06.04.2025
New Jersey Devils 4 - 0 New York Rangers
Devils shut out Rangers, who fail to gain in wild-card race
NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Devils scored a power-play goal, a short-handed goal and empty-net goal in a 4-0 win against the New York Rangers at Prudential Center on Saturday.
“Special teams have been good all year, but you have to come through in those important moments,” Meier said. “We did that tonight.”
Markstrom, who also shut out the Rangers here on Dec. 23, became the second goalie in franchise history with multiple shutouts against them in a season, joining Martin Brodeur, who did it in 2003-04.
It was Markstrom's fourth shutout of the season and first since returning from a knee injury on March 2 that caused him to miss 11 games.
“He made some great saves in crucial moments in the game,” said Hischier, the New Jersey captain. “I’m really happy for him and the work he’s done and now getting the shutout, we’re all really happy.”
“We control what we can control and go out there and try to win as many games as we can,” New York forward
The game was 0-0 midway through the second period with the teams playing 5-on-5.
“On the bench, I felt it might take a power play to be the difference,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said, “but they got the first (power play) so we had to get it killed. Once we had [a power play], obviously, it didn’t take us long."
With Rangers forward
Hischier won the face-off in the offensive zone clean to defenseman
“Huge face-off win by Nico, great job by Luke to attack the middle of the ice and kind of freeze everyone and open up some space for Timo to rip it,” Keefe said.
New York then went back on the power play at 11:49, but New Jersey scored again, with
“A very nice pass from ‘Dilly,’ Hischier said. “He could’ve cleared it, but he sees ‘Bratter’ and we go away on a 2-on-1.”
It was the third short-handed goal the Rangers have allowed in their past four games.
“We’re looking for something offensively, maybe pressing too much,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said. “Any time you’re doing that, you’re subject to get caught the other way.” Meier scored his second goal of the game and 24th of the season at 14:59 of the third period to make it a 3-0 game.
Hischier scored his team-leading 35th goal into an empty net on an assist from Bratt at 16:12 for the 4-0 final.
“It’s fun,” Markstrom said. “There are lot of Devils fans who work with Rangers fans and Islanders fans and they come in in their spare time and support us, so you want to give them some bragging rights.”
NOTES: It was the 120th and 121st time Bratt and Hischier factored into the same goal in their careers; that’s tied for 10th in Devils history with Patrik Elias and Jason Arnott, as well as
Ottawa Senators 3 - 0 Florida Panthers
Forsberg, Senators shut out Panthers, gain in Atlantic
OTTAWA --
"You love seeing a guy come in like that and shut the door for you against the defending Stanley Cup Champions," Ottawa forward
Forsberg, who made 15 saves in the third period, allowed no goals in regulation for his second straight start; he made 34 saves in a 1-0 overtime loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
"To be honest, it's been a process all year," Forsberg said of his play. "Even in the beginning of the year, the stats might not have been the best. I didn't feel like I played badly or anything, so we kind of just talked about sticking with it, sticking with the process and work on the things we know I need to work on. And right now, obviously, there's been some success with it."
"Tonight, he was an absolute stud," Sanderson said of Forsberg. "They threw every single puck to the net, and honestly, I thought the most impressive part about his game was that he was getting out of his crease, playing the puck very well, and when he does that, it helps the whole team. He was awesome tonight."
"It's definitely frustrating," Panthers forward
Florida, which has lost four straight games (0-3-1), was shut out for the first time since Dec. 18 (4-0 loss to the Canadiens). The Panthers are two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for second in the Atlantic and six points behind the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I feel like 5-on-5 we were the better team," Florida forward
Sanderson gave the Senators a 1-0 lead at 11:21 of the first period.
"I think there's certain players that you just kind of sit back and you watch," Ottawa coach Travis Green said of Sanderson. "You don't over coach; you just watch them develop. His game is just slowly evolving into more. It's great to watch and see him progress. We're lucky to have him, quite honestly."
Moments after missing an open net at the edge of the crease, Batherson tipped a shot by
"[The first] one hit my skate there and went across the line," Batherson said. "And then I didn't even mean to tip the Cozens shot. It just kind of hit my blade and went in, so I apologized. I said, 'Sorry man, I didn't mean to.' But it happens, I'll take it."
"There [is] a big chunk of our game that looks the way it's supposed to look," Florida coach Paul Maurice said. "I thought our gap was really good, hunt-backs were really good, we were pretty direct to their net. We made a handful of small mistakes 5-on-5, but not many to worry about. So, the game was played right."
NOTES: Forsberg became the fifth goalie in team history to have a 40-save shutout. … With their ninth shutout of the season, the Senators tied the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets for most in the NHL. … Ottawa improved to 22-1-1 this season when Pinto has a point. … Panthers forward
Dallas Stars 3 - 5 Pittsburgh Penguins
In an exciting match, Sidney Crosby secured a hat trick to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-3 victory over the Dallas Stars, ending the Stars' seven-game winning streak. Crosby's performance included an assist, marking his 43rd four-point game in the NHL and extending his point streak to 12 games, the longest active streak in the league. Blake Lizotte's late goal proved decisive, with Bryan Rust also contributing, notching his 200th career NHL goal. Despite Evgenii Dadonov's hat trick for Dallas, the Penguins held firm, aided by Tristan Jarry's 21 saves. Crosby's achievements during the game further solidified his standing among hockey greats, surpassing Evgeni Malkin for the second-most hat tricks in Penguins history and tying Jaromir Jagr for four-point games, both behind franchise icon Mario Lemieux.
Vancouver Canucks 6 - 2 Anaheim Ducks
The Vancouver Canucks secured a decisive 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, highlighted by a record-setting five-goal blitz within just 4:30 of the first period, marking the fastest time the Canucks have scored five goals in franchise history. This offensive surge featured contributions from five different players, including the first NHL goal for 21-year-old rookie Elias Pettersson. The win helped Vancouver snap a three-game losing streak and move closer to the Western Conference's second wild-card spot, narrowing the gap to six points with a game in hand over the Minnesota Wild. Notable performances included Quinn Hughes with two assists and Thatcher Demko's 30 saves. Despite their effort, the Ducks, already out of playoff contention, were unable to capitalize on multiple scoring opportunities, including hitting the post four times. Meanwhile, Troy Terry became Anaheim's fourth player to reach 20 goals this season.
Los Angeles Kings 3 - 0 Edmonton Oilers
Kuemper makes 27 saves, Kings shut out Oilers
LOS ANGELES --
“He’s been stellar for us all year,” Los Angeles captain
“We’ve been playing pretty well,” Kopitar said. “Some nights, you know, not necessarily the greatest hockey, but still gets it done. So that’s something we want to continue building and make sure we’re ready when playoffs roll around.”
“It’s one of those games where we were there,” Edmonton forward
The Oilers did not have centers
“You take two of the best players in the world, you take ‘em out of our lineup, I mean, it is what it is,” Perry said. “They’re the best players in the world for a reason. We had some chances. We couldn’t sustain pressure.”
Fiala reached the 30-goal mark for the second time in his NHL career when he put Los Angeles ahead 1-0 at 9:20 of the second period. He charged the top of the crease, was able to knock down the rebound of
“I think that just shows kind of the growth in his game as well,” Laferriere said. “I think when he came here, he just kind of liked to dangle guys, and now I think he’s put such another element to his game. Grinds down low and makes hard plays, backchecks hard, and I think that’s just such a testament to him, and he’s really rounded out his game.”
Fiala had 33 goals in 82 games for the Minnesota Wild in 2021-22. He is the third Switzerland-born player with multiple 30-goal seasons;
The Kings have two 30-goal scorers in the same season in
“I think that just shows how dynamic he is,” Laferriere said of Fiala. “I think his skill is unbelievable. He’s one of the most skilled players in this League, and I think you see it on a nightly basis.”
Kuzmenko made it 2-0 at 16:08 on a wrist shot from the right circle. He has seven points (three goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak.
Lewis scored an empty-net goal at 17:03 of the third period for the 3-0 final.
“Listen, they’re a good hockey team,” Perry said. “They’re well-rehearsed, and they play with structure, and they play it to the best of their abilities.”
NOTES: Kempe got his 200th NHL assist. …
Boston Bruins 5 - 1 Carolina Hurricanes
David Pastrnak's hat trick and two assists propelled the Boston Bruins to a 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, snapping a 10-game losing streak delighting fans at TD Garden. Morgan Geekie contributed a goal and four assists while Elias Lindholm chipped in with a goal and two assists, helping the Bruins end an 0-9-1 skid. Jeremy Swayman was stellar in goal, making 39 saves in his 100th NHL win. Despite being eliminated from playoff contention, the Bruins celebrated this victory as Pastrnak reached his fifth 40-goal season and tied Rick Middleton for the second-most 40-goal seasons in Bruins history. Additionally, Pastrnak became the fifth Bruins player to have three consecutive 90-point seasons, and he and Geekie became the first Bruins teammates to notch five points in a game since 2019. On the losing side, Justin Robidas scored his first NHL goal for Carolina, who now lead the New Jersey Devils by seven points for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
Buffalo Sabres 3 - 2 Tampa Bay Lightning
The Buffalo Sabres claimed a 3-2 shootout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, with Tage Thompson netting his 40th goal of the season. Despite the Lightning securing a playoff spot earlier in the day, they were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, as Sabres players Jack Quinn and Alex Tuch sealed the win in the shootout. Jason Zucker's third-period goal for Buffalo tied the game after Tampa Bay's Brayden Point and Gage Goncalves had scored earlier. James Reimer, making 22 saves, continued his impressive form, starting in all of Buffalo's six wins out of the past seven games. The Lightning, second in the Atlantic Division, saw notable performances from Jonas Johansson with 36 saves and Zemgus Girgensons, who returned to Buffalo for the first time after joining Tampa Bay. Thompson became the eighth Sabre to achieve multiple 40-goal seasons, joining the ranks of players like Thomas Vanek. Noah Ostlund also made his NHL debut for Buffalo.
Toronto Maple Leafs 5 - 0 Columbus Blue Jackets
Robertson, Nylander each scores twice, Maple Leafs ease past Blue Jackets
TORONTO --
Stolarz made 27 saves for his second shutout of the season and 10th in the NHL,
“Staying in games, tight games where it’s tight checking,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “Not opening it up, not forcing things and getting frustrated and then taking it over in the third period. That’s the biggest thing I can tell you about what I like right now.”
Toronto increased its lead for first place in the Atlantic Division to four points over the Tampa Bay Lightning, who lost 3-2 in a shootout against the Buffalo Sabres.
Columbus fell to six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference after Montreal defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2.
“It’s reality, it’s difficult because we can’t think we played a real strong first period,” Columbus coach Dean Evason said. “Started right, started with the right mindset, energy level was great but for whatever reason you lack some confidence and something bad happens like a goal and all of a sudden we are reeling a bit. It’s uncharacteristic for this team, for us to do that. So we’ve got to find a way as coaches and players to if something does happen like that and we are outplaying a team or playing really well, we just have to stay with it.”
The Maple Leafs went up 1-0 at 10:03 of the first period when Robertson, who had been a healthy scratch the past three games, took a pass from
“It feels great,” Robertson said. “You want to make an impact on the game and scoring a couple does that. You just try to feed off that and continue that confidence. (The scratches) gave me a reset, gives me even more of that hunger to get back in there and be effective and try and make the most of any opportunity I’m given.”
Robertson pushed it to 2-0 at 12:28 of the second period.
“It’s huge,” Stolarz said of Robertson. “He’s a very skilled player and works extremely hard so for him to seamlessly step back into the lineup and score two important goals for us to get us going, that’s huge for us and huge for his confidence I’m sure.”
Nylander made it 3-0 at 1:11 of the third period when he got to a rebound from Rielly’s point shot and shot between Merzlikins’ pads. He scored again at 4:21 to make it 4-0 when he took a pass from Rielly in the neutral zone, cut into the slot and shot to the blocker side for his 44th goal of the season.
“I don’t think we were desperate enough in the third period,” Columbus captain
Matthews put the Maple Leafs up 5-0 at 16:27 with his 30th goal of the season when he took a pass from
Toronto had lost its prior two games against Columbus this season, 6-2 on Oct. 22 and 5-1 on Jan. 22.
“We talked about that before the game being due," Rielly said. "I thought the other guys played well, we got a couple in the third and the score looks different but it was a close game.”
“We understand the importance of these games at this time of year so being up two is a good spot and a good opportunity for our guys to work at closing games out. So we’re happy with the result and the third period plays a big part in that.”
NOTES: Nylander’s second goal was his 261st, moving him past Wendel Clark for ninth place on the Maple Leafs all-time goals list… Marner’s assist extended his point streak to seven games (three goals, eight assists). It was his 70th of the season, making him the third player in Maple Leafs history with a 70-assist season, joining
Montreal Canadiens 3 - 2 Philadelphia Flyers
The Montreal Canadiens delivered a thrilling comeback with three goals in the third period to secure a 3-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers for their fourth consecutive win at Bell Centre. Nick Suzuki had a standout performance with a goal and an assist, while Brendan Gallagher and Lane Hutson also contributed goals. Suzuki's short-handed goal exemplified his determined play, described as “a dog on a bone” by Hutson. The Canadiens, now unbeaten in regulation at home in nine games, are holding the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Meanwhile, the Flyers, under interim coach Brad Shaw after John Tortorella's firing, faced playoff elimination despite an early lead from Ryan Poehling. Notably, Tyson Foerster scored late for Philadelphia, and Karsen Dorwart made his NHL debut. Additionally, Gallagher reached the 20-goal mark for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
St Louis Blues 5 - 4 Colorado Avalanche
The St. Louis Blues achieved a franchise-record 12th consecutive win by narrowly defeating the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 at Enterprise Center. Jordan Binnington, part of the Blues' 2019 Stanley Cup-winning team, made 35 saves, contributing to his personal seventh straight winning start, and setting a franchise record with 10 consecutive home ice wins. Robert Thomas distinguished himself with a goal and three assists, extending his point streak to eight games, and Zack Bolduc scored two power-play goals. Despite trailing 4-0, the Avalanche staged a late comeback, spurred by goals from Ross Colton, Miles Wood, Nathan MacKinnon, and Sam Malinski, but ultimately fell short. The Avalanche remains secure in their playoff position while pursuing the Dallas Stars in the Central Division standings.
Utah Hockey Club 4 - 1 Winnipeg Jets
The Utah Hockey Club secured a decisive 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Delta Center, showcasing Karel Vejmelka's impressive performance with 32 saves. Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton, and Kevin Stenlund each contributed a goal and an assist as Utah capitalized on their power-play opportunities, going 2-for-3. The win was significant for Utah as they aimed to close the gap for a wild-card spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, sitting seven points behind the Minnesota Wild. Keller reached a milestone of 500 NHL points, becoming the fourth-youngest active U.S.-born player to do so. Despite the loss, the Jets maintained their lead in the Central Division, as Mark Scheifele also achieved his 500th NHL point. Sue Krasinskiutako responded to an earlier paragraph to highlight some key points.
Calgary Flames - - - Vegas Golden Knights
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San Jose Sharks 1 - 5 Seattle Kraken
Jared McCann’s standout performance, featuring two goals and an assist, propelled the Seattle Kraken to a commanding 5-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center. This win marked Seattle's second consecutive victory, with notable contributions from Andre Burakovsky, who recorded a goal and an assist, as well as Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz who each scored for the Kraken. Goalie Joey Daccord supported the effort with 23 saves. The Sharks, enduring a rough patch with a five-game losing streak, saw their only goal from Will Smith, while goalie Alexandar Georgiev was relieved after allowing four goals. The Kraken’s decisive play was highlighted by McCann's opening goal, Burakovsky’s extension of the lead, and subsequent goals that secured a comprehensive win.