On Saturday night, with a 4-2 road victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Ottawa Senators reached the midpoint of the month with the best record in the NHL for March — and it's not particularly close.

After a five-game slide around the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-off break, the Senators have been crafting their own version of March Madness with a 7-0-1 record, which translates to a smooth .938 points percentage. The only blemish is a small one; surrendering a point in the skills competition to the Washington Capitals, the best team in the NHL.

This streak has been a season-saver. On the final day of February, the Senators were on a five-game losing streak and trailed both the Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets by four points for the two wild-card spots.

What a difference a couple of weeks can make.

Now, the Senators are six points above the playoff line, sitting as the top wild-card team with 77 points, five points ahead of the New York Rangers (72 points). The Montreal Canadiens, currently the best non-playoff team, sit just behind with 71 points, making Tuesday's game in Montreal another important matchup.

But every game in this run has been big, which is part of what makes it so impressive.

Throughout their seven-season playoff drought, the Senators have had hot streaks before, but this is the time of year when victories are hardest to come by, so this one stands out by a significant margin.

For the first time, this generation of the Ottawa Senators is winning big games under the pressure of actually having something to lose. 

And there's been no shortage of in-game resilience, either. For instance, a glance at the graphic above reminds us they trailed the lowly San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks but managed to come back and win.

They looked dead and buried against the New York Rangers before rallying from a 3-1 third-period deficit to win in overtime. And in their last four victories, the Senators managed to fend off deficits or momentum swings that might have overwhelmed other versions of this team from the past.

It goes without saying that now is not the time for the Senators to indulge in the "look how well we're doing" exercise we're doing here. The Blue Jackets and Red Wings have plummeted in March – prime examples of how quickly things can change.

The Ides of March — March 15 — became infamous in Roman history as the day Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators. The phrase has since come to symbolize a warning about impending danger or a potential turning point.

After a big March 15 win in Toronto, Ottawa fans are hoping the only thing that gets "assassinated" in the second half of the month is the Senators' long playoff drought.

By Steve Warne
Site Editor at The Hockey News Ottawa

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The Chicago Blackhawks did not have a good road trip. They went 0-3-1 after having a great homestand right before. 

They did, however, have one bright spot come out of the losing. Ahead of the second game on the trip, they called up top prospect Artyom Levshunov. 

Levshunov, a defenseman, was the second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft out of Michigan State. They believe he can be one of the pillars of the blue line for a long time. 

The young defenseman started the year injured in the AHL so it took him a while to get going. The kid who skated in training camp is a lot different than the one who made his NHL debut this week. He did not look out of place at all. 

Of course, there were learning moments for Levhsunov over the three days but he looks like an NHL defenseman.

In his debut against the Avalanche, he started on the third pair but ended up having 20:55 of ice time. By his third career game, he was leading the team in TOI.  

There were two goals-against in particular vs the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night that he can learn from and he will. Outside of those mistakes, he looked strong physically and positionally when defending.

Only Quinn Hughes of Vancouver, one of the best defensemen in the NHL, had more ice time than Levshunov on either team in that game and it wasn't by much (0:18). 

In the same match, on the offensive side of things, he collected his first career NHL point with an assist on Wyat Kaiser's goal. Levhunov made a good pass up to Kaiser who scored with a beautiful shot.  

Levshunov isn't expected to be a shutdown defenseman or an offensive powerhouse in the NHL. He is looked at as a player with a high ceiling as a two-way top-pair blue liner. 

"I'm so excited," Levshunov said on earning his first career NHL point. "I want to score. And to win. You've got to win, too. A win is more important." He continued with a smile. 

Levshunov has yet to experience a win in the NHL but he isn't going anywhere any time soon so he should be a part of one soon. 

"I feel good, especially tonight." Levshunov said when asked about how he feels three games into his NHL career. It's clear that he doesn't like to lose but he knows that focusing on getting better is the key to moving forward. 

Connor Murphy, who was the only plus player on the Blackhawks against the Canucks on Saturday night, also spoke on Levshunov after the game. 

“It’s been impressive to see him play his game and not be timid at all,” Murphy said on his new young teammate. “It’s not easy being that young, especially as a defenseman playing a lot of defending minutes like we do. He seems to have good gaps and be not afraid to keep pucks alive and he’s strong when breaking them up too.”

Murphy is the longest-tenured Blackhawks player and knows a thing or two about getting better as he ages in the NHL. His high praise for his teammate speaks volumes. 

Now, Levshunov will get to experience being a Chicago Blackhawks player at home for the first time in his career. They will host the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night at United Center.

Playing his first career NHL home game should provide him with another spark as if he needed more juice to his game. He's off to a great start so he must focus on the little things that are making him successful right off the jump. 

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Farjestad BK of the SHL announced on Sunday that the Anaheim Ducks have recalled first-round pick Stian Solberg (23rd overall in 2024) to their organization.

Upper Deck 2024 Draft Spotlight: What Stian Solberg Brings to the Ducks Organization

In the 2024 NHL draft, the Ducks traded the 31st overall (originally owned by the Edmonton Oilers) and the 58th overall (originally owned by the Boston Bruins) picks to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the 23rd pick and the rights to select Solberg (19).

Solberg jumped from the top men’s division in Norway in 2023-24 to the SHL in 2024-25 and played 47 games for Farjestad BK, where he scored 12 points (3-9=12).

“Anaheim says they have injuries in the organization and need him with them, and there is not much we can do in the situation,” Farjestad BK general manager Rickard Wallin said (translated from Swedish). “Surprising and unfortunate and considering where we are in the season, but we can only focus on the players we have with us and the task ahead.

“So we simply have to thank Stian for his time with us. He is a very promising player who we think has taken steps forward overall during the year and he has been a popular player in the locker room so we wish him the best of luck in the future.”

When drafted, Solberg was praised for being "the most violent player in the draft," but displays a surprising amount of skill. He has some refinement to do in the details of his positioning and decision making, but shows a quality base of fundamentals.

Solberg represented Norway at the IIHF World Championship in May 2024, when he tallied three points in seven games (2-1=3) as well as the Olympic Qualifiers, where he added two assists in three games, but Norway failed to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan.

Because of an agreement between the IIHF and the NHL, NHL clubs can recall their first-round picks playing internationally at any time. The injury situation seems an odd reasoning to bring Solberg to North America considering the Ducks have seven active defensemen on their roster (four left-shots), as do the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, who ran a lineup on Friday in their game against the Colorado Eagles that included 11 forwards and seven defensemen (three left shots).

The Gulls have 14 games remaining in their 2024-25 season and are seven points out of a playoff spot. The Ducks have 16 games remaining and are eight points out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference standings. Logic would dictate Solberg will report straight to San Diego, but the situations will continue to be monitored.

Ducks Ryan Strome Speaks on Pair of Viral Incidents

Missed Opportunities Prove Costly for Ducks Down the Stretch

The Vegas Golden Knights came out on the losing end of yesterday's afternoon affair against the Buffalo Sabres, but seek redemption today against the Detroit Red Wings. 

The Golden Knights were thoroughly outplayed by the Sabres. After the final buzzer and overtime, the Sabres held a 37-19 shot advantage. Despite that, the Golden Knights likely felt they should have left with a win. 

Jack Eichel scored the go-ahead goal with just over two minutes remaining before Tomas Hertl had the chance to ice the game with an empty net tally. He attempted to be unselfish and looked to pass to Eichel but the pass was broken up. The Sabres would tie the game with 14 seconds remaining, sending the game to overtime. Nothing was solved there, and in the shootout, former Golden Knight Alex Tuch would score the winner.

Now playing in the second half of a back-to-back against the Red Wings, the Golden Knights will be taking on another team trending in the wrong direction. The Eastern Conference wild card race is as fascinating as ever. The Red Wings sit four points back of the second spot but once held the position. 

A recent 3-7-0 stretch has seen them falter. With 16 games remaining, they still have time to make up the ground but every game is vital for them. Their sense of urgency should be high, and if the Golden Knights are unable to match it, they could be heading back to Vegas with just one win out of four. 

Adin Hill was stellar in goal against the Sabres and will get the day off today, allowing Ilya Samsonov to make his 27th start of the season. Cam Talbot is the expected starter for the Red Wings today. 

Puck drop is at 10:00 AM PST at Little Caesars Arena.

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Last night's game was one to remember for Scott Morrow, as the Carolina Hurricanes rookie defenseman registered his first career NHL goal in the team's 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

The 2021 second-round pick has been playing in place of Dmitry Orlov, who's out of the lineup due to injury, and you could see his game building to this moment.

In four games, Morrow has managed to turn out a positive CF (51.97%) and xGF (55.55%) while the team has outscored opponents 6-1 at 5v5 in his ice time.

While the UMass alum struggled in his first few appearances in the NHL, he's been looking more and more comfortable and Saturday's game in Philadelphia showed just that.

With less than a minute to go in regulation, Morrow jumped in on the rush and cleaned up a rebound in front from Logan Stankoven, fluttering a backhander into the open cage.

"It was really cool," Morrow said. "I was a Flyers fan growing up — my dad was drafted here — so I wanted to get it tonight. Even though it wasn't a real important goal for the game — it was already sealed — it's still a big moment for me and my family and it's a really cool feeling."

Scott Morrow scores his first NHL goal 🚨 pic.twitter.com/BBpThGLBXG

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 16, 2025

Immediately you could see how excited his teammates were for him and Shayne Gostisbehere made the beeline for the puck so that Morrow could have it forever.

"That's special and the guys know it," Brind'Amour said. "They've all been there. Scotty's come in and done a nice job for us. Those are little, special moments that I think, as a group, they like to share together because they know how important it is."

"I think all five guys on the ice were jumping up and down, the whole bench was going nuts," said Mark Jankowski. "Anytime you can see someone get their first goal, you kind of take it back to your first goal and how excited you were so I can just imagine the feelings he's going through. Probably a million text messages on his phone right now. It's such a special time and I'm just so happy for him to be able to get that first goal out of the way."

Morrow's definitely been sheltered in terms of deployment, with nearly 65% of his starts being offensive-zone starts, but his offensive ability should definitely be causing some tough discussions to be had.

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EAST MEADOW, NY -- Defenseman Mike Reilly will play in his first game since Nov. 1 on Sunday night when the New York Islanders host the Florida Panthers at 7:30 PM ET. 

It's been a long-time coming for the 31-year-old, who had to patiently wait to get back in after undergoing a heart procedure on Nov. 19. 

He gets back in the lineup alongside Scott Mayfield, with defenseman Adam Pelech day-to-day with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in their 2-1 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. 

“I'm so excited. It's been a long, long time,” Reilly said. “A lot of work was put into it, with the hope of coming back this season. So, I’m excited just to be back with the guys here and ready to go tonight."

Reilly said he found out Sunday morning that he was coming back in and also said some of his teammates found out on the ice during morning skate. 

“Resilient is a good choice of word,” Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. “It would be easy for anyone to give up and then he wants to continue to play, and he wants to do well. I’m happy for him."

Roy said he wants Reilly to keep things simple out there in his first game back. 

"He's a good puck mover. He skates well with the puck. So these are the things I want to see him to do," Roy said. "I mean, it's been a while, so might be a little rusty at the start, but I mean, sometimes, if you keep things simple and you're excited about playing, it makes up for it."

It's fitting that Reilly returns against the Panthers, the team that waived him last season before the Islanders scooped him up. 

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It's never fun for a team to go through a rebuild and lose a ton of games year after year, but sometimes it really pays off. The Chicago Blackhawks haven't been a threat for a number of years and have collected draft picks, finished low in the standings, and drafted very well.

Even if half of their higher draft picks don't hit, the ones who have been performing and the sheer number of prospects with high expectations is undeniable and will push the Blackhawks to many successful years.

The last five drafts cover the span of 2020 to 2024 and there are many talented young players already on the Blackhawks with a lot of highly talented players on their way.

Current NHLers that fill the roster include Lukas Reichel, Landon Slaggert, Wyatt Kaiser, Louis Crevier, Colton Dach, Ethan Del Mastro, Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard, and Artyom Levshunov. But on top of that, Kevin Korchinski, Nolan Allan, and Drew Commesso have all played games this season for Chicago.

It is definitely a battle for playing time amongst the young defenders and not all of these d-men who have been fighting to prove themselves and stick in the NHL will with the Blackhawks, but all of the ones mentioned will be NHLers for at least a handful of years. Eventually the Blackhawks will have to make decisions on who to trade, and it's not going to be Levshunov.

The amount of prospects doing well in other leagues is very encouraging for the Blackhawks, even though a good amount likely won't make the NHL and many won't play for Chicago for very long, if at all. Of the top tier prospects that have been proving themselves, I want to point out Nick Lardis, Roman Kantserov, Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel, Sacha Boisvert, and Marek Vanacker.

The next tier of players, give or take one or two that may be able to move up to the top group, include Aidan Thompson, A.J. Spellacy, Adam Gajan, Victor Soderstrom, Antti Saarela, Dominic James, Jack Pridham, Ryan Greene, Ilya Safonov, Alex Pharand, and Martin Misiak.

Now that's a lot of names, but to break it down easier, these are all players who haven't played in the NHL yet (other than Soderstrom) that have impressed this season and taken steps forward in the OHL, NCAA, or overseas like the KHL or SHL.

There are a lot to choose from and some could be used as trade bait, some could burst into the NHL and be impact players, and some could fizzle out and not be able to transfer over their game.

It's hard to look at many other organizations and see this much talent. The rebuild has been tough on Bedard and company so far, but the Blackhawks are ramping up to be a threat for many years because of the great drafting and sheer number of talented players on their way.

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