The New York Islanders snapped their two-game losing streak, defeating the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in overtime on Saturday night. 

Bo Horvat played hero, beating San Jose's netminder Yaroslav Askarov five-hole on a backhand breakaway try at 4:20 of overtime, an extra frame that began with the Islanders killing off the final 32 seconds of Adam Pelech's penalty.

Bo Horvat has a step! 🚨#Isles win!!! pic.twitter.com/vo11e5xTBA

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) March 8, 2026

Ilya Sorokin stopped 30 of 31 in the win. 

Tony DeAngelo got the scoring started at 11:37 of the first period, a wrister that beat Askarov from the point. Then, Macklin Celebrini tied the game just 33 seconds into the second period. 

That was the lone scoring in regulation. 

Brayden Schenn, whom the Islanders acquired at the trade deadline, played 17:26 minutes, recording a shot, a hit, and a block. He went 6-for-14 in the face-off dot (43%). 

The Islanders wake up on Sunday morning in second place in the Metropolitan Division. 

UP NEXT: The Islanders conclude thier four-game road trip (1-2-0) against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night at 7:30 PM ET. 

If you've been paying any manner of attention to the Pittsburgh Penguins this season, you may have heard about their immense struggles in shootouts. 

And, unfortunately, those woes continued on Saturday in a key divisional matchup against the cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers.

All three Penguins' shooters failed to score in the shootout, and Flyers' forward Trevor Zegras was able to capitalize to give his team the 5-4 shootout win. After this shootout loss, the Penguins are now 1-9 in shootouts this season, and they are in third place in the Metropolitan Division after a New York Islanders overtime win. 

At this point, the shootout is legitimately costing the Penguins precious points in the standings. The team practices it frequently. The players can get the job done in practice, as can their goaltenders.

But 1-9 when it actually counts? Just seven goals on 28 attempts? Only a whopping 11 saves on 27 attempts against?

At this point, it's not a matter of effort, or even skill. The Penguins have three historically good shootout performers in Rickard Rakell, Egor Chinakhov, and Bryan Rust. 

No. It's, probably, mostly a psychological thing at this point. 

"Yeah, I think it might be," said Rakell, who missed on his attempt Saturday. "I mean, everybody knows it. Everybody really wants to score in the shootout, but it might one of the instances now where we're gripping the stick a little bit too tight and not really doing what we want to."

Even Erik Karlsson, who rarely gets an opportunity in shootouts, agreed that they might be in their own heads at this point. 

"Yeah, probably," Karlsson said. "Overtime and shootout usually go one way or another. Obviously, we've been on the short end of things for most of the season. I don't think it's for a lack of effort or trying. It's just the hand that we've been dealt, and hopefully, we can find a way - if we get in these situations again - to turn it around.

"And we're trying to. Obviously, today, again, we had a good opportunity to and couldn't capitalize on it. And that's the way it is sometimes."

'Find A Way To Write Our Own Story': After Quiet Deadline, It's Time To See What These Penguins Are Made OfKyle Dubas and his Pittsburgh Penguins were relatively quiet at the NHL trade deadline - which speaks to the GM's belief in his current group of players.

Obviously, the shootout struggles are a huge point of emphasis. But the Penguins also surrendered multiple leads in this game before the shootout even happened.

Tommy Novak opened the scoring on the power play with a shot from the slot three minutes into the opening frame to make it 1-0 Penguins. However, 54 seconds later, Owen Tippett one-timed a pass from Trevor Zegras and past Stuart Skinner to tie the game.

Then, three and a half minutes into the second period, the story was the same. Rickard Rakell notched his 12th of the season on a top-shelf snipe from the high-slot area to restore the one-goal lead. But, again, the Flyers responded a little over a minute later when Alex Bump, all alone at the net front, made a nifty move to beat Skinner for his first NHL goal in his first NHL game.

The Penguins responded 59 seconds later, though, as Rakell won a faceoff back to linemate Egor Chinakhov, who fed a one-timer to Erik Karlsson. He slammed it home to put the Penguins back up, 3-2. 

But, once again, Philadelphia responded. Denver Barkey scored his third of the season to tie the game at 3-3 a tick past the midway point of the third, which sent the game to overtime.

And, in overtime, the Penguins had a prime opportunity to end the game when Flyers' goalie Dan Vladar interfered with Karlsson and sent the Penguins to a four-on-three power play. But the Penguins were unable to convert and, clearly, had tired bodies on the ice near the end of it, as they kept all but one member of their first power play unit on for the entire two minutes.

Once the game went to a shootout, things felt inevitable. Anthony Mantha, Rakell, and Chinakhov all missed their opportunities for the Penguins, and Zegras - as he usually does - put them away and gave Philly the 4-3 shootout win.

Head coach Dan Muse, too, understands that the shootout struggles are probably getting to the players quite a bit. But he was also willing to shoulder some blame.

"It's a factor," Muse said. "I'm not going to say it's the only one. I think any time a part of your game's not going well consistently, then there's conversations about it. And then, there's buzz about it. And then, it wears on you. And then, you get in these situations, too, and rather than attacking them, rather than being excited for them, there's some of that.

"And some of that falls on me. I've got to do a better job of helping these guys with it. I'm not throwing just on the players or just on the shooters or just on the goalies, it's collective. I mean, the record is what it is. So, collectively, it hasn't been good enough, and I'll take some blame on that, too."

'You Know That Things Are Happening': Penguins' Players Talk Deadline Day, Belief In GroupWell, the biggest day of the NHL's regular season has finally arrived.

Here are a few quick observations from Saturday's loss:

- As much as shootouts are a problem for the Penguins, so is closing games in regulation and overtime. 

The Penguins had plenty of opportunities to put this game away, and they just didn't do it. It's been an issue for them all season long in what has, otherwise, been a magical season. They barely showed signs of life on that overtime power play opportunity.

If the Penguins aren't going to get any better at shootouts, they need to find ways to prevent it from ever getting to that point in the first place. 

- The defensive effort was lacking in key moments during this game. Ben Kindel experienced a particularly rough outing, as he was on the ice for all three goals against and lost his man on two of those. Penguins' defensemen were allowing Flyers' players to break through the middle and to the net-front far too easily as well.

The shots don't really tell the story in this one. Yes, they only surrendered 15 shots on goal, and yes, they mostly kept play to the outside. But, in those few moments where they did let down their guard, they were burned every time.

- The Sam Girard-Kris Letang pairing has been a nightmare in these few games for the Penguins. Both try to play the same brand of high-risk, offensive-minded hockey, and they are always out-of-sync and caught out of position relative to each other.

Trading Brett Kulak when he was meshing so well with Letang is the only gripe I have about a move that Kyle Dubas has made this season. I understand the intent of getting a second-round pick and a puck-moving defenseman with term as opposed to keeping a rental. But Kulak and Letang had legitimate chemistry, and he was bringing the best out of Letang.

But, what's past is past, and I think Muse needs to swap Girard and Ryan Shea.

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.

- As rough as the third line had it Saturday, there was a pretty good sequence of events in the first period for them. 

First, a nice zone keep by Girard led to an offensive opportunity, as Ville Koivunen - playing in his first game back from the AHL and waiting for the puck below the goal line - made a ridiculous pass to set up Kindel in the slot, who simply couldn't finish the play. Then, Avery Hayes came in and leveled Cam York on the wall, and Jamie Drysdale took exception to it.

Hayes and Drysdale fought, and Drysdale took the insitgator and sent the Penguins to the power play. The building went nuts for Hayes' fight, as he clearly understood the rivalry and the assignment.

I'd like to see more of the kid line on Sunday.

- Speaking of Sunday, to say this game is a must-win is probably an understatement. The Penguins have lost four straight games to the Boston Bruins, who are in the final wild card spot in the East and beat Pittsburgh 2-1 on Mar. 3. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are just three points behind the Penguins. The Islanders are one point up, even though the Penguins have two games in hand on them. Boston is just one point down on the Penguins. 

Of course, every point matters. But the Penguins really, really need two on Sunday.

Boston Bruins At Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchThe Pittsburgh Penguins will try to take two points from the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

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

The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. Several significant prices were paid to acquire players league-wide, and other prices weren’t met, leaving many players rumored to be on the move to stay put with their current teams. What was rumored to be a “buyer’s market” quickly became a “seller’s market,” and now the NHL landscape is more solidified for the stretch run of the regular season, with playoffs on the ever-nearing horizon.

The Anaheim Ducks have been one of the busiest “sellers” since Pat Verbeek took over as general manager just before the 2022 trade deadline. They’ve stocked up on high-end young talent via the draft and trades, added some seasoned veterans, hired the second-winningest coach in franchise history, and are now on the precipice of their first playoff appearance since 2018, which would end the NHL’s third-longest such streak.

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-5 Shootout Win over the Canadiens

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek on 2026 Trade Deadline Moves

The Ducks made two trades in the 24 hours before Friday’s noon PST deadline, so here are reviews of those deals:

The Anaheim Ducks acquire defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick

Ducks Acquire John Carlson from Capitals

Embracing the “buyer” label, Verbeek actively attempted to put his team into the “contender” category when he pulled off perhaps the deadline’s biggest blockbuster trade. Carlson is in the final year of his eight-year contract, which carries an AAV of $8 million. No contract extension talks have been had or will be had during the season. Carlson is a pure rental.

The conditions on the pick rely solely on the Ducks making the 2026 playoffs. If they make the playoffs, they’ll transfer their 2026 first-round pick to the Caps. If they don’t qualify, they’ll have the option to send their 2026 or 2027 first-round pick.

Carlson (36), in his 17th NHL season, has scored 46 points (10-36=46) in 55 games and leaves the Capitals franchise as their defensive leader in all categories for defensemen and a Stanley Cup champion in 2018.

This is an interesting move for the Ducks from two angles. 1) Trading a first-round pick isn’t a move non-cup-contending teams make in exchange for rental players. 2) Carlson doesn’t fit the expected archetype for a defenseman the Ducks would have been looking to add at this year’s deadline.

The Cost

“I think when you have an opportunity to better your team, I think that’s your responsibility and your duty to do that,” Verbeek told the media following the deadline. “I think we have enough draft picks. We have enough prospects coming. Is it worth it to give up a conditional first-rounder? In my opinion, yes, it is. And so to get the quality of a player with John Carlson, then it made sense not only to us, but to our organization. So that’s how I viewed it.”

The Ducks are projected to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years, since 2018. They’ve stockpiled talented current young players and prospects at every position during their extended playoff absence, and the potential path to the Western Conference Final is the easiest (on paper) in the Pacific Division, widely regarded as the weakest division in the NHL.

Does adding a 36-year-old defenseman for 20 games line up with the assumed “contending window” for the Ducks? If the Ducks win one or two playoff rounds this spring, then the window is open now.

If the fit is undeniable and Carlson is a big part of whatever run the Ducks make during their projected playoff appearance, Verbeek has stated he hopes to re-sign Carlson following the season.

“It’s worth it to give this group experience, give them a chance to make the playoffs, and to do well in the playoffs,” Verbeek said. “That’s kind of how I looked at it, with the hope that we’ll be able to re-sign him when this season’s over.”

Parting with a first and third round pick for a player who plays 20 regular season games and a potentially short playoff run can understandably give some pause. However, if that player re-signs with the club on a reasonable contract extension, the deal becomes a lot easier to swallow and could even be received more glowingly.

The Fit

The other area of intrigue with Carlson’s addition to the Ducks’ roster is his fit along the blueline. Looking at the left side of their defense corps, it’s full of dynamic and offensively gifted young players: Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger.

If one had speculated an add to the blueline for Anaheim at the 2026 deadline, one would likely have assumed they’d have added a traditional “shutdown/stay-at-home” defender. Frequent names on trade lists fitting that archetype were players like Colton Parayko, Tyler Myers, Brandon Carlo, etc.

However, Verbeek zigged when a zag was expected. Carlson has been one of the most consistent and productive offensive-oriented defensemen in the NHL for nearly the last two decades.

The Ducks are one of the poorest defensive teams in the NHL in 2025-26 and have gotten where they are off the backs of their high-octane offense and spectacular starting goaltender, Lukas Dostal. So in a surprising and refreshing move, Verbeek seemingly leaned into his team’s strength and acquired an offensive play-driving puck-mover from the backend in Carlson.

Carlson’s offensive output shouldn’t dismiss his defensive impact, however. Even at age 36, Carlson, before the trade, played in all situations for the Caps, including ranking second among Washington blueliners in shorthanded TOI/G (2:28) and power play TOI/G (2:33).

Though his defensive metrics haven’t been spectacular, he’s a quality skater, cerebral positionally, and fundamentally sound. It’s possible that switching from the Caps’ man-coverage in the defensive zone to the Ducks’ pressure-zone coverage system could benefit Carlson, as he won’t be exerting as much energy in his end during elongated sequences and should give a boost to the Ducks’ exit numbers.

In theory, the Ducks’ system could enhance what he does well and allow him to translate that ability to the defensive side of the puck.

The Anaheim Ducks acquire a 2027 seventh-round pick from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forward Ryan Strome

Ducks Trade Ryan Strome to Flames

Strome was one of two signings Verbeek made on his first day of unrestricted free agency in his first summer as an NHL general manager in July 2022, with Frank Vatrano representing the other. Strome was signed to a five-year contract that carried a $5 million AAV and had no trade protection attached.

Strome was an eerily consistent producer for Anaheim, scoring 41 points in each of his first three seasons with the Ducks. He was projected to start the 2025-26 season in the middle-six for new coach, Joel Quenneville, but missed the first 16 games of the season with an oblique injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Beckett Sennecke, who grabbed hold of that spot and refused to relinquish it, as he currently leads all rookies in scoring.

Strome struggled to carve out a role for himself outside the top six and even served as a healthy scratch for 12 games this season. He’d been a positive locker room presence for the Ducks during three of their leanest years in franchise history, and he’s too skilled to be continuously kept out of the lineup.

Moving him to Calgary, even though his value was at its lowest, will allow him to play meaningful minutes again for the remainder of this season and next. Calgary will absorb Strome’s full cap hit, clearing $5 million off Anaheim’s books for the summer of 2026, where they’re expected to sign star RFAs Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson to sizable contract extensions, as well as RFAs Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and Ian Moore. In addition, if Verbeek plans on re-signing any number of pending UFAs like Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, or Radko Gudas, he’ll need all the cap space he can get.

The Ducks are in a transitional period in their franchise’s history, on the cusp of returning to the playoffs and now even looking to make a deeper run than anticipated. Though the roster remains imperfect, and they’re playing a firewagon brand of hockey, Verbeek has made a statement to his roster and to the league that the Ducks view themselves as true contenders.

Ducks Sign Ryan Poehling to Four-Year Extension

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-1 Win over the Islanders

Looking ahead to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, many were anticipating some bigger moves ahead of the 3:00 p.m. ET cutoff on Mar. 6.

Well, as it turns out, there wasn't much activity at all - not from the league, and not from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The lone move that Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas made on deadline day was to acquire forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. Soderblom, 24, is a massive physical presence at 6-foot-8, 252 pounds, his forechecking, speed for his size, and two-way game were all attributes that drew the Penguins to him.

However, given the Penguins' current predicament - they are still without Sidney Crosby, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury but skated with the team Friday, and Evgeni Malkin, who was suspended five games by the Department of Player Safety - there are many who wanted to see the team shoot a bit bigger in the trade market (size aside, of course).

The Penguins are stretched thin at the center position, they have the toughest strength of schedule remaining in the NHL, they're missing their top-two points producers, and they're barely hanging on to second place in the Metropolitan Division with two teams chasing closely behind them.

Nevertheless, Dubas chose to stay the course. And he believes in the group that they have.

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.

"Obviously, the mix has worked quite well," Dubas said. "They've got some chemistry. Dan [Muse] has done a great job coaching them. The staff has done a great job. We just have to deal with some absences this year for various different reasons, and continue to stay with it. 

"Find a way to write our own story, regardless of what everyone else expects it to be."

Dubas's actions - or inactions - at the deadline didn't simply speak to the market he was dealing with. Yes, he did say prices were sky-high, and teams weren't willing to meet asking prices. Yes, he did say that teams' respective positions in terms of playoff contention - including his own - played a factor in choosing not to buy big. Yes, at the end of the day, he didn't do much at all. 

But a big part of the equation was the fact that he already added to this team - and that they've already responded to those additions. Through trade, he added Stuart Skinner, Egor Chinakhov, and Brett Kulak - then Sam Girard - all of whom are upgrades over the players who would be in those positions otherwise based on the roster the team began the season with. 

Penguins Sign Goaltender To Entry-Level ContractThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> are pretty well-known at this point for the goaltending depth they possess in their system. Netminders like Sergei Murashov, Joel Blomqvist, and 2025 draftee Gabriel D'Aigle have received a fair amount of attention.&nbsp;

Since the Chinakhov trade, the Penguins are 14-5-4, and they've been playing better systemic hockey. They've been getting contributions from up and down the lineup, and even Crosby went pointless in four out of his last six games before the Olympic break while his team went 4-1-1. 

And Dubas points to those contributions from everyone - as well as his team's ability to respond well to adversity and respond after bad games - as defining qualities of this particular group of players. 

"I think the contributions from some of the younger guys throughout, but then, whether it's been Chinkahov, Brazeau, Mantha, the rise of the Lizotte line... I think that's led us to have success and give the team the chance to see it all the way through" Dubas said. "I think, especially since we've come back from Christmas, it's not just been the wins, but the way that the team has gone about winning that shows that, when we're at our best, it's a very good team."

He added: "For me, the greatest thing about the team the whole year has been the way that we've weathered times that haven't been great. The way that the team responds when things don't go well... the team always finds a way to respond, even with guys out of the lineup."

Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin.

Without both Crosby and Malkin, there are some players, in particular, who are going to have to step up even more. That includes Rickard Rakell, who is already being asked to man the center position, which he hasn't played regularly since his teens and early-20s. That also includes Erik Karlsson, who will be relied upon to drive more offense from the blue line. And it especially includes 18-year-old rookie Ben Kindel, who has already impressed with his 200-foot play and will probably need to hike up the production. 

But that's just what these Penguins have done. They've stepped up when things have gotten hard. They've responded after tough losses. They've fought tooth and nail for every point they've gotten this season. 

And that's not only a testament to the talent that populates the roster, it also speaks to the chemistry of the team and the locker room.

"I think the mentality is very much, 'We're gonna make the most of what we have,'" Dubas said. "And I think Dan has led that, but the players have been right there with him every step of the way, and it's a huge credit to them for being able to stick with that throughout the year.

"That said, we have our biggest challenges ahead, and it will be the ultimate test of that. But I think that's also the most exciting part of being here and being in this position is we have a great opportunity now, and we have to make the most of it and find a way."

Dubas believes in his team as-is, and his team has a belief in themselves. Now, it's time for them to show everyone exactly what they're made of down the stretch run of what has been a magical season so far. 

'You Know That Things Are Happening': Penguins' Players Talk Deadline Day, Belief In GroupWell, the biggest day of the NHL's regular season has finally arrived.

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