Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and Sergei Bobrovsky helped Florida forge a victory versus Washington in the Panthers’ penultimate game before the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic.
* The League unveiled its rendering of Miami’s loanDepot park and bolstered the musical lineup ahead of the historic outdoor game on Jan. 2.
* Tuesday’s slate is backloaded with Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer visiting the Blackhawks on NHL Network as well as former Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet returning to Vancouver on Sportsnet.
PANTHERS PREVAIL WITH WINTER CLASSIC AROUND THE CORNER
In their second-to-last game before facing the Rangers outdoors in the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2, the Panthers outlasted the Capitals backed by star performances from Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and Sergei Bobrovsky in a tightly-contested game that saw the teams combine for three game-tying goals before Florida pulled away late in the third period.
* Reinhart (2-1—3) scored his 20th goal of the season in the opening frame and then sealed the victory with an empty netter with 35 seconds remaining in regulation. Reinhart, who has already been named to Team Canada for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, reached the 20-goal mark for the ninth consecutive season, including all five since joining the Panthers in 2021-22. He tied the second-longest string of consecutive 20-goal seasons in Panthers history, with only Aleksander Barkov (10 from 2015-16 to 2024-25) owning a longer stretch.
* Marchand (1-1—2) extended his point streak to eight games for the second time in 2025-26. The 37-year-old forward has recorded multiple point streaks of eight or more games in a single season for the second time in his career (also 13 GP twice in 2019-20) and is on pace to score a career-high 48 goals this season.
* Bobrovsky made 22 saves to earn his 17th win of the season, tying Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood for the League lead. In the process, he surpassed Terry Sawchuk for sole possession of eighth on the NHL’s all-time wins list.
NHL UNVEILS RENDERING, ADDS TO MUSICAL LINEUP FOR WINTER CLASSIC
Snow and sand surround the NHL regulation-size rink in the rendering of Miami’s loanDepot park for the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic, the historic outdoor game in Florida set for Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. ET between the Panthers and Rangers (TNT, HBO Max, SN, TVAS). The “Snowy Winter Comes to Sunny Florida” theme highlights the convergence of the annual homage paid to the game’s cold-weather origins and the South Florida warm-weather setting for this season’s NHL Winter Classic. Click here for more on the rendering of the field design.
* In addition to the virtual sneak peek of loanDepot park, work continued Monday live and in color at the baseball-field-turned-hockey-rink where the ice crew installed lines, logos and other ice markings.
* The musical lineup for the historic outdoor game was bolstered Monday as Latin GRAMMY Award-winning global artist Luis Fonsi was added to a slate that already includes singer-songwriter Role Model. Fonsi will perform his global Spanish-language hit, “Despacito” during each team’s ceremonious walk onto the field at loanDepot park.
* A limited number of tickets to the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic are still available, on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Fans can purchase tickets here via Ticketmaster.
WINTER CLASSIC QUICK CLICKS
* Vincent Trocheck returning with Rangers to face Panthers in Winter Classic
* Brad Marchand recalls outdoor memories ahead of Winter Classic with Panthers
* Aaron Ekblad’s main goal for Panthers at Winter Classic is winning game vs. Rangers
* #NHLStats Pack: 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic
* Winter Classic Information Guide
#NHLStats: Live Updates has notes on several player, team streaks
Monday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the 11-game slate, including several skaters, goaltenders and teams extending lengthy streaks:
* The Sabres extended their win streak to nine games matching the fourth-longest streak in franchise history. The last time they had a longer run was 10 games in 2018-19. Buffalo also extended its road win streak to six games, which tied with the Kings (6 GP from Oct. 26 – Nov. 15) and Rangers (6 GP from Oct. 28 – Nov. 15) for the longest road win streak this season. It matches the fourth-longest road win streak in franchise history.
* Brandon Bussi (17 saves) became the fifth goaltender in NHL history with wins in each of the first eight home appearances from the start of his career, following Gord McRae (10 GP from 1972-73 – 1974-75), Jeremy Swayman (8 GP from 2020-21 – 2021-22), Ilya Sorokin (8 GP in 2020-21) and Michel Plasse (8 GP from 1970-71 – 1972-73). The Hurricanes (24-11-3, 51 points) opened a two- and five-point lead atop the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division, respectively.
* Steven Stamkos (2-1—3) became the second player in franchise history with the winning goal in four straight victories following Mike Fisher (4 from Jan. 23 – Feb. 4, 2012) and needs one tally for 600 in his career. Stamkos scored his 98th career game-winning goal to tie Bobby Hull and Guy Lafleur for 11th place on the NHL’s all-time list.
* Nathan MacKinnon collected 1-1—2 to help the League-leading Avalanche (29-2-7, 65 points) extend their season-opening home point streak to 18 games (16-0-2), including 14 straight wins dating to Oct. 28. MacKinnon inched closer to Art Ross Trophy race leader Connor McDavid, as did Macklin Celebrini, who posted 1-2—3 to extend his point streak to eight games and record his League-leading 10th three-point game of the season. Celebrini (39 GP) became the second-fastest teenager in NHL history to record 10 three-point performances in a single season, behind only Wayne Gretzky (38 GP in 1980-81).
* McDavid collected an assist to best Nick Suzuki (12 GP from Oct. 9 – Nov. 4) and Kirill Marchenko (12 GP from Oct. 25 – Nov. 17) for the League’s longest point streak this season (13 GP since Dec. 4). McDavid, who has had the NHL’s lengthiest run (outright or tied) twice in his career (14 GP in 2016-17 & 17 GP in 2021-22), can become the ninth player in League history with the longest point streak in three or more seasons and first since Patrick Kane (3x; 14 GP in 2013-14, 26 GP in 2015-16 & 20 GP in 2018-19).
QUICK CLICKS
* Nikita Kucherov, Eeli Tolvanen, Juraj Slafkovský named NHL’s “Three Stars” of the Week
* Yegor Chinakhov traded to Penguins by Blue Jackets for Danton Heinen
* Short Shifts Year in Review 2025: Top moments from around the NHL
* Mathew Barzal fined maximum for slashing in Islanders game
* Guy Chouinard, former Flames forward, dies at 69
TUESDAY’S SLATE INCLUDES SCHAEFER ON NHL NETWORK
A five-game Tuesday will showcase Calder Trophy contender Matthew Schaefer and the Islanders visiting the Blackhawks on NHL Network and former Canucks coach Rick Tocchet returning to Vancouver for the first time since joining the Flyers prior to the 2025-26 season in a national game on Sportsnet in Canada.
* Eighteen-year-old rookie defenseman Schaefer (9-15—24 in 39 GP) leads all Islanders skaters with an average of 23:47 time on ice per game. The Islanders (21-14-4, 46 points) enter play second in the Metropolitan Division in a hunt to return to the postseason after missing in 2024-25. Schaefer can become the second teenager, and only 18-year-old (age at end of season), to lead his entire team in time on ice per game at season’s end (since officially tracked in 1997-98; min. 41 GP). He would join Drew Doughty (2008-09 w/ LAK).
* Tocchet will face the Canucks, the team he won a Jack Adams Award with in 2023-24, for the second time in nine days after a 5-2 win in Philadelphia on Dec. 22. Throughout his three-season span as Vancouver head coach, Tocchet led the team to a 108-65-27 record including a first-place finish in the Pacific Division in 2023-24. In his first season behind the bench in Philadelphia, Tocchet has the Flyers (19-11-7, 45 points) sitting third in the Metropolitan Division as they look to return to the postseason for the first time since 2019-20. Read more on Tocchet’s return to Vancouver on NHL.com.
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