The Florida Panthers were once again on the losing end of another key Atlantic Division matchup, falling 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres. 

The urgency was apparent, with 43 shots on goal, but in the end, they allowed timely goals and paid the price. 

While the performances haven't given the organization much to be happy about as of late, one bright spot is the play of rookie Sandis Vilmanis.

He's now played 12 games in his first NHL stint, and he’s given the Panthers every reason to keep him in the NHL for the rest of his career. While averaging 10:44 of ice time, Vilmanis has notched two goals and four points. As the games have gone along, he’s begun to garner more trust from coach Paul Maurice, now recording seven games with more than 10:00 of ice time. 

Last night against the Sabres, Vilmanis got the scoring started, firing the puck into the top corner. It’s been known for quite some time that Vilmanis has a dangerous wrist shot. It’s heavy, accurate and his release is quick, which makes it challenging for goaltenders to track and prepare themselves for.

While the Panthers have been impressed with his shot, he’s shown so much more during these 12 games. His playmaking flies a bit under the radar, but he is more than capable of creating plays for himself and his teammates. But he’s also shown an attentiveness to the defensive side of the puck, and the willingness to mix it up physically. 

“He’s not a single-style player where he has to play with a certain kind of player,” said Maurice about his rookie winger. “He looks like he could play with some guys and be a good player. He’s a good one.”

The 22-year-old has thrown 22 hits, blocked three shots, and has fired 10 shots on goal. If the Panthers had a complaint, it would be that they’d like to see Vilmanis shoot more. With age and experience, Vilmanis will feel more comfortable shooting the puck more frequently.

There’s a lot to like about the Vilmanis’ game, and the stats back it up. According to naturalstattrick.com, at 5-on-5, the Panthers own a 53.40 Corsi For percentage, 54.71 percent of the expected goals, and 60.61 percent of the high danger chances, when Vilmanis is on the ice. Additionally, the Panthers have outscored opponents 6-5 at 5-on-5 while Vilmanis is on the ice. 

Although injuries may end up being the downfall of the Panthers’ season, it has created an opening for Vimanis, and he’s taken advantage of it. The next step for Vilmanis is to force his way up the lineup, but that will come in time; his goal should continue to leave a positive impact on games. 

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

The Carolina Hurricanes (34-15-6) are back in action as they take on the Ottawa Senators (27-21-8) tonight at the Lenovo Center.

This will be the last home game before the Olympic break for Carolina, so come and see your team or wait until their next home game which will be on February 26th against the Lightning.

The Canes are riding an eight game point streak. They are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games.

The Sens have won four games in a row since their 4-1 loss to Carolina on January 24th. They are 6-2-2 in their last 10.

Brandon Bussi was in the starter’s crease at the morning skate and will get the start tonight. Bussi has a 21-3-1 record and he sets a new NHL record for fewest number of games needed for every win he gets.

The lines for the Hurricanes at the skate were the same as in recent games.

Svechnikov – Ah0 – Jarvis

Hall- Stankoven – Blake

Ehlers – Staal – Martinook

Kotkaniemi – Jankowski – Carrier

Slavin – Chatfield

Walker – Miller

Nikishin – Gostisbehere

For more information about the game, check out the game preview put out by the team.

https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/preview-february-3-vs-ottawa

For more information about the Senators, check out their feed.

Game time is 7 P.M. and it will be broadcast by the FanDuel Sports network.

The NHL has received backlash after slashing a donation to cancer research by $800,000 after a missed shot during a charity promotion.

The incident came during Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins. Rob Higgins, the athletics CEO of the University of South Florida, was brought on to the ice to attempt a shot through a very small opening in an empty goal. If Higgins, who is a cancer survivor, made the shot the NHL said it would donate $500,000 to cancer charities; if he missed the donation would be $100,000. The event was broadcast live on Sportsnet in Canada and ESPN in the US. Higgins missed what was a very tough shot. He was then given another chance, with a guaranteed donation of $200,000 if he missed, which would increase to $1m if he scored. Higgins missed again.

Higgins thanked the Lightning and the NHL for an “amazing honor” but many on social media attacked the league for leaving $800,000 on the table that could have gone to charity.

One account said the move was “classless”, adding that “the NHL should’ve built the widest net and asked dozens of survivors to score symbolically”. Another user called the event “dystopian”.

Higgins was a little more upbeat. “And with that, my hockey career (which thankfully only lasted two shots) is now officially over,” he wrote on X.

If you watched the Montreal Canadiens’ game against the Minnesota Wild on Prime on Monday night, you probably saw the excellent interview Christine Simpson did with Habs coach Martin St-Louis. The most interesting moment of that interview came when Simpson asked the bench boss how the coach-player relationship had evolved since he was an NHL player. He explained:

You know, I came into the NHL, and it was “You do it this way”, and I think with this generation, you have to be demanding, but not demeaning. When I came into the league, they were very demanding and demeaning; at the time, you would get it. And I know I annoyed some of my coaches by going to their office to say, “Why? Can we talk about this? Can I explain something to you?” I feel like I stretched some of my coaches a little bit, and I know I might have been annoying, but I was very curious. […] I encourage that from my players. For me, now I feel that this generation, you have to convince them. And if they’re not convinced, let’s talk about it because I have no problem with you convincing me the other way.

Hearing a former player describe coaches as demeaning at one stage is unsurprising, especially when he played under a coach like John Tortorella, who was known for being tough. The secret to St-Louis' successful relationship with his players is that there’s tremendous respect going both ways. They respect him because everything they’re going through, he’s been through, and he respects them by treating them as he would have liked to be treated when he was in their shoes.

When you watch a practice, you can often see him get into animated discussions with his players, not because he’s yelling at them or getting annoyed, but because he’s trying to convince them that what he’s trying to teach them is the best way to go about something. Being passionate and believing in what you’re selling is the best way to be convincing.

Lundi, à l’entraînement…🔮😳👌. pic.twitter.com/grw8YKs9HS

— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) February 1, 2026

St-Louis may be the boss, but he’s not a dictator; he’s a team player. He’s not on the ice anymore, but he clearly still sees himself as one of the guys working to achieve the same goal, bringing a Stanley Cup to Montreal. This is likely why it’s so rare to see him come out with punishing practices, even when his team suffers a big loss. He doesn’t believe in demeaning and punishing players; for him, the game has evolved, and that’s not how you’ll get the best out of your players.

Martin St. Louis joins @MsChrisSimpson on what it's like coaching in this generation and coaching the Habs ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zrWz4b6UCv

— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) February 3, 2026

Will that coaching style allow him to finally capture the 25th Stanley Cup that has eluded Montreal for so many years? Time will tell, but so far, the players seem to be reacting very well, and that may be the way to avoid a coach’s message not getting through anymore, because there’s dialogue and not just orders being given.

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

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

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

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

The NHL is nearing a three-week Olympic break, which will allow players from the league to play in the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 edition in Sochi. For those not traveling over to Italy to play, it will allow for some time to recharge their batteries for the final month and a half of the NHL regular season.

While they won’t be heading to the Olympics, two former Ohio State hockey players have found success in the NHL this year. Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobeš and Boston defenseman Mason Lohrei have become important pieces of their teams as they make a run at the NHL playoffs, which start in the middle of April.

Both Dobeš and Lohrei were last on the Ohio State roster for the 2022-23 season.

Jakub Dobeš

When he was born it was destined that Jakub Dobeš was going to have some sort of career on the ice, as his father was a hockey player and his mother was a figure skater. During his freshman season at Ohio State in the 2021-22 season, Dobeš was the 2022 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year and co-Freshman of the Year.

In both 2022 and 2023, Dobeš was named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, which is given annually to the best collegiate goaltender.

Prior to beginning his Ohio State career, Dobeš was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Following the 2022-23 season, Dobeš signed a entry level contract and began his professional career.

After playing with Laval of the AHL during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, Dobeš made his NHL debut at the end of December in 2024, becoming the fourth goaltender in Montreal history to register a shutout in their NHL debut.

Dobeš continued the hot start to his career a few days later, becoming the first Canadiens goaltender to allow one goal through his first two career NHL starts. After two more victories, Dobeš became the third goaltender in NHL history to win their first four games while allowing four or less goals during that span, and then he was the 13th goaltender in NHL history to win his five career games.

After Dobeš spent the rest of the season as Montreal’s backup, he was forced into action when starter Sam Montembeault was injured. Dobeš would help the Canadiens win the game Montembeault had to leave, but Montreal would ultimately lose the next two games, both of which were started by Dobeš, and Washington would advance to the next round in five games.

Following his play during the regular season and playoffs, Montreal and Dobeš agreed to a two-year contract extension. So far this season Dobeš has started 25 games, posting an 18-5-3 record with a 2.92 goals against average.

The former Buckeye was named the NHL’s third star of the month in October after winning all six of his starts in the month, allowing just 12 goals.

January was also a banner month for Dobeš, as he would again win all six of his starts. To close out the month, Dobeš beat the Colorado Avalanche, who currently have the most points in the NHL, followed by a win over the Buffalo Sabres, who are one of the hottest teams in the league right now.

As of Monday, Montreal has 69 points, which has them sitting in third place in the Atlantic division.

Mason Lohrei

Much like Dobeš, Mason Lohrei was selected in the 2020 NHL Draft. Even though the Boston Bruins selected Lohrei with the 58th pick, the defenseman decided to attend Ohio State.

In his first season with the Buckeyes, Lohrei was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team and was a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year finalist. Then in his sophomore season, Lohrei was named Second Team All-Big Ten.

Following his sophomore season, Lohrei signed an amateur tryout contract with the Providence Bruins, appearing in eight games between the regular season and playoffs. Lohrei started the next season at Providence but would make his NHL debut in November 2023, recording an assist in his first game.

During the 2023-24 season, Lohrei shuttled between Providence and Boston, appearing in 41 games in the NHL, recording 13 points.

The 2024-25 season would see Lohrei earn a permanent spot on Boston’s roster, scoring five goals and recording 33 points over 77 games. Even though Lohrei finished with a -43, which was the lowest in the NHL, the Bruins haven’t lost faith in Lohrei.

Through 51 games this season, Lohrei already has six goals and 23 points, but more importantly he has posted a +7. In January, Lohrei had four goals, with two coming in a win over Chicago.

On Sunday night, Lohrei and the Bruins played the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium in the annual NHL Stadium Series game. After building a 5-1 lead, Tampa Bay mounted a comeback and ended up winning 6-5 in a shootout.

Lohrei was on the ice for 16:28 in the game. Currently the Bruins hold the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 68 points, which is seven points better than the Columbus Blue Jackets.

After falling 4-1 to the Washington Capitals on Monday night, the New York Islanders welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins to town, the team holding down the second-place spot in the incredibly tight Metropolitan Division.

The Islanders trail them by two points with two games in hand. 

Like the Islanders, the Penguins are also on the second leg of their back-to-back, falling 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators on Monday. 

Both backups went against their Monday foes, which means the goaltending matchup at UBS Arena is Ilya Sorokin (18-13-2, 2.44 GAA, .916 SV%, 6 SO) vs. Stuart Skinner (19-12-4, 2.72 GAA, .903 SV%, 2 SO). 

Sorokin, who is in the midst of a Vezina-caliber season after a really shaky start, went 6-3-0 in the month of January, with a 2.13 GAA and a .931 SV% with three shutouts.

Skinner, who was dealt to the Penguins on Dec. 12 after falling out of favor in Edmonton, lost his first three games for Pittsburgh. But since then, he's found a groove, going 8-1-0 over his last nine games with a 2.01 GAA and a .917 SV%. 

He's been tremendous.

Now, he and Sorokin are tasked with helping their team rebound when the puck drops at 7:30 PM ET. The game can be found on TNT, HBO MAX, and TVAS. 

Skinner is 2-2-0 in his career against the Islanders with a 2.53 GAA and a .900 SV%. 

Sorokin is 11-6-0 in his career against the Penguins with a 3.15 GAA and a .905 SV% with one shutout. 

Darren Raddysh continues to be a huge weapon on the back end, averaging more than a point per game while generating shots at a high clip.

My Sabres vs. Lightning predictions expect Raddysh to stay hot in an advantageous positional matchup.

Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, February 3.

Sabres vs Lightning prediction

Sabres vs Lightning best bet: Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots (-120)

Darren Raddysh is a red-hot, one-man shooting gallery. He's averaged 3.8 shots on 7.9 attempts over his last 10 games, going Over this line in eight of them.

Victor Hedman’s return made no impact on his usage. He continued to quarterback the top power play — a unit that scored three times in the Stadium Series game — and saw a steady dose of minutes at 5-on-5.

Raddysh attempted 12 shots, recorded a pair of points, and flirted with 30 minutes of ice time. He’ll be just fine with Hedman back.

The 29-year-old has a nice matchup to keep ripping the puck, as the Buffalo Sabres rank 29th in shot suppression vs. the right blueline over the past 10 games, and that’s where a healthy chunk of Raddysh’s volume comes from.

The Sabres sit 26th in that regard, so it’s not a matter of a dip in play for an otherwise strong side at defending that area. They've bled shots there all year.

With the Sabres also in a road back-to-back after an emotional divisional win against the defending Stanley Cup winners, Raddysh and the rested Tampa Bay Lightning should be able to enjoy plenty of time on the front foot.

Sabres vs Lightning same-game parlay

Jake Guentzel leads the Lightning in high-danger chances over the past five games, but only scored in one of them. Playing for a sizable home favorite in a game with a 6.5 total, this is a good spot for him to find twine.

The Lightning are a strong shot suppression team, but that shouldn’t matter too much for Jason Zucker.

He's recorded multiple shots in nine of his past 10 road games, including against the Panthers, Islanders, Canadiens, Jets, and Flyers — all strong defensive teams or lower-pace opponents.

Sabres vs Lightning SGP

• Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots
• Jake Guentzel anytime goalscorer
• Jason Zucker Over 1.5 shots

Sabres vs Lightning odds

• Moneyline: Sabres +185 | Lightning -225
• Puck Line: Sabres +1.5 (-125) | Lightning -1.5 (+105)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)

Sabres vs Lightning trend

Darren Raddysh has gone Over 2.5 shots in seven of his last 10 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Lightning.

How to watch Sabres vs Lightning

Sabres vs Lightning latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Despite offseason expectations, the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders find themselves in the Top 3 of the Metero standings — and their defensive play is a big reason why.

My Penguins vs. Islanders predictions expect both teams to rely on their goal-suppression abilities in tonight's important divisional clash.

Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, February 3.

Penguins vs Islanders prediction

Penguins vs Islanders best bet: Under 6.5 (-130)

The Pittsburgh Penguins (ninth) and New York Islanders (third) are both Top 10 teams in goal prevention, while they each rank in the bottom half of the league in pace.

Pittsburgh and New York played on Monday night and used the lesser of their goaltenders in Arturs Silovs and David Rittich. That sets up for Stuart Skinner and Ilya Sorokin to square off this evening.

Skinner is quietly playing excellent hockey. He has been terrific since the holiday break, posting an 8-1 record, .916 save percentage, and stopping +6.25 goals above expectation through nine starts.

Sorokin has stopped 14.19 goals above expectation over the same period, the second-highest mark in the NHL. He also leads the league in GSAx on the season. We should expect great goaltending.

These two sides also don’t force the issue when facing other strong defensive teams. They don’t change their style, open up, and try to flex their muscles offensively. Instead, they lean into lower-event, defensive battles.

An average of 5.5 goals have been scored in Pittsburgh’s last 10 games against Bottom-10 teams in goals allowed.

Conversely, Islanders games have averaged 4.0 goals over the last 10 against teams in the Bottom-10 in goals against. Five goals or fewer were scored in each.

Penguins vs Islanders same-game parlay

Tony DeAngelo has averaged less than 19 minutes per game this season, but that number has grown above 21 over the past 10 games. He’s responded with more shot volume, averaging 2.9 shots and 5.1 attempts in that span while clearing his line eight times.

Pittsburgh is an older team, so it might need to rely on fresh legs in a back-to-back. That’s no problem for Ben Kindel, who has generated multiple shots on goal in eight of his last nine games on zero days of rest.

Penguins vs Islanders SGP

• Under 6.5
• Tony DeAngelo Over 1.5 shots on goal
• Ben Kindel Over 1.5 shots on goal

Penguins vs Islanders odds

• Moneyline: Penguins +105 | Islanders -125
• Puck Line: Penguins +1.5 (-225) | Islanders -1.5 (+185)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+115) | Under 6.5 (-135)

Penguins vs Islanders trend

The New York Islanders have hit the Game Total Under in 14 of their last 25 games (+4.15 Units / 15% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Islanders.

How to watch Penguins vs Islanders

Penguins vs Islanders latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Colorado Avalanche News

• Colorado Avalanche teams up with “Dungeon Crawler Carl” author Matt Dinniman to support cat rescue. [CBS News]

• MacKinnon scores twice to become first 40-goal scorer of season, Avalanche blank Red Wings. [TSN]

• There’s still something special about Canadiens-Avalanche games. While broadcasters love to babble about NHL “rivalry” games these days, the Habs-Nordiques clashes provided unmatched drama. [Montreal Gazette]

• Ottawa Senators topple first-overall Colorado Avalanche with a 5-2 victory. [Ottawa Citizen]

News Around the League

• Will Canada regret not taking Evan Bouchard? [Sportsnet]
• Lightning owner to miss outdoor game with ‘major leg fracture’. [USA Today]

• Ullmark overcomes emotions, Devils in winning return for Senators. [CBC]

• Ice hockey venue will not be ready for start of Olympics. [BBC]
• 2026 U.S. Winter Olympics Hockey Roster: Why The NHL’s Top American Scorers Missed The Cut. [Forbes]

• Lightning’s Hagel scores 11 seconds into outdoor game, a record. [ESPN]
• Every NHL player participating in 2026 Winter Olympics. [Sports Illustrated]
• Olympics to help satisfy international appetite for hockey best-on-best. [NHLPA]
• Olympic ice hockey vs. NHL rules: How are they different? [NBC LA]
• Lack of Quebec-born NHL stars, Olympians mystifies Marc-André Fleury”It’s a little sad,” retired goaltending star and two-time Stanley Cup champion says of his province’s hockey pipeline running dry. [Montreal Gazette]

The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to take on the New Jersey Devils tonight at 7 PM. 

New Jersey Devils - 28-25-2 - 49 Points - 3-6-1 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 7th in the Central

Columbus Blue Jackets - 27-20-7 - 61 Points - 9-1-0 in the last 10 - Won 5 - 4th in the Metro.

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus has won a season-high five-straight games, as well as nine of its past 10 games overall, while outscoring opponents 39-26 since Jan. 11 following its 5-3 victory at St. Louis on Saturday.
• CBJ lead the NHL in points pct. (.900) and rank fifth in goals for/game (tied, 3.90), team save percentage (tied, .909) and power play pct. (30.4) as well as sixth in goals-against/game (2.60) over that stretch.
• The Blue Jackets finished 10-4-1 (21 pts) in January, tying for the most wins (2014, 2025) and points (2025) in the month in club history.
• The club has scored the opening goal in eight of the past 10 games and has scored the first goal in 32 contests, tied or third-most in the NHL in 2025-26.
• Columbus leads the NHL in goals by defensemen and ranks fourth in points with 41-97-138 in 54 contests.
• CBJ play their 11th of 16 back-to-back sets of the season (12-5-3 .675 pts. pct;) at New Jersey and vs. Chicago.

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Charlie Coyle has notched 9-5-14 in the last 10 contests and ranks second-T in the NHL in goals since Jan. 11. He has 15 goals, 24 assists, and 39 points.
• Adam Fantilli has collected points in three of the last four contests (1-4-5) and is one assist shy of tying his single-season career high (23, 2024-25). He has 13 goals, 22 assists, and 35 points.

• Jet Greaves (5-0-0, 2.47 GAA, .914 SV%) and G Elvis Merzlikins (4-1-0, 2.49 GAA, .910 SV%) have each won four games for the Blue Jackets since Jan. 11.

• Kirill Marchenko has points in four-straight games (1-4-5) and is tied for the team lead in scoring since Dec. 22, while recording points in 15 of the last 19 contests (9-11-20). He has 19 goals, 27 assists, and 46 points.

• Zach Werenski posted the second-most assists and points by a Blue Jacket in a single month (Panarin, 8-17-25, Mar. 2018) with 5-15-20 in 15 games in January. He leads NHL blueliners in goals (tied, 19), points (60), multi-point efforts (20), points-per-game (1.20), even strength goals (16), even strength points (44) and shots on goal (179) this season. He leads all Blue Jackets in goals, assists, and points.

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 20.1% - 17th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 76.5% - 28th in the NHL
• Goals For - 167 - 18th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 176 - 22nd in the NHL   

Devils Stats

• Power Play - 21.4% - 14th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 78.6% - 20th in the NHL
• Goals For - 142 - 28th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 169 - 16th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheDevils

• Columbus is 30-23-1-3 all-time, and 13-10-1-3 on the road in New Jersey.
• The Blue Jackets are 3-9-1 in the last 13 games vs. the Devils.
• The Jackets are 1-2-0 against New Jersey this season.
• The road team has won the first three meetings of the 2025-26 series and has earned points in eight of last 10 matchups (7-2-1).

• The winning team has recorded four or more goals in 10 of the last 15 meetings overall since Jan. 8, 2022, and five of the past six at Prudential Center since Oct. 30, 2022.

• The teams have combined for seven or more goals in each of the past three contests at New Jersey.

• The teams have combined for 65 shots or less in seven of the last nine matchups overall.

Who To Watch For TheDevils

• Nico Hischier leads the Devils with 18 goals and 41 points.
• Jesper Bratt leads NJ with 27 assists.
• Goalie Jacob Markstrom is 15-12-1 with a SV% of .881.
• Jake Allen is 12-13-1 with a SV% of .907.

CBJ Player Notes vs.Devils

• Zach Werenski has 11 points in 26 career games vs. the Devils.
• Sean Monahan has 27 points in 22 games.
• Charlie Coyle has 13 points in 37 games against New Jersey.

Injured Reserve

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 16 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 151

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.  

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.

Let us know what you think below.

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

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won back-to-back games for the first time in almost a month.

It wasn't always pretty, especially as the Calgary Flames cut Toronto's lead to one in the second period. But the Maple Leafs held on to beat the Flames 4-2, winning both games against Calgary this season.

Monday’s win was also the Maple Leafs’ first regulation win since Jan. 10.

William Nylander stole the show. Joseph Woll came up massive when they needed him most. And the defense, which was missing Morgan Rielly — who's out until after the Olympic break with an upper-body injury — held up.

With a win on Monday, the Maple Leafs move seven points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot. They'll play their final game before the break on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers.

But first, let's discuss the game that was, between the Maple Leafs and Flames:

The William Nylander show

There wasn't a better play on the ice than Nylander.

It was the forward's second game back in the Maple Leafs' lineup after reaggravating a groin injury that forced him to miss seven games. He returned on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks and, while he didn't register a point, you could notice glimpses of the Swede returning to full form.

Nylander was in his final form against the Flames. As he always appears to be.

Entering Monday night's game, Nylander had an 11-game point streak against Calgary, the city where he was born. And it didn't take him long to find the 12th straight game with a point.

After John Tavares cut off a pass at Toronto's blue line, he sprang Nylander on a breakaway, with the forward making no mistake. He put it under Dustin Wolf's glove for his 18th goal of the year.

William Nylander wasted no time 🚨 pic.twitter.com/s9xVY86mnA

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 3, 2026

Back at it again was Nylander in the middle frame.

Just over seven minutes in, a loose puck was up for grabs behind Calgary's net. Morgan Frost appeared to have a handle on it before Nylander snuck up from behind, stripping Frost, and finding Matias Maccelli in front for a goal.

Matias Macdelli doubles the lead 🚨 pic.twitter.com/55llFsdSF4

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 3, 2026

It was Nylander's second point of the game and Maccelli's eighth goal (and surprisingly, his first on the road) to put Toronto up 2-0.

And no, Nylander wasn't done there.

After some slick passing from Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, which concluded with a scoring chance for Matthews, the puck popped back out to Nylander. He found Troy Stecher with a great pass, and the defenseman slotted it into the pretty-much wide-open net.

Troy Stecher makes it 3-0 🚨 pic.twitter.com/29QGXY5vgY

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 3, 2026

In the third, he hit a post, set up a few scoring chances and, as he was for the entire first and second period, all over the place. Nylander finished with

Joseph Woll is getting a much-needed break

If there's anyone on the Maple Leafs who needs rest, it's Woll — especially after that third period against the Flames alone.

(And sure, the rest of Toronto's players, too.)

But Woll has started in 17 of the Maple Leafs' last 25 games. Zoom in a little further: Woll has been the starting goalie in 13 of the previous 17 games. Only two goaltenders have started in more games than Woll since Dec. 16: the Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros (18) and the Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck (19).

On Monday, there wasn't much the 27-year-old could do on Nazem Kadri's goal, Calgary's first of the game. The former Maple Leafs forward went upstairs on Woll's short side.

Make it 13 points in 12 career games vs. Toronto for Naz 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RZE71g3zVD

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) February 3, 2026

Later in the period, after Woll couldn't control a rebound, the Flames' continued offensive pressure created another goal. Kadri, again, was involved; this time, finding Joel Farabee heading to the net.

Kadri's pass went off Farabee's skate and in, making it 3-2 for Toronto.

Joel Farabee brings Calgary within one pic.twitter.com/b8T94eXWEV

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 3, 2026

In the third period, Woll made a few incredible stops. None better than the one later in the game, after the puck took a weird bounce off the glass and went towards the net.

Woll, out of his crease, quickly got on his horse to get back and take a swipe at the puck as it approached the net. Luckily, Woll got his stick on it before Adam Klapka, whose swipe of the puck put it over the net.

Joseph f--king Woll! pic.twitter.com/pmlDxiYQGS

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 3, 2026

Woll finished the game, stopping 28 of 30 shots and picking up his 13th win of the season.

Other takeaways

- Bobby McMann's empty-netter was his 18th goal of the year. He's now two goals shy of his career high in goals and three shy of his career high in points. If Toronto decides to move him before the trade deadline, it could bring them some good assets.

- Troy Stecher came up big for the Maple Leafs. He scored a goal and finished with 20:08 of ice time, the third-most among Toronto's players against the Flames. The defenseman continues to come up big for the club since being picked up on waivers in November.

- Easton Cowan should get into Tuesday's game against the Oilers. Not only is it the second half of a back-to-back, but he's got to play eventually, and what better test than against two of the league's best players? Cowan in for Calle Jarnkrok? Who says no?

When it rains, it pours.

That’s been the feeling around the Florida Panthers this season as the injury issues continue to pile up.

Already missing key forwards Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell, the Panthers saw another one of their vital pieces come out of a game with an injury.

Center Sam Bennett left Monday’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres after the first period and did not return.

“It seems like somebody is getting injured every night,” said Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk. “I feel for him, that’s not ideal going out with an injury that early (in the game).”

He played seven shifts during the first period, logging 5:11 of ice time and going 2-for-4 in the faceoff circle.

Afterwards, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice did not have much of an update on Bennett’s injury.

“We’ll just leave it as upper-body,” Maurice said. “We’ll get a better handle on it tomorrow.”

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Maurice has given similar evaluations for many of Florida’s injured players this season.

The good news is that the NHL is about to take a league-wide pause during the 2026 Winter Olympics, giving players who aren’t participating a few weeks to rest and heal for the late-season push toward the playoffs.

The bad news is that Florida picked a horrible time to go on a losing streak and have all but fallen out of contention for a playoff spot.

Following Monday’s loss to Buffalo, the Panthers are now nine points behind Boston for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, and they’re 11 points back of Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division, with one game in hand on both.

Florida has played 55 games, meaning they have only 27 remaining to make up all those points.

The next two outings for the Panthers, Wednesday against Boston and Thursday at Tampa Bay, are the only chances the Cats have to make up any ground before the Olympic break.

Adding Bennett to a Florida injured list that doesn’t seem to want to get any smaller is just the latest setback for the league’s back-to-back Stanley Cup Champs.

Without Bennett, the Panthers are now down all of their starting centers: Sasha Barkov, Bennett, Lundell and Tomas Nosek. 

Surviving without key injured players is one challenge, but removing all of the center icemen on a team that plays a five-man defensive system like Florida is like trying to skate to the bench after your blade pops off the holder. 

We'll see how things play out in the coming days and weeks, but the Panthers need to start piling up the points before its too late. 

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Losing Streak Hits Four As Panthers Blow Early Lead Against Visiting Buffalo

Panthers' Jonah Gadjovich Remains 'On Track' To Return Following The Olympics

Panthers' Anton Lundell Returns To Practice In A Non-Contact Jersey

Facing Steep Climb In Playoff Race, Panthers Host Wild Card-Holding Sabres

Report: Artemi Panarin Market Grows; Panthers Identified As Team Looking To Sign An Extension If Acquired

Photo caption: Nov 22, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) moves the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens were taking on the Minnesota Wild on Monday night in what promised to be a tough task. Both teams were 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and had won their previous three matches. Montreal was seventh in the league while Minnesota was fourth prior to puck drop, but the Wild had been the Canadiens’ pet peeve for a long time, before the Habs finally managed to beat them less than two weeks ago in Montreal.

For a fourth game in a row, Martin St-Louis gave the net to Jakub Dobes, who had won his last six games and was undefeated in regulation in his last nine games. The Czech netminder had played a massive role in the Canadiens’ last three wins, being named the second star of the game in each one.

Former Canadiens First-Rounder Is Heating Up
Goalie Fight A Rare Feat In Montreal Canadiens History
How The Canadiens Chose Their Game Prize

Good Old Gallagher

While some are eager to point out that Brendan Gallagher doesn’t produce as much as he once did and that he gets hunched over on his stick much faster than he did in the past, there’s one thing that has never changed throughout the right wing’s career: his level of effort and dedication. On Monday night, the Alberta native was playing in the 890th game of his career with the Habs, and he decided to celebrate in style.

After the Wild had taken a 2-0 lead in the first frame, Gallagher found himself with the puck high up in the Wild’s zone, and John Hynes’ men didn’t try to close him down. The veteran took the space he was given and used it to beat both Quinn Hughes and Jonas Gustavsson, scoring a beautiful backhand goal, much like Jake Evans’ game-winning goal against the Vegas Golden Knights.

If you don’t respect Gallagher, he will hurt you. That goal gave the Canadiens a much-needed spark and was the first of three unanswered goals by the Habs. The 33-year-old doesn’t panic when his team is down; he keeps on working, grinding away. His combativity is second to none, and that’s the main reason why the coaching staff will hesitate to scratch him. He might have been a fifth-round pick, but his work ethic, effort, and dedication have always been first-class. The goal was point number 480 for Gallagher, who now trails Bobby Smith by two points for the 26th highest scorer in franchise history.

Timely Goals

The Canadiens’ first two goals were scored with less than a minute to go in the first two frames, the kind of goals that are an absolute gut-punch to the opposition. Too often this season, the Habs have given up an early goal that has taken their legs right from under them, and when the Wild scored 38 seconds in, some wondered if the early goal would send them down to the mat, but they got back up.

Chaud devant

Took the scenic route#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/Y89jayZ7Ry

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 3, 2026

Better yet, after the Wild dominated the second frame, Montreal scored another late-period goal through Ivan Demidov on an exquisite Lane Hutson cross-zone pass and then followed it up with its own early goal to take its first lead of the game. It took Kirby Dach 12 seconds from the start of the period to get the puck past Gustavsson.

Du tac au dach

Last minute goal ✅
First minute goal ✅#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/B8voBTDv33

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 3, 2026

In the end, though, it was the Wild who scored the ultimate timely goal, with the overtime game-winner. While the Canadiens would have liked to see a penalty called on the play, Joel Eriksson-Ek was just standing his ground, and Nick Suzuki collided with him because he didn’t see him, so that wasn’t interference.

With this 4-3 overtime defeat, the Canadiens leave Minnesota with one point and remain in third place in the Atlantic division, one point ahead of the Buffalo Sabres, who beat the Florida Panthers on Monday night to keep the pressure on the Habs. It also means that the Panthers are now nine points out of a playoff spot, just like the Toronto Maple Leafs. As for the Ottawa Senators, they are now trailing the Boston Bruins by seven points, but they have a game in hand. Montreal now has roughly an 80% chance of making the spring dance and finds itself in a much more comfortable position than it was last season when the league entered the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

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

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

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

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-11, 67 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ New York Islanders (30-21-5, 65 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:30 p.m. ET

How to Watch: National broadcast on TNT, streaming on HBO Max

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins have just one game left after tonight, a Thursday road matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, before the Olympic break. The team will hope to give everyone, especially Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, some time to rest up before NHL play resumes on Feb. 26 with a home game against the New Jersey Devils.

Opponent Track: Like the Penguins, the Isles are coming into this game on the second part of a back-to-back. While the Penguins were losing to the Ottawa Senators, the Islanders were also looking flat in a Monday night 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.

Season Series: The Penguins won the season opener thanks to a third-period goal from Justin Brazeau back during the second game of the season in Pittsburgh on October. 9. The Pens will meet up with the Isles one more time in Elmont on March 30.

Getting to know the Islanders

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Ondrej Palat – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal

Emil Heineman – Jonathan Drouin – Simon Holmstrom

Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Anthony Duclair

Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

DEFENSEMEN

Mathew Schaefer / Ryan Pulock

Adam Pelech / Tony DeAngelo

Carson Soucy / Scott Mayfield

Goalies: Ilya Sorokin (starter), David Rittich

Potential scratches: Adam Boqvist, Max Shabanov, Calum Ritchie

Injured Reserve: Kyle Palmieri

• Jonathan Drouin has spent most of his career as a winger, although the Islanders are currently running him as a center. He has just three goals in 49 games since he signed with the Islanders last summer, and he’s been struggling on the face-off dot as of late (he had a 36.4 percent success rate on the draw last night against the Washington Capitals).
• The Islanders suffered a second-period collapse last night against the Capitals, blowing a 1-0 lead by allowing two goals in 32 seconds and never recovering.
• David Rittich started last night (he made 20 saves on 23 shots in the 4-1 loss), putting Ilya Sorokin on track to start against the Pens.

Season stats
via hockeydb

• The Islanders’ power play is running at 16 percent this season, ranking them down at for 26th in the NHL.
• Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has been a driving force behind the Isles’ climb back into the playoff picture this season. He has 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 56 games of his first NHL season, the third-most points among rookies and sixth-most goals among all defensemen.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Brett Kulak / Ryan Shea

Ilya Solovyov / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner

Potential Scratches: Kevin Hayes, Rutger McGroarty

IR: Kris Letang (broken foot, out at least four weeks), Ryan Graves, Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones, Jack St. Ivany

• Bryan Rust should be back in the lineup tonight after serving out the final game of his three-game suspension on Monday. That could bump Rutger McGroarty back out of the lineup.
• The Pens are looking to bounce back from a flat loss to the Senators on Monday night. Head coach Dan Muse called the Penguins’ performance last night “far off the mark” from where the team has been lately:

• Especially notable last night was continued struggles by Evgeni Malkin, who is seemingly playing hurt and who committed three official giveaways, and the Penguins’ top line. The Justin Brazeau/Sidney Crosby/Rickard Rakell trio earned the fewest expected goals for of any line the Penguins iced last night, per MoneyPuck. The Pens will hope the return of Bryan Rust can spark something there by re-shuffling the lines.
• Arturs Silovs played in the defeat, so Stuart Skinner will likely be expected to get the nod against the Isles.
• Last night was the first time the Pens have finished a game without a point since a Jan. 11 shutout loss to the Boston Bruins.
• The Penguins currently have two points and two games in hand on the Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division, so a win tonight could be key down the stretch of the playoff race.

Carlo trade has been a home run for Bruins, and it could get even better originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Toronto Maple Leafs should probably stop trading with the Boston Bruins. Many of these deals have backfired tremendously for Toronto, especially over the last 20 years.

The Andrew Raycroft-for-Tuukka Rask swap in 2006 was a disaster for Toronto. The Phil Kessel trade in 2009 that gave the Bruins two top-10 picks (Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton) was a bad one for the Leafs. Even the Tomas Kaberle trade in 2011 ended up being a swing-and-a-miss for the Leafs despite the veteran defenseman being mostly underwhelming during his short time with the Bruins. The B’s did win the Stanley Cup a few months after that deal.

The latest example is the Brandon Carlo deal that was made just before the NHL trade deadline on March 7 of last year. Carlo has largely been a disappointment for the Leafs with five points in 33 games this season.

In case you forgot, here are the details of the 2025 trade:

• Leafs receive: Brandon Carlo
• Bruins receive: Fraser Minten, 2026 first-round pick (top-five protected), 2025 fourth-round pick

Let’s start with Minten.

He has blossomed into a productive two-way center after getting a chance to play regular NHL minutes. Minten was Toronto’s second-round pick (No. 38 overall) in 2022, and he played in just 21 games for the Leafs over the last two seasons before being dealt to Boston. Not only did Minten make the Opening Night roster, he has cemented himself as a key part of the Bruins lineup.

Minten has tallied 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 56 games. He has a very realistic chance to score 20-plus goals. One of the reasons why the Bruins had the league’s second-best record in January was Minten’s improved offensive production. He posted 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 14 games, including a three-point performance in a win over the Philadelphia Flyers last Thursday. He was also named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for January.

“(Minten) was a steal for us,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm told reporters on Jan. 30. “He just has that quality, I would say, to be up and down the lineup right away at his early age.”

Minten is improving as a scorer, he’s responsible defensively, he kills penalties, he’s played on the power play of late, and he plays with a high hockey IQ. Could he become a top-six center long term? It’s definitely possible, but at the very least he should be a strong No. 3 center for quite a while.

The Bruins desperately needed a boost at center following the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Minten and 2025 first-round pick James Hagens have given the B’s some hope at that position going forward.

Another important aspect of the Carlo trade that has been great for the Bruins is the 2026 first-round pick they acquired.

The Leafs have reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in nine consecutive seasons, but that streak is in serious jeopardy of ending this year. Toronto entered Tuesday with the 12th-worst record in the league based on points percentage. The Leafs are seven points behind the Bruins for the second and final wild card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

If the Leafs miss the playoffs, the Bruins could get a lottery pick to close out this trade. The 2026 selection sent from Toronto is top-five protected, so it would need to fall outside of that range to go to the Bruins in 2026, but the odds are in Boston’s favor. And that would be a huge coup for the Bruins when you look at all of the high-end defenseman prospects who could be available in the No. 6 to No. 12 pick range in the upcoming draft.

In summary, the Bruins got a 21-year-old center who could tally 50-plus points in his first full NHL season, plus a potential lottery pick from one of their biggest rivals (inside the division, too) for an aging defenseman who has not lived up to expectations on his new team.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeeny has his faults. His draft record isn’t sparkling (although it’s improved lately) and he’s missed on plenty of free agents. But his trade record is phenomenal, and this deal with the Maple Leafs has been a massive home run for Boston so far.

And depending on where that 2026 Leafs first-round pick lands, the trade could get even sweeter for the Bruins. Get ready for “Leafs pick watch” in March and April.