The Jets and Blues have made significant efforts to climb the Western Conference standings since the NHL returned from the Olympic break and kept their postseason dreams in sight with two crucial points as the race for Wild Card 2 features six teams separated by just four points.
* The Canadiens are on pace to feature a 50-goal scorer and a 100-point getter for the first time in more than 45 years as Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki continued their scoring ways while Lane Hutson joined an exclusive list in NHL history by also finding the score sheet.
* Sunday’s six-game slate is set to feature several key matchups in the Push to the Playoffs, including Steven Stamkos facing his former team in Tampa Bay.
WEST’S WILD CARD TEAMS TALLY TWO MORE CRUCIAL POINTS
After the NHL has featured at least one team clinch a playoff spot in its final game of the season in each of the past three campaigns, the logjammed Wild Card race in the Western Conference produced no further clarity following a 15-game Saturday. The Wild Card 1-seeded Mammoth (38-30-6, 82 points) skated to victory while the Jets (31-30-12, 74 points), Sharks (33-31-7, 73 points) and Blues (31-30-11, 73 points) also collected two crucial points – three of six teams separated by four points.
-29014852.png)
* Logan Cooley (2-0—2) notched his third straight 20-goal season, while Mikhail Sergachev (0-4—4) matched the franchise record for most assists in a game as Utah built a five-point lead over Nashville for Wild Card 1 and inched closer to assuring the first Stanley Cup Playoffs games will be played in the state. Cooley became the fourth active American to score 20 goals in each of his first three NHL campaigns, joining Patrick Kane (13), Auston Matthews (10) and Jack Eichel (5).
* The Jets withstood the Avalanche’s two game-tying goals on a night Cale Makar became the fourth-fastest defenseman to 500 career points and continued their attempt to climb the Western Conference standings following a 0-7-4 stretch from Dec. 15, 2025 to Jan. 8. Winnipeg moved within striking distance of the Predators (34-30-9, 77 points) for Wild Card 2 and can become the second team since 1995-96 to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs after suffering an 11-game winless streak earlier in the season, following the 1998-99 Flyers (0-8-4 from Feb. 24 – March 16, 1999).
* Macklin Celebrini (1-1—2) factored on the go-ahead goal with 1:25 remaining in regulation and became the fifth player in NHL history with 100 career helpers as a teenager, following Sidney Crosby (147), Wayne Gretzky (144), Dale Hawerchuk (109) and Steve Yzerman (107). Celebrini (36-62—98), who leapfrogged fourth-place Leon Draisaitl (35-62—97) in NHL scoring, can become the third teenager in NHL history to conclude a campaign among the top four in scoring, after Crosby (1st in 2006-07) and Gretzky (2nd in 1979-80).
* Jordan Kyrou (0-2—2) was one of four Blues players with multiple points as the club extended the NHL’s longest active win streak (tied) to four games. St. Louis ranks second in the League since teams returned from the Olympic break on Feb. 25 (11-2-2, 24 points) and has allowed one goal or fewer in five straight games (excluding shootout-deciding goals) for the second time in the past decade (also March 19-29, 2016). The longest stretch in franchise history is six straight contests (Oct. 31 – Nov. 15, 1970).
MONTREAL’S STARS HIT SEVERAL SCORING PLATEAUS IN FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN. . .
Nick Suzuki (0-2—2) and Lane Hutson (0-1—1) each hit significant assist-plateaus, while Cole Caufield (1-0—1) scored his 45th goal of the season as the Canadiens (41-21-10, 92 points) earned a fourth straight win and maintained their two-point cushion over the Bruins (41-24-8, 90 points) for third in the Atlantic Division.
* Hutson registered his 60th assist of 2025-26 and became the fourth active defenseman to reach the mark in consecutive seasons, following Quinn Hughes (4 from 2021-22 – 2025-26), Cale Makar (2 from 2023-24 – 2024-25) and Adam Fox (2 from 2021-22 – 2022-23). Only two other players – both forwards – in Canadiens history have achieved the feat: Guy Lafleur (6 from 1974-75 to 1979-80) and Peter Mahovlich (2 from 1974-75 to 1975-76).
* Suzuki’s first assist of the night made him the sixth-fastest player in Canadiens history to reach 300 NHL assists, behind Lafleur (436 GP), Elmer Lach (468 GP), Mats Naslund (470 GP), Jean Beliveau (477 GP) and Henri Richard (513 GP). His second helper boosted his season totals to 24-64—88 (72 GP), which puts him on pace for the first 100-point season by a Canadiens player in 40 years (Naslund: 110 in 1985-86).
* Caufield continued his chase of Nathan MacKinnon (48) in the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race with his 45th goal of 2025-26 and became just the second Montreal player to reach the mark in the past 45 years. Caufield is on pace to become the seventh 50-goal scorer in Canadiens history and first since Stephane Richer (51 in 1989-90).
. . . WHILE OTHER EAST CLUBS CONTINUE THEIR PUSH TO THE PLAYOFFS
The Eastern Conference has yet to see its first team clinch a berth into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs and features four teams within five points of the second and final Wild Card spot, but a handful of teams looking to participate in the postseason collected two crucial points during a 15-game slate:
* The Eastern Conference-leading Hurricanes (46-20-6, 98 points) trailed through 20 minutes but Jordan Staal (1-0—1) and Nikolaj Ehlers (1-1—2) combined on five straight Carolina goals as the club skated to its NHL-best 57th home win since 2024-25. Ehlers (23-38—61 in 72 GP) became the fourth player to register 60 or more points in his first season with the Hurricanes alongside Cory Stillman (76 in 2005-06), Jeff Skinner (63 in 2010-11) and Brent Burns (61 in 2022-23).
* Captain Rasmus Dahlin (1-0—1) kickstarted Buffalo’s multi-goal comeback win with his 100th career goal as the Sabres (45-21-8, 98 points) registered 45 victories in a single season for the 11th time in franchise history (last: 45 in 2009-10). Dahlin (100-327—427 in 579 GP) joined Phil Housley (178 G) as the second Sabres defenseman with 100 career goals.
* Emil Lilleberg (1-2—3) logged a career-high three points as the Lightning (45-21-6, 96 points) kept pace with the Atlantic Division-leading Sabres and spoiled a Senators attempt at two points – Ottawa sits one point back of Columbus (38-24-11, 87 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Lilleberg became the fourth Norwegian player in NHL history with a three-point game, following Mats Zuccarello (41), Espen Knutsen (4) and Patrick Thoresen (1).
* Matthew Schaefer assisted on two of the Islanders’ five second-period goals as New York (42-27-5, 89 points) passed Pittsburgh (36-21-16, 88 points) and Columbus (38-24-11, 87 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Schaefer, who reached 56 points on the campaign and tied Stefan Persson (56 in 1977-78) for the Islanders single-season record for points by a rookie defenseman, moved within one point of Phil Housley (57) for the most career points by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history.
* David Pastrnak (0-2—2) extended the League’s longest active point streak to 12 contests (7-13—20 in 12 GP) as the Bruins (41-24-8, 90 points) kept pace with the Canadiens (41-21-10, 92 points), who occupy third place in the Atlantic Division. Pastrnak pocketed his 105th career multi-assist game to pass Wayne Cashman (104) for seventh place on the franchise’s all-time list.
* The Flyers jumped out to a 4-0 lead partway through the third period thanks to a hat trick from Owen Tippett (3-1—4), the first Philadelphia skater with multiple three-goal outings in one season since James van Riemsdyk in 2018-19, and survived a furious Red Wings comeback that saw the home team cut the deficit to just one goal before holding on to the victory. The Flyers (36-24-12, 84 points) moved within three points of the playoff line. It marked Philadelphia’s ninth win in the month of March (9-3-1, 19 points), tied for the second most wins in the Eastern Conference over that span behind the Sabres (10-2-2, 22 points).
RANTANEN’S RETURN BOLSTERS DEEP STARS OFFENSE
Playing in his first NHL game since Feb. 4, Mikko Rantanen (1-1—2) recorded his 21st multi-point outing of the season (55 GP) and Jason Robertson (1-1—2) reached the 40-goal mark for the third time in his career (first since 2022-23) as the Stars (44-18-11, 99 points), who remain second in the Central Division, snapped a four-game slide (0-3-1).
* Rantanen’s 21 multi-point games are tied with Wyatt Johnston (21 in 73 GP) for the second most among Dallas skaters behind Robertson (26 in 73 GP). Rantanen’s 1.29 point-per-game rate in 2025-26 ranks seventh among all skaters.
* Robertson joined Johnston as the second Stars player with 40 goals this season. It marked Robertson’s third 40-goal season with the franchise, tied with Brian Bellows (3x) for the second most in Stars/North Stars history behind Dino Ciccarelli (4x).
QUICK CLICKS
* Goal of the Season? Matthew Tkachuk goes between the legs for slick score
* Joe Buck interviews his twins during Blues intermission
* Jaromir Jagr, not officially retired, says professional hockey career likely complete
* Nikita Zadorov (103.90 mph) records NHL’s hardest shot speed this season
* Women in Hockey: Asia Gholston
Sunday sees Stamkos face familiar foe as Predators vie for another victory
Sunday’s six-game slate is set to see Steven Stamkos square off against his former team when the Predators (34-30-9, 77 points) play the Lightning (45-21-6, 96 points), who can tie the Sabres (45-21-8, 98 points) for the most points in the Atlantic Division. Other key matchups in the Push to the Playoffs include the Hurricanes (46-20-6, 98 points) hosting the Canadiens (41-41-10, 92 points), the Blue Jackets (38-24-11, 87 points) battling the Bruins (41-24-8, 90 points) and the Flyers (35-24-12, 82 points) facing the Stars (44-18-11, 99 points).
* Stamkos needs four tallies for his eighth career 40-goal season and first since joining Nashville after 16 campaigns with Tampa Bay including parts of 11 as captain. Stamkos would be the third different 40-goal scorer for the Predators, who have gone 5-2-0 in their last seven games and occupy the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot.
