* Alex Ovechkin recorded his 20th career 30-goal season and helped the Capitals gain ground in the tightly contested race for Wild Card 2 in the Eastern Conference where five teams are separated by three points.
* Buffalo skated to victory and notched its first 100-point season since 2009-10 while reclaiming first place in the Atlantic Division after Montreal defeated Tampa Bay in regulation during another key head-to-head matchup.
* April opens with a three-game slate that includes a clash between 20-year-old Beckett Sennecke and 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini as well as other storylines ready to unfold as the Push to the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs intensifies.
OVECHKIN SCORES 30TH GOAL, CAPITALS CREEP CLOSER TO WILD CARD SPOT
Alex Ovechkin (2-0—2) kept the Capitals in the mix for the final Wild Card spot by scoring the game-winning goal after he recorded his 20th career 30-goal season and first as a 40-year-old earlier in the night. Washington (38-28-9, 85 points) moved three points back of Columbus (38-25-12, 88 points) for Wild Card 2 on a night where the Blue Jackets and the three teams between them in the standings (OTT, DET & PHI) all had a regulation loss.
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* Ovechkin’s first goal of the contest made him the first player in NHL history to reach the 30-goal mark 20 times, while his second tally was his 185th multi-goal game and inched him closer to the all-time record held by Wayne Gretzky (189). Ovechkin’s longtime rival, Sidney Crosby, also got closer to a legend on an all-time list when he moved one back of Steve Yzerman (1,755) for seventh on the NHL’s points list during a Penguins win Tuesday. Ovechkin and Crosby are expected to meet two more times this season when they play a back-to-back on April 11 (ABC) and 12 (TNT, HBO MAX, SN360).
* Ovechkin continues THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer with the Capitals, Hockey Fights Cancer and V Foundation by personally donating to pediatric cancer research for each regular-season goal he scores for the remainder of his career. Click here for details.
JETS MOVE TO BRINK OF PLAyoff spot; McDAVID BUILDS LEAD IN ART ROSS RACE
Kyle Connor (1-1—2) collected the overtime winner as the Jets (32-30-12, 76 points) climbed within one point of the idle Predators (34-31-9, 77 points), who occupy the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot. Winnipeg concluded March with a 9-4-3 (21 points) record after entering the month 10 points back of the “playoff line.”
* Connor Ingram celebrated his birthday with a shutout win that was iced by an empty-net goal by Connor McDavid (43-82—125), who padded his lead to four points in the Art Ross Trophy race, as the Oilers (38-28-9, 85 points) moved within two points of the idle Ducks (41-28-5, 87 points) for first in the Pacific Division. McDavid is eying his sixth Art Ross Trophy, which would tie Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux for the second most in NHL history, behind only Wayne Gretzky (10).
SABRES POST 100-POINT SEASON; CANADIENS, BRUINS KEEP PACE IN ATLANTIC DIVISION
The Sabres (46-21-8, 100 points) recorded their first 100-point season since 2009-10 (45-27-10, 100 points) and passed the Lightning (46-22-6, 98 points) for first place in the Atlantic Division, while the Canadiens (43-21-10, 96 points) and Bruins (43-24-8, 94 points) beat opponents to keep pace.
* Peyton Krebs potted a go-ahead goal with 3:01 remaining in regulation to help Buffalo become the first Eastern Conference team to reach a triple-digit point total this season, with first-place Carolina (47-21-6, 100 points) also achieving the feat approximately 20 minutes later. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen logged his fourth career penalty-shot save to pass Patrick Lalime, Roger Crozier and Martin Biron (all w/ 3) for the third most in franchise history – Biron was part of the Sabres’ broadcast team for the game, as was longtime voice of the AHL’s Rochester Americans Don Stevens.
* Cole Caufield scored the game-winning goal for the second time in as many games to lift the Canadiens to a crucial regulation win against their Atlantic Division rivals in a potential First Round preview with the Lightning. Caufield reached the 300-point milestone in Montreal’s sixth straight victory, which has included one goal against or fewer in each of the past four, and joined captain Nick Suzuki as the second Canadiens player to conclude the month of March with at least 20 points.
* Did You Know? Caufield’s 27 go-ahead goals in 2025-26 passed David Pastrnak (26 in 2022-23) for the third most in a single campaign in NHL history, behind Brett Hull (39 in 1990-91) and Pavel Bure (28 in 1999-00).
* Pastrnak (0-3—3) collected three assists and Viktor Arvidsson (3-0—3) netted a hat trick as the Bruins bested the Stars to earn their fourth consecutive win. Pastrnak, who tied David Krejci (106 GP) for the sixth-most multi-assist games in franchise history, factored on the game-winning goal for the 166th time in his career and tied Phil Esposito for the fifth most in Bruins history behind Ray Bourque (213), Patrice Bergeron (191), Johnny Bucyk (177) and Brad Marchand (172).
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Schaefer passing Persson, tying Housley featured in #NHLStats: Live Updates
Tuesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the 10-game slate, including Matthew Schaefer (0-1—1) reaching 57 points on the campaign to pass Stefan Persson (56 in 1977-78) for the highest single-season total by a rookie defenseman in franchise history. Schaefer also tied the NHL mark for most points by an 18-year-old blueliner.
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QUICK CLICKS
* Jim Nill signs 2-year contract to remain Stars GM
* Boston Fleet receive standing ovation at Bruins game
* Maple Leafs ‘need to adapt quicker’ to compete in robust Atlantic Division
* NHL, SAP introduce salary cap projector to Front Office app
* Senators, Panthers players shake Brad Kovachik‘s hand before final game
APRIL OPENS WITH MUCH TO BE DECIDED
The final month of the 2025-26 regular season announces itself with a playoff picture far from set:
* Just two of 16 playoff berths have been clinched (COL & DAL).
* 30 of 32 teams are still in playoff contention (or have already qualified).
* The No. 1 seed in every division and conference has yet to be decided.
* Two divisions have a four-point gap or less between the first and second seed (Atlantic & Pacific).
* The “playoff line” in both conferences is 2 points or less (2 in East, 1 in West).
* In the Eastern Conference, four teams currently outside the playoff line are within three points of the second Wild Card position (including three teams two points back).
* In the Western Conference, five teams currently outside the playoff line are within four points of the second Wild Card position.
