12.04.2025
Ottawa Senators 5 - 2 Montreal Canadiens
Shane Pinto scored twice to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, boosting their lead for the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The game, played at the Canadian Tire Centre, had a playoff-like atmosphere, as noted by Pinto. Ridly Greig contributed a goal and an assist, while Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens also scored for the Senators, with Linus Ullmark making 20 saves. Montreal, which had its six-game winning streak snapped, got goals from Christian Dvorak and Nick Suzuki, with Sam Montembeault making 28 saves. Despite the loss, the Canadiens remain in the second wild card, six points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. Ottawa coach Travis Green emphasized the game as a test of their playoff readiness, and the performance of Pinto, Greig, and Michael Amadio's line was particularly praised for shutting down Montreal's best line. Additionally, Jake Sanderson reached a personal milestone by becoming the sixth Senators defenseman to record 100 assists, while Ottawa continued their impressive record of nearly perfect wins when Pinto scores.
Tampa Bay Lightning 3 - 4 Detroit Red Wings
In a thrilling overtime victory, Marco Kasper's second goal secured a 4-3 win for the Detroit Red Wings over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kasper netted the winner at 3:22 of overtime following a crucial turnover in the neutral zone caused by Simon Edvinsson. Kasper's tying goal came at 12:59 in the third period, assisted by Alex DeBrincat. The victory kept the Red Wings' playoff hopes alive, leaving them six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the Eastern Conference wild card with three games remaining. Patrick Kane contributed significantly with a goal and an assist, while Alex Lyon made 18 saves. The Lightning's Gage Goncalves scored twice, and Anthony Cirelli added a goal and an assist, yet their recent struggles continued with the team's fourth loss in five games. Despite earning a point to clinch a top-three Atlantic Division finish, Tampa Bay's coach Jon Cooper expressed frustration over the team's performance. Highlights included Tyler Motte's opportunistic goal and notable plays from Brandon Hagel, who recorded two assists, continuing his productive streak.
New Jersey Devils 2 - 4 Pittsburgh Penguins
In a thrilling matchup, the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to overcome a 2-0 deficit by scoring four consecutive goals for a 4-2 victory against the New Jersey Devils in Newark. Key contributions came from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, each tallying a goal and an assist, with Crosby netting the game-winning power-play goal, his 99th career game-winner, which pushed him past Bobby Hull and Guy Lafleur for 10th-most in NHL history. The Penguins' Bryan Rust also had a standout performance, extending his point streak to five games with a goal and an assist, as well as sealing the win with an empty-netter. Despite the loss, New Jersey remained poised for their upcoming playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Devils struggled on special teams, going 0-for-3 on the power play and allowing two power-play goals, which proved costly. Meanwhile, Tristan Jarry's solid 26-save effort contributed to the Penguins' recent 9-4-2 run.
Edmonton Oilers 4 - 2 San Jose Sharks
In a decisive game at Rogers Place, Connor McDavid notched four assists as the Edmonton Oilers secured their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Evan Bouchard, who registered a goal and an assist, opened the scoring with a powerful slap shot, while Ty Emberson's first goal of the season and Corey Perry's decisive third-period contribution gave Edmonton a crucial edge. Despite the Sharks' Will Smith extending his goal streak and Henry Thrun's equalizer, the Oilers emerged victorious, thanks to McDavid's playmaking and Connor Brown's empty-netter. The win places Edmonton third in the Pacific Division, two points shy of the Los Angeles Kings. Notably, both teams dealt with injuries, as Oilers' Mattias Ekholm and Zach Hyman, and Sharks' defensemen Jack Thompson and Timothy Liljegren, exited the game early.
Calgary Flames 4 - 2 Minnesota Wild
The Calgary Flames secured a crucial 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild, bolstering their position in the Western Conference wild-card race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund each found the back of the net, with Backlund's goal stemming from a rebound off a sharp angle shot by Blake Coleman. Yegor Sharangovich and Ryan Lomberg also contributed to the Flames' offense, capitalizing on defensive miscues by the Wild to build a 4-0 lead. The Wild, who missed the chance to clinch a playoff spot, responded with late goals from Yakov Trenin and Gustav Nyquist but were unable to close the gap. Calgary's win was underpinned by a strong performance from goalie Dustin Wolf, who made 16 saves, while Filip Gustavsson allowed four goals on 29 shots before being replaced by Marc-Andre Fleury. With this win, the Flames narrowed the gap to three points behind Minnesota and the St. Louis Blues, with one fewer game played than both rivals.