Still reeling from the loss of Noah Dobson, the Montreal Canadiens had to bounce right back up as they were facing the New York Islanders in the 81st game of their regular season. With Dobson ruled out for at least two weeks, Kaiden Guhle was back in the lineup, and David Reinbacher, freshly called up from the Laval Rocket, was playing his first NHL game, on the third pairing alongside Arber Xhekaj. That also meant that Adam Engstrom came out of the lineup.

Joe Veleno was also scratched to allow Zach Bolduc to return, while Brendan Gallagher had to sit out another game. As for Alex Newhook, he was back on the second line while Kapanen landed on the third. There’s no denying that Martin St-Louis is holding auditions right now to find out the right combinations for the playoffs.

For a second night in a row, the Canadiens were pitted against a team that was desperately fighting for its survival. The Islanders needed a win to remain in playoff contention after a costly loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

Two Canadiens Prospects Are National Champions
Canadiens Announce Dobson Is Out And Call Up Reinbacher
Canadiens Outworked By The Blue Jackets

The Season of Milestones

After a dull first frame in which both teams were extremely prudent, which wasn’t surprising given what was at stake, Montreal managed to break the deadlock at 15:56 of the second frame, through none other than captain Nick Suzuki, who got his 100th point in style. It’s the first time since 1985-86 that a Canadiens player reaches the century mark; Mats Naslund was the last one to do it. The 26-year-old becomes just the fifth player in Habs history to reach the 100-point mark in a season after Guy Lafleur, Pete Mahovlich, Naslund, and Steve Shutt, and it’s the 11th time that has happened.

Bienvenue à notre capitaine dans le club des centenaires

Welcome to the 100 club, Cap#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/w0C8eZTkRb

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 13, 2026

They were barely done celebrating when he got an assist on the next goal, scored by Ivan Demidov, just like Lane Hutson. With a helper on both games, Hutson had 66 assists, tying Larry Robinson’s record for most assists in a season by a Canadiens’ defenseman. The mark had been set in 1976-77. With another game to play, the youngster might even have time to break the record.

Newhook then added a third goal in 55 seconds for the visitors, and Reinbacher got the secondary assist, recording his first NHL point in his first game. The goal scorer immediately grabbed the puck, all too aware of its significance.

3 buts en moins d'une minute!!

3 goals in less than a minute!!#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/g3RA5mqRya

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 12, 2026

Fowler Did Not Falter

Despite not being overly tested in the first two periods, only having to turn aside 14 shots in 40 minutes, rookie netminder Jacob Fowler had to hold the fort in the final frame. Down by three goals and with elimination looming, the Islanders started to put more pucks on net and more traffic in front of the masked man. Still, they could only manage to score once when Casey Cizikas deflected a point shot, which Kirby Dach failed to block. With so many bodies in the way (Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble, Cizikas, and Kyle MacLean), it was pretty much impossible for the youngster to see the puck.

With a lead cut down to just two goals, Fowler didn’t let that phase him and was irreproachable for the rest of the game. Under tremendous pressure, he stayed as cool as a cucumber and played a big role in the Islanders’ elimination.

Bolduc Impressed

After being a healthy scratch for the last two games, the sophomore had plenty of energy on the ice. He played very well on both sides of the puck, was a nuisance on the forecheck, landing five hits on the night and was also rewarded offensively with a goal and an assist.

If he could play that brand of hockey every night, he wouldn’t have to worry about having to sit for another game as the Canadiens get ready to embark on their playoff journey. For now, though, he’s done more than enough to ensure that he’s in the lineup on Tuesday when the Canadiens take on the Philadelphia Flyers in their last game of the regular season.

It’s also worth mentioning that Reinbacher’s father, his girlfriend, and one of his best friends were in the building to see him get his first NHL point despite the short notice about his first NHL game. The right-shot blueliner did well in the 11 minutes and change he spent on the ice.

With the win, the Canadiens take back second place in the Atlantic Division. They have 106 points, just like the Buffalo Sabres, who are first, but the Habs only have 34 regulation wins, while the Sabres have 41. Both Buffalo and the Tampa Bay Lightning have two games left to play, while the Canadiens have only one; it’s going to be a tight finish.

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

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Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

A pair of Jesper Bratt goals pushed the Devils to a 5-3 win over the Red Wings on Saturday as Detroit was eliminated from playoff contention. [Devils NHL]

And on Sunday in the home finale, a power play goal from Nico Hischier in overtime gave the Devils a 4-3 win over the Senators. [Devils NHL]

“Whether it’s Sunny Mehta or whoever else the Devils hire, they have work to do once they begin the job. Let’s look at the four most important tasks facing the Devils’ next GM.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

“Mehta is smart and media savvy. But he has not yet been a general manager in the NHL and could use an experienced front-office member to support him. Insert Shanahan, who fits both the experienced front-office member criteria as well as a franchise great. He was Lou Lamoriello’s first draft selection as Devils general manager in 1987 and played his first 281 games in a Devils uniform before bookending his career in New Jersey in 2008-09.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]

Could Tyler Dellow be another good option? “Dellow also has a data-driven background, a history with the organization, and has done tidy work to help elevate the Carolina Hurricanes.” [Infernal Access ($)]

Hockey Links

“The 2025-26 Stanley Cup Playoffs will be the first NHL post-season without all three NYC area teams (NJD, NYI, NYR) since the Devils entered the league in 1974 as the Kansas City Scouts.” [r/hockey]

Cool stuff:

For the 100th time pic.twitter.com/1nwHm3OdAU

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 12, 2026

Ouch:

Avs head coach Jared Bednar took an attempted dump-in from Keegan Kolesar to the side of the head and has left the bench 🤕 pic.twitter.com/Qh0uQQSXgd

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 12, 2026

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar will not accompany the team on their upcoming two-game road trip due to facial fractures and a corneal abrasion. He will not require surgery at this time and is expected to make a full recovery.

Avalanche assistant coaches Nolan Pratt and… pic.twitter.com/6VupeAD82E

— P – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 12, 2026

Who are the league’s most underrated forwards? “This list could have easily been 30-50 players long, so unfortunately, a lot of highly deserving candidates (including the one on your favorite team) will likely be left off. Here’s my personal take on seven underrated NHL forwards. I’ve tried to include a diverse mix of player types, including top-six players that out-of-market fans have already heard of but whose talent/production they may not fully appreciate, and some under-the-radar middle-six forwards.” [The Athletic ($)]

“Nick Suzuki recorded his 100th point of the season Sunday night, becoming the first Montreal Canadiens’ skater to reach the single-season milestone in 40 years.” [Daily Faceoff]

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

The 2025-26 New York Islanders have run into their ceiling, falling short of a goal that didn’t seem realistic before Matthew Schaefer put up a historic rookie season and Ilya Sorokin bounced back with a Vezina year in the face of a steady stream of high-danger chances. (And we shouldn’t forget the secondary assist from their never-to-be-repeated 10-0 overtime record. They didn’t fix the power play but they did fix that.)

By running out of steam in the final weeks, the Islanders deprived the franchise of two or three games of playoff revenue, robbed us of some postseason fun (and heartache, always heartache), and kept Schaefer from getting an early taste of postseason intensity. But they also probably spared us the traditional first-round humbling by the Hurricanes or, worse, a tough first-round loss to an in-form Penguins team whose greatest 2025-26 contribution will be driving more people in Toronto mad over the Shanahan-Dubas-yada-yada turning point.

Standings points in the no-tie, 3-on-3, shootout-and-hotdog-eating-contest era of deciding regular season “winners” are always a little bit smoke and mirrors. But last night when I switched my standings view from “Wild Card” to “League” to resume assessing where the Islanders are likely to pick in the draft, I was struck by the fact their 91 points — even amid a 3-7 slump — was still ahead of the Western playoff-bound Oilers, Mammoth and Ducks. No no no, my conference doesn’t suck, your conference sucks.

That’s small comfort that will soon be moot and forgotten, but each of those teams has 9 or 10 OT wins, too. The Islanders: Flawed like some other interesting teams!

And what’s better, this season Schaefer has shown they have something incredible to build off of, hopefully while Ilya Sorokin (who, don’t look now, turns 31 next year) can still be a game changer. Dear Mathieu Darche, please don’t Chiarelli, Holland or Bowman this up, and maybe introduce young Schaef-daddy to Connor McDavid this summer, okay?

Islanders News

• About last night: Game over. [LHH] A once feel-good season comes crashing down. [Post]
• Takeaways: a disaster in 55 seconds. [Isles]
• Gross: In the end, they were not playoff-worthy. [Newsday]
• For game 82, Pete DeBoer wouldn’t mind seeing players “in game action who are potentially part of this moving forward,” but knows it’s up to Mathieu Darche. In hopefully related news, Ondrej Palat was a scratch last night. [Post]
• Another reason to cheer up: After finishing 32nd the last two AHL seasons, Bridgeport, in its final season, finally made the playoffs again! And Victor Eklund The Greater continues to score. [B-Isles]
• Check this site for lots on Bridgeport, including their clincher, where Matt Maggio returned after a long run of scratches and Cole Eiserman sat out. [Isles in the Sound]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores included the Penguins continuing to roll over for the Capitals, almost like they’d prefer a first round vs. D.C. instead of vs. the Flyers.

• James Hagens had an assist (and penalty) in his debut, as Boston reversed its slide and dealt the Blue Jackets a near-fatal blow. [Sportsnet]
• An emotional and brief speech from Anze Kopitar, who vowed to Kings fans they would try to get into the postseason and create a couple more home games. [NHL]
• Alex Ovechkin “will think about” playing another year. [NHL]

Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins iced most of their regulars but generated little offense, falling 3-0 to the Washington Capitals on Sunday. Washington pulled away late with two third-period goals (including an empty-netter), in a game that may have marked one of Alex Ovechkin’s final appearances in Washington, D.C. [Recap]

ICYMI: The Penguins signed undrafted North Dakota defenseman Jake Livanavage to a two-year entry-level deal on Friday, adding a mobile, puck-moving blueliner to a thin prospect pool on the left side. [PensBurgh]

Forward Bryan Rust was selected as the Penguins’ nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which recognizes “the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.” [Trib Live]

News and notes from around the NHL…

After the Penguins-Capitals game on Sunday, Ovechkin was named the first star and was greeted with not only admiration from the fan base for what could be his final NHL home game, but also chants of “One more year!” from those same fans who don’t want to see the Great 8 hang up the skates just yet. [NHL]

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar will not travel with his team on their upcoming western Canada road trip after taking a puck to the face during their game Saturday night. [Sportsnet]

Nick Suzuki is the first Montreal Canadiens player in 40 years to reach 100 points in a season. [TSN]

By Corey Abbott, RotoWire.com

Fantasy hockey managers looking to tinker with their rosters will benefit from zeroing in on specific categories. Whether you are looking for long-term fits in dynasty leagues or late additions for the fantasy playoffs in standard formats, there should be plenty of options to help your squads. 

Let's get into this week's suggestions for your consideration.

Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, Blues (36% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Hits 

Snuggerud has ramped it up in the fourth quarter of the NHL season. He has the most points among rookies during that span, with 17 (seven goals, 10 assists) in 17 games. He also leads all first-year players with 16 even-strength points over that stretch. Snuggerud has registered one goal on 16 shots and four assists in his past four outings. He also has 69 hits across 67 games this campaign. The 21-year-old winger has fit in nicely with red-hot linemates Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway down the stretch. St. Louis plays three times this week, including twice at home. 

Dmitry Orlov, D, Sharks (24% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Blocks/Hits

Collecting seven assists (three on the power play), 16 shots on goal, 11 hits and seven blocked shots in his last nine outings, Orlov has been productive down the stretch. He shifted off the first power-play unit in a 4-3 shootout loss to Vancouver on Saturday, but he has maintained a top-pairing role late in the year. His category coverage makes him an intriguing option heading into San Jose's season-ending, three-game road trip.

Carter Hart, G, Golden Knights (19% rostered) for Starts/Saves/Wins 

Since returning to the lineup from a lower-body injury, Hart has won four consecutive starts while allowing only seven goals on 97 shots. He had a light 10-save effort against Vancouver on Tuesday, but he made at least 30 stops in each of his wins over Edmonton and Colorado. Hart should get at least one of Vegas' final two games and he could play in both. Vegas hosts Winnipeg on Monday before concluding the regular season with a home contest against Seattle on Wednesday. 

Anton Forsberg, G, Kings (14% rostered) for Starts/Saves/Wins 

Forsberg has played superbly in April, stopping 103 of 107 shots faced during a four-game winning streak. He made 27 saves in a 1-0 shutout victory over Edmonton on Saturday, which helps his case to see the bulk of the starts during the Kings' season-ending road trip. The team probably will roll with the hot hand with a playoff spot on the line. Los Angeles plays three times in four nights, starting with Monday's matchup in Seattle. The Kings visit Vancouver on Tuesday before wrapping up against Calgary on Thursday. 

Porter Martone, RW, Flyers (13% rostered) for Goals/Shots/Hits/PP 

Since turning pro at the end of March, Martone has been all over the scoresheet. Following a successful freshman season with Michigan State University, the 19-year-old forward has amassed three goals, seven points, 27 shots on target and 11 hits in his first seven NHL appearances. Martone has been skating in a top-six role at even strength and has a spot on the top power-play combination, where he has two of his three goals and one assist. Philadelphia plays two games on home ice this week and can end a five-year playoff drought with one victory. 

Anton Frondell, C, Blackhawks (10% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Blocks/Hits 

Frondell has looked impressive since his NHL debut against the Islanders on March 24. He has compiled three goals, nine points, 30 shots on net, 11 blocked shots and eight hits through his first 10 appearances as a member of the Blackhawks. After starting on Connor Bedard's wing, Frondell remains productive while centering the second line between Tyler Bertuzzi and Ilya Mikheyev. The 18-year-old Frondell has two goals and two assists during a three-game point streak. He also still sees time with Bedard on the first power-play combination. Frondell possesses considerable value in keeper formats. Thanks to the category coverage he provides, he also has the potential to be a solid depth pickup in standard leagues. Chicago hosts Buffalo and San Jose on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, to finish its 2025-26 campaign. 

Matthew Coronato, RW, Flames (7% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots 

Coronato has accumulated four goals on 34 shots and 14 points (four on the power play) in the last 14 games. He has two point streaks of five straight games during that span and has one goal and four helpers over his active five-game spree. After some ups and downs, he has been consistent down the stretch in the team's top six. Calgary plays twice at home to close out the 2025-26 regular season against the Avalanche and Kings on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. 

A.J. Greer, LW, Panthers (3% rostered) for Goals/Points/Shots/Hits 

Greer has been productive down the stretch for the injury-ravaged Panthers. He has accounted for five goals, nine points, 18 shots on net, seven blocked shots and 21 hits in his last 10 outings. Due to the absence of several forwards from the lineup, Greer is logging time in Florida's top six and is taking advantage of the increased responsibility. The Panthers finish the 2025-26 campaign with home games against the Rangers and Red Wings on Monday and Wednesday, respectively. 

Easton Cowan, LW/RW, Maple Leafs (2% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/Hits/PP

Cowan is playing well late in the year while occupying a top-six position. He has picked up two goals, four assists, eight shots on net and eight hits in his last six outings. The bulk of his recent production has come on the first power-play unit, where he has two goals and two helpers. The 20-year-old forward is benefiting from an increased role and has solid all-around upside for Toronto's final two games of 2025-26.

Jonathan Toews, C, Jets (2% rostered) for Assists/Points/Shots/PP/Faceoffs 

Toews has generated points in bunches this season while struggling through some lengthy offensive droughts. However, he could finish the regular season on a high note after notching two goals on five shots and two helpers during a three-game point streak. During that span, he has two power-play points, including an assist, while skating on the first unit, and he has won 27 of his 40 faceoffs. Winnipeg plays three times, including twice on the road, to finish the 2025-26 regular season. 

To wrap up their 2025-26 home schedule, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday evening at Honda Center. This home closer had more weight behind it than any in the last eight years, as a win would clinch the Ducks a playoff spot for the first time since the 2017-18 season.

The Ducks were coming off a get-right win on Thursday, as they defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-1 and snapped a six-game winless streak.

Anaheim Ducks Goaltender Lukas Dostal Nominated for King Clancy Memorial Trophy

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-1 Win over the Sharks

For Vancouver, this was their second game of a back-to-back, as they snapped their own four-game losing streak with a 4-3 shootout win against the Sharks on Saturday.

The Ducks saw the return of two prominent pieces in their lineup, as Cutter Gauthier returned after missing the Ducks’ previous five games with an upper-body injury. Captain Radko Gudas also returned to the blueline after missing six of their last seven games. Frank Vatrano, Olen Zellweger, and Drew Helleson served as healthy scratches in this one.

Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start:

Kreider-Carlsson-Terry

Killorn-Granlund-Sennecke

Viel-McTavish-Gauthier

Washe-Poehling-Moore

LaCombe-Trouba

Mintyukov-Carlson

Hinds-Gudas

Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks in this game, setting a career high for games in a season with 55. He stopped 22 of 26 shots in this one. In the Vancouver crease stood Nikita Tolopilo, who saved 24 of 27.

Games Notes

The Ducks got off to one of their better starts, dominating the shot count, manufacturing quality chances early, and getting out to a lead just three minutes in. Vancouver pushed back and got a goal off a net front battle and a power play goal to close out the first.

After a cycle-heavy second period didn’t amount to anything on the scoreboard, the Ducks allowed a shorthanded goal early in the third. In typical 2025-26 Anaheim Ducks fashion, led by their youngest and most talented players, they refused to let this game slip away, and notched two tallies in short succession, following Vancouver’s shorthanded goal.

In overtime, Beckett Sennecke tried to force a play, turned it over at his blueline, Chris Kreider took a penalty, and the Canucks won it on the ensuing power play in overtime. Special teams proved an issue again in this game, but at 5v5, they won every category decisively. They accounted for 58.67% of the shot attempts, 60.53% of the shots on goal, and 66.92% of the expected goals.

“Well, we fell short. I didn’t like the call at the end of the game,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after the game. “That didn’t help, certainly. We battled back there in that third period. I thought we played fine all game. We had good pace, good energy, and worked hard.”

Cutter Gauthier: Teams don’t want to be over-reliant on one player to contribute a sizable percentage of their offense. However, the Ducks were clearly missing Gauthier over the last five games. His finishing ability and knack for instant offense is something the Ducks always have in their back pocket whenever they need a go-ahead goal early or a goal to get them back into a game.

In this one, he did his damage on the power play (or when a power play had just expired) from his home on the right flank. Few players can beat NHL goaltenders from distance regularly, even with puck movement, but Gauthier is one of the few. His line with Viel and McTavish didn’t have their best defensive performance, but did well to pressure Vancouver’s defensemen and disrupt on the forecheck.

Cycle: The Ducks seemed keen to feed pucks to their defensemen at the points, perhaps to a fault. Point men weren’t forcing shots or funneling pucks to the net; instead, they prioritized keeping pucks moving down the wall, extending cycle sequences, and racking up offensive zone possession time.

However, at times when forwards were in trouble on the wall, they would try to feed covered point men, which led to several turnovers high in the offensive zone, one of the more dangerous areas on the ice to cough up pucks.

The cycle was at its best, especially with McTavish’s line, when the Ducks’ F3 would pop high between the defensemen along the blueline to draw the opposing center away from the low slot so they could get shots through easier or more easily win pucks back down low, as they had the numbers and positioning advantage. 



Rush Defense: As has been the case for the entirety of this season, the Ducks played a high-risk, pressure game. Defensemen and F3s made some questionable pinches and pressures low in the offensive zone with the aim to maintain possession.

The difference in this game and why those sequences didn’t cost them can be attributed to two factors: 1. Quality of opponent. Vancouver is at the bottom of the NHL standings for several reasons, and one of them is their lack of team speed and firepower. 2. When Ducks players would pinch or pressure, as a team, they were able to recover well for their pressuring teammate or recover themselves after a failed pinch.

If that aspect of their pressure game can be relied on and fleshed out, it can become a more dangerous weapon while also limiting much of the risk involved.

The Ducks will look to finally, mercifully, clinch a playoff spot for the first time in eight seasons on Tuesday, when they’ll head to St. Paul to take on the Minnesota Wild.

Ducks Goaltender Ville Husso Nominated for Masterton Trophy

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-0 Loss to the Predators

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Brayden Pachal scored his first NHL goal of the season and added two assists on Sunday night as the Calgary Flames’ hot streak at home continued with a 4-1 victory over the Utah Mammoth.

Matt Coronato, Connor Zary and Mikael Backlund also scored for Calgary, which is 7-0-1 in its last eight games at home. Dustin Wolf made 28 saves.

Lawson Crouse scored for Utah, which holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a three-point lead on the Los Angeles Kings, who have a game in hand.

Vitek Vanecek had 19 stops for Utah.

With both teams playing the second game of back-to-backs, it was Calgary that came out flying with Coronato giving the Flames a 1-0 lead at 7:06 of the first period. When Vanecek misplayed the puck behind his net after colliding with defenseman Ian Cole, Coronato grabbed the loose puck and tucked it into the vacated net.

After a dominant first period in which Calgary took a 2-0 lead and outshot the visitors 14-4, Utah played a better second period, but was unable to solve Wolf.

Among his stops was a key glove save on MacKenzie Weegar when the former Flames defenseman broke in from the blue line all alone.

While Clayton Keller had an assist to extend his point streak to eight games (four goals, 13 assists), Dylan Guenther (six goals, seven assists) and Mikhail Sergachev (zero goals, 12 assists) had their seven-game point streaks come to an end.

Coronato’s goal, which extended his point streak to five games (one goal, four assists), was his 100th NHL point. Rookie left-winger Aydar Suniev had an assist for his first NHL point.

Up next

Mammoth: Host the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.

Flames: The Colorado Avalanche are the visitors on Tuesday night.

___

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

Trading Noah Dobson Montreal last summer may have been the only choice Mathieu Darche had, and it may turn into a long-term win-win for both teams. One year in, with Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson yet to make their NHL debuts — though hopefully the Islanders call up Eklund Tuesday to make Game 82 interesting — it’s too early to judge.

What was strange though, and what remains strange, was seeing much of the reaction toward Dobson from Islanders fans, which so often boiled down to “Good riddance.” Had Dobson — who suffered an upper-body injury on Saturday and will be reevaluated in two weeks, taking him out of at least some of the Habs’ first-round series — made his return to Long Island on Sunday as scheduled for the Islanders’ 4-11 playoff-eliminating loss, it seemed a distinct possibility that he would face boos.

Maybe, and hopefully, that is a misread based on the more online parts of the fan base. When Dobson makes his return to UBS with the Canadiens next season, he ought to be cheered. The 26-year-old was an excellent Islander, always represented the franchise well and has predictably proven hard to replace. One of Lou Lamoriello’s bigger missteps was failing to extend Dobson and treat him like a franchise cornerstone two summers ago. That much is obvious.

It’s hard to say the Islanders would be in playoff position with Dobson now, mainly because you can’t predict the cascading effects of adding his $9.5 million to the cap on the Islanders’ summer. But what you can say with certainty is that the Islanders very badly missed him this season.

That’s nothing against the trade, which was made with the long-term in mind, or Emil Heineman, who played well above expectation in scoring 22 goals and looks like a long-term piece of the puzzle for the Isles. It’s an acknowledgement of something obvious: that a right-handed, puck-moving defenseman who plays over 20 minutes a night is a rare commodity in the NHL, and the Islanders’ blue line lacked depth all season.

There is an idea out there that having Matthew Schaefer allowed the Islanders to trade Dobson without losing anything. Schaefer, though, is left-handed, and no one expected — let alone knew — that he would be so impactful when the deal was made on draft night.

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND ISLANDERS STATS

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The Islanders managed to patch the hole on their right side with Tony DeAngelo this season, and would be well-served bringing back No. 77 this summer. It’s no coincidence that much of their collapse happened when DeAngelo was out of the lineup injured; being without a puck-moving righty at a crucial point of the season proved near-impossible to overcome.

Short term, that was about as good a solution as you could expect. Combined with Heineman’s season, and the encouraging developments of Eklund and Aitcheson, and the long term outlook of the deal seems, tentatively, solid.

Still, it is a complicated deal to judge, and a lot needs to go right for the Islanders to feel good about it in five years.

Dobson picked up in Montreal where he left off on Long Island, lugging 22:29 per night with 47 points. He is a frustrating player in that his mistakes seem to always be highlight-worthy in the wrong way. He’s also more than good enough to make that tradeoff worth it.

His injury, and the prospect of being without him in the playoffs, amounts to a major problem for the Canadiens, who usually deploy Dobson and Mike Matheson against the opposition’s top line.

If Eklund becomes a piece of the Islanders’ top-six and Aitcheson a piece of the top-four, on top of Heineman being an annual 20-goal scorer, then of course the Islanders would feel great about it. That is also something like a best-case scenario.

Prospects, even good ones, are unknown commodities. The Islanders have made strides in how they’ve invested in Bridgeport and in player development this season. Still, they are not going to have a 100 percent hit rate. They also could use more consistency from Heineman, which they will hope comes in time for a player still early in his career.

You can safely say now that Darche turned a hard situation into something promising. That was about as much as he could have done upon realizing that Dobson would not be an Islander this season. It was a smart piece of work by a rookie general manager in a situation that could have ended much worse.

Whether the Islanders won the deal, though, is a different question altogether. One season isn’t enough time to answer it.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Marco Rossi scored with 9.5 seconds left in overtime to help the Vancouver Canucks beat Anaheim 4-3 on Sunday night and prevent the Ducks from clinching a playoff spot.

Anaheim has 90 points and can secure a playoff spot with a win Tuesday at Minnesota.

Curtis Douglas, Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser each added a goal for Vancouver. The Canucks' 56 points this season are the fewest in the NHL, 17 fewer than Calgary, the next closest. Nikita Tolopilo had 24 saves.

Cutter Gauthier scored two goals and Leo Carlsson added a goal for the Ducks. Gauthier has a career-high 40 goals this season. The 22-year-old is the fourth player in franchise history to score 40-plus goals in a single season.

Rossi scored with a one-timer from the right circle that beat goaltender Lukas Dostal glove side to win it. Dostal finished with 22 saves.

Gauthier opened the scoring at 3:41 of the first period.

Douglas answered about 10 minutes later and DeBrusk added a power-play goal with 5:23 left until the first intermission that gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead.

Boeser beat Dostal one on one for a short-handed goal at 4:28 of the third period, but Gauthier answered with his second goal 37 seconds later and Carlson made it 3-3 with 13:04 left in regulation.

Up next

Canucks: Host Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Ducks: Visit Minnesota on Tuesday.

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

Game 82 of 2025-26 looks set to be the first preseason game of 2026-27.

After the Islanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday with a 4-1 loss to the Canadiens, coach Pete DeBoer indicated he’d like to use the last game of the season — a home match against Carolina on Tuesday — to “see as many guys as possible.”

That may have been a nod to Victor Eklund, who could be in line to make his NHL debut after helping AHL Bridgeport clinch a playoff spot on Sunday night, though it’s unclear whether the Isles will call up the Swede.

Certainly, it seems like Isaiah George should play, and that some call-ups could happen.

“I’ll have to talk to Mathieu [Darche] about roster and some things like that,” DeBoer said. “But for me, the more guys I can see in game action that are potentially part of this going forward, I think that’s important.”

Hired a week ago Sunday, DeBoer was in the awkward position of dealing with a devastated team after just his third game in charge.

“I’m disappointed,” DeBoer said. “I know they were in a good spot a month ago, or coming out of the Olympic break, probably. A lot of work goes into that. I can only speak to the last seven days.

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND ISLANDERS STATS

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“These guys have had a lot of stuff thrown at them. One coach left, a new coach came in. A lot of new stuff. So they’re wearing that a little bit and you feel for them. I can tell you I’m proud they didn’t quit. They played right to the buzzer tonight. We know we’ve got a lot of work to do here, but there’s a lot of good things too.”

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Ondrej Palat was a healthy scratch, with Anthony Duclair coming into the lineup for just the second time in the Islanders’ last 11 games.

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Ilya Sorokin started his ninth straight game in net and has now appeared in 14 straight, dating back nearly a month.

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Coach Pete DeBoer ruled out any possibility of Alexander Romanov returning from shoulder surgery in the regular season. The Islanders had liked Romanov’s chances of returning in the playoffs since he got hurt in mid-November, but with a playoff berth highly unlikely, it now appears he won’t be back until training camp.

The Ducks held their annual fan appreciation day Sunday, handing out thousands of gifts, from a new car to team jerseys and gift cards. But the one prize the Ducks’ long-suffering fans really wanted, a playoff berth, remained just out of reach.

Needing a win to clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2018, the Ducks lost a sloppy 4-3 overtime decision to the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s worst team, leaving them a point shy of the playoffs with two games to play. The loss was the seventh in eight games for the Ducks, who have tumbled from first to third in the Pacific Division standings and may now have to settle for a wild-card berth.

So they’ll hit the road Monday for their final two games of the regular season needing one point from games in Minnesota and Nashville. The Ducks could also back into the playoffs if Nashville losses either of its final two games.

“We haven't clinched anything yet,” captain Radko Gudas said. “With two games to play, there's still a lot of work to do, 120 minutes to give it our all and make that push.”

“We just can't be satisfied with what we're at right now,” coach Joel Quenneville agreed. “We didn't make it easy on ourselves, that's for sure.”

The Ducks have already assured themselves of their first winning record since 2017-18 but the playoffs have been the Holy Grail the team has been chasing since then. And it appeared within reach until Marco Rossi scored on a power play with less than 11 seconds left in the extra period, silencing a sellout crowd that had repeatedly peppered the Ducks with rhythmic chants of “We want playoffs!”

“I loved it,” Quenneville said of the chant. “I wanted to complete that wish tonight.”

Read more:Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek agrees to multiyear contract extension

And it looked as if that would happen given the way the Ducks started, with Cutter Gauthier opening the scoring with the first of two goals 3:41 into a feisty and physical first period that was interrupted by seven penalties and two fights.

But Vancouver got the next three scores, taking a 3-1 lead when Brock Boeser intercepted a sloppy Leo Carlsson pass intended for John Carlson in Vancouver’s defensive end, then outskated Carlson the other way before lifting the puck over goaltender Lukas Dostal less than five minutes into the final period.

The shorthanded goal seemed to wake the slumbering Ducks, with Gauthier scoring on a power play 37 seconds later to halve the lead and become the first Duck with 40 goals in a season since Corey Perry in 2013-14.

“It's a huge milestone and something I'm very proud of,” Gauthier said. “But that's not why I'm playing hockey. I’m playing to win games and eventually win a Stanley Cup.”

Carlsson then evened things at 3-3 on a spectacular goal less than two minutes later, backhanding the puck over Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo while skating away from the crease for his 29^th goal of the season.

“It was kind of a dagger when they score a shorthanded goal on us,” Gauthier said. “It's supposed to be the opposite way. But I thought we responded really well, obviously tying it back up.”

The Ducks couldn’t keep it there, however, with Chris Kreider taking a slashing penalty with 2:07 left in overtime, giving Vancouver an extra skater. Dostal had kept the Ducks in the game, making seven saves in the extra period, including five huge stops on the power play, but he couldn’t stop Rossi on the final shot, one which sent the Ducks’ fans home disappointed and eager to end to the second-longest playoff drought in the NHL.

“They've been hungry to get back in the playoffs over these last seven years,” said Gauthier, who was in junior high school in Michigan the last time the Ducks played in the postseason. “They're excited for it, we're excited for it. We fell short tonight but we had a great opportunity to go on this road trip and get some get points.”

Actually just one point — the one they left on the ice Sunday — will be enough.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Logan Thompson stopped 24 shots, and the Washington Capitals kept their slim playoff hopes alive by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 Sunday in perhaps the final home of Alex Ovechkin’s brilliant career.

To reach the postseason, the Capitals must defeat Columbus in the season finale Tuesday night and hope Philadelphia fails to win either of its last two games.

The 40-year-old Ovechkin intends to wait until the offseason to decide whether to retire or return for a 22nd season. The all-time NHL leader in goals with 929, Ovechkin has played in every game this season and leads the Capitals in goals (32) and points (63).

The spirited, sellout crowd saluted Ovechkin during the game with chants of “One more year!” and “Ovi! Ovi! Ovi!”

Ovechkin helped seal the victory by picking up an assist on an empty-net goal by Connor McMichael, who scored earlier in the third period.

CANADIENS 4, ISLANDERS 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist to pass the 100-point mark for the season and Montreal beat the Islanders 4-1, eliminating New York from playoff contention.

Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook and Zachary Bolduc also scored for Montreal, which continues its push for home-ice advantage in the opening round and a potential Atlantic Division title. Jacob Fowler made 30 saves, and defenseman Lane Hutson added three assists.

Casey Cizikas scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 shots but the Islanders lost for the sixth time in their last seven games to fall out of postseason contention.

BRUINS 3, BLUE JACKETS 2

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Mark Kastelic scored with 9:38 remaining and Boston snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Columbus that moved them into the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot while virtually eliminating the Blue Jackets from playoff contention.

Sean Kuraly had a goal and two assists against his former team, and Henri Jokiharju had a goal and an assist for Boston. Kastelic also added an assist. Joonas Korpisalo made 33 saves. James Hagens, the seventh overall pick in the 2025 draft, contributed an assist and a penalty in his NHL debut.

Mason Marchment and Adam Fantilli scored for Columbus, which has lost five of its last seven games to fall out of playoff contention after sitting as high as second place in the Metropolitan Division on March 24. Jet Greaves made 19 saves.

The Blue Jackets are two points behind idle Philadelphia and one point behind Washington with a game against the Capitals remaining.

DEVILS 4, SENATORS 2, OT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nico Hischier scored his second goal of the game on the power play with 1:45 left in overtime to give New Jersey a win over Ottawa.

The Devils trailed 3-2 after two periods, but Dawson Mercer scored a short-handed goal with 7:32 left in the third period to tie it at 3-3, setting the stage for Hischier’s winner.

Connor Brown also had a short-handed goal for the Devils and Nico Daws made 27 saves.

Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto on the power play, and Fabian Zetterlund all scored in a roughly seven-minute span of the second period for the Senators, who had their four game win streak snapped.

CANUCKS 4, DUCKS 3, OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Marco Rossi scored with 9.5 seconds left in overtime to help Vancouver beat Anaheim and prevent the Ducks from clinching a playoff spot.

Anaheim has 90 points and can secure a playoff spot with a win Tuesday at Minnesota.

Curtis Douglas, Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser each added a goal for Vancouver. The Canucks’ 56 points this season are the fewest in the NHL, 17 fewer than Calgary, the next closest. Nikita Tolopilo had 24 saves.

Cutter Gauthier scored two goals and Leo Carlsson added a goal for the Ducks. Gauthier has a career-high 40 goals this season. The 22-year-old is the fourth player in franchise history to score 40-plus goals in a single season.

Rossi scored with a one-timer from the right circle that beat goaltender Lukas Dostal glove side to win it. Dostal finished with 22 saves.

FLAMES 4, MAMMOTH 1

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Brayden Pachal scored his first NHL goal of the season and added two assists as Calgary's hot streak at home continued with a 4-1 victory over Utah.

Matt Coronato, Connor Zary and Mikael Backlund also scored for Calgary, which is 7-0-1 in its last eight games at home. Dustin Wolf made 28 saves.

Lawson Crouse scored for Utah, which holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a three-point lead on the Los Angeles Kings, who have a game in hand.

Vitek Vanecek had 19 stops for Utah.

Yes, it's quite difficult to believe that the rivalry between captain Sidney Crosby and captain Alex Ovechkin has been going strong for 21 years.

And what’s even harder to believe is that it may soon be coming to an end.  

When the  Pittsburgh Penguins' and  Washington Capitals' legends met for the first time in 2005, smart phones were not yet invented. Penguins' rookie Ben Kindel was not even born yet. And "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey, "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani, and "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson were dominating the airwaves. 

1,700 points and 900 goals later, the rivalry is still going strong, even if it's different. In celebration of their 75th regular season matchup and 100th overall game against one another - and, potentially, their last - here are 21 stats and factoids for the 21 years of the Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry, with stats provided by Hockey Reference, Quant Hockey, and StatMuse:

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1. On Nov. 22, 2005, Crosby and Ovechkin faced off for the very first time, and Crosby got the better of the night individually with a goal and two points, while Ovechkin registered an assist. Crosby's team also got the win, as he teamed up with Zigmund Palffy on both goals en route to a 5-4 victory.

2. Feb. 3, 2007 - in both players' sophomore seasons and in their sixth matchup against one another - was the first game in which Crosby and Ovechkin were both held pointless in a 2-0 Pittsburgh win. 

3. A year after Crosby won his first Hart Trophy as league MVP, Ovechkin won his first in 2007-08 with a standout 65-goal, 112-point campaign. It was the first and only time Ovechkin has hit the 60-goal mark in his career. 

Top-Five Alex Ovechkin Goals Against PittsburghSunday may have been Alex Ovechkin's final game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, so here's a look at his top-five goals against them.

4. In a seven-game series that featured matching hat tricks by Crosby and Ovechkin in Round Two, Game Two of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the two squared off in the playoffs for the very first time. Ovechkin had the slight edge in points with eight goals and 14 points to Crosby's nine goals and 13 points - but Crosby got the last laugh, as the Penguins won the series and went on to win the franchise's third Stanley Cup - and Crosby's first.

5. It took until Ovechkin's fifth NHL season to outscore Crosby in head-to-head matchups during a season, when Ovechkin registered 10 points to Crosby's seven in four games played. And they finished with a near-identical stat line in 2009-10, as Crosby had 51 goals and 109 points and Ovechkin finished with 50 goals and 109 points - even if it took Ovechkin nine less games to do it. 

6. Despite Crosby playing in only 41 games that season due to a concussion suffered against the Caps during the WInter Classic, he finished 2010-11 with 32 goals - the same number as Ovechkin in 79 games. Ovechkin finished with a career-low 8.7 shooting percentage that season.

With Sid and Ovi heading into their 100th all-time meeting, here's how the two stack up against each other! 👀

📺: @penguins vs. @Capitals TODAY at 3p ET on @NHL_On_TNT and @StreamOnMax! pic.twitter.com/r1NhjtqFSY

— NHL (@NHL) April 12, 2026

7. The two only squared off once in 2011-12, which was on Dec. 1, 2011 - a 2-1 victory for the Penguins. Neither player recorded a point in the affair. 

8. Crosby again got bit by the injury bug during the 2012-13 season with a broken jaw and missed the season's final 12 games, ending his campaign with 56 points and leading the scoring race until the final day of the season. Ovechkin went on to win his third Hart Trophy with 32 goals and 56 points - again tying Crosby in points; except, this time, Crosby was the one who played 12 less games.

9. Crosby dominated the head-to-head in 2013-14, registering three goals and seven points to Ovechkin's one goal in four matchups. Crosby secured his second Hart that season.

10. 2014-15 was a weird season for the NHL, as its leading scorer - Jamie Benn - finished the full 82-game season with 87 points. Crosby and Ovechkin both felt the effects, as they finished with 85 and 81 points, respectively. 

Ovechkin Explains Why He Declined Handshakes From Penguins, Swaps Jerseys & Sticks With CrosbyThe Capitals captain didn't want to put too much stock into goodbyes as his NHL future remains undecided.

11. In 2016, the Penguins and Capitals met for the first time in the playoffs since 2009. Ovechkin got the better of Crosby in that entire series with two goals and seven points, while Crosby had just two assists in six games - but the Penguins, again, went all the way that season.

12. Aside from the Penguins beating the Capitals en route to a second-consecutive Cup, there was a crazy, back-and-forth, track meet-type game on Jan. 16, 2017, when the Penguins won 8-7 in overtime. Crosby amassed four points and was a plus-3, while Ovechkin had two assists and was a minus-4. Ovechkin also recorded his 1,000th NHL point against the Penguins on Jan. 11 that season. 

13. 2018 was finally the Caps' year against the Pens in the playoffs - and it's the last time the two teams have faced off in the playoffs. Crosby and Ovechkin had a pretty even series stats-wise (3G-8A for Crosby, 3G-7A for Ovi), but Crosby was on the ice to witness Evgeny Kuznetsov's series-clinching OT goal in Game 6 - with the assist from Ovechkin - that sent the Caps to the Eastern Conference Final and, eventually, to Ovechkin's first and only Cup.

A #Gr8 showing of respect. pic.twitter.com/DLhaUlkyVb

— x - Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 12, 2026

14. Ovechkin finished the 2018-19 season with 51 goals, capturing his eighth Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal-scorer. Crosby finished the season with 35 goals and 100 points - the last time Crosby hit the 100-point plateau.

15. In the first of two COVID-19-shortened seasons in 2019-20, Ovechkin was held pointless - while Crosby had two goals and four points in three games - in three matchups between the teams that all took place shortly before the league shutdown. 

16. Although it was another COVID-19-shortened season for the NHL, and divisions were all out of whack. Not only did Crosby and Ovechkin finish with the same number of goals at 24 (Crosby finished with 20 more points at 62), the Penguins and Capitals also tied points-wise (77) at the top of MassMutual East Division - and they also finished with the same number of regulation wins (29). So, the Penguins won the second tiebreaker - regulation plus overtime wins - as they had 34 to the Caps’ 33. 

17. During the 2021-22 season, there was only one goal scored between the two of them in their four head-to-head matchups that season, which was an Ovechkin goal in a 6-3 Capitals’ win on Apr. 9. Ovechkin was a plus-2 in those matchups, while Crosby was a minus-5.

Capitals Fans Gave Alex Ovechkin A Wonderful Send Off, Even If It's Not His Final NHL SeasonAlex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby faced off for the 100th time in their NHL careers in what could be Ovechkin’s final home game as he ponders retirement in the off-season.

18. The 2022-23 season marked the first time both the Penguins and the Capitals had missed the playoffs since the 2005-06 season, when they were the two worst teams in the Eastern Conference. 11 points separated the two teams in 2022-23, and the Penguins missed the postseason by one point. 

19. Ovechkin finished the 2023-24 season with 272 shots on goal, while Crosby finished with 278. It’s the only season across both players’ careers where Crosby finished with more shots on goal than Ovechkin, with Ovechkin playing in only three less games. 

20. The 2024-25 season was an historic one, as both players broke major records set by The Great One. Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s longstanding goal record of 894, while Crosby broke Gretzky’s point-per-game seasons record of 20.

21. Ovechkin and Crosby faced each other twice, with Crosby recording two goals and Ovechkin a goal and three points. They will end the season as the second-oldest (40) and seventh-oldest (38) players in the NHL, respectively, with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns being the oldest (41). Burns is the only remaining NHL player to have played in the pre-lockout NHL (2003-04), before Ovechkin and Crosby were drafted.

How The Capitals Have Approached What Could Be Ovechkin's Final Go In D.C.: 'He Never Wants To Make It About Him'Sunday's game could mark Alex Ovechkin's last go-around in D.C.

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All Times EDT

Monday, April 13

MLB

Houston at Seattle, 4:10 p.m.

Arizona at Baltimore, 6:35 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia, 6:40 p.m.

Washington at Pittsburgh, 6:40 p.m.

L.A. Angels at N.Y. Yankees, 7:05 p.m.

Miami at Atlanta, 7:15 p.m.

Boston at Minnesota, 7:40 p.m.

Cleveland at St. Louis, 7:45 p.m.

Texas at Athletics, 9:40 p.m.

N.Y. Mets at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

NHL

Carolina at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers at Florida, 7 p.m.

Dallas at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

Minnesota at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

San Jose at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Buffalo at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

Colorado at Edmonton, 9:30 p.m.

Los Angeles at Seattle, 9:30 p.m.

Winnipeg at Vegas, 10 p.m.

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On Sunday, the Chicago Blackhawks were idle. Their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, however, was not. Rockford was at the Allstate Arena to take on the Chicago Wolves for Sunday night hockey. 

Rockford was defeated in regulation by a score of 4-2, but the story of the game was their newest goaltender, Adam Gajan. 

Gajan was a second-round pick, 35th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft. He has had a very interesting year, which included his first pro contract a couple of weeks ago. 

This was the first pro game for Gajan, making his AHL debut with Rockford. Although his team lost, he gave them a chance to win by making 36 saves on 39 shots. 

Gajan looked quite sharp this afternoon, stopping 36 Wolves shots. He more than gave the IceHogs a chance to earn points🎥 pic.twitter.com/VubfDd1TZF

— Dana Grey (@DanaGrey0) April 12, 2026

The IceHogs are the third team that Gajan has played for this season. He was one of the NCAA's top goaltenders with the University of Minnesota Duluth, and he was also a part of Team Slovakia at the Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina. He didn't see any game action there, but it was a great learning experience in the early stages of his development. 

With Gajan making this start, he became the 7th goalie to play for Rockford this season, which sets a team record. Even for an AHL team, where there is a lot of movement between the NHL and ECHL, that's a lot of goalies. 

Next season, the Blackhawks are projected to have Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso, and Adam Gajan in the mix for different roles. For a kid like Gajan still developing, this was a great start to begin his ascention within the organization that drafted him. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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