Calvin Pickard wasn't just good on Monday night as the Edmonton Oilers pulled out a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. He was the best player on the ice, stopping 41 of 42 shots, a season high for the Jets. 

As TSN's Ryan Rishaug wrote after the game, "Impressive night from Pickard. He’s being pushed this season for his job, and he’s had a couple of major statement games. [Tristan] Jarry and [Connor] Ingram have had some good starts, but neither has done recently what Pickard did tonight - Flat out steal a game."

Related: NHL Rumors: 2 Trade Fits For Oilers' Andrew Mangiapane

Pickard’s strong play and him stealing a win comes at just the right time for him personally. Despite earlier fan frustration with the Oilers goaltending, Pickard’s recent performances have been welcomed, with the sentiment that his emergence gives the Oilers a good problem to have and something fans can feel excited about.

It wasn't long ago that the Oilers probably felt like no one could make a save. Now, Ingram, Jarry, and Pickard are all putting on solid performances. It's a significant change. 

The question now will be, does Pickard get the start against the Boston Bruins on New Year's Eve. One factor to consider is how waivers will work with Ingram. Because Ingram is on an Emergency Recall, he can play up to 9 NHL games (backups do not count), then be returned to the AHL without requiring waivers. 

Once Ingram hits 10 games, waivers are triggered. So far, he has played three. Do the Oilers roll with the hot hand? Or, do they go back to Ingram because he's been sitting? Jarry's injury may also factor into that decision. 

Oilers Pull Out A Different Kind of Win

The Oilers bent, but didn't break. It's the kind of game the Oilers used to win a lot last year, but have struggled to pull two points out of in 2025-26.

The Jets limited Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to just two shots between them. Going in, if you'd told the Jets that was a solid game plan, they'd have taken it. Ultimately, it was Max Jones who got a goal from the fourth line, and Jack Roslovic who scored from the second-unit power play. Zach Hyman got the empty-net goal.

Edmonton was flooded with shots, but Pickard stood tall, and the Oilers limited the rebound chances. The blue line on the Oilers was pressed hard and did a solid job of keeping the Jets from breaking through. 

The game had a bit of everything. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got involved in a spirited scrap, which told a much more aggressive and physical Jets team that the Oilers wouldn't be intimidated. 

What About Andrew Mangiapane?

Going into the game, the storyline was Andrew Mangiapane. Pickard stole the spotlight from that surprising narrative that began on Monday afternoon. Still, the questions remain. 

Is Mangiapane on the verge of being traded? Reports were that he was open to the idea, and while he was pegged to be on the fourth line, he wound up being a healthy scratch just prior to puck drop. Many wondered if the move was trade-related. It might be, even if nothing is imminent and reports are the forward and his agent have not been told a trade is coming. 

Jones was inserted into the lineup and he scored a goal. The last 24 hours have been quite the turn of events. 

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There’s no two buts about it – one way or another, the year 2026 is going to be huge for the Buffalo Sabres. 

In the next 12 months, the Sabres are either going to continue their current strong stretch and end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought, or they’re going to fold like a cheap suit, miss the playoffs for a full decade-and-a-half. 

That has to be something Sabres fans look forward to, right? Either they get a team they can really invest their time and emotion in, or they throw up their hands in exasperation after yet another lost season. It’s really that simple. Feast or famine. And there is no in-between.

This is why we believe Sabres fans should welcome the new year. In short order, we’ll see if Buffalo’s current win streak was just a mirage, or whether they’re at best a Mushy Middle team – too flawed to make the post-season, but too good to land a generational player at the top of the draft. And that result would still be considered a massive failure for the Sabres. If ever there was a “playoffs or bust” team, it’s this season’s Buffalo team.

The Sabres are beyond moral victories and games to build on. Prior to this current win streak, Buffalo was well on its way to cratering their season yet again. So while winning eight straight games has pushed the Sabres up the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings, the reality is that Buffalo is still out of a playoff spot, and they could easily slip back down the standings with a bad week or two.

The road ahead for the Sabres is lined with solid teams who are desperate to make the playoffs. But nobody needs a playoff appearance more than Buffalo. And new Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen needs to make some hard decisions in advance of the March 6 trade deadline – because he has to decide whether to be a buyer on the trade market, or a seller.

Here's Why Sabres' Next Stretch Could Decide Whether Buffalo Makes Or Misses The Playoffs The Buffalo Sabres' Stanley Cup playoff hopes hinge on a brutal upcoming schedule. Can they survive facing top NHL contenders after their current winning streak ends?

That’s what’s at stake for these Sabres players. They’re going out every night and the stakes for them are sky-high. They’re playing for the job security of coach Lindy Ruff, and they’re playing to keep their families in Western New York. Because if the rest of the season goes sideways for them, Kekalainen is going to start trading Sabres players to the highest bidders. 

This is why the next 12 months will be so compelling to Sabres fans. In short order, they’re going to find out what this Buffalo team is made of. If the Sabres rise to the occasion and end their playoff drought, Buffalo fans will be thrilled, and the core of the team will almost assuredly be kept intact. If they embarrass themselves and fall short of the playoffs yet again, Sabres fans will demand Kekalainen smash this team into pieces and radically remake the franchise’s depth chart.

Patience, Sabres Fans – World Junior Success Doesn't Guarantee Buffalo's Prospects A Successful NHL FutureThe Buffalo Sabres will have four players at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. But success at the World Junior tournament offers little guarantee prospects of NHL success. While World Junior glory would be great, the Sabres' youngsters need more time and patience to develop.

Thus, Sabres fans should brace themselves for the coming year. There’s going to be drama one way or another, but there’s still time for Buffalo to salvage their season and show their fans they deserve their support.

2026 is going to be a huge year for the Sabres organization, and the hockey they play in the coming months will dictate their direction for the coming years.

The Pittsburgh Penguins made several moves during the 2025 NHL off-season. Among them was signing forward Justin Brazeau to a two-year, $3 million contract in free agency. 

When the Penguins signed Brazeau, the expectation was that he would provide their bottom six with a bit of a boost due to his secondary scoring ability and physicality. However, with the new year approaching, it is clear that Brazeau has been giving the Penguins far more than just that.

Brazau is proving to be an excellent addition for the Penguins, and the truth can be seen with his stats. In 23 games so far this campaign, Brazeau has already matched his career high in goals with 11 and has recorded 18 points. He has also been impactful with his physicality, as he has recorded 39 hits on the year so far. 

Brazeau is only continuing to stay hot as the season carries on, too. Over his last two games with the Penguins, the 6-foot-6 winger has posted four points. This included him recording a hat trick during the Penguins' most recent contest against the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 28. 

With the way Brazeau has been playing for the Penguins, it is clear that the team's decision to bring him in is looking like a real home run. It will be fascinating to see if he continue to make a big impact for Pittsburgh from here. 

During a recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Edmonton Oilers forward Andrew Mangiapane would be open to waiving his no-movement clause if the Oilers could find an interested team that would give him the chance to have a more prominent role. 

Mangiapane has had trouble finding his fit with the Oilers, so a change of scenery certainly could help the 29-year-old forward. In 39 games so far this season with Edmonton, Mangiapane has posted five goals, six assists, and a minus-16 rating. 

While Mangiapane's offensive totals are low this season, his past success could make some clubs be interested in him if he becomes available. Due to this, let's look at two potential trade fits for the former 35-goal scorer. 

Boston Bruins 

The Bruins have been struggling big time lately, as they have lost each of their last five games. They have also fallen to seventh in the Atlantic Division, so that could spark them to pursue a trade. There is no question that they could use another skilled winger in their middle six, and a player like Mangiapane could grab their attention because of it.

The Bruins were also rumored to be interested in Mangiapane this off-season before he signed with Edmonton.

Buffalo Sabres 

The vibes are high with the Sabres right now, as they have won each of their last eight games and have climbed up the standings because of it. With the Sabres being red-hot, perhaps it could spark them to try to make a move to improve their roster further. They could use another forward in their top nine, and Mangiapane could be a nice pickup for their group because of it. 

A former Chicago Blackhawks forward is set to miss time, as the St. Louis Blues have announced that Pius Suter will be out for the next four weeks due to a right ankle injury.

Suter suffered his injury during the Blues' Dec. 27 contest against the Nashville Predators, where he recorded one shot in 10:55 of ice time and 15 shifts. Now, with this update, the Blues are going to be without Suter for a decent chunk of time.

With Suter being a solid part of the Blues' roster, there is no question that they will miss him while he is sidelined. This is especially so when noting that the Blues are currently fighting for a playoff spot, being just one point behind the San Jose Sharks for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference standings. 

Suter is currently in his first season with the Blues after signing with the club in free agency this past summer. In 37 games so far this campaign with St. Louis, he has posted seven goals, seven assists, 14 points, and a minus-3 rating.

Suter played his first NHL season with the Blackhawks during the 2020-21 campaign. In 55 games with the Blackhawk, he posted 14 goals, 13 assists, and 27 points. 

The Buffalo Sabres were one of the teams that were connected to forward Yegor Chinakhov. However, the 24-year-old winger is no longer an option for the Sabres, as he has been traded elsewhere.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have acquired Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick. With this, the Sabres have officially missed out on Chinakhov. 

The Penguins bringing in Chinakhov is entirely understandable. The Penguins are in the middle of a retool, so it certainly makes sense that they are taking a chance on a skilled former first-round pick like Chinakhov. 

The Sabres will now need to explore their options elsewhere. Given how well the Sabres are playing right now, they are certainly in a position to make a move to help strengthen their roster. Unfortunately, Chinakhov is no longer a potential option for them, with him heading to Pittsburgh. 

In 29 games so far this season with Columbus before this trade, Chinakhov posted three goals and three assists. This is after he had seven goals and 15 points in 30 games for the Blue Jackets in 2024-25. 

The Ottawa Senators will begin a four-game homestand on Monday night as they host the Columbus Blue Jackets. After a win over the Islanders on Sunday, Columbus is on a back-to-back with travel that was complicated by a cancelled flight on Sunday night.  They were supposed to leave on Monday morning instead, but that flight was delayed as well.

As a result of their later-than-usual arrival, the NHL has switched the start time of Monday night's game from 7 pm to 7:30 pm.

This is an important game for both teams as they try to stay within shouting distance of the division and conference leaders. The Jackets may be in last place in the East, but they're just 3 points behind the Senators and four out of a playoff spot.

While the Senators didn’t play on Sunday, they did get a shock to the system when starting goaltender Linus Ullmark shared that he will be taking an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons. The team said in a prepared statement on Sunday that Ullmark has the organization's full support but won't comment further on the matter. The veteran was yanked from a 7-5 loss in Toronto on Saturday night after allowing four goals on 14 shots.

So that leaves 23-year-old Levi Meriläinen to man the net for the foreseeable future.

Meriläinen posted excellent numbers in an emergency role last season, appearing in 12 games, but hasn’t yet been able to replicate that form this year. In 10 games, he has a goals-against average of 3.40 and a save percentage of .874. He entered Saturday night’s game in relief of Ullmark, whose numbers this season haven't been a whole lot better.

Ottawa Senators: 'Linus Ullmark Will Be Taking A Leave Of Absence From The Team'The club announced on Sunday afternoon that 'Ullmark has the full support of our organization during this time.'

30-year-old Hunter Shepard has been recalled from the Belleville Senators to serve as Ottawa's new backup. Between them, Shepard (5) and Meriläinen (24) have appeared in a grand total of 29 career NHL games.

Ottawa has also sent down Dennis Gilbert and Xavier Bourgault, who made his NHL debut on Saturday. That signalled that Shane Pinto and Tyler Kleven, who both practiced on Monday for a second straight day, may be ready to return to the lineup.

Pinto has been sidelined since December 4, while Kleven has been out since December 20. Both players were injured on similar falls near the boards. 

After practice, the Sens confirmed that Kleven would be in while Nick Jensen comes out. They're not sure yet on Pinto.

As for the Blue Jackets, they placed star defenseman Zach Werenski on the IR yesterday, retroactive to Dec. 20. He's day-to-day with a lower-body injury and can return whenever he's ready. Werenski leads his team in goals, assists and points, so the Senators probably wouldn't mind if he needs another game off.

Yesterday's roster move allowed the Jackets to activate tough guy Mathieu Olivier off the injured list. 

Projected Rosters from NHL.com (subject to change)

Senators

David Perron -- Tim Stutzle -- Fabian Zetterlund

Brady Tkachuk -- Dylan Cozens -- Drake Batherson

Michael Amadio -- Ridly Greig -- Claude Giroux

Kurtis MacDermid -- Stephen Halliday -- Nick Cousins

Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot -- Jordan Spence

Tyler Kleven -- Nikolas Matinpalo

Leevi Merilainen

Hunter Shepard

Scratched: Nick Jensen

Injured: Shane Pinto (lower body), Lars Eller (broken foot)

Blue Jackets

Mason Marchment -- Adam Fantilli -- Kirill Marchenko

Dimitri Voronkov -- Sean Monahan -- Kent Johnson

Boone Jenner -- Charlie Coyle -- Mathieu Olivier

Miles Wood -- Brendan Gaunce -- Cole Sillinger

Ivan Provorov -- Dante Fabbro

Denton Mateychuk -- Damon Severson

Jake Christiansen -- Brendan Smith

Elvis Merzlikins

Jet Greaves

Scratched: Zach Aston-Reese, Yegor Chinakhov

Injured: Zach Werenski (lower body), Erik Gudbranson (hip), Isac Lundestrom (lower body)

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

Read more Ottawa Senators news and features at The Hockey News:

Top Ottawa Senators Prospect Suits Up Again At World Juniors
Josh Norris: 'I Really Felt Like (Ottawa Fans) Had My Back, Even When I Was Injured'
NHL Player Fined For Cross-Checking Senators Star Tim Stutzle In The Face
Ottawa Senators Have A Soft Spot For Their Tough Guy
Senators Announce Their Latest Addition To Ring Of Honour

---

Steve Warne is the Ottawa Senators site editor at The Hockey News. Steve has covered the Senators since day one, first as Sports Director for Rogers Radio in Ottawa on AM 1310 and FM 105, then as the long-time host of the morning show at TSN 1200 radio, the Sens' flagship station. Steve is also the owner and host of The Sens Nation Podcast.

Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche take on the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena, having won four of their last five games against them. Colorado will look to secure its eighth straight victory in a matchup that carries added significance, as it could be Anze Kopitar’s final visit to Denver as an NHL player.

Avalanche Stats

Nathan MacKinnon has tallied nine points in his last five games against the Kings, recording one goal and eight assists over that span.

Martin Nečas has posted seven points in his last five games against Los Angeles, scoring four goals and adding three assists.

Artturi Lehkonen has put up five points in his last five contests against the Kings, with two goals and three assists in that time.

Brock Nelson has also produced five points in his last five games against Los Angeles, registering three goals and two assists over that stretch.

The Avalanche are coming off an electrifying 6-5 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. It was their first shootout win of the year. Nečas had two goals and both MacKinnon and Sam Malinski had three-point games.

Los Angeles Stats

A trio of Kings have posted four points in their last five against the Avs, including Alex Laferriere, Kevin Fiala, and the aforementioned Anze Kopitar. Los Angeles also played Saturday and are fresh off a 6-1 smackdown of the Anaheim Ducks.

Avalanche Projected Lineup

Forwards

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas

Gabriel Landeskog — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin

Victor Olofsson — Ross Colton — Gavin Brindley

Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Joel Kiviranta

Defensemen

Devon Toews — Cale Makar

Josh Manson — Brent Burns

Samuel Girard — Sam Malinski

Goaltenders

Mackenzie Blackwood

Scott Wedgewood

Kings Projected Lineup

Forwards

Alex Laferriere — Anze Kopitar — Adrian Kempe

Warren Foegele — Quinton Byfield — Trevor Moore

Kevin Fiala — Alex Turcotte — Andrei Kuzmenko

Joel Armia — Samuel Helenius — Corey Perry

Defensemen

Mikey Anderson — Drew Doughty

Joel Edmundson — Brandt Clarke

Brian Dumoulin — Cody Ceci

Goaltenders

Anton Forsberg

Phoenix Copley

Game Time

Coverage of tonight's game kicks off at 7 p.m. local time and stay tuned to The Hockey News for all of the action. 

The Florida Panthers have been named as a possible match for Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy. 

There have been several reports throughout the season that the Panthers could be interested in adding a third-pairing defenseman. Since Dmitry Kulikov went down with an injury, the Panthers have struggled to find a third pairing that they feel comfortable with. 

They signed Jeff Petry in the off-season to a one-year, $775,000 contract, but the move hasn't paid off quite as well as the Panthers would have hoped. They've attempted to play both Uvis Balinskis and Donovan Sebrango alongside him, but haven't always liked the results.

Murphy, whom The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun selected as a match for the Panthers, is a right-handed defenseman and would likely replace Petry in the lineup. As they are both right-handed, the Panthers' third pair could be Kulikov-Murphy. Murphy, 32, has played in 38 games this season, notching five assists.

Throughout his NHL career, Murphy has played 783 games, scoring 43 goals and 165 points. He's only been to the post-season once, playing in nine games. 

The Blackhawks have added several young defenseman to their lineup this year, which is why the 6-foot-4, 212-pound defenseman's ice time has gone down. He's averaging just 15:26 of ice time, over five minutes fewer than last season. 

"The hurdle for Florida would be finding the cap space," said LeBrun. "Murphy’s $4.4 million cap hit is rich, but obviously it would require Chicago retaining some, plus the Panthers have $3.8 million in long-term-injured-reserve money at their disposal with captain Aleksander Barkov out. The Panthers and Blackhawks made a trade a year ago involving Seth Jones. Obviously, this wouldn’t be at the same level, but it could be beneficial."

"I also think the Blackhawks will want to do right by Murphy, who has long been respected in that room," LeBrun continued. "He’s only played nine career playoff games and they were in the Edmonton pandemic bubble in 2020, so he hasn’t experienced a traditional playoff run with fans. Joining the Cup champs would be perfect."

Murphy is in the final season of a four-year, $ 4.4 million contract he signed with the Blackhawks. With the rising cap, the Panthers could re-sign him in the off-season when his contract expires. 

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 Chicago Blackhawks went 1-1-0 over the weekend. At the Dallas Stars, the Blackhawks pulled off a shootout victory against one of the best teams in the NHL. On Sunday, at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the second half of back-to-back woes continued with a 7-3 loss. 

Things are difficult right now without Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. They were already a young, growing team with those guys in the lineup, and now they are missing an exponential amount of offensive talent. 

Blackhawks Snap Losing Streak With Quality Win Over Stars The Chicago Blackhawks picked up a quality win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. Penguins Skate Out Of Chicago With 7-3 Victory Over BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks were run out of their own building by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night.

Ahead of Monday's practice at Fifth Third Arena, Connor Bedard was seen skating. He was stick handling and using some speed while skating, but he did not take any shots. Jeff Blashill said after practice that this is a part of his rehab plan. 

Blashill also gave an update on Nazar, saying that he has been upgraded to eating solid foods again. Now it is even more obvious that it is a broken jaw keeping him out of the lineup. 

Ilya Mikheyev returned to practice following the birth of his child, and the lines/defense pairs looked as such with him back: 

Bertuzzi-Greene-Burakovsky

Teravainen-Moore-Lardis

Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Foligno-Dach-Slaggert

Extras: Lafferty, Toninato

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Extra: Del Mastro

Knight

Söderblom

There is a lot to unpack with these lines. For one, Nick Lardis is on the same line as Teuvo Teravainen. This is a chance for Lardis to play alongside a forward whose sole goal is going to be feeding him. Oliver Moore and his speed are getting an opportunity to play center on that line, which could lead to good things for Chicago's offensive chances. 

Ilya Mikheyev was on the third line with Ryan Donato and Jason Dickinson. This line, no matter what, is going to play hard, be sound defensively, and may chip in some offense here and there. 

Landon Slaggert goes down the lineup with Colton Dach and Nick Foligno on the fourth line. Slaggert, who was recently recalled by Chicago from Rockford, deserves to be in the lineup more than the extras based on how he's played since coming back. 

With Bedard and Nazar out at the same time, Ryan Greene is getting another chance at the top-line center position. Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky are good wingers for Greene in this experiment. 

On defense, Ethan Del Mastro was the extra. They haven't been dressing seven since Sam Rinzel was sent down to the Rockford IceHogs. For now, it is status quo for this group.  

Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom each played in the 7-3 loss to the Penguins on Sunday. Both of them are going to be needed with a lot of hockey coming up in a short period of time. We won't know until Tuesday who is going to start against the New York Islanders on the same evening. 

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

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.

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues will have to play without another injured forward for the foreseeable future.

Pius Suter is the latest to hit the injury list after the Blues (15-16-8), who host the red-hot Buffalo Sabres (19-14-4) on Monday (7 p.m.; FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM). The forward will be reevaluated in four weeks with a right high ankle sprain sustained in the third period of a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Saturday after getting an MRI on Sunday.

Suter, who has seven goals and seven assists in 37 games this season, did not practice on Sunday.

It means Robby Fabbri will go back into the lineup in Suter’s spot after being a healthy scratch on Saturday. Also, Mathieu Joseph will re-enter the lineup on the fourth line, and go in for Jonatan Berggren.

But what the Blues will miss in Suter is a plethora of things.

“We haven’t had enough forwards grab and taking ownership of being reliable, trustworthy and really good at their habits and details defensively, and that’s why you see different people in there in different games, because when guys are on their details, they get that opportunity and there’s an opportunity for people to grab that,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “We have certain players we know are going to be there, but it’s not like we have two lines of it, and that’s up to the players to grab it. It’s very similar to the discussion we had yesterday about coming into our lineup and who does. We don’t want guys to come out of the lineup, and when you go into the lineup, it’s up to you to be really good at those habits and details so that we don’t take you out. That’s for everybody.”

Could Otto Stenberg, a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, be the guy to replace Suter’s wealth and many things be brings to the game? We’ll have more on that in an upcoming story.

- - -

The Blues will look to derail the Sabres express. In winning eight in a row, the Sabres, who lost 3-0 to the Blues in early November, have scored three or more goals in each game and won four of them by multiple goals, four of them by one goal, outscoring their opponents 25-15.

“It’s a lot different. Just their confidence, their swagger, you could see it,” Montgomery said of the Sabres. “They expect to score goals, they are scoring goals, they’re scoring gritty goals at the net front now besides the skill level that they have, and they have skill on three lines. That’s why your details and in the D-zone off the rush have to be good. And I think that if our details are good there, we’re going to get opportunities going the other way. And then it’s up to us. Last game we were 8-2 in odd-man rushes for. You keep getting those numbers and we get better at executing off the rush, we’re going to start scoring a lot more goals. It’s up to us to be really good at those odd-man rushes.”

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said in beating the Blues, there are several key factors.

“I think the numbers say they’re a great team to get interior shots too so we can’t let pucks go through us,” Ruff said. “I think their speed is evident. Their ‘D’ get up ice. Similar to us, our ‘D’ are heavily involved, their ‘D’ are heavily involved. We’ve got to make sure we don’t turn it into a track meet, that we’re weary of their guys coming.”

The Blues have another opportunity here to get to the .500 mark with a win.

“I think results are secondary right now to our process,” Montgomery said. “I talk about habits and details a lot and our process, the things that we believe in, winning the net fronts, winning special teams, winning the Grade A chances. There’s a lot of things, details that go into those major part of the process, and if we continue to be better at those things in the process, the results will take care of themselves. I’ve always believed that, and I will always believe that as I am a coach.”

- - -

It will be another homecoming for a St. Louis kid playing in the NHL when O’Fallon’s own Josh Dunne, who previously played in two preseason games in St. Louis with the Columbus Blue Jackets, will make his first regular-season appearance here tonight with the Sabres.

I’ll have more on Dunne’s return to St. Louis later, and also got a chance to catch up with goalie Colten Ellis and get his thoughts in being waived by the Blues and what it means to be in the NHL and have this opportunity.

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Pavel Buchnevich

Otto Stenberg-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou

Robby Fabbri-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jimmy Snuggerud

Alexey Toropchenko-Oskar Sundqvist-Mathieu Joseph

Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko

Tyler Tucker-Justin Faulk

Cam Fowler-Logan Mailloux

Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Jonatan Berggren and Matthew Kessel. Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain), Pius Suter (high ankle sprain), Nathan Walker (upper body) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body) are out.

- - -

Sabres Projected Lineup:

Peyton Krebs-Tage Thompson-Josh Doan

Noah Ostlund-Josh Norris-Alex Tuch

Zach Benson-Ryan McLeod-Jack Quinn

Jordan Greenway-Josh Dunne-Beck Malenstyn

Mattias Samuelsson-Rasmus Dahlin

Owen Power-Michael Kesselring

Bowen Byram-Zach Metsa

Alex Lyon will start in goal; Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Isak Rosen and Jacob Bryson. Tyson Kozak (upper body), Conor Timmins (broken leg), Jason Zucker (upper and lower body), Colten Ellis (concussion), Jiri Kulich (blood clot) and Justin Danforth (lower body) are all out.

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The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night at the United Center. It was a 7-3 blowout that ended any goodwill earned in their Saturday night shootout win over the Dallas Stars. 

After giving up four goals on seven shots, Spencer Knight was pulled. The team didn't get the spark that Jeff Blashill was looking for offensively, so he put Knight back in for the third. 

Penguins Skate Out Of Chicago With 7-3 Victory Over BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks were run out of their own building by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night.

After the game, Blashill didn't sound like the head coach of a team that was just blown out in the second half of a back-to-back yet again. Instead, he sounded like a coach who was satisfied with the effort and process. 

‘‘It was a night their chances went in, in the first, and our chances didn’t,’’ Blashill said. ‘‘Then you’re just digging yourself out of a hole that’s difficult to dig out of." 

Spencer Knight was leaky, and the Blackhawks did have a couple of chances in the first minute of regulation. Blashill, based on his words, thinks that if Knight was as sharp as he's been this year, and maybe they buried one of their earlier chances, that the game would have gone much differently. 

‘‘We probably had more quality chances than we did last night, especially in that first part," Blashill said. "We probably gave up similar stuff. Theirs went in, and ours didn’t. That’s hockey.’’

The fact of the matter is that it's another four-plus goal defeat that came on the second leg of a back-to-back situation. They are 0-4 in those games, and all of them have been by four or more. They allowed seven or more in three of them. With eight more of these remaining, including this upcoming weekend, it is worth analyzing. 

Wyatt Kaiser and Nick Foligno spoke after the loss, and each of them tried to diagnose what the problem is. If they knew for sure, they would have corrected it already, which is a common answer when an NHL player is asked how something can be fixed. 

Even after tough losses, and this has been said a lot so far in 2025-26, Jeff Blashill is not going to get up to the podium and blast his players unless there is a serious problem. He believes in them up and down the lineup. 

 ‘‘I like who they are as people. I like who they are as competitors. I like who they are as hockey players. And I like the potential in the group, even for the rest of this season." 

It is going to be a tough run of hockey. They don't have Connor Bedard or Frank Nazar right now due to injury, and that makes it harder to win. However, sticking to the process that allowed them to have success earlier in the season will do them good down the stretch as they try to come out of this slump. 

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In the battle of Florida, once again, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning hashed out their anger towards each other through fights and extracurricular activities.

Ultimately, the Lightning left with the two points, defeating the Panthers 4-2. The Panthers took an early lead with an Eetu Luostarinen goal, but three unanswered goals by the Lightning were enough to secure the victory. 

Unsurprisingly, the game was marked by penalties, with two resulting in fines. Anton Lundell was fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for high-sticking Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel. Coincidentally,  Scott Sabourin has been fined $2,018.23, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for slashing Florida’s Niko Mikkola. 

The Panthers had 10 power play opportunities, converting just one. The Lightning had six but failed to score. In the end, the Panthers were given 49 penalty minutes. The Lightning were handed 85 penalty minutes. 

Prior to the game, the Panthers and Lightning were warned by the NHL to keep the fights and altercations clean. The NHL Department of Player Safety felt that none of the altercations needed supplementary discipline, and no suspensions were handed out. 

The Panthers and Lightning have met three times this season, with one more game set for Feb. 5 in Tampa. The Panthers have won just one of three matchups this season. 

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Macklin Celebrini recorded his 20th goal of the season and added an assist as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6–3 on Saturday night at Rogers Arena.

The North Vancouver native continued his strong run of form, extending his point streak to seven games with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) over that span. Celebrini has also been a consistent thorn in Vancouver’s side, registering at least one point in all five games he has played against the Canucks this season.

Igor Chernyshov scored the first NHL goal of his career and added an assist, while Collin Graf found the back of the net for a fourth consecutive game. Yaroslav Askarov turned aside 24 shots as the San Jose Sharks (18-17-3) snapped a three-game losing streak.

For Vancouver, Conor Garland and Filip Hronek each recorded two assists, and Thatcher Demko finished with 32 saves. The Canucks (15-19-3), who entered the game off a strong 4-1-0 road trip prior to the Christmas break, continued to struggle at Rogers Arena, where they have managed just four wins all season (4-11-1).

Ryan Reaves opened the scoring at 6:13 of the first period, snapping a 24-game goal drought by jamming home a loose puck behind Demko as the goaltender lunged to smother it with his blocker, giving the Sharks a 1–0 lead.

John Klingberg doubled the lead at 7:55, firing a point shot through heavy traffic after Celebrini won a clean offensive-zone faceoff back to the blue line.

Vancouver answered on the power play at 10:04, with Linus Karlsson finishing a backdoor tap-in off a crisp feed from Conor Garland to cut the deficit to 2–1.

The Sharks restored their two-goal cushion at 12:38 of the second period. Thatcher Demko denied Celebrini’s one-timer, but the rebound ricocheted off William Eklund at the top of the crease before Canucks center Marco Rossi inadvertently knocked the puck into his own net, resulting in Eklund being credited with the goal.

Rossi made amends early in the third period, scoring just 36 seconds in to cut the deficit to 3–2 by snapping a loose puck from the slot that glanced off Askarov’s blocker and in. It marked his first goal in six games since being acquired from the Minnesota Wild in the Dec. 12 trade that sent defenseman Quinn Hughes the other way.

Vancouver nearly pulled even moments later, successfully killing off a lengthy 5-on-3 for 52 seconds, but San Jose capitalized before the advantage expired. With nine seconds remaining on the second penalty, Chernyshov restored the two-goal cushion at 4:47, quickly snapping a feed from Adam Gaudette past Thatcher Demko after finding open space at the top of the crease. The goal was the first of Chernyshov’s NHL career, coming in just his fifth game.

The Canucks stayed within striking distance when Drew O’Connor scored short-handed on a 2-on-1 at 10:43, wiring a wrist shot to make it 4–3. Any momentum was short-lived, however, as Celebrini answered at 16:20, hammering a one-timer off a Chernyshov feed for his 20th goal of the season and a 5–3 Sharks lead.

While most of the Sharks arrived from San Jose earlier that day, Celebrini enjoyed a familiar setting in Vancouver, skating in the same building where he spent much of his childhood alongside his brother Aiden, now a Canucks defense prospect. With family in attendance following the holidays, the moment carried added significance for the North Vancouver native.

Chernyshov continued his strong start, now totaling five points in five games while spending most of his time alongside Celebrini. His size, puck protection, and instincts around the net have quickly translated to the NHL level, earning him trust in prime offensive situations.

Graf sealed the deal with an empty-net goal at 16:55, his fifth tally in four games, completing a 6–3 victory that featured goals from six different Sharks. The balanced scoring underscored San Jose’s depth, a key ingredient for sustained success.

Celebrini wasn’t the only Shark enjoying a homecoming. Defenseman Vincent Lori, a native of nearby Coquitlam, picked up an assist on Ryan Reaves’ opening goal and heard his name announced in the arena where he once skated as a child. With dozens of family members and friends in attendance, the night marked a fitting full-circle moment in his young NHL career.

While Montreal Canadiens’ fans have long identified Jacob Fowler as the goaltender of the future, most didn’t expect him to get a chance to show what he could do in the NHL this season. The Habs’ woes in net have forced the organization to do something to right the ship, and calling up Fowler from the Laval Rocket before sending Samuel Montembeault down for a conditioning stint was the chosen course of action.

The Habs played the move down, saying it was always the plan to see what Fowler could do this season, but given his performance in net, he has yet to be sent down to the AHL, despite Montembeault being back with the team.

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While there’s enough pressure on a young goaltender in the Montreal market as it is, it’s hard not to draw a comparison between the Boston College alums and the winningest goaltender in Canadiens’ history, Carey Price. The way he handles himself on the ice, always calm and collected, in a perfect position to be square to the shot, and making saves look effortless, is very Price-like, but the comparison doesn’t stop there.

Before Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, RDS showed a comparison between the two masked men’s stats in the first five games of their careers, and the numbers are eerily similar. In five games, both had a 3-1-1 record and faced the same number of shots (146) while surrendering the same number of goals (12). Their goals-against average was different because Price spent 308:57 in the net while Fowler spent 300:33, meaning the former had a 2,33 GAA while the latter had a 2.40 GAA, but both had a .918 save percentage.

The most significant difference between their records is that Fowler had a shutout in his fourth game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, while Price notched his first in his 23rd game on February 16, 2007, against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Before graduating to the NHL, Price had only played 12 regular-season games with the Hamilton Bulldogs (the Canadiens’ farm team at the time) and 22 playoff games, leading his team to the Calder Cup. As things stand, Fowler has played eight playoff games with the Rocket and 18 regular-season tilts, for a total of 26 games, while Price has played 34 games in the lower league.

Could the Canadiens decide that Fowler has spent enough time in the AHL? I honestly didn’t think so, but the numbers RDS put forward really make you think. I still believe he could benefit from more seasoning in the AHL, but if Montembeault plays and fails to show he has his game back, the Habs should keep the youngster in the NHL. They want to win and make the playoffs this season, and that won’t happen with shaky goaltending.

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