Category: Sports News

Mike Sullivan is set to go head-to-head against Martin St. Louis in what should be an entertaining coaching chess match when the New York Rangers take on the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Over the years, Sullivan has had different experiences with St. Louis. Sullivan coached against St. Louis when he was a player and now in his new role as head coach of the Canadiens. 

What many people may not actually remember is that when Sullivan was an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2007 to 2009 under John Tortorella, he had the distinct opportunity to coach St. Louis. 

During his experience coaching St. Louis, Sullivan got to see his intelligence and love for hockey from a personal standpoint. 

While St. Louis’ rise to coaching fame may surprise some people, Sullivan knew he always had it in him to take this extraordinary step from playing to coaching.

“I'm not surprised one bit,” Sullivan said of if he’s surprised that St. Louis has become a successful NHL coach. “I coached against him, and I coached with him. I coached Marty for a few years, got to know him extremely well. Doesn't surprise me one bit the success he's having. He loves hockey. He's a student of the game, always has been. 

“He had an insatiable appetite to be the best as a player. Was always engaged in the learning process, whether it be video and things of that nature, so it doesn't surprise me one bit. He was a terrific player. He was an even better person to coach.”

As a player, St. Louis was electric, putting his speed and hockey IQ on full display. He runs the Canadiens in a similar fashion. 

Scott Morrow Reflects On Training Camp And Opportunity Currently In Front Of Him With The Rangers With the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> dealing with a couple of injuries on the back end, the team called up Scott Morrow from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.&nbsp;

The Habs play an up-tempo, exhilarating style of hockey. It’s partly due to electrifying young talent, including Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hudson, but it’s also due to what St. Louis provides as a coach and the system he has implemented.

Since St. Louis took over as the Canadiens’ head coach in 2022, he has helped the franchise navigate through a difficult rebuild, while assisting in changing the culture in Montreal. 

Maybe the Rangers aren’t quite in a rebuild, but Sullivan will look to follow in St. Louis’ footsteps in changing the culture in New York and helping the Blueshirts find a new identity.

In a move that will invariably stir up controversy, the Philadelphia Flyers and head coach Rick Tocchet have decided to put Jett Luchanko in the press box ahead of the team's first matchup with top defense prospect Zeev Buium.

The two 19-year-olds, of course, will be superimposed for the rest of their careers by fans and draft analysts alike.

Notoriously, the Flyers had traded down one spot from 12 to 13 at the 2024 NHL Draft, allowing the Wild to move up and draft the undersized but wildly skilled Buium. The Flyers, extra third-round pick in hand, went with Luchanko one pick later.

That move threw significant flak at the Flyers, as the team opted to go with positional need over another undersized defenseman, citing the presences of Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, and Emil Andrae on the defense already.

Of course, Andrae could be traded for his lack of size and fit with the Flyers' philosophies, while Drysdale, for all his talents, has one point in four games this season.

The 6-foot Buium is still learning the ropes as he goes along, but he's already up to one goal, four assists, and five points in five games with the Wild - all of which have come on the power play.

Aleksei Kolosov Reintroduces Himself to Top of Flyers Prospect PipelineThis top Flyers goalie prospect is kicking off his comeback tour with some stellar play and a commanding shutout, and now we can officially consider him back on the radar.

It goes without saying that the -7 rating is lackluster, but Buium is already playing 20:51 a night in his nascent NHL career. A coach like John Hynes trusting him like that speaks volumes.

As for Luchanko, the speedy center is still without his first professional goal, and has yet to record a point in his first seven NHL games.

The 2024 first-round pick isn't exactly being placed in a position to succeed playing on the fourth line with fellow rookie Nikita Grebenkin and Garnet Hathaway, but the current results are what they are.

Buium has already emerged as a power play specialist, if nothing else, for the Wild, while the Flyers are still deciding what to do with their young prospect in Luchanko on a daily basis.

With Luchanko (and Grebenkin) getting pulled from the lineup, the Flyers announced Saturday that veterans Nick Deslauriers and Rodrigo Abols will enter the lineup.

Additionally, Egor Zamula replaces Adam Ginning on defense.

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri scored in the third period to help the New York Islanders top the Ottawa Senators 5-4 on Saturday.

Bo Horvat, Max Shabanov and Emil Heineman also scored for New York in its second consecutive win. Lee added two assists, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 29 shots.

Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, which dropped to 1-1 on a four-game homestand. Shane Pinto scored his seventh goal this season, and Linus Ullmark made 18 saves.

David Perron put Ottawa in front with a power-play goal with 2:59 left in the opening period, and Dylan Cozens gave the Senators a 4-3 lead with his third goal with 1:13 to go in the second.

But Mathew Barzal set up Palmieri for the tying goal 6:00 into the third. Lee made it 5-4 with 1:03 remaining, beating Ullmark for his first goal of the season.

Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NHL draft, picked up an assist on Shabanov’s goal in the second. He has one goal and four assists during a five-game point streak.

Up next

Both teams are at home on Tuesday night. The Islanders take on the San Jose Sharks, and the Senators face the Edmonton Oilers.

Flyers come from behind to win low-scoring game in overtime originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers did just enough offensively to rally for a 2-1 overtime win Saturday night over the Wild at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Noah Cates buried the winner in OT.

Owen Tippett tied the game in the final stanza with his third marker of the season. From under the goal line, Tippett banked a low shot off Minnesota netminder Jesper Wallstedt.

After that goal, Rick Tocchet moved Tippett up to Matvei Michkov’s spot on Sean Couturier’s line. Tippett was rolling and Tocchet shortened his bench a good bit.

“We just needed some energy,” Tocchet said. “… I went with the nine [forwards], I thought we started to come. That’s what happens sometimes.”

The Flyers needed a jolt offensively and Tippett provided it with his powerful skating. Tocchet called Tippett the Flyers’ most dynamic play-driver so far.

“He’s the fastest skater ever,” Trevor Zegras said. “It’s awesome. I’ve never played with a guy that has that much speed. He does some wild stuff sometimes. I think he did like a spin-o-rama in the third period. I was just like, ‘Oh my God.’ Somebody so big that skates that fast. It’s fun to watch.”

Through five games, the Flyers (2-2-1) have scored 13 goals, two of which have come on an empty net. But they’ve defended and have gotten some quality goaltending.

The Wild (2-3-1) didn’t have the benefit of a day off like the Flyers did Friday. Minnesota played last night on the road against the Capitals and lost, 5-1, in a game that it was outshot 45-14.

• Everyone knew this opening stretch would be tough for the Flyers when the schedule came out in July.

The Flyers faced the two-time defending champion Panthers twice, a Hurricanes team that has made the playoffs in seven straight seasons, a Jets team that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season and Wild a team that went to the playoffs last season.

• Dan Vladar continued his promising start to the season, converting 15 saves on 16 shots.

The free-agent addition has denied 71 of 76 shots through three games with the Flyers.

Vladimir Tarasenko opened the scoring Saturday night by blasting one past Vladar early in the second period. The Flyers used a coach’s challenge on the goal, claiming Minnesota was offside. But Tocchet and his staff came up empty, which put the Flyers at shorthanded.

Thirty-nine seconds after the Flyers killed off the penalty, Tippett was whistled for tripping. The Flyers killed that one off, too, but the penalties really stalled them offensively as they were forced to defend a lot.

Wallstedt stopped 19 of the Flyers’ 21 shots on the night.

• Tocchet didn’t like his team’s start two nights ago when the Flyers were flat in a 5-2 loss to the Jets.

“Arriving on time with your identity, which we didn’t,” the head coach said Saturday morning. “So that’s going to be a work in progress.

“We’ve got to get to our game right from after the national anthem; not after 20 minutes.”

The Flyers had a better first period against Minnesota. They dictated play more, but didn’t have anything to show for it. However, the Wild had just three shots.

The Flyers, though, followed it up with a poor second period. They were outshot 8-5 in the middle stanza.

• Nicolas Deslauriers and Marcus Foligno dropped the gloves 1:56 minutes into the action.

Two former teammates that can chuck ’em.

• Tocchet went with a more experienced look up front as Deslauriers and Rodrigo Abols drew into the lineup for Nikita Grebenkin and Jett Luchanko.

On the back end, Egor Zamula played in place of Adam Ginning, who sat for the first time this season.

• The Flyers wrap up their four-game homestand Monday when they welcome the Kraken (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Flyers come from behind to win low-scoring game in overtime originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers did just enough offensively to rally for a 2-1 overtime win Saturday night over the Wild at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Noah Cates buried the winner in OT.

Owen Tippett tied the game in the final stanza with his third marker of the season. From under the goal line, Tippett banked a low shot off Minnesota netminder Jesper Wallstedt.

“We knew we were in the game all along,” Tippett said. “Low-event game, low-shot game and we were just waiting for one to break through.”

After that goal, Rick Tocchet moved Tippett up to Matvei Michkov’s spot on Sean Couturier’s line. Tippett was rolling and Tocchet shortened his bench a good bit.

“We just needed some energy,” Tocchet said. … “I went with the nine [forwards], I thought we started to come. That’s what happens sometimes.”

The Flyers needed a jolt offensively and Tippett provided it with his powerful skating. Tocchet called Tippett the Flyers’ most dynamic play-driver so far.

“He’s the fastest skater ever,” Trevor Zegras said. “It’s awesome. I’ve never played with a guy that has that much speed. He does some wild stuff sometimes. I think he did like a spin-o-rama in the third period. I was just like, ‘Oh my God.’ Somebody so big that skates that fast. It’s fun to watch.”

Through five games, the Flyers (2-2-1) have scored 13 goals, two of which have come on an empty net. But they’ve defended and have gotten some quality goaltending.

The Wild (2-3-1) didn’t have the benefit of a day off like the Flyers did Friday. Minnesota played last night on the road against the Capitals and lost, 5-1, in a game that it was outshot 45-14.

“We had a day off yesterday, so we were not tired,” Zegras said. “We knew that this was a back-to-back for them, so we tried to stick to the game plan and make it as hard for them as possible.”

• Everyone knew this opening stretch would be tough for the Flyers when the schedule came out in July.

The Flyers faced the two-time defending champion Panthers twice, a Hurricanes team that has made the playoffs in seven straight seasons, a Jets team that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season and a Wild team that went to the playoffs last season.

Tocchet’s club was able to pick up at least a point in three of those five games.

• Dan Vladar continued his promising start to the season, converting 15 saves on 16 shots.

“I thought tonight we were structurally good and obviously Vladdy was fantastic,” Nick Seeler said. “I think those are things to build on.”

The free-agent addition has denied 71 of 76 shots through three games with the Flyers.

“Just a real confident, solid goalie,” Tocchet said. “He comes by the bench, cheers the guys on. He has really done a nice job for us.”

Vladimir Tarasenko opened the scoring Saturday night by blasting one past Vladar early in the second period. The Flyers used a coach’s challenge on the goal, claiming Minnesota was offside. But Tocchet and his staff came up empty, which put the Flyers at shorthanded.

Thirty-nine seconds after the Flyers killed off the penalty, Tippett was whistled for tripping. The Flyers killed that one off, too, but the penalties really stalled them offensively as they were forced to defend a lot.

“I thought we did a good job, that’s a good hockey team over there,” Seeler said. “It’s nice to hold them to that many shots and play good defensively.”

Wallstedt stopped 19 of the Flyers’ 21 shots.

• Tocchet didn’t like his team’s start two nights ago when the Flyers were flat in a 5-2 loss to the Jets.

“Arriving on time with your identity, which we didn’t,” the head coach said Saturday morning. “So that’s going to be a work in progress.

“We’ve got to get to our game right from after the national anthem; not after 20 minutes.”

The Flyers had a better first period against the Wild. They dictated play more, but didn’t have anything to show for it. However, Minnesota had just three shots.

The Flyers, though, followed it up with a poor second period. They were outshot 8-5 in the middle stanza.

“We fought in the third and fought in OT,” Cates said. “If we just stay consistent and play north, we can take down a lot of good teams.”

• Nicolas Deslauriers and Marcus Foligno dropped the gloves 1:56 minutes into the action.

Two former teammates that can chuck ’em.

• Tocchet went with a more experienced look up front as Deslauriers and Rodrigo Abols drew into the lineup for Nikita Grebenkin and Jett Luchanko.

On the back end, Egor Zamula played in place of Adam Ginning, who sat for the first time this season.

• The Flyers wrap up their four-game homestand Monday when they welcome the Kraken (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

After an eye-opening training camp, a top Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltending prospect is enjoying a hot start to his AHL season.

21-year-old netminder Sergei Murashov - selected in the fourth round (118th overall) by the Penguins in 2022 - seems to be carrying over his dominance from the pre-season and from last season. After a 5-2 win by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins over Hartford on Friday, Murashov is 2-0 with a .944 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against average so far on the young season.

The promising goaltender continues to turn heads after an NHL pre-season in which he was - across the board - the Penguins' best goaltender. He went 2-0-1 and owned a .935 save percentage and 1.71 goals-against average in three appearances, which led all Penguins' goaltenders with multiple appearances in pre-season play.

And dominance is a trend that has followed Murashov throughout his professional career. He broke WBS's rookie record for consecutive wins last season with 11, and he had a .922 save percentage across 26 appearances in the ECHL with the Wheeling Nailers last season as well. In addition, he never posted a save percentage below .925 in the KHL prior to arriving in North America last season.

As is the case with every other player in the Penguins' organization, it's very early in the season. However, Murashov appears as though he has not skipped a beat this season, and if he continues his high level of play in the AHL, Pittsburgh may very well see him sometime this season - especially with the goaltending battle at the NHL level wide open this season.

Should Silovs Be The Penguins' Starting Goaltender?Heading into the 2025-26 season, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' head coach said Dan Muse that he didn't have a concrete plan for the goaltending split between Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs.&nbsp;

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

The recent struggles of Florida Panthers continued on Saturday in Buffalo.

Florida entered the game having scored just four goals over their past three games, all losses, and things didn’t get much better against the Sabres.

Florida put up 32 shots on goal, but they were all stopped by former Cats goaltender Alex Lyon as the Panthers dropped their fourth straight outings by a 3-0 final score.

This one didn’t have much to write home about from a Panthers perspective.

Niko Mikkola left the game early in the second period and did not return. The team ruled him out for the game due to an upper-body injury.

It may or may not have been from an incident in which Mikkola was tied up with Sabres forward Tyson Kozak and ended up faceplanting on the ice.

Niko Mikkola gets tangled up with Tyson Kozak and slams his face on the ice 😬🤕 pic.twitter.com/GhLYzE4cIS

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 18, 2025

Afterwards, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice did not have anything to update on Mikkola’s status.

The Panthers are off on Monday so there won’t be any updates until the team’s morning skate on Tuesday in Boston.

We'll see if the Cats can salvage any points out of this disaster of a road trip before they return home for a matchup with Pittsburgh on Thursday night. 

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Photo caption: Oct 18, 2025; Buffalo, New York, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) dives to try and make a save on Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs (19) during the second period at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)