10.01.2025
Ottawa Senators 0 - 4 Buffalo Sabres
Luukkonen makes 35 saves, Sabres shut out Senators
OTTAWA --
It was Luukkonen’s second shutout of the season and seventh in the NHL. He’s 5-1-1 in his past seven starts.
“I feel like the defense played a really big part in [the win] today,” Luukkonen said. “You know, it’s a shutout, but I feel like it’s a team effort every time. They were clearing rebounds and boxing out well tonight.”
“We talked about the fact that we get to play all the teams we need to catch [in the standings],” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “When you’re playing those teams, you’ve got to play well. It doesn’t matter where you’re playing; playing at home or on the road, you’ve got to play well. We know we’ve dug ourselves a hole, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel. And I said this: 'To come out of something we went through, you’re going to come out a better team.'”
“We've been gone for a long time now, and we talked about it before the game,” Ottawa forward
Quinn gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead at 10:17 of the first period when he beat Forsberg with a wrist shot low blocker on the rush. Quinn, a native of Cobden, Ontario, an hour west of Ottawa, had “a lot” of family and friends in the building.
“I think my game is to be an offensive producer and score, so some tough times at the start of the year,” Quinn said of scoring one goal in his first 24 games this season. “Things were feeling a lot harder for me than years before, for some reason. But it’s nice to see some of the work I’ve been putting in pay off.”
Quinn made it 2-0 at 13:17. He took a
“I gave him a little yell because I was open, but he saw me the whole way,” Quinn said of Krebs. “It was a great play by him to kind of wait it out for the [defenseman’s] stick to get out of the way and he put it right on my tape.”
Cozens pushed it to 3-0 at 4:11 of the second period when he intercepted a
“It just wasn't good,” Senators defenseman
Ottawa left the ice at the end of the second period to a chorus of boos.
“Fans want us to win,” Senators coach Travis Green said. “You never like to hear boos, but they’re passionate and pay good money to come to the game and want us to win. Again, when you look at the game, like really step away and look at it, I don’t really believe it was a 4-0 game where another team was all over us. It was far from that, but there were some plays that you can’t make, and teams are going to make you pay the price.”
McLeod’s centering pass attempt redirected in off of Chabot’s skate to make it 4-0 at 10:22. It was his first goal in 24 games.
“I’m trying to step up," McLeod said. "I’ve been obviously elevated in the lineup, trying to do a little bit more offensively. It was good to get on the board tonight.”
NOTES: Ottawa forward
Tampa Bay Lightning 4 - 1 Boston Bruins
Tampa Bay Lightning, led by goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy’s impressive 27 saves—11 of which came in the third period—secured a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins at Amalie Arena, handing Boston their sixth consecutive loss. Brandon Hagel played a pivotal role with a goal and an assist, while Ryan McDonagh and Nikita Kucherov each contributed two assists. This game was marked by significant milestones for the Lightning: McDonagh reached 400 career NHL points, and Brayden Point scored to reach 600. Anthony Cirelli opened the scoring with a short-handed goal, Michael Eyssimont and Point added goals, and Hagel sealed the win with an empty-netter. Despite Mason Lohrei’s goal for Boston that briefly cut the deficit, the Bruins’ struggles continued, exacerbated by a lack of power-play success, extending their drought to eight games (0-for-13). Meanwhile, the Lightning showcased their formidable penalty kill, remaining flawless in their last eight games with a 17-for-17 record, scoring four short-handed goals.
New York Rangers 3 - 2 New Jersey Devils
In an exciting matchup at Madison Square Garden, Sam Carrick netted his first NHL overtime goal, leading the New York Rangers to a 3-2 comeback victory over the New Jersey Devils. Despite a strong performance from Devils' goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who made 29 saves and denied potential overtime clinchers from Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, Carrick sealed the win by finishing a 2-on-1 play with Reilly Smith. The Rangers' Adam Fox and Panarin scored on power plays, while Igor Shesterkin, returning from injury, made 21 saves. Jack Hughes showcased his consistent prowess against the Rangers, contributing a goal and an assist, and extending his point streak against them to 12 games. The victory marked a significant achievement for the Rangers, earning their first win against the Devils this season after losing the previous two matches by a combined score of 10-1.
Philadelphia Flyers 1 - 4 Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars secured their sixth consecutive victory with a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center, marking their fourth straight road triumph. Mavrik Bourque, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, and Miro Heiskanen scored for the Stars, backed by Casey DeSmith's 27 saves, while Jason Robertson contributed two assists. Notably, Bourque scored his first goal since December 6 and has recorded points in consecutive games, reflecting his increased physical involvement. The Flyers' sole goal came from Morgan Frost, who took advantage of a rare DeSmith mistake. Coach Pete DeBoer praised the team's maturity in close games, noting their ability to win late. Despite this loss marking Philadelphia's fourth in a row, Coach John Tortorella emphasized the team's consistent effort, acknowledging the night's lack of energy. This win marks Dallas' longest winning streak since last season and highlights their strong start with 26 wins in 40 games.
Pittsburgh Penguins 5 - 3 Edmonton Oilers
Sidney Crosby played a pivotal role in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, scoring a goal, providing two assists, and surpassing Joe Sakic to claim ninth place on the NHL's all-time points list with a total of 1,643. The Penguins, ending a four-game losing streak, were further propelled by standout performances from Bryan Rust and Drew O'Connor, each tallying multiple points, while goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 40 saves. Despite leading 5-1, Edmonton, known for its dynamic offense, attempted a comeback led by Leon Draisaitl's two goals and Connor McDavid’s three assists. However, their efforts fell short, snapping their four-game winning streak. Notably, this was the 15th matchup between Crosby and McDavid, with McDavid slightly leading their individual exchanges in points.
Carolina Hurricanes 6 - 3 Toronto Maple Leafs
In a thrilling 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jordan Staal recorded a hat trick, marking the fourth of his 19-year NHL career, to propel the Carolina Hurricanes past Toronto's five-game winning streak. The Hurricanes tied the game with two goals in just 17 seconds, showcasing a pivotal momentum shift. Jordan Martinook impressed with three assists, while Pyotr Kochetkov made critical saves to maintain the lead. The game saw Auston Matthews, despite returning from injury and extending his point streak, finish with a disappointing plus/minus rating of minus-6 alongside Mitch Marner. Additionally, Brent Burns achieved a career milestone, surpassing Steve Larmer for the sixth-longest consecutive game streak in NHL history. Juha Jaaska earned his first NHL point by assisting on Jackson Blake's goal, spotlighting the dynamic contributions of both seasoned and emerging players in this action-packed game.
Columbus Blue Jackets 6 - 2 Seattle Kraken
The Columbus Blue Jackets delivered a commanding performance against the Seattle Kraken, winning 6-2 at Nationwide Arena, propelled by a four-goal burst in the second period. Key contributors included Zach Werenski, Denton Mateychuk, and Luca Del Bel Belluz, all of whom recorded a goal and an assist, with Del Bel Belluz scoring in his first two NHL games, a franchise-first achievement. Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins also made a crucial 29 saves. Sean Kuraly, Kent Johnson, and Kirill Marchenko (empty-net) added goals, while James van Riemsdyk assisted twice to help the Blue Jackets secure their third straight win. The game highlighted the impact of Columbus's budding talent from the AHL, with Mateychuk and Del Bel Belluz making notable contributions. Meanwhile, Seattle's Eeli Tolvanen found the net twice but acknowledged defensive lapses that left the Kraken unable to recover after a shaky second period, as goaltender Philipp Grubauer was replaced after allowing five goals on 19 shots. The victory underscored the Blue Jackets' scoring prowess, marking the 10th time they've scored six goals this season, further enunciating their form as they approach a franchise record.
St Louis Blues 6 - 2 Anaheim Ducks
In a commanding 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at the Enterprise Center, the St. Louis Blues dominated with a four-goal barrage in the first period. Robert Thomas led the charge with two goals, setting the tone with a goal off a giveaway early in the match. Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich each contributed a goal and an assist, while Tyler Tucker and Dylan Holloway also found the back of the net during the Blues’ aggressive start. St. Louis goaltender Joel Hofer made 21 saves, securing another win in a strong stretch of performances. The Ducks, who failed to register a shot on goal until they were already down by three, struggled throughout, with goaltender Lukas Dostal being pulled after letting in six goals on 22 shots. Notably, Cam Fowler played in his first game against Anaheim since being traded to St. Louis, and Brandon Saad notched an assist in his 900th NHL game.
Minnesota Wild 1 - 6 Colorado Avalanche
Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each contributed a goal and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche dominated the Minnesota Wild with a 6-1 victory at the Xcel Energy Center. Logan O'Connor opened the scoring, while Josh Manson and Jonathan Drouin each added two assists, reflecting the Avalanche's well-rounded team effort. The game was notable for Colorado's ability to capitalize on Minnesota's defensive lapses, which Avalanche coach Jared Bednar praised for its attention to detail and execution. Despite Zach Bogosian's lone goal for Minnesota and a debut performance by defenseman David Jiricek, the Wild struggled defensively with several key absences, including Brock Faber and Jonas Brodin. The Avalanche's relentless pressure on Minnesota's defense, coupled with standout performances from Mackenzie Blackwood with 24 saves, led to Colorado's fifth consecutive win against the Wild. Noteworthy is the addition of goalie Connor Beaupre as a backup for Minnesota, marking his first suit-up since becoming the emergency goalie in 2017.
Vegas Golden Knights 0 - 4 New York Islanders
Sorokin makes 30 saves, Islanders shut out Golden Knights
LAS VEGAS --
Adin Hill made 17 saves for the Golden Knights (28-10-3), who had won three in a row.
Lee gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead with a shot five-hole on Hill at 17:04 of the first period. Tomas Hertl’s pass went off Noah Hanifin’s skate and onto the stick of Brock Nelson, who passed it to Lee in the right circle.
The goal came shortly after Hertl had a power-play goal overturned at 13:50 because of a challenge for offside.
Nelson made it 2-0 at 5:30 of the second period, taking a drop pass from Mathew Barzal on a rush and roofing a wrist shot glove side from the high slot.
Horvat pushed it to 3-0 at 10:41 with a one-timer from the low slot off a pass from behind the net by Kyle Palmieri.
Cizikas added an empty-net goal at 17:26 for the 4-0 final.