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Jonathan Drouin shifts to center as Islanders give their lines a major overhaul

Islanders left wing Jonathan Drouin skates with the puck in front of Capitals center Aliaksei Protas during the second period on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington.
Islanders left wing Jonathan Drouin skates with the puck in front of Capitals center Aliaksei Protas during the second period on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington.

WASHINGTON — The lethargic effort by the Islanders on Saturday night prompted a drastic change in their forward lines for Monday’s 4-1 loss against the Capitals.

Not only was Mathew Barzal shifted back to the wing and reunited with Bo Horvat for just the fourth time this season, but the second line featured Jonathan Drouin starting at center for the first time all year.

Islanders left wing Jonathan Drouin skates with the puck in front of Capitals center Aliaksei Protas during the second period on Monday in Washington. AP

Drouin skated between Emil Heineman and Simon Holmstrom, another combination the Islanders had never deployed together.

The only forward line that stayed untouched was the fourth line of Kyle MacLean, Casey Cizikas and Marc Gatcomb.

Anthony Duclair moved down to the third line with Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, while Ondrej Palat skated with Barzal and Horvat.

“I was pretty happy the way things went with the Horvat line [and] Drouin line,” Roy said after the game. “Even the Pageau and Cizikas [lines]. I thought we did a lot of good things, but unfortunately maybe not enough offensively to score more than one goal.”

The Islanders have been keeping the idea of Drouin playing in the middle in their back pockets for a while, having occasionally skated with him there when others missed practices.



Drouin has also frequently taken faceoffs, and took a 50.9 percent rate at the dots into Monday, when he went 4-for-11 on faceoffs.

Trying Heineman and Holmstrom, two Swedes who are close off the ice, together, could also help to spark Heineman, who has hit a bit of a wall lately.

“I like playing center,” Drouin, who has occasionally played the position in both the NHL and in juniors, said pregame. “You’re more free a little bit up the ice, you’re not stuck on the wall as a winger watching your defensemen. More free, a little more instinct.”


The revamped power-play units, with Matthew Schaefer, Barzal, Horvat, Holmstrom and Palat together on the top unit, produced an 0-for-2 night.


David Rittich stopped 20 of 23 shots in nets on the front end of the back-to-back, with Ilya Sorokin scheduled to play Tuesday against the Penguins at UBS Arena.

Islanders goaltender David Rittich clears the puck against Capitals left wing Anthony Beauvillier (left) during the second period. AP

Roy said goalie coach Sergei Naumovs made the decision.

“That was a tough one because Ilya was so good here in Washington at the beginning of the season,” Roy said. “Probably one of his better games. They’re both good teams, Washington and Pittsburgh. Sometimes you just go with what the goalie coach’s feeling is.”


Scott Mayfield fought Tom Wilson 1:47 into the third after Wilson hit Holmstrom near center ice.

Though the hit was legal, Mayfield called it “a little awkward, kind of high.”

Nylander leads the Maple Leafs to a 4-2 win over the Flames

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — William Nylander scored on a breakaway 35 seconds into the game and added two assists that helped the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Calgary Flames 4-2 on Monday night.

Matias Maccelli and defenseman Troy Stecher also scored as the Maple Leafs won their second straight following a six-game losing streak. Toronto halted an 0-5-1 slide by winning 3-2 in a shootout Saturday at Vancouver.

Bobby McMann's empty-net goal sealed it with 25 seconds remaining. Joseph Woll made 28 saves, improving to 5-0-0 against Calgary.

Toronto has won eight in a row versus the Flames, its longest active streak against any team.

Nazem Kadri and Joel Farabee each had a goal and an assist for the struggling Flames, who have dropped six of seven. They snapped a five-game skid (0-3-2) with a 3-2 victory Saturday against San Jose when Farabee scored a short-handed goal to break a third-period tie.

Dustin Wolf stopped 18 shots.

Toronto moved within seven points of the Boston Bruins, who occupy the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Nylander has 13 goals and 23 assists in 26 career games against Calgary, where he was born. His father, Michael, played for the Flames in the mid-1990s.

Calgary rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh was held without a point in 20:05 of ice time during his first NHL game since Nov. 7. A first-round draft pick in 2024, Parekh has been working his way back from an injury sustained at the World Junior Championship tournament, where he starred for Canada with five goals and eight assists in seven games.

Up next

Maple Leafs: At the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night to conclude a four-game trip heading into the Olympic break.

Flames: Host the Oilers on Wednesday night in the final game for both teams before the break.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Flames Rally Falls Short in 4–2 Defeat to Maple Leafs

The Calgary Flames delivered a spirited effort Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, but an early three-goal deficit proved too much to overcome as they fell 4–2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Calgary welcomed back rookie defenceman Zayne Parekh, who returned to the lineup after completing his AHL conditioning stint with the Calgary Wranglers. The game marked Parekh’s first NHL appearance since Nov. 7.

© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Toronto wasted no time opening the scoring. On the Maple Leafs’ first shot of the night, William Nylander broke in alone just over a minute into the game and snapped a glove-side shot past Dustin Wolf to give the visitors a 1–0 lead. The goal extended Nylander’s point streak against Calgary to 12 straight games.

Nylander continued to drive Toronto’s offence in the second period. After collecting the puck behind the net, he spotted Mattias Maccelli in the slot, who one-timed a shot past Wolf to make it 2–0. The Maple Leafs then sustained heavy pressure in the Flames’ zone, and Nylander struck again—this time finding former Flame Troy Stecher, who chipped the puck by Wolf to stretch the lead to three.

With the assist, Nylander recorded his 46th career three-point game, tying Doug Gilmour for eighth in franchise history.

© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Calgary finally found life midway through the period. Joel Farabee slipped a pass to Nazem Kadri at the side of the net, and Kadri picked his spot, roofing a shot over Joseph Woll to cut the deficit to 3–1. The goal was Kadri’s 10th of the season, continuing his strong production against his former club.

Kadri and Farabee teamed up again shortly after, this time with Kadri sending a hard saucer pass across the crease that Farabee redirected past Woll to pull the Flames within one.

The Flames pushed hard in the third period, generating several quality chances and ringing a shot off the post, but Woll held firm in the Toronto crease. With Wolf pulled for the extra attacker in the final minute, Bobby McMann sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal, securing the 4–2 win for the Maple Leafs.

© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Three Takeaways

1. Effort Was There, Finish Wasn’t

Calgary outshot and outhit Toronto, firing 30 shots on goal and generating enough looks to erase the deficit, but puck luck and timely saves never swung in their favour.

2. Coronato Continues to Impress

Matt Coronato was one of Calgary’s most dangerous forwards, leading all players with seven shots on goal while logging 19:27 of ice time.

3. Encouraging Return for Parekh

Zayne Parekh was trusted in late-game situations in his first NHL contest since early November. While there were moments of adjustment, his confidence with the puck, clean passing, and overall presence were noticeable signs in his return.

Canucks Remain Winless Against The Mammoth After 6-2 Loss In Utah

The Vancouver Canucks kicked off their road trip with a 6-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth. Vancouver's goal scorers on the night were Liam Öhgren and Teddy Blueger. As for Kevin Lankinen, he did not have a strong night as he stopped 14 of the 20 shots he faced in the game. 

Monday's game was the definition of lower energy from the Canucks. Outside of a few moments, Vancouver struggled to generate any form of offence, as they finished the night with 23 shots. Overall, it was a disappointing effort made worse by the fact that this game occurred during the annual moms' trip. 

Defensive issues were once again the story for the Canucks. Whether it was missed assignments or lost stick battles, Vancouver struggled in their own zone all night. The game also featured a hat trick as Nick Schmaltz buried his third of the night in the third period.

"I think defensively, we just weren't good enough," said Blueger post-game. "We weren't tight enough. We knew they liked the cross-seam plays, and then we gave up a bunch of chances early in the first period. Lanks made some big saves and then just kept doing that throughout the second, and they made us pay for it."

As for a storyline from this game, that would be the departure of Filip Chytil. He played 7:36 through two periods and was absent from the bench at the start of the third. Post-game, Head Coach Adam Foote said Chytil "tweaked something" while responding to being asked if it was a head injury with "I hope not".

Lastly, ice time will once again be a discussion point after Monday's game. Jonathan Lekkerimäki played just 12:03 and was the only player outside of Chytil to play under nine minutes at even strength. With the game out of hand after the second and the team in a rebuild, there is no reason why a player like Lekkerimäki should be stapled to the bench in the third period. 

Feb 2, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Liam Ohgren (92) follows through on a shot for a goal against Utah Mammoth defenseman Nick DeSimone (57) during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Feb 2, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Liam Ohgren (92) follows through on a shot for a goal against Utah Mammoth defenseman Nick DeSimone (57) during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Ultimately, there were not a lot of positive takeaways from Monday's loss. Outside of the Öhgren, Blueger and Conor Garland line, the Canucks looked flat all night and were making simple mistakes that should not be happening this late in the season. In the end, though, Monday was another victory for the tank as Vancouver once again added some separation from the rest of the league at the bottom of the standings.

Stats and Facts:

- Vancouver has given up 198 hat tricks in franchise history 

- Teddy Blueger scores his fifth goal in nine games this season

- The Canucks are now 0-4-1 all-time against the Mammoth

- Vancouver has given up 72 second-period goals this season

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

3:35- UTA: Nick Schmaltz (20) from John Marino and Barrett Hayton
7:04- VAN: Liam Öhgren (4) from Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger
7:37- UTA: Nick Schmaltz (21) from Sean Durzi

2nd Period:

8:45- UTA: Mikhail Sergachev (9) from Nick Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther
12:16- UTA: John Marino (5) from Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz
16:05- UTA: JJ Peterka (20) from Kailer Yamamoto and John Marino
18:48- VAN: Teddy Blueger (5) from Conor Garland and Marcus Pettersson

3rd Period:

12:22- UTA: Nick Schmaltz (22) from Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse

Up Next:

The Canucks play their final game before the 2026 Winter Olympics on Wednesday when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights. Last season, Vancouver failed to pick up a victory over Vegas in their four meetings. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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Ottawa 3 Pittsburgh 2: Giroux's Greasy Goal Gives Senators Fourth Straight Win

For the first time all season, the Ottawa Senators have put together four regulation victories in a row.

Claude Giroux’s disputed goal with under five minutes to play snapped a 2–2 draw and gave the Senators a 3–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday night.

Tim Stützle and Michael Amadio had the other Senators goals, while Drake Batherson had two points on the night, along with Stützle. Linus Ullmark made 14 saves for Ottawa, which outshot the Penguins 31–16.

But it will be the Giroux goal that everyone will be talking about around water coolers on Tuesday.

Giroux started the play deep in Ottawa’s end, causing a turnover and slipping the puck to Nick Jensen, who fed Batherson in stride. As Giroux sprinted up the middle, Batherson tried to feed Stützle with a saucer pass that got deflected into the air. Stützle swatted it down with a baseball swing and it ended up right on the tape of Giroux for a clean break to the net.

Former Senator Erik Karlsson got caught flat-footed on the play and hacked at Giroux in desperation a couple of times, sending the veteran sliding into goaltender Arturs Šilovs and the goalpost. Because of the contact with Šilovs, the puck slid across the goal line.

Officials initially ruled no goal and gave Karlsson a tripping penalty. But while Giroux was down on the ice, shaken up, officials reviewed the play and determined it was a good goal.

The only reason for officials to allow the goal was because it was Karlsson who caused the collision and was penalized for it. But for some reason, the Penguins still wanted to challenge for goalie interference, which everyone knew would would fail.

Egor Chinakhov led Pittsburgh with a goal and an assist and gave the Penguins a 1–0 lead midway through the first period. When Michael Amadio tied the game early in the second period, the celebration seemed uncommonly big. His linemates were fully aware that it was his first goal in 24 games, going back to mid-December.

Stützle made it 2–1 Ottawa less than seven minutes into the third period, finishing what his linemate started. After Penguins defenceman Ryan Shea turned the puck over at Ottawa’s blueline, Jordan Spence chipped it to Batherson for a breakaway. He didn’t score, but Stützle was right there behind him to tuck in his 26th goal of the season.

Two minutes later, Thomas Chabot lost position on Tommy Novak and, when a shot came from Shea at the right point, Novak jammed home the rebound. After Chabot left Saturday night’s game early and arrived at Monday’s practice late, he was described as a game-time decision, apparently dealing with a right hand or wrist issue.

That set the scene for Giroux’s big goal, greasy as it was, late in the third period.

Few players have ever been a bigger thorn in the side of the Penguins than Giroux. According to the NHL’s website, he now has 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) in 33 games in Pittsburgh. That’s the most points and assists by any visiting player.

The victory was another crucial one because the rest of the East can’t stop picking up points. Buffalo got two more on Monday, despite being outshot 41-20, handing Florida its fourth straight loss, 5-3.

So while the Sens are now two points clear of the two-time champs, they remain eight points behind the Sabres. Montreal lost in overtime to Minnesota, so the Canadiens’ lead on the Sens is cut to nine. The Leafs and Red Wings both got two points on Tuesday as well.

The Boston Bruins are now the target, the second wild card, seven points up on the Sens. The Bruins imploded in the Stadium Series game in Tampa on Sunday night, blowing a 5–1 lead and losing in overtime. 

To extend their streak, the Senators will have to find a way to win in Carolina on Tuesday, a place where they haven’t had much historical success at all, let alone in part two of a back-to-back situation.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Nick Schmaltz has hat trick in 5-point game, Mammoth beat Canucks 6-2

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nick Schmaltz had his second hat trick of the season and added two assists for a five-point game in the Utah Mammoth's 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.

Schmaltz had his third career NHL hat trick to push his season goals total to 22, one shy of his career high set with Arizona in 2021-22.

JJ Peterka scored his 20th of the season, John Marino had a goal and two assists and Mikhail Sergachev also scored to help Utah end a two-game losing streak. Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves.

Schmaltz scored twice in the first as Utah took a 2-1 lead. In the second, Sergachev connected on a power play and Marino and Peterka pushed the advantage to 5-1. Schmaltz completed the hat trick with 7:38 left in the third, scoring off a feed from Clayton Keller on a break.

Liam Ohgren and Teddy Blueger scored for Vancouver. Kevin Lankinen stopped 14 shots.

Vancouver has only two victories in its last 18 games — both on an eight-game homestand that ended Saturday night with a 3-2 shootout loss to Toronto.

Up next

Canucks: At Vegas on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break.

Mammoth: Host Detroit on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

John Gibson Earns Fourth Shutout, Red Wings Hit Back With 2-0 Win Over Avalanche

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Following their dismal 5–0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit Red Wings team captain Dylan Larkin said he and his teammates intended to come to Denver for the rematch with something to prove.

The result on Monday evening was one of Detroit's gutsiest victories of the season, as they returned the favor against the Avalanche, shutting them out by a 2-0 final score at Ball Arena. 

It also marks Detroit's first regulation victory over the Avalanche since 2017 at Joe Louis Arena. 

The Red Wings found the back of the net right from the get-go, as Marco Kasper scored his sixth goal of the season just 33 seconds into the game after successfully converting a two-on-one rush with Lucas Raymond.

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With Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood pulled for an extra attacker late in the third period, Lucas Raymond sealed the victory by scoring into the vacated net for his 19th goal of the season. 

Kasper's early first-period goal was all the offense Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, who was pulled after 40 minutes on Saturday, needed to work with. He stopped all 21 shots the Avalanche fired his way, picking up his fourth shutout of the season. 

It's the most shutouts Gibson has posted in a season since he had four during the 2017-18 campaign, while still with the Anaheim Ducks. 

Detroit’s victory earned two crucial points in the standings, keeping them in second place in the Atlantic Division.

They trail the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning by just two points, while the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres remain uncomfortably close in the rearview mirror.

Detroit has just one game remaining on Wednesday evening before the schedule takes a multi-week break for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Red Wings will make just their second-ever appearance at Delta Center in Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth; they won't play again until Feb. 26 against the Ottawa Senators. 

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Bedard & Celebrini Score, Blackhawks Beat Sharks 6-3

CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks ended the pre-Olympic break portion of their home schedule on Monday night with a match against the San Jose Sharks at the United Center. 

Coming into the game, the San Jose Sharks were the only NHL team that the Blackhawks had yet to play. For the next decade, Macklin Celebrini vs Connor Bedard will highlight this matchup, but there is a lot of talent on both sides. 

In the first period, Bedard kicked off the scoring with his 23rd of the season. This goal ended a 0-26 stretch on the power play that spanned multiple weeks. Bedard now has goals in three straight games. He is heating up after a slow return from his injury.

By the end of the period, the Blackhawks had a 1-0 lead and only allowed the San Jose Sharks one shot on goal. 

The second period was significantly more eventful. Connor Murphy, Ryan Donato, and Sam Rinzel scored three unanswered goals to make it 4-1. 

The Sharks eventually got one when Celebrini set up Will Smith with a beautiful pass through the goal crease. Less than one minute after, however, Ilya Mikheyev took the momentum right back when he made it 5-1. 

San Jose wouldn't go quietly into the night, however, as Celebrini scored a goal of his own to get the Sharks back within three. That 5-2 score held through the second intermission. 

In the third period, Shakir Mukhamadullin was set up for a nice backhand goal by former Blackhawks forward Philipp Kurashev. San Jose getting within two made them believe that they could get it tied. They tilted the ice in a big way during the third period. 

Despite their pure domination during the final frame, the Sharks had one bad play that led to Ryan Donato's second goal of the game (fourth point). The 6-3 score stood as the final in favor of the Blackhawks. 

A key role in the victory, despite all the goals and breaking through on the power play, was the penalty kill. 

San Jose went 0-4 with the man-advantage. They made some nice plays, but good sticks, solid positioning, top-notch instincts, and a few good saves by Spencer Knight allowed the Hawks to kill four straight penalties. They are up to 85.6%, which leads the league by over one full percent. 

This is a big win for the young Blackhawks. They are still pretty far below the playoff line, but after a handful of losses in a row, they needed a win for morale. There is a long break coming up, and they'd like to enter it feeling good about themselves. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Blackhawks are back in action on Wednesday night when they pay a visit to Ohio to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be Chicago's last game before they break for the Olympics. 

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Avalanche Suffer First Shutout Of The Season In 2-0 Loss To Red Wings

With only two more games left before the Olympic break, the Colorado Avalanche hoped to spark a win streak to end this first half of the season, with the 4-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings as a catalyst. Well, the exact opposite happened, and with the power play continuing to get worse each game, the Avalanche got a taste of their own medicine, being shut out at home, with a 2-0 loss.

Period 1:

The Red Wings don’t waste any time as they come out early with a 2-on-1 opportunity, and it's Lucas Raymond from Marco Kasper to open the scoring, 1-0. Mason Appleton gets called for delay of game as he sends the puck over the glass, and the Avalanche gets their first power play of the night.

Though their power-play struggles continue, this unit looks nowhere near as good as it did back in Detroit. The first period did not look great for the Avalanche, as they were outshot 8-5, with Detroit getting a lot of offensive zone time and the Avalanche not generating much.

Period 2:

The second period wasn’t any better for both teams as a whole. Sam Malinski is called for tripping, and Taylor Makar is called for hooking, but the Avalanche continue to do a good job on the penalty kill and negate both penalties.

The Red Wings were able to adjust as the period went on, the Avalanche werent able to, and it showed. Missed passes, shots going wide on the net, and MacKenzie Blackwood having to come up with big saves to keep it within a one-goal game. Come the end of the period, the Avalanche were outshot 15-4 in the period, matching a season low in shots in the second period.

Period 3:

Albert Johansson called for tripping, but the Avalanche just can’t get anything going on the man-advantage. Blackwood is doing everything he can to keep the Avalanche in the game, including robbing Andrew Copp on the doorstep, as it was set up with Alex DeBrincat getting away from Clae Makar across the boards.

Blackwood is pulled with 2:30 remaining in the period, and Reymond finds the empty net to close the game off at 2-0. With this loss, this is the first time the Avalanche have been shut out this season. For the Red Wings, this is their first regulation win against the Avalanche since March 18, 2017.

The Avalanche face the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, Feb 4, in their final game before the Olympic break.

Nathan MacKinnon Sparks Fury Among Red Wings FansNathan MacKinnon Sparks Fury Among Red Wings FansHow dare Nathan MacKinnon defend a teammate.
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Takeaways: Penguins' Six-Game Win Streak Snapped By Senators In Lethargic Effort

Lately, it's been pretty easy to write serenades about the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have had their way with most of the teams they have played.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case on Monday.

The Ottawa Senators came to Pittsburgh and defeated the Penguins, 3-2, to snap the team's six-game win streak. Pittsburgh has now won just two of their last 11 games against the Senators, who didn't give them much to work with the entire game. 

Through two periods, the Penguins had just 10 shots on goal to the Senators' 23, and they never really found a way to get to the hard-forechecking and possession game that has made them so successful lately. Ottawa was shutting them down in the neutral zone, and the Penguins had a hard time breaking out of their own zone. 

"They jammed it up in the middle," forward Noel Acciari said. "We struggled getting out of our zone and getting in their zone. And the simple play was, tonight, just get it behind them and try and forecheck. But, it wasn't our best tonight.

"Ten shots over two periods is not going to win games, but we know we've got better, and it's a quick turnaround for tomorrow."

Out of the gate, the Penguins were pretty lethargic, and they were outworked from the jump. However, that didn't stop Evgeni Malkin from, once again, connecting with fellow Russian Egor Chinakhov, who was breaking through the slot. Chinakhov finished the play for his 10th of the season and seventh goal as a Penguin to put Pittsburgh in front, 1-0, early on. 

But, from there, the Penguins ran into some penalty trouble - which threw off their game - and the Senators pretty muc controlled all the momentum despite the goal. Michael Amadio tied the game from the slot just a minute and a half into the second period, and - miraculously - the score remained that way until the third because of the work of Penguins' goaltender Arturs Silovs, who was outstanding throughout this game. 

With a little more than 13 minutes to go in regulation, a bad change by defenseman Erik Karlsson led to a breakaway opportunity for Tim Stutzle, who capitalized for his 26th of the season to put Ottawa on top, 2-1. Two minutes later, Tommy Novak tied things up with a garbage goal at the net front, and the Penguins were still hanging on.

However - with just over five to go - Claude Giroux received a pass from Stutzle and crashed into the Silovs as Silovs stopped the initial shot attempt. However, the puck trickled into the net in the aftermath, and it was called a good goal on the ice. The Penguins challenged for goaltender interference on the play, but they lost the challenge and ultimately lost the game, 3-2. 

Silovs - who stopped 28 of 31 shots on the evening - did not agree with the ruling.

"I don't know. For me, it doesn't make sense," Silovs said. "He came in, I stopped the puck, and then the second... he goes like 25 miles [per hour] going down. Like, what do you expect me to do? I don't understand how they think, whether they're protecting players or not, especially for goalies... I don't understand this rule.

"Like, what's the position there? I would understand if it goes straightaway in, then I would agree with the call. But, it's a second effort, so I don't really agree with the call."

'Every Line's Able To Bring Some Offense': Penguins' Quick-Strike Offense Key To Success This Season'Every Line's Able To Bring Some Offense': Penguins' Quick-Strike Offense Key To Success This SeasonThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winning a lot of hockey games this season - and it starts with the team's ability to keep piling on offense

Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this 3-2 loss:

- Honestly? There's not really much to say about this one. This is a bad matchup for the Penguins, and this team just has their number. They were never, at any point, the better team in this game, and it showed in the end result. 

And, honestly? The end result indicated a closer game than it actually was. 

Look, losing this one isn't the end of the world. Maybe this opinion is unpopular, but when you win a lot of hockey games, a team almost earns the luxury of having a dud here and there. It's been happening frequently lately to the best team in the league in the Colorado Avalanche, as they have lost three of their last eight games by a score of 7-3 against the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, and Montreal Canadiens.

This is one that you lock away in a box and leave. The Penguins need their best Tuesday against the New York Islanders - who lost to the Washington Capitals, 4-1, on Monday - and I expect a response, especially after seeing how much head coach Dan Muse was seething after the game. 

How Three Key Free-Agent Additions Are Paying Huge Dividends For The Penguins How Three Key Free-Agent Additions Are Paying Huge Dividends For The Penguins The Penguins were busy in free agency over the summer, and three of the players they brought in have been fantastic.

- Silovs was truly magnificent in this game, and I think it was one of his best as a Penguin.

He made a ton of key saves early, and throughout the year, the early parts of games is where he has struggled the most. But he was dialed in all night long, and he was the only reason this game was as close as it was. 

His teammates owe him a very fancy steak dinner after this one.

- Chinakhov continues to make me wonder what the Columbus Blue Jackets were thinking. This guy just has such great instincts on top of having a 99th percentile shot in this league.

And, if I'm the Penguins, he's out there in six-on-five situations and on the first power play unit. There's no sense in not having the guy with the best shot on your team - and some of the best offensive instincts - out there in almost every key offensive situation. 

What a player this guy has been for the Penguins and for Malkin. 

- Speaking of the power play, it was another rough one for them, even if they only got one opportunity in the latter half of the third period. It's just one of its last 16, and there isn't really anything going right on that unit right now. 

A switch-up in personnel may be in order, but honestly? I just think it comes down to more player movement and quicker, more decisive puck movement. The Penguins are also overpassing right now and not getting nearly enough pucks - or bodies - to the net. 

Revisiting The Top-Five Moments Of The 2016 Stanley Cup Championship RunRevisiting The Top-Five Moments Of The 2016 Stanley Cup Championship RunPrior to their game on Saturday against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">New York Rangers</a>, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> celebrated their 2016 Stanley Cup champion team, as 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the championship run.

- This was a disaster of a game for every Penguin not named Silovs in general, but boy, was this a dud from Karlsson.

Karlsson has been one of the Penguins' best players all season long, but he struggles against his former team. He doesn't not have a goal against the Senators in his career, and he is a minus-5 - which doesn't account for that bad change. 

Not a good game from the blue line in general, but he stood out in particular. 

- The top line is not functioning well for the Penguins right now. This four-game stretch for Sidney Crosby has been rough - he has just one point in the last four games - and without Bryan Rust, they haven't been able to generate anything, as Justin Brazeau doesn't look like a fit there. 

If Rust wasn't returning Tuesday, I think a look for Rutger McGroarty with Crosby and Rickard Rakell would be warranted. But, with Rust set to return against the Isles, it's probably a moot point. 

Still, even with Rust in the fold before his suspension, something has been off. It's nice that the Penguins are getting secondary scoring, but at some point, the top line needs to produce at its customary rate again if the Penguins want to continue winning down the stretch run of the season.

Erik Karlsson Hits Career Milestone On SaturdayErik Karlsson Hits Career Milestone On SaturdayErik Karlsson notched his 700th assist during Saturday's game.

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