Philadelphia Flyers leading scorer Travis Konecny will return to the team's lineup Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres, head coach John Tortorella confirmed, according to The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor.

Tortorella also announced forward Sean Couturier won't play this season.

Konecny hasn't played since Feb. 20 after sustaining an upper-body injury against the Calgary Flames. Despite missing 16 contests, the 26-year-old still paces the Flyers with 27 goals and 54 points.

Couturier has been sidelined due to a back injury. He last played for Philadelphia on Dec. 18, 2021.

Tortorella noted that Couturier didn't sustain a setback in his recovery, but that the decision was made to not risk bringing him back for the final eight games of the season, according to O'Connor.

"I said to (Couturier), why don't we use the next few months to get even more ready?" Tortorella said, per O'Connor.

"This guy's a whole different animal, he wants to (play)," the coach continued, according to NBCS Philadelphia's Jordan Hall.

The Flyers are seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a 29-32-13 record.

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Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek is done for the season due to a shoulder injury, head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed, according to The Athletic's Thomas Drance.

"There's really no reason for him to come back," Tocchet said, according to The Vancouver Sun's Patrick Johnston. The coach added, "He's going to have a long time to make his shoulder perfect."

Tocchet said there is no concern that he needs surgery and Hronek would be able to play if it were the playoffs, according to Johnston.

The Canucks acquired Hronek prior to the trade deadline along with a 2023 fourth-round pick in exchange for the Islanders' 2023 first-round pick and a 2023 second-round pick.

The 25-year-old made his Vancouver debut on March 23. He played four games with the Canucks prior to being shut down, tallying one assist and averaging 24:17.

Hronek was recovering from a shoulder injury when the Detroit Red Wings traded him. The ailment forced him to miss nearly one month and delayed his Canucks' debut after being acquired by the team on March 1.

Vancouver is sixth in the Pacific Division with a 34-34-6 record.

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Jonathan Toews will return to the Chicago Blackhawks' lineup Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, head coach Luke Richardson confirmed according to Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope.

Toews hasn't played since Jan. 28 after stepping away due to ongoing symptoms of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome.

More to come.

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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson left the team's 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames due to an apparent injury Thursday.

Thompson exited with 6:07 remaining in the third period after making a save on Trevor Lewis.

The 26-year-old was activated from injured reserve Tuesday. He dressed as the backup to Jonathan Quick later that day.

Thompson's start on Thursday was his first game action since Feb. 9 when he sustained a lower-body injury against the Minnesota Wild. He stopped 37 of 39 shots he faced from the Flames prior to being forced from the game and was credited with the victory.

In 37 contests this season, Thompson has a 21-13-3 record and a .915 save percentage.

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Florida Panthers veterans Eric and Marc Staal didn't participate in warmups Thursday as the team donned a Pride-themed jersey.

The brothers said they didn't wear the jersey due to their Christian beliefs.

"After many thoughts, prayers, and discussions, we have chosen not to wear a Pride jersey tonight," the duo said in a joint statement, according to The Associated Press' Tim Reynolds. "We carry no judgment on how people choose to live their lives and believe that all people should be welcome in all aspects of the game of hockey.

"Having said that, we feel that by us wearing a Pride jersey, it goes against our Christian beliefs," the statement continues. "We hope you can respect this statement, we will not be speaking any further on this matter and would like to continue to focus on the game and helping the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup."

The Staal brothers' decision comes days after San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer declined to wear his team's Pride-themed warmup jersey.

Eric is the NHL's active games-played leader with 1,354 contests. The 38-year-old has 13 goals and 25 points this season.

Marc has played in all 71 of the Panthers' games this campaign, tallying 12 points.

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The reigning Stanley Cup-winning head coach isn't going anywhere.

Jared Bednar signed a three-year contract extension to remain with the Colorado Avalanche through 2026-27, the team announced Tuesday.

"On behalf of the Kroenke family and the entire organization, we are thrilled to announce a long-term commitment to our head coach," Avalanche president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said in a press release. "Jared has done a tremendous job behind the bench and certainly deserves this extension and to continue as the leader of our team."

Bednar has a 281-190-52 record with the Avalanche. He's the winningest coach in the franchise's history, having surpassed the Quebec Nordiques' Michel Bergeron in January.

"Being able to lead this team over the last seven years has been a privilege," Bednar said. "I am grateful and excited to have the opportunity to continue building on what we've accomplished so far.

"Colorado has become home to me and my family, and I can't thank our ownership enough - Stan and Josh Kroenke - as well as Joe Sakic and (Avalanche general manager) Chris MacFarland, my coaching staff, and all of our players for their hard work and dedication. I look forward to continuing this process with them."

The 51-year-old was already under contract through the 2023-24 campaign.

Colorado is second in the Central Division with a 41-22-6 record. The Avalanche are one point behind the Dallas Stars for the division lead and have a game in hand.

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The Carolina Hurricanes simply wouldn't go away Saturday night, stunning the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4.

Martin Necas tied the contest with under one second remaining in regulation, banging home a loose puck on the doorstep of the goal.

Necas is no stranger to late-game heroics this season. This was his third final-minute game-tying goal of the campaign, matching the NHL record, according to Sportsnet Stats.

Carolina wasted no time ending the game in overtime. Sebastian Aho went end-to-end, dangling past Tony DeAngelo en route to completing his hat trick and sealing the victory in highlight-reel fashion.

The swift turn of events puts the Hurricanes three points clear of the New Jersey Devils for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

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San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer won't wear the team's Pride jersey in warmups for Saturday night's game against the New York Islanders.

Reimer won't participate in warmups and will dress as the team's backup for the contest, according to SJ Hockey Now's Sheng Peng.

"For all 13 years of my NHL career, I have been a Christian - not just in title, but in how I choose to live my life daily," Reimer said in an official statement.

He added, "In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions, which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in my life.

"I strongly believe that every person has value and worth, and the LGBTQIA+ community, like all others, should be welcomed in all aspects of the game of hockey."

The Sharks emphasized their "values and dedication to an inclusive, welcoming, and safe environment for all guests" in an official statement addressing Reimer's decision.

"We also acknowledge and accept the rights of individuals to express themselves, including how or whether they choose to express their beliefs, regardless of the cause or topic," the statement continues. "As an organization, we will not waver in our support of the LGBTQIA+ community and (will) continue to encourage others to engage in active allyship."

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to wear his team's Pride jersey during warmups in January.

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To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Boston Bruins are the first team to clinch their spot in the playoffs.

Boston officially punched its postseason ticket after the New York Islanders' loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday. It's the Bruins' seventh consecutive playoff appearance, equaling the third-longest run in franchise history.

Boston became the fastest team in NHL history to 50 wins earlier Saturday with a comeback victory against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Bruins are 50-9-5 on the campaign. With 105 points through 64 games, they're on pace to break the 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens' NHL record of 132 points in a season.

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Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos sustained an apparent leg injury against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

Stamkos fell after battling with Joey Anderson in the first period. Upon getting up, he grabbed his left leg and went straight to the bench. He didn't return to Tampa's bench for the start of the second period and was later ruled out for the reminder of the game.

The 33-year-old has 27 goals and 66 points in 65 contests.

More to come.

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