Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore practiced in full contact at this morning's skate. 

Theodore returned to practice for the first time in a non-contact jersey since suffering an arm injury in the first game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Prior to the injury, Theodore had scored seven goals and 48 points in 55 games, leading all Golden Knights defensemen in multiple offensive categories.

Following yesterday's practice, HC Bruce Cassidy mentioned that the 29-year-old "likely won't be cleared this week, but being on the ice is a good step in returning to the lineup."

The step Theodore took in his return process was much larger today, practicing with contact. He wore a grey jersey and not a white one, white indicating skating inside the top four, and Theodore wore grey, skating alongside healthy scratch Ben Hutton. 

As the season slowly inches to a conclusion and the playoffs begin, allowing William Karlsson and Theodore to get multiple games in before the postseason would be a major boost. They can shake off the rust of missing an extended period of time and rebuild the chemistry with their linemates. Vegas has dealt with their fair share of injuries this season, but they look to be getting healthy at the right time. 

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ST. PAUL - Wild defenseman David Jiricek has not played in a game since Feb 28. His last game was in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Iowa Wild. 

The Wild recalled him on March 1st with injuries to Zach Bogosian and Jonas Brodin. Before the next game, Bogosian was healthy to play which left Jiricek out of the lineup. He has now been a healthy scratch for eight consecutive games and could be on his way for the ninth consecutive game. 

Despite Jiricek being with the team and healthy, the Wild don't feel they need to place him into the lineup. They are 4-3-1 in the eight games that he has been a scratch. 

"Yeah, you know what? It's a difficult one with David," Wild head coach John Hynes said. "He's been great. We've tried to use it where he hasn't gone in, but he's put in a lot of extra work. We've done some things I think are beneficial to him individually as a player. He knows the situation. We have to keep him here right now. If there is an injury, then he's going to be the next man up. So I think being around the team, being around the environment, getting the extra work he's put in, is not a bad thing."

The Wild feel that even though Jiricek has not played in 19 days, being with the NHL club is beneficial for him. He hasn't been super productive with the Iowa Wild in the AHL either. 

In 26 AHL games with Iowa, Jiricek has zero goals and six assists. He is a minus-3 in those 26 games as well. 

Having him up with the Wild has given Jiricek the opportunity to learn from the Wild's coaching staff and skate with one of the best skating coaches in the NHL. If there are any more injuries, Jiricek is the next man up. 

That being said, once Brodin comes back and that seems soon, Jiricek will likely be sent down. 

So the rational that you are healthy scratching a 21-year-old and former 6th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft for eight consecutive games, and maybe soon to be nine, may seem confusing. 

But the Wild view this as something of benefit to him but they also understand he needs to play. 

"Obviously, the game action is important as well. So if, let's say, [Jonas] Brodin comes back or we don't get any injuries, it is on our mind to let him go down [and] play for his development. So I think overall, it's been a positive." 

When the Wild traded for Jiricek along with a 5th-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for Daemon Hunt, a 1st-round pick in 2025, 3rd-round and 4th-round picks in 2026 and a 2nd-round pick in 2027, General Manager Bill Guerin said that the move was more of a future move. 

The plan wasn't to play him in the NHL right away. That being said, Jiricek played in six games with the Wild in January and had one goal and one assist. 

“Look, he’s young. He’s a young player. He just turned 21 on Thanksgiving day. He’s a young player. He's got a lot to learn," Guerin said after the trade. He’s going to continue to improve just like all young players. Brock Faber’s got to get better, Matt Boldy’s still going to get better. All these guys are going to continue to improve because they’re so young. So just because they’re in the NHL doesn’t mean they’re not going to develop their game and get better. That’s our job as the coaches, management. That’s our job to help him get better.”

He has played ok in the AHL with the Iowa Wild but the Wild felt he deserved the call-up after the trade deadline. 

"I actually think he can bring a lot. Look, he's got all the tools. He's just young. But when he's, I mean, you guys watch the games too, like he's got a different element to him, moving the puck, getting in the play, he makes some nice outlet passes, and he's not afraid to jump in in the offensive zone," Guerin said on March 2nd. "So it's just a matter of kind of getting him back into it at this level."

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we will see Jiricek at 'this level' for the time being. That being said, the Wild gave up a haul for the young 6-foot-4 defenseman. He has a future in Minnesota and despite low point production in the AHL and nine consecutive healthy scratches in the NHL, Jiricek's future with the Wild is still bright. 

As Guerin said the day they acquired him, he is an investment. It might not make sense with how they handle him to the general fans but there is a plan for him. 

"Yeah, now we are getting into that phase where we can do that – we did. Yeah, so it just made sense. He’s not 30, he’s not a rental. He’s a 21-year-old defenseman that we can invest in," Guerin said. "And we did. That’s how I look at it. It’s an investment."

Unless you arrive at the Canadian Tire Centre from the south end of the city limits, it is impossible not to notice the massive advertisement adorning the northeast side of the arena.

Linus Ullmark's mask is predominantly featured in the ad, highlighting the fact its design was produced on Apple's iPad product. The mask designer, Dave Gunnarsson, or @daveart as he is recognized on Instagram, has been using the technology to help his business thrive.

Based out of Sävsjö, the 48-year-old Swedish artist estimates that he has easily made over 5,000 masks in his career.

"Drawing has been my biggest interest since I was a little boy," Gunnarson explained, describing his childhood. "I've been drawing and painting as long as I can remember.

"I knew I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. I saw the cool goalie masks in the NHL because I'm a big hockey fan. This was at the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s, so I saw the masks, and I thought they were cool. I started to do masks locally here in Sweden for friends."

Word of Gunnarson's work spread as these friends played, and more eyes inevitably landed on his designs. He had so many clients that he was able to start his own professional business after graduating from high school in 1996.

Eventually, Gunnarson was approached to design masks for his local biggest professional team, the Elitserien's HV71. His first client was Boo Ahl. If his last name sounds familiar, it is likely because you recall the Senators drafting his son, Filip Ahl, in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Once Gunnarsson's masks appeared at the game's highest level in Sweden, Gunnarson's phone blew up with interest. Next year will be his 30th year in the industry, and he admits he never could have envisioned how successful his business would become.

"I could never, ever dream that I could work this (job) full-time for 30 years and work with the best of the best goalies. I could not even dream it when I started.

"It's a dream. When I watch NHL hockey in the evenings and on TV, I see my paintings. It's a wonderful feeling."

For those interested, a mask design begins when a client or prospective client reaches out to Dave. He and a goaltender will talk and brainstorm ideas before Gunnarsson arrives at a design solution. Depending on whether a player has many ideas or very few, it can impact the timeline.

Once he has a theme, Gunnarsson does a sketch on his iPad.

When it is completed, he sends it to the goaltender for feedback. That process repeats until the client is satisfied, and once the design is locked, it is presented to the NHL and the player's organization for approval. Since the NHL clubs are the ones who pay for the mask, the team's equipment manager is the one who signs off on it.

After the two approvals are given, Gunnarsson begins to paint.

He often paints four or five masks simultaneously because his products take time to dry, creating a more efficient process. Gunnarsson takes a video of the mask when it is complete and sends it to his client for approval before applying a clear coat and finish.

If it is a notable project, Gunnarsson can have a mask finished and shipped in days. It typically takes him two to four weeks to have a product finished and in his client's hands.

It is an impressive operation, and his work has culminated with the artist working with some of the preeminent goaltenders of the modern generation, like Henrik Lundqvist. His impressive list of clients includes a trio of Senators goaltenders: Linus Ullmark, Anton Forsberg and Leevi Merilainen.

EA Sports recently added one of Ullmark's masks to its NHL 25 videogame.  

Gunnarsson describes the Senators' goaltenders as low-maintenance and easy to work with. His relationship with Ullmark and Forsberg goes back 14 years.

"Linus and Anton, I started to work with them at the same time because they played on the same team here in Sweden with MODO," Gunnarsson recalled. "I have done a lot of work with them since then, and I remember Linus Ullmark told me many years ago that he (wanted to pay homage to) Stefan Liv."

Liv was born in Gdynia, Poland, and given to an orphanage where a Swedish family adopted him when he was two. His family brought him back to Sweden, where he eventually played hockey and flourished as a goaltender. The third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2000 NHL Draft never played a game in the NHL, but he spent many years in the Eliteserien playing for Gunnarsson's hometown HV71.

On September 7, 2011, the goaltender was one of the 44 who perished in the tragic Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash.

"Stefan and I were very good friends," stated Gunnarsson. "He was one of my first clients and lived near me. I remember when Linus told me he (wanted to pay homage to) Stefan. I remember that when we started working together, we talked about Stefan."

Their relationship grew from that point, and Gunnarsson has worked extensively on Ullmark's masks as the goaltender transitioned from the Swedish league to a thriving NHL career. Ullmark's two most prominent masks this season -- the Patrick Lalime-inspired Martian design and the Senators logo and vertical stripe design featured on the aforementioned Apple iPad advertisement -- were designed by Gunnarsson.

"I've had a good relationship with Dave ever since I started my pro career as well in Sweden," Ullmark told the Senators' digital team. "We've come up with some pretty nifty ones.

"Which is good in a way, because we can be very honest with each other. I tell him right away if I don't like it. I will get something else going. This one came out really good. He was the go-to guy. He was the best one, obviously, back in the day, as well. Especially for a young Swede. My dream was always to have a mask painted by him after seeing guys like Henrik Lundqvist and those guys and their masks. To look back at it now, 14 years later, it's pretty special. Whenever I go into my little room with all the masks, I go through the memories and see the things I've done throughout my career."

Gunnarsson praised Ullmark for his diligence and passion for collaborating to create good designs. He enjoys their brainstorming sessions and Ullmark's attention to perfecting the finer Swedish motif details like the Viking helmet on the Martian, runes, Viking ships and splashing water. He also enjoyed the distinction in Ullmark's Apple advertisement mask because of the design's 3-D complexities and contrasts.

Anton Forsberg was a longtime client, but Gunnarsson fondly recalls the goaltender's fun nature.

"His requests had fun ideas," the designer recalled. "He really likes to have his dog on the masks, so it is always fun to paint (lighthearted material). I really enjoy paintings with humour, cartooning, and other funny stuff."

Forsberg has pivoted to Dave Fried's Friedesigns in recent years. That decision speaks to how Gunnarsson may be a victim of his success. When every goaltender seemingly comes to you for a design, some may be tempted to look for alternatives to differentiate themselves.

Leevi Merilainen, the Senators' young Finnish upstart who established himself as a viable goaltending prospect earlier this season, received a new Gunnarsson design (mask pictured below, on right) during his impressive January run with the Senators.

"We've been working for three years now," Merilainen stated. "It's been going great. I like his style and how he does it. He has a great hand, and you can tell he's done a lot of masks.

"They might have been pretty simple so far. I don't know if I'll do something a little crazier, but so far, so good."

In his current mask, Leevi afforded the artist some creative liberty.

"I let him do his thing," the goaltender clarified. "I wanted a fighting Senator thing with an old-school vibe. Same thing in the background. I didn't have my number on the last mask when I didn't know my number here yet.

"(Ullmark's mask) came and (had the) 35. That's (the concept) I wanted, with just the basic logos and a lot of color. I like that. There is nothing crazy (on the back), just the Finnish lion and the flag. Other than that, it's pretty basic, but I gave him a lot of options on what to do himself."

Gunnarsson referred to Merilainen's mask as featuring a storybook style.

"Leevi had an idea that he wanted a cool Senator soldier with an army behind him going for attacks, so I created it," he said. "It is like a storybook style with a lot of colours.

"The (warrior) was on one side, and on the other side, he wanted the team's logo. (The mask) has a lot of 3D effects, like the waving flag on the chin. It has a lot of stuff, so it feels like it tells a story."

"It tells a story" perfectly describes the truly fascinating part of Gunnarsson's job.

Every mask is a living piece of art that documents the NHL's history and becomes part of the game's fabric. To impact this league from thousands of miles away is remarkable and a testament to his work.

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News Ottawa

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During this past off-season, the St. Louis Blues successfully signed then-restricted free agent forward Dylan Holloway through an offer sheet. The Edmonton Oilers elected not to match the Blues' two-year, $4.58 million offer for Holloway, so St. Louis gave them a third-round pick for compensation.

The decision to pursue Holloway has undoubtedly been incredible for the Blues, as the young forward has broken out in a big way since. In 69 games, he has set new career-highs with 22 goals, 32 assists, 54 points, and 144 hits. He has taken advantage of having a more significant role with the Blues and has become one of their most important forwards because of it.

However, what's more encouraging about Holloway's play is that he is only getting better as the Blues are fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The 6-foot-1 forward is currently sporting a four-game point streak, where he has two goals and seven points over that span. This includes recording three assists in the Blues' last matchup against the Nashville Predators. 

With numbers like these, Holloway is continuing to cement himself as a legitimate NHL top-six forward in St. Louis. It will be fascinating to see how he builds on his impressive hot streak and overall season from here. 

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On Tuesday night, rivalry night at the Bell Centre, as the Montreal Canadiens hosted the Ottawa Senators. With the hosts sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and the visitors in the first wild card spot, the tilt had huge playoff implications, just like the Calgary Flames vs. New York Rangers, New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings vs. Washington Capitals matchups.

Just like Saturday night, the Bell Centre crowd was very vocal. It erupted in cheers when Patrik Laine made Linus Ullmark drop his stick with a hard shot and even more when Christian Dvorak scored to give Montreal the early lead.

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The Canadiens Have Become Harder To Play Against

Back in Marc Bergevin's days, the Habs had several hard-hitting defensemen, which the former GM liked to say made them hard to play against. Montreal still has some hard-hitting blueliners, but there are also hard hitters up front, and it makes a difference.

In the first period alone, Thomas Chabot backed off the puck twice to brace himself for contact. Once because of a Jayden Struble hit and once because of Josh Anderson. That was one of Anderson’s five hits in the first 20 minutes.

Montreal dished out 13 to Ottawa’s nine. While we often speak of the Canadiens being more offensive under Martin St-Louis, the physical aspect of the game is getting increasingly important.

At the end of the game, the Canadiens had 27 hits, the Senators only 13, and captain Brady Tkachuk didn’t have a single one. I asked Martin St-Louis why his players were so physically dominant during the game:

I think it’s part of the game, and when you bring pace to the game, you have an opportunity to be physical. We put good pucks in the zone, and it allowed us to be close enough to them to be able to be physical. We talk a lot about the strategy of where to put the pucks, and we have players who are able to play a physical game.

- Martin St-Louis on his team's physical game

Double Whammy

Failing to score on a power play is one thing, but conceding inside what should have been the two minutes of the power play hurts that much more. In the middle frame, while Drake Batherson was in the sin bin, Juraj Slafkovsky was found guilty of holding on Artem Zub. Michael Amadio gave the Senators the lead on the ensuing four-on-four sequences and deflated the Habs and the building momentarily.

Slafkovsky didn’t play a bad game, but that penalty was costly, when it happened. Still, on the Sens’ second penalty of the frame, he prevented two clearing attempts in the nick of time. After 40 minutes, the big Slovak had 3 of the Canadiens’ 17 shots and was doing more than his fair share offensively.

Thankfully for the power forward, the Habs bounced back in the best of ways in the third frame. 

Winning As A Team

After Lane Hutson leveled the score in the third frame, Travis Hamonic scored from far out, a goal Samuel Montembeault probably would have liked to get back. Earlier this season, this could have been it; it could have sucked out the energy from his teammates but not on Tuesday night the Canadiens rolled up their sleeves and went to work.

Anderson, who had worked so hard all game long, was rewarded when he scored the Canadiens’ second game-tying goal of the frame. Montreal was still hungry, though, and when Shane Pinto tripped Anderson, he opened the door wide for the Habs to put the finishing touch on that game.

dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien... MA FAMILLE!!!

don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it… pic.twitter.com/bNrvyJ6hdK

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 19, 2025

Nick Suzuki, who once again played on both powerplay units, scored the game-winning goal with two seconds to go to the man advantage, but he never would have been able to do it had Brendan Gallagher not gotten it away from Ullmark after Emil Heineman’s rocket of a shot. The alternate captain got three points, and even though he didn’t get a star, he did everything else. It was a dominant performance from the third line since center Dvorak scored four points, and they were the line who capped the win off with a couple of empty-netters.

With this hard-earned win, the Canadiens leapfrog the Rangers and take sole possession of the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. With 15 games to play, the Habs are squarely in the mix, and right now, this group believes it can do anything.

---

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The Detroit Red Wings fell 4–1 to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena Tuesday night.  The final score was not an entirely accurate reflection of the run of play, with the Caps surging late to pull clear in what had been a competitive game.  The third period began at 1–1, before Washington took full advantage of its chances when the Red Wings couldn't for three unanswered goals. 

In the end, it's a setback for Detroit's wild card aspirations.  Between the loss in Washington and the other results on the out-of-town scoreboard, the Red Wings now sit three points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, with Detroit having played an extra game and with three teams (the Rangers, Islanders, and Blue Jackets) separating the Wings and Habs.

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Here are five observations from the performances:

I. Capitals Exert Heavy Presence Around Mrazek's Crease

At the 6:36 mark of the first period, Capitals center Dylan Strome opened the scoring.  He did so by throwing a puck to the net—at a harmless pace, from a harmless position along the point—through heavy traffic, which Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek never saw.  Connor McMichael battled with Ben Chiarot at top of the crease, and two other Caps flashed across Mrazek's sight line as Strome fired with enough precision to strike the net.  It was the type of shot that had hit Mrazek Sunday afternoon against the Vegas Golden Knights, even when he didn't see it on the way, but it snuck through for Strome Tuesday night.

On the ensuing shift, Washington's fourth line got right back to the same game plan, crowding Mrazek and throwing pucks toward him from the point: hardly a revolutionary strategy, but one to which the Capitals committed all night. 

This trend took on a slightly different flavor for Washington's third and fourth goals: establishing a heavy presence around the crease, then having someone else drive the net once a lane opened.

For the third goal, Pierre-Luc Dubois cleared out a lane for Tom Wilson to skate into, affording Wilson an open re-direct on an Aliaksei Protas centering pass from just beyond the crease.  On the fourth, the gravitational pull of Alex Ovechkin opened up room at the net front for Connor McMichael to wack a loose puck home through Simon Edvinsson.

Over the last two seasons, Detroit has struggled at times with teams that play a heavy game low in the offensive zone.  Part of this can be explained simply because that tendency applies to a number of the best teams in the league (e.g. Florida, Edmonton, Dallas, and, in its own way, Carolina), and it's certainly a strength for Washington.  That presence was a driving factor in the Caps forcing their way to the right side of the result Tuesday night.

II. Rush Chances Missed and Made

About three and a half minutes into the third with the game still tied at one, Patrick Kane hit the offensive blue line with speed, descending in from the right wing for a two-on-one chance and firing a short-side shot that just missed its target.  It was a moment and an opportunity you're accustomed to seeing Kane seize, and he didn't miss by much.

Some three minutes after that, Alex DeBrincat skated in for a similar look, also down the right flank (though he hadn't built up quite as much speed).  DeBrincat targeted Washington goaltender Logan Thompson's glove side (the far side, because Thompson catches with his right hand), but Thompson knocked down, then covered the shot.

Then, roughly a minute and a half later, Dubois accelerated as he slashed from right to left across the neutral zone to rush wide on Justin Holl.  He didn't have a tremendous angle, but Dubois got the shot off quickly, and it deflected off Holl's stick and through Mrazek.

Tuesday's game swung on thin margins.  The trouble for Detroit came when the Red Wings failed to recover their rhythm following the wobble of Dubois' goal, instead conceding twice more in the ensuing seven minutes and change.

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III. Penalty-Free Game Lets Five-on-Five Prevail

There were zero penalties in either direction Tuesday night, allowing five-on-five play to prevail and theoretically affording both sides a chance to settle into a simple, rolling rhythm.  For Detroit, that mean not having the chance to build momentum on the sizzling power play, but it also meant not having to worry about any bleeding on the struggling penalty kill.  The Red Wings were competitive at even strength for most of the night, but there can ultimately be no real denying that the better team prevailed.  

IV. Red Wings Third Line Creates, Can't Convert

Building off a positive performance Sunday against Vegas (which helped produce the highlight reel goal for Albert Johansson), the Detroit third line of J.T. Compher with Jonatan Berggren and Vladimir Tarasenko on his wings played a strong game.  However, that trio failed to take advantage of the chances it created.

Compher had two excellent looks in the first period, but he couldn't quite get off the shot he wanted in either case.  Meanwhile, for the second game in a row, Tarasenko got himself into good positions—arriving at the right time to dangerous areas—but he's missed the net too often on the ensuing shots. 

If any of those chances had come good, it could have wound up a much different night for the Red Wings in the end.  Detroit's been starved for depth scoring all season.  In theory, it's a positive sign to see the third line at least creating quality chances, but the next step of converting those chances is obviously pivotal.

V. Caps as Measuring Stick: an Extra Gear

To reiterate, if you're looking at this game (against the Eastern Conference leaders) as a measuring stick for Detroit, there were positives to take.  At the very least, the Red Wings showed themselves to be competitive, but of course, Detroit is at a point of the season where results are king, and the Wings didn't get the right one Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in considering the gap in the East table from Washington at first to Detroit at 12th, the Capitals certainly showed a gear the Red Wings couldn't match.  It's not as though Washington caved in its guests for 60 minutes by any means, but the Caps showed flashes of that type of control.  There was a quickness and sharpness to Washington's puck movement, especially in transition, that stood out Tuesday night. 

One such spell came in the immediate aftermath of Strome's opening goal.  The Capitals defense corps made incisive vertical passes, which sprung their forwards into advantageous offensive positions.  That space empowered the forwards to switch sides in the offensive zone and create high quality looks.

When you supplement that puck movement and transition game with Washington's heavy game around the net, it's not hard to see why Spencer Carbery's team has been so successful this season.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins (28-30-10) had a good thing going until it all came crashing down in 20 minutes during the third period of their 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. 

Despite giving their fanbase some hope all week with a sliver of hope to qualify for the playoffs, losing to the Islanders in such dramatic fashion all but snuffs out that smoldering fire. 

Let's discuss another Penguins setback.

The Honeymoon is Over

Tristan Jarry has not looked better in the past four games, playing arguably his best hockey of the 2024-25 season. However, a very sloppy third period will likely lead to Alex Nedeljkovic getting the nod against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.

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Whether it was a rebound, an undefended player, or something else, Jarry looked like the Jarry of old in the third. He got beat by a wrist shot, kicked out a rebound for a game-tying goal, and gave up a goal on the first shot of a period with a bounce off his back. 

His inability to make a save at the start of the period led to a sequence of events that cost the Penguins their lead and ultimately cost them the game. The four-game win streak was fun while it lasted, but Pittsburgh showed their true colors on Tuesday.

Crosby Continues His Quest

Sidney Crosby scored a first-period goal to run his season total up to 74 points, putting him within six of 80, which would give him a point-per-game average this season, breaking Wayne Gretzky's record of 19 years.

The legend continues 💪

Sidney Crosby surpasses Wayne Gretzky for the fourth-most points with a single franchise in NHL history with 1,670. pic.twitter.com/tI7fi2AJsf

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2025

Without much to play for down the stretch, watching the captain continue to climb the NHL leaderboards is one season to tune in. He may miss Mario Lemieux's franchise record before the end of the season; every point he collects now only helps his quest next season. 

After scoring his 616th goal on Tuesday, Crosby is only nine lamplighters away from catching Joe Sakic on the all-time list for most goals with a single franchise. Considering he's got 12 games left, never say never.

Mistakes Glore

The Islanders scored the game-winning goal on a breakaway, which only took place because Kris Letang opted to play a puck with his stick instead of his stick. Meanwhile, earlier in the period, Matt Grzelcyk sent a backhand pass behind the net, hoping to connect with Erik Karlsson, who was nowhere in the area.

PIERRE ENGVALL! 🚨 #Isles | @fordpic.twitter.com/lKHxmI3GwC

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 19, 2025

Thankfully, the Islanders didn't score, but they had a good chance. They dominated the third period, outshooting the Penguins 13-5. Once the first goal went in, the home team couldn't make good passes, get quality shots on goal, and disrupt New York's momentum. 

Just like Jarry for 40 minutes, the Penguins hit all the right notes and got by, but once that first goal went in, everything unraveled, and by the final buzzer, the home team looked like a shell of themselves through the first two periods.