21.03.2025
Ottawa Senators 1 - 5 Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche secured a dominant 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators, thanks to Brock Nelson, who scored his first two goals for the Avalanche since being traded from the New York Islanders. The Avalanche took control early, netting four goals in the first period, which included a noteworthy goal from Nathan MacKinnon and another from defenseman Cale Makar, who became the eighth defenseman in NHL history to achieve three 80-point seasons before turning 27. This victory marked their ninth win in eleven games, pulling them within three points of the Dallas Stars in the Central Division standings. Despite a fast start from Ottawa, with Senators' goalie Linus Ullmark allowing four goals on 13 shots before being replaced, Colorado's Scott Wedgewood made 15 saves, maintaining his five-game winning streak. MacKinnon also marked his 200th consecutive NHL game, showcasing the depth and resilience of the Avalanche team, even on the back end of a back-to-back situation.
New Jersey Devils 3 - 5 Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames pulled off a stunning third-period comeback to defeat the New Jersey Devils 5-3 at the Prudential Center, rallying from a 3-1 deficit with four unanswered goals. Connor Zary, Daniil Miromanov, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Nazem Kadri all scored for Calgary, with Kadri securing the victory with an empty-net goal, marking his 25th of the season and earning him a place in Flames history alongside Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm. Dustin Wolf, who made 26 crucial saves, stood tall for the Flames, including a pivotal stop on Dawson Mercer’s breakaway. Despite Nico Hischier's efforts for New Jersey, who extended his point streak to five games, the Devils struggled to maintain their lead. Calgary's coach Ryan Huska praised the team's resilience and the momentum gained from the impactful play of the Zary-Kadri-Martin Pospisil line in the third period. The win places Calgary within two points of a playoff wildcard spot, intensifying their race to the Stanley Cup.
New York Rangers 3 - 4 Toronto Maple Leafs
In a thrilling matchup at Madison Square Garden, John Tavares achieved a career milestone by amassing three points, including two goals and an assist, to reach 1,100 career points, aiding the Toronto Maple Leafs in their 4-3 triumph over the New York Rangers. This victory marked the Leafs' third consecutive win and placed them tied for first in the Atlantic Division alongside the Florida Panthers. Key contributions also came from Jake McCabe with three assists and William Nylander, who reached 600 NHL points, with two assists. Despite goals from Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider, the Rangers fell short and remain two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for a playoff spot. Tavares joined a select group of active players who boast 1,100 career points, underscoring his pivotal role in the game.
Washington Capitals 3 - 2 Philadelphia Flyers
In a thrilling game at Capital One Arena, Alex Ovechkin scored his 888th NHL goal, propelling the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers and securing their spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ovechkin's decisive goal, set up by Aliaksei Protas, ignited an enthusiastic home crowd and contributed to the Capitals' 100-point season, a feat solidified by Brandon Duhaime and Andrew Mangiapane's subsequent goals. Goalie Charlie Lindgren was instrumental, making 27 saves, especially crucial during a tumultuous third period when the Flyers staged a valiant comeback attempt. Despite narrowing the gap with goals from Ryan Poehling and Sean Couturier, the Flyers couldn't overcome the Capitals' lead and extended their dismal streak to 1-8-0. Notably, the Flyers' power play struggles continued, as they went 0-for-2 and are 0-for-25 for March. The Capitals dominated the season series against the Flyers, winning all four matchups, while Ovechkin inched closer to breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record, needing just seven more goals.
Columbus Blue Jackets 0 - 1 Florida Panthers
Barkov lifts Panthers past Blue Jackets in OT
COLUMBUS --
“It was a great game. It was a playoff-style game,” Bobrovsky said. “Opponent played hard. Opponent played a good game, but we worked hard. We had a great focus, great concentration. We were together. We were tight and we just grinded [it] out. It’s big points for us.”
“We didn't get the final bounce. They did,” Columbus forward
The Blue Jackets remained three points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
“Are we trending in the right direction? A hundred percent,” Columbus coach Dean Evason said. “We're not happy in the dressing room. There's no, ‘Oh, good. We played great against the Stanley Cup champions.’ No way. We're [mad]. But did we do the right things to get a point? Did we catch a bad break trying to do the right thing? Yeah, so we're real positive after we're [mad].”
Barkov said the Panthers know they will be playing desperate teams down the stretch.
“We talked about it before the game, that we're also in the battle,” the Florida captain said. “So, it's not over for us at all. We need to get there (to the playoffs) as well, and we need to change the mindset a little bit so that we need to win games as well and battle for the playoffs as well. So, I think it was we were desperate today, and we wanted to win and we got the win.”
“We're getting chances. They weren't going,” said Jenner, the Blue Jackets captain. “It’s on us to get those breaks going our way. Elvis was outstanding all night. We're honing in on some details that we need to hone in on at this time of the season.”
Bobrovsky has 49 NHL shutouts after getting his fourth against his former team. He made 16 saves in a 3-0 home win against Columbus on March 6.
The Blue Jackets scored once during their four-game homestand. That included consecutive 4-0 losses, against the Vegas Golden Knights (March 13) and New York Rangers (March 15).
Columbus’ best opportunity in the first period on Thursday was when
“We are battling for every single puck, every single shift,” Merzlikins said. “We really want to do something nice this year.”
At 8:02 of the third period, Florida’s
Merzlikins kept it 0-0 with four seconds left in the third when he stopped
“I like the fact that we've been able to play in tight games,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “I've been saying that for two months. I think even in the two we lost last week (3-2 at Boston Bruins on March 11; 3-1 at Montreal on Saturday), they're pretty tight in the third, so to come out with a win after losing two is important.”
NOTES: It was Bobrovsky’s third straight shutout against the Blue Jackets dating to April 11, 2024. Only two goaltenders in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) have had a longer run against one franchise:
New York Islanders 4 - 3 Montreal Canadiens
The New York Islanders triumphed over the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in overtime at UBS Arena, with Bo Horvat netting the decisive goal at 3:37 of overtime. Horvat's second goal of the game came from a 2-on-1 play with Kyle Palmieri, and he finished with a high wrist shot from the left face-off circle. Ilya Sorokin was instrumental for the Islanders, making 38 saves and adding two assists, becoming the first goalie in Islanders history to register a multipoint game. This victory marked New York's third consecutive win, drawing them closer to a Stanley Cup Playoffs wild card position. Montreal, who have points in 11 of their last 12 games, mounted a strong effort with goals from Patrik Laine, Brendan Gallagher, and Joshua Roy, but they ultimately fell short. Gallagher's goal tied the game late, but Horvat's overtime heroics secured the Islanders' win. Notably, Anthony Duclair ended New York's power play drought, and Anders Lee recorded his 500th NHL point.
St Louis Blues 4 - 3 Vancouver Canucks
Philip Broberg's overtime goal secured a thrilling 4-3 victory for the St. Louis Blues over the Vancouver Canucks, marking their fourth consecutive win. Broberg capitalized on a 2-on-1 rush with a skillful forehand-backhand move, assisted by Brayden Schenn, to lift the puck over Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen. The win pushed the Blues ahead of the Canucks by one point in the race for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference playoffs. Dylan Holloway and Tyler Tucker each contributed a goal and an assist, with Zack Bolduc also scoring. Brock Boeser scored twice for Vancouver, achieving his 200th NHL goal and tying the game with just four seconds left in regulation. Despite the Canucks’ effort and a two-point performance from Elias Pettersson, St. Louis prevailed in a game characterized by intense momentum swings and celebrated Broberg’s decisive contribution in extra time.
Nashville Predators 1 - 4 Anaheim Ducks
In an impressive return from injury, John Gibson made 33 saves to help the Anaheim Ducks secure a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Having missed the previous seven games due to a lower-body injury, Gibson showed no signs of rust and was praised by teammate Trevor Zegras for his stellar performance. Zegras contributed a goal and an assist, while Troy Terry and Alex Killorn also found the net for the Ducks. The Predators' lone goal came from Steven Stamkos, marking his 578th career goal and moving him to 22nd on the NHL's all-time list. Nashville struggled with a four-game losing streak, contributing to their playoff challenges. Ducks coach Greg Cronin highlighted his team's effective forechecking and offensive zone play as keys to their success.
Dallas Stars 2 - 3 Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning secured their third consecutive win by defeating the Dallas Stars 3-2 in a shootout at the American Airlines Center. Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each contributed a goal and an assist for the Lightning, with Gage Goncalves netting the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout. Despite impressive performances by the Stars' Oskar Bäck and Mason Marchment, who scored to tie the game, and Casey DeSmith, who made 36 saves, the Stars fell short. The game was marked by a playoff-like intensity, as noted by both teams, with Dallas' inability to match Tampa Bay's physicality and hunger noted by their coach, Pete DeBoer. Hagel set an NHL record for the most goals in a season without a power-play goal, surpassing Doug Smail's 1984-85 record. The match was also notable for Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh leaving in regulation's final seconds due to a puck hitting his ear, with no immediate update available on his condition.
Chicago Blackhawks 1 - 3 Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings secured a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center, with Trevor Moore and Alex Turcotte scoring in the first period, and Joel Edmundson adding an empty-net goal. Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper made 17 saves, contributing to their 6-1-0 record in the past seven games. The Kings' decisive first period saw them outshooting the Blackhawks 19-7, a stark contrast to their previous struggles against Chicago, including a shootout loss and a 5-1 defeat earlier. Meanwhile, Connor Bedard scored the lone goal for the Blackhawks, who continue to struggle with a record of 0-5-1 in their last six games. Spencer Knight's 30 saves were commendable, yet Chicago couldn't capitalize, despite Bedard's power-play goal, as the Kings’ defensive play remained resolute throughout the game. Notably, Moore and Turcotte's goals came just under a minute apart, marking the 10th time the Kings achieved such a feat this season. Additionally, Blackhawks forward Colton Dach was sidelined late in the third period due to an upper-body injury.
Edmonton Oilers 3 - 4 Winnipeg Jets
Kyle Connor's overtime goal lifted the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-3 victory over the short-handed Edmonton Oilers, playing at Rogers Place. In a game where both teams faced significant challenges, Connor scored 1:13 into overtime with a wrist shot past Oilers backup goalie Calvin Pickard, who had just entered the game due to Stuart Skinner's departure for concussion protocol. The Oilers were missing their star players, as Connor McDavid exited with a lower-body injury and Leon Draisaitl was already sidelined. Despite these absences, Jeff Skinner managed to contribute two goals for Edmonton. On the Jets' side, Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves, securing his 40th win of the season, a milestone achieved by only one other U.S.-born goaltender, Ryan Miller. Winnipeg now holds a strong lead in their division, while Edmonton remains narrow ahead of the Los Angeles Kings in their standings.
Utah Hockey Club 5 - 2 Buffalo Sabres
In a thrilling third period, the Utah Hockey Club pulled away from the Buffalo Sabres with three consecutive goals to secure a 5-2 victory at Delta Center. Notably, Mikhail Sergachev scored twice for Utah, bringing their record to 31-27-11 as they chase a playoff spot, sitting just four points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card. Karel Vejmelka played a crucial role with 25 saves, while Dylan Guenther's ninth game-winning goal further highlighted the team's strong performance. Ryan McLeod's short-handed goal briefly tied the game for Buffalo, and JJ Peterka continued his impressive season by becoming the third Germany-born player in NHL history to record multiple 20-goal seasons before age 24. Despite the Sabres' early efforts, turnovers proved costly, and Utah capitalized, with Sergachev's late empty-netter sealing the win.
Vegas Golden Knights 5 - 1 Boston Bruins
Pavel Dorofeyev's hat trick propelled the Vegas Golden Knights to a dominant 5-1 victory over the Boston Bruins at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights snapped a rough stretch, having lost four of their last five games, with Ivan Barbashev and Brett Howden also contributing goals. Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin, and Brandon Saad each recorded two assists to bolster the team's performance, while Adin Hill made 18 saves. Returning from a 20-game absence due to injury, William Karlsson added an assist. Despite a goal from Morgan Geekie and 27 saves by Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins suffered their fourth consecutive loss. In a notable achievement, Dorofeyev became the fifth player in Golden Knights history to record a 30-goal season. Meanwhile, David Pastrnak continued his impressive form, marking his third straight season with 50 or more assists, a rare feat matched only by a select few Bruins over the past three decades.
San Jose Sharks 1 - 3 Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes secured their eighth consecutive victory, defeating the San Jose Sharks 3-1 at SAP Center. Sebastian Aho scored the game-winning goal in the third period, assisted by Jackson Blake, as the Hurricanes maintained their strong position in the Metropolitan Division, eight points ahead of the New Jersey Devils. Seth Jarvis and Sean Walker also found the net for Carolina, with Frederik Andersen making 24 saves. The Sharks' lone goal came from William Eklund, who opened the scoring with a dramatic short-handed tally, crashing into the post after being tripped yet still managing to score. Georgi Romanov made 26 saves for San Jose in his first NHL start on a challenging homestand where the Sharks have struggled, currently standing 1-4-0.