18.03.2025
Boston Bruins 2 - 3 Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres edged past the struggling Boston Bruins 3-2 in an overtime thriller at TD Garden, with Alex Tuch netting a power-play goal just 11 seconds before the end of overtime. Owen Power played a pivotal role, scoring a goal and assisting twice, while Peyton Krebs also found the net for the Sabres, who have bounced back from a rough patch, winning three out of their last four games. The Bruins, who have now lost three consecutive games, were held to fewer than 20 shots for the second consecutive game. Despite the loss, Morgan Geekie had a notable performance with a goal and an assist for Boston, which lags behind the New York Rangers in the race for a Stanley Cup Playoff wildcard spot. Bruins coach Joe Sacco highlighted the need to maintain focus and adhere to their game process, while Geekie emphasized the importance of a more straightforward approach in the offensive zone. Notably, Tuch’s game-winner ranks as the sixth-latest in Sabres history, and Power matched his career points record with his contribution in this game.
Tampa Bay Lightning 2 - 0 Philadelphia Flyers
Vasilevskiy stops 21, Lightning shut out Flyers to gain in Atlantic
TAMPA --
"The regular season is about ups and downs, it's basically an 82-game preparation for the playoffs," Vasilevskiy said. "We want to feel good about our game. The commitment to play defense helps a lot to boost my numbers. It's a team effort. No goalie in this league can be successful without a good team."
"This was not our best night, we just turned the puck over way too often; we were fortunate that Philly wasn't capitalizing on it," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "We simplified our game and got better...but we've got to play way better than that going into Dallas, Utah and Vegas.”
"We were patient, something we needed to be, I thought [Fedotov] played really well," Flyers coach John Tortorella said. "The goaltending was good. I thought we played hard. I thought we checked really well and the patience level was good. We just needed someone to score a goal."
Kucherov gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 18:31 of the first period when he forced
"We played well, other than that mishap I had there 4-on-4, and they got a break there," Konecny said. "We were in that game the whole time."
"That's two out of the past three games taking a penalty when we're trying to get the goalie out, which is frustrating," Tortorella said.
Said Lightning defenseman
Philadelphia was 0-for-5 on the power play, failing to score on a four-minute man-advantage in the second period when Lightning defenseman
"We've got to score a goal," Tortorella said. "The four-minute penalty...it's not good enough. We needed a play off our power play, and we didn't get it."
The Flyers have failed to score on their previous 23 power plays.
"We're collapsing and trying to get numbers to the net," Konecny said. "We're not trying to be fancy, just trying to bounce one off somebody.
NOTES: Vasilevskiy’s fifth shutout tied
Columbus Blue Jackets 1 - 2 New Jersey Devils
In a thrilling matchup at Nationwide Arena, Jake Allen's stellar performance, making 45 saves including 23 in the third period, helped the New Jersey Devils secure a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt were pivotal for the Devils, scoring 39 seconds apart in the second period, as the Devils improved to win four of their last five games. Despite Mathieu Olivier ending Columbus' 182:55 scoreless drought with a third-period goal, the Blue Jackets couldn't break their losing streak, now having lost four straight and six of their last seven. Columbus coach Dean Evason praised his team's hard-fought effort despite the loss, believing it could mark a turning point for them. Meier's goal contributed to his four-game point streak and tied him with his Swiss compatriots for the most 20-goal seasons in NHL history. Meanwhile, Bratt continued his remarkable form, extending his point streak and achieving consecutive 80-point seasons, a feat shared only by Zach Parise and Wilf Paiement in franchise history. The Devils now trail the Carolina Hurricanes by six points for second place in the Metropolitan Division, while the Blue Jackets remain two points behind the New York Rangers for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto Maple Leafs 6 - 2 Calgary Flames
In a decisive 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames, Auston Matthews and William Nylander each earned three points to help the Toronto Maple Leafs secure a crucial win at Scotiabank Arena. Matthews netted two goals and provided an assist, while Nylander recorded a goal and two assists, extending his point streak to nine games and surpassing Frank Mahovlich for ninth in franchise history with 599 points. Max Domi also contributed with a goal and an assist, as Toronto rebounded from a recent slump of five losses in six games. Joseph Woll made 24 saves to hold off the Flames, who struggled with penalties and went 0-for-3 on the penalty kill, a key aspect identified by Flames coach Ryan Huska as a deciding factor. Dustin Wolf was pulled after yielding five goals on 26 shots, replaced by Dan Vladar in the third period. With this win, the Maple Leafs closed in on the Florida Panthers for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, while John Tavares marked his 500th game with Toronto. Matthews' two goals in the second period also enabled him to surpass Darryl Sittler for the most multigoal periods in franchise history.
Minnesota Wild 3 - 1 Los Angeles Kings
In a thrilling matchup at the Xcel Energy Center, the Minnesota Wild snapped the Los Angeles Kings' five-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory, highlighted by Mats Zuccarello's game-winning power-play goal in the third period. Zuccarello's strike marked his 100th goal with Minnesota, while Ryan Hartman contributed with a goal and an assist, and Filip Gustavsson delivered a solid performance in net with 28 saves. Despite Adrian Kempe giving the Kings an early lead, Ryan Hartman equalized in the second period, and Zuccarello later capitalized on the power play to tilt the game in the Wild's favor. Coach John Hynes expressed pride in the team's competitive spirit, particularly after their recent struggles, while Kings coach Jim Hiller noted the team's defensive lapse in the final period. Marcus Johansson sealed the win with an empty-net goal, and the Wild's victory moved them closer to the playoff spots. Meanwhile, significant moments included Jon Merrill's crucial defensive play and the end of Quinton Byfield's goal streak for Los Angeles.