Yesterday’s third period and overtime was a thrilling one for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The swing from the regulation loss that seemed to be developing as Boston went up 3-0 early in the game would have put the Pens with a 76.2% chance for the playoffs, according to Moneypuck’s modeling. Instead, the comeback win boost Pittsburgh’s odds of a playoff berth up in that model’s eyes to 86.9% as a result of that action. That’s a huge swing for early March and gives a taste of how great meaningful hockey can be this time of the year.

Here’s what some other models say for the Penguins as of today, while noting Moneypuck has adjusted the Pens’ odds down to 81.2% as of this morning after the other games from yesterday were completed.

Hockey-Reference: 85.3%
The Athletic: 69.0%
Stathletes: 57.9%

Here’s the standings as of today as the season makes the turn to all teams having 20 or fewer games remaining.

Columbus and Ottawa has experienced the classic catch up burst often seen by non-playoff teams to stay within shouting distance of the others, however it can be hard to make a lot of progress. Columbus was five points back of Pittsburgh when the teams returned from the Olympic break in late-February, today on March 9th CBJ remains the same five points behind the Pens (although CBJ has picked up a game in hand).

Ticking off more games without making any headway becomes a bigger and bigger issue as the games remaining evaporate. Last year the Blue Jackets were in this same position in chase mode, missing the playoffs by two points. A similar story could be developing again this year as the Jackets try to hunt down one of the Islanders or Penguins (as well as the fifth place Atlantic Division team, currently Boston).

Overall, and somewhat shockingly, we can probably close the book for good and officially on the playoff hopes for all of Toronto, Florida, New Jersey and Washington as the trade deadline passes. All four of those teams were tucked away safely within their respective top-3 divisional seed last year for a playoff berth. This year, it wasn’t to be for any of them. That opens the door for a lot of new teams to rise in their places. That looks like Buffalo, Detroit will certainly be taking advantage of that on the Atlantic side. It can be hard to remember since the Islanders tend to be annoyingly always in the picture, but they weren’t in the playoffs last year either. The Penguins haven’t been in a few years. Some of the prior mainstays heading for short seasons has opened the door for fresh blood in the playoff this spring.

Can the Penguins be one of them? Obviously the final answer is dependent on what happens in the last 19 games of the season. In the most simplistic terms, staying ahead of one of NYI or CBJ should be enough to get Pittsburgh back into the postseason for the first time since 2022. Even if both were to pass the Pens, it’s possible (though perhaps not likely) that Pittsburgh could earn a Wild Card by staying ahead of Boston and Ottawa. We’d call it unlikely, due to the common sense factor that it will be difficult to stay ahead of both BOS+OTT in a scenario where the Penguins also get surpassed by both NYI+CBJ, that becomes a difficult and unlikely proposition at this point, but still one that is technically possible.

Here’s what each team has on tap, and what to look out for. If you’re a Pens’ fan this week, you also will become a temporary supporter of the Los Angeles Kings this week, funny enough. The Kings have their own reasons to want to have a good week as they look to make a push back into a playoff spot in the West, if they are able to find a couple of regulation wins this week it would also prove to be beneficial to the Penguins.

NY Islanders: Finish up their Western trip (currently 1-2-0 on in it) with a game in St. Louis on Wednesday. Return home to play the LA Kings (LA defeated NYI 5-3 last week in California) and then a game against Calgary…On paper, not a very tough schedule with two teams (STL, CGY) who are non-factors. But the travel elements and the back-to-back make it a little more difficult than it might appear.

Columbus: Host LA Kings today, quick turnaround to play @TB tomorrow, stay on the road for a game @FLA on Thursday and @Philadelphia on Saturday…Currently 3/4 of those teams are not in the playoffs, though LA will be desperate to make progress to get back in it. Tough scheduling for that game tomorrow doesn’t do many favors for Columbus, though they should be setup to rebound for that with what looks like winnable games towards the end of the week

Pittsburgh: As mentioned, a road trip to Carolina, Vegas and Utah this week. Vegas is only 2-5-0 since the return from Olympics and the Pens just whomped the Knights 5-0 last week in Pittsburgh. That might be the game to have circled as really needing to count on getting something out of. The other item for the Pens is when can Sidney Crosby return and how much of a boost in skill and energy will it give them? Both could be significant, though it might not happen this week.

—

It’s setting up for a fun and fresh spring for the Penguins to race to the finish line. It feels like it’s been a while since Pittsburgh was so close to a playoff spot so late in the year, though that’s not so. The Pens entered the last week of the 2023-24 season and Game No. 80 in a playoff spot before fading away. That was spurred by a frantic comeback over the last 15 games, the difference this time around is that Pittsburgh has long been in a playoff spot this season instead of in a desperation chase mode from the outside.

This Pens team does seem to have a different energy, spirit and pride about themselves that hasn’t been around in too much force the past few years. As of now it has them in a great position to return to the playoffs, but they will be put to the test and made to earn it with this last month+ of the season.

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There are just five games on the ice this evening, but I’ve found value in my NHL player props. I expect productive nights from Mika Zibanejad, Tim Stutzle, and Aliaksei Protas. 

Read more in my NHL picks for Monday, March 9. 

Best NHL player prop bets today

Player
Zibanejad Over 2.5 shots on goal	-110
Stutzle Over 0.5 assists	-115
Protas Over 0.5 points	+105

img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Monday, March 9

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Mika Zibanejad Over 2.5 shots on goal

-110 at BET99

Mika Zibanejad is averaging 2.73 SOG per game this season while also compiling 51 points. The Swede is a dangerous player in the offensive end, and he’s cashed the Over in shots on goal in three of his last five. 

Zibenajad is averaging 3.33 SOG against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2025-26, who the New York Rangers face tonight. Across three meetings, he’s compiled 10 shots on target. 

The 32-year-old had three shots on net against the Flyers at the end of February. 

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: One National or Two local

Prop #2: Tim Stutzle Over 0.5 assists

-115 at BET99

Tim Stutzle is having another impressive campaign for the Ottawa Senators, scoring 30 goals and registering 37 assists. The German has notched four assists in five games since the league returned from the Winter Olympics. 

Stutzle scored in back-to-back games recently without a helper, but he did have two assists last Tuesday against the Oilers. Tonight, the Sens take on the Vancouver Canucks, and Stutzle already has one helper against them this season. 

He’s also collected 17 assists in 33 road games, and Ottawa is in Vancouver here.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Prime Video

Prop #3: Aliaksei Protas Over 0.5 points

+105 at BET99

Aliaksei Protas has been a key piece for the Washington Capitals this season, scoring 21 goals and supplying 22 assists. He’s cashed the Over in points in three of his last four, most recently scoring on Saturday against the Bruins. 

The 25-year-old has been even better at home, and the Caps welcome the Calgary Flames to town tonight. In 29 games in DC, Protas has notched 24 points. 

Also, earlier this season, he already scored a goal vs. Calgary. Protas will keep it rolling this evening against a poor Flames team.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Sportsnet West, MNMT

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament once again proved why the Land of 10,000 Lakes proudly calls itself the State of Hockey.

Saturday night’s Class AA State Championship between Minnetonka and Moorhead drew 19,648 fans to Grand Casino Arena.

This crowd was larger than 11 NHL games played that same day. Among the NHL matchups outdrawn by the Minnesota high school championship:

Nashville Predators at Buffalo Sabres: 19,070

Utah Mammoth at Columbus Blue Jackets: 18,668

Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs: 18,514

Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins: 18,342

Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames: 18,302

Montreal Canadiens at Los Angeles Kings: 18,145

Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins: 17,850

New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks: 17,435

Ottawa Senators at Seattle Kraken: 17,151

New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils: 16,514

Vancouver Canucks at Winnipeg Jets: 14,294

The Moorhead Spuds were down 4-1 in the 3rd Period and won the Minnesota State Championship in Double OT

Minnesota High School Hockey is SPECIAL

pic.twitter.com/TB1vvuAuDP

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 8, 2026

For context, Grand Casino Arena's listed capacity for NHL games is 18,000, meaning the state tournament crowd packed the building beyond a typical Wild sellout.

The Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament has long been one of the sport’s most unique spectacles, where student sections arrive hours early, entire towns travel across the state and players skate in front of crowds most junior or college programs never experience.

Not to mention it was one of the best games. Minnetonka was up 4-1 in the third period and Moorhead was able to come all the way back and win it 5-4 in double overtime.

People always ask why Minnesota is called the State of Hockey when the Minnesota Wild haven’t won a Stanley Cup.

This is why.

Minnetonka vs Moorhead in the Class AA State Championship drew 19,648 fans — more than 11 NHL games played the same day.

nothing beats high school hockey in minny pic.twitter.com/SNw8VTcq5a

— NHLMuse (@NHL_Muse) March 8, 2026

Minnesota also produces more NHL players and Division I college hockey players than any other state. Over 300 Minnesota-born players have played in the NHL, consistently leading all states in active players and draft picks.

50 players from Minnesota have appeared in an NHL game this year. 16 Minnesota natives were drafted last season.

Hockey isn’t just a pro sport here. It’s a way of life.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Recent Wild Stories

Wild Acquire Forward Bobby Brink From Flyers For David JiricekMinnesota lands forward Bobby Brink in a trade, sending defenseman David Jiricek to Philadelphia in a significant roster shake-up.

- Wild Acquire Michael McCarron For A Second Round Pick.

- Wild Trade For Marcus Foligno's Brother, Nick Foligno From Blackhawks.

- Wild Acquire Jeff Petry From Florida For A Conditional Seventh.

- Wild Claim Robby Fabbri Off Waivers From Blues.

- 'Nothing's Going To Ruin This': USA General Manager Bill Guerin Speaks On Olympic Celebration Controversy.

The Vancouver Canucks (19-36-8) kick off their eight-game homestand on Monday when they battle the Ottawa Senators (31-22-9). While Vancouver did fall in their last outing, the Canucks do have points in back-to-back games and will be looking to extend that streak to three. As for Ottawa, Monday is a must-win as the Senators head into the game just outside the playoffs. 

Based on Adam Foote's comments over the weekend, there is a good chance Monday will feature the Canucks debut for Curtis Douglas. The 26-year-old forward was claimed off waivers on Friday, but did not play in either game over the weekend. Douglas is a known as a physical force, as he has already racked up 92 penalty minutes in 29 games this season. 

As for the game itself, Vancouver will need to play a full-60 if they want to keep Monday's score close. Ottawa is currently five points back of the final playoff spot in the East and are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. If the Canucks can win the even-strength battle and get strong performances from their special teams, they could be skating away with their first home since January 29. 

Players To Watch:

Linus Karlsson:

Linus Karlsson has been a bright spot for Vancouver all season. He enters Monday on a three-game point streak and sits just three goals off the team lead. It took some time but Karlsson has finally developed into a strong bottom-six forward who has shown he can produce in limited minutes.

Dylan Cozens: 

Dylan Cozens has stepped up in a big way for the Senators this year. In 62 games, he has scored 23 goals and ranks third on the team with 49 points. Cozens is also heating up at the right time as he enters Monday having scored in four-straight games. 

Vancouver Canucks (19–36–8): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 13–25–38

Filip Hronek: 6–30–36

Jake DeBrusk: 14–18–32

Brock Boeser: 15–14–29

Linus Karlsson: 12-16-28

Goaltenders: 

Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1

Kevin Lankinen: 7–20–5

Nikita Tolopilo: 4–5–2

Jiří Patera: 0–1–0

Ottawa Senators (31-22-9)

Points: 

Tim Stützle: 30-37-67

Drake Batherson: 23-32-55

Dylan Cozens: 23-26-49

Jake Sanderson: 11-37-48

Brady Tkachuk: 16-26-42

Goaltenders: 

Linus Ullmark: 19-8-7

Leevi Meriläinen: 8-10-1

James Reimer: 3-3-1

Mads Søgaard: 1-0-0

Hunter Shepard: 0-1-0

Game Information: 

Start time: 6:00 pm PT 

Venue: Rogers Arena

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650 

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

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Vancouver Canucks Podcast Rundown: NHL Trade Deadline Recap

Canada’s Men’s Para Ice Hockey Team Looking For Gold At 2026 Paralympic Winter Games

All 6 Canucks Prospects Headed To The 2026 CHL Playoffs

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Colorado Avalanche News

• Colorado Avalanche will go without their Captain for a bit again, Gabe Landeskog is out week-to-week after taking a puck to the groin. [TSN]

• Avalanche fans welcome Nazem Kadri back to Colorado with standing ovation. [Sportsnet]

• Avalanche also acquired center Nicolas Roy. [NHL]

News Around the League

• The Maple Leafs are going to need some help to keep their first-round pick. And if they do get some help finishing in the bottom five and retaining their 2026 selection, they’ll lose their picks the next two years. Yes, it’s complicated. [Toronto Star]
• Fans of the Ottawa Senators are waiting with bated breath for Jake Sanderson injury update. [Toronto Sun]
• Edmonton Oilers face make or break road trip for playoff hopes. [USA Today]
• 2026 NHL trade deadline report cards: Grading every team’s moves (or lack thereof). [NY Times]
• Here’s a list of which players were dealt — and which ones weren’t — on NHL Trade Deadline day. [CP 24]
• Two sentences on every deal made during 2026 NHL trade deadline. [Sportsnet]
• NHL GMs frustrated by new salary cap rules at trade deadline. [ESPN]

The Columbus Blue Jackets are back home to take on the Los Angeles Kings at 4 PM.  

Los Angeles Kings - 25-23-14 - 64 Points - 3-6-1 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 6th in the Pacific

Columbus Blue Jackets - 32-21-9 - 73 Points - 7-1-2 in the last 10 - OTL 1 - 4th in the Metro  

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus stretched its points streak to five consecutive games (3-0-2) after earning a point in a 5-4 OT loss to Utah on Saturday. The club has earned points in 16 of its last 18 contests since Jan. 11 (14-2-2).

• CBJ (6-0-2) have tied a season-high with their second eight-game home points streak (5-0-3 from Oct. 29-Dec. 4). The team has earned points in 12-of-13 games played at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (9-1-3).

• Since Dec. 22, the Blue Jackets have gone 18-6-3 (39 pts, .722 points pct.) and rank third in the NHL in points (tied) and points percentage, fourth in save pct. (tied, .904) and penalty kill pct. (82.7), sixth in goals-against/game (2.74) as well as 12th in goals for/game (3.48).

• The Jackets play their 13th of 16 back-to-back sets of the season vs. Los Angeles (Monday) and at Tampa Bay (Tuesday). The club leads the league in wins and point pct. in back-to-back sets in 2025-26 (16-5-3, .729).

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Charlie Coyle, who notched his 11th multi-point effort of the season on Saturday (0-2-2), has points in five-straight games (1-6-7) and has posted 6-13-19 and six multi-point efforts in the last 12 contests since Jan. 24.

• Adam Fantilli tallied his 10th multi-point outing of 2025-26 vs. Utah (1-1-2) and has 6-8-14 in the past 12 contests.

• Kirill Marchenko has collected assists in four consecutive games (2-5-7) after notching his 10th multi-point contest of the campaign with two assists on Saturday. He has posted points in nine of his past 10 contests since Jan. 24 (4-9-13).

• Mason Marchment notched 1-1-2 against the Mammoth and has 11-8-19 in 20 contests with the Blue Jackets.

• Mathieu Olivier notched his second consecutive multi-point outing (3-1-4) with 1-1-2 against Utah. He has totaled 8-3-11 and 32 hits in the last 11 contests.

• Damon Severson collected 1-1-2 on Saturday and has picked up assists in three of the past four games (1-4-5).

• Zach Werenski returned to action on Saturday after missing three games due to illness. He has collected points in 22 of his past 25 games played since Dec. 11 (11-24-35, 11 multi-point efforts).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 19.6% - 18th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.2% - 25th in the NHL
• Goals For - 195 - 17th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 197 - 21st in the NHL 

Kings Stats

• Power Play - 16.8% - 27th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 75.3% - 28th in the NHL
• Goals For - 159 - 31st in the NHL
• Goals Against - 180 - 8th in the NHL

Series History vs. The Kings

• Columbus is 29-33-1-7 all-time, and 18-11-0-5 at home vs. LA.
• The Blue Jackets are 4-0-2 in the last 6 at home and have earned points in 8 of 9 home games against the Kings.
• The last 5 home games against the Kings have gone to OT, and the CBJ are 3-2 in those games.
• Columbus has killed off 25 of 28 Kings' man advantages.

Who To Watch For The Kings

• Adrian Kempe leads the Kings with 23 goals, 30 assists and 53 points.
• Newly acquired Artemi Panarin has 6 points in 6 games since joining the Kings.
• Darcy Kuemper is 15-13-9 with a SV% of .896 His last start was on March 7th.
• Former Blue Jackets Goalie Anton Forsberg is 10-9-5 with a SV% of .904. His last start was on March 2nd.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Kings

• Zach Werenski has 7 points in 13 career games vs. the Kings.
• Boone Jenner has 7 points in his last 18 games against LA.
• Charlie Coyle has 16 points in 32 games.

Injured Reserve

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 24 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 167

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 93.3 The Bus, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.  

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The New York Islanders traded forward Jonathan Drouin in a package to the St. Louis Blues for team captain Brayden Schenn ahead of this past Friday's NHL Trade Deadline.

BREAKING: Islanders Acquire Brayden Schenn From Blues; Send Drouin To St. LouisThe New York Islanders have acquired St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn. The reported return includes forward Jonathan Drouin, goaltending prospect Marcus Gidlof, Colorado's 2026 first-round pick, and a third-round pick.

Drouin, who was in the first season of a two-year deal worth $4 million annually, had been struggling mightily to produce. He found himself in St. Louis with no goals over his last 38 games. 

His last goal came on Nov. 14 against the Utah Mammoth, a play where the puck bounced off his skate before banking in off a Mammoth defenseman. 

The last time he scored a goal using his stick was back on No. 8 against the New York Rangers. 

There's no question that the 30-year-old can produce in this league. It just wasn't working out on Long Island.

So, it shouldn't be a shock to anyone that in Drouin's first game with the Blues, rocking No. 92, he found the back of the net to end a 38-game goal drought:

Jonathan Drouin with a ROCKET in his first game as a Blue 🎶 pic.twitter.com/fhR9kXnjxw

— NHL (@NHL) March 9, 2026

That was Drouin's fourth goal and first power-play point of the season, which is a bit ironic given that the Islanders currently sit with the worst power play in the league at 15.5%. 

While the spotlights haven’t been all on Lane Hutson with the arrival of Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky’s awakening, the sophomore defenseman is having quite the season. Despite a slow start, more than likely due to his contractual situation, the youngster now has 11 goals and 53 assists for 64 points. That’s an 85-point pace over 82 games, which, on top of making him more than a point-per-game player, would also see him tie a record that was set nearly 50 years ago by Larry Robinson.

No Montreal Canadiens’ blueliner has ever recorded more than 85 since Robinson did it in 1976-77 with 19 goals and 66 assists in 77 games. In that Stanley Cup-winning season, Big Bird was just 25 years old. Hutson is just 22 years old, and last year, in his rookie campaign, he set a new record for most points and assists by a rookie defenseman, surpassing Chris Chelios’ mark of 64 points and 55 assists set in the 1984-85 season. He even tied the NHL record set by Larry Murphy back in 1980-81 for most assists by a rookie defenseman with his 60 helpers.

Canadiens: Bolduc Bounced Back Nicely
Canadiens: Xhekaj Could Make Big Impact If He Was Allowed To
Canadiens Steal Two Points After Being Dominated By Los Angeles

After having such a great rookie season, it’s remarkable that he’s on pace for such a jump in point-production and an improvement in goal scoring as well. Last season, the shifty blueliner managed to find the back of the net only six times, but he already has 11 goals this season. It’s worth saying that the improvement didn’t happen overnight. Hutson is always the first to hit the ice ahead of the Canadiens’ practice, and along with Ivan Demidov, he quite often works on his shot, whether director of hockey development Adam Nicholas is on the ice or not.

Some believed that the sophomore jinx would hit Hutson quite hard, that the rest of the league, having seen him play for a year and having had plenty of opportunity to study his play on video, would have come up with a more efficient way to defend him, but that hasn’t been the case. The undersized defenseman is always ahead of the game and manages to elude hits more often than not. After all, you cannot hit what you cannot catch.

Lane Hutson est actuellement en voie d’égaler le record de concession de Larry Robinson avec 85 points en une saison pour un défenseur. Réussira-t-il à maintenir cette cadence jusqu’à la fin de la campagne? 👀#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/YmSTloBOR1

— RDS (@RDSca) March 8, 2026

What’s even more impressive, though, is the fact that nothing seems to indicate that he’s anywhere near his ceiling, which does make you wonder what that ceiling will be. With the Canadiens set to welcome more highly talented offensive players in the years to come, like Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovski, it’s easy to imagine that his production will keep on improving.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

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Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Jack Hughes tallied a hat trick, the power play went three for three, and a strong third period pushed the Devils to a 6-3 win over the Rangers on Saturday. [Devils NHL]

The four-game winning streak came to an end with a 3-0 loss to the Red Wings on Sunday. [Devils NHL]

A cool reunion, and a photo that will live forever:

“We’ve gotten so used to images having such a short shelf life. To see this one have a little bit more staying power has been really cool.” [The Athletic ($)]

Less than ideal:

Hockey Links

“Which teams surged after the NHL’s trade deadline on Friday? Here are our choices for the NHL’s top five Stanley Cup contenders after the deadline.” [The Hockey News]

“Trade activity this season, leading up to the NHL’s 2026 deadline, featured everything from major moves that saw the rich get richer to reunions to big names in new uniforms. Which teams accomplished their goals, and which left their fan bases fuming?” [The Athletic ($)]

“Overall, NHL teams made 20 trades involving 33 players on Friday. Some teams and players did quite well for themselves. Others did not. Here are some winners and losers of a peculiar NHL trade deadline, from ESPN reporters Ryan C. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski.” [ESPN]

“That was…interesting. Trade Deadline Day 2026 played quite the game of chicken. It yielded 19 total deals, fewer than we saw last year, and the number was looking even smaller before a bunch of GMs slipped their trade calls in under the wire. What happened? The trading was likely hindered by a concoction of (a) the looming playoff salary cap, (b) the block on double salary retention within a 75-day period and (c) the fact so many of the best available players had term left on their contracts and thus weren’t must-trade players Friday if their GMs’ asking prices weren’t met.” [Daily Faceoff]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

As Jimmy Dugan once said in A League Of Their Own: “It is supposed to be hard. If it was not hard, everybody would do it. The hard is what makes it great.“ The Pittsburgh Penguins are about to get a lesson in that over the next few games.

After an incredible come-from-behind win against the Boston Bruins on Sunday, the Penguins managed to take three out of a possible four points this weekend even though they played without captain Sidney Crosby (injury) and Evgeni Malkin (suspension). While you would have liked to have seen them get the win on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers, you would have absolutely signed up for three out of four points going into this weekend given the circumstances.

They got them.

It does not matter how. They do not ask you how when the playoffs begin. They just ask if you got them.

That win gives the Penguins a five-point cushion over the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are the first team on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and a one-point cushion over the New York Islanders for the second in the Metropolitan Division while still having a game in hand on them.

Now they have to get into the truly difficult part of this March schedule, beginning a five-game road trip this week against five likely playoff teams and several Stanley Cup contenders. It is going to be a challenge.

If there is a positive to take from this: The Penguins have been able to rise to the challenge repeatedly this season. There is also a very good chance that Crosby returns to the lineup, and perhaps even as soon as Tuesday night. He is skating. He is practicing. He is close.

Overall, it is hard to ask for more than what the Penguins have been able to do without him since returning from the Olympic break. With this weekend’s games in the book, the Penguins are 3-2-2 without Crosby, earning eight out of a possible 14 points in the standings. That is .571 hockey. Considering that they played two games (and realistically, two and two-third games) without Malkin as well, that is more than acceptable. They were always going to lose some of these games. They just needed to find a way to get some points to keep their pace going and maintain their lead in the playoff race. They have done that. Now they have to find a way to keep scratching out a few points when they can.

The week and the road trip begins on Tuesday night with a Metropolitan Division game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, and always seems to give the Penguins problems, especially in recent years. But the Penguins have not only played exceptionally well within the division this season, they also won the first meeting with Carolina by a 5-1 margin at the end of December. It was one of the Penguins best and most complete games of the season, and also one of the games that really started their post-holiday break surge.

Carolina is also going to be playing the vaunted “first home game back after a long road trip,” which always seems to give teams fits for some reason.

After playing in Carolina, the Penguins travel out west to play the Vegas Golden Knights to complete their season series with them. Vegas should be a Stanley Cup contender on paper, but it has not quite played like it so far this season, and especially not recently. Goaltending is their big issue right now, and they are still playing without veteran winger Mark Stone who was injured in the first game with the Penguins a week ago. That is a big absence for their lineup.

The road trip then continues on Saturday in Salt Lake City where the Penguins will play the Utah Mammoth. Utah won the first meeting of the season, 5-4 in overtime, as part of that stretch in early December where the Penguins could not hold on to a third period lead at all. Utah is a really tough defensive team, but does not have great goaltending or an elite offense.

Overall these next three opponents rank third (Carolina), 15th (Vegas) and 16th (Utah) in the NHL in points percentage for the season, and fifth (Utah), sixth (Carolina) and 19th (Vegas) in the NHL in expected goals share during 5-on-5 play.

These are good teams. There are also some winnable games in there. Specifically the Utah and Vegas games.

Crosby’s potential availability will determine a lot for what the expectations should be, but if he returns at some point this week I would really like to see them find a way to get four points out of this. That will be challenging, but it is doable. The Penguins have repeatedly proven this season that they can compete in these games and win them. They showed this weekend they have depth. They are going to have a chance to really prove it.

It was an evening of blown leads for the Bruins on Sunday, as they let a 3-0 second period lead and a 4-3 third period lead slip away before losing to Pittsburgh in OT, 5-4.

Tommy Novak scored the game-winning goal 17 seconds into overtime, taking advantage of a Bruins turnover and a bit of interference from Erik Karlsson.

The Bruins wasted a great game from Pavel Zacha, who recorded his second hat trick of the season. David Pastrnak also broke his goal-scoring drought with a second period goal.

Joonas Korpisalo made 34 saves in the loss.

Zacha got the scoring started midway through the first period, finishing off a nice passing play with a PPG to make it 1-0 Bruins.

Guess who? It was Zacha again nine minutes into the second period, as he beat Arturs Silovs with a beautiful back-hand. 2-0 Bruins.

While it won’t be the prettiest goal Pastrnak ever scores, he got back in the goal column with a nice effort to take advantage of a Silovs mistake. 3-0 Bruins.

Two minutes later, Egor Chinakhov got the Penguins on the board with a 5-on-3 PPG to make it 3-1 Bruins.

Connor Dewar make it 3-2 Bruins with a back-hand over Korpisalo’s shoulder six minutes into the third period.

Just 33 seconds later, Anthony Mantha beat Korpisalo five-hole to make it a 3-3 game.

Zacha would get his hat trick two minutes later with a perfectly placed shot to beat Silovs, making it 4-3 Bruins.

Less than three minutes later, it was Mantha again, as he collected a loose puck in the crease and made it a 4-4 game.

Novak’s goal came just 17 seconds into OT, helping the Penguins end their losing streak and sending the Pittsburgh fans home happy.

Bruins lose, 5-4 in OT.

Game notes

• If you were told on Friday afternoon that the Bruins would take 3-of-4 points in back-to-back games against Washington and Pittsburgh, you probably would have taken it. However, the way the B’s let this game get away from them (and the speed with which the wheels fell off) makes this feel more like a point that the Bruins gave away and less like a point earned.
• The Penguins deserve credit for hanging in the game, particularly without their two best players and in the midst of a losing run. However, the Bruins repeatedly shot themselves in the foot with mistakes or by losing puck battles, particularly in the latter half of the game. You have plenty of examples to choose from: Dewar winning a foot race on his goal, Charlie McAvoy giving the puck away in OT, Mantha being given a breakaway, etc.
• It sure looked like some “accidentally on purpose” contact from Karlsson on Pastrnak immediately before Novak’s goal. From a Pittsburgh perspective, you’ll probably claim that was just Karlsson standing his ground, but…yeah. I’ve seen some complaining that Pastrnak didn’t do enough to get up and get back in the play, but I’m not sure it would have mattered. The entire sequence really turned into a calamity, with Zacha and McAvoy both going after the same guy, leaving Novak by himself.
• Regardless of your take on the penalty (or lack thereof), you can’t pin this result solely on a missed call in an overtime that never should have happened in the first place. Even in OT, the Bruins had possession of the puck and their best players on the ice, only to give the puck away under little pressure. They paid for it just seconds later. Hopefully, that dropped point doesn’t come back to haunt them.
• While he didn’t end up with a goal, I thought Viktor Arvidsson had a good game against Pittsburgh, building on Saturday’s effort against Washington. Arvidsson was credited with two assists and seemed to create a positive kind of chaos in the offensive zone.
• The two teams combined for 25 shots and four goals in that wild third period.
• Regarding the highlights above, the NHL website just randomly doesn’t have clips of both Mantha goals and the OT goal. I’ve never really seen that in a recap before. WHAT IS THE NHL HIDING? Discuss.
• This game had a wild ending, but paled in comparison to Sunday night’s Sabres-Lightning game. That one saw the teams combine for 15 (yes, 15) goals, including seven in the third period of what would end as an 8-7 Buffalo win.

The Bruins will be back in action on Tuesday night, as they host the Los Angeles Kings at TD Garden.

Those same Kings could do the Bruins a favor on Monday, as they play the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Monday evening.

Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins closed out the weekend on Sunday afternoon with another matchup against the Boston Bruins. The Penguins found themselves down 3-0 by the time the second period rolled around, but these Penguins dug down deep, led by Anthony Mantha and Egor Chinakhov, and rallied back, forcing overtime, and earned two massive points in a win. [Recap]

Sunday’s game also saw the debut of the Penguins’ newest acquisition, Elmer Soderblom, after trading for him from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. The 6-foot-8 winger logged just over 10 minutes of ice time, three shots, and two hits. Coaches say they’re excited about his long-term potential as he adjusts to a new system and opportunity in Pittsburgh. [Penguins]

News and updates from around the NHL…

Sunday’s game between the surging Buffalo Sabres and longtime contenders Tampa Bay Lightning may have been the game of the season. The game saw a combined 100 penalty minutes, five fights, 15 combined goals, and a postgame scrum for good measure. Hopefully, we get a seven-game series of this come next month. [TSN]

It appears Connor Bedard is taking the next step in his ascension to the top of the Chicago Blackhawks franchise after being drafted first overall in the 2023 draft. Bedard is stepping into a larger leadership role for the team, formally being named an alternate captain for the rest of the season, and is expected to help guide the team’s young roster both on and off the ice as the franchise continues its rebuild. [NHL]

Longtime Chicago Blackhawks forward-turned-broadcaster Troy Murray has died. He was 63. [Associated Press via ESPN]

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. [TSN]

The Islanders finish their four-game road trip with a stop to help Brayden Schenn pack up in St. Louis, where the Blues are returning from a lottery-spoiling perfect four-game western road trip of their own. In full selloff mode, the Blues somehow took out the Kraken, Sharks, Kings and finally the Ducks, with a 4-0 win last night.

Jonatha Drouin even scored for them, naturally.

Islanders News

• J-G Pageau was relieved to stay where he has called home since joining the Isles on the eve of the pandemic. [Isles | Post]
• Schenn, asked about waiving his limited no-trade clause to come to the Island, hinted at how Matthew Schaefer is going to bring more interested players into the fold: “When superstars in this league are good guys that take care of his teammates, guys are gonna want to be around him. And guys are only gonna want to come to the New York Islanders in the future just because of his talent and character.” (It’s widely believed that Schenn used his NTC to veto a trade to the Leafs last year, by the way.) [Post]
• Schenn and new teammates shared their excitement. (Bonus footage: sewing the new jerseys on the road.) [Isles]
• The Skinny: “The Isles improve to 16-2-3 when tied after two periods.” [Isles]
• Gross: Bold moves by the Isles to double down on some mid-30s guys. [Newsday]
• Who is this Brayden Schenn? [Newsday]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores included the Penguins mounting a big comeback to beat the Bruins (in OT though, so Boston also gets a point) and pass the Isles in the standings, plus an insane, brawl-filled 8-7 Sabres win over the Lightning, pushing Buffalo above them and into first place.

• The Leafs should do a full-blown rebuild. [Sportsnet]
• And here’s a really, really long explanation that Oliver Ekman-Larsson has kids so the Leafs shouldn’t have put him on the trade block. [Sportsnet]
• Gabriel Landeskog is week to week with a lower body injury. [NHL]

San Jose Sharks (30-25-6, in the Pacific Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (39-19-6, in the Atlantic Division)

Buffalo, New York; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the San Jose Sharks after Alex Tuch's two-goal game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Sabres' 8-7 win.

Buffalo is 39-19-6 overall and 20-8-3 in home games. The Sabres rank eighth in the league serving 9.5 penalty minutes per game.

San Jose has a 13-15-1 record in road games and a 30-25-6 record overall. The Sharks are 27-7-3 in games they score at least three goals.

The matchup Tuesday is the first meeting of the season between the two clubs.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson has scored 34 goals with 36 assists for the Sabres. Rasmus Dahlin has two goals and 11 assists over the past 10 games.

Tyler Toffoli has 16 goals and 23 assists for the Sharks. Macklin Celebrini has five goals and six assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 8-1-1, averaging four goals, 6.6 assists, 4.5 penalties and 11.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

Sharks: 3-4-3, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.4 assists, 4.1 penalties and 9.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.4 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sabres: None listed.

Sharks: None listed.

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

Vegas Golden Knights (29-21-14, in the Pacific Division) vs. Dallas Stars (39-14-10, in the Central Division)

Dallas; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars host the Vegas Golden Knights after the Stars knocked off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime.

Dallas has a 39-14-10 record overall and a 19-7-4 record on its home ice. The Stars have a +47 scoring differential, with 216 total goals scored and 169 allowed.

Vegas has a 15-11-7 record in road games and a 29-21-14 record overall. The Golden Knights have given up 199 goals while scoring 208 for a +9 scoring differential.

The matchup Tuesday is the second time these teams meet this season. The Stars won 5-4 in a shootout in the last matchup. Mavrik Bourque led the Stars with two goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jason Robertson has scored 34 goals with 40 assists for the Stars. Matt Duchene has five goals and 10 assists over the last 10 games.

Pavel Dorofeyev has 30 goals and 21 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has scored five goals with two assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Stars: 9-0-1, averaging 4.3 goals, 7.6 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

Golden Knights: 4-6-0, averaging three goals, 5.4 assists, 3.4 penalties and 8.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.

INJURIES: Stars: None listed.

Golden Knights: None listed.

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