Some believe the Montreal Canadiens have one of the easiest schedules match-up-wise until the end of the season, but I disagree. For some reason, Martin St. Louis’s men tend to play down to the opposition. They did it in the first period of the game against the Boston Bruins, and Saturday night’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers started similarly.

Canadiens: Jacob Fowler’s Fantastic New Mask
Flyers Played Their Game and the Canadiens Were Just Better
Canadiens: The Jacques-Beauchamp-Molson Trophy

Keeping It Simple

The first frame wasn’t a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but Juraj Slafkovsky stood out for all the wrong reasons. The big Slovak is at his best when he keeps it simple, but during the first 20 minutes, he repeatedly tried cross-ice passes that could have been costly. The former first overall pick is a good player, but he doesn’t have Lane Hutson’s deceptive game. It seems like he needs to be reminded of that at times.

His game should concentrate on using his big frame to apply relentless forecheck with big, punishing hits, a bit like Josh Anderson typically does. On Saturday night, Anderson was absent for family reasons (his wife must have gone into labor), and his absence was felt, especially with Slafkovsky not sticking to the best kind of game for him. To make matters worse, he also took a penalty that could have been costly late in the game.

He wasn’t the only one making things hard for himself; the team played unstructured hockey, and the Canadiens struggled to get out of their zone throughout the first stanza, even committing 15 giveaways.

Where Was The Urgency?

After 40 minutes of play at the Bell Center, the building and the players were flat. The Flyers only took five shots on goal in the second frame; they looked like they were running on an empty tank, even though they just had four days off. Guess they ran out of the "our coach just got fired juice". The Canadiens dominated puck possession and took 11 shots on goal, but their play had no urgency. Early on, they looked like they were “sleep-skating.”

However, Samuel Ersson was on his game for the visitors and kept them in the lead, making a couple of big saves. Given the high stakes, it was surprising that Montreal needed that much time to get into gear.

The Leadership

Less than a minute and 25 seconds into the final frame, Brendan Gallagher scored the game-tying goal and set the Bell Centre alight. The crowd was aching for something to cheer, and the alternate captain gave it to them. With Anderson missing, he stepped into a more significant physical role, landing five of the Canadiens’ 40 hits; only Jake Evans (six) and Michael Pezzetta (eight) had more.

Speaking about Gallagher in his post-game presser, St-Louis said:

Of course, Gally, his 20th goal, I’m proud of him and I’m happy.

- Martin St-Louis on Brendan Gallagher

Once that goal was scored, the Canadiens seemed to have an extra spring in their step, and we saw the urgency, pressure, and intensity. Less than a minute and a half later, Lane Hutson went coast-to-coast and scored a beautiful goal, threading the needle from a tight angle and sending the Bell Center into a frenzy.

Ok, give Lane Hutson the Calder 🏆 pic.twitter.com/xeeCdNHWcz

— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) April 6, 2025

A careless Slafkovsky penalty could have wrecked the work accomplished in the first half of the third, but captain Nick Suzuki stepped up. Playing on the penalty kill in Anderson’s absence, the captain collected Kaiden Guhle’s clearance, skated around the net, went right to the slot, picked his spot, and scored a huge shorthanded goal. A goal by Philadelphia at that stage would have been disastrous. Slafkovsky owes his captain a steak dinner.

Asked if Suzuki still had room to grow before he reached his ceiling, the coach explained:

If I were a betting man I would say yes, because he’s still young, and he’s playing with two young players so I think as they all mature together get holder, I think it’s only going to get better. What’s his ceiling? I don’t know; I don’t want to think about his ceiling because I want him to dictate what that ceiling’s going to be. It’s fun to be part of his journey and just watch him evolve as a player, take charge, and lead. It’s been impressive this year.

- Martin St-Louis on Nick Suzuki

With two points tonight, Suzuki broke the point-per-game barrier. He has 83 on the season and still has six games left. As for Hutson, with his goal, he now has 63 points and only needs one more to tie Chris Chelios’s record for the most points by a rookie blueliner with the Sainte-Flanelle. 64 points is also the total Guy Lafleur had in his rookie season, and the highest-scoring rookies ever for the Habs were Kjell Dahlin and Mats Naslund, who both managed 71 points. Is it wild to think Hutson could potentially get there?

Saturday night's game was Montreal's ninth third-period comeback win of the season, while that's quite a feat, they need to start playing earlier, especially if they qualify for the playoffs. Those late starts won't fly when teams are playing for the Stanley Cup. 

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895! Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time goals record originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Shortly after Wayne Gretzky became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in 1994, his father mentioned how someone, someday, would break his record.

“I looked at my dad,” Gretzky recently recalled, “and said, ‘Well can I enjoy this for just a couple days?'”

Gretzky enjoyed holding the record for more than 30 years – and then that someone appeared, and that someday arrived.

It was Alex Ovechkin on April 6, 2025.

The date will forever be etched in history as the day the Washington Capitals star scored his 895^th career goal to break Gretzky’s record and become the top goal scorer in league history.

The 39-year-old Ovechkin netted the record-breaking goal Sunday during the Capitals’ game against theNew York Islanders at UBS Arena on Long Island. He scored on the power play with 12:34 remaining in the second period, sending the thousands of Capitals fans who were in attendance into a raucous celebration.

Ovechkin reached 895 goals in his 1,487th game — the same number of games Gretzky played in his NHL 20-year career.

After scoring the goal, Ovechkin celebrated by sliding towards center ice on his stomach before he was mobbed by teammates.

The game was paused for a ceremony that marked the completion of what has been dubbed “The GR8 Chase.”

Gretzky, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Ovechkin’s family joined Ovechkin on the ice.

”Records are meant to be broken,” Gretzky said, “but I don’t know who will ever score that many goals.”

Records sure are meant to be broken, but greatness is rarely expected to be matched. And yet, “The Great One” himself is now second greatest on the league’s most hallowed statistical list.

Ovechkin’s climb to the top required longevity, consistency and availability – all of which he has provided since being selected first overall in the 2004 draft.

In his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005, he scored the first two goals of what would be a 52-goal season, the third-most ever scored by an NHL rookie.

Ovechkin, during his third season, scored a career best 65 goals. He has recorded nine 50-plus goal seasons, matching the record shared by Gretzky and Islanders legend Mike Bossy. He has scored 40 or more goals in a season 14 times, which topped Gretzky’s record of 12.

Alex Ovechkin milestone goals

• First — Oct. 5, 2005
• 100^th— Oct. 12, 2007
• 200^th — Feb. 5, 2009
• 300^th — April 5, 2011
• 400^th — Dec. 20, 2013
• 500^th — Jan. 10, 2016
• 600^th — March 12, 2018
• 700^th — Feb. 22, 2020
• 800^th — Dec. 13, 2022
• 894^th — April 4, 2025
• 895^th — April 6, 2025

Ovechkin won nine Rocket Richard Trophies for most goals scored in a season, three Hart Trophies as most valuable player, and the 2017 Stanley Cup, which was the first in Capitals franchise history.

With each goal along the way, he inched closer to greatness.

Gretzky had held the goals record since 1994 when he tallied his 802nd goal on March 23, 1994 to pass Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe. Gretzky, who played primarily for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, scored his 894th and final goal came on March 29, 1999, as a member of the New York Rangers. He retired three weeks later at the age of 38, holding 61 NHL records at the time, including most career assists (1,963) and points (2,857), both of which still comfortably stand.

His goals record outlasted many Hall of Famers who took aim but fell short — with Jaromir Jagr scoring 766 goals before retiring in 2018 and Brett Hull netting 741 goals before closing his 19-year career in 2006.

Ovechkin in December 2022 became just the third player in league history to reach 800 career goals, joining Gretzky and Howe. He began his 20th NHL season in October needing 42 goals to top a record once believed to be unbreakable. He missed 16 games earlier this season with a fractured left fibula, pushing the record pursuit closer to the end of the season.

Ovechkin entered Sunday having scored in four consecutive games. He scored twice on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, including career goal No. 894 to tie Gretzky’s record total.

He broke it with just five games remaining for the Capitals in the regular season.

Ovechkin will now look to become the first NHL player to score 900 career goals, a club he will remain the sole member of for quite some time, if not permanently.

Until – of course – someone, someday comes along.

How to watch Alex Ovechkin attempt to break the NHL's goal record originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Alex Ovechkin’s next goal will be one of the most historic in hockey history.

That adds interest, intrigue and intensity to every shot he takes until the puck finds the back of the net.

Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals face the New York Islanders on Sunday as UBS Arena on Long Island becomes the center of the hockey world — and the potential host of history.

Ovechkin scored his 894th career goal on Friday to match the NHL record long held by Wayne Gretzky.

The 39-year-old Ovechkin, playing in his 20th season, will now look to take sole possession of one of the most revered records in sports.

Here’s how to watch.

When does Alex Ovechkin play?

Ovechkin and the Capitals play the New York Islanders on Sunday, April 6.

What time is the Capitals game?

The Capitals’ game against the Islanders will be Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

What channel is the Capitals game on?

The game between Ovechkin’s Capitals and the Islanders will be broadcasted nationally on TNT.

How to stream Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals

Sunday’s game between the Capitals and Islanders can be streamed on Max, the TNT app and TNTdrama.com.

How much are tickets to the Capitals game?

As of Sunday morning, the least expensive pair of tickets available on StubHub to see Ovechkin potentially break the goals record at UBS Arena in New York were $229 including fees for standing room only. The most expensive pair available on StubHub were located on the lower level at over $30,000 each.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin has scored 894 career goals, including 41 this season.

Who is the NHL’s all-time leading scorer?

Here’s a look at the NHL’s top 10 goal scorers of all time:

• T-1. Wayne Gretzky: 894
• T-1. Alex Ovechkin: 894
• 3. Gordie Howe: 801
• 4. Jaromir Jagr: 766
• 5. Brett Hull: 741
• 6. Marcel Dionne: 731
• 7. Phil Esposito: 717
• 8. Mike Gartner: 708
• 9. Mark Messier: 694
• 10. Steve Yzerman: 692

When do the Capitals play?

The Capitals have six games remaining this season. Here’s how to watch:

• Sunday, April 6, at New York Islanders, 12:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
• Thursday, April 10, vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Saturday, April 12, at Columbus Blue Jackets, 12:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Sunday, April 13, vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Tuesday, April 15, at New York Islanders, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Thursday, April 17, at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Calgary Flames were beaten by the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in OT in what was a nail-biting David vs Goliath encounter on Saturday night. While the home side put on a valiant effort, the Vancouver Canucks, who won their game earlier in the day, are now just two points below the Flames, and are certainly believers that the second wild-card spot is well within reach, at the cost of Calgary’s own playoff hopes. 

Here are my three takeaways from this game:

1)      Power play is not looking too hot

After a brief improvement in man-advantage situations against Anaheim, the Flames power play relapsed against the Knights.

How bad?

Calgary couldn’t set up a shot on goal in their first, second and fourth/final power plays.

Oh, but it’s even worse…

The Flames had four power plays of eight minutes, where they had an expected goals value of 0.32. That is LESS than the 0.35 that the Knights produced in their 3:29 minutes of 5-on-4 advantage in regulation alone.

(Source: Natural Stat Trick)

2)       Tied at end of regulation, but Vegas dominated the stats sheet

We talked in the preview article that in the season series, Calgary had 23.5 shots on goal per game against Vegas (second-worst against any team this season), while Vegas had 37.5 against Calgary (third-best against any team this season).

Well, it wasn’t much different this game as Calgary had 23 shots on and Vegas had 34.  The Flames were outshot by 11.

Vegas had an expected goal value of 1.56 and Calgary had 3.38.

 A difference of 1.82.

(Source: Natural Stat Trick)

3)      Dustin Wolf 

Perhaps the only reason why the Flames were in this game was because of Wolf. The California-native netminder put on a save percentage of 91.2 in the loss, and the fact that he was given the First-Star award, in a game against a top-quality opponent, is evidence of his rising stardom. The final play of game should not change any of that.

The look on Calgary Flames goaltender seconds after the puck snuck past him in their overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights said it all on Saturday night. Every point feels like life and death for the rookie goaltender. And it might be factual for the Flames as the regular-season winds down and they continue their come-from-behind wildcard coup attempt. 

It was a massive game — as they all are at this point — as one of two the Flames had ‘in hand’ over the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have struggled and the St. Louis Blues have blasted past them in the Western Conference standings. Starting the night five behind, the single earned by yet another Flames third-period comeback effort was enough to close their gap to four points with a head-to-head battle against the Wild just around the corner. And the Flames still have that one extra game in their pocket. 

Yet it feels like fate has other plans. The frustration on Wolf’s face came after the winning goal banked off defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, then his own body as it seemed destined for the back of the net. The look could easily have been applied to the second no-goal call on teammate Blake Coleman this week on pucks that could only have been fractions of a millimeter short of fully crossing the goal-line. We won’t even mention the other recent scores called off for being kicked, or goaltender interference.

The same look could have been reserved for the post Nazem Kadri looks like he’s trying to hit in a soccer/football Ted Lasso practice showdown. 

The hockey gods, if there are such things (spoiler, there are not) do not favor the Calgary Flames. 

“It sucks. I feel like we haven't gotten any bounce to go our way, in a numerous amount of games,” Wolf told reporters at the Saddledome post-game. “I mean, how many times have the puck just sat on the line and just not crossed?

“But we got a point, and we got a good stretch here where I think we can make some ground.”

The forsaken are definitely keeping things interesting. On Saturday they were down 2-0 late in the second period, facing the prospect of going eight full periods against the Knights without a single goal to show for it. Then Joel Hanley connected on a Kadri assist with eight seconds left in the frame. Matthew Coronato scored the tying goal just 43 seconds into the third period and the Flames managed to hold on to force OT. 

The winning goal, Reilly Smith’s second of the game, came with 29 seconds remaining in the extra frame. The Flames didn’t come all the way back in this one, but they continue to bare their teeth in the playoff war nobody pictured them in before the season began. 

“We’re the underdogs. That’s the biggest thing. We came into the year with everybody saying we’re going to suck, and look at us now — we’re fighting for our lives to sneak in. And you know what, we’re going to get in.”

ST. LOUIS – There are currently five St. Louis Blues players who were part of the longest winning streak in franchise history in 2019.

Jordan Binnington, Brayden Schenn, Oskar Sundqvist, Robert Thomas and Colton Parayko (injured) can now stake claim to a second historical streak.

The Blues set a new benchmark with their 12th straight win when they held off the Colorado Avalanche, 5-4 at Enterprise on Saturday.

For all the talk about this current Blues team not being able to put together a three-game winning streak as late as January, right now, they can’t seem to lose a game no matter how what the score is.

“It’s very cool,” Binnington said after making 35 saves. “It’s good to enjoy these moments, especially at home. It’s really fun to play here right now and you can tell there’s good energy all around. At the same time, we’ve got to focus and keep looking forward while we’re here.”

Robert Thomas continues to tear a blazing trail of points; he had a goal and four assists to give him 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in an eight-game point streak; Cam Fowler had three assists and Zack Bolduc scored two power-play goals to lead the Blues (43-28-7), who are now four points clear of the Minnesota Wild for the first wild card from the Western Conference.

And they’re doing this without Parayko, who’s been out with a left knee injury since March 5, and now Dylan Holloway, who’s week to week with a lower-body injury.

“We've lost some really good, important players to our lineup,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “It means we're good. We're a good hockey team.

“I am proud of that group in there to be able to overcome all of the adversity that we've had this year, whether that was self-inflicted by us. It doesn't matter. We've overcome it. I'm proud of that group for what they've achieved.”

The Blues built a 4-0 lead before getting a bit complacent and then having to fend off the Avalanche (47-27-4), who the Blues also beat 2-1 in Denver a week ago Saturday, giving Colorado (6-2-1) its only two regulation losses in the past nine games.

“We’re playing the right way,” said Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich, who scored his 100th goal with the Blues. “We’re playing for each other. Sacrifice for the team and it’s working right now. We should keep going.”

Let’s look at Saturday’s Three Takeaways:

* Winning the special teams – The Blues didn’t do themselves any favors, especially early, by taking three minor penalties in the first period, and despite being outshot 13-4 on special teams by the Avalanche, the Blues won the game with special teams’ play.

The Avalanche had 12 shots on their three power plays; the Blues had three shots on their three power plays. But they made two of theirs count and won the special teams’ battle 2-0, thanks to a pair of power-play goals by Bolduc, each in the bumper position and receiving passes from Thomas.

The first came at the 49-second mark of the opening period, or 18 seconds after Joel Kiviranta was whistled for cross checking Jordan Kyrou, to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.

Power play goal for St. Louis!

Scored by Zack Bolduc with 19:11 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Robert Thomas and Cam Fowler.

St. Louis: 1
Colorado: 0#COLvsSTL#stlblues#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/xOnQJqxpFB

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 5, 2025

And the second came at 8:53 of the second period, similar play, but this time, Bolduc had some time to whip a shot top shelf on Mackenzie Blackwood for a 4-0 lead.

Power play goal for St. Louis!

Scored by Zack Bolduc with 11:07 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Robert Thomas and Cam Fowler.

St. Louis: 4
Colorado: 0#COLvsSTL#stlblues#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/MfddxN3SLJ

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 6, 2025

“You’ve got to be ready,” Bolduc said. “I’ve been trying to find the open space. You never know when the puck’s going to come your way. I just try to set myself up and be ready to shoot. I want to hit the net for sure.

“I don’t know but teams will adjust. It’ll be on us to get better and find other options that will be open.”

* Good sticks, forecheck – Despite getting a bit complacent and allowing Colorado back into the game with a couple late second-period goals, the Blues had good sticks in this game.

They broke up a lot of plays, and it was everyone on the ice doing the job. Whether it was the Radek Faksa line with Nathan Walker and Alexey Toropchenko grinding pucks down low after winning them, or Jimmy Snuggerud, in his third NHL game breaking plays up playing with Buchnevich and Thomas, knocking pucks down and then instead of being overwhelmed, putting pucks into good areas to go and forecheck them back, which the Blues did. Or Thomas defending the Nathan MacKinnon line all night and until MacKinnon scored with an extra attacker, shutting one of the NHL’s best players down.

It was a collective effort to break up any rush plays the Avalanche was trying to create.

“I thought our sticks and our angling above them,” Montgomery said. “Third period, they scored two pulled goalies situations, but outside of that, I didn’t think we gave them much and I thought we had great chances (off good defensive plays). Bolduc had a good chance to get his hat trick and Snuggerud had two in a row there among others.”

Speaking of Snuggerud, he and Thomas had good stick plays that helped set up Buchnevich’s goal at 1:01 of the third period for a 3-0 lead.

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Pavel Buchnevich with 18:59 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Jimmy Snuggerud and Robert Thomas.

St. Louis: 3
Colorado: 0#COLvsSTL#stlblues#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/LZpJKDnvpL

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 6, 2025

It came after Jake Neighbours also using his stick off the bench to create O-zone time, and Neighbours eventually finding a Thomas pass in the low slot and conversion for a 2-0 lead at 7:41 of the first period.

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Jake Neighbours with 12:19 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn.

St. Louis: 2
Colorado: 0#COLvsSTL#stlblues#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/oSp9WoG1I4

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 5, 2025

“(We) put some pucks deep, play below the goal line,” Buchnevich said. ‘We got first eight minutes, we kind of dominate, and got the early power-play goal. ‘Boldy’ have a good shot, and it's easier when you play with the lead.”

* Binnington’s key saves – Forget that he allowed four goals, and none of his own doing. Jordan Binnington was rock solid, and his saves, especially during Colorado’s barrage of shots on the man advantage were crucial.

Sometimes your goalie has to be your best penalty killer and Binnington was.

“We found a way to get it done,” Binnington said. “Obviously they’ve got some high-end talent. We found a way to get it done and that’s just a testament to all our guys and our penalty killers. You got a guy like Walker, I don’t know how many blocked shots he had. Just point blank and ‘Torps’ too. We’re just sacrificing and playing the right way and finding a way to win.”

Jordan HIMington pic.twitter.com/c1WKYqot2Q

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 6, 2025

Binnington also made a breakaway on Artturi Lehkonen after a Bolduc mishap in the neutral zone, and there was also a reflex save off a rebound by Valeri Nichushkin in the second.

Jordan "Big Save" Binnington pic.twitter.com/gYVE8OFsiB

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 5, 2025

“He was really good,” Montgomery said. “They had a lot of shot attempts. It was a hard-working night for him. It was clear that they wanted a shot-volume night tonight. We ate a lot of pucks blocking them, but he was there and he was really seeing the puck well through traffic.”

It all led to Binnington winning his 10th straight home start to tie a franchise record, tying John Davidson and Jaroslav Halak.

A record-setting night!

12 consecutive wins (most in Blues history)… Jordan Binnington’s 10th straight home win (matches franchise record) and 100th home win as a Blue (most among Blues goalies)… plus Pavel Buchnevich’s 100th goal as a Blue. pic.twitter.com/fQdU033Dh5

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 6, 2025

The Avalanche did get two sixth-attacker goals, including one with 8.1 seconds remaining by Sam Malinski that made the score academic after Thomas hit the empty net off the goal post and in at 19:30.

Empty net goal for St. Louis!

Scored by Robert Thomas with 00:31 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Cam Fowler.

St. Louis: 5
Colorado: 3#COLvsSTL#stlblues#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/0t6ib1zwMP

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 6, 2025

There is a certain NHL winger about to break Wayne Gretzky's goal record who is - rightfully - garnering a ton of attention across the league.

And there's another guy who showed on Saturday why folks, once again, shouldn't forget about what he's doing this season, either.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby recorded a hat trick, and his four points powered the Penguins past one of the NHL's best teams in the Dallas Stars, 5-3. Pittsburgh's win snapped Dallas's seven-game winning streak, which was the second-longest active winning streak in the NHL.

Crosby also extended his league-best active point streak to 12 games, and he has a whopping 11 goals and 20 points in that time.

"Obviously, he's done some awesome things in this league," said Bryan Rust, who scored his 200th career goal against Dallas. "And there were a couple times earlier this year where he had two, and I kept trying to get him the puck, and I couldn't get them over there for the hat trick. So, it was definitely good to see him get it."

The Penguins opened the scoring early in the first period on the power play, as Evgeni Malkin fed a pass from below the goal line to Crosby in the slot, who one-timed it top-shelf past Stars goaltender and ex-Penguin Casey DeSmith to give Pittsburgh the 1-0 lead. Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov responded a few minutes later to tie the game at 1-1 heading into first intermission, but the Penguins carried play for the most of the first.

And the same was the case in the second, despite Dadonov registering his second goal of the game on the power play off a beautiful feed from Matt Duchene. Pittsburgh, again, was controlling offensive zone possession and taking it to the Stars every chance they got. But DeSmith was up to the task, making several ten-bell saves.

Then, just 20 seconds into the third period, Rust came in hard on the forecheck below the goal line and got the puck to Rutger McGroarty, who knew Crosby approaching the back door. He quickly and instinctively fired a perfect backhand pass to a breaking Crosby, who put it home to - once again - tie the game.

However, Dadonov continued his dominance in this game, scoring less than three minutes later to cap off a hat trick and put the Stars back ahead, 3-2. Then, a few minutes later, Crosby fed the puck to Rust, who did one of his signature power moves across the goal crease to slide the puck past DeSmith on the backhand for his 200th career goal. 

The game remained in a 3-3 tie until late in the third period when an unfortunate mishap by Dallas cost them the game. Stars defensemen Cody Ceci and Thomas Harley collided in the defensive zone, and the puck was coughed up to the Penguins for a two-on-one.

Danton Heinen, along the left wall, fed a perfect pass to Blake Lizotte in the slot, who one-timed it past DeSmith with just 1:43 remaining in regulation to give the Penguins the 4-3 lead.

McGroarty Scores First NHL Goal In Penguins 5-4 Overtime Loss To BluesThe Pittsburgh Penguins' 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday - which gave the Blues their whopping 11th straight win - obviously wasn't the desired result.

And then, with the empty net, Crosby picked up a loose rebound right in front of Tristan Jarry, firing the puck the length of the ice and right into the middle of the net for his third goal of the game.

The Penguins outshot the Stars 40-24, and they attempted 76 shots. They were the better team throughout, and head coach Mike Sullivan was pleased with the team's effort.

"I was really happy for the team," Sullivan said. "I thought we played really hard all night. I thought we were down in the game most of the game, but I thought we were playing extremely well. We just tried to encourage them to stay with it and just keep competing, keep playing the game the right way, and we'll climb back into it. But, I thought, to a man, it was one of the more complete efforts we've had all year long."

Sullivan was also asked if there's been a better player in the league than Crosby since the 4 Nations Face-off break. 

"I'd be hard-pressed to think of one," Sullivan said. "I just think he's bringing a certain effort every night. He's the heartbeat of this group, and he drives the pulse. When he's playing on top of his game the way he is, he gives us a chance to win every game.

"He's competing on both sides of the puck. His line has been really good, he's been great with the kids... he's doing a great job with Rutger [McGroarty] on his line and with Ville [Koivunen] on the power play. I think those guys are having a lot of fun being around him, and I think he's having a lot of fun working with them. So, I think he's just playing terrific hockey right now."

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Here are a few other thoughts and observations from this one:

- Bryan Rust is officially a 200-goal scorer in the NHL.

He also recorded his 28th goal of the season, which ties the career-high he set in only 62 games last season. And after beginning his career as a third and fourth-line grinder, he worked his way into a top-six role and now has six consecutive 20-goal seasons.

What a story Rust has been. And even Rust never thought he'd get to this point.

"I'm really proud," Rust said. "I didn't think I'd ever get to say that I'd score 200 goals in the NHL. I think when the first time I came into this league, I was like, 'I hope I can just stick around for a couple years'... and now, here I am, 200 goals later. I think back, and I'm obviously really blessed, and there's obviously more to do."

Sullivan has said time and time again that Rust's journey embodies what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. And he said it again Saturday. What a player he is.

- I don't know what else to say about McGroarty right now. He's been very, very good through three games with the Penguins and is scoring at a point-per-game pace since his recall (one goal, three points in three games). 

Koivunen has certainly had his moments, too, and I really liked how he looked alongside Rickard Rakell and Evgeni Malkin - playing in his first game since Mar. 23 - against Dallas. This actually resembled a formidable top-six for the Penguins.

But McGroarty has been the standout. He was driving play down low throughout the game - as he's known to do - and he is such a smart player. He's always in the right spot, he's got eyes on the back of his head, and he sees a lot of plays before they happen. His hockey sense has been unreal, and it feels and looks like he's on the same wavelength as Crosby. 

Just really impressive stuff from a kid who has only played six NHL games. He looks advanced beyond his age, and that pass to Crosby was pure instinct.

If he continues to play like this down the stretch, he absolutely has to be on this team full-time next season. It's early, but there are just so many things he does that you simply cannot teach. There's no reason to think those things won't translate in full-time NHL top-six minutes. 

- Jumping back to that second line, it was clear to see that there is some degree of chemistry already building between Koivunen and Malkin. I think Koivunen's creativity and hockey sense marries well with Malkin's playmaking ability and east-west style of play, and his forechecking ability opens up some opportunity for Malkin and Rakell, too.

I like having Rakell on that line in theory, as he is the finisher on it. However, it seems pretty clear to me that Rakell is most comfortable - and at his best - playing with Crosby, as he has developed some real chemistry with 87.

It's hard to argue with the results of the first line, but heading into next season - assuming everyone is still around - I'd think about switching Rakell and Rust. But it feels like, in the earlygoing, that McGroarty fits with Crosby and Koivunen fits with Malkin.

- I've mentioned a few times in the past month or so how much better Matt Grzelcyk has looked in the second half of the season. 

Well, I think Saturday's performance was, arguably, his best of the season.

Which UFAs Should The Penguins Bring Back?Although the Pittsburgh Penguins shipped out most of their unrestricted free agents before the NHL trade deadline on Mar. 7, there are still a few remaining on the roster.

It seemed like he was making something happen in the offensive zone every time he touched the puck. He made a few nice defensive reads and recovery plays. His skating along the offensive blue line is smooth, and he's decisive. His puck-moving ability in the transition game was on display.

For as poorly as he started the season, he has really rounded into form over the last two months. His glaring defensive mistakes are fewer and farther between, and - as usual - his work on the power play from the blue line has been unmatched on this team this season.

Again, don't be surprised to see the Penguins extend him for another year or two while they wait for some of their younger defensive prospects to develop. It wouldn't be the worst thing, as he's certainly revitalized his career in Pittsburgh.

- This was one of the best 60-minute efforts of the season from the Penguins against one of the top-three teams in the NHL.

They dominated offensive zone possession. They rolled four lines. They were manufacturing high-danger scoring chances in all three periods and didn't take their foot off the gas. They didn't fold when Dallas responded.

Even if they're not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, their season is all but over. However, this game really goes to show how much character is in that locker room. This is the exact kind of character environment that guys like McGroarty, Koivunen, Owen Pickering, and other Penguins' prospects need for their development and their transition to the NHL level. 

And it starts and ends with 87. You can't say enough about the guy who has been the heartbeat of this team for two decades. He's still playing like he's 26 - and he doesn't seem to be slowing down.

'When He Speaks, Everyone Listens': How Sidney Crosby's Mentorship Has Passed On To Multiple Generations Of TeammatesFollowing the team's regular practice on Dec. 16, Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby took some extra time out of his day to do something pretty much everyone around him is accustomed to witnessing on a day-to-day basis.

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Two games into his NHL career and Carolina Hurricanes rookie forward Justin Robidas is already A) officially an NHL goal scorer and B) a point-per-game player too. 

Despite the team suffering back-to-back losses in Detroit and Boston over the weekend, Robidas made the most of his opportunity, registering a primary assist on Friday and scoring the team's lone goal on Saturday.

"It's pretty cool," Robidas said on getting his first. "Obviously a goal that I'll remember forever. It's hard to get that at the end of a loss like that, but still it's pretty memorable for me.

"It's for sure something that I'll remember. It was a pretty big weekend for myself, my family and everyone that's supported me. Definitely very special."

First NHL goal alert‼️

Congrats, Justin Robidas! pic.twitter.com/xC2d3jDYM8

— NHL (@NHL) April 6, 2025

The 22-year-old forward has risen to the occasion for Carolina and made the most of his ice time.

He's the third rookie to make his NHL debut for Carolina this season (Juha Jaaska, Ryan Suzuki) and also the third to register a goal (Jackson Blake, Scott Morrow).

"It's tough that his first goal, you're happy for him and he did a nice job, but I hated that it's in a game like that where it's not all that impactful," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "But certainly he did a great job when he came up. Happy for him."

"It's awesome," said Sebastian Aho. "He played great. Kind of sucks to see the rest of the team to play like that when he's playing his first two games. Obviously a well deserved goal there. It's awesome to see."

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I am giving fans the other side of his game. What the Flyers were looking for and what happened. 

The Canadiens played the Flyers pretty even for two periods. The Flyers came in with a new coach and a three-game winning streak but the Canadiens were the faster team with more shot disruption and that eventually tired the Flyers out.

In the third period, with the score tied, you could see the Flyers tiring but their goalie, Sam Ersson was holding them in the game. That’s what happens sometimes and the Flyers have been getting more offensive zone time since Brad Shaw became the interim head coach. That’s been a big change over the John Tortorella brand of hockey.

The Flyers power play has been a smidge better lately but still it’s been mostly awful all season long. With the late goal, 1-4 is almost acceptable for them. Not quite, but almost. Making this a 3-2 was a short rallying point for them. At this point of the season they are looking for positives.

The Flyers tried to contain Lane Hutson. They didn’t. In the Hutson vs. Michkov Calder conversation game. Hutson won and even the Flyers broadcast said they would give the nod to Hutson if Michkov doesn’t win the award. There is little doubt that Hutson is the leader.

I think the Flyers were hoping their goalie would match Sam Montembeault and that didn’t happen. That stick miscue that gave Nick Suzuki the puck and the Canadiens the short-handed goal was the dagger. 

The Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Thanks to losses by the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, Florida’s magic number shrunk to zero.

This marks the sixth straight year Florida has qualified for the postseason, a franchise record that just keeps growing.

The playoffs are set to begin in two weeks, but we’re still far from finding out what the matchups are going to be.

As it stands, Florida is in third place in the Atlantic Division.

If the playoffs started tomorrow, the Panthers would face their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, for the fourth time in five postseasons.

There are still paths to Florida going up against Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal in the first round, so we’ll see how things shake out over the next six games.

Florida also has several players who are currently out of the lineup, but expected back either before or during the playoffs.

Forward Matthew Tkachuk has been out since the 4 Nations Face-Off in February but he’s been seen on the ice recently and barring any setbacks, the team is hopeful his recovery will land him back in the lineup during the first round.

Sasha Barkov, Dmitry Kulikov and Nico Sturm are all currently injured but both should be back before the postseason arrives, and suspended defenseman Aaron Ekbald will be eligible to return for Game 3 of the opening round.

There is still much to learn over the next couple weeks, but take a breath, Panthers fans.

The days of sitting at home and watching other teams fight for the Stanley Cup are long gone.

See you in the playoffs.

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