The Florida Panthers welcomed the Columbus Blue Jackets to Sunrise for a fun Saturday afternoon matinee.

Florida never led the game, until it was over, falling behind 4-1 and 6-4 before coming back and earning a thrilling 7-6 victory in overtime.

It was Columbus who got on the scoring started, finding the back of the net early and often.

Just under eight minutes into the game, Damon Severson picked up a power play goal to give the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead.

Florida responded quickly, as Evan Rodrigues jumped all over a Columbus turnover in their own end and waited out goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to knot the score at one 2:07 later.

When the second period arrived, Columbus suddently couldn’t stop scoring.

They picked up a trio of goals less than five minutes apart, suddenly taking a 4-1 lead just past the game’s midway point.

Finally, Florida slowly began to chip away at the deficit.

Carter Verhaeghe scored a pair of goals less than two minutes apart to bring the Panthers back within one of Columbus, first defelcting a point shot by Seth Jones past Merzlikins, then picking up a power play goal off a cross-ice pass from Brad Marchand.

It took less than three minutes after that for Jones to game, wiring home a perfectly placed wrist shot in the top corner of the net with Florida once again on the power play.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, a bad bounce led to Columbus re-taking the lead late in the second period as Cole Sillinger took advantage of a loose puck after it bounced over the stick of Gus Forsling.

The Blue Jackets scored a sixth goal early in third, converting on a 2-on-1 and taking a 6-4 lead 2:27 into the third period.

A gorgeous goal by Brad Marchand less than two minutes later, making a move to his backhand and beating Merzlikins under his pad to cut the Jackets’ lead back to one.

With 5:42 to go, Anton Lundell took advantage of a bad turnover by Columbus after Merzlikins tried clearing the puck, but it deflected off hoard of players and ended up on Lundell’s stick with nothing but an empty net to shoot at.

The game would end up going to overtime, and Florida had to come up with a huge 4-on-3 penalty kill to avoid a fifth straight defeat before they could come up with a game-winner.

As time was running out, Brad Marchand found a streaking Sam Bennett, and his goal with 3.2 seconds left sealed the victory for Florida.

Wow.

On to the Islanders.

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Three takeaways: Penalties killed Panthers momentum, Florida needs to start building on positives

Photo caption: Dec 6, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) celebrates a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second period with center Sam Bennett (9) at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

Since Nov. 9, the Vancouver Canucks have won two out of 12 games (2-7-3), the least amount of wins in the NHL in that span. Now, they've hit rock bottom – literally, as they're the NHL's worst team with a 10-15-3 record.

Vancouver has indeed had some injuries to key players, including injuries to starting goalie Thatcher Demko and forwards Conor Garland and Filip Chytil. But all the losing is starting to wear on Canucks players – most notably, on star defenseman Quinn Hughes.

As one of the NHL’s premier blueliners, Hughes logs more ice time than any other skater in the league at an average of 27:30 per game. However, Hughes made it clear this week he can’t pull off his civilian clothes and turn into a superhero who can carry Vancouver to wins all by himself.

“I’m not perfect, not Superman,” Hughes told the media earlier in the week. “Yeah, I get tired, for sure…there’s definitely moments in games where, you know, I’m breaking out pucks, I’m transporting pucks to the neutral zone, I’m doing my thing in the O-zone…(and) trying to create scoring chances for our team. And that’s hard to do for half the game.”

Indeed, when you’re on the ice as much as Hughes is, you’re going to see the good and bad in your team, and fatigue is bound to play a factor.

But as the Canucks have slid down to the bottom of the standings, there is increasing speculation about trades that are likely to be made by Canucks GM Patrik Allvin and Vancouver president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford. 

Red Wings Should Pursue Sherwood To Solve Lack Of Depth ScoringThe Detroit Red Wings' top scorers are shining, but the dropoff in points-production is steep after that. Could a trade with the Vancouver Canucks give Detroit the offensive boost it needs before the trade deadline arrives?

As one of the longest-serving management figures in the game, Rutherford is famous for making moves well in advance of the season’s trade deadline.

That’s what we saw from him last season when the Canucks dealt center J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers on Jan. 31 of this year, amid a rift with Vancouver center Elias Pettersson.

In any case, the Canucks have two wins in their past 10 games, and their upcoming schedule is a killer. They'll be facing teams such as the Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks – all teams that are either in a playoff position right now, or that are close to a playoff spot.

By the time the calendar year ends, Vancouver’s playoff aspirations could be all but completely snuffed out. And at that point, there may not be any Canucks players who are untouchables when it comes to trades.

Aside from the Canucks stating they are willing to get younger in the trade market, only the team's front office knows who could potentially be out the door next.

The Canucks look like they’re in dire need of a major makeover, and while the moves Rutherford and Allvin make may be shocking, the truth is that hanging onto the status quo would be even more of a shock.

When you’re as much of a disappointment as Vancouver has been, there should be few, if any, sacred players on the roster. With a rebound that is less likely by the day, the only question now is who gets moved out of Vancouver, and how deep the cuts to the Canucks are going to be.

Vancouver has made its bed with this brutal start to the year. And the rest of the way this season, they’re going to have to lie in that bed and change the makeup of the roster for years to come.

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While the New York Rangers didn’t come away with two points in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon, there’s a lot to be encouraged about from a Blueshirts perspective.

The Avalanche currently hold the best record in the NHL, so the Rangers’ players and coaches knew the challenge that was ahead of them. 

Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen arguably make up one of the most explosive lines in the NHL, and Mike Sullivan tasked his newly formed shutdown trio of J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Conor Sheary to contain them. 

Led by the effort and hard-nosed play of Miller, the Rangers not only contained MacKinnon’s line, they also neutralized Colorado's potent offense. 

Seeing the Avalanche’s 42 shots on net doesn't paint the full picture. Colorado had stretches of pressure, but the Rangers played a defensively sound game, staying in their structure, while limiting the amount of high-quality scoring chances and dangerous odd-man rushes. 

Mike Sullivan was specifically impressed with how Miller’s line played from a defensive standpoint. 

“J.T. and Troch in particular, those two guys, they have a 200 foot game. MacKinnon is a handful, he's big and he's strong and he's powerful. J.T. is big and strong and powerful also,” Sullivan said. “We just felt, it gives us the best chance to try to neutralize one of the more dynamic players in the league… I think those guys, they take those challenges, they embrace those. I think they're competitive guys, so when you give them a challenge like that, they tend to elevate their games. J.T. is one of those guys.”

Going into the third period, the Rangers found themselves in a 1-0 hole, but it was Conor Sheary who tied the game with his first goal as a Ranger and first NHL goal since April 11, 2024. 

The Rangers signed Sheary to a professional tryout contract during the offseason, and he earned a roster spot out of training camp. 

Sheary has been in the lineup for a large part of the season, even playing a top-six role for a portion of the year. He just couldn’t find the back of the net, and now, he’s finally back on the scoresheet, which he describes as a relieving feeling. 

“I feel like I've been getting a lot of good chances throughout this year. It's a relief to get one,” Sheary said. “Hopefully I can build off that, but to contribute to the team and help the team gain a point, I think, is really important. Hopefully I can continue to do that.”

Despite trailing 2-1 in the final stages of the third period, the Rangers found a way to even up the score in the form of an Artemi Panarin goal after an onslaught of pressure with an empty net. 

The Rangers clawed their way back the against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night after being down late in the game, and they were able to do it again against Colorado. 

It seems as if the Blueshirts are beginning to build confidence and a mentality that the team could come back in games. It stems from their success playing with a 6-on-5 advantage. 

“I think they're doing a great job,” Sullivan said of the Rangers’ 6-on-5 play. “They're buying into the structure, they're executing, they're making good plays, they're getting pucks to the net… We were trying to encourage them to put more pucks in play, create those broken plays, let's get numbers around the net, and let's try to win pucks and then create off the shot, so to speak. I think they're buying into that.”

Rangers Secure Win Over Senators With Strong All-Around Performance It was all about the fundamentals in the New York Rangers’ 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

The Rangers ultimately came away with one point instead of two due to MacKinnon’s goal in overtime. 

Even after a loss, the mood around the locker room was positive and upbeat. 

Sullivan has attempted to build a new identity since he arrived. It’s an identity formulated on playing a physical brand of hockey, and driving offense through their defensively sound game and relentless play, whether it’s forechecking hard or creating a strong net-front presence. 

Over this recent three-game stretch, the Rangers have shown they are adapting to Sullivan’s philosophy. 

“We talk about identity. It seems like every time we get some momentum like this, feeling good about our game, we kind of regress and go back to the other version of the game we don't like,” Miller said. “It's really important that we kind of reset every game and have that mindset of we haven't earned anything yet, just we have to keep going. If we want to build a standard and identity, we have to do it every single day, so that's kind of been the mindset lately.”

The Rangers will be back in action on Sunday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The New Jersey Devils hit the road today to take on the Boston Bruins.

The Devils are 16-11-1 while the Bruins are 16-13-0.

What to Know - Devils

The Devils are kicking off their two-game road trip today in Boston, after playing four straight games at home. Not only have the Devils dropped their last four games, but they have also been shut out for two games, having gone 128 minutes and 9 seconds without scoring.

These results have pushed the Devils out of a playoff spot. A win today would put them back in contention.

What to Know - Bruins

The Bruins, on the other hand, are coming off a win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, but have struggled as of late without David Pastrnak.

They have won five of their last 10 games, thanks to strong offensive performances. Specifically, forward Morgan Geekie has had an incredible start to the season. Geekie has 21 goals so far this season, ranking second in the NHL for goals, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon.

The Bruins currently sit atop the Atlantic Division and are heading into the matchup with a strong home record of 10-5-0.

Lineup Changes

The Devils have made several lineup changes. Angus Crookshank made his season debut with the Devils last night. Crookshank had just over ten minutes of ice time during the Devils' 3-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Lineups

Jacob Markstrom started last night, so Jake Allen will likely play for the Devils today. 

Jeremy Swayman starts in the net for the Bruins. He last played on Tuesday, when he saved 18 of 23 shots he faced.

The projected Bruins lineup is:

Steeves-Lindholm-Geekie

Mittelstadt-Zacha-Arvidsson

Jeannot-Minten-Kastelic

Khusnutdinov-Kuraly-Eyssimont

Zadorov-Aspirot

Lindholm-Peeke

Lohrei-Soderstrom

Injuries

Both teams have injury struggles. The Devils lack center Jack Hughes, hampering their offense. The full injury list is below.

Devils: J. Hughes (finger), Pesce (upper body), Dadonov (undisclosed), Kovacevic (knee), MacEwen (undisclosed), McLaughlin (undisclosed)

The Bruins are also missing star players. David Pastrnak has missed time with an unknown injury, as has Charlie McAvoy, who suffered a facial injury.

Bruins: Pastrnak (unknown), Callahan (lower-body), Jokiharju (undisclosed), McAvoy (face), Blumel (lower-body)

Overall

This is the first meeting of the two teams this season. They will meet again on March 16 and again on April 14.

The puck will drop at 7 PM at TD Garden.

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.

NEW YORK (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored 2:46 into overtime for his second goal of the game, helping the Colorado Avalanche top Artemi Panarin and the New York Rangers 3-2 on Saturday.

MacKinnon finished Colorado’s third win in four games when he beat Igor Shesterkin for his NHL-best 24th goal. He also batted the puck past Shesterkin at 15:26 of the third, lifting the Avalanche to a 2-1 lead.

MacKinnon has 10 goals and five assists in his last nine games.

Parker Kelly also scored for Colorado, and Martin Necas had three assists. The NHL-leading Avalanche bounced back nicely after losing 6-3 at the New York Islanders on Thursday night.

Panarin and Conor Sheary scored for New York, which had won five of six. Shesterkin made 39 saves.

The Rangers trailed 2-1 before Panarin scored his 10th goal at 19:18 with Shesterkin pulled for an extra skater.

The Avalanche jumped in front when Kelly tipped a shot by defenseman Sam Malinsky past Shesterkin at 7:06 of the second.

Sheary tied it at 1 with his first goal as a Ranger at 4:23 of the third. Sheary beat Blackwood with a high shot after outskating Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar.

Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves for Colorado.

Up next

Rangers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

Avalanche: Visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.

Nathan MacKinnon scored just 2:46 into overtime, lifting the Colorado Avalanche to a 3–2 win over the New York Rangers in a Saturday afternoon showdown at Madison Square Garden. 

But the victory didn’t come without controversy. 

New York forced overtime with 42 seconds remaining when Artemi Panarin hammered a one-timer from Mika Zibanejad over the shoulder of Mackenzie Blackwood. Colorado head coach Jared Bednar immediately challenged the play for a missed stoppage, arguing Panarin had made contact with the puck using a high stick earlier in the sequence. 

If I'm not mistaken, it's considered high-sticking if it goes above the height of the crossbar. Again, Kiviranta, last I checked, isn't a midget and is just about my height. The stick was clearly above shoulder level.

How you can review that and still get it wrong...#goavsgo…

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) December 6, 2025

By rule, high-sticking is defined as making contact with the puck above shoulder height during regular play, or above the height of the crossbar when a goal is scored. The replay appeared to show Panarin’s stick rising well above the shoulders of Joel Kiviranta—listed at 5-foot-11—before the puck struck the ice. Despite what seemed like clear visual evidence, officials upheld the goal, leaving the Avalanche bench momentarily frozen in disbelief as Madison Square Garden thundered in approval.

MACKINNON WINS IT IN OVERTIME!!!#goavsgo@TheHockeyNews

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) December 6, 2025

And upon further review, the rules don't matter.#goavsgo@TheHockeyNews

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) December 6, 2025

Despite the added hurdle, the Avs still found a way. MacKinnon capped off the afternoon with two goals, pushing his season total to 24. Parker Kelly added his sixth of the year, and Martin Nečas put together a three-assist performance. Blackwood was sharp as well, turning aside 24 shots. 

For the Rangers, Panarin wasn’t the only one to strike—Sheary also found the back of the net—and Igor Shesterkin was brilliant in defeat, finishing with 39 saves. 

First Period 

At 7:26 of the first period, Cale Makar was sent to the box after delivering a reverse hit on J.T. Miller despite his man not having possession of the puck, resulting in an interference call. The Rangers generated several dangerous looks on the ensuing power play, but Colorado escaped unscathed as both Panarin and Will Cuylle rang shots off the post. 

For much of the opening frame, the Avalanche found themselves pinned in their own end. New York’s relentless, punishing forecheck caused repeated problems, and Colorado struggled to cleanly break through the pressure. 

 Late in the frame, Nečas went on a breakaway, but was denied by Shesterkin.  

Second Period 

Kelly broke the tie 7:06 into the second period, redirecting a Sam Malinski shot from his knees to give Colorado a 1–0 lead. The entire sequence was sparked by Nečas, who curled behind the net with possession and whipped a sharp backhand pass up the boards to Malinski, setting the play in motion.

If you hear anyone screaming “PARKER KELLY” it’s probably me #GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/VloAxKk34y

— 𝗟aura ⛰︎ (@seemoine) December 6, 2025

Third Period/Overtime 

Sheary pulled the Rangers even 4:23 into the third period, taking a saucer pass from Vincent Trocheck, deking past Nečas, and fought off Makar before snapping a perfectly placed shot past Blackwood. 

What a perfect time for Conor Sheary to get his first as a #NYRpic.twitter.com/KWRGhvanjZ

— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) December 6, 2025

Moments later, after Matthew Robertson was called for tripping Valeri Nichushkin, Colorado went to the power play. But the opportunity came with a scare: Trocheck’s attempted clear struck Makar directly in the helmet, sending the defenseman immediately to the bench in visible discomfort. He eventually returned to the ice.  

With 4:34 remaining, MacKinnon delivered again. He pounced on a rebound off a Nečas shot, batting the puck out of midair for his 23rd of the season to restore Colorado’s lead at 2–1. 

Brock Nelson briefly appeared to tie the game just 26 seconds later. The on-ice ruling was a good goal, but video review showed the puck never actually crossed the goal line, wiping the tally off the board and preserving Colorado’s one-goal edge. 

The Rangers pulled Shesterkin for the extra attacker with 1:50 to play, setting the stage for a frantic, somewhat controversial finish. Following Panarin’s goal and the failed challenge, the game went to overtime, where MacKinnon delivered as the hero. 

Next Game 

The Avalanche (20-2-6) finished off a back-to-back on Sunday as they square off against Trevor Zegras and the Philadelphia Flyers (15-8-3) at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Coverage begins at 11 a.m. local time.  

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.