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Three takeaways: Panthers survive slow start, Barkov scores another shootout beauty

Jan 3, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) shoots the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins center Noel Acciari (55) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Rich Storry-Imagn Images)

Playing in Sunrise for the first time in over two weeks, the Florida Panthers put on an exciting show for their home fans.

It was the Cats third game in four nights and it came on the second night of a back-to-back that begin on Saturday in Washington D.C.

Despite the Panthers falling behind early, they were able to find their groove and earn a thrilling comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning 4-3 in a shootout.

The two points come at a great time for Florida because they’re now going to be off until Friday.

Going into a four-day break between games after a big win is a much better feeling than going into it having lost five of seven.

Instead, the Panthers maintain their spot atop the Atlantic Division thanks to their sixth straight win at Amerant Bank Arena.

Let’s get to Sunday’s takeaways:

BIT OF A SLOW START

Based off the opening 20 minutes, this did not appear to be Florida’s night.

They were outshot by the Penguins 16-4 during the first period and were down 2-1 when the buzzer sounded.

Pittsburgh came into the game seven points back of the final Wild Card spot with 11 games to play, so their margin for error is microscopic, and that’s how they played after the puck dropped on Sunday.

Fortunately for Florida, the veteran group was able to collect and compose themselves before coming back out and looking much more like the usual Panthers.

“It's not easy, they come out so fast and their sticks are world class with some of the players that they have,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “Back-to-backs are not easy in this league, in my mind, anyway, especially because we got in a little later than I thought we would, so we were slow in the first (period) and then Barky (Sasha Barkov) throws a hit on the first shift of the second period, and after that, our game just rounded and we got better, so on back-to-back, really, really happy with the way they fought for it.”

EXCELLENT GOALTENDING ON BOTH SIDES

On a night where six goals were scored (outside of the shootout), the talk afterwards was still about the goaltenders.

Tristan Jarry was excellent for Pittsburgh throughout, particularly as the game moved into the second and third periods when Florida threw 24 shots at the Penguins net.

He stopped all five of Florida’s high danger shots, as well.

Not to be outdone, Sergei Bobrovsky became a wall for the Panthers during the second half of the game and through the shootout.

Bob finished with 24 saves, including four high danger shots and all three Penguins shootout attempts.

“(Jarry) made three or four really impressive saves in there, in think, to keep us from taking that game in regulation, but really good goaltending,” said Maurice. “And then Sergei was, I mean, none of those saves are easy in the shootout, so both goalies had a piece of it.”

ANOTHER SHOOTOUT BEAUTY FROM BARKOV

Speaking of the shootout, how about that Sasha Barkov guy?

The latest skills competition gem by Barkov ended up being the only goal scored during the shootout, but thanks to the aforementioned brilliance of Bobrovsky, it was enough to push the Panthers over the finish line and pick up the two points.

After picking up the puck at center ice and making several stickhandles as he crossed into the Pittsburgh zone, Barkov suddenly sped up his pace significantly, quickly moving in on Jarry and sending a backhand shot between his legs before the veteran goaltender could get set.

“I don't even know how it went in,” Maurice said with a smile. “Like it's on, and I can't follow the moves, and then I don't know when he shot it. All I know is the puck's coming back out. I don't know if the goalie saved it or if it hit the back of the net, that's how fast that is. I can't imagine what it's like. I think his strength there is that I think he's got a whole bunch of them, like he's not married to one move, so, yeah, pretty good.”

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3 Takeaways From Penguins Shootout Loss To Panthers

 Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Upon their arrival in Sunrise, FL, the Pittsburgh Penguins had one task: to spoil any plans, the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, had to get closer to clinching a playoff spot.

Despite the Penguins' best efforts, including two goals from Bryan Rust and 27 saves from Tristan Jarry, the visitors blew a one-goal lead late in the third period before losing 4-3 in a shootout

Although Pittsburgh didn't get the two points, they picked up one and inch closer to the 70-point plateau. What went right, and what went wrong in Florida? Let's discuss.

Jarry Unable to Secure Lead in the Third Period

Last Tuesday, Jarry snapped his four-game win streak by giving up three third-period goals, leading the New York Islanders to a come-from-behind victory. 

On Friday, Alex Nedeljkovic played against the Columbus Blue Jackets and backstopped the Penguins to a convincing 6-3 win. Against the Panthers, Jarry was spectacular in some moments and shaky in others.

 

3 Takeaways From Brutal Loss To Islanders3 Takeaways From Brutal Loss To IslandersThe Pittsburgh Penguins (28-30-10) had a good thing going until it all came crashing down in 20 minutes during the third period of their 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. 

Although every shot or shot attempt is recorded, no one tracks how many pucks get past a goalie during a game. If they did, we'd see that Jarry was saved by the post and crossbar and just lucky that pucks that snuck under his arm or pad found their way into the corner.

Ultimately, goalie coaches everywhere will wonder what maneuver Jarry was attempting on the game-tying goal. It wasn't a butterfly or street hockey save; it was ugly. 

Penguins Top Guns Are Firing on All Cylinders

On Sunday, Evgeni Malkin scored the second straight game; Rust had two goals and was buzzing all night looking for his seventh career hat trick. Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby is just two points shy of setting an NHL record for 20 seasons with a point-per-game average, and Rickard Rakell had an assist.

Collectively, the foursome are the top offensive players in the Pittsburgh lineup, and when the Stanley Cup champions are on the schedule, they need their best to play at their best. 

Penguins: Sidney Crosby's Chase Of Wayne Gretzky's NHL Point-Per-Game RecordPenguins: 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. 

Despite Crosby not registering a shot on goal for only the 10th time this season, he was all over the scoresheet and significantly impacted the game. 

Although the Penguins got points from their best, the Panthers eventually won because their best was also productive. Whether it was Sam Reinhart with two goals or Aleksander Barkov with the shootout winner, the champs showed they still plan on defending deep into the spring.

More Opportunities on the Horizon

Head coach Mike Sullivan should return to Nedeljkovic for the Penguins' Tuesday night game with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Moreover, depending on how that game unfolds, the bottom six skaters should get extra ice time to showcase their abilities.

In a rare move by the veteran bench boss, Sullivan sent out Blake Lizotte and Philip Tomasino in overtime, giving them a chance to impact the game instead of relying on his superstars to win it.

Penguins Players Still Chasing Milestones In Final Month Of 2024-25 SeasonPenguins Players Still Chasing Milestones In Final Month Of 2024-25 SeasonThe Pittsburgh Penguins only have 11 games left in their 2024-25 season. Although this year's club most likely won't qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, many players in the lineup still have milestones to play for.

In the end, fans were treated to one fun overtime session with glorious scoring chances at each end. The Penguins and Panthers took advantage of long shifts and used every tool in their arsenal to light the lamp but to no avail. 

Considering the Penguins playoff hopes are just a dream at this point, once some big names reach their milestones, it's time to let the kids play, which could also yield some exciting and entertaining hockey in the final days. 

Dalibor Dvorsky On Blues, NHL Debut: "I’ve obviously been dreaming about it for a long time. I enjoyed every second of it. It was amazing."

Dalibor Dvorsky (54) made his NHL debut with the St. Louis Blues on Sunday Night against the Nashville Predators. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS – Dalibor Dvorsky’s father, Dalibor Sr., was all set to return to his native Slovakia.

The elder Dvorsky had come to the United States to visit his son, playing and playing well for the St. Louis Blues’ American Hockey League team, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Until an unexpected change of plans that came on Saturday night.

Instead of returning to Slovakia, Dvorsky’s father, like Dalibor, were booking flights to St. Louis, because Dalibor was being summoned to the NHL for the first time when the Blues recalled the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

“It was awesome. Good timing, because he was about to go back home to Slovakia today,” Dalibor said of his father. “He was visiting me in Springfield. Amazing timing that I got called up at this time.

“Yeah, he had to change the one (flight), but I didn’t think he minded it.”

Dvorsky made his Blues debut on Sunday in a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators and played 10:40 centering the third line with Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier.

Dvorsky, who was having a solid season in Springfield with 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 57 games, including 10 power-play goals, was needed in St. Louis. With Pavel Buchnevich out with illness and Oskar Sundqvist banged up needing a maintenance day to recover and Texier, who was the lone healthy forward, already in the lineup, the Blues needed reinforcements.

It was time to give Dvorsky a look.

“It was awesome,” Dvorsky said. “I’ve obviously been dreaming about it for a long time. I enjoyed every second of it. It was amazing.

“It was a little bit of a shock (to get called up), I’m not going to lie. I didn’t really expect it, but obviously an awesome feeling. I’m real happy to be here.”

Dvorsky, who was given Kelly Chase’s pads as player of the game, has been a highly-anticipated prospect, one of the more highly anticipated ones since the Blues drafted Robert Thomas in 2017. Once fans got wind that he would be making his debut on Sunday, they wanted to be there for his rookie lap.

“The crowd was amazing. It was awesome, and the first rookie lap also,” Dvorsky said. “All the guys in the room were great. Unbelievable experience and I’ll never forget it and also the crowd was amazing. I loved every second of it.”

For a first game, Dvorsky seemed to fit in. When the puck touched his stick, he didn’t get overwhelmed. Instead, he made smart, decisive, calm plays with it.

“I liked him,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “(He) did really good. Made plays, moved pucks on first touch, which is a sign. That play that he makes on the power play that leads to the goal, it’s high end. It’s a good start to his career.

“He knew what he was going to do with the puck before he got it. That’s usually a sign for really good hockey sense.”

When Texier scored at 16:57 of the first period to give the Blues a 2-0 lead with the power-play goal, Dvorsky started the sequence with a puck retrieval, moved it to Zack Bolduc in the bumper, who found Thomas in the left circle before he wired a puck to the low crease area for Texier to tap in on the backhand.

“Smart, really patient with the puck,” Thomas said of Dvorsky. “I thought he showed a lot of poise with it. He made a couple really good backhand passes and then that power play goal, he’s under pressure, he makes a calm play to the middle to ‘Boldy’ and those are things that especially in your first game, to have that kind of patience is really impressive.”

As for hockey smarts, they were evident right from the get-go.

“There was a play that won’t show up on tape, but I’ll explain it,” Faulk said after the game on FDSNMW. “In the second period, there was a play where the puck was getting chipped into the neutral zone and all he did was hold up their third man that was trying to join the rush. He just held him up a little bit and made it a 2-on-2 (instead of) a 3-on-2. That’s a play that shows you have some hockey smarts. It’s tough to learn that. A lot of guys are just worried about the puck, trying to make plays. It’s a selfless play. It doesn’t help himself at all. But it makes the (defensemen’s) job and everyone else a lot easier. I was really impressed to see a play like that happen in his first game.”

Montgomery told Dvorsky before the game to just do what he does best and not be something he’s not, which really helped Dvorsky stay composed.

“It was great that he told me that,” Dvorsky said. “I felt more loose obviously. The hockey’s different, but I just did my best every shift to help the team win.”

Including serve a five-minute major that Bolduc was called for in the third period for cross checking Nashville defenseman Nick Blankenburg for what he thought was an attempt to go at Thomas’s knee near center ice.

“I didn’t really mind it honestly,” Dvorsky said. “It was alright.”

Now that he’s here, and it’s really all up to the Blues how long he stays here, Dvorsky needs to get up to speed with the NHL game, which is much faster than that of the AHL.

Dalibor Dvorsky, the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, takes his rookie lap before making his NHL debut for the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night against the Nashville Predators. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

“It’s obviously different in the AHL,” he said. “I had to adjust to it a little bit. The pace is faster. The players, the opponents are better. It’s a little different.”

But Dvorsky seems to have willing teammates there to help with the process.

“A lot of guys. The guys were amazing. All of them, they said to play my game, not to feel any pressure and just enjoy the day,” Dvorsky said. “The guys made it so much easier. They were really nice to me and they helped me a lot today.”

And now that he’s in St. Louis, his dad plans on staying – for the time being.

“Yeah, I think so, he’ll probably stay,” Dvorsky said.

3 Takeaways: Golden Knights Win 4-2 over Tampa Bay, Lose Hot-Shooting Hertl To Injury

<i>Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) skates off the ice after being struck by a puck during a play against the Lightning in the first period of an NHL game at T-Mobile Arena on March 23, 2025. <b>Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images</b></i>

The Vegas Golden Knights completed a 3-0 sweep of their three-game homestand by knocking off the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Sunday night.

Nic Roy, Tomas Hertl, Jack Eichel and Nic Hague all scored while Ilya Samsonov made 36 saves for Vegas.

The Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights moved five points in front of the idle Edmonton Oilers, both with 12 games to play.

The Golden Knights are now enjoying an 11-3-2 run since Feb. 6, and carry their momentum on the road for three games, as they're set to visit Minnesota, Chicago and Nashville next week.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

TOMAS HURT-L: Hertl, who scored his team-leading 31st goal of the season, left the game late in the third period when he crashed into the end boards after being shoved by Tampa Bay defenseman Emil Lilleberg. Hertl raced in on a breakaway, but was stonewalled by Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. As Hertl went to gather the rebound to his left, Lilleberg pushed him into the boards. Hertl immediately skated off the ice and into the locker room and did not return. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said he was being evaluated after the game and will be re-evaluated in the morning. The Golden Knights are scheduled to leave for Minneapolis/St. Paul on Monday morning.

WHAM BAM THANK YOU SAM: Samsonov snapped a two-game skid with one of his best performances of the season, considering the opponent and the offensive threat the Lightning can be at times. Tampa Bay's 38 shots tied for the team's sixth-most this season. It was the third-most shots Samsonov has faced this season.

"He was solid," Cassidy said. "I thought he was really under control, they're a volume shooting team. I thought we protected against the odd-man rush type of chances for the most part. But there's a lot of stuff coming to the net. They rotate pucks well, they get three-high with traffic. So he was able to fight through that and find all the pucks, and then we're able to help him out with the clears and box out."

PLAYOFF PREVIEW: If the playoffs were to start Monday, the Golden Knights would host Minnesota in the opening round of the playoffs, as the Wild are currently hold the No. 1 wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The teams will meet for the final team in the regular season on Tuesday in St. Paul. The Knights won the first two meetings, 3-2 in Minnesota on Dec. 15 and 4-1 on Jan. 12 in Vegas. The teams met in the 2021 postseason, when the Golden Knights took the seven-game series, 4-3.

"It's massive. We might play them down the stretch, so we gotta impose (our) game and show we can do against them," Roy said. "But right now we really want to focus on getting that first seed in the division, the home ice advantage. That's our goal, so we're gonna keep pushing for that."

Reinhart scores twice, Panthers earn comeback win over Pittsburgh

Jan 3, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) scores against Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (35) during a shootout at Amerant Bank Arena. (Rich Storry-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers didn’t need a win, but boy did they want one.

After dropping four of their past six, all on the road, Florida returned home and earned a thrilling 4-3 comeback win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in a shootout.

During the early stages of the game, it was Pittsburgh who had the majority of the offensive zone time and, as a result, outshot Florida 6-2 during the game’s first ten minutes.

A strong shift by Florida’s top line led to the game’s opening score, and it came off the stick of Sam Reinhart.

Carrying the puck off the boards and into the middle of the Penguins zone, Reinhart wired a wrist shot over the glove of Tristan Jarry to give the Cats a 1-0 lead at the 11:24 mark.

The lead did not last long as Bryan Rust scored on a gorgeous backhand with Pittsburgh on the power play just 3:01 after Florida’s goal.

Rust picked up another goal during the final minute of the period, deflecting a pass by Sidney Crosby over the blocker or Sergei Bobrovsky to send the Pens into the locker room with a 2-1 lead.

Evgeni Malkin extended Pittsburgh’s lead with their second power play goal of the game, putting the Panthers in a two-goal hole just under seven minutes into the second period.

Shortly after Malkin’s goal, Florida received a power play of their own.

It would be Reinhart taking advantage, dangling through a pair of Penguins before sliding the puck between Jarry’s pads at the 9:25 mark.

Another five hole goal would tie the game at three, and this time it came off the stick of Anton Lundell.

An excellent cross-ice pass by Eetu Luostarinen set up Lundell for a one-timer that split Jarry’s pads and tied the game with 5:31 to go.

Sixty minutes of regulation and a five-minute overtime would prove inadequate to determine a winner, so this game went to shootout.

Sasha Barkov scored in the shootout and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped every shot he faced to give Florida the bonus point.

On to Utah.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Reinhart’s goals were his 34th and 35th of the season, and his first multi-goal game since Jan. 13.

He’s collected four goals and 11 points over his past nine games.

Sasha Barkov has five goals and 10 points over his past 10 outings after picking up the primarty assist on Reinhart’s second goal.

Bobrovsky picked up his first assist of the season on Reinhart's PPG. It's Bob's third assist as a Panther and the 13th of his career.

Lundell’s goal was his first in seven games and second point of the month.

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New Sabres Defenseman Is Already Impressing

Jacob Bernard-Docker (© David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Buffalo Sabres picked up a 5-3 road win over the Winnipeg Jets on March 23. Sabres goalie James Reimer was a major reason for it, as the veteran netminder stopped 33 out of 36 Jets shots. 

New Sabres defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker also played a role in Buffalo's victory. The right-shot blueliner recorded two primary assists in the win, which are his first two points with the Sabres. In addition, this is the first time in his five-year NHL career that he has had a multi-assist game

Seeing Bernard-Docker make an impact in only his second game with the Sabres is quite encouraging. The hope is that the 2018 first-round pick will take that next step in his development after getting this much-needed fresh start with the Sabres. Having a game like this will certainly create more optimism surrounding the 24-year-old blueliner.

The Sabres acquired Bernard-Docker from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline as a part of the Dylan Cozens trade. In 131 career NHL games, he has five goals, 17 assists, and 22 points.

It will be interesting to see how Bernard-Docker builds on his strong performance from here, but this was a great way for him to make an early impression. 

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Three Takeaways From Flyers Loss vs. Blackhawks

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) and Chicago Blackhawks right wing Ilya Mikheyev (95) go for the puck during the first period at United Center. (David Banks-Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers have had some tough losses this season. This was one that will leave you staring at the scoreboard, hands on your hips, wondering how it all went so wrong.

It’s not just that they lost 7-4—it’s who they lost to. The Chicago Blackhawks, firmly planted near the bottom of the league standings, shouldn’t have been able to hang with a team that can skate and apply pressure across 60 minutes in ways not many other groups can, especially at this point in the season. Instead, they dictated play, pounced on mistakes, and exposed cracks in the Flyers’ defensive structure all night long.

“Sloppy game, sloppy goalies, their powerplay works, ours doesn’t,” head coach John Tortorella told reporters postgame. “That’s the story of the game.” 

Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) on XJordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) on XFlyers are handed a 7-4 loss by the Blackhawks. Flyers have lost 10 of their last 11 games (1-9-1) and 18 of their last 24 (6-15-3). They're 1-10-1 in the second game of back-to-back sets.

It’s not as if the Flyers didn’t show up. They scored four goals, gave Ivan Fedotov some refreshing goal support, and even carried long stretches of play. But every time they inched closer, Chicago found another way to slip behind them and bury the puck in the back of the net.

With just a handful of games left in the season, this isn’t just a tough loss—it’s the kind that makes you wonder where do they go from here?

1. Defensive Breakdowns Were Costly

It’s hard to place the blame solely on Fedotov when the defense in front of him was leaky, but no matter who you point the finger at, the fact remains—seven goals against is ugly.

It wasn’t all bad—Fedotov made a few key saves that kept the game from getting out of hand earlier—and the fact that Tortorella started him again after having to pull him in the last game against Dallas shows that the team still has plenty of faith in the 28-year-old netminder—something that can go a long way, even after a bad game.

However, when asked postgame if Fedotov was still having to prove himself as belonging on an NHL roster, Tortorella gave a short, blunt, and quite telling response: “S— yeah.” 

2. The Penalty Trouble Won’t Go Away

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: you can’t win hockey games from the penalty box.

The Flyers have been flirting with disaster in this department for weeks now, taking more penalties than they’d like and forcing their penalty kill to bail them out over and over again. But in a game where they desperately needed a structured, disciplined effort, they still found themselves in the box too often.

Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) on XGino Hard (@GinoHard_) on XThe Flyers just took 2 minor penalties on the same play in the span of a few seconds 😭😅

And it wasn’t just the quantity—it was the timing. Every time it felt like the Flyers were gaining some momentum, there was a player in orange getting sent to the box. The Blackhawks aren’t exactly an offensive powerhouse, but give any NHL team enough power plays, and they’ll make you pay.

At this stage of the season, with the playoff race as tight as it is, the Flyers can’t afford to keep playing this undisciplined. They need to clean it up—and fast—if they want to have any chance of surviving against better teams down the stretch.

3. The Flyers’ Offense Deserved Better

Here’s the cruel irony of this game: for all of the Flyers’ defensive shortcomings, their offense actually put in a strong performance.

Four goals should be enough to win most nights. They generated chances, they sustained offensive pressure, and they didn’t look like a team struggling to score. That’s not nothing, especially in a game where they were chasing from behind for most of the night.

“I think it’s just symplifying, throwing pucks on net,” Jamie Drysdale told media postgame. “I think we’ve been due for some bounces…Just chuck pucks on net, and usually good things will happen.” 

Travis Konecny netted another goal, proving that his scoring slump is a thing of the past. Even the defensemen got involved, with Drysdale and Travis Sanheim both contributing tallies of their own.

B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) on XB/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) on XTravis Sanheim puts it past Spencer Knight after the draw 👀

It’s cruel that when the offense is clicking the way that they’ve been trying so hard to do recently, the Blackhawks had an answer. It’s frustrating. It’s demoralizing. And it’s the kind of loss that can weigh on a team, especially at this point in the season.

Final Thoughts

There’s no sugarcoating it—this loss hurts. Even with threadbare playoff hopes, every point matters, and dropping a game to the second-worst team in the league is the kind of result that lingers.

The Flyers now have to turn around and face a high-powered Toronto team that won’t be nearly as forgiving. If their defensive effort doesn’t improve, they’re going to get burned. If their goaltending doesn’t stabilize, they’re going to find themselves in another track meet they can’t afford to lose.

Nashville Predators at St. Louis Blues: Live Game Thread

The Nashville Predators (26-35-8, 60 points) visit the St. Louis Blues (36-28-7, 79 points) Saturday at Enterprise Center.

It is the second of three meetings between the Central Division rivals in a span of 10 days. St. Louis won the previous matchup, 4-1, March 18 at Bridgestone Arena, and the teams will meet in Nashville for a final time this season on Thursday.

The Predators are 5-4-1 in their last 10 and are coming off a 5-2 win at home over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Blues, also on the second end of a back-to-back, are coming off a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Justus Annunen gets the start in net for the Predators against St. Louis, while Jordan Binnington will guard the crease for the Blues.

How the Predators Lined Up vs. St. Louis

Forsberg-O'Reilly-Evangelista
Bunting-Stamkos-Marchessault
Smith-Svechkov-Bellows
L'Heureux-McCarron-Sissons

Skjei-Blankenburg
 Del Gaizo-Barron
 Englund-Stastney

 Annunen
Saros 

Extra: Vrana, Oesterle
IR: Lauzon, Josi, Wilsby

Ryan O'Reilly, Nashville Predators

Predators at Blues: Live Updates

First Period (NSH 0, STL 0)

Blackhawks End Losing Skid; Beat Flyers 7-4

Image

The Chicago Blackhawks came into Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers looking for a win in the worst way. After losing seven in a row, the pressure to finally get one was starting to weigh heavy. 

The Flyers, despite not being quite as bad as the Blackhawks, are a lottery team as well so it felt like a chance to end the bad streak. 

It didn't start on a positive note for Chicago though as they found themselves down 1-0 under four minutes into the game. From there, however, they started to show more life. 

Patrick Maroon and Joe Veleno each scored within a minute to give the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead.

For Maroon, he scored in his first home game since announcing his upcoming retirement at the end of the season. For Veleno, it was his first goal in a Blackhawks sweater. Those are both memorable moments for them. 

12 seconds after the Veleno goal, Travis Sanheim slapped one on the net and it squeaked through the paraphernalia of Spencer Knight. It crawled past the goal line to tie the game. 

In what became a barn-burner of a first period, Bobby Brink gave the Flyers the lead back which couldn't feel good for a team on a seven-game losing streak. Instead of mailing it in this time, however, the Blackhawks started to take over from there. 

Before the first period was over, Connor Bedard took a wrist shot to score his 20th of the season which tied the game at three. Bedard now has 20 goals in back-to-back years to start his career. Most 18 and 19-year-old seasons don't go that well. 

Under three minutes into the middle frame, Tyler Bertuzzi gave the Blackhawks the lead once more. From there, things went mostly well for Chicago.

Ryan Donato put them ahead by two for the first time in the game at 6:43 of the period before Travis Konecny got the Flyers back within one a few minutes after that. 

Remarkably, Ryan Donato scored again before the period was over. His 25th of the season secured a 6-4 lead for the Hawks which would hold through the end of the period. To say that Donato is having a strong year would be an understatement. 

Lukas Reichel scored early into the third period to extend Chicago's lead to three. The 7-4 score stood up as the final.

With Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson in attendance, the Blackhawks scored a touchdown and made the extra point. This is the first time in 2024-25 that Chicago scored seven goals. 

Now, they can forget about the losing streak and get back to playing an honest game as they close out the year. Their next contest will come on Wednesday night as they take on the New Jersey Devils at United Center. 

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