LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Fiala scored twice, Darcy Kuemper stopped 22 shots, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the New York Rangers 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Phillip Danault also scored as the Kings extended their home point streak to 15 games (12-0-3). Los Angeles is the second team in the NHL to have a home streak of at least 15 games, joining Washington (11-0-5).
J. T. Miller scored for New York, and Igor Shesterkin finished with 30 saves. The Rangers have lost four of their last five games.
Miller put New York ahead 1-0 at 2:10 of the second period with a goal awarded after a review. It initially appeared a sprawled Kuemper kept the puck out with a sweeping right pad. However, it was called a goal by the situation room in Toronto after replays showed the puck crossed the line before the goalie’s right skate swept it away.
Danault, playing in his 700th NHL game, put the Kings ahead on their second power-play goal of the night as he put in the rebound with 2:12 to go in the second.
Fiala added an empty-netter for his second of the night with 15.1 seconds remaining.
Takeaways
Rangers: New York has lost eight of 11 (3-6-8) to remain one point out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Kings: Los Angeles won for the ninth time in 10 games and moved two points ahead of Edmonton for second place in the Pacific Division.
Key moment
Kuemper made a point-black save on the Rangers’ Will Cuylle from the right doorstep with about 7:47 to go. He then slid across to pounce on the loose puck after Vincent Trocheck’s shot was blocked by Adrian Kempe seconds later, preserving the Kings’ 2-1 lead.
Key stat
The Kings, 28th on the power play at 15.7% coming in, converted on multiple chances in a game for the first time since Oct. 14 when they went 3 for 5 in an 8-7 overtime loss at Ottawa in their third game of the season.
Up next
Rangers visit Anaheim on Friday, and Kings play at Colorado on Thursday.
For the second time this season, the Colorado Avalanche hosted the Detroit Red Wings in Denver, Colorado. The Red Wings have been struggling lately, with a record of 3-7-0 in…
Calgary, AB - The Seattle Kraken concluded their road trip with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Nazem Kadri played a pivotal role in the Flames' victory, scoring both the game-winning goal and his second goal of the night. This win was crucial for Calgary, as it secured them two points, bringing their total to 79. The Flames are now just four points behind the St. Louis Blues, who sit in second place in the wild card standings with 83 points.
In goal, Joey Daccord defended the net for Seattle, while Dustin Wolf did the same for Calgary. Both teams celebrated milestones, with Seattle’s Ryker Evans and Calgary’s Matt Coronato each playing in their 100th NHL game.
The game began with a goal from Adam Klapka, who scored his second of the season to give the Flames a 1-0 lead. The Kraken answered in the second period, with Jaden Schwartz scoring his 21st goal of the season on a power play, followed by Tye Kartye’s fifth goal, which gave Seattle a 2-1 lead.
Calgary responded with two goals of their own. First, Kadri capitalized on a power play to score his 27th of the season, tying the game at 2-2. Then, Rasmus Andersson fired a snap shot past Daccord, assisted by Matt Coronato, putting the Flames ahead 3-2.
With less than two minutes on the clock Jordan Eberle tied things up 3-3 with a wicked wrist shot past Wolf, forcing the overtime.
The Kraken return home to host the final contest of the season with the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday at 7PM PST.
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Well, that one was a doozy for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In fact, it was one of their worst losses of the season.
On Tuesday, the Penguins were outclassed by the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 6-1 rout, pretty much being outplayed after the first few minutes of the game. Pittsburgh registered four of the first five shots on goal, and after that, the Lightning completely took over the game.
Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry was pulled after allowing four goals on the first six shots. Anthony Cirelli opened the scoring a little more than 12 minutes into the opening frame, picking up a rebound off a Ryan McDonagh shot in the low slot area and sneaking it past Jarry. McDonagh got a goal of his own just over a minute later, as he threw the puck at the net from a sharp angle on the left wall that hit Penguins forward Rickard Rakell's skate and went in.
But the Lightning just kept coming. Cirelli potted his second goal of the game - and 26th of the season - less than two minutes later, and Brayden Point put one home 48 seconds after that to chase Jarry from the game and put the Bolts up, 4-0.
All four goals happened in a span of less than four minutes, and it pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game, in which the Lightning outshot the Penguins, 27-15.
"We just didn't play well enough," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "Most of the first, I didn't think it was all that bad, but it just seemed like every chance went in the net. It was one of those nights."
Nikita Kucherov added insult to injury within the last five minutes of the second period, as he capitalized on a Lightning power play resulting from a Ryan Graves interference penalty that sent him crashing into Alex Nedeljkovic, who had relieved Jarry in the first. And before the middle frame was over - with less than a minute remaining - Brandon Hagel put home his 33rd goal of the season to give Tampa Bay the 6-0 lead.
But all of it was too little, too late, and the Penguins know they can't let games get away from them early on. The good news is that they will get right back at it against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, and they have a chance to wipe this one from memory pretty quickly.
"We just gotta reset," Rakell said. "Look at the next game, learn from our mistakes today, and just restart. It's a new game for us, a new chance for us to respond."
Despite reaching the 40-goal mark for the third consecutive season during the Maple Leafs’ dominant 7-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night and becoming the second Swedish player in NHL history to record three consecutive 40-goal seasons, the star winger made it clear that his priorities are elsewhere.
“That’s pretty cool, but my focus is on the playoffs right now. That’s obviously fun to accomplish that, playing with great players, but what matters is the playoffs,” said Nylander.
His sentiment speaks to the 28-year-old’s mindset. Since entering the NHL in the 2015-16 season, he’s won just one playoff series and has been vocal about his desire to change that. Last postseason, the Leafs suffered another first-round exit, and Nylander was forced to miss time due to migraines.
He knows that his success only means so much if it doesn’t translate to the playoffs.
On Tuesday, that was on full display at Scotiabank Arena as the forward registered a season-high four points (2G, 2A) while tying his career-high in goals (40). His linemates, John Tavares and Bobby McMann, also had standout performances – Tavares posted two goals and two assists, while McMann added a goal and an assist.
The trio combined for 10 points on the night, but Nylander’s eyes are on the bigger picture.
“Just trying to do what I’m paid to do. That’s it,” said Nylander post-game.
With the victory, the Leafs reclaimed first place in the Atlantic Division, improving to 43-25-3 on the season with 89 points. Again, Nylander downplayed the possibility of winning the division, noting that the goal is to be successful in the post-season.
“I think that would be fun, but playoffs – that’s what the goal is, to be successful there. If we win on the way to having a good playoffs, that’s a nice little plus,” said Nylander.
The Swede’s third straight 40-goal season places him in elite company. He became just the fourth player in Maple Leafs history to record three consecutive 40-goal seasons, joining Auston Matthews (5), Lanny McDonald (3), and Rick Vaive (3).
“He’s a lot of fun to play with,” said Tavares. “Such a unique talent, and the way he’s elevated his game the last number of years and just becoming a perennial all-star. One of the top wingers in the game. Such a game breaker, one of the ultimate game-breakers in our league and certainly we’re thrilled to have him, and he’s having a great year. 40 is difficult to get, so he’s done a lot of good things, special player.”
“I think his work ethic is pretty exceptional. His desire to be the best player on the ice and make an impact is extremely high, he’s very driven that way. We’re certainly seeing it. Thrilled with the way he’s been playing for us all year,” he added.
Tavares and Nylander have developed a strong on-ice connection, with both players enjoying standout seasons. Tavares has been particularly hot of late, tallying five goals, three assists, and eight points over his last three games. Despite their contrasting personalities, has Nylander's laid-back approach – and perhaps even his goal-scoring touch – rubbed off on Tavares?
“Maybe a little bit. It’s just fun to laugh at him and chuckle and things like that,” said Tavares. “You appreciate someone with his drive and skillset, and that’s why I’ve always said he is built to play in Toronto and be a Maple Leaf. His ability to deal with all the attention and all the questions all the time, not taking things too seriously in the right way.”
Nylander had his fingerprints all over this game, helping the Leafs earn their 11th win of their last 12 meetings against the Flyers. Their second-period dominance – an area they’ve succeeded in for much of the season – was on display again Tuesday, as they registered four goals in the middle frame as the forward collected a goal and an assist to break the game open.
His knack for taking over games has only grown as he continues to evolve into a dynamic, all-around superstar on the wing, his teammates say.
“He’s awesome. I love watching Will play; he’s one of one, for sure,” said Max Domi. “The way he plays the game, and I mean that as a really huge compliment. He makes everyone around him better, hangs onto the puck, and he can just make guys look silly out there.”
“Just his ability to generate when you think there is nothing there. I think he sees the ice so well,” added linemate McMann. “He’s always working on his footwork and his puck handling. He always knows where the puck is on his stick. He can make heads-up plays all over the ice and generates a lot of offense.”
It was a commanding victory for the Leafs, one that was much-needed following a disappointing finish in Nashville on Saturday. The club now heads out for a California road trip, with their stars and squad carrying plenty of momentum.
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The Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights faced off for the third and final time of the regular season on Tuesday evening, Mar. 25. The Wild were on the second…
McMann has 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points in 63 games with the Maple Leafs this season.
Bobby McMann hit another career milestone on Tuesday in the Maple Leafs' 7-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 28-year-old scored in the second period off a great feed from William Nylander behind Philadelphia's net. The goal, which put the Maple Leafs up 3-1, was McMann's 20th goal of the season.
It's the first time he's hit the 20-goal mark in the NHL.
"It's great. If you told me at the start I'd get that, I'd be happy," he said following the game." But just happy we won more than anything and feeling good about our team game."
McMann's story is few and far between. An undrafted forward who signs an AHL deal, starts his career in the ECHL, and works his way up to eventually getting an NHL contract and opportunity with the Maple Leafs.
There wasn't much known about McMann when he showed up in Toronto in 2021, but it's clear he's used every chance to grow his game.
"There's many different ways to get [to the NHL] and continue to believe in yourself and trust yourself. Sometimes you just need the right opportunity, the right break, and like I said, continue to believe in yourself, enjoy the game, and appreciate the journey," John Tavares said on Tuesday night.
"Everyone's different, but thrilled for Bobby and what he's become for us as a player and his impact, not just on the scoresheet, which is obviously phenomenal and a great accomplishment by him, but certainly how he can be counted on in so many different areas and make an impact for us.
"His journey is a great one for a lot of young kids to learn from."
McMann's career started to take off during the 2021-22 season, where he broke the Marlies' rookie goal record with 24 goals in 61 games. He filled the back of the net in the AHL again the following season with 21 goals in 30 games before getting a shot in the NHL.
The Wainwright, Alberta, native lauded former Marlies head coach Greg Moore as someone who helped him unlock his potential at the next level.
"I think my decision-making, as far as when to carry the puck and when to dump and try and go get the puck back. I think that's a skill that's sometimes overlooked and I think there's guys that I've watched previously trying to break into the league that do that really well," McMann said.
"That was something I worked on with the Marlies a little bit. Understanding how you can be effective and how I can carve a role for myself in the NHL. I think that was something that was really big for me. And then, it's watching video and then try to get the reps every game and every practice."
That process has helped McMann. And now, he's on the Maple Leafs' second line, producing alongside players like Tavares and Nylander. Even Max Domi, who, at moments, has played alongside McMann, offered praise for the 20-goal scorer on Tuesday.
"He's a really good skater. He can score. He knows where to go, goes to the dirty areas, and has got that knack [for goal scoring]. He's playing great hockey right now."
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has rotated McMann between Toronto's second and third lines this season. There was also a point in the year when the forward played alongside Auston Matthews on the team's top line.
When asked about McMann following their win against the Flyers, Berube mentioned how he "quietly goes about his business" while being a consistent player for the Maple Leafs.
"I think you get pretty consistent play out of him in terms of what he needs to do to be successful. He does a lot of things right every game and they go unnoticed a lot of times," Berube said.
"But his skating, he really does a great job of pushing D back all the time with his speed and he's very consistent at it. He skates extremely well and he's a big, strong guy and he's on top of pucks all the time."
McMann has never played a postseason game in the NHL, though it's trending like he will in a couple of weeks. He's been able to produce consistently in the regular season, and the next step will be doing so in the playoffs, when Toronto will need it most.
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The Winnipeg Jets came out on top in the battle of the NHL’s two conference-leading teams Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre, winning 3-2 in overtime over the Washington Capitals.…
Playing without star forward Gabe Vilardi (who is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury) the Jets bounced back from losses to the Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres this past week with a 3-2 overtime victory over the league-leading Washington Capitals.
On Tuesday, Alex Ovechkin scored his 889th career NHL goal, tying the game between the NHL's top two clubs with four minutes remaining.
Ovechkin's goal was the second deficit the Capitals were able to rally back from, coming back from 1-0 and 2-1 Jets leads as the visitors.
But it was Winnipeg's Nikolaj Ehlers who got the game-winner for the Jets at 1:28 of the overtime period, improving the Jets to 49-19-4 on the season.
Josh Morrisey and Mason Appleton got the other goals for Winnipeg, while Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 27 shots, helping the jets pull to within one point of Washington and securing a place in the postseason.
Tuesday's game was the third-straight sellout of the season at Canada Life Centre, which saw the Jets improve to 26-6-4 at home.
Morrissey opened the scoring for Winnipeg on a heavy slap shot 6:50 into the first period. Dylan DeMelo got the puck up to Mark Scheifele, who teed it up for his fellow alternate captain. Morrissey stepped into the puck, which deflected off a Washington player and int the net.
Alex Iafallo - who was called up from the fourth line to fill in for the injured Gabe Vilardi - caused problems in front of the net, contributing to Morrissey's 12th of the season.
Washington got one back late in the first period, with Andrew Mangiapane beating Hellebuyck high, blocker-side on a three-on-two up-ice. Winnipeg led 8-6 on the shot chart through 20 minutes of 1-1 hockey.
The Jets killed off back-to-back penalties to Cole Perfetti and Luke Schenn in the second period, keeping the always-potent Alex Ovechkin and power play off the board. Shortly after a man advantage of their own expired, Winnipeg restored its lead.
Nino Niederreiter found Appleton speeding up the wing, who put wrist shot through Logan Thompson with just 10.4 seconds to play, handing the Jets a 2-1 lead with 20 minutes to play.
Winnipeg failed to find the twine on a third period power play, keeping the door open for a Washington comeback.
That was all Ovechkin needed - a glimmer of hope. He struck off a play from Alaiksei Protas, and from the offensive zone face-off dot, he has been nearly unstoppable.
The goal sent the game to overtime, to which the Capitals hit the post in the early going.
But it was a stretch pass from Dylan Samberg that found Ehlers flying up the wing. He ripped home his 24th of the season, sealing the deal on the Jets' 49th win of the season.
Hellebuyck turned aside 27 of the 29 shots he faced, collecting his 41st win of the season, while Thompson, the former Brandon Wheat King star, made 22 stops for Washington.
Next up for the Jets is the third test of the four-game homestand on Friday night, as the New Jersey Devils roll into town for a 7:00 PM central showdown. Vancouver makes its way back to Manitoba on Sunday afternoon to close out the homestand.
A four-goal second period and four-point nights from John Tavares and William Nylander propelled the Toronto Maple Leafs (42-25-3) to a 7-2 demolition of the Philadelphia Flyers (28-35-9). Nylander, Tavares,…
