ST. LOUIS – It was deja vu all over again for the St. Louis Blues.

They thought they had a game won, until they didn’t, and then fell in heartbreak in overtime, against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday night, falling 4-3 on a Shane Wright game-winner.

The Blues (5-8-3) were stunned on a Chandler Stephenson goal with 1.9 seconds left in regulation that needed league assistance for a potential goalie interference that wasn’t called before falling.

The Blues led 2-0 on goals by Dylan Holloway and Dalibor Dvorsky before Jordan Kyrou scored in the third period on his return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch Thursday that gave them a lead again.

Joel Hofer made 26 saves.

Let’s go right into Saturday’s observations, and we have some thoughts:

* The league truly doesn’t even know what goalie interference is – The subhead here speaks for itself. I don’t think the league has a clue what its own rule on this is, and that’s why the players, coaches, executives, anyone involved has no clue what goalie interference is.

When Chandler Stephenson scored from the high slot to tie the game 3-3 with – at the time – 0.5 seconds left in regulation, it momentarily stole a point away from the Blues, who know this feeling all too much going back to Game 7 of their first round playoff series.

But the pause on the ice was somewhat confusing, then officials made a call that there was a league-initiated challenge on the call.

Upon seeing multiple shots of the play, Seattle forward Jordan Eberle is by his own accord, in the crease, and his left skate sliding through the top of the crease, makes direct contact with Hofer’s stick, preventing him from having use of it along with his blocker.

Hofer got beat on that short side shot, and his stick and blocker were clearly impeded from using it.

The league review took some time, and I have no clue why it did, but when referee Gord Dwyer came back and confirmed it was a good goal, it left a building speechless. It left a team speechless and quite frankly, those that once again felt confused about a rule feeling even more convinced nobody knows what the rule is:

Make it make sense. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/pBVPQjRLF0

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) November 9, 2025

“We were certain on the bench that we were going to win the game because the criteria for goalie interference is first the player has to be in the blue paint,” Montgomery said. “Then he has to impede the goalie from playing his position. His left skate hits our goalie's stick, and when he hits the goalie's stick, his arm has to come in. He cannot use his blocker because of Eberle's foot hitting his stick and turning his arm in. The puck goes in on the blocker's side. For us, it meets all the criteria for goalie interference. We understand we’ll get a ruling from the league on it, but for us, it meets all the criteria for goalie interference. If it was not, if this was at the five-minute mark, we would have challenged it. That’s how certain we were.”

Montgomery said they would get an explanation from the league, but it’ll be no more than this laughable reasoning:

#stlbluespic.twitter.com/GL8AVggYFF

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) November 9, 2025

When already told what it said, and asked how could they come to this conclusion, he said, “I don’t know. I do wonder if they have a goaltender, an ex-goalie in the room because our goalie coach and the goalie explanation to me, I’m not an ex-goalie, is that it does impede your ability to use your blocker.”

Here is the rule itself, Rule 69.3:

Hofer wasn’t certain of the rule, only saying, “I mean yeah, my stick got hit there. I just didn't know if the guy was in the crease or not. I saw on the jumbotron that he was, so I don't know what the rule is. I thought the rule was that if the guy was in the crease, then it's no goal or if he stops me from making the save. I don't know what their thought process was on that, but yeah, I'll leave it at that.”

Hofer was also told of what the league ruling was, and was confused.

“I mean, like, I don't know. If my stick is there, who knows if it hits my shaft, who knows if it hits my blocker,” he said. “I guess nobody knows. I thought the only ground rule was if he was in the crease and he did. Like I said, nobody knows, but you can't be making assumptions if it's going to hit me or not. Nobody knows.”

Hofer looked at the replay and like the bench, felt confident it would get overturned.

“I'd say I was over 50 percent that I was confident, but yet I was still trying to stay focused because nobody really knows nowadays,” Hofer said. “I feel like every other week there's something that there's always a debate on it. That's kind of how the rule is.”

And what makes this even more perplexing is that on Oct. 30, Montgomery and the Blues won a challenge against the Vancouver Canucks that negated what would have been an Evander Kane go-ahead goal with just over three minutes remaining in regulation that was wiped out by what wasn’t nearly as egregious as this one was:

This was a Goalie Interference game on 10/30 vs VAN. It was called No Goal. HOW DID THIS IMPEDE THE GOALIE BUT EBERLE DIDN’T!!!! #stlblueshttps://t.co/ja80bUEFE1pic.twitter.com/0yl95lqhka

— Alex Ferrario (@Ferrario101ESPN) November 9, 2025

“It looked like a similar play against Vancouver where the guy kind of took our goalie’s stick and they disallowed it,” Kyrou said. “I thought it was going to be no goal, but I guess not.”

It’s quite obvious players are as confused as anyone with the grayness of goalie interference calls, especially ones where a team is quite certain the call will go their way.

“A little bit. I don’t know the exact definition of the rule, but I’ve seen calls go the other way in that kind of situation,” Holloway said. “A foot in the crease takes away the stick, I feel like I’ve seen that called the other way before. It’s definitely a bit of a gray area and just unfortunate that we couldn’t get that call.”

* Blues never had puck in OT – When Stephenson won the opening face-off from Robert Thomas, the Kraken would never lose the puck again.

The Kraken would reload a couple times, but the Kraken would keep possession of the puck the entire 1:57 until Wright potted the game-winner and send the Blues home stunned:

“Definitely tough,” Holloway said. “I have faith in our group that we have good enough players, good enough forecheck that they can get the puck back. It’s tough not to start with it, but it’s just stuff to learn from.

* Failure to close a game out again, iced puck three times with chance to hit empty net – Regardless of how the goalie interference call came down, the bottom line is the Blues did not close the game out.

They had three chances (Hofer, Thomas and Nick Bjugstad) to hit the empty net, and Hofer was behind his and narrowly missed to the left with 2:06 remaining, but it was the first icing.

Then Thomas was on the defensive side of the red line but Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour got a piece of his opportunity with 1:49 remaining.

And Bjugstad spun and hurled a chance down the ice from three-quarters length of the ice that also missed the empty target with 1:31 remaining, also an icing.

“We iced the puck three times I believe and we had two opportunities to end the game at the red line,” Montgomery said. “It’s an open net. The game should be over.”

The third icing came off the stick of Philip Broberg that brought the face-off back into the Blues’ zone with 11.8 remaining.

Since it was an icing, the Blues could not change, and Bjugstad had to take the face-off against Stephenson, which he lost. Montour grabs the puck, skates down the lefthand side, slings a backhand through the crease, off the boards and back out towards the right point retrieved by Matty Beniers, who finds Stephenson in the high slot for the shot and score.

“Obviously a call didn’t go our way,” Holloway said. “We thought that Eberle’s skate took out ‘Hofe’s stick there. We thought that based on the rule, that could be goalie interference, but obviously the refs didn’t see it that way.

“As a group, we’ve got to bounce back from that. Can’t be giving up a goal that late in the game. That’s on all of us on the ice. We got into a habit of that last year, so we’ve got to clean that up.”

* Explain how and why players “take our foot off the gas” – This has got to be the most confusing and baffling comment of taking the foot off the gas.

The Blues were ahead 2-0 after the first and were in a good position. Then were completely outplayed in the second period that enabled the Kraken to tie it on goals by Ryker Evans at 8:28 and Eeli Tolvanen on the power play at 15:25.

The Blues were outshot 15-5 in the period and seemed to be chasing the puck most of the period, and when they had it, were quickly giving it right back.

“I think they played to the goal line and we turned the puck over way too much,” Montgomery said. “At the offensive blue line, we had 10 turnovers in the second period. That’s us not willing to work offensively for opportunities. They had better gaps than they had in the first period. They played better. We played into their hands. Got to get better from it.”

But when you ask players why a period or a segment of the game sequence got away, it should drive a coach nuts when he hears something similar to this:

“We kind of just took our foot off the gas,” Kyrou said. “I think in the first we were really skating and we were winning a lot of our puck battles. I think in the second, we kind of just stopped skating and we stopped competing a bit.”

Added Holloway, “First period, I thought we were good. Second period, we kind of took our foot off the gas a little bit. Third period, I thought we were playing stingy hockey and guys are battling and trying to get that two points. There’s a lot of good from that game, but also a lot of stuff we need to work on.”

So it begs the question, why on earth would you take your foot off the gas when you were working so hard and so well. It just makes no sense when players say that. Why would you want to allow a team to gain momentum and build back up when you had them down? It makes no sense, and this isn’t just picking on these two players; they just happen to be the latest to say it, but countless other players in that locker room and around the league have said the exact same thing.

* Kyrou’s response was good – Kyrou was going to be determined. You know in the back of his mind, he was upset with getting healthy-scratched.

He played 16:00 and led the Blues in shots (four) and attempts (six). His goal at 5:10 of the third period put the Blues ahead 3-2 and was holding out to be the game-winner until the end:

Not how we drew it up probably but good with us. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/CEerWVB7Um

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) November 9, 2025

“Just felt good to give our team the lead,” Kyrou said. “It’s tough we couldn’t pull that win out today.

“I’m just trying to do what I can to help my team win tonight. … I thought I was skating well. I thought I was competing. I thought I was attacking the net more.”

Kyrou played with Thomas and Brayden Schenn on Saturday.

“I thought he was great tonight,” Holloway said of Kyrou. “He possesses a skill ability that not a lot of guys have. He’s definitely a valuable guy in our room. It was great that he got that big goal for us there in the third. I like ‘Rouzy’ a lot as a player. I think he’s awesome. He bounced back in a good way.”

Kyrou had a similar response like Mathieu Joseph had Thursday in a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

“He led us in shots, he led us in shot attempts,” Montgomery said of Kyrou. “I thought he was skating well. I thought he responded with what could have been the game-winning goal.”

* Blues came out with some fire – The Blues played with pace and aggressiveness in the opening 20 minutes and gained a 1-0 lead on Holloway’s goal at 5:30 off a good read intercepting a pass in the slot of the offensive zone:

a pizza right down Main Street 😂😂😂 🍕🍕🍕 pic.twitter.com/FKGgrDSzcE

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) November 9, 2025

Then when Dvorsky tried hitting Jimmy Snuggerud for a redirection goal in front on the power play at 9:40, Dvorsky was credited with the goal after it caromed in off Adam Larsson’s stick:

🚨 ⬜️ ⬜️
⬜️ 🚨 ⬜️
⬜️ ⬜️ 🚨

TIC-TAC-TOE-GOAL pic.twitter.com/BMOmwRezkM

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) November 9, 2025

“Good first, poor second, third was even,” Montgomery said. “We did some good things in the third. I thought from the eight-minute mark on, we didn’t really give them much. We had a chance to end the game with the (Alexey) Toropchenko chance to make it a two-goal game at the net front. It was a back-and-forth NHL game.”

* Hofer was sharp again – Regardless of the outcome, Hofer had himself another solid outing.

He was especially sharp to open the game and despite allowing two goals in the second, he kept the Blues tied in a period when they were outplayed by a wide margin.

It's the third straight strong start for Hofer, despite allowing four tonight.

“I've just got to find one extra save,” Hofer said. “We battled hard. Yeah, that one stings, thoug

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The vibes are high right now for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it's certainly no secret that new head coach Dan Muse is getting the most out of his 9-4-3 team - which is tied for third in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the league.

But the same cannot be said for the Penguins' former head coach with his new team. 

The New York Rangers and their new bench boss Mike Sullivan - who was at the helm for the Penguins from 2015-2025 - have struggled out of the gate this season. The Rangers sit at 7-7-2 with 16 points, which ranks sixth in the Metropolitan Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference. 

The Rangers have also scored a league-worst 35 goals, they have yet to win a game on home ice (0-6-1), and their top producer is defenseman Adam Fox, who has three goals and 11 points in 16 games. Their only forward with double-digit points is Artemi Panarin with 10, and no one else on their roster is at more than a half point-per-game. 

Suffice to say, they lack scoring depth and are struggling mightily to put the puck in the back of the net, even if the advanced analytics say they should be scoring more. Both their expected goals for (38.06) and expected goals share (57.29 percent) - according to Moneypuck - are top-four marks in the league, but they simply cannot finish their chances.

Rangers' Home Struggles Reach A New Low In Loss To Islanders Déjà vu is the best word to describe the New York Rangers’ 5-0 home loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday night. 

This is an issue that the Sullivan-era Penguins had for the last several years of Sullivan's tenure in Pittsburgh, and it seems to have carried over to his time with the Rangers so far. The process is there, but the finishing talent simply isn't.

So, what does this mean for the Rangers? Of course, there is still a lot of season left, and the East is a very tight race. Only eight points separate the top of the conference from the bottom of the conference, and the same goes for the Metro. Moneypuck also still has the Rangers at top-eight odds to make the playoffs at 74.7 percent.

But, if they are to turn around their season, their top players in J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis LaFreniere need to start producing with more frequency. And only time will tell if the Rangers' issues stem more so from coaching or from personnel or if Sullivan and his team can overcome their early-season struggles. 

Penguins Earn Point In 'Prove-It' Game Against New Jersey DevilsAt this time last season - and in the two seasons before - there was always an overwhelming sense of frustration when the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> lost precious points in overtime and in the shootout.&nbsp;

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At this time last season - and in the two seasons before - there was always an overwhelming sense of frustration when the Pittsburgh Penguins lost precious points in overtime and in the shootout. 

Last season, they managed to reverse a lot of their overtime woes. They appear to play well in overtime this season, too, but the trouble is that they haven't yet finished a game in OT, which has led to three shootout losses - an area in which the Penguins have lost 10 out of their last 11.

But, even after yet another shootout loss - this time a 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils, the top team in the East - it doesn't quite feel like a loss.  There is a new air around this Penguins' team, and they largely passed the test against one of the league's best teams on Saturday. 

After the Devils came out strong in the first five minutes of play, the Penguins slowly began a takeover. They controlled play and possession for pretty much the entire final 15 minutes of play in the opening frame. 

Unfortunately, a costly defensive zone turnover by defenseman Kris Letang led directly to an Arseny Gritsyuk goal. Letang had the puck near the left circle, and Gritsyuk was behind him. Instead of simply putting the puck up the wall, he tried a no-look backhand pass right into the slot, which Gritsyuk intercepted and took straight to the goal, beating Silovs.

And that is where it became pretty clear that the Penguins are simply a different team than in years past. We've seen egregious defensive zone turnovers from the Penguins before - especially from their core players - essentially deflate the team for the rest of the game and lead to disaster.

But that's not what happened in this one. The Penguins responded with yet another dominant period, spending most of the period hemming New Jersey in their own zone and generating scoring chances. They had all kinds of Grade-A looks, but they were rewarded with one of the most fluky goals of the season so far. 

Defenseman Ryan Graves - recalled from the AHL prior to Thursday's 5-3 win against the Washington Capitals - simply threw a puck toward the net from the left point. The puck hit off of what appeared to be Devils' forward Ondrej Palat's face on the way in - he was okay after the shot - and went in the net to tie the game at 1-1. 

The Devils pushed back a bit in the third, and the period was a bit more even and back-and-forth. The game went to OT - a thrilling one, at that - before Silovs could not stop either Paul Cotter or Jesper Bratt in the shootout and neither Bryan Rust or Sidney Crosby could score. 

Of course, the Penguins don't want to keep surrendering points in shootouts. But all three of their shootout losses this season haven't exactly felt like games where they're giving points away. Instead, they feel like points well-earned - even if they could have gotten the two points.

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Here are a few takeaways from this one:

- He did not register a point in this one. But Erik Karlsson was outright brilliant in this game. And, as good as he's looked this season as a Penguin, this is one of the best games he's played in the uniform. 

His skating was on another level. He transitioned into the offensive zone with blazing footspeed on more than one occasion, and he was also able to bring himself back into the play on the backcheck when he needed to. He was outstanding defensively in the overtime period, and he made an excellent defensive stick play on the backcheck when the Devils were developing a two-on-one before stymying the play altogether. 

This coaching staff is getting the most out of Karlsson, and I think it goes back to some things both he and Ryan Shea said to me a few weeks back about mutual trust between players and coaches coming as a result of communication and understanding what the other needs. Karlsson also made some interesting comments to The Athletic's Josh Yohe in the postgame, which - in a way - indicted the old coaching guard.

It's not an exaggeration to say that Karlsson - aside from Crosby - is the most important player on this team. It's not a coincidence that the Penguins are a good team this season and that Karlsson is in Norris Trophy form this season. 

It's remarkable to watch. If he can keep up this level, the Penguins might be going places. 

- Silovs was magnificent in this game. I'm not even going to expend the energy discussing how much he struggles in shootouts, as he is now just one of eight on shootout attempts this season. 

I want to focus on how good he was in this game to get the Penguins to the shootout in the first place. Pittsburgh should have put more than one goal on the board with the way they were dominating. But they didn't, and Silovs had to make some tough saves. 

The best of them came in the waning seconds of the middle frame, when Danton Heinen committed a bad turnover in front of his own net in the slot. The puck found its way to Jack Hughes, who sent the puck across the low slot area and over to Bratt. 

And Silovs made what will probably be one of the best NHL saves of the year.

He is a legitimate problem in shootouts right now, and it's something the Penguins might have to address at some point. But he was brilliant in this game and deserves a lot of credit for the Penguins getting a point out of this one. 

- The Penguins' penalty kill, once again, came through for them in this game. They killed off two penalties - and one of them came in the second part of the third period in a tie game and as a result of Evgeni Malkin delivering an ill-advised cross-check on former Penguin Cody Glass - and made it look relatively easy. 

The power play only got one opportunity in this one and was zipping the puck around on it. That unit remains No. 1, while the penalty kill is up to eighth in the league. 

Todd Nelson (power play) and Mike Stothers (penalty kill) have done wonders for the special teams units, and they are making a world of difference for this team.

- Graves has been perfectly solid since being inserted back into the lineup. He's making simple plays, he's not holding onto the puck too long in the defensive zone, he's controlling his gaps, and he's playing unafraid. 

I think his defensive partner, Connor Clifton, has had some bouts of uneven play, even if he was pretty solid in this one. The Penguins still have some decisions to make regarding their defensive corps and 19-year-old rookie Harrison Brunicke, who played in his ninth NHL game Monday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

If Graves keeps this up, I almost want to see how he'd do alongside the dynamic but flawed youngster in Brunicke, assuming he sticks around for the time being. It's only been two games, but I think Graves has - so far - been better than any other blueliner who has occupied that left side on the third pairing so far this season.

- It's abundantly clear that the second line is missing Justin Brazeau. I think Tommy Novak has been perfectly serviceable there, and he's been playing quite a bit better in recent games. But that line - with Malkin and Anthony Mantha as its other cogs - isn't nearly as dominant as it was, and I think their size was a big part of that.

We'll see who finds a home there without Brazeau, but I'm almost inclined to say that Ville Koivunen should get a look. Koivunen has been very good in recent games, but he simply cannot buy a goal. He and Malkin had shown chemsitry in that small sample size last season, and I'd like to see if they can build on that. 

- The Penguins will face the Los Angeles Kings for the second and final time this season Sunday afternoon. It will likely be top goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov's NHL debut. 

The Penguins have had their way with the Kings in recent years, as they have won four out of the last five games against them and have outscored them 17-10 in those games. They also tend to play a tight-checking game in these contests.

Either way, it should be a special afternoon for Penguins' fans and for Murashov, as it is a potential glimpse at the Penguins' future at the position. 

Be there. It should be a good one. 

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LAS VEGAS -- Golden Knights forward William Karlsson did not come out for the second period of Saturday night's game against Anaheim, and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

Karlsson played the first 20 minutes and took his last shift as the first period ended, not appearing to take an injury.

Karlsson was interviewed between periods for the TV broadcast by rinkside reporter Jamie Hersch, and though he did not appear injured, he appeared to be winded. While that's to be expected, considering he just left the ice and had 5:03 of time on ice, the Golden Knights television play-by-play broadcaster Dave Goucher pointed out Karlsson appeared out of breath.

Karlsson assisted on Brett Howden's first-period goal, which gave Vegas an early 1-0 lead before Anaheim tied the game later in the period.

Karlsson has appeared in all 14 games for Vegas, and has six points (4 goals, 2 assists).

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves was called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before Thursday's win against the Washington Capitals.

The Penguins liked how he started the season in WBS after he was waived following training camp, compiling one goal and seven points in 10 games. He came up in place of Owen Pickering, who was re-assigned to WBS in a corresponding move. The Penguins also recalled forward Danton Heinen and goaltender Sergei Murashov due to injuries. 

Graves had a fine game against the Capitals on Thursday and made a nice keep at the blue line that eventually led to Anthony Mantha's goal that made it 3-0. The Penguins blew that lead in the second period before winning 5-3. 

Graves played his second game of the season with the Penguins on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils and scored the game-tying goal in the second period. He ripped a shot from the point, and it went off Ondrej Palat and in. Yes, he got a lucky bounce, but it was still a big goal since it helped the Penguins get a point before they lost in the shootout. 

GRAVES GOAL ‼️ pic.twitter.com/sfX2rclGqu

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) November 8, 2025

Graves is the 17th Penguins' player to score a goal this season. He was steady on the third pair, which hasn't been the case during most of his Penguins' tenure. 

The Penguins will try and get back in the win column on Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Kings. 

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NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Horvat scored twice to move into a tie for the NHL lead and the New York Islanders kept the New York Rangers winless on home ice with a 5-0 victory of their biggest rival Saturday night.

Jonathan Drouin and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each added a goal and two assists for the Islanders and Anders Lee also scored.

Ilya Sorokin made 34 saves as the Islanders ended a five-game losing streak to the Rangers and won for the second time in the past 10 meetings with their biggest rival.

Horvat moved into a tie with Sidney Crosby and Cutter Gauthier for the league lead by scoring his 10th and 11th goals this season. Horvat had his third multi-goal game this season by finishing off a 2-on-1 with Emil Heineman with 9:31 left in the first period and scoring a power-play goal late in the second.

Drouin scored with 33 seconds left in the opening period when he finished off a 2-on-1 with Anthony Duclair. Drouin made a backhand pass from near the crease for the Islanders’ third goal when Horvat lifted a shot from the right circle over goalie Igor Shesterkin.

Sorokin posted his second shutout of the season. He entered the game 3-6-2 with a 3.46 goals-against average in 11 career games against the Rangers.

Sorokin posted his second career shutout against the Rangers and started it with an arm save on Artemi Panarin in the opening minute. He also denied Mika Zibanejad on two point-blank chances during a Rangers’ power play shortly before Horvat scored his second goal.

Up next

Islanders: Visit New Jersey on Monday.

Rangers: Host Nashville on Monday.

NEW YORK, NY -- It had been three years to the date since the New York Islanders came away victorious at Madison Square Garden. But that came to an end on Saturday night, as they defeated their cross-town rival, the New York Rangers, 5-0 to snap a five-game losing streak (0-4-1) in this building.  

The Rangers have now been shut out five times in seven games at home this season. 

Bo Horvat was electric, notching his 10th and 11th goals of the season and now sits tied for the NHL lead in goals with Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, Anaheim Ducks' Cutter Gauthier, Montreal Canadiens' Cole Caufield, and Boston Bruins' Morgan Geekie.

The first of the two came when the Islanders were struggling mightily to establish anything in the first period. Off the rush, Emil Heineman hit Horvat on the tape to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 10:29 of the first. 

The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) on XBo Horvat now sits tied for second in the NHL with goals (10), behind Sidney Crosby and Cutter Gauthier, who have each scored 11 goals this season.

With that goal, Horvat extended his point streak to five games. With the assist, Heineman extended his point strak to three games (one goal, two assists). 

Sandwhiched between Horvat' red lights, Jonathan Drouin finished off a nifty saucer pass from best friend Anthony Duclair to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead at 19:27 of the second period. 

Pageau, Duclair & Drouin connect.

The new French Connection line.
🇨🇦🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/2rYbQFBUpy

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) November 9, 2025

That was Drouin's second goal of the season. 

Horvat's second of the game came off a gorgous feed from Drouin. With a chance to shoot from the top of the crease, he had the awarness to konw that Horvat was behind him, ready and waiting. Horvat rifled Drouin's drop pass top shelf to extend the Islanders' lead to 3-0 at 18:42 of the second. 

Bo Horvat's 11th has him tied with Crosby, Gauthier & Caufield for the #NHL lead.

What a pass by Drouin 🍎 #Islespic.twitter.com/JPWExj4aZu

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) November 9, 2025

With 2:01 to go, Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored an empty-net goal. 

Andeds Lee made it 5-0 with 29.9 seconds to play off the rush.

llya Sorokin was brilliant in goal despite facing a low volume of shots. He turned aside all 29 shots that came his way. 

The Islanders play the second of their seven-game road trip in Newark on Monday with puck drop against the New Jersey Devils at 7 PM ET. 

Former Philadelphia Flyers goalie Anthony Stolarz had a tough night between the pipes for the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

During the Maple Leafs' Nov. 8 matchup against the Boston Bruins, Stolarz allowed four goals on just 19 shots, which equates to a .789 save percentage.

Due to his struggles against the Bruins, Stolarz was pulled by the Maple Leafs after David Pastrnak scored at the 4:41 mark of the second period to give Boston a 4-2 lead. It was the second goal Stolarz allowed early in the second period, too, as Mikey Eyssimont also scored on him at the 2:15 mark

Stolarz entered the Maple Leafs' contest against the Bruins with a 6-4-1 record, a .895 save percentage, and a 3.11 goals-against average in 11 games. Overall, the former Flyer has had a bit of an underwhelming start to the season for his standards with the Maple Leafs, and this start has only added to that.

However, when looking at Stolarz's recent seasons, there is clear reason to believe that he can bounce back for Toronto. The former Flyer had the best save percentage in the NHL both in 2023-24 (.925 SV%) and 2024-25 (.926 SV%), so it would not be surprising in the slightest if he heats back up as the campaign rolls on. 

Stolarz was selected by the Flyers with the 45th overall pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he played two seasons with the Flyers, where he posted a 14-6-4 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.86 goals-against average. 

The Nashville Predators drop their sixth one-goal game of the season in a 5-4 result to the Dallas Stars on Saturday at Bridgestone Arena. 

The Predators had a lead in the third period, but two defensive breakdowns allowed the Stars to tie the game and take the lead. The goals were 47 seconds apart. 

 "We talked about it at length with the mental fortitude and the mistakes at the wrong time," head coach Andrew Brunette said. "We fall asleep on the two goals. We were in a good spot. Stammer (Stamkos) 
had an unbelievable shot for a power play goal and it puts us in a good spot. Then we have two major, major breakdowns. It's hard to overcome." 

Luke Evangelista jump-started the Predators' offense in the first period to tie the game 1-1. In the second period, Nicolas Hague scored his first goal as a Predator, tying the game at two. 27 seconds later, Filip Forsberg gave Nashville a 3-2 lead. 

Giving away the lead again in the third period, Steven Stamkos scored on the power play with a one-timer to take the lead back. Dallas responded with two quick goals and closed out on defense for the win.

Here are three takeaways from the Predators loss to the Stars. 

Nearly winning again 

The Predators haven't been blown out too many times this season. They've lost by three goals or more just five times this season, meaning that the Predators have won or had a real chance to win in 12 of their games this season. 

The loss was another example of a mental error costing Nashville points. Montreal had two late goals from Caufield and Jonathan Marchessault's blocked empty net shot. Vancouver and Utah, it was Nashville giving their opponent an inch and then taking a mile to score a game-winner in overtime. 

Saturday, the defense broke down midway through the third period for less than two minutes. 

Colin Blackwell is walking into the Predators' zone untouched and going behind the net before passing it out to a wide-open Adam Erne in the slot for the goal.

Nearly a minute later, Mikko Rantanen stretches passes to Wyatt Johnston entering the zone, and he quickly finds Sam Steel on the weak side for the goal. It's two situations in which the Predators were chasing the puck rather than following the play. 

Stamkos pointed out that this was a game in which the offense was clicking and that it was a defensive lapse that proved costly. Throughout the early season, the Predators' defense has been the stable of the two. 

"The games we play well defensively, we can seem to get that extra goal to put us over the hump and tonight we score four, give up five," Stamkos said. "It's obviously frustrating when you're in as many games as we are and you're losing those by slim margins of errors."  

Unable to stay out of box

Over the last few years, Nashville has finished among the most penalized teams in the league, following that "Smashville" identity. However, given the current struggles, penalties are becoming a serious issue. 

The Predators went to the box five times, three of which were in the first period. While the penalty unit was efficient once again, killing 4 of 5 penalties, the odd-man situations put the Predators on the back foot. 

"We took a lot of penalties tonight, which taxes a lot of guys," Stamkos said. "They're a good team, have a good power play and that gave them a lot of momentum. We clawed back after a tough first period to make a game of it." 

Instead of looking to score, the Predators are spending most of their time trying to prevent their opponent from finding the back of the net. Nashville was outshot 7-4 in the first period, but still managed to leave the first 20 minutes with a 1-1 tie. 

Dallas' penalties started to pile up in the third period, seeing Stamkos convert on the one-timer opportunity for the lead. However, the unit is still struggling, even when it finds the back of the net. 

Blackwell took a tripping penalty with four minutes left in the game, while the Predators were down a goal, and they could not score. On the night, Nashville's power play was 1-for-4. It's an improvement, but it's still not enough. 

"We weren't good enough from the start. Too many costly mistakes," Hague said. 

Annunen still winless on year 

The Predators' backup goalie, Justus Annunen, is still winless in the early season, sitting at 0-3-1. He started in all four of the games.

Three of the four games were decided by a goal. A power-play goal decided a loss to the Stars on Oct. 26 in the third period. The overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild, 3-2, was on a controversial rebound goal with the net dislodged. 

In the rematch against the Stars, it was two quick goals that prevented Annunen from picking up that coveted first win of the season. 

He's faced 78 shots and made 68 saves for a goals-against average of 3.70 and a save percentage of .872. Annunen hasn't been tested as much as starter Juuse Saros, who leads the league in total saves and is second in total shots faced. 

Up next: Nashville Predators at New York Rangers on Monday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. CST 

As the NHL moves deeper into its 2025-26 regular season, there’s a youth movement at the top of the league’s scoring rankings. Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard had a goal and four points in Friday’s win over the Calgary Flames to give the 20-year-old Bedard eight goals and 14 assists in 15 games and put him in second-place overall in the league with 22 points.

However, another dynamic young star had a terrific performance Friday night, and we are talking about San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, who had a goal and two points in a 2-1 Sharks win over the Winnipeg Jets to give him nine goals and 14 assists in 15 games. The 19-year-old Celebrini, who is in his sophomore NHL season, is looking like he’s going to demolish his 2024-25 individual numbers of 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games. 

It’s no coincidence the Sharks have won five of their past seven games. Indeed, if you throw away their six-game losing streak to start the season, San Jose is 6-2-1 and now has a 6-6-3 record this year. They currently and surprisingly sit just two standings points out of a Stanley Cup playoff spot.

The Sharks haven’t been a playoff team since 2018-19, and in the six seasons that followed, San Jose hasn’t finished higher than sixth in their division, and they’ve finished seventh or eighth four times. So all this “being competitive” stuff has that new car smell to it.

But don’t take the Sharks’ recent strong stretch to mean Celebrini has done all the heavy lifting. Sophomore star winger Will Smith has also been on a point-producing tear, posting six goals and 14 points in 15 games. That’s a pace that would easily beat his rookie totals of 18 goals and 45 points in 74 games. 

Somehow, with a patchwork defense corps and an offense that ranks 10th-overall in the league at 3.33 goals-for per game, the Sharks have been able to win despite having the NHL’s third-worst defense (averaging 3.60 goals-against per game) and inconsistent goaltending. 

At its best, San Jose can overwhelm opposition defenders, and here’s the crazy part: Sharks GM Mike Grier has managed his draft and development teams so well, Celebrini and Smith are just two members, prominent as they are, of a Sharks future that includes top picks Michael Misa and Sam Dickinson. 

In addition, the Sharks also have not one, but two first-round draft picks and a pair of second-round picks at the end of this year. There could be an opportunity for Grier to convert some of those picks and prospects into a needle-moving veteran in a trade, but even if that fails to materialize, San Jose is going to get more high-end young players in its system. That will mean improvement from the Sharks as a whole.

So while Celebrini and Smith are currently thriving, what’s truly great about the Sharks is that they’re going to be very deep and talented in terms of players other than Celebrini and Smith. They are the franchise pieces for this organization, but Grier has painstakingly worked to improve his team’s overall depth, and that’s why there’s soon going to be a day when San Jose is regularly dominating its opponents.

Hall Of Famer Says Celebrini Deserves To Be On Canada's Olympic Team: 'I Just Hope He Gets A Chance'Joe Thornton, who is Macklin Celebrini's landlord again this year, has seen the No. 1 overall pick grow from an offensive-minded rookie who was a minus-31 last season to an all-around center who is leading the NHL in scoring.

That day may not be this season. In fact, it probably won’t be this season. But how refreshing it must be to be a Sharks fan right now. They've suffered through many ugly seasons, but the franchise now has foundational high-end talent for it.

And soon enough, San Jose will be a preferred destination for the league’s free agents. It’s all starting to fall into place for the Sharks, and Celebrini and Smith are leading the way with the type of performances you hope for in your young core components. They're worth the price of admission, and eventually, they're going to be strong challengers to win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

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There were few players who were more dominant when they were at the top of their game than Sergei Fedorov, and his reputation of being one of the NHL's most exciting and dynamic players was more than deserved. 

The bulk of Fedorov's NHL career was spent with the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he won the Stanley Cup three times along with numerous other awards. 

While the split between Fedorov and the Red Wings in 2003 caused some animosity, both sides have since mended fences.

It was announced prior to this season that Fedorov's iconic No. 91 jersey would be raised to the rafters at Little Caesars Arena prior to a Jan. 12 game against the Carolina Hurricanes, making him the latest Red Wings player to receive the honor. 

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

Fedorov's longtime teammate Nicklas Lidstrom, a Hall of Famer in his own right who had his jersey number retired in years past, believes that Fedorov is well-deserving of the honor.

"Sergei had a tremendous career," Lidstrom said on Friday. "When I came to the Wings, he came in a year before I came and Sergei was already a star when I joined the team. A couple of years later he was a superstar in the NHL. A Hart Trophy winner, Stanley Cup winner, Selke (award), he won everything, so it's well deserved to see his jersey go up to the rafters."

Fedorov himself looked back at the incredible accomplishments that he, Lidstrom, and the rest of the Red Wings were able to achieve during the height of their successes together that united the city and built a dynasty. 

"We had a few disappointing seasons, but we never thought we cannot have done it - the fans drove us, supported us, win or lose, bad or good," Fedorov explained. "It was an amazing platform for us to continue this hard working process until eventually to get that precious trophy to the city, to the state, to the fans."

"I Hope He Will Be Proud" Former Red Wings Forward Honors Sergei Fedorov The news that fans of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit Red Wings</a> had been waiting for was finally delivered last month.

"Those parades, over one million people," he continued. "I think it was a sea of people. It was a tremendous honor to be on that stage and speak to all those people who really want us to succeed. And really thank God we did it. This kind of winning attitude, winning manner helped one another."

Fedorov is in town for the ongoing Red Wings Centennial Celebration fan fest, and he'll be back in Detroit in early January for his jersey retirement ceremony. 

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Paul Cotter scored the shootout winner, Jake Allen stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced in regulation and overtime as the New Jersey Devils beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Saturday to take sole possession of first place in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division.

Jesper Bratt also scored in the shootout, and Allen turned aside Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby to win a game for New Jersey that the Penguins dominated for long stretches. Arturs Silovs’ struggles in the shootout continued, as he has allowed seven shooters to score on eight attempts this season.

Allen was the best player on the ice for the Devils, who entered the game tied with Pittsburgh in the standings after beating Montreal in overtime on Thursday night. The only goal he allowed was a pinball deflection shot by former New Jersey defenseman Ryan Graves that deflected in off Ondrej Palat.

Arseny Gritsyuk also scored, taking advantage of a brutal turnover by Kris Letang and beating Silovs with 57.5 seconds left in the first period for his third goal of his rookie season. Devils captain Nico Hischier missed a few shifts in the third after taking a puck to the face but returned before the end of regulation.

Silovs made a highlight-reel save in the second, flashing his glove to rob Jack Hughes. He finished with 23 saves in his ninth start of the season, before faltering again in the shootout.

Anthony Mantha fought Brenden Dillon midway through the first after Dillon laid out Thomas Novak with an open-ice hit.

Up next

Penguins: Return to Pittsburgh to face the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, kicking off a six-game homestand.

Devils: Host the New York Islanders on Monday night in No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer’s first career game in Newark.

By Jared Clinton, Features Writer

Had he the inclination, there are any number of ways Corey Schwab could dress up the story of Karel Vejmelka.

A former NHL netminder-turned-Utah Mammoth goalie coach, Schwab could spin a yarn about the process that led to the discovery of a hidden gem. If he so desired, Schwab could say he and the then-Arizona Coyotes staff saw what no other scouts did. He could even go one step further and suggest that in those first viewings, he spotted in Vejmelka all the hallmarks of a future big-league starter.

The truth isn’t just generally stranger than fiction, though – it’s also often more compelling. And when it comes to Karel Vejmelka, the reality is that no one involved in bringing the Czech netminder to the NHL knew what they had uncovered.

Evidence of this can be found in the press release that accompanied Vejmelka’s signing of a one-year, entry-level contract in May 2021. It includes a three-sentence comment from GM Bill Armstrong, noting the organization would “monitor his development.”

Later, when Vejmelka arrived at training camp, his presence was met without a hint of fanfare. He was, with all due respect, a footnote, and that includes in The Hockey News’ 2021-22 Yearbook. In the issue, the only mention of Vejmelka can be found in Arizona’s expanded roster. He was not on the depth chart, nor was he mentioned in the briefing about the Coyotes’ goaltending.

“We were bringing him over as a free agent just to add to the depth of the organization,” Schwab said. “We were in a rebuilding stage at the time. Carter Hutton was coming in, coming off an injury, and he was our most experienced guy coming into that season. So, to say that Karel would become the No. 1 in the NHL that year, I think that’s a stretch for myself or my goalie staff that was considering signing him.”

In some ways, it was a stretch for Vejmelka to be even in that position.

Growing up in Trebic, Czech Republic, Vejmelka was never supposed to be a goalie. At least not as far as his father, who coached the local junior club, was concerned. During his own career, Vejmelka’s father – also named Karel – had been a forward, and he saw a future for his son as a skater, not a netminder. And from the time the younger Vejmelka first put on skates as a three-year-old on through his earliest years of youth hockey, he steered clear of the crease.

Obviously, my dad wasn't very happy. I think he's happy now. It was a good decision for me- Karel Vejmelka on choosing to play goalie.

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Eventually, though, the art of goaltending, in a literal sense, began to call to him. Vejmelka became infatuated with the style and flair of masked men both at home and abroad. He loved the gear, doodling mask designs and dreaming up ideas for pads of his own. And when Vejmelka finally persuaded his dad to let him strap on the goalie gear, he knew he’d found his calling.

“Obviously, my dad wasn’t happy,” Vejmelka said. “I think he’s happy now. It was a good decision for me.”

That would have been the case even if it meant Vejmelka’s ceiling was a career spent in the Czech League. And for a time, it looked as though that would be the case. Sure, Vejmelka drew enough attention from big-league bird-dogs for the Nashville Predators to select him in the fifth round, 145th overall in 2015, but it appeared that would be where his pursuit of the NHL dream was set to end. After attending a few development camps in Nashville, he went unsigned.

Vejmelka said that, looking back, the failure to land a deal with the Predators gave him a “special energy” that drove him forward, but the now-29-year-old admits there were times when doubt crept in.

“It wasn’t easy for me mentally,” he said. “I really wanted to sign an NHL contract one day.”

The turning point for Vejmelka was the 2018-19 campaign. Having spent the previous seasons flitting between loan spells and top-division play, Vejmelka asserted himself as HC Kometa Brno’s starter. The following season, he played the third-most games among all Czech League keepers. And by 2020-21, he caught the Coyotes’ attention.

“He fit the mold for a prototypical NHL goalie,” Schwab said. “The European game is a little bit different. You’re able to be a little more aggressive at times. So his ability to move and his lateral mobility, his quickness and his recovery that he had, those were some of the things that we thought could translate to the NHL. And then just his overall athleticism as well, especially for a guy that’s his size.”

That didn’t mean the transition was seamless. Though Vejmelka beat out expected second- and third-stringers Josef Korenar and Ivan Prosvetov for backup duty, he had to work with Schwab to manage his crease depth, angles and puckhandling. The two also had to navigate a significant language barrier, with Schwab doing as much showing as he did telling while Vejmelka picked up the language.

But the work throughout training camp and the early part of the season paid dividends, not only in Vejmelka’s early performances but in the long run. After Hutton hit the injured list – and ultimately saw his career end – as a result of off-season ankle surgery, Vejmelka was thrust into starting duty.

“A lot of nights, we were getting outshot, getting outplayed, and if he was able to stand on his head, we stayed in the games,” Schwab said. “If not, well, then we gave up more than we wanted. But looking back at it, he gave us a chance most nights to at least stay in games and stay competitive.”

Simply giving the Coyotes a chance to win was largely Vejmelka’s remit through his first few seasons. Through his first three NHL campaigns, only 15 goaltenders saw more game action. And among goaltenders with at least 70 games played during that span, only John Gibson faced more shots against per 60 minutes than Vejmelka. Were his numbers always the most sterling? Perhaps not. But Vejmelka was often the least of Arizona’s worries.

“I just wanted to give us a chance to win every game,” he said. “Every single night.”

Nothing Ventured; JJ Peterka Is Ready Help The Mammoth Earn A Spot In The PlayoffsBy Jared Clinton, Features writer&nbsp;

With the organization packing up and leaving the desert in the dust, opportunities to secure those victories are coming with greater regularity. In part, that’s down to the work the brass has done on the draft floor and in the trade and free-agent markets to transform a moribund franchise into a club with legitimate post-season aspirations. But Vejmelka has played no small part in the process, growing alongside the club.

Just how far Vejmelka has come in the NHL was on display last season. His team posted a record above .500 with him in net for the first time, and he had his first .900-plus save percentage and sub-3.00 goals-against average. Most telling, however, was his goals saved above average. Per 60 minutes at all strengths, Vejmelka ranked 16th in the NHL out of the 36 keepers to play at least 2,000 minutes. Schwab believes that is a testament to who Vejmelka is on and off the ice.

“He’s just a great teammate,” Schwab said. “Great work ethic. Great attitude. Showing up every day, wanting to get better, wanting to improve and work on his game.”

For that dedication, for that growth and for his now-clear place as a defensive backbone in Utah, Vejmelka was rightly rewarded. In March, he inked a five-year deal averaging $4.75 million per season.

Now, a decade after he heard his name called in the draft, several years after he was forced to wonder whether his NHL dreams were dashed and four seasons following his debut in Arizona, Vejmelka has gone from an unknown to a surefire opening-night starter for a playoff-contending club. “It’s actually a great feeling to know I can stay in Utah for a couple more years,” he said. “I feel at home there. It’s a great organization with great people around and great teammates. So it was a no-brainer for me. It’s great to be part of a great organization. I’m really excited for the future.”

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This article appeared in our 2025 Goalies issue. The cover story for this issue features one of the premier NHL goaltenders in Connor Hellebuyck. Additionally, you can find features on several goaltenders, including NHL legend Ken Dryden, Dallas Stars Jake Oettinger, and so much more.

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

Injuries have been piling up for the Pittsburgh Penguins like crazy, and on Saturday, they were finally able to get someone back off injured reserve. 

33-year-old center Kevin Hayes had been out since the middle of training camp with an upper-body injury, and he made his 2025-26 season debut against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound Hayes registered 13 goals and 23 points in 64 games for the Penguins last season. 

And his return is coming at a really good time for the Penguins, who are plagued by injuries - especially on the forward front. Rickard Rakell, Justin Brazeau, Noel Acciari, Filip Hallander, and Rutger McGroarty are all on injured reserve, and three of those players in Rakell, Acciari, and Hallander have played center with the Penguins at some point. 

With limited options in the top-six now, too - Rakell, Brazeau, Hallander, and McGroarty have all played in the Penguins' top-six - Pittsburgh has been forced to put rookie Ben Kindel, who has been centering the team's third line for most of the season, next to Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust in the top-six. 

Having Hayes back in the mix gives them some much-needed insurance depth at the center position, as he can center the third or fourth line. He may not be the fastest of skaters, but his hockey smarts, playmaking skills, and puck skills should serve the Penguins well in that role. 

Hayes was acquired - along with a 2026 second-round pick - from the St. Louis Blues in the summer of 2024 in exchange for future considerations. The 12-year NHL veteran is in the final season of a seven-year, $7.1 million contract, and the Philadelphia Flyers - who Hayes spent four season with from 2019-23 - are retaining half his salary. 

Pittsburgh Penguins Announce Latest Roster MovesThe Pittsburgh Penguins have made a few roster moves.

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

LAS VEGAS - The Anaheim Ducks are riding a five-game winning streak, coming off a rollercoaster 7-5 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. The Ducks are currently first in the Pacific Division and could potentially find themselves at the top of the Western Conference with a win and a Colorado Avalanche loss.

The Ducks lead the league in goals per game (4.15) and are currently the only team in the league scoring four or more goals per game. They've gotten contributions across the board, from rookies Ian Moore and Beckett Sennecke to versatile forwards Nikita Nesterenko and Ryan Poehling.

“It's amazing,” Poehling said. “I think a lot of these young guys on our team, even the ones that have played in the NHL already, are so talented with the puck and they’re quick learners, too. Defensively, you can trust them. Offensively, you just let them go. It’s a ton of fun to watch guys who are so young have so much success. They’re great guys, too. It’s a fun team to be a part of and I've enjoyed watching them grow through this process.”

“I think we just have some momentum,” Sennecke said. “All our guys have a lot of confidence right now and every game we play, we’re scoring a lot of goals. It’s giving a lot of guys a lot of confidence to make plays, and that's all you can ask for.”

The Golden Knights are just two points back of the Ducks after falling 6-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner have been the offensive catalysts for the Golden Knights with 21 and 17 points, respectively. Marner joined the team this past offseason after nine seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“Just the way they're structured (makes them so good),” Poehling said. “They’ve got big defensemen, a lot of skilled forwards, and they play the right way. They have top-end talent, and they have guys that are good at their role. It’s honestly just a complete team, and it's been that way for a few years now.”

“You’ve got to play a complete game,” Quenneville said. “They’re very skilled and very quick. They play in five-man units. Seems like they're all in play and good position, so you’ve got to earn everything you get. We’ve got to play sounder, we’ve got to be disciplined and expect to get a real good test in all areas tonight.”

With a back-to-back this weekend against Vegas (road) and the Winnipeg Jets (home), Petr Mrázek will start his third game of the season. Despite a 5.52 GAA and .831 SV%, Mrázek is 2-0-0 thanks to sublime goal support––Anaheim has scored seven goals in both of his appearances.

Quenneville said that Ryan Strome (upper-body, IR), who joined the team on this two-game road trip participated in both morning skates, is getting “very close to consideration to playing” against the Jets. Per Quenneville, Mikael Granlund (lower-body) and Radko Gudas (lower-body) are also close to returning from injury.

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Ducks Projected Lines

Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Beckett Sennecke
Nikita Nesterenko - Ryan Poehling - Alex Killorn
Ross Johnston - Jansen Harkins - Frank Vatrano

Jackson LaCombe - Drew Helleson
Olen Zellweger - Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov - Ian Moore

Petr Mrázek (confirmed)

Golden Knights Projected Lines

Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mitch Marner
Brandon Saad - Tomáš Hertl - Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden - William Karlsson - Reilly Smith
Cole Reinhardt - Colton Sissons - Keegan Kolesar

Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin - Zach Whitecloud
Jérémy Lauzon - Kaedan Korczak

Akira Schmid (confirmed)