02.04.2025
Boston Bruins 3 - 4 Washington Capitals
In a thrilling game at TD Garden, the Washington Capitals edged the Boston Bruins 4-3, with Alex Ovechkin scoring his 891st career goal, bringing him within four goals of Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time record. Ovechkin's power-play goal gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead in the first period, following Nic Dowd's short-handed opener. The Capitals, who had lost their previous three games, fought off a Bruins comeback spurred by two goals from David Pastrnak. Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson each added a goal to secure the win, while Charlie Lindgren made 21 saves for Washington, moving the team within one point of the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the NHL standings. The game also marked the NHL debut of Ryan Leonard, who signed with the Capitals and impressed in his first professional outing in front of supportive family and friends. The Bruins, struggling with nine consecutive losses, fought hard but ultimately couldn't overcome Washington's offense.
Montreal Canadiens 3 - 2 Florida Panthers
Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki scored two critical goals, one with nine seconds left in regulation and another just 29 seconds into overtime, to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers, breaking a wild card tie in the NHL playoff race. Josh Anderson also contributed with an early goal, while Lane Hutson provided three assists, setting a new franchise record for rookie defenseman assists, surpassing Chris Chelios. Despite Florida's valiant effort, with goals from Niko Mikkola and Mackie Samoskevich and Vitek Vanecek's 18 saves, the Canadiens mounted a late comeback, propelled by an energetic home crowd at Bell Centre. Panthers forward Nico Sturm left the game early due to a collision, and Suzuki's rapid scoring feat marked the third-fastest consecutive goals by the same player in NHL history.
Ottawa Senators 2 - 5 Buffalo Sabres
In a dominant performance, the Buffalo Sabres secured a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, marking their fifth win in six games and a season sweep against Ottawa. Tage Thompson continued his scoring streak with his fifth goal in as many games, highlighting Buffalo's newfound confidence in closing out contests, a skill they struggled with earlier in the season. Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch each contributed a goal and an assist, while Mattias Samuelsson added two assists. James Reimer was pivotal in goal, recording his fifth consecutive win with 33 saves. The Sabres were perfect on the penalty kill, shutting down Ottawa’s power play attempts. Despite goals from Claude Giroux and Jake Sanderson, the Senators could not overcome the early deficit. The Sabres’ aggressive style and improved puck management were key to their success, as they look to finish the season strong.
Columbus Blue Jackets 8 - 4 Nashville Predators
In an impressive 8-4 victory over the Nashville Predators, Kirill Marchenko of the Columbus Blue Jackets achieved a hat trick and an assist, marking his third NHL hat trick. Highlights of the game included contributions from Sean Monahan with two goals and two assists, and Adam Fantilli, who also netted two goals and an assist. This victory brought the Blue Jackets’ recent record to three wins in their past four games, while the Predators continued to struggle, extending their losing streak to four games. Columbus remains closely competitive for a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Montreal Canadiens by two points but holding a game in hand. Notably, Nashville's Juuse Saros was pulled after allowing seven goals on 26 shots, and Columbus set a league season-high by scoring at least six goals in a game for the 14th time.
New York Islanders 1 - 4 Tampa Bay Lightning
In a crucial match, the Tampa Bay Lightning triumphed over the New York Islanders with a 4-1 victory at UBS Arena, led by Nikita Kucherov's two assists, extending his impressive point streak to nine games. Kucherov, who tops the NHL with 111 points, has been pivotal for the Lightning, who closed the gap with the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Islanders, struggling with a six-game losing streak, failed to capitalize on key power play opportunities, remaining five points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the last wild card spot. Andrei Vasilevskiy's solid performance with 28 saves and Victor Hedman's crucial goal in the second period highlighted Tampa Bay's dominance. Notably, Jake Guentzel reached a career milestone with his 300th NHL assist, while Bo Horvat's short-handed goal offered a brief respite for the Islanders in a match defined by defensive blunders and missed chances.
St Louis Blues 2 - 1 Detroit Red Wings
The St. Louis Blues edged past the Detroit Red Wings with a 2-1 overtime victory at Enterprise Center, extending their winning streak to 10 games. Cam Fowler scored the winning goal at 3:27 of overtime after receiving a setup from Robert Thomas, completing the comeback initiated by Jordan Kyrou's last-minute third-period equalizer with an extra skater on the ice. Goalie Jordan Binnington made 20 crucial saves, propelling the Blues one point ahead of Minnesota for the first wild card in the Western Conference playoffs. Despite an impressive 35-save performance by Cam Talbot, Detroit's J.T. Compher was the only Red Wings player to score, as the team suffered their 12th loss in 16 games, jeopardizing their own playoff hopes. St. Louis' recent form has seen them outscore opponents 41-14 during their streak. Jimmy Snuggerud made his NHL debut for the Blues, registering two shots over 10:43 on ice.
Utah Hockey Club 3 - 1 Calgary Flames
In an impressive performance, Karel Vejmelka's 33 saves propelled the Utah Hockey Club to a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames at the Delta Center. Utah showcased a strong offensive effort with goals from Clayton Keller, Kevin Stenlund, and Barrett Hayton, marking their second consecutive win and bringing their record to 34-29-12. Despite an early lead from Stenlund's first-period one-timer and Hayton's quick backhand goal in the second, a potential tying goal by Mikael Backlund for the Flames was disallowed upon review, as the puck was deemed not to have crossed the line. The Flames’ Rasmus Andersson managed to cut the lead with a glove-side goal, but Keller sealed the victory for Utah with an empty-netter in the game's final moments. The Flames, struggling with recent performance, have now lost three of their last four games.
Vegas Golden Knights - - - Edmonton Oilers
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Anaheim Ducks - - - San Jose Sharks
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Los Angeles Kings - - - Winnipeg Jets
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