The Chicago Blackhawks played a poised, fast, and strong game for the first 55 minutes of their Tuesday night matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Then, the Blackhawks lost everything they worked incredibly hard for in the final few minutes of the game. 

Entering the 3rd period, the Blackhawks were feeling great with their 2-0 lead that they had built up in the first period. Wyatt Kaiser and Jason Dickinson had the two goals for Chicago. 

At 9:59 of the final period, however, Oliver Ekman-Larsson threw a puck on net after the Leafs won a face-off back to him, and it found its way in. This seeing-eye shot was the beginning of the disaster coming. 

With under five minutes remaining in the period, the Leafs snatched victory from the hands of defeat by scoring two goals in eight seconds. Auston Matthews scored to tie the game on the power play. Then, Spencer Knight allowed a rare rebound that Dakota Joshua beat Louis Crevier to and made it 3-2. 

When trying to tie it back up themselves, the Blackhawks were unable to set up in the offensive zone with the goalie pulled, allowing the Leafs to make the 3-2 score final. This is going to be a tough loss for the players and coaches to swallow. They played so well for 95 percent of the game, only to blow it in the final five minutes. 

It happened so fast. Two quick and somewhat random plays put the Blackhawks down after they were just a couple of minutes away from winning a solid road game. 

There have been a handful of blowout losses, and those are tough. However, they knew early that they were going to lose those games. This is a game that they played well and have no standings points to show for it. That can be more deflating than a blowout. 

One player who deserves some credit is Spencer Knight. He allowed that bad rebound on the Dakota Joshua goal, but he had a shutout going through the first 50 minutes of the game. Bad penalties, a few defensive mistakes, and a couple of nice plays by Toronto's top players handed Knight a tough loss. 

After the game, Jeff Blashill was not as hard on the team in his media availability as expected. He knows that they played well and things didn't go their way late. It happens sometimes, but this is a learning lesson for a young team. 

Watch Every Blackhawks Goal

admin stands corrected, this is a Wyatt Kaiser goal‼️ https://t.co/F9isOrGdnQpic.twitter.com/XFu8qGI3BY

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 17, 2025

#⃣1⃣6⃣ with a beautiful shorthanded goal🤩 pic.twitter.com/NGOJ1Z49AK

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 17, 2025

Next Up For Chicago

Next Up For Chicago is the Montreal Canadiens as their eastern Canada road trip continues. This will be their chance to forget about what happened on Tuesday night in Toronto. 

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

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The Winnipeg Jets suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of the Ottawa Senators Monday that saw the team's depth scoring issues continue to persist as the team saw none of their forwards find the back of the net with defensemen Logan Stanley and Neal Pionk scoring the Jets two goals. 

It's been a concern for the Jets for a large portion of this season with the team seeing a massive boost with star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck coming back as the Jets rallied around the moment and secured a shocking 5-1 win Saturday but Monday's loss again saw the problems return. Winnipeg will need to find solutions sooner than later before the season starts to slip away and with the team's tight cap situation, it creates a tricky spot for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. 

That is exactly why we've done the work for him and have up with three potential trade offers the Jets could make that should work with their current cap situation at $6.4 million as well as strengthen the team's offense. 

Big Swing: Penguins Winger Rickard Rakell For Prospect Brad Lambert

Rakell is an impact player coming off a career-best 70-point season with the Penguins and has either recorded or been on pace for 55 or more points in three of the past four seasons. The 32-year-old Swedish winger has three years remaining on his contract with a $5 million cap hit, a figure that fits within the Penguins’ current cap structure. He has been frequently mentioned in recent trade rumors, though a combination of Pittsburgh’s recent success and his eight-team no-trade list has complicated any potential move.

From the Jets’ perspective, the first concern would be ensuring they are not included on Rakell’s no-trade list. The next question is whether Pittsburgh would be willing to move the veteran winger while locked in a tight playoff race. If a deal were possible, it would benefit Winnipeg by adding a long-term piece capable of replacing much of the scoring lost with Nikolaj Ehlers’ departure. Rakell’s cap hit would also become more manageable over time as the league’s salary cap continues to rise.

The trade could also provide Lambert with the fresh start he has been seeking, allowing him to step into an immediate impact role with a Penguins team that is transitioning toward a rebuild. Ultimately, the feasibility of this deal depends on how Pittsburgh’s season unfolds, specifically whether they remain in the playoff hunt or decide to pivot and offload assets ahead of the trade deadline. If the latter occurs, the Jets should strongly pursue this deal or a similar move centered around acquiring a player like Rakell.

Realistic Move: Flames Veteran Winger Blake Coleman For Future Middle Round Pick

The Calgary Flames are looking to offload some of their assets in troubling season with their veterans being listed as the first to go. One of the names involved in several trade rumors is two-time Stanley Cup champion Blake Coleman, who has a ton of playoff experience with 65 games played and has produced some clutch moments with 31 points. Coleman has two years left on his current deal with a similar cap hit to Rakell at $4.9 million per season and could work in as a middle-six winger. 

The 34-year-old Texas native is a bit older and has a significant cap hit that would weigh down the asking price for him but he's still producing fairly decent numbers as he's still on pace for 35 points this season on a Calgary team that is one of the worst in the league. In a good spot of the Jets lineup, Coleman could tap into that 50-point upside we saw just two seasons ago when he recorded 54 points during the 2023-24 season. 

Big Swing: Leafs Winger Nick Robertson For Logan Stanley, 2028 Second-Round Pick

The Toronto Maple Leafs are experiencing one of their worst seasons in recent memory and are likely looking to reset their roster through several structural lineup changes. One player who has surfaced repeatedly in trade discussions is Robertson. The 24-year-old California native is having a solid season with 12 points in 29 games, putting him on pace for a career-high 34 points.

Toronto has struggled with injuries throughout the season and has reportedly been searching for defensive help. The Jets could provide that in Stanley, who is enjoying a career-best year and is on pace for 30 points, more than double his previous career high of 14 set last season. Still just 27 years old, Stanley has shown steady improvement year over year. His six-foot-seven frame also fits the physical style favored by Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, who prefers a hard-nosed brand of hockey similar to the one that led the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019.

This potential deal would address key needs for both teams. The Maple Leafs have indicated they are willing to move depth forwards like Robertson to create room for others to receive consistent ice time. In return, they would acquire an impactful defenseman in Stanley along with future draft capital. Meanwhile, the Jets would add a young winger they could pair with Cole Perfetti, allowing the two to develop together for years to come.

Realistic Move: Canucks Winger Kiefer Sherwood For 2027 Third-Round Pick

The Canucks may not be finished making moves after trading captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in a blockbuster deal. Vancouver is reportedly still active on the market and could look to move high-impact winger Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old is coming off a 40-point season in which he led the league with 462 hits. 

He is currently on pace for 43 points this year while playing a depth role with the Canucks and could provide similar production for the Jets. Sherwood brings underrated physicality, high energy, and valuable secondary scoring, all areas where Winnipeg could use reinforcement. His skill set makes him a natural fit in a middle-six role.

If Vancouver commits to a youth movement, Winnipeg could take advantage by acquiring Sherwood and his very affordable $1.5 million cap hit in exchange for a future draft pick. Since this is the final year of his current contract, the Jets would also have the option to bring Sherwood back on a long-term deal if the fit proves successful.

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DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored two power-play goals in the third period as the Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Tuesday night.

DeBrincat has eight goals and 13 points in his last eight games for the Red Wings, who have won five of six. John Gibson made 16 saves to win his sixth straight start.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 shots for the Islanders, who had won three in a row and seven of eight. New York was going for a season sweep, having outscored Detroit 12-2 in the first two meetings.

New York took an early lead on Emil Heineman’s 11th goal at 4:27 of the first, as he put in Mathew Barzal’s pass across the slot. Barzal missed the morning skate and wasn’t penciled into the lineup until pregame warmups, but extended his point streak to five games with the assist.

Detroit dominated offensive-zone time in the first two periods, but struggled to turn it into scoring chances. When the Red Wings did, Sorokin came up with key saves.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, though, tied the game at 2:03 of the third period, cutting along the goal line and putting a wrist shot over Sorokin’s shoulder.

DeBrincat gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 3:55, ripping a wrist shot over Sorokin’s glove hand. Scott Mayfield made it 2-all at 11:26.

Sorokin stopped Dylan Larkin at point-blank range with 4:35 to play, but DeBrincat put Detroit back in front at 17:43 with his 20th goal of the season.

Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson escaped injury when he was hit in the head by DeBrincat’s shot in the second. He went back to the locker room with athletic trainers, but returned within five minutes. Linesman Shandor Alphonso also needed attention from trainers after being hit by a deflected shot late in the game.

Up next

Islanders: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Red Wings: Host the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday.

KNEW YORK (AP) — Evander Kane and Liam Ohgren scored and Thatcher Demko made 23 saves as the league-worst Vancouver Canucks defeated the New York Rangers 3-0 on Tuesday night.

Conor Garland added an empty-net goal as Vancouver, which had won only three of its previous 12 games, smothered the Rangers from start to finish. New York is 4-10-3 at home.

Kane scored his sixth goal 1:46 into the contest, when he beat Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick after defenseman Matthew Robertson’s path was briefly blocked by a linesman.

Ohgren, acquired Friday from Minnesota in the Quinn Hughes trade, made it 2-0 at 3:24 of the second. It was Ohgren’s first goal with Vancouver. The 21-year-old Swedish forward also played 18 games without a point for the Wild this season.

Demko stopped Artemi Panarin with 4:16 left in the second to preserve the shutout, his first this season and the 10th of his career.

Garland scored shorthanded into an empty net with the Rangers with 3:08 remaining in the third.

Vancouver has only 29 points in 33 games.

The Rangers’ power play, which has struggled since defenseman Adam Fox was injured against Tampa Bay on Nov. 29, failed to convert on four chances.

The Rangers have been blanked six times and scored one goal four times in their 10 regulations loses at the Garden.

Quick made 14 saves.

New York will play seven of their next eight games on the road, including the Jan. 2 Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers in Miami.

The Rangers were coming off a 4-1 home loss to Anaheim on Monday in the return game for former Rangers Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba.

Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad returned after he was scratched against Anaheim for missing a team meeting.

The Canucks were without leading scorer Elias Pettersson (upper body) for the fifth-straight game. He was placed on injured reserve Sunday.

Up next

Canucks: Visiting New York Islanders on Friday.

Rangers: Visiting St. Louis Blues on Thursday.

The New York Islanders saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday night, falling 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. 

The offense wasn't there and the penalty kill struggled, going 0-for-2 on the night.

Goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 18 saves.

Here's how the game unfolded:

The Islanders got off to an early start. 

Emil Heineman, who was skating in his 100th career NHL game, sent a one-timer over John Gibson's glove at 4:27 of the first period to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead

Emil Heineman in his 100th NHL game🚨#Islespic.twitter.com/N2MOTtZff0

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) December 17, 2025

His 11th goal of a season set a new career-high. On the goal, Mathew Barzal earned the primary assist, extending his point streak to five games (four goals, one assist).

The Islanders did allow one dominant shift to the Alex DeBrincat line with the Ritchie line and the Travis Mitchell-Scott Mayfield pairing on the ice. But they survived, in large part due to Sorokin's positioning and anticipation. 

The second period was one where the Islanders dominanted most of the posession but the Red Wings got their looks. But, when the team was in need of a big save, Sorokin came up large.

The stat sheet said he made five saves in that period, but it seemed like much more. 

The Islanders are back in action on Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks at UBS Arena  before they travel to Western New York to battle the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

The Red Wings tied the game at 1-1 just 2:03 into the third after Axel Sandin-Pelikka beat Sorokin short side off a defensive-zone breakdown:

Axel beauty. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/DDJrJqsYV6

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 17, 2025

Then, just 1:52 later, Alex DeBrincat sniped on the power play to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 3:55 of the third:

The Cat nets his 19th. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/YQXf0mwXVV

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 17, 2025

With the Islanders in need of a goal, Scott Mayfield delivered. He joined the rush and beat Gibson stick side off a Jean-Gabriel Pageau feed at 11:26 of the third period:

Mayfield ties it at 2. The seas parted! #Islespic.twitter.com/vUuzlRSdE2

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) December 17, 2025

That was his first goal in 37 games dating back to last season. 

Unfortunately for the Islanders, they allowed the go-ahead goal with just 2:17 to play in the third, with DeBrincat scoring his second power-play goal of the game. 

After a failed clear, Pulock blocked a DeBrincat one-timer, but the puck went right back to the cat, who beat Sorokin for the game-winner. 

GOTTA LOVE THE CAT!!! pic.twitter.com/7e3Lqaev7m

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 17, 2025

The Islanders host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday at 7 PM ET before a quick turnaround agains the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

During a challenge on the Chicago Blackhawks' second goal of the game (which was called back for goaltender interference), Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube pretty much begged for his team to get going.

Three minutes later, the Maple Leafs give up a shorthanded goal, allowing the Blackhawks to take a 2-0 lead.

It was a difficult couple of games for Toronto. First, they fell in overtime to the San Jose Sharks after having a 2-1 lead entering the third period. Then on Saturday, after allowing a late second-period goal to go down 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers, Berube hoped there'd be a third-period comeback.

There wasn't.

Berube went as far as calling out his leaders following that game in hopes that it'd spark something in this struggling Maple Leafs team.

After two-and-a-half periods of wondering when a spark would come, Auston Matthews won a face-off back to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and his shot beat Spencer Knight to cut Chicago's lead in half.

That was the spark which lit a fire.

Late in the game, Toronto drew a penalty, and the Maple Leafs headed to the power play.

William Nylander won the puck from behind the net and fed Matthews. He turned, fired, and beat Knight for his 14th goal of the season. As he skated towards the boards, he motioned the crowd for more noise, minutes after they were booing their team.

AUSTON MATTHEWS🚨

HOLY MACKINAW! THE POWERPLAY TIES IT! pic.twitter.com/kafSPEmqWq

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 17, 2025

Ten seconds after a much-needed power play goal, Troy Stecher throws the puck into Chicago's zone and Dakota Joshua puts the puck past Knight, sealing a 3-2 comeback win on Joe Bowen night.

DAKOTA JOSHUA 🚨

WHAT A GOAL! pic.twitter.com/88UFhJR1zD

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 17, 2025

Power play comes up big, maybe a shift coming?

Well, this was another tough one. Until it wasn't.

Entering Tuesday's game, the Maple Leafs were second-last in the NHL in terms of power play success. They're passing has been fairly strong as of late, though the players have struggled to gain any "Grade A" opportunities.

It was going to be a challenge against the Blackhawks either way, given they're fourth in the league on the penalty kill.

On their first power play, the Maple Leafs gave up a shorthanded goal. On their second power play (which was split between the second and third periods), Toronto only mustered one shot on goal.

Their third power play late in the game was different.

It was a frustrating start to the final man advantage. Chicago cleared the puck early, and it didn't feel like they'd be able to get anything going. But after Nylander found Matthews to beat Knight with a nice shot, maybe this can spark something?

Sometimes all it takes is one goal to light a fire. Could this be it? We'll see.

Joseph Woll's return

The 27-year-old got his first start for Toronto since going down with a lower-body injury on Dec. 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes, and it was what you'd expect.

Woll's movement, puck tracking, and positioning were strong all night against the Blackhawks. He gave Toronto a chance to remain in the game, however, and his teammates answered late in the game.

If there's a goal he'd like to have back, it'd probably be the first one from Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser. Woll has a clear sight of the shot from Wyatt, but cannot get his glove on it before it beats him.

On the other goal, there was no chance for Woll to get over, since it was a two-on-one.

Woll finished the game stopping 23 of 25 shots against the Blackhawks.

The Senators are feeling good about themselves after a 3–2 victory in Winnipeg. They were able to win two of the three games on their latest road trip, and now they can start looking up in the hilariously tight Eastern standings again.

The Senators now stand just two games over .500, four points out of a playoff spot, but if their goaltending over the final 50 games looks anything like it did over the first 32, the playoffs won't be in the cards.

There’s no question that Linus Ullmark and Leevi Merilainen have had some fine games and some big moments. For example, it was nice to see Ullmark win twice on the just-completed road trip. But in a conference this tight, filled with close games and three points being doled out so frequently, the overall, below-average goaltending will sink the Senators’ playoff chances.

And looking at the first two months as a body of work, below average is probably a kind description

Both Ullmark and Merilainen have goals-against averages north of three goals per game and save percentages south of .880. Ullmark has played roughly three-quarters of the games so far, makes $8.25 million per season, and currently ranks 40th in the NHL in goals-against average and 48th in save percentage.

Yes, team performance will always influence goaltender numbers, but even Ullmark’s biggest fans would have to admit that his seasonal performance so far hasn't been good enough.

It was around this time last December that Ullmark shook off a sketchy start with a personal seven-game winning streak, and the Senators and their fans would love some of that right about now.

In a low-scoring game in Winnipeg on Monday, Ullmark gave up a shaky goal on a long shot by Logan Stanley that looked like it was going to stand up as the difference in another loss. Yes, that Logan Stanley, who has scored exactly one goal in each of his last five NHL seasons.

But after Jake Sanderson forced overtime on a lucky deflection off Mark Scheifele, Tuesday morning's headlines, social media, and talk radio were a lot kinder to Ullmark than they would have been. The bounce gave Ullmark a chance to atone, and did he ever.  The big Swede made a couple of massive OT saves to keep the game alive, setting the table for Brady Tkachuk’s game-winner.

That was welcome news for Sens fans, who continue to hope they get more of that, and that the Vezina Trophy–winning version of Ullmark soon shows up in Ottawa for an extended run.

Let's be honest, a goalie making $8.25 million shouldn't be the topic of a conversation that includes concerns about sketchy goals, which should only happen once in a blue moon. The dialogue should be about his top 10 numbers and how he's so steady and reliable that if he does let in the odd softy, his teammates rally to try and pick him up.

At two games above 500, the reality is the Senators have already burned through most of their margin for error. So, with 50 games to play, here's what they face.

Over the past two seasons, the eighth-place team in the Eastern Conference got in with 91 points. Right now, the Senators have 34 points with 50 games to play. Of the 100 points still available, they’ll need 57 of them to reach that 91-point mark. That means they'll require something like a 25-18-7 record the rest of the way.

But in 2022, it took 100 points to earn eighth place. If that’s the case again, and I doubt it will be, the Senators would need 66 points in their final 50 games, or something like a 29-13-8 finish. That would be a tall order

That’s not to say everything this season falls entirely on the goaltending. The Senators have a good roster, but not good depth, so they need to get and stay healthy. Or make a trade. Shane Pinto and Thomas Chabot need to return and thrive, ensuring proper slotting throughout the lineup; they need their five-on-five scoring to improve; and they need better results on the penalty kill.

If the playoff cut line stays at 91 points, the Senators might still squeak in with the status quo in goal, but it's not likely. And if that line climbs any higher, they can forget it. Regardless, if you do show up in mid-April with leaky goaltending, you won't get to May.

But on the other hand, if Ullmark or Merilainen can rediscover their mojo, as they've done before, then maybe something special will begin to simmer in Ottawa. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:

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