Category: Ice Hockey

Sunday's game between the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets felt like a playoff game.

The Islanders were in desperate need of a win after dropping their previous two games to fall out of a playoff spot. Riding a 12-game point streak (7-5-0), the Blue Jackets had leapfrogged many teams to sit third in the Metropolitan Division.

It was a tight hockey game, filled with physicality and post-whistle shenanigans, a game in which the Islanders came away victorious, 1-0, to jump back into a playoff spot. 

New York Islanders Back In Playoff Position After Shutout Of Columbus Blue JacketsA crucial shutout propels the Islanders back into a playoff spot. Now, they're fighting tooth and nail to secure their postseason berth with just 11 games remaining.

As one of The Elmonters' followers, David Roberts put it: "There was consistent intensity, which was necessary because Columbus had the same." 

That brings us to Tuesday night's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

While there could be a spark in this one with 2025 No. 3 overall pick Anton Frondell potentially making his NHL debut, the Blackhawks aren't playing for anything other than pride. 

Jeff Blashill's squad sits 30th in the NHL, moving a handful of pieces at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. 

The Islanders have a history of playing down to "weaker" opponents. It's the NHL, where even the worst team in the league can beat the best, but during a playoff race, losing to a bottom-feeder could be catastrophic. 

This season, the Islanders have lost games to the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Los Angeles Kings (twice). 

The Islanders must bring that playoff intensity to Tuesday night's showdown, regardless of whether the Blackhawks match it.  Chicago is 1-2-2 over their last five games. 

On Dec. 30, the Islanders did beat the Blackhawks 3-2 in a shootout, a Bo Horvat winner.  

With the Ottawa Senators beating the New York Rangers 2-1 on Monday night, they moved within two points of the Islanders for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with what will be two games in hand after Tuesday. 

Losing to the Blackhawks is really not an option for Long Island. 

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With missing the playoffs long since conceded, the Calgary Flames are making it tough for teams still vying for a postseason berth.

They get a chance to make it four straight wins tonight when they host the struggling Los Angeles Kings, who are hanging on in the wild-card picture.

My Kings vs. Flames predictions and NHL picks have Calgary maintaining its recent streak of stifling offenses, keeping this one Under the total on Tuesday, March 24.

Kings vs Flames prediction

Kings vs Flames best bet: Under 5.5 (+100)

The  Calgary Flames picked up a 4-3 OT win over Tampa last time out, setting them up for a chance at a season-best fourth straight win.

Defense has been key, as they’ve allowed five total goals across this streak.

It’s also been part of their success against the Los Angeles Kings, a team they’ve beaten in four of the last five meetings, holding them to six total goals.

The Kings have just one win in their last five, and are a Bottom-5 scoring team in hockey.

The Under has hit in five of the last six meetings.

Kings vs Flames same-game parlay

Morgan Frost has taken over the goal-scoring lead for the team, tallying three times in his last four games. He’s also scored once against L.A. this season.

Mikael Backlund has topped 2.5 shots on goal three times in the last six games, but he’s gotten more rubber against the Kings, putting up at least three shots in six of his last nine vs. L.A.

Kings vs Flames SGP

• Under 5.5
• Morgan Frost anytime goal
• Mikael Backlund Over 2.5 shots on goal

Kings vs Flames odds

• Moneyline: Kings -140 | Flames +120
• Puck Line: Kings -1.5 (+170) | Flames +1.5 (-210)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-120) | Under 5.5 (+100)

Kings vs Flames trend

L.A. has lost 17 extra-time games this season, the most in the NHL. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Flames.

How to watch Kings vs Flames

Kings vs Flames latest injuries

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

The Columbus Blue Jackets are back on the road for the second of three games away from Nationwide Arena. This game features the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Philadelphia Flyers - 34-23-12 - 80 Points - 7-2-1 in the last 10 - Won 3- 5th in the Metro

Columbus Blue Jackets - 37-22-11 - 85 Points - 6-1-3 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 3rd in the Metro  

Team Notes Per CBJ PR

• Columbus had its season-high 12-game points streak (8-0-4) snapped with a 1-0 loss at the NY Islanders on Sunday. It was tied for the third-longest points streak in club history (third time).

• The club has earned points in 23 of its last 26 contests (19-3-4, 42 pts) to lead the league in points pct. (.808) and fewest regulation losses since Jan. 11. The Jackets also rank second in wins, points and goals-against per game (2.46) and seventh in goals for per game (3.62) and shots against (25.2) over that span.

• CBJ are also 8-2-1 in 11 road contests since Jan. 11, ranking second in the league in points pct. (.773) and third in goals-against per game (2.18) and penalty kill pct. (86.7).

• The Blue Jackets have 12 games remaining in the regular season with seven against teams currently holding a playoff spot, and all 12 contests against teams within six points of a playoff spot.

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Adam Fantilli has registered points in six out of the last seven games (3-5-8) and in 12 of the last 15 contests (8-9-17). He has posted 9-13-22 in the past 20 contests since Jan. 24 and is three points (21-31-52, 70 GP) from setting a single-season career high.
• Jet Greaves has earned points in 13 of his last 14 starts since Jan. 11 (11-1-2, 2.25 GAA, .915 SV% in 15 GP), while G Elvis Merzlikins has recorded points in 10 of his past 12 starts over that span (8-2-2, 2.50 GAA in 13 GP).
• Mathieu Olivier has registered six multi-point outings in the last 19 games since Jan. 28 (10-4-14).
• Cole Silinger has posted 1-5-6 in the last four contests and has set a single-season career high in assists (7-25-32, 69 GP).
• Zach Werenski has collected points in 27 of his past 33 games played since Dec. 11 (11-34-45, 14 multi-point efforts) and has 20-55-75 and 24 multi-point efforts in 63 games in 2025-26. He sits one multi-point effort shy of tying Artemi Panarin's club record (25, 2018-19).

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 20.3% - 17th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.8% - 23rd in the NHL
• Goals For - 222 - 15th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 214 - 19th in the NHL 

Flyers Stats

• Power Play - 14.9% - 32nd in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 77.9% - 22nd in the NHL
• Goals For - 193 - 26th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 207 - 11th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheFlyers

• Columbus is 31-19-3-4 all-time, and 13-13-1-2 on the road vs. Philadelphia.
• Columbus has won four-straight in the series and collected points in the past five meetings since Dec. 21, 2024 (4-0-1).
• The Jackets have also earned points in seven of the last eight meetings dating back to Jan. 4, 2024 (6-1-1).
• CBJ have earned points in their last four visits to Xfinity Mobile Arena (3-0-1) and ten of the past 14 road contests since Mar. 15, 2018 (8-4-2).
• Four of the last six games played at Xfinity Mobile Arena have been decided after regulation (2-OT, 2-SO).
• The winning team has won by multiple goals in six of the past ten games since Oct. 12, 2023.
• The clubs have combined for three goals (including SO goals) in the past two played at Philadelphia but six-plus in 10 of the last 14 meetings in the state of Pennsylvania.
• The Jackets have not relinquished a power play goal in the last five meetings dating back to Dec. 21, 2024 (17-of-17).
• The teams have averaged 56.6 shots combined over the past five meetings at Philadelphia.

Who To Watch For TheFlyers

• Travis Konecny leads the Flyers with 25 goals, 35 assists, and 60 points.
• Trevor Zegras has 22 goals and 55 points.
• Goaltender Dan Vladař is 23-11-7 with a SV% of .908.

CBJ Player Notes vsFlyers

• Charlie Coyle has 16 points in his career against the Islanders.
• Zach Werenski has 17 career points in 27 games against the NYI.
• Boone Jenner has 16 points in 36 games against the Isles.

Injured Reserve

• Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 32 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 178

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

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After a much-needed win against the New York Islanders on Saturday night, the Montreal Canadiens had a day off on Sunday and got back to work in Brossard on Monday morning. As always, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov were on the second ice well before practice started at 10:30. The youngsters jumped on the ice with Adam Nicholas at 9:50 AM and worked on various drills before other players joined them.

At the other end of the ice, Marco Marciano was working with Jacob Fowler on the way he moves in the net before being joined by Jakub Dobes and Samuel Montembeault. There was a positioning drill in which all three goalies took part, before the focus shifted to practicing screened shots from far out. While both Fowler and Dobes did that drill, Montembeault served as the screen for the shooting players, and when we went back to the first ice to cover practice, the Becancour still hadn’t done the drill in net. Nobody can fault his professionalism; he’s doing everything that’s asked of him right now, even though it can’t be easy to be in his situation.

Montembeault serves as screen while Fowler works on screened shots from far out #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/gtxNG3UzuH

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) March 23, 2026

Three Canadiens Players Met The Fans On Sunday
Canadiens Prospect Had An Injury Scare But Should Be Good To Go For Next Round
Canadiens: Guhle Delivered Best Performance Of the Season

Once practice starter, Martin St-Louis put his men through various drills, including odd-man rushes, defensive transition, three-on-three play, and six-on-five action. Clearly, the coach expects the rest of the season to feature tight hockey, with teams pulling their goalies when needed, and he’s aware that the defensive game isn't completely on point.

Everyone was present and accounted for, even Josh Anderson, who was back but wearing a no-contact jersey, lending more credence to the idea that the upper-body ailment he’s dealing with may be a recurrence of his shoulder issues.

Practice lasted a short but intense 40 minutes, and plenty of players stayed on the ice afterwards, working on their game and their shot. Speaking for the first time after his disallowed goal against the Islanders, Zach Bolduc was asked if he was surprised to see that the goal was challenged by his former coach, Patrick Roy, and he explained:

Honestly, when I scored, I didn’t know there was an offside, but when I got to the bench, they told me that we were most probably offside on the play. I saw Patrick speak to the ref when he challenged for offside. I knew it wasn’t a good sign for me, but there’s no ill intent in his challenge; it was just funny.

- Bolduc on having his goal overturned

When asked if he thought it was surprising with a score of 7-3 and with a minute and a half left, he added:

Yeah, but at the same time, if Patrick doesn’t challenge it, he could have been criticized for it by people on his side. It’s just part of the game.

- Bolduc about Roy

Despite not having scored since December 23, Bolduc took things in his stride and believes good things will come. That’s the right attitude to have for the youngster, and it’s not like he’s not doing anything else on the ice.

The Canadiens will be back on the Bell Centre ice for a morning skate on Tuesday before taking on the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes in the evening.

St-Louis doing some one-on-one coaching with Hutson this morning #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/MCdMvRtuvX

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) March 23, 2026

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The Florida Panthers have only six home games remaining on their 2025-26 schedule.

They’ll play the first of those six – which all come bunched up in three separate two-game homestands – on Tuesday night when the Seattle Kraken come to town.

It’s been a disappointing season for both the Panthers and the Kraken.

We’re all well aware of why Florida has had a down year, and that’s due to the seemingly never ending list of injuries suffered by Panthers players over the past six months.

Entering play Tuesday, the Panthers basically need binoculars when looking at the playoff race. Florida trails the New York Islanders, who hold the second Wild Card spot, by 14 points, with two games in hand.

The focus when looking at the standings has shifted to Florida’s spot in the NHL’s lottery order.

That’s because the Panthers’ 2026 first-round pick is lottery protected.

So while yes, Florida did trade that same draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the deal that brought Seth Jones to the Panthers, it turns out that the selection is top-10 protected.

That means when the dust settles on the season and the NHL Draft Lottery, which usually comes the same night the Stanley Cup Playoffs begins, if the Panthers’ pick as among the top 10, they will keep it and instead send their 2027 first-round pick to Chicago.

Currently, the Panthers are among the 10 worst teams in the league, tied with Seattle and the Toronto Maple Leafs with 71 points apiece for the eighth-worst point totals. Toronto has played two more games than Florida and Seattle, for what its worth.

When the Panthers and Kraken locked horns last week in Seattle, it was Florida who stumbled, losing 6-2 and picking up a crucial two-point edge on the Kraken in the lottery race.

Florida will also enter this game without a whole bunch of key players.

Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola, Uvis Balinskis, Mackie Samoskevich and A.J. Greer, who is suspended for three games, will all be out on Tuesday.

Lundell could be back sometime this week, and Samoskevich possibly next week, but everyone else (minus the suspended Greer) is likely done for the season.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday’s matchup with Seattle:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Evan Rodrigues

Jesper Boqvist – Tomas Nosek – Cole Reinhardt

Nolan Foote – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Dmitry Kulikov – Seth Jones

Donovan Sebrango – Mike Benning

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart To Remain Out Of Panthers Lineup As Injuries Pile Up

Panthers' Mackie Samoskevich To Be Out At Least A Week; Anton Lundell Not Skating, Listed As Day-To-Day

Panthers' Defensemen Niko Mikkola, Uvis Balinskis To Miss Rest Of Regular Season With Injuries

AJ Greer Suspended 3 Games For Hit On Connor Zary During Panthers Loss In Calgary

Panthers' A.J. Greer Will Have A Hearing For His Hit On Flames' Connor Zary

Photo caption: Mar 15, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) plays the puck against the Seattle Kraken during the second period at Climate Pledge Arena. (Steven Bisig-Imagn Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks have been incredible at drafting in recent years. They've made a lot of early draft picks, but they've also made some wise decisions in the middle and late rounds. 

One league that has had a stamp put on it by Blackhawks prospects this season is the Ontario Hockey League. The OHL is one of the top developmental leagues in the world, and the Blackhawks have had some success there. 

For one, they had the league's leading goal scorer in 2025-26 for the second year in a row. After Nick Lardis led the OHL last year, Marek Vanacker finished on top this year with 47 goals.

Vanacker, a first-round pick (27th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft, is likely to turn pro next season after an incredibly strong year in 2025-26, after dealing with some injury trouble one year prior. 

The interesting thing is that Vanacker beat out his fellow Blackhawks draftee Jack Pridham to win the OHL goal-scoring title by one. Each of them has aspirations of translating this goal-scoring prowess to the next level, and this was a great developmental season. 

Vanacker and the Brantford Bulldogs earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference of the OHL. They will face the Sudbury Wolves in the first round. As for Pridham, his Kitchener Rangers are the top seed in the West and will face the Saginaw Spirit to open the postseason. Clearly, having a top-two goal scorer helped these clubs earn the top seeds. 

Another notable Blackhawks prospect, AJ Spellacy, is on the number two-seeded (West) Windsor Spitfires, looking to make a run to the Memorial Cup as well. Spellacy, a third-round pick (72nd overall) in 2024, is a high-motor, speedy player who can create chaos in all three zones. 

He isn't a monster offensively, as he scored 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points in 51 games, but he is a solid contributor who also adds a sense of grit to any team he plays on. Once Spellacy is done with major junior, he has the tools to be a great pro. He will certainly have his chance to be an NHL player down the line. 

Not every one of Chicago's prospects is going to suit up for the Blackhawks. Some of them won't make it, some of them will be traded away, but they all provide value to the team right now.

Whether it's these three in particular, or others, it is clear that the team has talent down the line continuing to develop while waiting for their chance to shine in the big leagues. 

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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Who: Colorado Avalanche (46-13-10, 102 points, 1st place Central Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (35-19-16, 86 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:00 p.m. eastern

How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and Altitude Sports, streaming on ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins are hitting the road to play the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night before returning home for a matchup with the Dallas Stars on Saturday. Then comes a back-to-back set with major Eastern Conference playoff race implications as the Penguins take on the New York Islanders on the road Monday 3/30 and the Detroit Red Wings at home the following day.

Opponent Track: The Avalanche lost some ground to the Dallas Stars in the race for the top of the Western Conference with a recent three-game losing streak, but they’ve since bounced back on their ongoing road trip with back-to-back wins over the Chicago Blackhawks and a 3-2 overtime win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon.

Season Series: Evgeni Malkin scored two goals in his return from suspension to help lead the Pens to a 7-2 win over the Avs at Ball Arena in these two team’s first matchup last week.

Hidden Stat: The Avalanche were the first team both to record 100 points and clinch a playoff spot in the NHL this season. This marks the ninth straight time Colorado has made a trip to the postseason, a span which includes their run to the 2022 title.

Getting to know the Avalanche

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Valeri Nichushkin – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas

Gabriel Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Nazem Kadri

Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Joel Kiviranta

Zakhar Bardakov – Nicolas Roy – Gavin Brindley

DEFENSEMEN

Brett Kulak / Cale Makar

Devon Toews / Sam Malinski

Josh Manson / Brent Burns

Goalies: Scott Wedgewood, Mackenzie Blackwood

Potential scratches: Artturi Lehkonen (upper body), Ross Colton (upper body), Nick Blankenburg

Injured Reserve: Logan O’Connor (offseason hip surgery)

• Former Penguin Brett Kulak has slotted in on the Avalanche’s top pairing alongside Cale Makar with the team experimenting with breaking up the famously successful Toews/Makar duo. Kulak played 20:31 against Washington on Sunday, his most since joining Colorado on Feb 24.
• Kulak was one of the Avs’ deadline additions alongside Nazem Kadri, a key part of the team’s run to the 2022 Cup. Kadri has now slotted in on the second line alongside Brock Nelson and has four points (two goals, two assists) in seven games since the trade.
• Gabriel Landeskog, who had been sidelined with a lower-body injury since March 6, returned to the Avs’ lineup for Sunday’s matchup against the Washington Capitals in time to score a goal. Landeskog’s presence gives Colorado a different feel from the last PIT/COL game where the Avs used an 11 forward/7 defensemen lineup.
• Artturi Lehkonen (upper body injury), Ross Colton (upper body injury) and Logan O’Connor (who has yet to make his season debut after undergoing hip surgery last June, are traveling with the Avs on their current five-game road trip. Those three will be with the team in Pittsburgh, per NHL.com’s Tracey Myers, although it’s not clear yet if they’ll be available to play. Whether they return for Tuesday’s game or not, the Avs will be hoping to get them back alongside Landeskog ahead of the postseason.
• The Avs have been riding one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL this season in Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood, although both got shelled in the Avs’ 7-2 loss to the visiting Pens last week. Blackwood has gotten the team’s last two starts, winning both Friday’s game over the Chicago Blackhawks and Sunday against the Washington Capitals in his most recent two outings.

Season stats
via hockeydb

• The Avs’ power play has been inconsistent this season despite having the advantage of rolling out Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. The unit went 0-for-2 on Sunday against the Washington Capitals and ranks 28th in the NHL with a 16.7 percent success rate so far this season.
• Colorado has made up for that, of course, at even strength. The Avalanche lead the NHL with 183 goals for at 5v5 heading into Tuesday. (For what it’s worth, the Pens rank fourth with 141 goals at even strength).
• MacKinnon scored a goal against the Pens last week and added three assists in a game against Chicago but was held without a point against the Capitals. He now sits five points behind Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov (119) in the scoring race. Connor McDavid (116) is just ahead of MacKinnon as well.

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

Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard / Kris Letang

Ryan Graves / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Stuart Skinner, Arturs Silovs

Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Shea (day-to-day upper body injury)

IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones

• Ville Koivunen was re-assigned to the WBS Penguins on Sunday.
• Ryan Shea, who exited Saturday’s matchup against the Winnipeg Jets after taking a hard hit from Adam Lowry, missed Sunday’s game with what the Penguins described as a day-to-day upper-body injury. The Penguins had a scheduled off day yesterday, we’ll have to see this morning during the gameday skate if Shea is able to take the ice or if an update will be provided about his status.
• Ryan Graves drew into the lineup for the first time in two months in Shea’s place. He immediately had an impact, although it wasn’t a positive one, by taking a penalty less than 30 seconds into Sunday’s matchup and getting the Carolina Hurricanes’ dangerous power play on the ice.
• Bryan Rust is riding a seven-game point streak (5G+6A).

Erik Karlsson’s next assist will push him past his former teammate Daniel Alfredsson for career helpers.

Eight days ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins went into Denver and routed the NHL leading Colorado Avalanche by a score of 7-2 at Ball Arena. Now the Avalanche come to Pittsburgh looking for a measure of revenge with a lot on the line for both sides when the puck drops as PPG Paints Arena later this evening. For the Avalanche, a playoff spot has already been locked up, but they will be looking to keep space between themselves and the charging Dallas Stars for the top seed in the west.

As for the Penguins, the objective is clear, keep winning hockey games and racking up points in the standings and you will be playing playoff hockey once again. The stakes could not be more clear for either side this evening.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00PM EST and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.

Pens Points…

It’s yet another loaded week for the Penguins with both the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars coming to town on Tuesday and Saturday. Sandwiched in between those two contests is a quick trip to Ottawa for a meeting with the Senators who are fighting for their playoff lives at the moment. [Pensburgh]

The Penguins 2025 draft class has already made a big impact with the emergence of Ben Kindel this season and the next wave of talent is on its way with the signings of first rounder Bill Zonnon and third round selection Gabriel D’Aigle to entry level contracts over the weekend. [Pensburgh]

Harrison Brunicke made the Penguins roster out of training camp and he got his first taste of NHL action before ultimately being sent back to juniors for the remainder of the season. Back in Kamloops, Brunicke continued his development and has been averaging over a point per game in the WHL. [Trib Live]

Just a dozen games remain in the 2025-26 NHL season and the Eastern Conference playoff picture is still incredibly tight. Right in the mix of things stand the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have put themselves in good position for a return to the postseason despite a heavy stretch ahead. [PPG]

NHL News and Notes…

There’s not a hockey player alive who is hotter than Nikita Kucherov at the moment. He’s putting together another historic season, but his play last week was especially white hot, posting 13 points over just four games and taking home First Star of the Week honors as he makes his case for MVP. [NHL]

The Rangers hit the mark with their on-ice ceremony honoring Mika Zibanejad ahead of his 1,000th NHL game Monday night. 

Once the puck was dropped on the Madison Square Garden ice, however, the Blueshirts struggled to hit the mark on anything. 

A 2-1 loss to the team that traded Zibanejad to New York on July 18, 2016, the Senators, was the result. 

The Rangers’ measly nine shots on goal matched a franchise low that dates back over 70 years. 

The Senators, already without two of their top four defensemen (Jake Sanderson and Nick Jensen), lost two blueliners to injury during the game and still had little difficulty containing the Rangers’ lowly offense. 

“It’s not that we didn’t have a good night, we just got outcompeted,” said captain J.T. Miller, who was held to zero shots on goal in the Rangers’ 25th loss in 34 games at home. “That’s the part that’s hard to live with that stuff. Like I mentioned, looking inward at yourself, you’re just not doing enough. We don’t do enough. Today you should have a fire lit under your ass to go play for your teammate. A guy that feels like a cornerstone of the organization. 

“We go out and have four [shots] through two [periods]. At home, a place where we haven’t been desperate enough this season. That doesn’t sit well.”

After a moving tribute video narrated by Zibanejad’s wife, Irma, fellow members of the leadership group showered the longest-tenured Ranger and his family with hugs and forms of appreciation from the organization. 

Gifts included a trip to Greece for the whole family, a mini silver stick for his daughter, Ella, and a custom-engraved silver hockey stick for Zibanejad to commemorate the 1,000-game milestone. 

The heartwarming ceremony bled into a stiff opening 20 minutes for the Rangers, who have soiled themselves in front of their home crowd on an egregious number of occasions this season. 

The Senators got a power-play goal from Shane Pinto and hit two posts before the home team even put one puck on net. 

It was Juuso Pärssinen, playing in his first game since March 12 in Winnipeg, who finally recorded the Rangers’ first shot on goal with 6:11 left in the first period. 

The Rangers didn’t get another until they earned a power play later in the frame.

Pärssinen then flipped the puck over the glass — the first of two such bench minors committed by the Rangers — to ensure his team finished the first shorthanded. 

The Rangers could only funnel two more pucks at Ottawa goalie James Reimer over the next 20 minutes, finishing with a mere nine on the night. 

Four shots through two periods represented the fewest for a Rangers team since 1965-66, when the NHL started tracking shots per period. The last time the Rangers posted that few shots on goal in a game was on Dec. 11, 1955 against the Red Wings. 

While Conor Sheary got the Rangers on the board just over seven minutes into the final frame, the equalizer never came. 

“It’s disappointing because I feel like we’re not controlling what we can to set our team up for success,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “I just think we lacked anticipation, on both sides of the puck…We didn’t win pucks. So we ended up spending a lot of time in our end zone for the first period, for sure. I thought the second period, the first seven minutes of the second period, we had a good push. And then for the next, I think, seven of the next 13 minutes, we were in the penalty box… I don’t think we’re playing the game with enough pace.” 

NEW YORK (AP) — Shane Pinto scored on the power play, Warren Foegele added his fifth goal in nine games since being traded and the Ottawa Senators made up more ground in their chase to make the playoffs by beating the New York Rangers 2-1 on Monday night.

The Rangers had just nine shots on goal, matching a franchise worst set on Dec. 11, 1955, in a defeat at Detroit. They lost for a 25th time in 34 home games this season.

Ottawa won its third in a row, improving to 14-3-2 since Jan. 25 and moving two points back of the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 12 games to play.

The latest victory came at a cost of two more injuries to an already depleted defense. Thomas Chabot took a stick to the right arm from J.T. Miller in the final seconds of the first period and Lassi Thomson left his first NHL game since Nov. 25, 2022, during the second because of a lower-body injury. Neither returned.

The Senators, missing Jake Sanderson because of an upper-body injury and Nick Jensen following knee surgery, finished the game with four defensemen.

New York goaltender Igor Shesterkin stopped 31 shots and was the only reason the deficit wasn’t worse. Conor Sheary scored on the Rangers’ seventh shot to end James Reimer’s shutout bid with 13 minutes left.

Mika Zibanejad skated in his 1,000th regular-season game, his 719th with the Rangers after playing his first 281 with Ottawa. Zibanejad was honored in a pregame ceremony with a video narrated by his wife, Irma, and presented a silver stick along with a mini version for their young daughter, Ella.

Up next

Senators: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night in a matchup of Eastern Conference teams fighting to make the playoffs.

Rangers: Visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night.

All Times EDT

Tuesday, March 24

MLB - Spring Training

Tampa Bay vs. Atlanta, at North Port, Fla., 12:05 p.m.

Boston vs. Minnesota, at Fort Myers, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Kansas City vs. Texas, at Arlington, Texas, 2:05 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees vs. Chicago Cubs, at Mesa, Ariz., 3:05 p.m.

Detroit vs. Colorado, at Scottsdale, Ariz., 3:10 p.m.

Cleveland vs. Arizona, at Phoenix, 3:40 p.m.

Cincinnati vs. Milwaukee, at Milwaukee, 5:10 p.m.

L.A. Angels at L.A. Dodgers, 8:10 p.m.

NBA

Sacramento at Charlotte, 7 p.m.

New Orleans at New York, 7:30 p.m.

Orlando at Cleveland, 8 p.m.

Denver at Phoenix, 11 p.m.

NHL

Carolina at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Chicago at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m.

Colorado at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Columbus at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Ottawa at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Florida, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m.

Minnesota at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

New Jersey at Dallas, 8 p.m.

San Jose at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Vegas at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.

Washington at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Los Angeles at Calgary, 9 p.m.

Edmonton at Utah, 9:30 p.m.

Anaheim at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

PWHL

Vancouver at Boston, 7 p.m.

_____

Bruins sign top prospect James Hagens to AHL amateur tryout agreement originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have signed their top prospect James Hagens to an AHL amateur tryout agreement and he will report to the Providence Bruins, the team announced Monday night.

“We’re very excited to have James join the Bruins organization and take this next step,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said in a press release.

“James is an important part of our future, and this is a great opportunity for him to get immediate experience at the professional level in Providence and continue his development, while keeping all options open.”

Hagens will practice with Providence on Tuesday, per the team. The P-Bruins have the best record in the AHL’s Eastern Conference and their next three games are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Hagens cannot join the Bruins and play in the NHL until he signs his entry-level contract.

While some fans might be disappointed that Hagens is not immediately joining the NHL roster, getting some reps in Providence against AHL competition is a good next step in his development after Boston College’s season ended this past weekend. If Hagens thrives in Providence, maybe the Bruins will bring him to the NHL at some point this season.

This scenario is also not new for the B’s. Charlie McAvoy signed an AHL amateur tryout agreement and reported to Providence in late March of 2017 after his Boston University season ended. McAvoy eventually signed his ELC and played in all six playoff games for the B’s that spring.

Hagens is coming off a fantastic sophomore season at BC in which he tallied a career-high 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) in 34 games.

The Bruins selected Hagens with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

The Pittsburgh Penguins brought in several new players during the 2025 NHL offseason. Among them was defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, as the Penguins signed him to a two-year, $2 million contract.

This signing did not get a ton of attention when it was announced, as Wotherspoon was primarily a depth defenseman during his time with the Boston Bruins. However, since joining the Penguins, the left-shot blueliner has taken his game to a new level in a major way. 

Wotherspoon has been fantastic for the Penguins this season, and the truth is in his stats. In 70 games this season with Pittsburgh, he has set new career highs with three goals, 23 assists, 26 points, 103 blocks, and 147 hits. He also has a plus-12 rating. 

Wotherspoon is not slowing down as the season carries on, either. In his last five games alone, the 28-year-old defenseman has recorded six assists. With this, Wotherspoon has been playing some strong hockey for the Penguins down the stretch. 

Wotherspoon's excellent play this season has also helped him find a home on the Penguins' top pairing and penalty kill. With this, he has certainly become a big part of the Penguins' blueline, and it is clear that they made the right decision signing him. 

The Nashville Predators have locked down one of their key pieces for the future. 

Monday, the team announced that center Fedor Svechkov had been signed to a two-year, $2.5 million contract. His entry-level contract was set to expire at the end of this season. 

Drafted by the Predators 19th overall in the 2021 draft, the 22-year-old center has played in 110 NHL games, recording 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points.

Svechkov has also played 80 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, scoring 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points. 

That's so Svech 🙌

We've signed forward Fedor Svechkov to a two-year contract starting in 2026-27.

Full details » https://t.co/HN8KJ1rtcipic.twitter.com/EdoJgKUuxY

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 23, 2026

He got off to a slow start to this season, tallying just nine points in 49 games before being sent down to the Milwaukee Admirals in late January. He'd return to Nashville after the Olympics, recording four points in nine games. 

Svehckov is the fifth player to sign an extension this season, joining Luke Evangelista, Justus Annunen, Jake Lucchini and Zach L'Heureux. 

The Nashville Predators face the San Jose Sharks next on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena. 

 

Tyson Gross made his NHL debut on Sunday night, March 22, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, stepping onto the ice at the Scotiabank Saddledome for the first time as a member of the Calgary Flames.

The Calgary native logged 11 shifts for 8:07 of ice time and won his first career faceoff. Head coach Ryan Huska liked what he saw from the 23-year-old in his first outing.

“I thought he did a good job, you can tell he thinks the game well,” said Huska postgame when asked about Gross’ debut. “I thought he had a good first night … he did some good things.”

Before puck drop, Gross took part in the traditional rookie solo lap during warmups, circling the Saddledome ice alone in a moment years in the making. Having grown up watching games in the building, he was now in the lineup himself.

“It’s obviously extremely special,” Gross told the Flames media on Sunday. “I’ve watched a million games here, so to be able to be out there and actually play in one is a pretty crazy thing.”

Rookie lap for #Flames Tyson Gross! 🔥@TheHockeyNewspic.twitter.com/bvW2L8qIQC

— Bryan Wilson (@BryanWilsonHKY) March 22, 2026

Gross skated on a line with Adam Klapka and Martin Pospisil. He took a penalty in the first period, but the Flames’ penalty kill came through for the rookie.

Back on the bench afterward, Gross found himself seated between captain Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman. With more than 1,000 NHL games for Backlund and two Stanley Cups for Coleman, the two veterans offered guidance and encouragement for the rookie throughout the night.

It’s a snapshot of what the Flames are trying to build, with experienced players helping ease younger ones into the league.

“The young guys don’t get an opportunity to get better without the older players around them, because the older players have to take on the heavy minutes of playing against a Kucherov. That’s their job, when a younger player isn’t quite ready for that yet,” Huska explained. “So, those players are so valuable to help bring younger players along and that’s why we as a coaching staff are thrilled that Coleman’s with us and Backlund is with us.”

Gross signed with the Flames on March 12 as one of the most sought-after college free agents, agreeing to a two-year, two-way contract with an average annual value of $975,000.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound centre served as captain at St. Cloud State University this season, recording 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points in 36 games.