouver’s best blue-liner ever, but as one of the top offensive defensemen in the modern NHL.

Whether Hughes ultimately ends up in the Motor City, Vancouver or even New Jersey may hinge on which team can make the most compelling case for his long-term future.

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The Vancouver Canucks (11-15-3) play game three of this current four-game home stand on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings (15-11-3). Vancouver and Detroit are both coming off victories on Saturday night and are looking to extend their win streaks to two games. Last season, the Canucks and Red Wings split the season series, with each team picking up a win on the road. 

For Vancouver, the biggest question heading into this game is the health of center Elias Pettersson. Despite taking warmups on Saturday, Pettersson did not play, with Head Coach Adam Foote saying that the Canucks center was dealing with an upper-body injury. Since the team did not practice on Sunday, more information will be available after the morning skate on Monday. 

This game may also feature a season debut as there is a chance Nils Höglander returns to the lineup. The 24-year-old has yet to play this year after having lower-body surgery during the pre-season. Vancouver did send Jonathan Lekkerimäki to the AHL on Sunday, which could be an indicator that Höglander is ready to come off IR. 

Players To Watch:

Aatu Räty:

Aatu Räty is coming off maybe his best game in the NHL. During the Canucks win on Saturday, the 23-year-old scored twice, added an assist and went 14 for 16 in the faceoff dot. Currently on a three-game point streak, Räty has also already tied his career high in points with 11 through 26 games. 

Emmitt Finnie:

Emmitt Finnie is having a dream start to his NHL career. The former Kamloops Blazers forward has six goals and 14 points in 29 games and is currently playing on Detroit's first line. Originally drafted in the seventh round, Finnie is already becoming a key piece of the Red Wings' lineup all before his 21st birthday. 

Vancouver Canucks (11–15–3): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 8–14-22

Quinn Hughes: 2–20–22

Kiefer Sherwood: 12–4–16

Brock Boeser: 9–7–16

Filip Hronek: 2–14–16

Goaltenders: 

Thatcher Demko: 5–4–0

Kevin Lankinen: 4–9–3

Nikita Tolopilo: 2–1–0

Jiří Patera: 0–1–0 

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 

Dylan Larkin: 15-16-31

Lucas Raymond: 10-21-31

Alex DeBrincat: 14-16-30

Moritz Seider: 4-18-22

Patrick Kane: 5-14-19

Goaltenders: 

Cam Talbot: 9-4-2

John Gibson: 6-7-1

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT 

Venue: Rogers Arena 

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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Vancouver Canucks Assign Jonathan Lekkerimäki To Abbotsford

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The Chicago Blackhawks have been going some struggles lately. 

The Blackhawks have won just two out of their last 10 games and have suffered back-to-back blowout losses to the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. 

If the Blackhawks continue to struggle and find themselves out of the playoff race once we get closer to the deadline, they will likely be sellers again this season. Due to this, let's look at seven players the Blackhawks could trade if their season goes south. 

Connor Murphy, D

Murphy will certainly generate interest from playoff teams this season. Playoff clubs are always on the hunt for big and reliable right-shot defenseman, so he could get the Blackhawks a nice return if they move him. 

Ilya Mikheyev, RW

Mikheyev could be a popular target if made available by the Blackhawks, as the pending UFA is a solid two-way forward who kills penalties and scored 20 goals this past season. 

Nick Foligno, LW

If Foligno wants the chance to go for the Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks could move their captain by the deadline. However, if the pending UFA wants to stay put with the Blackhawks, they would likely honor that. 

Jason Dickinson, C 

Dickinson is another Blackhawks pending UFA who could generate interest around the league. The 2013 first-round pick would be a nice addition for a playoff team looking to improve their bottom six and penalty kill. 

Matt Grzelcyk, D

Grzelcyk's playoff experience and easily affordable contract could make him a popular target for contenders. He also showed last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins that he can chip in offensively, posting career highs with 39 assists and 40 points in 82 games. 

Sam Lafferty, RW/C

Lafferty's gritty style of play and versatility could help him generate interest from playoff clubs looking for more forward depth at the deadline. 

Laurent Brossoit, G

No matter what happens with the Blackhawks' season, a Laurent Brossoit trade is likely. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported late last month that the Blackhawks have given teams permission to talk to Brossoit.

The New York Islanders split their two games during their weekend trip to Florida, shutting out the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on Saturday, before falling 4-1 to the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

The Islanders scored three total goals through two games, one of which came as an empty-netter with just over one second left against the Lightning.

Ilya Sorokin certifiably stole the game at the Benchmark International Arena on Saturday, as he made 32 saves. The Islanders, meanwhile, only managed 19 shots on net throughout the contest.

Sunday against the Panthers, they posted just 21 shots on goal. In 120 minutes of hockey, the Islanders recorded fewer shots than they did in 60 minutes against the Colorado Avalanche, when they pumped 42 shots on net en route to a 6-3 statement victory.

Against Jonas Johansson and Daniil Tarasov, the Islanders simply needed to get more shots through on net. Yes, they beat the Lightning in an extremely impressive win, but it's not a sustainable way to win.

More often, a game like that results in what happened against the Panthers, where they kept it close, aided by more great goaltending, but ultimately fall short.

So what's causing the issues?

First, the injuries to Kyle Palmieri and Jonathan Drouin certainly impact th offense. That's a guy who funnels puck like nobody's business. 

Maxim Shabanov and Maxim Tsyplakov have looked stronger in elevated roles, but the finishing hasn't been there.  Couple that with Simon Holmstrom's ongoing scoring issues and inconsistent offense, and all of a sudden, New York's offense has stalled. 

Emil Heineman's torrid start has slowed down. He's got just one point (a goal on 11/28 against Philadelphia) in his last nine games. 

The Islanders dressed 12 forwards in both games in Florida. Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal, and Heineman have combined for 36 goals. The other nine forwards have scored a total of 25 goals this season.

It's a massive disparity, one that can easily illustrate just how top-heavy the Islanders have become with Palmieri, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Drouin out of the picture.

Those same nine forwards have a total of 59 points scored this season. Barzal, Horvat, and Heineman have 66 points between the trio.

Drouin, Palmieri, and Pageau combine for 15 goals and 45 points this season. That's a huge reason for the sudden crisis of goals missing.

Obviously, this team can score. They put six up on the Avalanche with this same group of forwards.

That level of explosiveness lives in the group, but they need to find a way to consistently find the back of the net and overcome injuries to stay afloat in such a tight playoff race. 

The schedule doesn't lighten up this week. The Vegas Golden Knights will be in UBS Arena on Tuesday night. After that, the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, and then, somehow, a third game against the Lightning in the span of 12 days.

Pageau and Drouin are best described as day-to-day at current times. Pageau's extremely likely to return this week, perhaps as soon as Tuesday.

Palmieri, however, won't be back this season.

Palmieri posted 71 shots on goal in his 25 games. Outside Horvat, Barzal, Heineman, and Lee, you can combine any other two Islanders' forwards' shot totals for the season and have a shot total within seven of Palmieri.

The biggest and most controllable thing that can change in the immediate term?

Other wingers desperately need to shoot the puck more. 

In a recent article for The Hockey News Buffalo Sabres, Adam Proteau argued that the Sabres should trade Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen due to their goalie surplus. 

If the Sabres do officially shop Luukkonen this season, he could be a very popular target for teams looking to improve between the pipes. Due to this, let's look at three teams that could make sense as landing spots for Luukkonen if he becomes available this season. 

Edmonton Oilers

It is not a secret that the Oilers could use some serious help in net. Because of this, it would be understandable if they had a goalie like Luukkonen on their radar. If they brought him in, he could take away some pressure from Oilers starter Stuart Skinner and form a nice tandem with him. The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta also noted the Oilers as a potential suitor for Luukkonen. 

Montreal Canadiens 

Pagnotta also recently mentioned the Canadiens as a possible suitor for Luukkonen. When looking at their group, Luukkonen could be a nice fit on their roster. Samuel Montembeault is having a nightmare season for the Habs, as evidenced by his 5-6-1 record, 3.61 goals-against average, and .861 save percentage. With this, perhaps the Canadiens could look to make a change between the pipes and bring in a goalie like Luukkonen. 

Philadelphia Flyers 

Dan Vladar has been a solid pickup for the Flyers this season, but Samuel Ersson has struggled big time for Philly. In 10 games for the Flyers this season, Ersson has a .871 save percentage and a 2.98 goals-against average. Thus, it would make sense if the Flyers wanted to get an upgrade from Ersson and bring in a goalie like UPL to form a tandem with Vladar. 

The Buffalo Sabres have made some roster moves ahead of their Dec. 8 contest against the Calgary Flames. 

The Sabres announced that forward Noah Ostlund has been assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In addition, the Sabres shared that defenseman Zach Metsa has been called up to Buffalo's roster. 

Ostlund has appeared in a career-high 20 games for the Sabres this season, where he has recorded three goals, three assists, six points, 12 blocks, and a plus-1 rating. This is after he had zero points in his first eight NHL games with the Sabres during this past season. 

Ostlund will now be looking to make a big impact with Rochester after being sent back down. The 2022 first-round pick has played in six games this season with the Amerks, posting two goals, five assists, and seven points. 

Metsa has played in his first four NHL games this season with the Sabres, where he has recorded zero points and a plus-3 rating. He has had a strong start to the year with Rochester, posting two goals, 11 assists, 13 points, and a plus-5 rating in 14 games. 

The Chicago Blackhawks played the second half of a back-to-back on Sunday night. After being blown out 6-0 by the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night, they were beaten even worse by the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night. 

It was a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Anaheim, one week to the day after Chicago beat them at the United Center. In danger of being swept by the Blackhawks in their final regular-season meeting of the year, the Ducks came ready to play in this one. 

Jacob Trouba scored Anaheim’s lone goal in the first period. The Blackhawks were lucky to be down just 1-0 after being outshot 17-6 in the opening frame. In the second, however, four unanswered goals turned the game into a truly lousy loss for Chicago. 

Leo Carlsson, who went second overall after Connor Bedard went first in the 2023 NHL Draft, scored two goals in this one. They’ve both been spectacular this year, but Carlsson won this round. 

Bedard didn’t miss the scoresheet completely, though. He assisted on Tyler Bertuzzi’s power play goal, Chicago’s only marker in the match. That's now 40 points for Connor Bedard. Bertuzzi, who has been great this season, now has 15 on the season. 

The Blackhawks have had two back-to-back situations so far this season. In the second game of both, they were run out of the building. The first was a 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. That, along with the 7-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, is the two worst losses of the season. Jeff Blashill must be working on ways to prepare them better for these situations, because that’s two bad ones in a row. 

Chicago’s next back-to-back comes next weekend. After a road match against the St. Louis Blues on Friday, they will take on the Detroit Red Wings at home a day later. 

When the Blackhawks defeated the Kings 2-1 on Thursday night, nobody saw them being outscored 13-1 over the weekend in two more Southern California games. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

we're on the board✅ pic.twitter.com/Uvng1f1sPE

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 8, 2025

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks are now off until Wednesday. They will be back home at the United Center for that one against the New York Rangers. 

 Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Less than 24 hours after their win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens were back in action at the Bell Centre as they hosted the St. Louis Blues, who were also playing a second game in as many days after taking on the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Much of the talk in town on Sunday had been about who would be manning the net for Montreal, and in the end, with the Canadiens recalling Kaapo Kahkonen because Samuel Montembeault was ill, Jakub got a third start in a row, and a second in two days. The organization didn’t provide any details on the Becancour native’s sudden illness, after he had acted as backup on Saturday night in Toronto. In his post-game presser, Martin St-Louis confirmed that the initial plan was to start Montembeault.

Canadiens: Hage Makes Highlight-Reel Worthy Play
Canadiens Smother Maple Leafs In 2-1 Shootout Win
Canadiens: 2 Center Trade Targets To Consider

The Battle Of The Exes

Two players must have had that game circled on their calendar: Logan Mailloux and Zachary Bolduc, as they were traded against one another over the summer. The Canadiens’ faithful didn’t react much to Mailloux; there were the odd boos here and there and a few “Loooogan” during the night, but the crowd opted to bother goaltender Jordan Binnington instead.

Mailloux certainly didn’t have the start he hoped for, taking a hooking penalty on his first shift, but Bolduc followed him in the box minutes later. Before the end of the first frame, however, Bolduc manufactured the Habs’ first goal with a perfect pass to Lane Hutson, who was entering the slot all alone. It’s already Hutson’s fifth goal this season, after he had just six in 82 games in his rookie season. The fact that he’s already taken 44 shots might have something to do with it.

In the end, Bolduc had more of an impact on the game, even if he didn’t get a single shot on net. Meanwhile, Mailloux logged 15:35 of ice time, took a shot, landed two hits and blocked a couple of shots.

A Recurring Issue

After two games in which the Canadiens handled themselves well in the second frame, their aversion to the middle stanza was back in full force on Sunday night. By the end of the first period, the Canadiens looked completely in control; they had allowed only four shots to the Blues and were playing a good collective game, but it all came crashing down in 65 seconds.

Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway came through the Canadiens’ defence like a hot knife through butter while the Oliver Kapanen line was on the ice and tied up the game on a two-on-one 26 seconds into the frame. Then, with the first line and the first pairing on the ice, the man-to-man system malfunctioned and Pavel Buchnevich found himself all alone on Dobes, a chance he wasn’t about to miss. The result? Three Blues goals on just six shots, and they can’t just be hung at Dobes’ door.

As things stand, there’s only one team with a worse differential than the Habs in the second frame: the Blues, who are minus-14, while Montreal is minus-14, followed by the Utah Mammoth at minus-10 and the Chicago Blackhawks at minus-9. This has got to be a concern at this stage: to have looked so in control one minute and then completely lose it the next could end up being very costly for the Canadiens.

Asked what happened in those 39 seconds in which St.Louis scored twice, the bench boss said:

It was a little bit of everything, but no, it was that we were tired. Something did stand out, but I’ll correct it.

-

Clearly, he didn’t feel the need to share that that was, or how he would fix it.

The Coach Was Satisfied

When it was suggested to him that his team lacked pace tonight, St-Louis refused to agree:

No, not at all. We didn’t give them much, but when we did, they were quality opportunities. I believe we played a good enough game to go and get two points tonight, but it’s those two minutes in the second frame that hurt us.

-

While there’s no arguing that those two minutes were the Canadiens’ downfall, there were aspects of the game that just weren’t good enough. Lately, the Habs have had a lot of trouble winning faceoffs, and tonight, its four centermen had a below 45% success rate. Nick Suzuki was at 42%, Jake Evans at 25%, Joe Veleno at 40% and Oliver Kapanen at 33%.

In a league where puck possession is so important, you can’t afford to start without it so often, because then you have to waste a lot of time and energy chasing it. Furthermore, the Habs started the third frame down by one goal, and yet, they didn’t have a single shot until there was only 11:11 remaining in the game, and it came less than a minute after the Blues had taken a two-goal lead. There wasn’t much urgency up to that point. In the end, in a period where the Habs were chasing the game, they only took seven shots in the last 20 minutes; that’s just not good enough.

On the bright side, Lane Hutson has really taken a shine to shooting, and it’s making him much more dangerous. On Sunday night, he had eight shot attempts, five of which reached the net, accounting for 20% of the team’s shot total. As for Noah Dobson, he had seven shot attempts, and four of them reached the net. It’s no wonder he finished his evening with a couple of points. Of course, he was guilty of five giveaways, but given how hard he tried to generate some offence, it was hardly surprising.

Ce n'est pas fini tant que ce n'est pas fini

We are not done yet...#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/2JsY8tPWM5

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 8, 2025

As for sniper Cole Caufield, he kept his point streak going and now has a point in his last 11 games, which is just one short of Suzuki’s 12-game point streak at the beginning of the season.

After the game, the Canadiens sent Kaapo Kakko back down to the Laval Rocket. The move isn’t surprising since they have a day off tomorrow, but it will be interesting to see if they need to call him back up for Tuesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

---

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One of Sharks' winning formulas on display in bounce-back win vs. Hurricanes originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

Collin Graf called it.

Not his game-opening goal for the Sharks on Sunday, 33 seconds in, leading the way to a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, which Macklin Celebrini, who was incredible in all three zones in a three-point night, had a lot to do with.

That didn't take long! 🦈

Macklin Celebrini finds Collin Graf just 33 seconds in! pic.twitter.com/GVrQt5njRL

— NHL (@NHL) December 7, 2025

“Honestly, I didn’t really see it at first. I was going to the net, and it hit me on the tape,” Graf said of his centerman’s pass. “Pretty impressive.”

Instead, it was something that the mature-beyond-his-years winger said after the Sharks’ 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday, when asked what San Jose did right in the middle part of that tilt, to hang tough with Cup-contending Dallas.

Read the full article at San Jose Hockey Now

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

It was another overtime heartbreaker for the New York Rangers on Sunday night in their 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Going into this matchup, the Rangers were coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche, where they were happy with how they played and competed against the NHL’s best team. 

That same effort level and momentum did not translate into the first period against Vegas, as the Blueshirts came out lackadaisical, giving up a goal less than one minute into the contest, while being bombarded with pressure from the Golden Knights. 

“We clearly didn't have our legs or energy in the first,” Mike Sullivan said. 

The Rangers flipped the script in the second period. The offensive charge was led by the line of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière. 

While J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Conor Sheary have taken the shutdown-defensive role, it has been Panarin, Zibanejad, and Lafrenière who have transformed into the Rangers’ most dangerous offensive trio. 

Goals from Zibanejad and Lafrenière in the middle frame gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead and newfound momentum. 

Lafrenière had two points on the night and his play caught the eye of Sullivan. 

“I thought it was one of his better games that he had all season for us, and that is what he’s capable of,” Sullivan said of Lafrenière. “I thought he was strong on pucks. He was hanging on pucks in the offensive zone. The goal he got was a goal scorer's goal. It was more than just that. 

“I thought he was around the net. He was winning puck battles. He was in the battle areas. He was challenging people by hanging on pucks, and that's what he's capable of. He's a real good 1-on-1 player, and we've been trying to encourage him to challenge people  down under the hash marks, and force people to have to take the puck away from him, because he's big and strong, and he's got a lot of really good puck skills. I thought tonight was one of his better nights.” 

The Rangers did a good job of maintaining their narrow lead up until disaster struck in the third period when offsetting roughing penalties to Will Borgen and Brett Howden gave the Golden Knights a 5-on-4 advantage once they pulled their goalie, ultimately leading a Tmomas Hertl goal with 51.3 seconds remaining. 

“There's a big difference between a 6-on-5 and 5-on-4 and trying to defend it. It had a huge implication,” Sullivan emphasized. “We got to do a better job, obviously, in that situation, and kill it off.”

Vegas scored another last-second goal in overtime with about eight seconds remaining from Jack Eichel, as the Rangers came away with just one point instead of two. 

“I'm disappointed for the players, for the guys because I thought we competed hard,” Sullivan said. “I thought we've had a pretty hard week against some of the best teams in the league, and these guys are competing. They're competing extremely hard. I think we put a game on the ice that I think the guys should be proud of. I'm disappointed for them.”

Rangers Remain Upbeat After Encouraging Performance Against Avalanche In Losing Effort While the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> didn’t come away with two points in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon, there’s a lot to be encouraged about from a Blueshirts perspective.

Sullivan is right, the Rangers have had a tough stretch of games this week, playing the Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, Avalanche, and Golden Knights.

In that stretch, the Blueshirts came away with 6 out of 8 points, which Sullivan believes is a sign of the growth this team has continued to show. 

"We're moving towards the identity that we're trying to build and the game that we're trying to play,” Sullivan said. “We've just got to continue to stay hungry and continue to work at it. I think, once again, when you play some of the better teams in the league like we have most recently and the guys perform the way they have, I think it provides a lot of evidence, and I think that reinforces belief in what we're doing and how we're going about it, so I think that should help us moving forward.”

The Rangers will be back in action on Wednesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Heading into their matchup against the Dallas Stars on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins had won five of their last six games and were riding the high of getting two regular players back into their lineup. 

Well, even if forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari rejoined the mix, the Penguins were down another, as Evgeni Malkin missed the tilt due to a day-to-day upper-body injury. But, despite that, the Penguins put out a respectable effort and deserved the two points. 

And it ultimately wasn't enough. 

The Penguins surrendered a game-tying goal during six-on-five play with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, and they lost to the Stars in the shootout, 3-2. Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry stood on his head during the overtime period and against a few high-danger opportunities by the Stars in the first 60 minutes, but unfortunately, the Penguins simply haven't found a way to exercise their demons in the shootout. 

So far this season, the Penguins have yet to win a game in the shootout and have five shootout losses. While those squandered points continue to be a problem - and may or may not catch up to them by season's end - it's hard not to feel good about the Penguins getting five out of six points on this road trip.

That, however, isn't good enough for head coach Dan Muse and the Penguins, who have set high expectations for themselves. 

"I thought with the overall game we played, you want to come out with two points," Muse said. 

Penguins Activate Brazeau & Acciari Off Injured Reserve, Re-Assign Imama To WBSThe Pittsburgh Penguins made a bunch of roster moves on Sunday.

The first period saw a lot of back-and-forth action with chances at both ends, and the Penguins' fourth line finally broke through within the last two minutes. Acciari made a play to get the puck to Blake Lizotte at the left offensive blue line, and Lizotte fed it to Connor Dewar, who was breaking into the slot. Dewar put it past Jake Oettinger to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. 

Dallas's Jamie Benn tied it at 1-1 within the first two minutes of the second period, but, from then on, the Penguins - even if they gave up the occasional high-danger chance - were largely the better team. Tommy Novak - who played to the left of Sidney Crosby on the top line - tipped a Kris Letang one-timer from the point in the back half of the middle frame to put the Penguins back up, 2-1, with his sixth point in five games. 

That score held until Dallas decided to pull Oettinger with more than three minutes remaining in regulation - and after an icing call that left a tired Penguins' fourth line on the ice. With just 1:49 remaining, Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen took advantage of that tired unit for his sixth of the season to force overtime. 

And Jarry really shined in the extra frame. He made several ten-bell saves in the overtime period - including one on Jason Robertson during a Dallas two-on-one - and he also stopped the first two shooters in overtime. 

A SPECTACULAR STOP‼️ pic.twitter.com/474IJ9Tebl

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 8, 2025

However, Bryan Rust, Crosby, and Kris Letang failed to score in the shootout, and Mikko Rantanen gave the Stars the win on their third shot. 

---

Here are a few takeaways from this one:

- Let's talk about some of the positives first because there were actually quite a lot from this game. 

I want to start with Novak. He has been playing some really good hockey for a few weeks now, and his lineup versatility makes him valuable to this team. He was effective on the third line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen before playing a few games alongside Malkin and Anthony Mantha - not missing a beat there - and in this one with Crosby and Rust. 

He's going to the danger areas a lot more. He's playing with some energy and helping generate a fair amount of offense on the forecheck. And he's also defensively responsible. 

I was a bit down on him for the first month and a half of the season. I talked to Novak a few weeks ago regarding how he felt about his season so far, and he hesitated to say he was happy with it.

But it's safe to say that he's been one of their best players for the last six games. He's put in the work, and it's paying off.

Penguins Have Answered The Bell After Dan Muse’s First Big ChallengeEver since Dan Muse called out his team, the Penguins have responded in a big way.

- They didn't register a point again, but I really like the makeup of this kid third line. They had some good shifts in the offensive zone and were generally successful at bailing themselves out of trouble in the defensive zone. 

I do think Rutger McGroarty still does have some rust to shake off. But Ben Kindel continues to exceed expectations in a full-time third-line center role regarding faceoffs, generating offense, and handling defensive responsbilities. And Ville Koivunen played another solid game and was very, very close to putting the Penguins up 3-1 on a whiffed chance in the third period. 

But I want to see them keep building on their chemistry. And, with Kindel apparently not headed to the World Junior Classic after all, they should have some runway to do just that. 

Contrary to what you may have seen today, Ben Kindel won’t be playing in World Junior tourney. He’s in Pittsburgh to stay. I would expect Harrison Brunicke to play for Team Canada.

— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) December 8, 2025

- I can't say enough about how spectacular Jarry was again Sunday. Although the Penguins played a good game, they still gave up a few good looks, and Jarry shut all but two of them down. 

He's certainly been a revelation during this stretch, and he has played in six of the last seven games. He has a .913 save percentage on the season. 

I know Arturs Silovs has only played in one of the last seven - with the last being Nov. 29, when he was pulled after surrendering four goals on 16 shots against the Toronto Maple Leafs - but it feels like Jarry should get the net again on Tuesday against a good Anaheim Ducks team. Besides, the Penguins have a back-to-back coming up next weekend, and Silovs is probably guaranteed one of those starts. 

Jarry has been that good recently. He's winning the Penguins hockey games, or - at the very least - securing points for them.

- Although everyone on the team played generally well, I didn't think this was one of Sidney Crosby's better games. He seemed a bit off all night with his passing and his reads, and he had a terrible line change in overtime that resulted in the two-on-one with Robertson and Roope Hintz.

Even the best of the best have occasional - very occasional - off-nights. And this was one of them for 87.

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

- Shootouts are a very real problem for the Penguins.

Again, five of six on this tough road trip is commendable. But it really felt like they should have come away with six of six. 

Yes, blown leads have been a problem for the Penguins since the onset of November. But this one was almost a bit more understandable given the circumstances of Dallas pulling their goaltender advantageously against a tired line.

At some point, they need to win a shootout. They're 0-4 this season. They've lost their last eight.

And I'm looking right at the shootout lineup. 

Has goaltending been a problem, too? Absolutely. Arturs Silovs has lost three of the shootouts this season, and he's only stopped one shot in them. But goaltending is almost a moot point when your shooters can't score, either.

HOW’S A LITTLE SHOOTOUT FOR YOUR SUNDAY??? pic.twitter.com/wb8nG6X6HR

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) December 8, 2025

Crosby is one out of three, which isn't bad. But he dealt with shootout woes last season and converted on just 16.7 percent of attempts. Letang is three for his last 24. Rust is one of four. 

They have to try something - rather, someone - else. Even if you don't take Crosby out of the mix, that's fine. Slow roll it by having Rust, Crosby, and a young player like Koivunen, who is known for his craftiness in shootouts. And if that still doesn't work, you tweak it again. 

The Penguins have practiced shootouts this season. Kindel has won a few. Kevin Hayes is pretty decent. McGroarty - like Koivunen - has also shown a tendency to be nasty in the shootout at the AHL level as well.

If it were me - with Malkin out - I'd roll Rust, Koivunen, and Crosby as the first three and Kindel, McGroarty, and Brazeau as the next. Give the kids a chance. And just keep tweaking it until you find a hot hand. 

At the end of the day, the Penguins can't be married to underperforming veterans in these situations. It could be costing them precious points, so it's something they need to address the very next time a shootout is in the cards.

Evgeni Malkin Out Day-To-DayEven though the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> got a few players back in their lineup for Sunday's game against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/">Dallas Stars</a>, they lost a pretty prominent one.

---

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

The New York Rangers were dealt a significant setback this week as top defenseman Adam Fox was placed on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The loss leaves a major hole in the lineup, and the team is now exploring ways to reinforce its blue line, particularly on the power play.

Former Ranger Erik Gustafsson has emerged as a leading candidate with multiple reports having the Red Wings defender linked to New York, and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted that the Rangers are searching for a power play quarterback who can step in while Fox recovers. Gustafsson fits the description as a cheap, short-term option who already knows the Rangers system.

Gustafsson played 76 games for New York during the 2023-24 season, finishing with six goals and 25 assists for 31 points. This year, he has been with the Detroit Red Wings AHL affiliate in the Grand Rapids Griffins and has produced 12 assists in 13 games. His absence from the Griffins game on Sunday against the Toronto Marlies has fueled speculation that a trade could be close. The night before, he was the best player on the ice for Grand Rapids and recorded assists on all three of the team’s goals in a 3-2 victory.

The veteran defenseman has 516 NHL games on his résumé across ten seasons. His most productive year came with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 to 19 when he posted 60 points and established himself as one of the league’s more dynamic offensive defensemen. His recent play suggests he still has the tools to contribute at the NHL level.

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

It is not yet clear what the cost would be to acquire him, although a mid-round draft pick is viewed as a reasonable expectation. For the Rangers, who suddenly find themselves without their top defenseman, Gustafsson could provide a timely and familiar solution as the Rangers try to maintain momentum while the Red Wings can finally get some assets for a player losing his value the longer he sits in the minors.

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Another set of back-to-backs for the St. Louis Blues, and another set of wins.

The road trip started with a thud Thursday against the Boston Bruins, but the Blues followed up a Joel Hofer masterpiece 2-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday with another tough one on Sunday.

And it was Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway that hoisted the team on their shoulders, each collecting three points, with Schenn scoring twice with an assist – including the game-winner in the third period – and Holloway adding a goal and two assists as the Blues took down the Montreal Canadiens, 4-3, at Bell Centre in Montreal.

Pavel Buchnevich also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 23 saves for the Blues (11-12–7), who now play five of the next six on home ice after taking four of six points on this three-game road trip through the Eastern Conference and scoring more than two goals for just the second time the past 12 games.

It's the second straight weekend that the Blues have taken both ends of back-to-back games, winning 4-3 against the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 28 and 1-0 against the Utah Mammoth on Nov. 29.

Let’s get to the game observations:

* Schenn, Holloway delivered with major components out of lineup – The Blues have already been down three players (Jimmy Snuggerud, wrist; Alexey Toropchenko, leg burns; and Nathan Walker, upper-body) and and they’ll have to do without Jordan Kyrou, who departed early in the first period Saturday with a lower-body injury.

Who was going to step up for a team already challenged on the offensive side of the puck?

Each was instrumental and worked well as a unit with Mathieu Joseph on their line, combining for seven points.

Schenn opened the scoring with a power-play goal when old friend Zack Bolduc was in the box for slashing at 7:59, and Schenn made it count when he was in the right spot inside the right circle when Holloway worked the puck off the lefthand boards to the point, and Cam Fowler’s wrister caromed off Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson right to Schenn, who made no mistake beating Jakub Dobes at 8:57:

Brayden Schenn - St. Louis Blues (5)
Power Play Goal pic.twitter.com/x5kV705cq5

— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) December 8, 2025

And the winner by Schenn was crucial, because with the Blues holding a 3-2 lead in the third period, and they were maintaining it well through the first half of the period, his insurance goal at the time made it 4-2 with all three linemates having a hand in it.

With a puck in the neutral zone, Joseph’s hustle play disrupted Canadiens forward Joe Veleno from getting to the puck, allowing Holloway to race in, scoop it up and essentially turn it into a mini 2-on-1, feeding Schenn for a one-timer to the near post past Dobes:

That's Brayden Schenn's second of the night! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/DwtdNfQ32J

— NHL (@NHL) December 8, 2025

It was critical because the Canadiens would pull to within one late on Noah Dobson’s goal at 16:15 but the Blues were able to thwart any chance by the Canadiens to tie, although Cole Caufield had a chance at the buzzer that was denied by Binnington:

Jordan Binnington and the Blues hang on for the 4-3 win over the Habs 🎺 pic.twitter.com/jCAnLBVMis

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 8, 2025

But with Kyrou down, Schenn and Holloway stepped up big time for an offense that has obviously been scuffling.

The entire line worked well together and was a threat on multiple occasions for the few scoring chances the Blues created, finishing with only 18 shots on goal.

Schenn, who has 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in 32 career games against Montreal, had his first three-point game since also scoring twice and adding an assist Nov. 30, 2023 against the Buffalo Sabres in a 6-4 win.

But that trio led the way.

Not only did Holloway have a three-point night, but he also helped save a goal in the second period when Binnington was without a stick, on another old friend, Alexandre Texier:

Dylan 👏 Holloway 👏 does 👏 it 👏 all 👏#stlbluespic.twitter.com/XRrBtTRLpy

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 8, 2025

* Quick strike second – The Blues had to be feeling down a bit after surrendering the lead late in the first on Caufield’s quick strike with 57 seconds remaining in the period, the sixth time the Blues have allowed a goal this season in the final minute of a period to fall behind 2-1:

GOAL CAUFIELD STAYS RED HOT!! 🔥

His 11th straight game with a point! pic.twitter.com/t2ug213lWa

— NHL (@NHL) December 8, 2025

It's the sixth time this season the Blues have allowed a goal in the final minute of a period, even getting the attention of Blues great Chris Pronger:

But they didn’t allow it to affect them, scoring twice in 39 seconds to take the lead for good.

Holloway and Schenn combined on the tying goal at 2-2 on a heads-up play by Colton Parayko springing the two forwards loose with a pass through the neutral zone after Jayden Struble got caught pinching high, leaving Lane Hutson to fend the 2-on-1. Schenn fed Holloway, who pulled it to his backhand and lift it over Dobes 26 seconds into the period. Holloway got behind Texier on the play.

And Buchnevich made it 3-2 at 1:05 when the Blues had a good forecheck and cycle of the puck along the righthand side and wall, with Justin Faulk getting the puck to Robert Thomas below the goal line and he found Buchnevich at the top of the crease for the finish:

Two goals in 39 seconds, and the @StLouisBlues are back on top! 😯 pic.twitter.com/JCs5VvQmeg

— NHL (@NHL) December 8, 2025

The Blues (minus-16) and Canadiens (minus-13) each came into the game with two of the worst goal differentials in the second period but winning it 2-0 on those two quick strikes served St. Louis well and enabled them to take the lead into the third period.

* Binnington follows Hofer’s exceptional outing with a strong one of his own – He didn’t nearly see as much rubber as Hofer did on Saturday (42 shots), but Binnington was looking to build off what the Blues have for the most part been getting from their goaltending position.

Not only did he have to be on the spot to deny a Caufield chance at the horn, but Binnington’s best save was when he kicked out the left pad to deny Canadiens Russian phenom Ivan Demidov, not once but twice:

Demidov Deniedov pic.twitter.com/a3sRzXMkmF

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 8, 2025

Should the Blues be able to get their goaltending back in a groove, and it’s been trending in that direction, they will undoubtedly win more hockey games.

* Mailloux, Bolduc meet for first time – Since the 1-for-1 trade on July 1, Blues defenseman Logan Mailloux and Canadiens forward Zack Bolduc had been waiting for this game from the moment the deal was made.

Mailloux was on the ice when Hutson got behind him for the tying goal at 12:20 of the first when it tied the game 1-1, and Bolduc was in the box when Schenn’s goal initially gave the Blues the lead:

OH MY, LANE HUTSON!! 😱 pic.twitter.com/Wgrq2u4FhV

— NHL (@NHL) December 8, 2025

But Mailloux finished the game an even on the plus-minus, playing 15:35 with two hits and two blocked shots, and Bolduc had an assist on Huston’s goal and was a plus-1 in 13:21.

Neither 22-year-old hurt their teams on this night, and each had a decent game. Now, can we put the trade comparisons in the rear view mirror once and for all?

* Things got a little hairy late – The Blues were doing a good job protecting that two-goal lead until the final 3:45 got dicey when Dobson’s shot from distance made it 4-3.

You could see Binnington wasn’t thrilled when Faulk skated right through his line of vision and he lost sight of the shot off the left hand wall. I don’t get why D-men do that to their goalies in those situations unless you’re 100 percent certain you’re blocking the shot. Otherwise, you’re taking away the line of vision of the goalie, like Faulk did there:

Ce n'est pas fini tant que ce n'est pas fini

We are not done yet...#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/2JsY8tPWM5

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 8, 2025

But the Blues only surrendered three shots and blocked two (Faulk and Broberg) down the stretch to finish the job.

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