NEW YORK (AP) — Emil Heineman and Mathew Barzal scored in the shootout, and the New York Islanders defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Saturday night.

Matthew Schaefer and Cal Ritchie scored in the first period for New York, with Anthony Duclair assisting on both, and the Islanders extended their winning streak to three games. Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves and stopped two of three Tampa Bay attempts in the shootout.

Darren Raddysh and J.J. Moser scored for Tampa Bay. Jonas Johansson finished with 15 saves, and Nikita Kucherov had two assists as the Lightning closed a four-game road trip.

Moser tied the game at 3:20 of the third period off an offensive-zone faceoff. Tampa Bay won the draw cleanly, and Kucherov slid the puck to Moser, who beat Sorokin over the glove.

The Islanders took a 2-0 lead in the opening period.

Schaefer scored a power-play goal through the legs of Johansson at 3:05, and Ritchie made it 2-0 with a wrist shot over the blocker midway through the first.

Raddysh scored on a five-on-three power play midway through the second period to pull the Lightning within one.

Tampa Bay outshot New York 17-1 in the second period.

Pat LaFontaine was honored before the game as the Islanders inducted him into the franchise Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor at UBS Arena. LaFontaine finished his 15-year NHL career with 1,013 points (468 goals, 545 assists), including 566 points (287 goals, 279 assists) in 530 games with the Islanders.

Up next

Lightning: Host Florida Panthers on Monday.

Islanders: Visit Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

One of the three players the Vancouver Canucks received in the Quinn Hughes trade was winger Liam Öhgren. The 21-year-old is from Sweden and has already played 46 games in the NHL. Listed at 6'0", 187 lbs, Öhgren was drafted 19th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2022. 

Öhgren's name should sound familiar to Canucks fans as he spent his pre-NHL career in Sweden playing alongside Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The two played for Djurgårdens IF and were often on a line together both for their club and when selected to play internationally for Sweden. It is clear that these two have some chemistry, which could help Lekkerimäki and Öhgren get more settled in the NHL. 

Here is what The Hockey News' 2023 Draft Preview edition said about Öhgren. In the edition, he was ranked 20th overall. As for his best-case comparable, that was Filip Forsberg. 

"The Captain of Sweden’s world under-18 team, Ohgren was a solid contributor for the gold-winning side, especially in the final when he had two goals and three points in the 6-4 win over Team USA. But the template for success was set earlier, as Ohgren ripped up the Swedish junior ranks. “He’s well-built and has a heavy release,” said one scout. “He has a shoot-first mentality, but he can also make plays. More of an up-and-down winger with compete level and skill.”

Ohgren spent half the year up in the SHL, and while he didn’t post numbers, that experience is good for a teenager. Unfortunately, Djurgarden was relegated, so his next action with the team would be in the second-tier Allsvenskan. Nonetheless, he has a great skill package.

The only question is what his ceiling will be. “He’s strong and well along the way (in his development),” said another scout. “Well built, strong skater, easy to project, and he’s got unbelievable numbers in junior. It just depends on whether people think it will translate. Is he a point producer or more of a hardworking, up-and-down winger on projection? I mean, he’s been a goal-per-gamer.”

 Öhgren is known for his heavy shot. He isn't afraid to get pucks on net, which is evident by his 40 shot attempts in 18 games this year. Where Öhgren's shot comes in handy is on rush attempts, as he can drive pucks on net and create rebounds off the wing. 

Öhgren is also a player who uses his speed to get in on the forecheck and throw hits on defenders. He has 29 hits this year and, as per the NHL stats page, is averaging 10.13 per 60 minutes played. At this point, he is still learning how to be an impactful player at the NHL level, but that is not uncommon for prospects of his age. 

This season has not gone the way Öhgren had planned. He doesn't have a point in his first 18 games and is averaging just 9:32 of ice time. That being said, his game has started to trend upwards over the last two games, as he had 13 shot attempts for the Wild.

If Vancouver can develop Öhgren correctly, they may have just added a key part of their top-six for the foreseeable future. He is an intriguing prospect who has the potential to contribute both at even strength and on the power play. Ultimately, it was a savvy move to include him in the Hughes deal, as Öhgren could have a bright future ahead of him. 

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Jaroslav Chmelar earned his position with the New York Rangers through hard work and exceptional play in the American Hockey League for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Despite not necessarily being on anybody’s radar to play for the Rangers going into the 2025-26 campaign, that quickly changed. 

The 22-year-old forward was called up early in November by the Rangers, as Mike Sullivan said he was told that Chmelar was the Wolf Pack’s best player through the early stages of the season. 

He played in two games before being sent down to the AHL, headlined by a fight in his NHL debut against Travis Hamonic. 

Chmelar was recently called back up and has carved out a fourth-line role. 

Chmelar’s rise to the NHL is a lesson that if you perform well at the AHL level, no matter how highly touted you may be, it’s always possible to earn a spot in the big leagues. 

“It feels great. I try to put everything on the line every game, and to be rewarded for it feels amazing,” Chmelar said. “I don’t want to get it into my head that someone rewarded me for something. Just keep doing it consistently, that’s the key.”

While Chmelar hasn’t recorded any points through four games, his play has been noticeable and impactful. 

Standing at 6-foot-4, the 2021 fifth-round pick plays a physical brand of hockey and is surprisingly quick for someone of his size. 

It’s not about flash for Chmelar. It’s all about the basics and doing the little things right.

“I have felt pretty good out there,” Chmelar said of playing in the NHL. “I just need to stick to my game, the basics that I do, hit people. Be hard on the forecheck. As the game develops, they know I'm coming. That's what I want to do, take pucks to the net and be hard to play against.”

More importantly than just his game on the ice, Chmelar seems to bring a positive and joyous spirit to the Blueshirts. He’s always smiling in the locker room, and his wide-eyed, happy energy is infectious. 

“He’s a great kid, first and foremost. He’s a really likable kid. I think his energy is so great,” Sullivan said of Chmelar in November. 

The Evolution Of Alexis Lafrenière's Game Starting To Take Shape Under Mike Sullivan Alexis Lafrenière is buying into the brand of hockey that Mike Sullivan wants to play, and it’s beginning to pay dividends. 

It’s really a feel-good story to see someone work their way up from being drafted with the 144th overall pick to playing in the NHL. 

Chmelar has enjoyed every moment of it and certainly does not take this opportunity for granted. 

“It’s amazing. It’s everyone's goal to get up here,” Chmelar said. “Getting my first game and the couple of games afterwards, it feels amazing. I'm super pumped to be around these guys, to see how they perform in practice, how they think about the game, and trying to see like in the details, what they do, so I can pick up something. I want to learn from them and aspire to be like them.”

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Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane spent plenty of time at United Center, both for practices and games during his tenure with the club. 

Not only did he raise the Stanley Cup for the third time in his career at the venue, but he also gave scores of Blackhawks fans countless memories from throughout the first part of his Hall of Fame career.

Kane, who spent a brief stint with the New York Rangers in 2023 after being dealt at the NHL trade deadline, is now in his second full season with the Detroit Red Wings.

Saturday evening will mark his third return to United Center with the Red Wings, the second of which was in November of last season as part of a 4-1 Detroit victory. 

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

Following their morning skate on Saturday, Kane admitted that it's still a bit strange suiting up in the visiting dressing room at the venue he called home from late 2007 through early 2023. 

"A little different, obviously," Kane said about the opposition dressing room. "I spent so much time here, usually you're walking past it to the Hawks locker room, and I never really saw this one until a few years ago. It's always fun to come back." 

Perhaps the most notable moment of his time in Detroit came during his initial return to Chicago in February 2024, during which he was honored with a lengthy video tribute and a minutes-long standing ovation from the crowd, and then capped the night in classic Kane-like fashion by scoring a dramatic overtime game-winning goal on a breakaway.

Since then, Kane has agreed to one-year contract extensions to remain in Detroit, signing deals on June 30, 2024, and June 30, 2025.

He is on the precipice of two major career milestones: he sits at 497 goals, just three shy of 500, and is only 10 points away from tying Mike Modano as the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history.

While Kane’s place as perhaps the greatest U.S.-born player in NHL history is already secure, another American-born player who could one day lay claim to the title of the greatest U.S.-born defenseman is Quinn Hughes.

Hughes was traded on Friday evening to the Minnesota Wild, ending speculation that he could land with Detroit given his multiple connections to the metro-Detroit area. Like the rest of his teammates, Kane had been following the progress of where Hughes would ultimately wind up. 

"I think Quinn's a great player, he's one of the special players in the League that can take over a game individually, and there's only a handful of those," Kane said of Hughes. "You hear a lot of rumors, and the Red Wings were part of that, too. I was definitely following to see what was going to happen. He's a great kid and a great player, I'm sure he'll do well in Minnesota." 

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Florida Panthers prospect Simon Zether has reportedly signed a two-year contract extension with his SHL club, Rogle BK, according to Swedish outlet hockeynews.se. 

The 20-year-old is playing in his third season in the SHL with Rogle. Through 22 games, he's scored one goal and four points. Last season, he was loaned to Västerås IK in Sweden's second division, HockeyAllsvenskan. He posted four goals and 12 points in 25 games. 

He returned this season and has been an influential part of Rogle's success, and it's why he's earned a two-year extension.

The Panthers drafted Zether in the fourth round, 129th overall in the 2024 NHL draft. Standing 6-foot-3, 186 pounds, the right-handed center has a great frame that he is beginning to learn how to utilize. 

Zether was drafted as a long-term project, so the Panthers won't be too alarmed that he wants to take his time developing in Sweden, rather than coming over to North America. He'll be 22, turning 23, when his SHL contract expires, and then he'll be eligible to make the leap to the AHL or NHL. 

Zether is a two-way forward who excels in small areas of the ice. As he develops, he's rounding out his game and becoming a better offensive threat. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

It has been a whirlwind of a season for Pittsburgh Penguins' young defenseman Harrison Brunicke.

After making the NHL roster out of training camp, Brunicke played in only a few games before finding himself a frequent healthy scratch, with his most recent NHL game coming in a Nov. 3 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was then sent on an AHL conditioning loan to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) for five days, where he showed well. And - most recently - he was loaned to Team Canada for World Junior Camp.

Now, he finds himself likely slotting in a prominent role for Canada.

On Saturday, during the first day of World Junior camp, Brunicke was on a top-four pairing with 2025 first-round pick Kashawn Aitcheson, who was selected 17th overall by the New York Islanders. Aitcheson, a big, hard-hitting blueliner, has 19 goals and 32 points in 27 games this season for the Barrie Colts of the OHL.

Brunicke, 19, was loaned to the WJC by the Penguins in order to give him some big, meaningful minutes on what is presumed will be a stacked Canada roster for this year's tournament. The decision to pair Brunicke with Aitcheson - one of the CHL's best defensemen - indicates that he will probably be in a lot of high-stakes situations, should the pairing stick.

What Brett Kulak Brings To The Penguins After Trade From EdmontonThe Pittsburgh Penguins got Brett Kulak back in the Tristan Jarry deal, and he has the tools to help this team.

Canada's lines for camp today.

Brady Martin is expected to join the team later today. #WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/uPEH8ooeDc

— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) December 13, 2025

Brunicke is also expected to be in the mix for Canada's leadership group, assuming he breaks camp.

Canada's World Junior camp runs from Dec. 13-23 before a brief holiday hiatus. Final rosters are due Dec. 24, and the World Junior Championship will take place in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minn. on Dec. 26 - Jan. 5.

'It Just Made Sense For Us To Do It At This Time': Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas Gives Insight On Jarry TradeIt's safe to say that <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-deal-tristan-jarry-to-edmonton-oilers">the trade sending Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday</a> - which returned goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick - surprised a whole lot of people, fans and players alike.

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The Buffalo Sabres have made some roster moves.

The Sabres have announced that they have called up forward Noah Ostlund from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. The Sabres also shared that they have assigned forward Trevor Kuntar back to Rochester. 

Ostlund has played in 20 games so far this season with the Sabres, where he has recorded three goals, three assists, 12 blocks, and a plus-1 rating. Down in the AHL with Rochester this season, he has recorded three goals, seven assists, and 10 points in seven games.

With Ostlund being a former first-round pick and one of the Sabres' most promising prospects, fans will naturally be keeping a close eye on him during his latest call-up. 

Kuntar, on the other hand, just made his NHL debut during the Sabres' Dec. 11 contest against the Vancouver Canucks after landing an NHL deal with Buffalo earlier this week. During his debut, Kuntar recorded one hit and a minus-1 rating in 5:12 of ice time. 

Down in the AHL this season with the Amerks, Kuntar has posted nine goals, four assists, 13 points, and 43 penalty minutes in 24 games. 

The Buffalo Sabres have made some roster moves.

The Sabres have announced that they have called up forward Noah Ostlund from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. The Sabres also shared that they have assigned forward Trevor Kuntar back to Rochester. 

Ostlund has played in 20 games so far this season with the Sabres, where he has recorded three goals, three assists, 12 blocks, and a plus-1 rating. Down in the AHL with Rochester this season, he has recorded three goals, seven assists, and 10 points in seven games.

With Ostlund being a former first-round pick and one of the Sabres' most promising prospects, fans will naturally be keeping a close eye on him during his latest call-up. 

Kuntar, on the other hand, just made his NHL debut during the Sabres' Dec. 11 contest against the Vancouver Canucks after landing an NHL deal with Buffalo earlier this week. During his debut, Kuntar recorded one hit and a minus-1 rating in 5:12 of ice time. 

Down in the AHL this season with the Amerks, Kuntar has posted nine goals, four assists, 13 points, and 43 penalty minutes in 24 games. 

The Edmonton Oilers had themselves a big day on Dec. 12, as they brought in multiple new players. Goaltender Tristan Jarry was their biggest addition of course, as the Oilers will be hoping that he provide them with more stability between the pipes.

Jarry was not the only player who the Oilers acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in this deal, however, as Edmonton also landed forward Sam Poulin. While Poulin is more of an under-the-radar addition for Edmonton, he should not be ignored. 

Before being traded to the Oilers, Poulin was in the middle of a strong season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 22 games with the AHL club before the move, he posted nine goals, 11 assists, 20 points, and a plus-8 rating. This is after he recorded 19 goals and 43 points in 57 games with the AHL club this past season. 

Poulin has struggled to cement himself as a full-time player at this point in his career, however. In 15 games with the Penguins over four seasons, the 6-foot-2 forward has posted two assists and 20 hits. While the 24-year-old winger has yet to break out at the NHL level, perhaps getting a fresh start with the Oilers could help him take a step forward in his development. 

Poulin has been showing signs of promise at the AHL level this season, so there is ultimately no harm in the Oilers taking a chance on. The possibility of him taking that next step and becoming a bottom-six forward for the Oilers should not be ruled out. Yet, at a minimum, he should serve as a serviceable call-up option for the Oilers. 

During the 2025 NHL off-season, the Montreal Canadiens traded defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Zack Bolduc. This was one of the most intriguing trades of the summer, as it involved two former first-round picks. 

Mailloux has had a tough start to his Blues tenure. In his first 19 games with the Central Division squad, the 6-foot-3 defenseman recorded just one assist to go along with an ugly minus-18 rating. He was also briefly sent down to the Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, earlier this season, where he posted two goals in five games. 

While Mailloux has had a tough start with the Blues, he has now broken the ice. 

During St. Louis' Dec. 12 contest against the Chicago Blackhawks, Mailloux scored his first goal as a member of the Blues. It was a good goal, too, as the former Canadiens defenseman beat Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight with a nice wrist shot. 

Mailloux will now be looking to build off this big moment with the Blues. There is no question that the young blueliner has good potential, and it will be interesting to see if he can tap into it more as the season rolls on. 

Mailloux was selected by the Canadiens with the 31st overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In eight games over two seasons with Montreal, he posted two goals and five points.