The San Jose Sharks were back in action on Monday night as they faced the St. Louis Blues for the second time in less than a week.
The Sharks started their fourth line, who immediately brought some energy, and Adam Gaudette got an early scoring chance, hitting the post. The returning Yaroslav Askarov was forced to make a save at the other end of the ice moments later, denying Pavel Buchnevich and Jake Neighbours on back-to-back shots on goal.
It was a very high-energy game early on, with quite a few chances coming in transition for both teams. Blues defenseman Theo Lindstein would break the deadlock with his first career goal just 5:29 into the first period, giving St. Louis a very early 1-0 lead.
Robert Thomas took the first penalty of the night at 7:11 in the first period when he cleared the puck over the glass. Alex Wennberg scored on the man advantage, marking his 15th goal of the season, tying things up at a goal a piece.
Dalibor Dvorsky gave the Sharks their second power play of the night when he was called for interference at 12:39. Macklin Celebrini would quickly get a goal for his second point of the night, and 100th of the season.
Pavel Buchnevich tied things up with his 17th goal of the season late in the first period, making it a brand new hockey game. It was short-lived, though, as Macklin Celebrini scored his second of the night and tied Erik Karlsson for the second-most points in a season in Sharks history with less than a minute remaining in the period, restoring the Sharks’ lead.
Shakir Mukhamadullin was the first Shark sent to the penalty box when he was called for delay of game early in the second period. The Blues’ power play was short-lived, though, as Pius Suter was penalized for high-sticking 32 seconds later. Nothing came of either abbreviated power play, but the Sharks got another opportunity when Barclay Goodrow drew a hooking penalty nearly halfway through the period. The Sharks once again took full advantage of the power play, as Alex Wennberg scored his second of the night to make it a 4-2 game.
Shakir Mukhamadullin was called for hooking with less than a minute remaining in the middle frame, and the Blues didn’t take long to get back on the scoreboard. Philip Broberg scored the Blues’ third goal of the night, cutting the Sharks’ lead to a single goal.
The Sharks were applying quite a bit of pressure early in the third period as they looked to restore their two-goal lead. Joel Hofer was making some big plays, and even made a very dangerous, but effective play behind the net to cut off the Sharks’ attack. Around the midway point of the period, the Blues started generating some chances of their own forcing Askarov into action a couple of times.
Askarov tripped up Dylan Holloway behind the Sharks’ net with just under nine minutes remaining in regulation, giving the Blues an important power play late in the game. The penalty was served by Will Smith.
Cam Fowler tied things up with 7:07 remaining in the period, putting the Sharks in a difficult situation. The Blues had won both prior games in the season series in overtime; as a result, the Sharks needed to score as quickly as possible if they wanted to leave with two points.
With 21 seconds remaining, Adam Gaudette fired a shot from the faceoff dot, which trickled past Hofer and into the net, giving the Sharks a late lead and forcing the Blues to call a timeout.
The Sharks found a way to win after a hard-fought battle from both sides, earning the two points and preventing the Blues from getting even one.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Adam Gaudette scored with 21 seconds left, Alexander Wennberg and Macklin Celebrini each had two goals and an assist, and the San Jose Sharks beat St. Louis 5-4 on Monday night to snap the Blues' three-game winning streak.
On the rush, Gaudette flicked a wrist shot from near the left faceoff spot that trickled between the legs of goalie Joel Hofer.
Yaroslav Askarov made 22 saves for the Sharks (34-31-7), who have 75 points — tied with Seattle and two behind Nashville for the final Western Conference wild card. Los Angeles has 76 points, while St. Louis (31-31-11) has 73.
Theo Lindstein, Pavel Buchnevich, Philip Broberg and Cam Fowler scored for the Blues, and Jake Neighbours had two assists. Hofer finished with 24 saves.
Fowler scored a power-play goal to make it 4-all with 7:07 left when he took a wrist shot from the right side that beat Askarov to the glove side and slipped inside the left post.
The 19-year-old Celebrini, the No. 1 selection in the 2024 draft, has 38 goals and 63 assists — making him the sixth different teenager in NHL history with at least 100 points in a season.
The Vancouver Canucks lost for the sixth-straight time as they fell 4-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights. Evander Kane scored in his 1,000th career game while Brock Boeser found the back of the net on the power play. As for Kevin Lankinen, he stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced in the defeat.
Despite a decent start, the Canucks could not find a way to snap the losing streak. The second period was once again the difference, as Vancouver was outscored 3-1 in the middle frame. While the Canucks did add yet another loss to their total, a positive was that the team kept pushing to the end and had a chance to tie it up until the Golden Knights scored into the empty net with just over a minute to go.
A special moment from this game was Kane scoring in his 1,000th career game. He joins Markus Näslund as the only two players in franchise history to score while playing in their 1,000th regular-season game. Overall, Kane had one of his strongest games of the season as he led the team with five shots while logging 14:42 of ice time.
Vancouver's fighting streak also continued in this game as Teddy Blueger dropped the gloves in the second period. The Canucks have registered a fight in three straight games, which is the longest streak of the season. Vancouver's players have become a bit feistier as of late and are now up to 11 fights on the campaign.
As for Vegas, Monday marked John Tortorella's first game behind the bench. Tortorella was hired on Sunday after the Golden Knights elected to part ways with Bruce Cassidy. The win was a much-needed one for Vegas as the Golden Knights have been slipping in the standings since returning from the Olympic break.
Lastly, Lankinen had a strong bounce-back game for the Canucks. The goals he allowed were the result of blown coverage and not necessarily his fault. It was unfortunate that Vancouver's offence could not score more than twice, as he is now 1-12-1 in his last 17 games.
While there were some mistakes, the Canucks played a decent game on Monday night. They still, however, struggled in the second period, which feels like a lost cause at this point of the season. In the end, it was another successful tank game as Vancouver can now clinch 32nd overall as early as Tuesday.
Stats and Facts:
- Canucks allow at least three goals in the second period for the 13th time this season
- Brock Boeser ties Todd Bertuzzi for the fifth-most power play goals in franchise history with 79
- Filip Hronek ties Dale Tallon for 25th all-time in franchise history for power play assists among defencemen with 27
- Elias Pettersson becomes the first forward this season to record 100 blocked shots
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
12:19- VAN: Evander Kane (13) from Jake DeBrusk
2nd Period:
7:48- VGK: Rasmus Andersson (15) from Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin 12:17- VAN: Brock Boeser (18) from Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson 17:17- VGK: Shea Theodore (9) from Ivan Barbashev and Mark Stone 18:34- VGK: Reilly Smith (13) from Brayden McNabb
3rd Period:
18:50- VGK: Cole Smith (7) from Jeremy Lauzon and Nic Dowd (ENG)
Up Next:
The Canucks will start a back-to-back on Wednesday when they take on the Colorado Avalanche. These teams have played twice already this season, with the Avalanche picking up two victories. Game time is scheduled for 5:30 pm PT.
Mar 30, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Colton Sissons (10) fights Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger (53) during the second period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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The Islanders didn’t give Ilya Sorokin much of a chance in their 8-3 loss to the Penguins on Monday at UBS Arena.
Now, will Patrick Roy give his Vezina Trophy candidate an immediate chance at redemption?
“We gotta talk about this one and see where we’re at,” coach Patrick Roy said ahead of Tuesday’s game in Buffalo.
Sorokin, who was repeatedly stranded by his teammates as he allowed a career-worst seven goals, said he was physically ready to play in back-to-back games.
Mentally, he was already there.
“It happens,” Sorokin said. “It’s hockey. It’s just one game.”
Goaltender Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders reacts after allowing a goal during the third period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Earlier in the day, Roy sounded eager to see his star take on a heavy workload in the regular season’s final two weeks. Sorokin, who made his 12th appearance in 13 games, has made back-to-back starts just once this season, but had one of his best performances of the season in the second game of that set, recording his league-leading seventh shutout in a crucial 1-0 win over Columbus on March 22.
After Tuesday, the Islanders have two days off. Then, they start another back-to-back set, hosting Philadelphia on Friday, then traveling to face Carolina on Saturday. Another back-to-back begins on April 11, when the Islanders host Ottawa before facing Montreal in the penultimate game of the regular season. The finale — against the Hurricanes — will be their third game in four days.
“He hasn’t played a lot of volume games until now,” Roy said. “I think we’ve been managing this very well. Right now the urgency is to play game-by-game. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Worry about today.
Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders defends the net during the second period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“The mind is a lot weaker than the body. The body can take a lot more than you think. It’s the mind you need to convince. I think that’s all it is. He’s been a force for us. He’s been playing so well. Every mistake that we make, he’s there to cover for them. Would I like to not give up turnovers and not give up breakaways, yes, I would love to, but that’s why we have one of the best in the game.”
Mathew Barzal broke a nine-game drought without a goal, scoring his 19th of the season. … Cal Ritchie recorded a pair of assists, extending his point streak to five games … The Islanders went 1-for-2 on the power play — after converting one of their previous 12 attempts — but also surrendered a power-play goal for the first time in five games.
Defenseman Tony DeAngelo (lower-body injury) missed his third straight game and has not yet begun skating … Defenseman Alexander Romanov (shoulder) participated in Monday’s morning skate in a noncontact jersey.
Rangers left wing Will Cuylle (50) reacts after defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) scores a goal past New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25).
In a season of lows and rock bottoms, the Rangers are in danger of hitting another one.
With a loss to the Devils on Tuesday in the Battle of the Hudson, it would mark the first time that the Blueshirts were swept by both New Jersey and the Islanders in the same season — a brutal indictment of the hockey hierarchy in New York City. The Rangers and Islanders met in the Battle of New York for the first time in October 1972. The Blueshirts and the Devils started their rivalry a decade later, when New Jersey joined the league.
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They were already swept by the Islanders before February and the trade deadline even arrived, failing to manage a goal during their first pair of matchups before dropping a back-to-back at the end of January. That’s when the Islanders — revived by rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer — secured the sweep for the first time since 2017-18, which doubled as a campaign when the Rangers managed just one win against the Devils.
Tuesday’s match at the Garden will mark their third game against the Devils this month, and both of their previous losses, as has been the case in the Jack Hughes era, were shaped by Team USA’s Winter Olympics hero. He collected a hat trick during New Jersey’s 6-3 win March 7. He added another goal — one that ruined any comeback attempt by the Rangers in the third period — and a pair of assists 11 days later, giving him 20 goals and 35 points in just 25 career games against the Blueshirts.
Rangers left wing Will Cuylle (50) reacts after New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) scores a goal pass New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) during the first period when the New York Rangers played the New Jersey Devils Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Sometimes, especially this time of year, these rivalry games have stakes attached to them. Ramifications in the divisional standings. But the Devils are well outside the postseason picture. The Rangers, even after their consecutive wins entering Tuesday, are still in the basement of the Eastern Conference. If there’s a representative from the New York City area in the postseason tournament, it’ll be Patrick Roy’s group on Long Island.
But for one night, the Rangers are trying to avoid an ignominious conclusion to their local slate.
After managing just one goal through his first 43 games of the season, Conor Sheary has collected four across his last 11 — including one Sunday while the Rangers were short-handed.
It hasn’t been anything close to the season Sheary was supposed to have after making the roster out of training camp, as he turned a professional tryout contract into a full-time spot. He missed 15 games while on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
“It helps when the puck goes in I think,” Sheary said. “I thought early in my season it was just bad puck luck here and there, and the chances I was getting, I was either missing or getting a big save against. Obviously, with my line, I’ve been getting a little bit more opportunity and a few more chances, and like I said, the puck started to go in for me.”
The Rangers have scored 55 goals since March 2, which is tied for the most in the NHL across that stretch, according to the team.
Throughout the course of an NHL season, there are a few games that every team, player, coach, and fan circles on their calendar a bit more meaningful than some of the others.
That was the case when the Pittsburgh Penguins barged onto Long Island to take on the New York Islanders in a standings-critical Monday night matchup. The game was consequential for both teams, as the winner would gain a discernible playoff-contending advantage on the other regardless of the outcome, and everyone knew it going in.
And, in what was - arguably - their biggest game in at least two years, the Penguins delivered big-time.
Anthony Mantha and Rickard Rakell scored twice, and Sidney Crosby notched two NHL all-time milestone assists in his return from injury, to lead the Penguins to a decisive, dominant 8-3 victory over the Isles. The win allowed Pittsburgh to leapfrog the Islanders by one point for second place in the Metropolitan Division, and the Penguins still have a game in hand over the Islanders to work with.
There is no dancing around the fact that this win was massive, especially since an Islanders' regulation win would have put them ahead of the Penguins by three points and nullified the game in hand the Penguins had on them.
After a strong start by the Islanders in the opening half of the first period, the Penguins really came to life in the back end of it. Goaltender Arturs Silovs made some nice saves early on for Pittsburgh, and they earned a power play opportunity within the final minute of the period that carried over into the second.
However, the Islanders gained some momentum after a poor power play from the Penguins, and Anders Lee scored on a man advantage of their own after 27 seconds of four-on-four play to give the Isles the 1-0 lead. Mathew Barzal added another tally a minute and a half later - after a nice shift by the Penguins’ third line - and it appeared the Penguins and Silovs were being caught a little bit flat-footed.
But Pittsburgh responded yet again with some good shifts, and Elmer Soderblom finally cashed in less than four minutes after the Barzal goal to cut the Isles’ lead in half. However, Brayden Schenn capitalized on yet another Penguins’ turnover off the rush less than three minutes after that, and Pittsburgh was back down by two.
After Noel Acciari took a tripping penalty following the Schenn goal, the Penguins desperately needed a kill from their PK unit. But they ended up getting more than that. Nearing the end of the Islanders’ power play opportunity, Rakell created a shorthanded chance on the rush, and he initiated a give-and-go with Bryan Rust. Rust fed it back to Rakell - who was breaking toward the net - for a redirection that resulted in the first shorthanded goal of Rakell’s 14-year NHL career and the deficit being cut to one again at 3-2.
After that, the Penguins came in waves. Ryan Shea scored his fifth of the season on a one-time bomb from the top of the left circle less than two and a half minutes later to tie it, and a little more than a minute after that, Anthony Mantha was sprung on a breakaway by Justin Brazeau, and he buried it on a smooth deke to his backhand - as we’ve seen many a time this season - to give the Penguins their first lead of the evening.
And less than three minutes after that, Mantha drove the middle and went to his backhand again for his 29th goal of the season - which is now the team lead in goals over Crosby - to give the Penguins a 5-3 lead heading into second intermission and capping off a string of four goals in six minutes and 17 seconds.
The third period was set to be the biggest period of their season, as they had a precious two-goal lead heading into it. And, somehow, the third was arguably better than the second, as the Penguins kept the Islanders at bay defensively and kept tacking on. Avery Hayes - playing in his first NHL game since Mar. 14 - finished off a strong individual effort by Ben Kindel by picking up the loose change at the net front and putting it in the net a little more than six minutes into the final frame for a 6-3 lead.
Less than two minutes later, Brazeau found his center, Rakell, breaking to the net once again, and he fed Rakell a seam pass that he buried for his 19th of the season to make it 7-3. Bryan Rust added one in the waning minutes of the third on a rocket from the slot for good measure, and the Penguins headed back to Pittsburgh happy and determined to be ready for their tilt at home against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.
Sidney Crosby is now just the eighth player in NHL history to record 1,100 assists.
Only Wayne Gretzky (706) and Paul Coffey (1,300) reached this milestone in fewer games than Crosby (1,414) 🤩 pic.twitter.com/1Esg6RsHZF
Egor Chinakhov - the only Pens’ forward who did not end up on the scoresheet at the end of the game - flanked Crosby’s left, while Rust stayed on his right. Meanwhile, Rakell - who has been playing a lot of center and has been impressive down the stretch - centered his own second line with Mantha and Brazeau, and Kindel centered Tommy Novak and Hayes on the third line.
As it turns out, every single line found chemistry, and head coach Dan Muse was able to roll all four without issue. The lineup clicked on all cylinders, even if it was a risk to shuffle things around so drastically ahead of the Penguins’ biggest game of the season.
Credit goes to Muse for that bold decision, as it worked wonders and made all the difference in this game.
Every single skater on the ice for the Penguins on Monday aside from Chinakhov, Erik Karlsson, and Connor Clifton earned at least a point. The Penguins also received goals from Soderblom, Hayes, and Shea - which was the “depth scoring” that I was referencing.
Lineup depth is such a key advantage for the Penguins this season, and they showed the value of said depth on Monday.
Mar 30, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Avery Hayes (85) celebrates his goal against the New York Islanders with centers Ben Kindel (81) and Tommy Novak (18) and defensemen Connor Clifton (75) and Ryan Shea (5) during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
- He may have been held off the scoresheet, but Karlsson was still phenomenal in this game. He was making key defensive plays up and down the ice, thwarting chances, and making plays happen in the offensive zone - including the lead-up to the Soderblom goal.
Karlsson continues to be such an integral part of the Penguins’ attack. And, folks, this version of Karlsson is the one that the team needs if it is going to make the playoffs or go on any type of run.
He has truly been on another planet this month, and he still has a chance to make some history with a few points on Tuesday.
- This wasn’t a great game for Silovs, all things considered. He did make a scorpion-eqsue save near the end, and he was lights-out in the beginning.
But he definitely would have wanted both the Barzal and the Schenn goals back. I have no idea what the Penguins will do with their goaltending moving forward, but he and Stuart Skinner need to be much more consistent so the Penguins don’t have to score four goals in almost every game in order to win.
And the thing is, they won't really be able to "ride the hot hand." They play three back-to-backs in their final eight games, which will make that tough. I assume that Skinner will get the start on Tuesday.
- Soderblom was excellent on Monday, and he was only an assist away from the Gordie Howe hat trick. He fought heavyweight Scott Mayfield in the final frame - and beat him pretty decisively, showing a physical and emotional side to his game that was lacking with Detroit.
I mean, there’s only so much you can do when you challenge a 6-foot-8, 240-pound giant. Mayfield definitely found that out quick.
- These Penguins are a resilient, impressive bunch.
I mean, what else can I say about them? They ride into the biggest, most consequential game of their season and go down 2-0 - looking a bit dead in the water for a brief second - before regrouping, completely taking over a must-win game against a division rival, and never looking back.
This team is fun. This team is special. And, hopefully, they can continue this dominance heading into their matchup against the playoff-hungry Red Wings on Tuesday.
They played their biggest game of the season against the New York Islanders and dismantled them handily, 8-3. They were down 3-1 at one point in the second period and roared back to score seven unanswered goals and take two crucial points in the standings.
The Penguins now have 90 points and are in sole position of second place in the Metropolitan Division heading into Tuesday's game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Sidney Crosby returned from his brief one-game absence, and his impact was felt right away. Early in the first period, he hit the post on a breakaway and nearly scored a couple of shifts later when his line was pressuring in the offensive zone.
He factored in on two goals, giving him 514 multi-point games for his career. His 514 multi-point games rank third in NHL history, behind Jaromir Jagr (540) and Wayne Gretzky (824). Crosby was tied with Mark Messier and Marcel Dionne with 513 multi-point games before breaking it.
Those two assists also give Crosby 1,100 assists for his career, making him the eighth player in NHL history to accomplish that feat. He only needed 1,414 games to do it.
Crosby did all of this against a team that he loves tormenting. Those two assists give him 142 points against the Islanders, and he has more points against them than any other team, including the Philadelphia Flyers. He has 139 career points against the Flyers.
He's nine assists away from tying Joe Thornton for seventh on the all-time assists list. There's a very good chance he'll do that over the next couple of weeks before the regular season ends.
Sidney Crosby is now just the eighth player in NHL history to record 1,100 assists.
Only Wayne Gretzky (706) and Paul Coffey (1,300) reached this milestone in fewer games than Crosby (1,414) 🤩 pic.twitter.com/1Esg6RsHZF
Crosby could potentially hit another milestone on Tuesday against the Red Wings. He's currently eighth all-time in NHL history with 1,753 points and is two points away from tying Steve Yzerman for seventh.
It would be something else to see him tie/pass Yzerman on the all-time points list when his Wings are in town. Crosby also idolized Yzerman growing up, so it would be even sweeter.
Crosby would then set his sights on Marcel Dionne, who is sixth on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,771. If he doesn't pass Dionne by the end of this season, he certainly will during the beginning of the 2026-27 season.
Crosby currently has 66 points in 62 games and needs four more to hit at least 70 points for the fifth-straight season. He's been a model of consistency since coming into the NHL during the 2005-06 season, and that's not changing.
He's trying to help the Penguins return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season, when they lost to the New York Rangers in seven games. This has been a season that nobody saw coming from the Penguins, and now, they're likely only a few more wins away from an improbable playoff berth.
After Tuesday's game against the Red Wings, the Penguins will head south to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning for the third and final time this season on Thursday. The two teams have split the first two games of the season series.
After that, they'll play the Florida Panthers at home on Saturday and Sunday. It's rare to play the same team at home two days in a row, but that's how the schedule shook out this season. The Penguins beat the Panthers in Sunrise 5-3 back on Oct. 23.
NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Mantha had two goals and an assist, Rickard Rakell scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to defeat the New York Islanders 8-3 on Monday night in a crucial game in the competitive Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Penguins trailed 3-1 midway through the second period before scoring four times in less than 6 1/2 minutes to take over. Their seventh goal on their 28th shot eight minutes into the third chased Ilya Sorokin, who was done in by porous defense in front of him and relieved by backup David Rittich.
Pittsburgh with the regulation victory leapfrogged New York into second place in the Metropolitan Division, 90 points to 89. The Penguins have eight games left in the regular season compared to seven for the Islanders, who could find themselves outside a spot as early as Tuesday night depending on results of their next game and others in contention in the East.
Returning from a one-game injury absence, Sidney Crosby was one of 15 skaters on his team to register a point in a significant bounce back from losing at home to Dallas without him on Saturday. Longtime running mate Evgeni Malkin missed a fourth consecutive game and is considered day to day.
AVALANCHE 9, FLAMES 2
DENVER (AP) — Nazem Kadri scored twice on the power play against his former team as part of a 26-shot, five-goal first period and the Colorado cruised to a win over Calgary.
The 26 shots is tied for second-most in a period in franchise history. The Avalanche finished with 49 shots — tied for their season high — as they increased their lead to eight points over Dallas in the race for the NHL’s top mark.
Jack Drury kicked off the scoring spree 2:31 into the game, followed by back-to-back power play goals from Kadri over a 66-second span. Captain Gabriel Landeskog and Parker Kelly also added goals before the first-period horn sounded.
Nathan MacKinnon added his 49th goal in the second period, along with two assists in the third. Martin Necas, Sam Malinski and Artturi Lehkonen each scored in the final period. The nine goals tied a season high.
Cale Makar notched three assists before leaving the game with an upper-body injury.
Scott Wedgewood made 27 saves for Colorado.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, CANUCKS 2
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Adin Hill made 22 stops and Vegas opened the John Tortorella era with a win over Vancouver.
One day after the Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy, who led the team to a Stanley Cup title in 2023, they treated Tortorella to a come-from-behind victory.
Rasmus Andersson, Shea Theodore, Reilly Smith and Cole Smith each scored for Vegas.
Evander Kane and Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks, while Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves.
MAPLE LEAFS 5, DUCKS 4, OT
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — John Tavares redirected a shot from Morgan Rielly into the net with five seconds left in overtime to lift Toronto to a come-from-behind victory over Anaheim.
The Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit with three goals in the third period, including Rielly’s snap shot from the high slot that beat Anaheim goalie Ville Husso stick-side to give Toronto a 4-3 lead with three minutes left in regulation.
But Leo Carlsson, who hobbled to the locker room after taking a hard hit and falling to the ice in the first minute of the third, gathered a loose puck near the left circle and flicked a shot past Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz to make it 4-4 with 1:39 left.
Tavares added a first-period goal, and Stolarz stopped 28 of 32 shots for Toronto, which took the ice about 1 ½ hours after general manager Brad Treliving was fired near the end of his third season, with the Maple Leafs on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier scored in the first 10 minutes, and John Carlson scored his first goal for the Ducks. Gauthier, who leads the Pacific Division-leading Ducks with 38 goals and 65 points, suffered an upper-body injury on a cross-check late in the first and did not return. Husso had 22 saves.
SHARKS 5, BLUES 4
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Adam Gaudette scored with 21 seconds left, Alexander Wennberg and Macklin Celebrini each had two goals and an assist, and San Jose beat St. Louis to snap the Blues’ three-game winning streak.
On the rush, Gaudette flicked a wrist shot from near the left faceoff spot that trickled between the legs of goalie Joel Hofer.
Yaroslav Askarov made 22 saves for the Sharks (34-31-7), who have 75 points — tied with Seattle and two behind Nashville for the final Western Conference wild card. Los Angeles has 76 points, while St. Louis (31-31-11) has 73.
Theo Lindstein, Pavel Buchnevich, Philip Broberg and Cam Fowler scored for the Blues, and Jake Neighbours had two assists. Hofer finished with 24 saves.
You could call it a “revenge game” for Nazem Kadri as he takes on his former team, the Calgary Flames, but it was really a beatdown. Outshot 25-8, which led to the Flames being down 4-0 after the first period, it was all but over for the Flames, but for the Colorado Avalanche, it doesn't come without pain, as they worry about Calar Makar's injury and the severity of it after their 9-2 win.
Period 1:
Just over two minutes in, Jack Drury opens the scoring as he capitalizes on a rebound that bounces off the endboard from Parker Kelly's shot, his 10th goal of the year, making it 1-0. Brayden Pachal is called for unsportsmanlike conduct when he lays a heavy late hit to Drury after the whistle. Shortly into the power play, Blake Coleman slashes Martin Necas's stick in half and is called for it, sending the Avalanche to a 5-on-3.
Just over 20 seconds into the 5-on-3, it's a beautiful tic-tac-toe power-play goal: Cale Makar to Necas to Nazem Kadri, who finishes it to make it 2-0. With one more power play remaining, it's Kadri again as he buries a loose puck rebound that came off Brock Nelson's one-timer; his second goal of the night now makes it 3-0.
Over 1:40 after the Kadri goal, Gabriel Landeskog on the rush slips a shot five-hole, making it 4-0. With that goal, Dustin Wolf is pulled, and in comes Devin Cooley.
Colorado’s dominant period continues, and they show no remorse for Cooley as Kelly tips Makar’s shot from the blueline in, making it 5-0. The Avalanche showed what might have been their best period yet, finishing the first with 25 shots on goal while only allowing the Flames eight.
Period 2:
The Avalanche were a bit on cruise control to start the second period, and a turnover from Sam Malinski lets John Beecher wrap around the net, and Brennan Othmann crash the net for the loose puck rebound to make it 5-1.
Brett Kulak is called for high-sticking, but the Avalanche kills off their first penalty. Zach Whitecloud trips Landeskog, who almost had a great scoring attempt on the odd-man rush.
It’s Nathan MacKinnon as he receives a feed from Makar and rifles a one-time blast from the hashmarks into the net to make it 6-1 on the power play, their third power play point of the night as they enter the third period up 6-1.
Period 3:
At the start of the period, Makar was not on the bench, and later in the period, Avs PR confirmed he suffered an upper-body injury and will not return to the game. His last shift was late into the second period.
Matt Coronato is called for delay of game as he sends the puck over the glass, but the Avalanche can’t convert on their fourth power play. MacKinnon got his hands on the puck following a Flames turnover behind the net and fed Necas, 7-1. Not too long after Kelly feeds Malinski, crashing the net, forehand-backhand, 8-1
Despite the game being a blowout, Scott Wedgewood has made some terrific saves throughout, which might not have given the Flames much of a push for a comeback. They were tremendous glove and pad saves that show how much of a heater he is on.
Yegor Sharangovich’s initial stop is saved, but he manages to recover the puck and sets up Ryan Strome with a pretty neat backhand pass that stuns Wedgewood to make it 8-2. Though not too long after, MacKinnon finds his own loose puck off a rush shot attempt and finds Arturri Lehkonen crashing the net and buries it to make it 9-2.
Toronto's Max Domi and Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas dropped the gloves right off the opening faceoff in the teams' first meeting since Gudas was suspended five games for his knee-on-knee hit on Matthews.
Because the suspension wasn't longer for the March 12 infraction, it meant the Ducks captain was scheduled to be in the lineup for the teams' rematch.
Gudas didn't throw any punches and Domi got in about 10 before the defenseman went down.
The Ducks captain had suited up on Monday despite being injured in a recent game.
“Stand behind my own mistakes,” he said, according to TSN, about why he was going to play. “I want to address it myself, so that’s one of the reasons, 100 percent. That’s one of those games where I have to play.”
The Leafs' Michael Pezzetta went after Gudas in the second period. He got two minutes for roughing, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct for abuse of officials.
Colorado took control early and never let go. Just 2:31 into the game, the Avalanche opened the scoring when Jack Drury banked the puck in off Dustin Wolf after a shot bounced off the end boards. That goal set the tone for a first period that quickly got away from Calgary.
Penalty trouble followed, and Colorado capitalized. On a 5-on-3, Cale Makar found Martin Nečas down low, who quickly slid the puck across to Nazem Kadri for a tap-in at 6:31. Still on the power play, Kadri struck again at 7:37, burying a rebound to make it 3–0.
Less than two minutes later, the Avalanche added another. Valeri Nichushkin moved the puck to Brock Nelson, who faked a shot and set up Gabriel Landeskog driving the net. His initial attempt was stopped, but he buried the rebound at 9:19 to push the lead to four.
That ended Wolf’s night after four goals on 16 shots, with Devin Cooley coming on in relief.
Colorado wasn’t finished. Late in the first, Makar fired a shot from the point that was tipped in front by Parker Kelly at 15:50, capping a five-goal opening period. The Avalanche outshot Calgary 26–8 in the frame.
The Flames found a brief response in the second. John Beecher created the chance on a wraparound, and Brennan Othmann knocked in the loose puck for his first goal with Calgary to make it 5–1.
Any momentum was short-lived. With under a minute left in the period, Nathan MacKinnon blasted a one-timer on the power play off a feed from Makar to restore a five-goal lead heading into the third.
Colorado added two more in the final frame. Nečas scored his 35th of the season at 6:24 after a turnover behind the net, and Sam Malinski followed at 8:10, finishing off a rush to make it 8–1.
Nazem Kadri made an immediate impact, scoring twice in the first period, including the eventual game-winner, in his first game against Calgary since the trade.
Avalanche overwhelm early
Colorado’s speed and puck movement dictated the game from the opening shift. A five-goal first period put the Flames in a hole they couldn’t recover from.
Beecher stands out in loss
John Beecher was one of the few bright spots for Calgary, generating an assist on Othmann’s goal, recording two shots and contributing physically.
Evander Kane has officially skated in his 1000th NHL game. The Vancouver Canucks forward has hit this milestone in his 16th NHL season and first as a member of the Canucks. Kane is the seventh player to hit this career milestone while playing with Vancouver.
Through his 1000-game career, Kane has played for the Canucks, Edmonton Oilers (2021–24), San Jose Sharks (2017–21), Buffalo Sabres (2015–18), and the Winnipeg Jets — formerly the Atlanta Thrashers (2009–15). While he was still with Edmonton during most of their playoff run in 2024–25, he missed the entire regular-season due to injury.
Originally from Vancouver, Kane made his way to the Canucks via trade during the 2025 off-season, with the Oilers exchanging him for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Since joining the Canucks, Kane has played in 70 games and scored 12 goals and 18 assists. In his first 999 NHL games, he has put together 338 goals and 309 assists, with his highest season total coming in 2011–12 (30G, 27A).
Vancouver will play in two more games during their current road trip before heading back to Rogers Arena. On April 1, they’ll take on the Colorado Avalanche, and will face the Minnesota Wild the day after.
Mar 12, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks left wing Evander Kane (91) during warm up at Rogers Arena against the Nashville Predators. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images
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The good vibes were not sustained. | NHLI via Getty Images
The New York Islanders continue to surprise us. “Lose a critical home game to the Penguins” was definitely in our probability set, but “have the tables flipped in an 8-goal second period of an 8-3 blowout” was not.
That 8-3 final looks like a 5-3 game with three Patrick Roy empty netters, but it wasn’t that. After a scoreless and pretty even first period, the second period got weird. Islanders took a 2-0 lead only to fall apart. They gave up five in the middle frame — one game after they pulled off that same trick against the Florida Panthers — to enter the third period trailing 5-3 somehow.
Reversing the recent D-pair changes didn’t help. The Penguins, who leap the Islanders for sole possession of second place in the Metro with the regulation win, tacked on three more in the third to remove all doubt.
It wasn’t a great game for talisman Ilya Sorokin, of course (and co-talisman Matthew Schaefer went pointless and minus-2), but the defense was atrocious in front of him.
Still, one of the harbinger deflation points was on their power play, which was responsible for the opening goal by Anders Lee but then gave that back on its second opportunity. Just after the Islanders restored their two-goal lead on another Brayden Schenn goal with smooth neutral zone transition from Cal Ritchie, the power play gave up a shorthanded goal by Rickard Rakell to cut the deficit to one again.
It was lethargic work overall defending the counterattack, but Emil Heineman was stargazing as his man drove the net and Adam Boqvist defended the passer.
Two minutes later, it was tied, and a minute after that, Pittsburgh pulled ahead for good. Mo Anthony Mantha joined Rakell in scoring a pair.
It’s a parity league, so these things happen. But it’s just bizarre how the Islanders can fall asleep against the Blackhawks, hang tough and get a regulation win against the Stars, erase an early deficit to storm the Panthers, and then do this with the Penguins all in a little over a week.
Up Next
Tomorrow night in Buffalo is no longer a “bonus if we get something” game. They’ve got to get a point or two. There will be lots of other Eastern games that matter that night, and though the Isles will still finish the night in a playoff spot no matter what, their primary chasers from the outside each have two games in hand.
NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Mantha had two goals and an assist, Rickard Rakell scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to defeat the New York Islanders 8-3 on Monday night in a crucial game in the competitive Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Penguins trailed 3-1 midway through the second period before scoring four times in less than 6 1/2 minutes to take over. Their seventh goal on their 28th shot eight minutes into the third chased Ilya Sorokin, who was done in by porous defense in front of him and relieved by backup David Rittich.
Pittsburgh with the regulation victory leapfrogged New York into second place in the Metropolitan Division, 90 points to 89. The Penguins have eight games left in the regular season compared to seven for the Islanders, who could find themselves outside a spot as early as Tuesday night depending on results of their next game and others in contention in the East.
Returning from a one-game injury absence, Sidney Crosby was one of 15 skaters on his team to register a point in a significant bounce back from losing at home to Dallas without him on Saturday. Longtime running mate Evgeni Malkin missed a fourth consecutive game and is considered day to day.
The Islanders are relatively healthy, but their details were sorely lacking in blowing a multigoal lead and doing so in stunning fashion. They had allowed seven goals in their previous four games combined, with Hall of Fame goaltender coach Patrick Roy preaching a 0-0 mindset and relying on Sorokin to make up for any mistakes.
Even Sorokin could not compensate against the Penguins, who got solid goaltending from Arturs Silovs.
Up next
Penguins: Stuart Skinner is expected to start Tuesday night at home against the Detroit Red Wings.
Islanders: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, with Sorokin potentially in line to get the nod again.
After scoring five second-period goals to overcome a two-goal deficit in Saturday’s win over the Panthers, the Islanders allowed the Penguins to do the same Monday, closing a crucial five-game homestand by surrendering seven unanswered goals in an 8-3 loss at UBS Arena. The embarrassing defensive effort — in which the Islanders allowed the most goals in a game this season — led to Ilya Sorokin being pulled for just the second time this season, as the team gave away a pair of two-goal advantages and a massive opportunity in the crowded Eastern Conference standings.
“We were just awful defensively,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “We know what we did. We know what went wrong. We know what we need to do to play the right way … That’s not us.”
In a potential playoff preview, the Penguins (37-21-16, 90 points) earned their first regulation win in two weeks and jumped ahead of the Islanders (42-28-5, 89 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders remain one point ahead of Columbus for the final wild-card spot, while Ottawa — the next closest playoff contender — is three points behind the Islanders, with two games in hand.
Goaltender Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders reacts after he gives up a goal during the second period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Seven games remain — including Tuesday at Buffalo — in the regular season. Five more will come at home. Ultimately, this loss may not impact the Islanders’ playoff hopes. But conveying that to the packed house in Elmont was impossible, as the collective mood segued from elation to silence in barely three and a half minutes.
For 23 minutes, Ilya Sorokin was impenetrable. Anders Lee was opportunistic, burying a backhand off the boards for the game’s first goal in the opening minutes of the second period. Mathew Barzal was a magician, setting up scoring chances virtually every time he touched the puck. He put the Islanders up 2-0 with a wrist shot 2:56 into the second period, then later fired a shot that rebounded off Pittsburgh’s Arturs Silovs, which allowed Brayden Schenn to score for the second straight game, putting the Islanders up 3-1 with 10:43 remaining in the second period and halfway to a three-point lead over the Penguins.
Then, the defense disappeared, repeatedly putting Sorokin on an island, leading to three Pittsburgh goals in the span of 3:34, beginning with Rickard Rakell’s short-handed goal.
Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal pass goaltender Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders during the second period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“It was definitely a turning point in that game, but after that we had a chance to get back in the game and we didn’t match [them],” coach Patrick Roy said. “The momentum shifted and we just couldn’t get it back … It stings that we’ve been doing so well lately and we just had a bad one in the system.
“You don’t like to be embarrassed like this in front of your fans, so we need to regroup and be ready for [Buffalo]. … We can’t give that many chances and think we’re gonna win hockey games.”
Just 2:29 after the short-handed goal, Ryan Shea tied it with a one-timer. Then, Anthony Mantha broke free, beating Sorokin five-hole to put the Penguins ahead with 6:25 left in the second period. Mantha closed the period with another goal, taking advantage of a defensive breakdown to beat Sorokin with a backhand.
Arturs Silovs #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins defends the net against center Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders during the first period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
After the Penguins scored two more to start the third period, Isles backup goalie David Rittich replaced Sorokin, who allowed seven goals on 28 shots. Sorokin had allowed a total of four goals in the previous four games.
“We let him down,” Kyle MacLean said. “He’s been so good for us and we can’t play like that in front of him. He deserves better.”
