Mar 28, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) and New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes (43) battle during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
The Devils scored two goals in 19 seconds to give themselves a third-period lead and then held on to claim a 5-3 win over the Blackhawks on Sunday. [Devils NHL]
A familiar result against the Hurricanes as of late: Three second-period Carolina goals pushed the Hurricanes to a 5-2 win over the Devils on Saturday. [Devils NHL]
“Markstrom ranks 52nd in save percentage (.884), 46th in goals-against average (3.09) and 55th in goals-saved above average (minus-13.02) among goalies with at least 1,000 minutes played this season. Couple that with the Devils’ 27th-ranked offense, and it’s easy to see why the Devils are 11 points out of a playoff spot with 10 games left.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
“The Devils’ prospect pool is middling to say the least, recently placing 22nd in The Athletic’s ongoing pipeline rankings. The reality is, the Devils’ blue-chip prospects have either graduated to full-time NHLers (Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec) or have floundered a bit since being drafted (Anton Silayev). Outside of a couple of truly projectable talents, the Devils don’t really have a whole lot to offer at any particular position. Most prospects have concluded their seasons at this point, with the exception of a couple of players whose seasons have progressed into the playoffs and the Utica Comets’ players.” [Infernal Access ($)]
Hockey Links
Vegas makes a coaching change out of the blue:
The Vegas Golden Knights have relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach.
A look at the league’s most disappointing players this season: [The Athletic ($)]
“Alex Ovechkin has not given any indication yet of his NHL future, while Anze Kopitar is retiring, and Jaromir Jagr said he is likely not playing pro hockey again. They could make the 2029 Hockey Hall of Fame class very memorable.” [The Hockey News]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
ELMONT, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 03: Ryan Shea #5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck against Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders during the third period at UBS Arena on February 03, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (36-21-16, 88 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division) @ New York Islanders (42-27-5, 89 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and MSGSN, nationally broadcast on NHL Network
Pens’ Path Ahead: Another big one tomorrow back in the ’Burgh against the Red Wings. The games keep coming in quick succession with a trip to Tampa on tap for Thursday night, then a return to Pittsburgh next weekend for two games against the same opponent (Florida Panthers) on both Saturday and Sunday. After that is a three-day break in the schedule to recharge, regroup and get ready for the four final games of the regular season.
Opponent Track: The Islanders have been looking to stay hot, and they have won two in a row (including a 5-2 victory over Florida on Saturday). Then again, they’ve given up seven goals in a loss to Montreal and been defeated in regulation by Chicago recently, so who knows what to expect from a team all over the map. NYI won a 1-0 playoff-like game against Columbus last week, they’ll certainly be in that type of desperation mode for today’s big game.
Season Series: There were only three regular season PIT/NYI games this season, an issue that will be solved next season by moving to an 84-game schedule and allowing all division rivals to play four times in the years to follow. Pittsburgh is 1-0-1 against the Islanders so far this year, beating them 4-3 in regulation on NYI’s opening night and then the Pens dropped a 5-4 OT decision on Feb 3 to the Isles that featured two third period blown leads by Pittsburgh. Today is the final game, though it could be a preview of a first round playoff matchup.
Hidden Stat: Per Pens PR, Rickard Rakell has points in his last five of his last six visits to Long Island (5G-4A).
Getting to know the Islanders
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Anders Lee – Bo Horvat – Emil Heineman
Calum Ritchie – Brayden Schenn – Mat Barzal
Ondrej Palat – J.G. Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb
DEFENSEMEN
Matthew Schaefer / Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech / Carson Soucy
Scott Mayfield / Adam Boqvist
Goalies: Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich
Potential scratches: Maxim Shabanov, Anthony Duclair, Isaiah George
Injured Reserve: Tony DeAngelo, Kyle Palmieri, Pierre Engvall, Alexander Romanov, Semyon Varlamov
Schaefer played his first career game against the Pens, and it was one of those moments from the very beginning where you knew you were seeing a special player. His talent and skill was undeniable from the start, which will be leading to the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year (and he’s got a good case to be a unanimous first place vote).
I found Mathieu Darche’s deadline moves to be fairly uneven. Add a rental in Soucy for a third round pick? OK, you can see how that could be needed and help out while not breaking the bank. Add Palat (who is under contract next season at a $6.0m cap hit) for only a third and sixth coming back? That doesn’t seem like a good price to take on a bad player/contract, though they did clear out the dead weight of Max Tsyplakov and his $2.5m cap hit for next season. Trade a first+third (although being Colorado’s first, it could be very, very late) for 34-year old Brayden Schenn and his $6.5m cap hit through 2027-28? Woof. Darche was a finalist for the Penguin job before Kyle Dubas was fired in Toronto, it’s always interesting to see how his career will go. Overall, Darche has done some good things, while having the incredible draft lottery luck. Could be worse though we’ll see how much these deadline adds actually help considering he’s added players on the wrong side of 30 that have fairly decent future cap commitments.
One Darche move that does look promising was getting Calum Ritchie to the Island in the Brock Nelson trade. Ritchie is a pretty solid NHL player in only his draft+3 season and has a lot of upside to grow into. Other than someone like Barzal it’s been a while since the Isles have developed a talented, young scoring forward (though I guess Simon Holmostrom going on his second-straight 20 goal season might have something to say about that).
Heineman with a 21-9 goal/assist split might be on his way for a Cy Young this season.
Key Matchup: They could also call the sport ‘goalie’ just as easily
Goaltending is an essential part of hockey and no team gets better goalie inputs than the Islanders. Ilya Sorokin has not yet won a Vezina trophy in his career for goaltender of the year (he did finish second back in 2023-24), this just might be the year to change that. His value to the team is basically immeasurable. On the whole, the Islanders might not be a playoff-quality team, except for the fact that they’re in the race anyways in large part due to the superb effort of their goalie. This team (with their 30th ranked power play and 23rd best 5v5 offense) would be heading for the draft lottery if not for Sorokin serving as the rising tide to raise their ship.
Major playoff implications
Tonight is not quite a true ‘must win’ situation for the Penguins or Islanders, but it’s getting mighty close to that territory. A result tonight in regulation would do wonders in the models for the winner’s chances and deal a major blow to whomever losses. An overtime game kicks the can down the road a bit more for the loser, and would be most unwelcome news for the folks in Columbus, Ottawa and Detroit to see the possibility of a three-point game.
Needless to say, this is one that both teams have to have. Doesn’t get much better than that.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby* – Bryan Rust*
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Anthony Mantha
Rutger McGroarty – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau
Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari*
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs
Potential Scratches: Evgeni Malkin* (injured), Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Ville Koivunen
IR: Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin both returned to practice yesterday, in good news. Crosby will travel with the team to NY, coach Dan Muse didn’t know (or wasn’t saying) it Malkin would be on the trip. Both Bryan Rust and Noel Acciari sat out practice yesterday on official maintenance days but they will also be traveling with the team to NY.
Malkin reportedly stayed on the ice for almost an hour after practice, which typically isn’t something that a player planning to play the next day would do. Combine that with the fact that Muse didn’t green light Malkin for travel unlike Crosby is what tips the balance to project him as out again for today. Perhaps if Malkin is feeling way better by today then something will change and get him back out there, for now it doesn’t look like the signs are pointing to Malkin playing tonight though.
The Penguins didn’t alternate goalies and used the same netminder in two consecutive games for the first time in over two months this weekend when Skinner played against Dallas. The gamble didn’t pay off much, being as the Pens got in penalty trouble and eventually fell behind the Stars and dropped a game in regulation. That makes for an interesting decision today, do they go back to Skinner? Or play Silovs in what could be the most important game of the year when Silovs has given up 24 goals over his last six appearances?
Crosby: ‘We’re going to leave it all out there’
Sidney Crosby: "It’s a pretty tested group, and it’s a big stretch here. Regardless of who’s in or who’s out, I know that we’re going to leave it all out there and give ourselves the best chance."
This is go time, the most exciting time of the year in hockey for so many teams competing for the same spots and trying to stake their claim to a playoff position.
After Saturday’s setback, Rust said the team’s next game against the Islanders will be an easy one to get up for, especially with the two clubs battling against each other for a playoff spot. That sentiment carried over to today.
“We know how much that means to us, playing against that team, and how important every point is,” Rickard Rakell said. “It’s truly like a playoff game.”
“They’re all important at this point,” Crosby said. “It’s a big race, a big stretch for us. As a player, these are the ones that you want to be in. These are big games.”
The Penguins knew how challenging their schedule would be in March, with 17 games in 31 days. Now, at the end of the month’s gauntlet, the Penguins have to keep digging deep to stay in the fight.
“I think you have to enjoy it. We have to embrace the situation that we’re in,” Karlsson said. “It’s a fantastic spot to be in. I think with the experience that we have in here, a lot of the guys have been through it before, but for the guys that haven’t, just don’t lose sight of how much fun it is to be playing in these types of games.”
As expected, Jakub Dobes was back in the net for the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday afternoon as they took on the Carolina Hurricanes in the second game of their back-to-back. However, someone who wasn’t back was Josh Anderson, who must still have been affected by the illness, which made him leave Saturday’s game. With Alexandre Texier still in Montreal, nursing a lower-body injury, Martin St-Louis opted to insert Arber Xhekaj in the lineup as a fourth liner.
Patrik Laine is travelling with the team, and while he is technically still on IR, he’s been a full participant in practice for the last two months. In the run-up to the trade deadline, he hoped to be traded, and in his wife’s blog on deadline day, she said they were happy to stay in Montreal if it meant Laine could get to play. In one episode of the Basu and Godin notebook, Arpon Basu and Marc-Antoine Godin spoke about the big Finn’s predicament and said they believed the Canadiens had agreed to keep him on injured reserve rather than have him be a healthy scratch again.
Whatever the case may be, though, the fact that the coach opted to use Xhekaj in a position he had never played before, with the stakes so high, just tells us everything we need to know.
A Copy-Paste from Tuesday
Just like in Tuesday’s game, the Hurricanes took the Canadiens’ zone by storm in the first period. There were only eight minutes left in the first when Montreal finally got its first shot on goal through Zachary Bolduc, and had it not been for Dobes, the Habs would have been trailing by much more than one goal.
He stopped 12 of the 13 shots he faced, and while Carolina does shoot from everywhere on the ice, the netminder still has to make those saves, and he made them. While he may not look as calm or as in control in his net as Carey Price once was, but he does ooze confidence, and that’s great for the team.
All through the game, he was there and making the big saves, only surrendering that one goal in the first frame.
A Career-High For Suzuki
Despite the Hurricanes dominating puck possession, shots, and the physical side of the game with more hits, the Canes still found themselves trailing 3-1 after the second frame. In that period, the Habs scored three unanswered goal and Nick Suzuki took part in each of them, scoring two and assisting on Cole Caufield’s 46th of the season.
That gave the captain 91 points on the season, two more than he had in 82 games last season. At 26 years old, the centerman just keeps improving year after year, and it doesn’t even look like we’ve seen the best of him yet. After all, both of his linemates are younger and still improving as players; the better they get, the more successful the captain will be.
For the first time since 2017, the Canadiens won a fifth consecutive game in regulation. Given the fact that regulation wins are a tie breaker if there’s a tie in points at the end of the season, this is huge. Montreal now has 30 regulation wins, the same number as the Boston Bruins. The Habs remain two points ahead of Boston, four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and eight points ahead of the ninth-place Ottawa Senators.
With that win, the Canadiens stay four points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, who also won on Sunday, and as luck would have it, they are their next opponents on Tuesday. Last season, when the stakes were this high and the Canadiens needed a point to qualify for the playoffs, they struggled to get it as if the pressure was too much to handle. This year, with the pressure just as high, they have a five-game winning streak, which says a lot about this young team's progress.
The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins are currently positioned to play each other in the first round of the NHL playoffs.
But who will have home ice advantage? Monday's meeting will play a big role.
The Islanders will host the Penguins and the Islanders can build on their one-point lead with a victory. The Penguins, however, can move into second place with a victory.
Also on Monday, March 30, John Tortorella will make his debut as Vegas Golden Knights coach. He's taking over a team that has lost six of its last seven games, leading to the firing of Bruce Cassidy.
The Colorado Avalanche (Central) and Anaheim Ducks (Pacific) are in action and will try to pad their division leads.
Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season:
Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?
Eastern Conference: None
Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas
Who can clinch today?
No team can clinch a playoff berth today.
NHL games today (Monday, March 30)
All times p.m. and Eastern
Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, 7, NHL Network
Calgary at Colorado, 8:30
Vancouver at Vegas, 10
Toronto at Anaheim, 10
St. Louis at San Jose, 10
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26
As of March 29. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes (98)
New York Islanders (89)
Pittsburgh Penguins (88)
Atlantic Division
Tampa Bay Lightning (98)
Buffalo Sabres (98)
Montreal Canadiens (94)
Wild card
Boston Bruins (92)
Columbus Blue Jackets (88)
Sitting out of playoff position: Ottawa Senators (86), Detroit Red Wings (86), Philadelphia Flyers (86), Washington Capitals (83), New Jersey Devils (78), Toronto Maple Leafs (75), Florida Panthers (73), z-New York Rangers (69)
NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26
As of March 29. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Central Division
x-Colorado Avalanche (106)
x-Dallas Stars (100)
Minnesota Wild (94)
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks (86)
Edmonton Oilers (83)
Vegas Golden Knights (80)
Wild card
Utah Mammoth (82)
Nashville Predators (77)
Sitting out of playoff position: Los Angeles Kings (76), Seattle Kraken (75), Winnipeg Jets (74), San Jose Sharks (73), St. Louis Blues (73), Calgary Flames (70), Chicago Blackhawks (67), z-Vancouver Canucks (50)
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on March 29.
Tampa Bay (A1) vs. Columbus (WC2)
Buffalo (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)
Carolina (M1) vs. Boston (WC1)
N.Y. Islanders (M2) vs. Pittsburgh (M3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on March 29.
Colorado (C1) vs. Nashville (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
Anaheim (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
Edmonton (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card
NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.
Goal differential
Total goals
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.
When do the NHL playoffs start?
The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are expected to begin on Saturday, April 18.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 08: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action during the game against the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had tougher stretches of games during the 2025-26 season in terms of their opponents. They may not have had a more important stretch of games than the one they are facing this week.
They have five games between Monday and next Sunday, and those games will go a long way toward determining their chances of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Get your minds right, because this is about to be a massive week of hockey.
It all begins on Monday night with what might be, to this point, the biggest game of the Penguins season when they visit the New York Islanders.
This is the game that has been circled for some time now, and the winner is going to put itself into a great position when it comes to earning a playoff spot. The Penguins enter the day one point behind the Islanders for the second playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division, while also still having a game in hand. If the Penguins can win this game in regulation it would help them put a little more distance between themselves and the teams on the outside of the playoff picture, while also moving them ahead of the Islanders for the second spot in the division (at least for the time being).
Long Island has been an incredibly difficult place for the Penguins to win over the years, and they already lost their first game of the season there this season in overtime.
The Islanders are a difficult team to really get a lock on. They do not have a lot of star power at forward. Their offense is not really great, averaging just 2.86 goals per game, ranking them 22nd in the NHL and near the bottom among playoff contenders. While their goals against numbers are strong, all of their defensive metrics are average at best, and bad at worst. They are 29th in the NHL in expected goals against per 60 minutes. 27th in scoring chances against per 60 minutes and 31st in high-danger scoring chances against per 60 minutes.
They give up A LOT.
The reason it does not show up in actual goals is very simple: Starting goalie Ilya Sorokin has not only played like a Vezina Trophy front-runner, he has played at a potential MVP level. He steals games regularly.
In other words, it is your typical NewYork Islanders team that is annoyingly frustrating to play against. You will get chances. You might tilt the ice on them. But because their goalie is better than most other goalies in the league and can mask all of those issues, it simply never matters.
They also have an immediate superstar in No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer who is running away with the Calder Trophy race. Those two guys have put the Islanders right in the thick of the playoff race. Winner of this game gets the second place spot in the Metropolitan Division. Loser is back on the playoff bubble. It is an absolutely massive four-point game.
As if that game is not big enough, the Penguins follow that on Tuesday night with another massive game in the Eastern Conference playoff race when they return home against the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings enter the week two points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and have really struggled over the past couple of months. They are just 7-10-3 in their past 20 games going back to the end of January, and have dealt with some significant injuries along the way to some of their top centers. They are also an incredibly top-heavy team.
Their top-four players (Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat and Moritz Seider) have been outstanding for most of the season, with Seider playing like a legitimate Norris Trophy candidate. But there is a huge drop-off in talent and production beyond that quartet.
That is especially true on defense.
When Seider is on the ice during 5-on-5 play the Red Wings are outscoring teams by a 64-46 margin with a 56.7 percent expected goals share.
When Seider is not on the ice during 5-on-5 play the Red Wings are being outscored by a 60-93 margin with only a 45.6 percent expected goals share.
Seider can take over a game. The Red Wings are also extremely vulnerable when he is not on the ice.
The Penguins have won the first two games between the two teams this season, including a 4-1 win in Detroit in late December that might have been the Penguins best, most complete defensive game of the season.
On Thursday the Penguins play what is probably their toughest game of the week when they travel to play the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning have an MVP-front runner in Nikita Kucherov (who has missed some time this week), a top-tier goalie in Andrei Vasilevskiy and a collection of front-line players that still make up a Stanley Cup contending core.
One player the Penguins may not see in that game is defenseman Victor Hedman who stepped away from the team this past week due to a personal matter.
Their playoff spot is mostly set, but they are playing for seeding.
The Penguins always seem to match up well with the Lightning, and have earned three out of a possible four points against them in their first two games this season, including a 4-3 win in Tampa Bay.
The week then concludes on Saturday and Sunday with a back-to-back, at home, against the defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in both games. While that may have looked like an extremely daunting stretch early in the season, or before the season, it does not seem to be as much right now.
The Panthers are not going to the playoffs. They are completely decimated by injuries right now and are playing a ton of AHL call-ups. They have won just seven of their past 20 games entering the week, and were absolutely humiliated on Saturday against the Islanders, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead and then allowing five consecutive goals in the second period on their way to a 5-2 defeat.
Playing the same team two games in a row, and on two days in a row, is a challenge. Especially when it is at the end of a five-game in seven-day stretch with two back-to-backs in that. But that Florida team is not particularly good right now, and the Penguins are getting them at home.
Overall there are 10 points up for grabs this week. I want to see the Penguins get at least six of them. That should be doable. That should be manageable. Anything after that is a bonus. You will hear a lot of talk about how Monday’s game is a must-win given the standings, but I am not going to go that far with it. The Monday game against the Islanders is probably a must-win if you want to secure the second-spot in the Metropolitan Division. It is not a must-win when it comes to securing a playoff spot.
If you can get at least six points this week that puts you at 94 points going into the final week of the regular season where you would have four games against the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues. In my view, 98 points is still going to be enough (the current cut-off line given everybody’s paces is 97 points, and as these teams play each other, and somebody has to lose, I suspect that could even drop by a point or two). You would then need two wins out of that stretch to get there. That is also doable. That is also very manageable.
The big X-factor in all of this will be the potential availability of captain Sidney Crosby and forward Evgeni Malkin. Both players practiced on Sunday, which is a good sign. Both players are making the trip to New York. Which is also a good sign. Until they are both back, however, it is all just guess-work and speculation.
The Penguins have held their own without one or both players so far this season. They could really use them right now in these games given how tight the standings are and how important these games and points are.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety George Parros is expected to attend the highly anticipated rematch between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks when the two clubs meet at Honda Center on Monday, The Hockey News has learned. It’s not unusual for the player safety boss to attend games that could rack up penalty minutes due to hostilities that carry over from previous incidents.
With the Maple Leafs possibly looking for retribution for what happened to their captain in their previous meeting at Scotiabank Arena, Parros’ attendance is one way the NHL can send a message to both clubs to avoid letting things get out of hand. On March 12, Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas laid a dangerous hit on Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews. Toronto’s captain sustained a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion, effectively ending his 2025-26 season.
“Certainly not happy about it,” Domi said of what happened to Matthews. “We play ‘em in a couple weeks".
The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Gudas five games for the hit. This drew criticism from Maple Leafs fans and Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver, who released a statement criticizing what he perceived to be a light punishment for a player with a history of these types of hits.
“In light of the obvious severity of the play, I am disappointed and shocked the league would allow such a ruling," Moldaver stated. "A phone hearing and five games is laughable and preposterous. While the process is set in our CBA, that this was the discipline is reckless and ridiculous. This decision results in a further loss of confidence in the disciplinary process for all players. Players and fans deserve better. The Player Safety Department should be suspended”.
Asked Auston Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver about his response to the ruling.
Here is his reply:
“In light of the obvious severity of the play, I am disappointed and shocked the league would allow such a ruling. A phone hearing and 5 games is laughable and preposterous.
Parros addressed the media and defended his team’s decision regarding Gudas's punishment when speaking to reporters at the NHL GM meetings earlier this month.
“I feel confident in this decision. We came to it for a good reason," Parros said. "When we evaluate these plays, we look at the play, not the players, right? And then we look at if we determine if that play was worthy of supplemental discipline. We then look at the history of the players involved and if there's an injury or not. This is how we come to make all of our decisions. We made this decision under those circumstances. We felt that this was the appropriate response, and so I stand by it”.
It is still not clear if Gudas will take part in the game after sustaining what appeared to be an ankle injury against the Calgary Flames on Thursday. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday that Gudas is intent on playing, despite missing Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
Whether or not Gudas plays, Monday’s game is expected to be penalty-filled. Parros’ presence will serve as a reminder to both sides that the league is watching closely to ensure that emotions do not boil over into unnecessary chaos.
The Islanders close out their five-game homestand tonight, with all the stakes on the line. It’s part of a critical back-to-back — they’re all “critical” right now — that finishes tomorrow in Buffalo. But tonight they can inflict direct damage on a fellow playoff spot contender and potential first-round opponent.
The Pittsburgh Penguins arrive having lost in regulation Saturday to the Stars, but bringing Sidney Crosby along in case he can return to the lineup tonight. They’re a point behind the Islanders but with a game in hand. And thanks to a late Bruins (92 pts., 74 games) comeback and shootout win in Columbus last night, both the Isles (89 pts., 74 games) and Pens (88 pts., 73 games) remain ahead of the Blue Jackets (88 pts., 74 games).
Islanders News
Takeaways from Saturday afternoon’s surging comeback win over the Panthers: “Don’t wait for the third period” like they did against Chicago, says Brayden Schenn. [Isles]
A stunning afternoon turned around another deflating poor matinee start. [LHH]
It was a good time for their best offensive period of the season. [Post | Newsday]
Nice moment for some of the depth pieces to step up, too. [Newsday]
Updating the Islanders’ prospect cupboard and overall ranking (#12), with high praise for Calum Ritchie, Kashawn Aitcheson, Victor Eklund, Cole Eiserman, Dmitri Gamzin and others. [Athletic]
Eklumd The Greater was the shootout hero in his AHL debut, after hitting the post in OT, too. [THN]
The Skinny: “Schaefer now has 195 shots on goal; the last rookie defenseman with at least 200 shots was Dion Phaneuf in 2005-06. Noah Dobson (206 in 2022-23 and 196 last season) is the only Islander defenseman with more shots on goal in the last 20 years.” [Isles]
Enter your personal data for a chance to win the jersey off someone’s back on Fan Appreciation Night. [Isles form]
Speaking of the Bruins (tangentially so), their old coach Bruce Cassidy, who guided Vegas to its only Stanley Cup, has been fired by the Knights and replaced by John Tortorella — a desperate move by a franchise that’s always making “bold” moves as if its owner’s biological clock is ticking. [NHL | Sportsnet]
The Knights have not had a great year in a weak division. But is that on the coach, or is their roster (and particularly their terrible goaltending) not as good as they think it is? [Athletic]
Discussing why save percentages are down and why that trend is here to stay (until the next correction). [NHL]
The Maple Leafs rolled over for the Blues but they can look past that to revenge against the Ducks tonight, even if Radko Gudas is already hurt. [Sportsnet]
The Red Wings are right on the playoff line, in danger of missing yet again. Should that finally put Steve Yzerman on the hot seat? [Sportsnet]
After about a decade in the organization, Rich Peverley is now an AGM in Dallas. [TSN]
It was an honor covering Bruce Cassidy on a daily basis for the last 4 seasons.
I don't think there's a coach in pro sports who puts more effort into explaining intricacies to the media and fans. It didn't matter if he was in a bad mood from a loss, or if the question was worded…
ELMONT, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 03: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins is defended by Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders during the game at UBS Arena on February 03, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…
With the regular season nearing its end, the Eastern Conference playoff race remains tightly contested, with about 10 teams battling for eight spots as momentum swings nightly. For the Pittsburgh Penguins, a crucial upcoming stretch—starting Monday night with a back-to-back set against the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings—could significantly define their playoff chances. [PensBurgh]
If the Penguins have any chance of solidifying one of the remaining playoff spots, getting contributions from healthy stars like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be crucial. Both players returned to practice on Sunday ahead of Monday night’s clash. [Trib Live]
It has been a frustratingly inconsistent season for forward prospect Ville Koivunen, marked by frequent call-ups and demotions between the NHL and AHL, all while trying to manage his development and the challenges of adjusting to the NHL level. Despite flashes of improvement and strong AHL production, he’s still working to translate that success into nightly production with Pittsburgh. [Trib Live]
Indiana Pacers guard and Pittsburgh native T.J. McConnell was seen repping his hometown hockey club on Sunday. The veteran was wearing a gold Crosby jersey on his way into the arena ahead of the Pacers’ game against the Miami Heat. [NHL]
Updates from around the NHL…
A late-season shake-up in Sin City: The Vegas Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy on Sunday and replaced him with John Tortorella. [ESPN]
The Seattle Kraken are interested in re-signing Bobby McMann after his strong start following a trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs. [Sportsnet]
The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Porter Martone, the No. 6 overall selection in the 2025 draft, to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced on Sunday. [TSN]
Luc Tardif said on Sunday that he will not seek re-election and will step aside from his role as president of the International Ice Hockey Federation when his current term ends in October. [TSN]
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.
Sharks center Michael Misa has shown lots of promise during his rookie NHL season.
“Kid’s going to turn up some juicy numbers,” an NHL scout, not affiliated with the Sharks, told San Jose Hockey Now. “He’s going to control the pace of a shift.”
Macklin Celebrini and Misa “will be possibly the best one-two center alignment in the NHL” one day, this scout predicts. “These two centers will change the West.”
But today?
Misa, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, is just trying to earn a little more ice time in his rookie campaign.
How can he get more playing time?
The 19-year-old center played a career-high 17:53 against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 21.
For the most part, however, Misa (13:12) has played fewer minutes than Macklin Celebrini (21:59), Alex Wennberg (20:20), and, sometimes, fourth-line center Zack Ostapchuk (10:19), since his return from World Juniors on Jan. 11. On the surface, playing that much less than Celebrini and Wennberg might not make sense.
But there is a logical reason for this: Celebrini and Wennberg are special teams’ staples, and even Ostapchuk plays more on the second-unit penalty kill than Misa on the second-unit power play. Misa isn’t necessarily ready for either top power-play time or short-handed minutes.
At even strength, Misa (12:07) is much closer in deployment to Wennberg (14:41). Celebrini (18:41), of course, is the alpha dog, while Ostapchuk (8:38) brings up the rear.
“For the most part, we’re a good team when we roll our lines,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “When he’s going, he’s playing. But there are games, as a young guy, you just fight a little bit, you play him a little bit less. And that’s something that he’s learning.”
Functionally, Misa is the Sharks’ third-line center right now, a heavy burden in a playoff race. He has done a credible job there, too, especially offensively, with six goals and 13 points in 27 games since Jan. 11.
But what does he have to do, in all honesty, to overtake Wennberg as the Sharks’ second-line center? If not this year, then next? It’s not that complicated, according to Warsofsky … but it’s not easy, either.
“He’s got to learn when he doesn’t have his A-game, which you’re not going to for 82 games, your C-game has to be impactful,” Warsofsky said. “And we’ve seen that with some older players, they’ve learned that. That’s just a step in his development.
“When he’s struggling to make [offensive] plays, he’s a playmaking center that can make plays, and there’s going to be games where he just doesn’t feel confident or you can’t connect on a play or your hands are not there that night or your legs … your play away from the puck, your physicality, defending, being responsible away from the puck, that’s how you grow.”
Wennberg, 31, is a model for this: The 2013 Columbus Blue Jackets’ first-round draft pick, while not as offensively gifted as Misa, has transformed himself into one of the better two-way centers in hockey.
“You look around the league, centers that can play defense,” Wennberg said, “you get trust from the coaching staff, and at the end of the day, [that] helps you win hockey games. That’s what it really comes down to.”
Misa understands that.
“It’s been a learning curve for me defensively,” Misa said.
So how, exactly, can Misa improve defensively?
When people talk about pace in hockey, they often refer to the offensive side, but defending with pace is just as important.
“Sometimes, the game has sped up on him a little bit, which is to be expected,” Warsofsky said. “You got to defend in this game. You have to be quick to do it and read it quick.”
Misa agrees with Warsofsky.
“For me, it’s more being aware of my responsibility, when their offense is in motion, guys are criss-crossing, just staying on my guy,” Misa said.
There were a couple of examples of potentially quicker reads that Misa could have made during the Sharks’ recent six-game losing streak.
Trent Frederic (10) pinches on Sam Dickinson (6); it’s a 50-50 puck battle along the wall. Misa (77) skates by, expecting Dickinson to come up with the puck. On the other hand, veteran center Adam Henrique (19) helps out his teammate, wins the puck, and finds Vasily Podkolzin (92) in the slot.
Jack Han, Hockey Tactics 2026 author, doesn’t put it all on Misa.
“80-20 [puck battle], then you should go,” Han said. “If it’s 20-80, then you shouldn’t. 50-50, hard to say.”
If Dickinson wins the puck to Misa, the centerman is off to the races, a step ahead of Henrique.
But that’s not what happened.
“Always supporting the play as the center,” Misa said. “It’s something I’m continuing to work on.”
It seems strange to blame Misa for this Rasmus Dahlin (26) breakaway goal, considering Dahlin was Mario Ferraro’s man. But if you rewind the tape, Dahlin gets a step on Ferraro (38) because of a slow Sharks’ line change: Ferraro, just jumping on the ice, never has a chance.
Once again, to be clear, the weight of this goal, like Podkolzin’s, isn’t mostly on Misa. But it’s the kind of defensive breakdown that a more veteran center might recognize quicker and try to help out on.
“I don’t know if he gets to Dahlin, either way,” Han said. “But if he looks, maybe he can get a stick on the pass.”
Misa also is still filling out his 19-year-old frame.
“Coming in as a young centerman, you got to get guys up in the corners and just be tougher on guys,” Misa said. “He wants me to be [better] defensively … playing [harder to play against] on guys.”
That said, Misa has made defensive strides this season.
“He’s good with puck battles, second effort on pucks, probably one area has really improved up since beginning of the year,” Warsofsky said.
Also, per Stathletes, Misa is fairly responsible with the puck.
For example, he has averaged just 3.21 Neutral Giveaways Per 60 since Jan. 11, fifth among Sharks forwards. Celebrini, who has earned that superstar license to try pretty much whatever he wants on the ice, actually is team-worst in this category, just over double Misa’s rate.
Misa’s puck management isn’t bad for a teenager who dropped 134 points on the OHL last year. Usually, that profile of a prospect is far riskier with the puck in his rookie year.
All this has Misa feeling more trusted, defensively.
“I’m getting a lot more chances to take defensive zone draws, because Warso is starting to trust me there,” Misa said. “It’s a good feeling. When you get out there defensively and you break the puck out and [that] leads to offense.”
Offense, of course, is what Misa is going to be known for.
And he has made strides there, too.
“He’s gotten more comfortable playing in the middle of the ice with the puck,” Warsofsky said. “When he gets pucks to the middle of the ice, he’s skating, he’s looking to attack. That’s one area that’s really improved…He’s comfortable with it on his stick. You can see he’s got his head up.”
This play by William Eklund and Michael Misa is actually disgusting! 🤢
“He has definitely improved, and is looking more comfortable and confident,” another NHL scout said, “looks more assertive and sure on the ice.”
The defense has grown for Misa. So has the offense. And more ice-time will come with it, maybe not this year, but next season, when he should be quicker and stronger.
“There’s still ways to go in that regard, and he’ll continue to learn and get better,” Warsofsky said. “We’ve had some really good moments of growth with Mis here. He’s gonna be a hell of a player. We’re excited about him. He’s come a long way from day one.”
Philadelphia Flyers (37-24-12, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Washington Capitals (37-28-9, in the Metropolitan Division)
Washington; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Flyers visit the Washington Capitals after the Flyers took down the Dallas Stars 2-1 in overtime.
Washington has a 13-5-2 record in Metropolitan Division play and a 37-28-9 record overall. The Capitals have gone 32-8-3 when scoring three or more goals.
Philadelphia is 37-24-12 overall and 9-8-5 against the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers are sixth in the league with 292 total penalties (averaging 4.0 per game).
The teams play Tuesday for the fourth time this season. The Flyers won the previous meeting 4-1.
TOP PERFORMERS: Alexander Ovechkin has scored 29 goals with 28 assists for the Capitals. Cole Hutson has one goal and four assists over the past 10 games.
Owen Tippett has 27 goals and 21 assists for the Flyers. Noah Cates has five goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Capitals: 6-2-2, averaging 3.1 goals, 4.6 assists, 3.8 penalties and 9.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Flyers: 8-1-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.2 assists, 4.1 penalties and 9.7 penalty minutes while giving up 1.8 goals per game.
INJURIES: Capitals: Ethen Frank: day to day (lower-body), David Kampf: out (not injury related).
Flyers: Rodrigo Abols: out (ankle), Nikita Grebenkin: out (upper body), Tyson Foerster: out (arm).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Montreal Canadiens (42-21-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (46-21-6, in the Atlantic Division)
Tampa, Florida; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens will try to build upon a five-game win streak with a victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tampa Bay is 46-21-6 overall and 13-5-1 against the Atlantic Division. The Lightning have a 16-5-3 record in games their opponents commit more penalties.
Montreal has gone 42-21-10 overall with a 13-9-1 record in Atlantic Division play. The Canadiens serve 9.8 penalty minutes per game to rank eighth in the league.
The teams play Tuesday for the third time this season. The Lightning won the last matchup 5-4 in a shootout. Nikita Kucherov scored two goals in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brandon Hagel has scored 35 goals with 38 assists for the Lightning. Jake Guentzel has eight goals and five assists over the past 10 games.
Lane Hutson has 11 goals and 62 assists for the Canadiens. Cole Caufield has nine goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 7-1-2, averaging 4.2 goals, seven assists, 3.7 penalties and 10.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Canadiens: 7-3-0, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.9 assists, 3.2 penalties and 8.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Lightning: Nikita Kucherov: day to day (illness), Max Crozier: out (abdomen), Dominic James: out (leg), Declan Carlile: out (undisclosed), Victor Hedman: out (illness).
Canadiens: Alexandre Texier: day to day (lower body), Patrik Laine: out (lower-body), Josh Anderson: day to day (illness), Kirby Dach: out (upper body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Fantasy hockey managers looking to tinker with their rosters will benefit from zeroing in on specific categories. Whether you are looking for long-term fits, short-term options or championship additions, there should be a plethora of potential pickups to help your squads.
Let's get into this week's suggestions for your consideration.
Jimmy Snuggerud RW, Blues (37% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots/Hits
Snuggerud started to heat up before the Olympic break, collecting three goals, 13 shots on net and nine points in six games. He remains red-hot offensively in March, supplying seven goals, 15 points, 42 shots and 14 hits in 13 appearances. Snuggerud fits in nicely on the top line with Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway. All three players possess plenty of fantasy value down the stretch. The Blues play four times on the road this week.
Mikael Granlund, C/LW/RW, Ducks (35% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots/PP
Granlund's four-game point streak ended in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Edmonton, but he has netted seven goals on 15 shots in his past five contests. He has lit the lamp four times with the man advantage during that stretch. The 34-year-old forward has been streaky this season, however, his versatility and Anaheim's busy four-game schedule make him an intriguing pickup option for this week.
Patrick Kane, RW, Red Wings (33% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots
Kane has compiled four goals and nine assists in his last 11 outings. He has three helpers on the power play, 36 shots on net and eight hits over that span. He is clicking with Alex DeBrincat, who is the only Detroit player who has more points than Kane in March. The 37-year-old Kane is doing his part despite the team's struggles down the stretch. He is a solid offensive option ahead of a four-game week for Detroit.
Bobby McMann, LW, Kraken (25% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots/Hits
McMann is proving to be a savvy pickup for Seattle ahead of the trade deadline, plus he is still widely available in Yahoo leagues. He has tallied seven goals and four assists in eight games since being acquired from the Maple Leafs. During that period, McMann has four multipoint performances, 23 shots on target and 17 hits. He has three goals on 10 shots and two assists during a three-game point streak. The Kraken have three games scheduled for this week.
Yegor Chinakhov, LW/RW, Penguins (20% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots/Blocks
Since being acquired from Columbus at the end of December, Chinakhov has been great for both Pittsburgh and fantasy managers. He has racked up 14 goals, 26 points, 87 shots on net, 19 blocked shots and 20 hits in 35 games with his new team. Following the Olympic break, he has averaged 17:00 of ice time per outing, while notching six goals and eight assists in 17 matches. Chinakhov has become a valuable member of the team's top six, and he possesses plenty of upside with the Penguins set to play a league-high five times this week.
Anders Lee, LW, Islanders (15% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Hits
Lee has reached the scoresheet in four of the last five games, registering one goal, three helpers and nine shots on net. He has three blocked shots and four hits over that time. Hot and cold offensively in March, Lee has improved since moving to the top line alongside Bo Horvat. Going into a four-game week for the Islanders, the 35-year-old Lee has plenty of offensive potential.
Arturs Silovs, G, Penguins (15% rostered) for Starts/Saves/Wins
Despite winning five of his eight appearances since returning from the Olympics, where he represented Latvia, Silovs has been up and down statistically. His lack of consistency brings some risk to the table, but Pittsburgh's five-game schedule, which includes two back-to-backs, will likely ensure that volume and opportunity won't be an issue. Silovs could also benefit from Stuart Skinner's recent struggles in the battle for playing time. The Penguins' weekend home set against the injury-plagued, struggling Panthers should make him a popular spot-starter option.
Jacob Fowler, G, Canadiens (14% rostered) for Starts/Saves/Wins
Fowler has seemingly taken over the No. 2 spot behind Jakub Dobes in the Montreal crease down the stretch. Sam Montembeault hasn't appeared in a game since March 6, while Fowler has started four of the last 10 games. The 21-year-old Fowler has gone 3-1-0 during that span while posting a 2.52 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. Montreal plays four times this week, including a back-to-back against New Jersey over the weekend.
Matt Savoie, C/RW, Oilers (5% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots
Savoie has amassed four goals on 22 shots and two assists in his past eight outings. He has a shorthanded goal and two game-winners during that span. Savoie has a pair of three-game point streaks in March, including a goal in each of his last three contests. He is a versatile player for Edmonton and fantasy managers this campaign while playing in all situations and at all three forward positions. Due to the absence of Leon Draisaitl, who is out for the remainder of the regular season due to a lower-body injury, Savoie occupies a spot on the top power-play unit. Savoie also skates alongside Connor McDavid at even strength. The Oilers play three times on home ice this week.
Igor Chernyshov, LW/RW, Sharks (3% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots/Hits
Chernyshov has accounted for five goals, 14 points, 32 shots on target, six blocked shots and 11 hits in 19 appearances with the Sharks this season. Since returning from a concussion, he has netted two goals on five shots while providing an assist and two hits in three games. His fantasy value received a boost with him skating alongside Macklin Celebrini at even strength. The 20-year-old Chernyshov could make for a solid under-the-radar addition during a four-game week for San Jose.
The 21-year-old has been an absolute ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark and gloomy Rangers season from the moment he arrived in New York. A smile has yet to leave his face. He would burst if he didn’t express the abundance of gratitude that has filled him since earning this opportunity.
More than that, Sykora has left his fingerprints on each of his first three games in more ways than one.
“I don’t know if you guys can see it, but his energy is unmatched,” Conor Sheary said of Sykora. “He’s constantly up on his feet. He’s banging his stick. He’s just, I mean, with all these guys, but especially him, he just brings an energy that’s contagious. He’s fun to be around, fun to play with.”
Sykora scored his second goal in as many games in a 3-1 win over the Panthers on Sunday afternoon, tipping an Adam Fox shot past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky for the 1-0 lead relatively early in the second period.
Adam Sykora of the New York Rangers celebrates his first NHL goal against the Florida Panthers. Getty Images
It came not long after Sykora engaged in his “first-ever fight in my life” with the Panthers’ Luke Kunin.
Based on Sykora’s goal celebration — jumping into the boards with an open-mouth smile — you would’ve thought it was his first. Though it’s possible the Slovak wing will never lose this level of enthusiasm.
“I feel [my] confidence might go up a little bit just playing more with the puck and just kind of settle things down,” Sykora said. “I’m never going to change anything on my game. Just still play simple. Have a good stick on the forecheck. Play through people. Be alive on the bench. Those kinds of things I want to bring to this team, and I’ll try my best.”
#NYR Adam Sýkora confirmed it was his "first ever fight in my life" today in win over Panthers:
"I don't want to drop the gloves. I still got to watch it. I don't know what happened there, but, yeah, I just try to bring everything every day. Sometimes, these things happen too." pic.twitter.com/WHctNXCPX9
Continuing to skate on the right wing of Vincent Trocheck and Will Cuylle, Sykora has racked up two goals on seven shots while averaging 12:31 of ice time per game so far.
The production is welcome, but Sykora’s personality is one that has brought the Rangers lineup back to life.
“It’s hard not to like that guy,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “The energy that he exudes, I don’t think he’s ever had a bad day in his life. He’s a fun guy to be around, but his work ethic, his attitude, the energy he brings is contagious. He’s an easy guy to root for, I can tell you that.”
Noah Laba returned to the Rangers lineup for the first time since March 18, when the rookie was sidelined with a lower-body injury for five straight games.
While centering the fourth line between Jonny Brodzinski and Jaroslav Chmelar, Laba assisted on Sykora’s goal in his 66th game of the season.
Adam Sykora made his debut for the New York Rangers on March 25. NHLI via Getty Images
“I thought he was good,” Sullivan said. “The biggest thing that I think he adds to our lineup is size and speed. He’s pretty good in the faceoff circle. He can kill penalties, but he can skate. His north-south game is good. We played him today with [Chmelar] and Jonny Brodzinski. I thought that line was excellent all night long.”
Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced in his 23rd win of the season Sunday afternoon against the Panthers.
Juuso Parssinen was returned to Hartford on Saturday. The Finnish center was a healthy scratch in seven of the past eight games.
Both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin returned to practice after missing Saturday's game against the Dallas Stars. Crosby left during Thursday's game against the Ottawa Senators with a lower-body injury and didn't return.
Malkin has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury he suffered during last Sunday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. He took a shot off his hand and was trying to shake it off for the rest of the game. He finished that contest before the Penguins announced that he was day-to-day.
Here's what the practice lines looked like on Sunday:
Forwards
Mantha-Crosby-Rakell
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
McGroarty-Kindel-Brazeau
Soderblom-Dewar-Koivunen
Defensive pairs
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Girard-Letang
Shea-Clifton
Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) skates up ice with the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
- Ryan Graves and Ilya Solovyov were skating on a fourth pair with Jack St. Ivany. Bryan Rust and Noel Acciari missed practice due to maintenance days. Both players got a little banged up during Sunday's game.
- Crosby and Malkin took contact during practice, but their status for Monday's game against the New York Islanders remains uncertain. Crosby traveled with the team to Long Island on Sunday, but nobody knows for sure if Malkin did yet. He stayed on the ice for a bit after practice ended.
- If the Penguins can get both Crosby and Malkin back for Monday's game, it would go a long way towards their chances of securing two points. Heck, even if it's only Crosby who returns, it would be huge. This is a good team when healthy, but they've been banged up so much throughout the season that we haven't been able to see them at full strength for long stretches.
- I'm going to say this in Monday's preview, but I'll say it here first: The game against the Islanders will be the Penguins' biggest game in two years. They're in the fight for their lives to make the playoffs, and a win would vault them into second place in the Metropolitan Division. It's one of their last divisional games of the season, and it comes with so much on the line. The Islanders are one point ahead of them going into this contest.
- I'd like to see Justin Brazeau get going down the stretch. I know his hot start to the season wasn't sustainable, but he has scored only two goals in his last 21 games and hasn't scored since Mar. 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights. A big goal or two would go a long way for his confidence and the team as the Penguins try to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
- The Eastern Conference standings have gotten even tighter heading into this week. The Penguins are only one point up on the Columbus Blue Jackets and two points up on the Philadelphia Flyers. This is going to be an insane finish to the season before the playoffs start the weekend of Apr. 18.
The Chicago Blackhawks have had a rough go on their East Coast road trip. They earned a win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday, but they would not say that they played particularly well. They found a way to hang onto their built-up lead, but their play was a sign of things to come.
The back-to-back on Thursday and Friday against the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers was a disaster for Chicago. They lost both by a combined score of 11-2.
This game went a little differently. The Blackhawks played well to open the game. They looked like the team that had a day off, while the Devils looked like they played one night prior (loss to the Carolina Hurricanes).
Early on, New Jersey goalie Jake Allen gave the puck away to Anton Frondell behind the net, and he found Ilya Mikheyev, who scored one of the easiest goals he'll ever score to make it 1-0.
The Devils tied it just after the halfway point of the first period, as Connor Brown tipped in a Luke Hughes shot. Just under two minutes later, however, Frank Nazar regained the lead for the Blackhawks with his 13th goal of the season. That 2-1 score held through the first intermission.
In the second period, the Devils severely outplayed the Blackhawks. New Jersey outshot Chicago 16-5, but thanks to Spencer Knight, only one goal was scored. Simon Nemec's game-tying goal made it 2-2.
The final frame was a back-and-forth affair. Penalties had something to do with that, as the Blackhawks took a 3-2 lead with a two-man advantage. Frank Nazar completed a pretty passing play with him, Connor Bedard, and Anton Frondell for his second of the game.
At that point, it looked like the Blackhawks were going to skate away with a win. Sometimes, coming up with that extra goal to reward a goalie is needed for the dressing room.
That would not be the case in this one, as Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils took over from there. Working with one assist already, Hughes set up a snipe by Dougie Hamilton to tie things up at 3. His cross-ice feed gave Hamilton all the room he needed to challenge Knight's far side.
Just 19 seconds later, Jack Hughes scored a goal of his own to give the Devils a 4-3 lead. To seal the deal, he threw one into an empty net to seal a 5-3 Devils win.
In yet another game in which the Blackhawks gave up 40 shots, Spencer Knight kept them in it with 35 saves. Both Chicago goalies have been excellent, but the young defense in front of them is living up to their age and inexperience.
Three young forwards presented a positive for the Blackhawks in this game. For one, Connor Bedard's 68th point set a new career high. He would have blown past that a while ago if he had never hurt his shoulder, but he has 8 games to build on that and go into next year ready to take another step.
Frank Nazar's first career multi-goal game set and extended a new career high in goals. When he's going strong, the Blackhawks are a stronger team in all three zones and on special teams, and he's been going strong for the last couple of weeks.
Anton Frondell had two assists in this game. It was his first career multi-point game, and he now has four points in four games played. He possesses a big shot, but he is still searching for his first goal to go with four assists. Based on his play, it won't be long before he finds that goal.
This game was an improvement over the first three on the road trip, despite the loss. They played better and competed much harder. Spencer Knight masked some mistakes, but this is all a part of their process.
The Chicago Blackhawks will be back in action again on Tuesday night when they will be back at the United Center to take on Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets.
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