ST. LOUIS – The tears and emotions started running early for Pat Maroon, and only the ‘Hometown Hero’ knew why before anyone else.

The 36-year-old and Oakville, Mo. native was set to play against the St. Louis Blues for the final time this season with the hated Chicago Blackhawks. The Blues are in a playoff race, and the Blackhawks are just playing out the string.

But was it just the final game against the Blues this season? Well, take a look. It was more than that.

Maroon spoke to former Blues and current Blackhawks color analyst Darren Pang during pregame of the Blues’ 4-1 win at Enterprise Center on Saturday and confirmed that this, his 14th NHL season, will be his last.

More than 840 regular-season games (125 goals, 195 assists), 163 playoff games (23 goals, 30 assists), a three-time – and three straight – Stanley Cup champion, including the first with the Blues in 2018-19, a career that began with the St. Louis Amateur Blues U18 midget squad in 2004-05 and playing for Jon Cooper with the St. Louis Bandits of the North American Hockey League in 2006-07 before being a sixth-round pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2007 NHL Draft, Maroon, who signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Blackhawks last summer, said this is it.

His career began with the Anaheim Ducks with stops with the Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, Boston Bruins and Blackhawks.

“It’s been in the back of my head all year,” said Maroon, who ended the game in style with his 96th career fight in the third period with Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker. “I’ve given everything I have, and I want to go out on my own terms. I don’t want to be scratching and clawing for a contract, and them telling you you’re out. I wanted to leave on my own terms and when I was ready. I’m excited for my new chapter in life. Just going to finish hard. You guys know I play between the whistles and as hard as I can. Every time I get over the boards, it’s like my last shift ever. I’m going to continue to do that.

“My wife [Francesca] doesn’t want me to hang them up. She wants me to keep playing. It’s just the choice I had. I have no regrets in this game. I’ve given it everything. I’ve done everything. I achieved everything I could. St. Louis kid, growing up here, I was 352 games in the minors, and 840 games in the NHL right now. Who would’ve thought that? I’m just happy I got to win in my hometown, and go on to win two more. I’ve achieved everything I thought (I could). I probably overachieved sometimes. I was against all odds, and I beat the odds. I was always a person, I was self-motivated. I wanted to do it all on my own because (everyone) had doubt in me. Everyone doubted me, and I wanted to put that doubt in everyone else’s face.”

Word spread quickly that Maroon made his announcement on the Blackhawks broadcast. The Blues went into immediate production and threw together a video tribute showing the famous double-overtime goal against the Dallas Stars in the second round and a standing and loud ovation from a crowd appreciative of one of their own who helped bring the title to the Gateway City for the first time.

“I was shocked what the Blues did for me tonight,” Maroon said. “They didn’t have to do that. Obviously, I’ve been talking about it with my wife and my family. I’ve done everything I could in this league. I have no regrets. Just having a conversation with ‘Panger’, it kind of blew up. First, I wanted to thank the St. Louis Blues organization for really making this night really special for me and my family.

“Thank God they told me before the period started, so I was ready for it. The Blues didn’t have to do anything tonight. I was just playing a hockey game. Obviously, people got wind of it right away after I talked to ‘Panger’, and they really made it a special night for me. I can’t thank the Blues organization for doing that for me and my family tonight. Everyone was here tonight, so that made it really special.”

In front of his wife, parents and other family members on hand, Maroon took a stroll onto the ice, acknowledged the crowd and then again at game’s end when he was announced as the First Star of the game, taking a look around to soak it all in.

“A lot,” he said. “I looked a lot, especially during the national anthem and especially on the bench, TV timeouts. This city means a lot to me. The fanbase means a lot. The organization means a lot to me. Some of those guys that I won with mean a lot to me. I can’t thank them enough for helping me make tonight successful.”

That included Blues captain Brayden Schenn, a teammate and forever friend.

“He’s an incredible human, an incredible guy,” Schenn said. “A guy that really came in here and really helped embrace the locker room and become a huge piece on and off the ice of what this team is all about. Rightfully so, the crowd did him right, a guy that’s just grinded for everything that he’s got in his whole career. He’s a guy that plays hard minutes, he’s fought tough guys throughout his whole career playing at 36, 37 doing it the way he does. It’s definitely hat’s off to him.

“I don’t love seeing him in that jersey, I’m not going to lie, but being his last game here in St. Louis, obviously very emotional, talked to him after. When you win with guys, you care about guys quite a bit. Nice to see him and get a good salute tonight by the crowd and nice tribute by the Blues PR team.”

Maroon broke the heart of Blues coach Jim Montgomery, who was the coach of the Stars on that Game 7 on May 7, 2019 day in St. Louis but also had Maroon last season as coach of the Boston Bruins.

“I had the good fortune of coaching Pat Maroon in Boston last year and in the playoffs,” he said. “He is an exemplary and great teammate and he’s an incredibly intelligent hockey mind and player. He’s very underrated about how well he understands the game. He’s one of the best players at making plays off walls and breakouts at leading to 2-on-1s, and everybody knows how he sacrifices for the team. And on the bench, he made a huge impact for us in Boston because he brings energy, he lifts people up, he coaches people that he’s playing with. Sorry to see him retire, but what a career. A champion.”

That champion almost never materialized in St. Louis when the Blues nearly placed Maroon on waivers in what was amounting to an underachieving season that obviously quickly turned around, and Maroon became one of those galvanizing voices in a locker room that came together at the right time and stood above all else in June.

“I think he just does it with kind of understanding people, understanding the ebbs and flows of a season, and a guy that really knows has the way with words helping people along the way,” Schenn said of Maroon. “That team was just so tight, he’s just obviously another piece to everyone that being so close and he was definitely a ring leader with lots of laughs when you combine him with [Ryan] O’Reilly and [Tyler] Bozak, [Jaden] Schwartz, [Robert] Bortuzzo, the list goes on and on, right? A special person and obviously a friend for life.

“Without that (Game 7 goal), just a legendary goal, legendary celebration by the hometown kid. It’s obviously one of those memories you look back on, as that team, as life goes on, you have a lot of beers over, talk about memories and stuff like that with how everything went.”

Maroon’s playoff career is over. Depending on how many of the Blackhawks’ final 12 games he plays, will be it. So that last lap around Enterprise Center was one to store in the memory bank.

“It sucks. When I’m done here, I’m going to be a Blues fan,” Maroon said. “I’ll be coming to games, just like all the other alumni. It’s going to be fun coming back here and watching the Blues play. St. Louis kid get the opportunity to end on a high note, get the opportunity to actually play in St. Louis to end the year. It’s pretty remarkable. I couldn’t write a better script on how all this transpired today. I’m really happy, like I said, with the St. Louis Blues. I’m happy where I’m at. I’m content. Whatever happens in the next chapter, I’m just going to have to go do it again.”

The hometown hero ... #stlbluespic.twitter.com/g0VyducCvY

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) March 22, 2025

NASHVILLE — The Toronto Maple Leafs arrived in Nashville with momentum, carrying a three-game winning streak as they prepared to face the struggling Nashville Predators. The Leafs looked like a team that had overcome their struggles from just a couple of weeks ago, and in the first 20 minutes of action at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, they appeared unstoppable.

However, the game completely flipped in the second period, with Nashville scoring five unanswered goals for a 5-2 victory.

"It was a total flip," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said after the game. "What we did to them in the first what they did to us in the second and we had breakdowns that cost goals. There was no reason for it."

Maple Leafs forward John Tavares said his team "should be pissed off" by the inability to finish off the two-game road trip. Ironically, the Leafs had a 2-0 lead as out-of-town games with their opponents had concluded. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers lost in regulation. A single point would have given the Leafs sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. Instead they are second place, holding the same 42-25-3 record as Florida, but losing out on the first tiebreaker (regulation wins) However, they couldn't stop a team ranked 30th out of 32 in the NHL, playing for nothing but pride.

"It's a huge opportunity missed for us," Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev said. "We're trying to win every game. So 12 games left, try to go 12-0. Start of the year, you try to go 82-0. Our mindset's the same. We want to win every game and we want to win our division."

With 12 games remaining, Berube sounded the alarm on some mental mistakes he was seeing from the Leafs on Saturday. The odd-man rushes allowed have been a problem, but is he surprised to be seeing this so late in the season as the club gears up for the postseason?

Berube said, "I'm not sure if I'm surprised. These kinds of mental mistakes can happen throughout the year. However, I haven't seen mistakes like we made tonight in a while."

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Not quite five minutes into Saturday night's game from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Lucas Raymond benefitted from a fortuitous deflection off a Golden Knight stick in the slot to put his Red Wings up 1–0 with a power play goal.  Detroit, loser of eight of its last 10 games entering the night, had energy and a reward for a strong start.  By the end of the first period, that momentum ran dry, and the Red Wings trailed by two on the way to a 6–3 loss, their distant playoff hopes fading just a bit farther into horizon.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Vegas would've scored for in the first had coach Todd McLellan not successfully overturned a goal for offside, but before two minutes were played in the second, Patrick Kane buried the rebound from a Moritz Seider shot, and Detroit cut the score to 3–2 with another power play goal.

For the second time on the evening, an early period Red Wings goal inspired a Vegas volley in return.  Mark Stone made it 4–2 Knights just over five minutes later, then Tomas Hertl (who'd scored twice in the first, both goals exploiting open ice around the Detroit crease, while the Red Wings failed to tie up his stick) added another a minute after Stone.

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In the third, Alex DeBrincat got Detroit the first goal again, a wrist shot rifled in and back out of the net before Adin Hill could react in the Vegas crease.  DeBrincat's goal made it 5–3 Knights with just over half the final period still to play.  This time, Vegas only answered once, but it was all the Knights would need: Jack Eichel fighting through three Red Wings to tuck a backhanded empty net goal home with the clock showing 2:01 to play.

The loss, coupled with the results on the out-of-town scoreboard, leaves Detroit five points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference (the Montreal Canadiens, who overturned a late 4–1 deficit to salvage a point in a 5–4 OT loss to Colorado Saturday night).

The Red Wings have 13 games with which to make up that gap, beginning Monday night in Utah.  They entered their present trip with their postseason aspirations potentially hanging in the balance.  Now, the back-to-back in Salt Lake City and Denver will be their last chance to salvage any points from the road.  It's not quite do-or-die yet, not mathematically anyway, but Detroit desperately needs positive results.

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — David Perron scored a power-play goal to cap Ottawa’s three-goal second period, and the Senators held on to beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Saturday night.

Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson also scored to help the Senators win for the seventh time in their last nine games. Linus Ullmark finished with 25 saves.

Nico Hischier and Erik Haula scored for the Devils, who have lost three of four. Jake Allen had 16 saves.

Tkachuk gave Ottawa a 1-0 lead with his 28th at 4:05 of the second, and Batherson doubled the lead with his 20th at 4:38.

Hischier’s power play goal at 7:13 got the Devils on the scoreboard. It was his 30th and extended his point streak to six games.

However, Perron extended the lead to 3-1 with his sixth 1:31 later.

Haula pulled the Devils back within one with his eighth with 23 seconds left in the third.

New Jersey had several prime chances in the final 20 seconds, looking to tie it, but Ullmark made several stops and Jake Sanderson clearing the puck near the goalmouth.

Takeaways

Ottawa: The Senators hold the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, and pulled one point behind the Devils for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Ottawa has played two fewer games.

New Jersey: The Devils have lost six of their last 10 games, and are in danger of falling into a wild card spot.

Key moment

Tim Stutzle and Sanderson scored 33 seconds apart early in the second period to give the Senators a 2-0 lead.

Key stat

Jesper Bratt got his 61st assist of the season on Hischier’s goal, passing Scott Stevens (60 in 1993-94) for the franchise record.

Up next

Ottawa visits Buffalo on Tuesday, while the Devils host Vancouver on Monday to finish a three-game homestand.

Twenty-four hours after getting pummelled by the Providence Bruins, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins bounced back with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win on Saturday over the AHL's second-best team, the Hershey Bears.

Moreover, the Penguins were backed by rookie phenom Sergei Murashov, who improved to 10-0-0 in his first season in the AHL. Saturday's third star of the game made 24 saves on 26 shots, earning a .923 SV%, his fifth-best total of the season.

As the overtime hero, Avery Hayes was named the game's first star. He scored the winner, his 19th of the year, at 2:09 of the extra period. Meanwhile, the contest's second star was Atley Calvert, who scored the Penguins' two other goals, one in the second and one in the third period.

Penguins: Sidney Crosby's Chase Of Wayne Gretzky's NHL Point-Per-Game RecordPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is on pace to break a Wayne Gretzky record many people thought would never fall; most seasons (19) averaging a point-per-game average. 

The Bears (38-16-6-1) opened the scoring when Mike Vecchione scored at 18:36 of the first period. Calvert tied things at 3:49 of the middle frame and scored again at 6:52 of the third. At 18:29, Vecchione tallied his second of the night to force the overtime.  

Hershey's Hunter Shepard was on the hook for a loss with 28 saves on 31 shots. However, the story of the night belonged to Murashov, who has yet to lose in the AHL this season.

The 21-year-old from Russia is 10-0-0 with a .916 SV% and 2.58 GAA. He now owns the Penguins record for longest win streak by a rookie goalie. 

As mentioned, the Penguins lost to the Bruins 10-2 on Friday and will finish their three-game weekend with a visit to the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday afternoon.

Thanks to a 34-18-7-1 record, WBS remains tied with the Charlotte Checkers for third place in the Atlantic Division. So far, the Bears are the only AHL team to clinch a playoff spot. 

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

There's really no telling what President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas will do in free agency this summer, but it is possible that he decides to bring back some of the UFA stragglers who are currently on the NHL roster.

So which UFAs should they keep around, and who should they let walk?

Matt Grzelcyk

Keep: Yes

This may or may not be a polarizing response, but Grzelcyk's career has found new life in Pittsburgh. The 31-year-old left defenseman has already smashed previous offensive career-highs - his 32 points so far this season have beaten his previous career-best total of 26 - and he has helped revive a pronounced-dead Penguins' power play.

Given that the Pittsburgh's left defensive corps are a bit thin as far as talent right now, it might not be the worst thing to sign him to another one- or two-year deal to help bridge the gap for the younger guys - like Owen Pickering and Emil Pieniniemi - coming up through the system.

Matt Nieto

Keep: No

Nieto's return to play this season after missing nearly an entire year with knee injuries was certainly inspiring. However, his performance over time did not warrant the Penguins keeping him on their NHL roster, as they waived him on Feb. 26.

There isn't really any reason for the Penguins to keep Nieto beyond this season, especially with some young prospects vying for roster spots in 2025-26.

Emil Bemstrom

Keep: Yes

Prior to his latest Pittsburgh call-up on Feb. 27, Bemstrom was enjoying an impressive season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS). He put up 21 goals and 46 points in 43 games and was named to the AHL All-Star Classic.

Although he will be 26 next season, Bemstrom is a good depth option to have. He is a proven AHL player and may have a bit more to offer at the NHL level. He has also been pretty effective in generating chances through a short 10-game sample this season. 

Bring him back cheap, and he's a decent insurance option - especially in the event of injury or if a younger player needs to be sent back for development at some point during the season next year. 

Boko Imama

Keep: Yes 

Imama is not only a high-energy guy on the ice, he's also someone you want to have in a locker room. His teammates love him, and his positive energy is contagious.

He shouldn't be in the lineup on a nightly basis if the Penguins bring him back. There are younger players who are due for NHL opportunities, and for the type of player Imama is - one of the NHL's few true enforcers - he doesn't need to be in the lineup every night, anyway.

Imama would be fine to bring back as a 13th or 14th forward whose roster spot wouldn't really be hindering a younger player's development.

Joona Koppanen

Keep: No

Koppanen, 27, has enjoyed a pretty decent season in WBS. He registered six goals and 21 points in 53 AHL games, and his two-way conscientiousness is definitely something that has value.

But there are dozens of other Koppanens around the league, including many who are younger. If he returns on a cheap AHL-level contract, that's understandable. But he's the kind of player who - at the NHL level - might block prospects like Vasily Ponomarev, Avery Hayes, and Tristan Broz.

Forward depth in the system is never a bad thing. But bringing Koppanen back certainly isn't a "must."

Other UFA predictions:

Keep:

     - C Jimmy Huntington
     - RW Marc Johnstone
     - D Nathan Clurman

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The Ottawa Senators shook off a two-game losing streak on Saturday night, winning a 3-2 nailbiter over the New Jersey Devils. The Devils made a furious push with their goalie pulled at the end of the game but the Sens held on for the win. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves as the Sens were outshot 27-19.

The Senators utilized one of the game's golden rules they probably heard from every coach they've ever had: "Go to the net, get rewarded."

After a scoreless first period, which wasn't for lack of chances, the Senators did all of their scoring in the middle frame in a span of four and a half minutes, all on redirected shots by players stationed in front of the Devils' net.

The first goal came from Brady Tkachuk—his 28th of the season—4:05 into the second period as he redirected a puck from Jake Sanderson.

Just 33 seconds later, Dylan Cozens appeared to be attempting a one-timer but fanned on the shot. Regardless of his intent, it turned into a perfect pass to Batherson, who redirected it past Jake Allen.

The Devils cut the lead to 2-1 at the 7:13 mark when Nico Hischier fired a one-timer for his 30th goal of the season. Jesper Bratt set it up, earning his 61st assist of the year, breaking a Devils franchise record (Scott Stevens 1993-94).

However, the Senators restored their two-goal lead after Claude Giroux’s shot on the power play bounced off David Perron and into the net. It was Perron's sixth goal of the season, making it 3-1 Ottawa and standing up as the winner.

The Senators nursed the lead the rest of the way, but finally bent in the dying moments when Erik Haula scored with 22 seconds left. The Devils made a hard charge to tie it with a loose puck in the blue paint behind Ullmark, but Artem Zub swept it away in the scrum, preserving the win.

Tkachuk continues to push through nagging hip pain that may go back to the 4 Nations tournament in February. Sportsnet cameras caught him wincing in pain during the first period on Saturday night, leaving a shift early, and yelling profanities in frustration. 

The Senators continued to monitor his status, using him sparingly in the third. He played just over 13 minutes, well off his customary 18-19 minutes of work. The team is obviously hoping he and defenceman Nick Jensen can heal up their nagging injuries and be as close to 100% as possible before the playoffs.

Speaking of which, the win Saturday was a nice counter to the New York Rangers 5-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. It keeps the Sens five points above the Eastern playoff cut line. They also expanded their lead on the (WC2) Montreal Canadiens, who lost in a shootout to the Colorado Avalanche and slip four points behind the Sens.

The Sens also climbed two points closer to the top three teams in the Atlantic - Florida, Toronto, and Tampa - who all lost. 

The Senators' next game is in Buffalo on Tuesday night.

By Steve Warne
Site Editor at The Hockey News Ottawa

Stay updated with the most interesting Ottawa Senators stories, analysis, breaking news and more at The Hockey News Ottawa. Tap the star here at Google News to add us to your favourites and never miss a thing.

The Ottawa Senators shook off a two-game losing streak on Saturday night, winning a 3-2 nailbiter over the New Jersey Devils. The Devils made a furious push with their goalie pulled at the end of the game but the Sens held on for the win. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves as the Sens were outshot 27-19.

The Senators utilized one of the game's golden rules they probably heard from every coach they've ever had: "Go to the net, get rewarded."

After a scoreless first period, which wasn't for lack of chances, the Senators did all of their scoring in the middle frame in a span of four and a half minutes, all on redirected shots by players stationed in front of the Devils' net.

The first goal came from Brady Tkachuk—his 28th of the season—4:05 into the second period as he redirected a puck from Jake Sanderson.

Just 33 seconds later, Dylan Cozens appeared to be attempting a one-timer but fanned on the shot. Regardless of his intent, it turned into a perfect pass to Batherson, who redirected it past Jake Allen.

The Devils cut the lead to 2-1 at the 7:13 mark when Nico Hischier fired a one-timer for his 30th goal of the season. Jesper Bratt set it up, earning his 61st assist of the year, breaking a Devils franchise record (Scott Stevens 1993-94).

However, the Senators restored their two-goal lead after Claude Giroux’s shot on the power play bounced off David Perron and into the net. It was Perron's sixth goal of the season, making it 3-1 Ottawa and standing up as the winner.

The Senators nursed the lead the rest of the way, but finally bent in the dying moments when Erik Haula scored with 22 seconds left. The Devils made a hard charge to tie it with a loose puck in the blue paint behind Ullmark, but Artem Zub swept it away in the scrum, preserving the win.

Tkachuk continues to push through nagging hip pain that may go back to the 4 Nations tournament in February. Sportsnet cameras caught him wincing in pain during the first period on Saturday night, leaving a shift early, and yelling profanities in frustration. He 

The Senators continued to monitor his status, using him sparingly in the third. He played just over 13 minutes, well off his usual contributions. The team is obviously hoping he and defenceman Nick Jensen can heal up their nagging injuries and be as close to 100% as possible before the playoffs.

Speaking of which, the win Saturday was a nice counter to the New York Rangers 5-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. That keeps the Sens five points above the Eastern playoff cut line. They also expanded their lead on the (WC2) Montreal Canadiens, who lost in a shootout to the Colorado Avalanche and stand four points behind the Sens.

The Sens also climbed two points closer to the top three teams in the Atlantic - Florida, Toronto, and Tampa - who all lost. They're 

The Senators' next game is in Buffalo on Tuesday night.

By Steve Warne
Site Editor at The Hockey News Ottawa

Stay updated with the most interesting Ottawa Senators stories, analysis, breaking news and more at The Hockey News Ottawa. Tap the star here at Google News to add us to your favourites and never miss a thing.

POSTGAME

"I try to be the best version of myself each and every day and just try to get as good as I can to become the player I want to be."@utahhockeyclub Logan Cooley on his competitiveness and what drives him pic.twitter.com/JjOG2Iklwd

— Utah Hockey Club PR (@UtahHC_PR) March 23, 2025

Utah has gotten used to close games, whether it's playing in one of its 19 overtime games its had this season, which is tied for the most in the league, or playing in games with only a one-goal lead.

However, in this game, Utah had to play a one-goal lead knowing it could have had two additional goals, if not for two successful challenges from the Lightning.

One of those challenges came on a Clayton Keller goal, which was waved off because teammate Jack McBain created enough contact with Tampa goalie Brandon Halverson, starting his first-ever game for the Lightning, to cancel the goal.

Goaltender interference, no goal. 5-4, Utah.

Time to respond, boys. https://t.co/NJwXn16Zam

— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 22, 2025

But despite having goals wiped off the board, it was ultimately Utah's defense that won it in this high-scoring affair.

After Tampa's Brayden Point scored the Lightning’s fourth goal with 17:06 remaining in the third period, Utah didn't allow another goal for the rest of the period.

Considering Utah was caught with too many men on the ice for a with only 2:09 remaining in the game, it was particularly impressive that Utah not only held off a power play unit, but also an extra Tampa attacker that came out whenever Halverson was pulled.

Andre Tourigny Among Many Supporting Ryan Smith and the New Utah OwnershipOn Monday, March 17,

But with Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka, playing in a league-high 13th consecutive start, making a couple of late saves, the puck fell to Utah's Alexander Kerfoot, who scored an empty-netter to put Utah up 6-4 and seal the game.

"Yeah, I love it. Right from the start of the game, the focus, the execution, the urgency was elite. I think everybody was engaged. Everybody was connected. We're really disciplined, and in the way we had to play against those guys. Great effort from the boys." 

The empty-net goal was Kerfoot's second of the day, with the other coming after a key moment that saw a goal from Utah's Lawson Crouse erased, followed by some great passing from Tampa, which led to its second goal of the game from Anthony Cirelli.

Fellas didn't like that last one so they took it back.

3-2 good guys. pic.twitter.com/0YDIAs5m4e

— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 22, 2025

Originally, Utah's Kevin Stenlund, whose assist on the goal gave him his fifth point in five games, had taken a shot that went wide right of the goal.

But with Utah recovering the puck, it ended up back where Stenlund was. In the exact same spot, Stenlund took another shot, this time aiming for an open Kerfoot standing right in front of the net. This time, Utah would get a point with Kerfoot deflecting the puck in.

Though the Crouse goal was cancelled after a successful Tampa challenge revealed the puck hit the curve of the glass near the benches, having Kerfoot score not long after Tampa's goal was an important response from Utah.

"We’ve been playing a lot of one goal games, this one didn’t feel much different even though there are more goals on the scoreboard," said Kerfoot. "They’re a dangerous team, they got guys who are going to make plays even if you’re in the right spots... I thought we were pressing, the [Cooley] line was great all night... Veggie came up big at the end there and we got the win."

But while Tampa would cut the game to 5-4 in the third period, a goal from Nick Schmaltz would give Utah a two-goal lead that would prove crucial in this back-and-forth offensive affair.

🚨 Puck don't lieeeeeee! Atta boy Schmaltzy! pic.twitter.com/E7juQRL7R2

— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 22, 2025

Thanks to Logan Cooley aggressively shooting near the net, the puck remained in play. With the puck not being covered by Halverson in time, Schmaltz capitalized and took a quick shot to score.

With Cooley credited with the assist, it gave him his third point of the day, with the other two coming from goals earlier in the game.

One of those goals came after Cooley deflected the puck off Utah's John Marino in a way that slid right under Halverson's legs.

BOYS DIDN'T LIKE THAT ONE EITHER SO THEY TOOK IT BACK!

COOLS STAYS HOT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ab0tuJzi93

— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 22, 2025

Considering Cooley had just gone through a six-game stretch without a single point, he has now scored six points in the last four games and has been on a roll.

“It’s always tough when you go through stretches of not playing your best, not producing," said Cooley. "And just overall, I think during that goal it allows you to get some confidence back and get back to your game and what makes me the player I am. It’s one of those things where it seems like it’s going my way right now and you just have to take advantage of it." 

Though Utah's competition, Calgary and St. Louis, pulled out wins today— with the Flames having a late comeback against the Islanders— Utah can take solace in the fact that at least Vancouver lost 5-3.

Utah will have one last game at home against the Detroit Red Wings before going on a three-game road trip, where it will play Tampa Bay for its second time in a week. That game will be on Thursday, March 27.

ST. LOUIS – You kind of had a sense this was in store for the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

After an emotional 4-3 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday to move into the second wild card into the Western Conference, recovering and playing another game less than 48 hours later, against the Chicago Blackhawks no less, was going to be a tough motivational game to get up for. Even though these points mean just as much as any.

The Blues had been playing so much clean hockey since the 4 Nations Face-Off, but it was predictable that they would have a bit of a clunker, and it was in danger there for a bit, as the young Blackhawks, playing for jobs for next year, were pushing them to the brink.

But the energy guys of Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker led the charge each with a goal and assist, Robert Thomas and Zack Bolduc each scored, combined with another stellar outing by Joel Hofer (26 saves), and the Blues won their season-high fifth straight, 4-1 against the Blackhawks at Enterprise Center on Saturday.

“There’s probably a couple factors. The emotion of Thursday night. It was a roller-coaster game and obviously it meant a lot, and I just think you’re going to have … when you watch the league, there’s some nights, for whatever reason, a team has no legs,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. ‘The great thing for us was, I don’t think we were even close to our ‘A’ game and yet we managed the game. We weren’t perfect, but we grinded it out. We were incredibly selfless and we ended up pulling out a win. Chicago was playing well. They were checking well.”

The Blues (36-28-7), who lead the wild card by two points on the Calgary Flames, who have two games in hand, and the Vancouver Canucks by three points and Utah Hockey Club by four, who host the Nashville Predators on Sunday, played without forward Pavel Buchnevich, ruled out due to what the team called illness, was not in sync and it showed but found a way in the end to persevere.

“They played hard, they defended hard, they forechecked hard, they came at us,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said of the Blackhawks. “I don’t think we were at our best today, but give them credit, they checked well.”

The Blues swept the three-game season series, the second time in their history doing so (4-0-0 in 2019-20).

Let’s get into Saturday’s Three Takeaways:

* Fourth line willed Blues – Montgomery preaches habits and details. Toropchenko, Walker and Radek Faksa are usually at the front of the line when it comes to them.

For large swaths of the game, the Blues were sloppy with the puck, there wasn’t the typical forecheck, but when those practice habits were on par, enter the fourth line.

“They lead us with our habits,” Montgomery said. ‘We’ve been preaching habits for a long time now. We’re seeing that.

“We weren’t very clean the first two periods, but that line was. Every time they got on the ice, we either got a face-off in their end or they changed in the offensive end. It’s nice to see them get rewarded, and they really made some high-end plays.”

It took a Thomas midair tip goal to get the scoring started at 15:13 of the second period, but Toropchenko made it 2-0 at 17:20 when all three forwards touched the puck after a quick up by Cam Fowler.

“We were just on top of them and grinding, grinding, grinding. They made that play, Fowler got the puck, he passed it to ‘Walks,’ ‘Walks’ chip it to Faksa and Faksa found me with a great pass.

“Main focus on our line is have good habits every game. It doesn’t matter when. Even on the practice day, make yourself better and just push through and play hard.

“I think we just all play the same way, all play like hard hockey, just grind, be physical, be good on the forecheck and first of all, be great in the ‘D’ zone and wear the other team down and make some good stuff for our teammates.”

It happened again on Walker’s goal at 1:12 of the third period that made it 3-1 after Chicago scored shorthanded with 54 seconds left in the second period.

It was a momentum-swinging goal that made it 2-1, but the fourth line drew it back for the home side by making a good, smart play off the edge and to the net with Toropchenko finding Walker.

“The game on Thursday and it’s sometimes hard to come back and back that up,” Walker said. “The first period really wasn’t up to our standards. I think if we can kind of do the little things and chip in here and there, I think we can go a long way with it.”

“Yeah, it led us,” Montgomery said. “They scored two key goals that separated us. That was good.”

Bolduc, who got rewarded by being promoted to the top line in Buchnevich's absense, got in on the fun to close out the scoring at 7:43 of the third on a net front rebound to make it 4-1.

* Hofer kept Blues in it – When the play looks sketchy in front of the goalie, sometimes the goalie’s play needs to be strong.

Hofer made a number of bail-out saves in this game when it was 0-0.

The Blues weren’t doing him any favors with turnovers and getting checked off pucks, but Hofer, who is 4-0-1 his past five starts, was clean with most of his handles, he was seeing pucks through traffic and most importantly, didn’t allow Chicago to gain momentum and confidence by scoring first, which the Blackhawks had a number of opportunities to do so.

* The ‘Hometown Hero’ goes out in style in last game in St. Louis –In an interview with former Blues color commentator and current Blackhawks color analyst Darren Pang pregame, Oakville native Pat Maroon announced this season, his 14th season, will be his last in the NHL.

Maroon, who played 10:41 and got into his 96th career fight in the third period with Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker, received accolades from Blues fans thanks to the team’s Bluenote Productions staff with a video tribute and the game’s First Star and ensuing interview on FDSNMW with Jamie Rivers.

Needless to say, Maroon, who was a key component on the Blues’ first-ever Stanley Cup championship squad in 2018-19, scoring one of the most important goals in franchise history in the second round of Game 7 in double overtime, winning the game 2-1 and sending the Blues into the Western Conference Final against the San Jose Sharks, was emotional during and after the game.

“I was shocked what the Blues did for me tonight,” Maroon said. “They didn’t have to do that. Obviously, I’ve been talking about it with my wife and my family. I’ve done everything I could in this league. I have no regrets. Just having a conversation with ‘Panger,’ it kind of blew up. First, I wanted to thank the St. Louis Blues organization for really making this night really special for me and my family.

“Thank God they told me before the period started, so I was ready for (the tribute). The Blues didn’t have to do anything tonight. I was just playing a hockey game. Obviously, people got wind of it right away after I talked to ‘Panger’, and they really made it a special night for me. I can’t thank the Blues organization for doing that for me and my family tonight. Everyone was here tonight, so that made it really special.”

The hometown hero ... #stlbluespic.twitter.com/g0VyducCvY

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) March 22, 2025