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Different Process, Same Result as Red Wings Fall 4–2 in Carolina

Mar 14, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) checks Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) during the second period at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory, Imagn Images)

11 days after Carolina smothered the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena, the Hurricanes beat Detroit again Friday in at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.  The game looked different than the Canes' win at LCA, with the Red Wings posing a more serious and sustained threat than they managed in the previous match-up, but in the end the result was the same, with Carolina playing its way to a 4–2 victory.

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Detroit had to absorb heavy early pressure in the first period, as the Hurricanes flew out of the gate in their signature free-firing, aggressive fashion.  Despite that early push from the home team, it was the visitors who struck first, with Alex DeBrincat nabbing his 31st of the year when the Red Wings forced a turnover on an attempted Carolina zone exit and the diminutive sniper buried a wrister from the outer slot.

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The Detroit lead was short-lived, however.  Taylor Hall tied the game just 22 seconds into the second period, with Jack Roslovic and Jalen Chatfield following it up to send the game to the third at 3–1 after a period in which the Canes held a 12–6 advantage in shots.

Michael Rasmussen cut that lead to 3–2 early in the final frame with an impressive solo effort, lugging the puck from end to end before dipping his shoulder to sashay around Roslovic.  It took three whacks at the puck to beat Frederik Andersen, but Rasmussen eventually forced home the puck, leaving his team with just over 17 minutes to find an equalizer.

The Red Wings continued to threaten down the stretch, and the third was the only period in which they outshot their hosts (14–11), but Detroit couldn't find the goal it needed, before Eric Robinson hit the empty net to make it 4–2 with just over a minute left, sealing the result.

"I thought the second was the period that really hurt us," coach Todd McLellan told reporters in his post-game remarks.  "The first, you have to weather the storm here.  They come out real hard, we got some good saves, I thought we settled in as the period wore on, scoring certainly helped us, but the second period was unacceptable.  It wasn't just Carolina-inflicted; it was self-inflicted.  It started with the very first shift...some really dumb play on our behalf, so that was self-inflicted...If you don't play your full 60 against these top teams, you're likely going to come out on the losing end."

The Red Wings have now lost six straight to the Hurricanes, with their last win coming on March 30, 2023 at LCA.  McLellan likes to talk about a 'race to three' in the modern NHL, and Detroit hasn't made it to three goals in any of those six defeats.

After the loss, the Red Wings remain two points back of the playoff cut line, with an extra game played and the Rangers and Canadiens both between them and the Blue Jackets (present holders of the second wild card berth in the East).  Detroit will be back in action Sunday afternoon at LCA, hosting the Vegas Golden Knights.

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Panthers road trip continues against Montreal squad fighting for playoff spot

Apr 2, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (16) scores a goal against Montreal Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault (35) during the first period at the Bell Centre. (Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers will be looking to make it a perfect visit to Canada when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Fresh off Thursday’s 3-2 victory in Toronto, the Panthers will continue their nearly two-week road trip against the Canadiens squad desperate to keep pace in an extremely tight playoff race.

Entering play Saturday, Montreal is a single point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers, who are tied with 70 points for the final Wild Card spot in the East, though currently Columbus holds the tiebreaker with a game in hand on New York.

Montreal has been playing some solid hockey of late, and it’s been what has prolelled them back into the thick of the Wild Card hunt.

After enduring a stretch between January and February in which the Habs lost eight of nine, things have turned around significantly since the 4 Nations break for Montreal.

They’ve picked up points in eight of nine and are hoping to build on the 6-1-2 run that has, at least for now, saved their season.

The next week will go a long way toward Montreal maintaining their position as a playoff hopeful, as they’ll face Florida, the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and Colorado Avalanche.

Ottawa and Colorado are currently holding playoff spots while the Islanders are four points back of the final Wild Card spot and fighting for every point they can get.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Saturday’s matchup in Montreal:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Evan Rodrigues

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Jesper Boqvist

A.J. Greer – Nico Sturm – Tomas Nosek

Gus Forsling – Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov

Nate Schmidt – Uvis Balinskis

Scratches: Jonah Gadjovich, Brad Marchand

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Islanders force overtime but fall to Oilers, 2-1

NEW YORK (AP) — Leon Draisaitl scored his second goal of the night on a breakaway 3:52 into overtime, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the New York Islanders 2-1 on Friday night.

Calvin Pickard finished with 24 saves to help the Oilers win for the fourth time in seven games.

Bo Horvat scored for the Islanders and Ilya Sorokin finished with 33 saves. New York lost its third straight.

In the extra period, Draisaitl got a pass from Connor McDavid and skated up and beat Sorokin for his NHL-leading 49th goal of the season.

The Oilers outshot the Islanders 17-6 in a scoreless first period, and Draisaitl got them on the scoreboard with a slap shot from the top of the left circle at 8:46 of the second.

Horvat tied it 1-1 for the Islanders at 1:21 of the third as he skated up the right side on a 2-on-1 break with Anthony Duclair, kept the puck and beat Pickard for his 21st.

Takeaways

Oilers: Edmonton had lost 8 of 11 to drop to third place in the Pacific Division. With the win, the Oilers moved past Los Angeles back into second.

Islanders: New York had won four of five before their current losing streak. They earned a point to pull to four points out of a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Key moment

The Islanders’ Pierre Engvall tried to catch Pickard off-guard with a shot from the slot in overtime, but the goalie swatted it away to the side. The puck was knocked back toward Pickard, and he knocked it forward, where McDavid got it and passed it up to Draisaitl for the breakaway goal to win it.

Key stat

The Islanders outhit the Oilers 21-10 and blocked 22 shots to keep it a tight game.

Up next

Oilers play at New York Rangers on Sunday, and Islanders host Florida.

Nashville Predators at Anaheim Ducks: Live Game Thread

The Nashville Predators (25-32-7, 57 points) look for their fifth straight win as they visit the Anaheim Ducks (28-30-7, 63 points) Friday at Honda Center.

Juuse Saros will make the start in goal for the Predators, while Lukas Dostal will mind the net for Anaheim.

Jonathan Marchessault, Nashville Predators

How the Predators Lined Up vs. Anaheim

Stamkos-O'Reilly-Evangelista
Forsberg-Sissons-Marchessault
Bunting-Svechkov-Vrana
Bellows-McCarron-Smith

Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Stastney
Oesterle-Barron

Saros
Annunen

Extra: Englund
IR: L'Heureux, Josi, Lauzon, Wilsby

Forward Michael Bunting, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline, made his Predators debut in Anaheim. Bunting had recently undergone an appendectomy and was on IR at the time of the trade.

Predators at Ducks: Pregame Notes

  • Steven Stamkos enters Friday's game on a four-game point streak; he has nine points (5 goals, 4 assists) in that span.
  • Stamkos needs one goal to pass Mark Recchi (577) for the 22nd-most in NHL history.
  • Ryan O’Reilly is two goals from 300 in his NHL career.

Predators at Ducks: Live Updates

First Period (NSH 0, ANA 0)

The Predators gave the Ducks a pair of chances on the man advantage with penalties called on Colton Sissons and Filip Forsberg, but Anaheim was unable to convert. Nashville finished the period with an 8-5 shot advantage, but there was no score after 20.

Ducks Ryan Strome Speaks on Pair of Viral Incidents

Mar 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Strome (16) takes a shot against Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Forward Ryan Strome is in the midst of his best season as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. After notching back-to-back 41-point seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24, he has 37 points (10-27=37) through his first 65 games in the 2024-25 season, a 47-point pace.

Game #66: Ducks vs. Predators Gameday Preview

He signed a five-year contract in the summer of 2022 that carries an AAV of $5 million following three-plus seasons as a member of the New York Rangers. A tenure that peaked with a run to game six of the Eastern Conference final in 2022, in which they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Feb 4, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Strome (16) prepares to shoot against the Dallas Stars during the second period of a hockey game at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images

During his time as a member of the Rangers and in the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season, the Rangers had their fair share of confrontations with the Washington Capitals that specifically centered around Caps’ forward Tom Wilson. The most heated moment came following a whistle where Wilson slammed Rangers star forward Artemi Panarin into the ice, injuring Panarin and causing him to miss the remainder of the season. In a media session following the altercation, Strome called the NHL’s decision to fine Wilson instead of suspending him “a joke.”

Strome was mic’d up during the Ducks' most recent game against the Caps, a 7-4 Washington victory. During the clip posted by the Ducks, Strome repeatedly and jokingly antagonized Wilson, suggesting they drop the gloves only later to remark “I’m not that stupid,” with a smirk on his face. The clip was a hit, showcasing Strome’s playful personality and sense of humor.

“I’m usually pretty dialed in and serious in the game, but we have a long history,” Strome said after the clip came out. “In New York, we had a big line brawl against those guys. I always just tell him I’m going to beat him up every game. He knows I’m joking. I actually forgot I had a mic on so I probably wouldn’t have said it if I remembered. People thought it was pretty funny, so it made for good content”

That wasn’t the only moment from Strome that went viral this week. During the Ducks’ very next game against the Utah Hockey Club, their second game of a home and road back-to-back, Strome found himself alone at the bottom of the circle in the second period with the Ducks down 1-0. He pulled the puck around Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka and had a wide open net in which to stuff the puck, but was thwarted by an outstretched skate from Utah defenseman Mikhael Sergachev.

“Oh come on! That’s crazy!,” an eavesdropping Trevor Zegras said when the play was brought up to Strome.

“You gotta deke the goalie, you don’t expect the D to be there,” Strome said. “I just thought I had him beat and then (Sergachev) kind of came out of nowhere. Great defensive play by him, there’s only so much you can do. You gotta tip your hat sometimes. I probably went from being on one side of the highlight reel to the complete other side. Not my first time, not my last, but great play by him.”

The Ducks host the Nashville Predators on Friday evening at Honda Center. Will this be another opportunity to make his presence felt on social media?

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Which NHL Division's Teams Will Beat Up Each Other The Most In The Playoffs?

Sam Bennett and Scott Laughton (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)

Just being an NHL player requires pushing through the bumps and bruises that come in an 82-game season. But playing some teams, in particular, takes a physical toll.

As the season unfolds, it’s becoming increasingly clear which division champion will be beaten up the most by the conference finals – and that’s whoever makes it out of the Atlantic Division.

As it stands, the Atlantic-leading Florida Panthers lead the NHL in hitting, with an average of 28.38 hits per 60 minutes. The Ottawa Senators are fourth at 25.57, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are ninth at 23.76. That doesn’t include the third-place Boston Bruins (26.21) and seventh-place Montreal Canadiens (24.23), which are currently out of a playoff spot. Clearly, the Atlantic’s teams will punish each other physically.

What we saw from Thursday night’s clash between the Panthers and Leafs indicated what we’ll likely see in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Florida out-hit Toronto 40-24, and Nate Schmidt and Max Domi decided to fight early in the game as well. That’s no walk in the park.

Maple Leafs And Panthers' Clash Is A Sign Things Are Getting RealMaple Leafs And Panthers' Clash Is A Sign Things Are Getting RealFlorida Panthers coach Paul Maurice has noticed something interesting of late ahead of Thursday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Thursday’s tilt looked like a playoff game between the Leafs and Panthers. We’re almost sure to see the emotion amp up by the time the post-season arrives, which could increase the hit totals even more. 

It doesn’t matter which Atlantic teams take on each other in the first and second rounds of this year’s playoffs. The Panthers, Leafs or Tampa Bay Lightning could wind up in the top spot in the Atlantic, which sets up a showdown against one another or the improved Senators. That sets the stage for extremely physical battles.

It’s not the same in the Metropolitan Division. The New York Rangers sit fifth in hits per 60 minutes (24.79), but they’re currently not in a playoff spot, and the 10th-highest hitters, the New Jersey Devils, are already dealing with injuries to important players. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals are below average in hits per 60 minutes.

The Vancouver Canucks are the only Pacific Division team among the league’s most frequent bodycheckers, but even they might not make the post-season. The most frequent hitters in the Pacific that are in a playoff spot right now are the 14th-place Calgary Flames.

The Central Division, meanwhile, could have some long series and extremely competitive matchups, even if only the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues – two clubs outside a playoff spot at the moment – are among the NHL’s top 10 hitters.

At least one of the Central-leading Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche will be sorely disappointed after the opening round. The Jets have led the NHL for most of the season, and the Stars and Avalanche were big buyers at the trade deadline. Don’t expect any of those clubs to go home easily, and do expect some lengthy rounds that test durability to its fullest. But add extra bodychecks, and you’ll likely get what’s expected to happen in the Atlantic.

When you have the defending Cup-champion Panthers in the same division as the most recent back-to-back Cup champs, the Lightning – as well as a massively pressured Leafs team and an up-and-coming Senators squad – you have a division that will take a huge bite out of whoever makes it to the third round. It will be punishing hockey night after night until one team buckles under the strain.

Any Atlantic team that makes it to the Eastern final will pay a huge toll to get there. But their style of game will punish any team that gets in their way.

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Best Calgary-Born NHL Players In 2024-25

Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is home to some of hockey's greatest players, including Hall of Famers Mike Vernon, Bill Gadsby, and Herbie Lewis, former first-round pick Taylor Hall, and several Stanley Cup champions, including Logan Thompson, Brayden Point, Cale Makar, and Tim Hunter.

Although the list of current NHLers born in Stampede City is small, their impact is felt across the league both north and south of the border. 

Today, we pieced together the best lineup featuring Calgary-born players.

Center: Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)

2024-25: 60 GP 32-33-65 

Point is the only two-time Stanley Cup champion from Calgary currently playing in the NHL. Moreover, he's among 21 players to score 50 goals in a single season in the salary cap era. Since his debut in 2016-17, Point has tallied the seventh most goals (296) of any player in the past nine seasons. Although there are hundreds of centers in the league, there's a case that Point is one of the best.

Left Wing: Dylan Holloway (St. Louis Blues)

2024-25: 66 GP 21-27-48 

As the 14th overall pick from the 2020 Draft, Dylan Holloway has finally blossomed into the player many expected with his first 20-goal season with the St. Louis Blues. After leaving the Edmonton Oilers on an offer sheet in 2024, Holloway has become one of the Blues' top scorers when given a chance to play top six minutes. 

Right Wing: Brett Leason (Anaheim Ducks)

2024-25: 54 GP 5-11-16 

Brett Leason became an NHL regular after the Anaheim Ducks claimed him off waivers from the Washington Capitals ahead of the 2022-23 season. In 2023-24, he had a career year with 11 goals and 22 points. As one of the few wingers from Calgary in today's NHL, Leason is one of the more productive ones.

Cale Makar Sets An Avalanche Record With His SIXTH Point Of The NightCale Makar Sets An Avalanche Record With His SIXTH Point Of The NightWatch as Cale Makar grabs a little piece of Colorado Avalanche history, firing home his second goal of the night against the San Jose Sharks to earn his sixt...

Defence: Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)

2024-25: 66 GP 24-51-75 

Almost every time Makar scores a goal, makes a play, or sets up a teammate, he's usually compared to the all-time greats like Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, and Niklas Lidstrom. Whether he's playing defense or offense, Makar is a generational talent already worthy of the Hall of Fame in just six seasons.

Defence: Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets)

2024-25: 65 GP 10-41-51 

Josh Morrissey is among the most underrated defensemen in the NHL, ranking among the top five in production with 196 points in 224 games over the past three seasons. For his efforts, he's finished in the top ten for Norris Trophy in the past two seasons. As the anchor of the Winnipeg Jets, Morrissey is one of the reasons why they are one of the top teams in the NHL. 

Goalie: Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals)

2024-25: 37 GP 28-4-2, 2.36 GAA, .916 SV% 

Thompson wouldn't be the starter with the Vegas Golden Knights, so he accepted a trade to the Capitals in June 2024. In 37 games, the 28-year-old has had a Vezina Trophy-caliber season, guiding the Capitals to the top of the NHL standings with a 28-4-2 record. He was awarded a six-year extension worth $35.1 million for his performance. 

Flames Projected Lineup & Game Notes Against Avalanche 3.14.25

Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The Calgary Flames (30-23-11) wrap up a three-game homestand by hosting the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

After a busy trade deadline, this is the first time the Flames will play the Avalanche following the acquisitions of Brock Nelson and Erik Johnson. Considering their position in the standings, tied for the second wildcard spot, Friday night is another must win for Calgary. 

Inside the Numbers

Calgary

- Last 10: 4-2-4

- vs. Opponent: 0-1-0 (4-2 L)

- At Home: 18-10-5

Colorado

- Last 10: 7-2-1

- vs. Opponent: 1-0-0 (4-2 W)

- As Visitors: 17-14-1

Between the Pipes

Calgary starter - Dustin Wolf

  • Season: 38 GP / 22-12-4 / 2.52 GAA / .915 SV%
  • Career: 56 GP / 30-19-5 / 2.68 GAA / .909 SV%
  • Last 5: 3-2-0 / 1.60 GAA / .929 SV%
  • vs. Opponent: 1-0-0 / 1.00 GAA / .958 SV%

Avalanche starter - Scott Wedgewood

  • Season: 17 GP / 8-6-1 / 2.49 GAA / .908 SV%
  • Career: 147 GP / 56-54-23 / 2.92 GAA / .906 SV
  • Last 5: 2-3-0 / 2.80 GAA / .884 SV%
  • vs. Opponent: 0-3-1/ 4.03 GAA / .891 SV%

Conversation Starters

- Jonathan Huberdeau had one of his best games as a member of the Flames on Wednesday. Does he have an encore performance in another critical game?

- Dustin Wolf is starting his third straight game. Considering the Flames have only one more back-to-back left on the schedule, it is safe to assume that he's getting most of the starts the rest of the way?

- Where is the secondary scoring? Matt Coronato is Calgary's fourth leading scorer and has only two points (two goals) in his last nine games. Meanwhile, Blake Coleman, the fifth highest scorer, has a single assist in the past 14 games. These two must step up now that Connor Zary and Mikael Backlund are out. Do they have it in them?

Where Are They Now?

Calgary

- 4th Pacific Division

- 2nd Wildcard

- 8th Western Conference

- 15th NHL

Colorado

- 4th Pacific Division

- 2nd Wildcard

- 8th Western Conference

- 15th NHL

Flames & Canucks Leaders

  • Goals: Huberdeau & Kadri (22) / MacKinnon (27)
  • Assists: Weegar (29) / MacKinnon (75)**
  • Points: Huberdeau & Kadri (46) / MacKinnon (102)**
  • PIM: Pachal (80) / Wood (46)
  • PPG: Huberdeau (7) / Makar (10)
  • SOG: Kadri (211) / MacKinnon (268)

** - NHL Leader


Flames Projected Lineup

According to NHL.com, here's a look at the projected lineups for the Flames. (Subject to change)

FORWARD

Jonathan Huberdeau -- Nazem Kadri -- Matt Coronato

Joel Farabee -- Morgan Frost -- Blake Coleman

Martin Pospisil -- Yegor Sharangovich -- Adam Klapka

Ryan Lomberg -- Kevin Rooney -- Dryden Hunt

DEFENCE

Kevin Bahl -- Rasmus Andersson

Joel Hanley -- MacKenzie Weegar

Jake Bean -- Daniil Miromanov

GOALIE

Dustin Wolf

Dan Vladar


Tonight's game starts at 7:00 p.m. MT and is available on TVAS, SN1, ALT2, KTVD and Sportsnet+.

Flames & Wranglers Busy Adjusting Rosters

Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The Calgary Flames (30-23-11) play the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night, ending a three-game homestand before their final trip to the East Coast next week.

In their last contest against the Vancouver Canucks, forward Conor Zary hit defenseman Elias Pettersson with an elbow in the back of the head, leading to a two-game suspension, announced on Thursday afternoon.

During the same game, captain Mikael Backlund suffered an upper-body injury, and on Friday, the team announced that he was now listed as week-to-week

Before the Canucks game, the Flames recalled Adam Klapka from the Calgary Wranglers. The 24-year-old was a healthy scratch on Tuesday, but will most likely be pressed into action on Friday night against Colorado.

Meanwhile, with another hole in the lineup to fill, Calgary recalled Dryden Hunt on Friday morning. The pair of Wranglers forwards have combined to skate in 14 games this season in the NHL, with one point.

Hunt is the Wranglers' second-leading scorer, with 48 points, while Klapka has contributed 26 points. 

However, that wasn't the Flames organization's last move on Friday. The Wranglers acquired forward Ty Tullio from the Buffalo Sabres via the Rochester Americans.

Initially drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fifth round (125th overall) in the 2020 Draft, Tullio has yet to play in the NHL. Over three seasons in the AHL, he has scored 23 goals with 31 assists for 54 points in 147 games.

The Flames, who maintain the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference, will host the Avalanche at the Saddledome on Friday.  Meanwhile, the Wranglers hit the road for a weekend series with the Abbotsford Canucks on Saturday and Sunday.