TORONTO -- New York Islanders franchise goaltender Ilya Sorokin recorded 26 saves on 27 shots in a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs to secure career win No. 150. 

Sorokin is seven wins from tying Chico Resch (157) for the second-most in franchise history. 

Hockey Hall of Famer Billy Smith sits in first with 304. 

Sorokin also recorded his 25th win of the season, accomplishing that feat for a fifth straight season. 

Per Islanders statistician Eric Hornick, Sorokin was 2-4-1 (.868 and 3.75) in his first seven games this season; he is 23-11-1 (with an NHL-best .923 save percentage, and a 2.24 goals-against average) and an NHL-leading six shutouts since then.

Through 42 games this season, Sorokin is 25-15-2, with a 2.58 GAA, a .918 SV%, and an NHL-leading six shutouts.  

There is a lustrous bounce to Chase Pearson's hair that you can only get from an egg yolk treatment.

When the 28-year-old Canadian forward flicks his locks back absent-mindedly, it's almost distracting as he seamlessly shifts between talking about hair care, a career that took him briefly to the NHL, the loss of his mother and the prospect of helping Nottingham Panthers reclaim the Challenge Cup for the first time in a decade when they face Coventry Blaze on Wednesday (19:30 GMT).

It is with the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) side that Pearson says he has "enjoyed playing hockey more than ever" and where he feels he has been able to be his most authentic self away from the game - quirky social media presence and all.

Pick through his posts and you are greeted with a step-by-step guide to getting "eggstremely nice hair", the benefits of red lights at night, and streams of healthy living and mindfulness advice.

"I like to be myself, obviously," he told BBC Sport.

"I'm not for everyone and don't want to be for everyone. Being different is a good thing, right? Or I'd like to think so."

• Continental Cup 'means everything' to Panthers

When Pearson got on the ice in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings in 2022, he emulated his father Scott by playing in the world's most illustrious ice hockey competition.

His father played 292 times in the competition across 13 years, featuring for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders.

"He was my North Star," Pearson said of his father's influence on his sporting aspirations.

"I always knew that I wanted to play in the NHL and that was my aim from age eight or nine. Most kids do, but I was steadfast on it.

"I would have loved to play a 300-game career in the NHL. I think every hockey player wants to be the 1,000-game superstar, and it just didn't work out. And that's the way it goes for most guys.

"Most players are never going to be able to even get to the NHL, let alone have a career and stick there. So the fact that I got there was something huge for me."

'Losing a parent like that, it's difficult'

It was on his arrival as an NHL player that Pearson reflected on what it took to reach that level - the years spent playing for the University of Maine, the seasons with Detroit's minor-league affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins and, most poignantly, the devotion of his mother Laura along the way.

She didn't get to see him play on that stage, having taken her own life years earlier. But getting there was always for her.

"As a child if you've been through that, losing a parent like that, it's difficult. There is a lot of stuff that goes through your mind," Pearson said.

"I wanted to do it [get to the NHL] to be financially secure so I could help take care of her.

"I never got that chance, but when I did get there, a lot of that moment I was absorbed in thinking 'wow, I'm here and this is cool'. And if you're religious, then she would have been watching down.

"That was special. She meant a lot to me and still means a lot."

The memories of losing his mum continue to stir powerful emotions in Pearson. "It's hard for me to talk," he says, as he steadies himself.

But the career he has built after his time in the NHL, his European excursion with spells in Slovakia and Austria before landing in the EIHL with Nottingham and how he has treasured each experience and opened himself up to the world with unflinching frankness online, is linked to that loss.

"A lot of what I post about comes through the lens of someone who's been through that and dealt with a lot of stuff," he said.

"I've unhealthily dealt with it in ways that aren't productive for myself or people around me. I've hurt a lot of people that I didn't want to.

"And sometimes when I post I can be polarising, but most of what I do post is coming from a place of genuinely trying to put my thoughts out in the world in a way that I would like to have heard it from my position looking back."

'I don't think about the medals'

The value placed on success, the endless effort it demands and "fleeting" joy it brings, is something he has grappled with along the way.

The European Continental Cup he helped Panthers win earlier this season, and the Challenge Cup up for grabs when they play the Blaze, are moments of his career he has learned to cherish.

Being sat on a private jet as an NHL player for the first time taught him that.

"On that plane back after the first game I was like 'wow, this is incredible', but what's next?" he reflected.

"I didn't realise I'd feel like that, and I thought 'dang I've just spent 15 years to get here and now I'm thinking now what?'

"That moment made me realise it wasn't even about getting there, but more about proving to myself I can do it and all the moments in between.

"We talked about this in the locker room today, about getting so caught up in chasing this, chasing that, trying to achieve this and that, you sometimes forget to sit down to just enjoy it and be present with everyone.

"There are not many moments in your life or career where you actually get to remember winning something. I don't think about the medals or silverware; it's about doing something that no-one can ever take away from you.

"Understanding that helps you forge those connections with your team-mates and people in the organisation, not the medal you get to put up on your wall or eventually down in your basement where no-one ever sees it."

Chicago Blackhawks (25-30-12, in the Central Division) vs. Minnesota Wild (39-18-12, in the Central Division)

Saint Paul, Minnesota; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Wild host the Chicago Blackhawks after the Wild knocked off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime.

Minnesota has gone 39-18-12 overall with a 12-6-3 record against the Central Division. The Wild are ninth in NHL play with 226 total goals (averaging 3.3 per game).

Chicago is 25-30-12 overall and 10-6-5 against the Central Division. The Blackhawks have gone 9-10-6 in games they have more penalties than their opponent.

The matchup Thursday is the fourth meeting between these teams this season. The Wild won 4-3 in overtime in the previous matchup.

TOP PERFORMERS: Matthew Boldy has 38 goals and 37 assists for the Wild. Kirill Kaprizov has six goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Frank Nazar has 11 goals and 23 assists for the Blackhawks. Connor Bedard has four goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Wild: 4-4-2, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.8 assists, 3.8 penalties and 9.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

Blackhawks: 3-4-3, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.3 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

INJURIES: Wild: None listed.

Blackhawks: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Winnipeg Jets (28-28-11, in the Central Division) vs. Boston Bruins (37-23-8, in the Atlantic Division)

Boston; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Bruins host the Winnipeg Jets after Pavel Zacha scored two goals in the Bruins' 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

Boston is 37-23-8 overall and 25-9-1 at home. The Bruins have a 30-9-6 record when scoring three or more goals.

Winnipeg has gone 11-15-5 on the road and 28-28-11 overall. The Jets have a -13 scoring differential, with 190 total goals scored and 203 conceded.

Thursday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Bruins won the previous meeting 6-3. David Pastrnak scored two goals in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Morgan Geekie has 34 goals and 23 assists for the Bruins. Zacha has seven goals and five assists over the last 10 games.

Mark Scheifele has 31 goals and 52 assists for the Jets. Kyle Connor has scored five goals with eight assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 4-3-3, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 3.7 penalties and 9.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

Jets: 5-2-3, averaging 2.8 goals, five assists, 1.9 penalties and 4.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

INJURIES: Bruins: None listed.

Jets: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Montreal Canadiens (37-20-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Detroit Red Wings (37-23-8, in the Atlantic Division)

Detroit; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Detroit Red Wings after the Canadiens knocked off the Boston Bruins 3-2 in overtime.

Detroit has an 11-7-2 record in Atlantic Division games and a 37-23-8 record overall. The Red Wings have a 19-8-2 record in games they convert at least one power play.

Montreal is 37-20-10 overall with a 13-8-1 record in Atlantic Division games. The Canadiens have committed 278 total penalties (4.1 per game) to rank fourth in the league.

Thursday's game is the third time these teams match up this season. The Red Wings won the previous meeting 4-0.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Larkin has 28 goals and 27 assists for the Red Wings. Patrick Kane has four goals and four assists over the last 10 games.

Cole Caufield has 40 goals and 28 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has six goals and nine assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Red Wings: 4-4-2, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.6 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, 3.2 penalties and 6.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.

INJURIES: Red Wings: None listed.

Canadiens: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Utah Mammoth (35-27-6, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (31-23-14, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights take on the Utah Mammoth in Western Conference action.

Vegas has a 31-23-14 record overall and a 16-11-7 record on its home ice. The Golden Knights have allowed 205 goals while scoring 219 for a +14 scoring differential.

Utah is 35-27-6 overall and 17-16-3 on the road. The Mammoth have a 17-8-1 record when scoring a power-play goal.

The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams square off this season. The Mammoth won 5-1 in the last matchup. Logan Cooley led the Mammoth with four goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell Marner has 19 goals and 50 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has six goals and five assists over the last 10 games.

Dylan Guenther has 32 goals and 26 assists for the Mammoth. Cooley has three goals and three assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 3-7-0, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.9 assists, 4.4 penalties and 10.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

Mammoth: 5-3-2, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.4 assists, four penalties and 10.3 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.

Mammoth: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Pittsburgh Penguins (34-18-15, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (42-19-6, in the Metropolitan Division)

Raleigh, North Carolina; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hurricanes -159, Penguins +134; over/under is 6.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Carolina Hurricanes after Evgeni Malkin scored two goals in the Penguins' 7-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche.

Carolina is 13-4-1 against the Metropolitan Division and 42-19-6 overall. The Hurricanes are seventh in NHL play with 230 total goals (averaging 3.4 per game).

Pittsburgh is 34-18-15 overall and 11-1-8 against the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins have scored 229 total goals (3.4 per game) to rank eighth in league play.

Wednesday's game is the third meeting between these teams this season. The Hurricanes won the last matchup 5-4 in a shootout.

TOP PERFORMERS: Andrei Svechnikov has 25 goals and 34 assists for the Hurricanes. Nikolaj Ehlers has six goals and four assists over the past 10 games.

Malkin has 16 goals and 34 assists for the Penguins. Bryan Rust has six goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hurricanes: 6-4-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, 3.5 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.

Penguins: 4-3-3, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.9 assists, 4.2 penalties and 10.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

INJURIES: Hurricanes: None listed.

Penguins: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

After opening their four-game homestand on an offensive tear with 10 goals in two wins, the Golden Knights ran into a buzzsaw Tuesday night.

Buffalo, the league's hottest team since Dec. 9, stayed red hot with its 10th win in 11 games since the Olympic Break, winning 2-0.

It was Vegas' third shutout loss of the season and its first at home.

While Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves to keep his stat line clean, the Golden Knights misfired on 22 shots

"I thought we got lots of pucks there, some rebounds," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We just misfired on them. I thought Mitch (Marner) had a chance late. (Nic) Dowd had a rebound with an open net that ended up off net. (Mark) Stoney had a rebound on the power play.

"There were some rebounds there that we just didn't finish."

KEY MOMENT

With 16:35 left in the game, Pavel Dorofeyev took a pass from Marner and fired a wicked wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle, but was stymied by Luukkonen, setting the tone for a resilient finish by Buffalo's netminder, who improved to 6-1 since Jan. 22.

KEY STAT

0 for 3 ... For the fourth time in five games the Golden Knights couldn't score a power-play goal. From Jan. 31 through March 6, the Golden Knights ranked tied for fifth in the NHL with their 33.3% power-play clip. Since then, the Knights rank 26th with a 13.3% conversion rate.

WHAT A KNIGHT

Goalie Adin Hill allowed one goal after turning in another strong performance, outside of the lone goal he let in. After Hill failed to clear the puck behind the net, Buffalo's Josh Doan fired his shot off the back of the Knights' netminder's right pad and the puck ricocheted into the net. Otherwise, Hill was the best Knight on the ice, stopping 23 shots.

Sneaky, sneaky... 😯#LetsGoBuffalo | #sabrehoodpic.twitter.com/C8SWV7dnRA

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 18, 2026

UP NEXT

The Golden Knights conclude their four-game homestand against the Utah Mammoth on Thursday.

PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) makes a save against Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund (86) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 27 shots to record his first shutout of the season and eighth in his NHL career, leading the Buffalo Sabres to a 2-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday.

Josh Doan and Josh Norris scored for Buffalo (42-20-6), who have surged to a 10-1-0 record since returning from the Olympic break. With the win, the Sabres are now tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the Eastern Conference. Carolina, however, holds a game in hand after a 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

Adin Hill stopped 23 shots in the loss for Vegas (31-23-14), snapping a two-game winning streak. The Golden Knights fell to third place in the Pacific Division, trailing the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks by a single point. Edmonton, which has played one more game, defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Tuesday.

The game's opening goal came late in the first period. At 18:02, Doan capitalized on a miscue behind the net by Hill, banking a shot off the goaltender’s right pad to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead. Norris sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 19:02 of the third period, finalizing the 2-0 scoreline.

With Luukkonen’s standout performance and the Sabres’ continued dominance post-Olympics, Buffalo is asserting itself as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference heading down the stretch.

The Sabers were coming off a 3-2 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. 

Jack Quinn was the hero for the Buffalo Sabres in that game, scoring the game-tying goal in the second period and delivering another crucial goal in the shootout.

In the shootout, Quinn started wide on the right wing before cutting to the middle and firing a precise wrist shot under Joseph Woll’s blocker to open the scoring for Buffalo.

Owen Power also contributed a goal in regulation, while Alex Lyon made 16 saves to secure the win for the Sabres. 

Alex Tuch added a goal in the shootout, with Lyon coming up big by stopping one attempt and forcing another to miss the net, sealing the victory for Buffalo.

The Golden Knights, however, have been struggling as of late as they've dropped seven of their last 10 games. 

The Vancouver Canucks have their second win in their past three games, having taken a 5–2 win against the Florida Panthers tonight. Elias Pettersson led the way with two power play goals, Marco Rossi scored in his third-straight game, and Aatu Räty and Drew O’Connor also found the back of the net. In goal, Kevin Lankinen recorded his first win since January 21, stopping 21 shots on 23 faced. 

One of a few positive outcomes from tonight’s game was the fact that the Canucks broke a four-game goalless streak on the power play by scoring two on the man-advantage thanks to Pettersson. Both of the forward’s goals came as a result of hard shots fired from the faceoff dot, with the first flying powerfully past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and the second trickling behind him on a similar shot. 

“It was nice to get a bounce to go the right way, but I’m trying to play the right way. I know I still have a lot to do to be where I want to be, but definitely nice to see it go in tonight,” Pettersson said after the win. 

Even Vancouver’s second-unit power play got some good looks. During the Canucks’ third man-advantage of the game, Linus Karlsson got some good tip-attempts off on Bobrovsky. While the goal didn’t technically take place on the power play, as it had just expired prior to it, O’Connor scored Vancouver’s fifth of the game to tie a career-high in goals with 16 on the season.  

Vancouver’s third goal of the first period came off a lapse in defensive coverage for the Panthers. An ill-timed pinch left Rossi all alone in the slot in front of Bobrovsky, with the Canucks centre making a quick move before flicking the puck past the goaltender’s blocker. Rossi and his line of Brock Boeser and Liam Öhgren had yet another solid game, with the former two each registering three points and all three putting up at least one. 

Despite having a solid response to Vancouver’s performance in the first period, Florida’s defensive lapses took place yet again on Vancouver’s fourth goal of the game. This time it was Räty who managed to work his way into Florida’s slot, not giving his shot a second thought as he put it past Bobrovsky to put the Canucks up 4–2. 

When Vancouver needed him most in order to secure the win, Lankinen shut things down excellently. He made a flurry of saves with the Panthers fighting to invade the crease and made some big stops on Florida during their third-period power play. Even within the final minute, with the Panthers crowding him in an attempt to score their third, Lankinen stood tall. 

“I was just happy to keep the puck out of the net,” Lankinen said after the game. “Obviously, I thought our team as a whole played a great game. Petey, Brock, Marco — they stepped up in a big way and led the way, and it was fun to watch.” 

One other aspect of tonight’s game that should be noted is the team’s willingness to stand up for one-another. On multiple occasions, such as when Florida prodded at Lankinen after whistles or Zeev Buium was tripped up, the Canucks — particularly young players like Räty, Nils Höglander, and defenceman Elias Pettersson — weren’t afraid to go after the Panthers. Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote spoke on the change in energy around his team's room through the past few games. 

“The last four or five games, we’ve been right there [...] I’d say we are consistent the last four or five, you feel the momentum change, you feel in the locker room, it’s different. The energy on the ice at practice is different."  

Stats and Facts: 

• Kevin Lankinen takes part in his 200th career NHL game 
• Canucks’ record on March 17 increases to 10–4–0
• Elias Pettersson scores his 200th career NHL goal 
• Marco Rossi increases his goal-streak to three-straight games 

Scoring Summary: 

1st Period: 

3:49 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (14) from Marco Rossi and Brock Boeser (PPG) 

11:41 - FLA: Matthew Tkachuk (9) from Carter Verhaeghe 

13:40 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (15) from Brock Boeser and Marco Rossi (PPG) 

17:46 - VAN: Marco Rossi (9) from Brock Boeser and Liam Öhgren 

2nd Period: 

11:28 - FLA: Sam Bennett (25) from Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe 

14:27 - VAN: Aatu Räty (4) from Evander Kane and Elias Pettersson (D) 

3rd Period: 

14:25 - VAN: Drew O’Connor (16) from Linus Karlsson and Tom Willander 

Up Next: 

With the Canucks now halfway through their eight-game home stand, their next match will take place on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. 

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

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Elias Pettersson scored twice, including the 200th goal of his NHL career, and the Vancouver Canucks held on for a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

The Swedish center opened the scoring at the 3:49 mark of the first period, blasting a one-timer in from inside the faceoff circle during an early power play. It was his 14th tally of the season and his first goal in 21 games.

Marco Rossi also scored and contributed a pair of assists for the Canucks, who rebounded from a lopsided 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

Vancouver center Aatu Raty and Drew O’Connor also scored and Brock Boeser added three assists. Kevin Lankinen — playing in his 200th NHL game — stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced for his first win since Jan. 21.

The Panthers got a goal and an assist from Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Bennett also scored and Carter Verhaeghe had two assists.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who lost their second straight game.

Panthers defenseman Seth Jones returned to the lineup after missing 26 games with an upper-body injury. Bennett also played after an undisclosed ailment kept him out of Florida’s 6-2 loss to the Kraken in Seattle on Sunday.

Winger Nolan Foote played his first game for the Panthers after getting called up from the AHLs Charlotte Checkers on Sunday. His dad is Canucks head coach Adam Foote.

Up next

Panthers: Visit Edmonton on Thursday.

Canucks: Host Tampa Bay on Thursday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Max Jones and Zach Hyman scored third-period goals, Adam Henrique had a pair of assists, and the Edmonton Oilers rallied without star forward Leon Draisaitl for an important 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 5-2-1 in March and moved into a tie with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division.

The Oilers were without Draisaitl, who is fourth in league scoring, after it was announced earlier in the day that he is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury.

Dmitry Orlov, Pavol Regenda and Kiefer Sherwood scored for the Sharks, who have lost five of their last seven.

Connor Ingram had 27 saves for Edmonton, while Alex Nedeljkovic made 32 stops for San Jose.

The game was tied 3-3 after two. The Oilers went up 5-3 with 11:48 to play in the third period as Hyman picked up a rebound in front and lifted a backhand shot into the net from his knees for his 29th goal in just 50 games this season.

San Jose's Macklin Celebrini had his nine-game point streak halted and was held without a point for the first time since the Olympic break. He had 14 points during the streak and remains five points from becoming the sixth teenager in NHL history to register 100 points.

Edmonton's Evan Bouchard picked up an assist to give him 26 points and a plus-22 rating in 18 career games against the Sharks. He has 32 points in his last 21 games overall.

Edmonton now has nine consecutive home wins over the Sharks.

Up next

Sharks: Host Buffalo on Thursday.

Oilers: Host Florida on Thursday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored 4:38 into overtime as the Montreal Canadiens edged the Boston Bruins 3-2 in a rivalry matchup Tuesday night.

Caufield tapped a pass from Nick Suzuki into the back of the net for his 40th of the season, becoming the first Canadien to reach the mark since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94.

Suzuki and Josh Anderson also scored while Jakub Dobes made 26 saves for Montreal, which snapped a two-game losing skid.

Brendan Gallagher picked up an assist in his 900th NHL game, all for Montreal.

Pavel Zacha had both goals for Boston, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 shots.

The Canadiens sat third in the Atlantic Division and one point ahead of the Bruins — with one game in hand — heading into Tuesday’s games.

BLUE JACKETS 5, HURRICANES 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Charlie Coyle had a goal and three assists, Danton Heinen scored his 100th career goal and Columbus beat Carolina.

Mason Marchment, Denton Mateychuk and Mathieu Olivier also scored for Columbus, which has gotten points in a season-high 10-straight games (6-0-4). Cole Sillinger and Adam Fantilli each added two assist, and Jet Greaves stopped 27 shots.

Andrei Svechnikov scored and Brandon Bussi made 25 saves for the Hurricanes.

Marchment scored on a power play 5:25 into the first period, and the Blue Jackets have scored in the opening 10 minutes in 13 of their last 20 games. Coyle added another power-play goal in the final minute of the first.

Svechnikov scored his 25th goal of the season with 5:55 left in the second period before Heinen and Mateychuk scored 34 seconds apart.

ISLANDERS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 1

TORONTO (AP) — Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist on a pair of first-period power plays as New York beat Toronto.

Brayden Schenn scored his first goal since being acquired from St. Louis ahead of the trade deadline, and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders, who have won nine of 12.

Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for New York, and Mathew Barzal had three assists.

Steven Lorentz scored for Toronto. Joseph Woll stopped 31 shots.

The Leafs fell to 2-1-1 since losing captain Auston Matthews for the season to a knee injury — a run on the heels of an ugly 0-6-2 slide that all but cratered their playoff hopes.

WILD 4, BLACKHAWKS 3, OT

CHICAGO (AP) — Mats Zuccarello scored 3:09 into overtime, and Minnesota stopped a three-game slide by topping Chicago.

Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists as Minnesota improved to 3-0 against Chicago this season. Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Hartman also scored, and Brock Faber had three assists.

Filip Gustavsson made 21 saves for the Wild, and Jesper Wallstedt stopped two shots. Gustavsson departed for 3:27 in the third period because of an equipment issue.

The Wild had a long stint in their offensive zone before Johansson found Zuccarello for his 13th goal.

Minnesota forward Nick Foligno received a warm welcome in his first game against Chicago since he was acquired in a March 6 trade with the Blackhawks. Foligno held his stick in the air and waved to the cheering crowd after he was saluted with a tribute video during a timeout in the opening period.

Louis Crevier had a goal and an assist for last-place Chicago, which dropped its second straight game. Frank Nazar and Ryan Greene also scored.

PREDATORS 4, JETS 3, SO

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift Nashville to a victory over Winnipeg.

O’Reilly beat Connor Hellebuyck to the glove side in the first round of the shootout. Predators’ netminder Juuse Saros secured the win by stopping Gabriel Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor.

Matthew Wood, Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula scored in regulation for Nashville. Jonathan Marchessault chipped in with two assists. Saros made 36 saves.

Jonathan Toews forced overtime for Winnipeg, tying the game 3-3 with 1:01 left in the third period.

Josh Morrissey and Vilardi also scored in regulation for the Jets. Connor contributed three assists to extend his point streak to four games, while Scheifele assisted on the game-tying marker. Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots.

The contest was officiated by a single referee, Brandon Schrader, after Chris Lee was unable to attend due to travel issues.

OILERS 5, SHARKS 3

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Max Jones and Zach Hyman scored third-period goals, Adam Henrique had a pair of assists, and Edmonton rallied without star forward Leon Draisaitl for an important win over San Jose.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 5-2-1 in March and moved into a tie with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division.

The Oilers were without Draisaitl, who is fourth in league scoring, after it was announced earlier in the day that he is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury.

Dmitry Orlov, Pavol Regenda and Kiefer Sherwood scored for the Sharks, who have lost five of their last seven.

Connor Ingram had 27 saves for Edmonton, while Alex Nedeljkovic made 32 stops for San Jose.

CANUCKS 5, PANTHERS 2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Elias Pettersson scored twice, including the 200th goal of his NHL career, and Vancouver held on for a win over Florida.

The Swedish center opened the scoring at the 3:49 mark of the first period, blasting a one-timer in from inside the faceoff circle during an early power play. It was his 14th tally of the season and his first goal in 21 games.

Marco Rossi also scored and contributed a pair of assists for the Canucks, who rebounded from a lopsided 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

Vancouver center Aatu Raty and Drew O’Connor also scored and Brock Boeser added three assists. Kevin Lankinen — playing in his 200th NHL game — stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced for his first win since Jan. 21.

The Panthers got a goal and an assist from Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Bennett also scored and Carter Verhaeghe had two assists.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who lost their second straight game.

SABRES 2, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 0

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves to record his first shutout of the season and Buffalo defeated Vegas.

Josh Doan and Josh Norris scored for Buffalo, while Luukkonen registered the eighth shutout of his career.

The Sabres, who opened their four-game road trip with their 10th win in 11 games since the Olympic break, completed the regular-season sweep after they defeated the Golden Knights in Buffalo on March 3.

The Sabres have been the winningest team in the NHL since Dec. 9, sporting a 31-6-2 mark for 64 points.

The surge has Buffalo atop the Atlantic Division, ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens.

Vegas, meanwhile, had its two-game win streak snapped after opening its four-game homestand with wins over Pittsburgh and Chicago, outscoring the Penguins and Blackhawks by a combined final of 10-2.

The Golden Knights suffered just their third shutout of the season and first at home.

LIGHTNING 6, KRAKEN 2

SEATTLE (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored three goals for his sixth career hat trick and added two assists as Tampa Bay beat Seattle.

Brandon Hagel had a goal and three assists for the Lightning, who remained four points behind first-place Buffalo in the Atlantic Division. Anthony Cirelli added a goal and two assists, and Gage Goncalves had a goal and an assist.

Bobby McMann and Jared McCann scored for the Kraken, tied with the Los Angeles Kings at 71 points for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to wrap up their toughest road trip of the season on Wednesday in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The road trip started there last Tuesday, resulting in a 5-4 shootout loss for the Penguins. It looked like the Penguins weren't going to get a point out of that game until they scored two goals in the final three minutes of regulation to send it to overtime. They stole a point, even though they had chances to win the game in overtime. 

Since that loss, the Penguins have won two of their last three games on the trip, including Monday's 7-2 thrashing of the Colorado Avalanche. They're 2-1-1 and have earned five points heading back to Raleigh, with a chance to reach seven on Wednesday.

Going into the trip, five points seemed reasonable given several players were missing. Sidney Crosby and Sam Girard have missed all four games, while Malkin and Brazeau each missed three before returning on Monday. 

Despite the injuries and the suspension of Malkin, the Penguins have stayed in a playoff spot and have a lot of players to thank, especially defenseman Erik Karlsson. Karlsson has been excellent all season, but has gone nuclear since the NHL players returned from the Olympics.

In 11 games since the end of the Olympic break, Karlsson has recorded three goals and 14 points. He finished Monday's game in Denver with a goal and two assists, and was a menace all over the ice. He was a one-man breakout and also made some simple, yet very effective plays along the boards in his own zone. He finished the game with 21:43 at all situations and controlled 54.7% of the expected goals. He's been the Penguins' best player since Crosby went down.

Anthony Mantha has also been on another level during this road trip, racking up three goals and five points in four games. He has 26 goals and 52 points this season, both of which are career highs. He's been an unbelievable free agent signing by Penguins president/general manager Kyle Dubas and is shaping up to get a big payday this offseason. 

Both goaltenders (Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner) have continued to push one another. The Penguins feel confident with either goaltender in the crease, and will have a tough decision to make in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs if they make it. 

Takeaways: Malkin Leads Pens To Statement 7-2 Win Over Avalanche In Return GameIn his first game back from a five-game suspension, Evgeni Malkin took the reins and led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a decisive and crucial 7-2 victory over the NHL's best team in the Colorado Avalanche.

Bryan Rust continues to be a big game player for the Penguins and now has 25 goals and 53 points in 60 games this season. Four of those goals and seven points have come via this road trip so far. 

The vibes continue to be through the roof with this team going into the final 15 games of the regular season, and no matter what happens on Wednesday, the Penguins will be in second place in the Metropolitan Division at the end of the trip. They have put themselves in a good position heading into a stretch in which they will play four of five games at home, starting on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. They control their own destiny to make the playoffs, which is all you can ask for during a playoff race. 

What was originally seen as a fearful road trip has only fueled this Penguins team further. 

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WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift the Nashville Predators to a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.

O’Reilly beat Connor Hellebuyck to the glove side in the first round of the shootout. Predators’ netminder Juuse Saros secured the win by stopping Gabriel Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor.

Matthew Wood, Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula scored in regulation for Nashville. Jonathan Marchessault chipped in with two assists. Saros made 36 saves.

Jonathan Toews forced overtime for Winnipeg, tying the game 3-3 with 1:01 left in the third period.

Josh Morrissey and Vilardi also scored in regulation for the Jets. Connor contributed three assists to extend his point streak to four games, while Scheifele assisted on the game-tying marker. Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots.

The contest was officiated by a single referee, Brandon Schrader, after Chris Lee was unable to attend due to travel issues.

Up next

Predators: Host Seattle on Thursday.

Jets: Visit Boston on Thursday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL