28.03.2025
Buffalo Sabres 7 - 3 Pittsburgh Penguins
In a dominating performance, the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-3 at KeyBank Center, overshadowing Sidney Crosby's remarkable achievement of surpassing Wayne Gretzky's record for the most NHL seasons averaging at least a point per game. Crosby, who scored in the first period, now leads the Penguins with 80 points in his 20th season, extending his point streak to nine games. Despite this, the Penguins faltered, with Tristan Jarry allowing four goals on 12 shots before being pulled for a second consecutive game. The Sabres, on a three-game winning streak, saw Jiri Kulich score twice, while Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, and Tyson Kozak each contributed a goal and an assist. James Reimer secured the win with 23 saves. The Penguins, losing ground in the playoff race, remain six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild card spot.
Detroit Red Wings 3 - 4 Ottawa Senators
Linus Ullmark's 31-save performance was pivotal as the Ottawa Senators held off a late rally by the Detroit Red Wings to secure a 4-3 victory at Little Caesars Arena. Ottawa, benefiting from contributions by Thomas Chabot, Tim Stutzle, David Perron, and Michael Amadio, clinched its eighth win in the past 11 games, maintaining its grip on the Eastern Conference's first wild card spot. Despite a sluggish start that saw Alex Lyon replaced by Cam Talbot after conceding three early goals, Detroit attempted a comeback with goals from Lucas Raymond and Vladimir Tarasenko, bolstered by Patrick Kane's power-play goal. Aided by Ottawa’s strong penalty kill, Ullmark thwarted Detroit’s formidable power-play unit, making key saves throughout the game. The victory cemented Ottawa's playoff aspirations, while Detroit's coach, Todd McLellan, lamented his team's inability to capitalize on opportunities, underscoring the urgency as their playoff chances diminish.
Tampa Bay Lightning 8 - 0 Utah Hockey Club
Lightning score 8, cruise past Utah Hockey Club to gain in Atlantic
TAMPA --
"It was an awesome game from start to finish," McDonagh said. "It was a great recipe for us. We're capable of some special things when we're committed like that. You remember your first game and you remember your 1,000th game, and a big win like that helps."
Point said of McDonagh: "He's such a leader for us. He's been through so much. He works hard every day and continues sacrificing himself for the betterment of the team. He's an awesome guy and we're all really happy for him."
Tampa Bay is tied with the Florida Panthers for second place in the Atlantic Division, and pulled within one point of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who lost at the San Jose Sharks 6-5 in a shootout on Thursday. Florida has a game in hand on both teams.
"These games, the last couple we've had here, this doesn't happen very often," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "You have to have some breaks...but we're doing the right thing and when you're doing that constantly on repeat, good things are going to happen for you."
"It was really disappointing the way we came out, didn't win enough battles, didn't get on the inside," Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. "Everybody's in the same boat -- coaches, players...we all have to look ourselves in the mirror. The good thing is we're playing tomorrow."
Guentzel gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 1:30 of the first period when he chipped the puck past Vejmelka from the low slot. Hedman made it 2-0 at 4:20 with a wrist shot from the right circle that deflected in off Vejmelka's glove.
"We were patient in our game, managed the puck well and obviously took advantage of our chances," Hedman said. "Obviously we've scored a lot of goals, but giving up one in two games is a recipe for success. We're focusing on playing good 'D' because we know we're going to get our chance and we're going to score on those."
Kucherov made it 4-0 at 9:14, a backhand to finish off a rush after Point delivered a pass through two Utah defensemen.
"That was terrible, from the start to the finish, we didn't play nearly the style of game that we wanted to play and it showed," Utah defenseman
Point made it 7-0 at 8:59 when he knocked in a rebound after Stauber saved the initial shot from Kucherov. Bjorkstrand scored his second goal at 14:54 for the 8-0 final. Sergachev played his first game at Amalie Arena since being traded from the Lightning last offseason and was honored with a video tribute during the first period. He had 48 goals and 209 assists over seven seasons (2017-2024) with Tampa Bay, helping the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.
"It's tough to talk about it right now honestly, after a game like that," Sergachev said. "But I said in between periods that I really appreciated it. It was great...thanks for the warm reception. The fans are great, everybody's great. It was supposed to be a special night."
NOTES: Vasilevskiy (534 games) became the third-fastest active goaltender to record 40 career shutouts, behind only
Philadelphia Flyers 6 - 4 Montreal Canadiens
In a thrilling matchup, the Philadelphia Flyers secured a 6-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Brad Shaw's debut as head coach, following the dismissal of John Tortorella. Celebrating their first regulation victory since February 25, the Flyers broke a six-game skid with impressive performances by Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov, both scoring two goals and an assist. Michkov's exceptional play included scoring his rookie-leading 22nd goal, contributing to a four-game point streak. The game was marked by Lane Hutson’s milestone for Montreal, as he became the fifth NHL rookie defenseman to notch 50 assists in a season, a feat last accomplished in the 1985-86 season. Despite Montreal's late rally, capped by Patrik Laine’s final goal, the Flyers emerged dominant, capitalizing on key goals and strategies to herald Shaw's triumphant return to coaching after 18 years.
Nashville Predators 2 - 3 St Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues extended their winning streak to eight games with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Dylan Holloway played a pivotal role, scoring twice, while Robert Thomas contributed with two assists. Despite trailing 2-0 after the first period, the Blues rallied back with Holloway cutting the deficit and then netting the decisive goal in the third to secure the win. Joel Hofer's performance in goal, making 16 saves, was crucial as the team moved five points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild card spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Predators, with goals from Fedor Svechkov and Brady Skjei, were officially eliminated from playoff contention, marking their third loss to the Blues in the past ten days. The game ended with a dramatic twist as Jonathan Marchessault's potential game-tying goal was nullified after video review determined it crossed the line post-expiration.
Minnesota Wild 4 - 2 Washington Capitals
Matt Boldy was instrumental in the Minnesota Wild's 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, scoring a critical goal and providing an assist in a game played at Xcel Energy Center. Boldy's goal with 8.5 seconds left in the second period put the Wild ahead 3-2, marking his ninth game-winning goal of the season and setting a franchise record. Frederick Gaudreau contributed two goals for Minnesota, while Jon Merrill scored early to give them an initial lead. The Wild's victory kept their first wild card position in the Western Conference, two points ahead of St. Louis. Filip Gustavsson's solid performance with 28 saves and key defensive plays helped secure the win. The Capitals, with a strong recent form, suffered a rare regulation loss, and Alex Ovechkin remains six goals away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time goal record.
Colorado Avalanche 4 - 0 Los Angeles Kings
Necas has 3 points, Avalanche blank Kings to keep pace in Central
DENVER --
Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to extend his home point streak to 23 games, and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (45-25-3), who have won 11 straight at home and are 12-1-1 in their past 14 games. Cale Makar had two assists.
Colorado remained five points behind the Dallas Stars for second place in the Central Division. Dallas, which has a game in hand, defeated the Calgary Flames 5-2 on Thursday.
David Rittich made 22 saves for the Kings (40-22-9), who had won four straight and nine of their past 10. Drew Doughty played in his 1,200th NHL game.
Los Angeles remained two points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers for second place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand. Edmonton lost 6-1 at the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
Logan O'Connor gave Colorado a 1-0 lead at 5:25 of the second period when he chipped in a loose puck at the top of the crease. Makar was driving the net when Joel Edmundson knocked the puck off his stick and to the middle of the ice.
Necas extended it to 2-0 at 6:57. He retrieved the puck behind the net and quickly backhanded it past the leg of Rittich. Samuel Girard then knocked the puck off the end boards back to Necas.
Necas scored again to make it 3-0 with a power-play goal at 15:29. He one-timed Makar’s pass from the right dot through MacKinnon’s moving screen in front.
Drouin pushed it to 4-0 on the power play at 4:56 of the third period, one-timing MacKinnon’s crossing pass from the right dot glove side.
MacKinnon’s 23-game home point streak (15 goals, 25 assists) broke a tie with Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets (22 games) for the longest in the NHL this season.
Calgary Flames 2 - 5 Dallas Stars
In an intense match against the Calgary Flames, Casey DeSmith delivered an impressive performance, making 46 saves to propel the Dallas Stars to a 5-2 victory and extend their point streak to seven games. The Stars, benefiting from goals by Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz, Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund, and Wyatt Johnston, reinforced their status as strong contenders by moving within four points of the Winnipeg Jets for the top spot in the Central Division and Western Conference. Nazem Kadri stood out for the Flames, scoring twice and extending his goal-scoring streak to five games. Highlighting moments included Dallas scoring twice within 1:16 in the second period, and key goals being nullified upon review, aiding in their win. Despite the loss, Calgary remained optimistic about their effort, though they now trail St. Louis by six points for a playoff spot with three games in hand. Additionally, Rantanen's milestone marked him as the third Finnish-born player to achieve five consecutive 30-goal seasons in the NHL.
Seattle Kraken 6 - 1 Edmonton Oilers
The Seattle Kraken triumphed over the Edmonton Oilers with a decisive 6-1 victory at Climate Pledge Arena, led by Jaden Schwartz's two goals during a remarkable five-goal second period. Jani Nyman, Andre Burakovsky, Jared McCann, and Matty Beniers also found the back of the net for the Kraken, snapping their three-game losing streak. Goalie Joey Daccord delivered a strong performance, making 36 saves. The Oilers, missing stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl due to injuries, suffered their second consecutive loss despite Zach Hyman's goal in the third period. The game included an interesting moment when a potential Edmonton goal by Jeff Skinner was overturned after video review due to a high stick by Connor Brown. Additionally, Olivier Rodrigue made his NHL debut for Edmonton, coming in as relief for Calvin Pickard in the third period.
San Jose Sharks 6 - 5 Toronto Maple Leafs
In a thrilling matchup at the SAP Center, the Toronto Maple Leafs staged a dramatic comeback late in regulation only to fall 6-5 in a shootout to the San Jose Sharks. William Nylander and John Tavares each scored pivotal goals in the final minute to tie the game, with Joseph Woll pulled for the extra skater, but the Maple Leafs couldn't clinch the victory in the shootout. Nylander had a standout game with two goals, bringing his season total to a personal best of 42, while Auston Matthews also contributed a goal and an assist. Meanwhile, the Sharks were buoyed by Tyler Toffoli's two-goal performance and William Eklund's notable one goal and one assist. With this loss, Toronto remains ahead by a slim margin in the Atlantic Division standings, leading both the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning by just one point.