A German cybersecurity researcher says she infiltrated the Malta Gaming Authority’s systems and is now threatening to release data she claims exposes deep‑rooted links between Malta’s gambling sector and organized crime. The MGA, one of the world’s most influential online gambling regulators, denies all wrongdoing.
Hacker Issues Public Warning
Lilith Wittmann, a well‑known “white‑hat” hacker with a history of uncovering vulnerabilities in government and gambling‑regulation systems, announced on X that she had compromised the MGA’s infrastructure.
“Dear Malta Gaming Authority, yes, I hacked you,” she wrote. “The data obtained has been shared with media partners and authorities. And yes, we will expose the organised crime enablement schemes you created while presenting yourselves as a ‘legitimate public service.’”
Wittmann’s past disclosures have triggered investigations in Germany, including flaws in Berlin’s election IT and weaknesses in gambling oversight. Her reputation as a transparency advocate has made her a prominent figure in European cybersecurity circles.
Regulator Pushes Back
The MGA confirmed a breach last week but rejected Wittmann’s accusations.
“The MGA condemns any unauthorized access to its systems and any extraction, handling or dissemination of data obtained through such activity,” the regulator said. It added that allegations made in the context of a cyber intrusion are “unsubstantiated” and do not undermine its commitment to transparency, due process, or the rule of law.
Long‑Standing Scrutiny of Malta’s Gambling Sector
Malta is Europe’s leading online gambling jurisdiction, home to hundreds of operators and many of the industry’s largest brands. But its prominence has repeatedly drawn the attention of Italian anti‑mafia prosecutors, who have identified the island as a key node in cross‑border betting networks linked to organized crime.
In 2018, the MGA launched a sweeping review of its Italian‑facing licensees after multiple investigations uncovered illegal gambling operations tied to Maltese‑registered companies.
Yet the regulator’s credibility took a major hit the following year when its then‑CEO, Heathcliff Farrugia, was found to have exchanged confidential compliance information with casino owner Yorgen Fenech. The messages surfaced only after Fenech was arrested in connection with the 2017 car‑bomb murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia—a case that intensified claims Malta had become a “mafia state.”
Farrugia resigned quietly in late 2019 amid the political fallout and was later given a three‑year conditional discharge after being convicted of leaking sensitive regulatory information.
What Comes Next
Wittmann has not yet released the data she claims to have obtained, but her allegations have reignited debate over Malta’s regulatory integrity and the broader vulnerabilities of the global iGaming ecosystem.
The MGA maintains that it is the victim of a criminal cyberattack and insists its regulatory framework remains sound. Whether Wittmann’s promised disclosures materialize—and what they contain—could have major implications for one of the world’s most important online gambling hubs.
WAIVER SYSTEM TRANSACTION TERMINATION OF VESTED VETERAN NEW ENGLAND Dobbs, Joshua QB Tennessee (9)* PS: VET *Indicates player’s accrued seasons at end of 2025 season.
TRADE No. 18 PHILADELPHIA TRADES: Brown, Sydney DB Illinois Selection Choice–Round 4, 2026; Overall #122 Selection Choice–Round 6, 2026; Overall #215 (Compensatory Selection) ATLANTA TRADES: Selection Choice–Round 4, 2026; Overall #114 Selection Choice–Round 6, 2026; Overall #197
ACTIVE LIST ADDITIONS FREE AGENT SIGNINGS CLEVELAND Whiteheart, Blake TE Wake Forest GREEN BAY Mosby, Arron DE Fresno State LOS ANGELES RAMS Murchison, Larrell DE North Carolina State NEW ENGLAND Hudson, James T Cincinnati NEW YORK GIANTS Roberts, Sam DT Northwest Missouri State SEATTLE Stoll, Chris LS Penn State TENNESSEE Diabate, Mohamoud LB Utah
RESERVE LIST ADDITIONS MINNESOTA Ham, C.J. RB Augustana, S.D. – Reserve/Retired Thielen, Adam WR Minn. State-Mankato – Reserve/Retired
FREE AGENCY SYSTEM TRANSACTIONS SIGNING: RESTRICTED FREE AGENT MINNESOTA Van Demark, Ryan T Connecticut – Right of First Refusal Not Exercised by Old Club (Buffalo)
SIGNINGS: UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS ARIZONA Udoh, Olisaemeka T Elon – Old Club: TENNESSEE DALLAS Ballentine, Corey DB Washburn KANSAS CITY Kelce, Travis TE Cincinnati MINNESOTA Hekker, Johnny P Oregon State – Old Club: TENNESSEE NEW ENGLAND Vildor, Kindle DB Georgia Southern – Old Club: TAMPA BAY PHILADELPHIA Epps, Marcus DB Wyoming Smartt, Stone TE Old Dominion – Old Club: NEW YORK JETS
OTHER TRANSACTIONS/COMMENTS VISITS BUFFALO Corbett, Austin C Nevada CLEVELAND Epenesa, A.J. DE Iowa DETROIT Bridgewater, Teddy QB Louisville SAN FRANCISCO Jones, Robert G Middle Tennessee
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT (4:00 PM PDT) Venue: Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC (Vancouver home game; capacity ~16,000 for hockey, part of the PNE complex)
This mid-week matchup features the struggling expansion Vancouver Goldeneyes hosting the high-flying Boston Fleet in a crucial late-season contest. With standings updated through approximately March 22, 2026, Boston sits in a tie for first or second place (depending on exact tiebreakers with Minnesota), while Vancouver lingers near the bottom of the standings with limited playoff hopes remaining.
Recent Team Forms
Vancouver (last 5 games):
Mar 21: L 1-3 vs. Minnesota (home)
Mar 18: W 5-2 vs. New York (home)
Mar 14: OTL 2-3 vs. Ottawa (home)
Mar 10: OTL 1-2 vs. Boston (home)
Earlier: Mixed results with a reliance on overtime points but only one regulation win in this stretch. Form: 1-0-2-2 (struggling to close games, particularly at Pacific Coliseum).
Boston (last 5 games):
Mar 21: W 3-0 vs. Seattle (shutout victory)
Mar 17: L 0-2 vs. Toronto
Mar 15: W 4-3 OT vs. Montréal
Mar 11: L 2-3 vs. Seattle
Mar 10: W 2-1 OT vs. Vancouver Form: 3-0-0-2 (hot-and-cold but capable of dominant wins, with elite goaltending and timely scoring).
Boston’s recent shutout and OT resilience contrast with Vancouver’s home-slide pattern of narrow defeats.
Series History (2025-26 Season)
The teams have met multiple times already this year in a competitive, physical rivalry:
Mar 10, 2026: Boston 2-1 OT win @ Vancouver (Pacific Coliseum).
January 2026: Vancouver 4-3 regulation win @ Boston.
Additional earlier matchups (exact dates/scores vary by source) show a near-even split with several games decided in overtime or by one goal. Head-to-head trends favor Boston slightly in recent encounters, often featuring low-scoring, tight-checking affairs. Vancouver has pulled out upsets at home before, but Boston’s depth has prevailed lately.
Injury Report
No major new injuries have been widely reported for either side heading into March 24.
Vancouver: Earlier in March, goalie Emerance Maschmeyer was day-to-day with an upper-body issue, and forward Katie Chan missed time post-Olympics. Veteran Sarah Nurse remains on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) from December. Claire Thompson returned earlier in the month.
Boston: Activated forward Sophie Shirley from LTIR around March 21. No significant absences noted recently; the roster appears healthy post-Olympic recovery window.
Both teams are expected to ice near-full lineups, with any last-minute updates likely via official PWHL channels or team social media.
Key Player Matchups
Vancouver Strengths: Defensive stalwart Claire Thompson (team-leading 11 PTS, strong +/− and shots) anchors the blue line. Forward Jennifer Gardiner (10 PTS) provides secondary scoring. In net, Kristen Campbell or Maschmeyer will need to steal momentum against a potent Boston attack.
Boston Strengths: Forward Alina Müller and defenseman Megan Keller (both ~15 PTS league-wide contributors) lead a balanced offense. Goaltender Aerin Frankel has been stellar (recent shutout form, high save percentage).
Matchup to Watch: Boston’s top-line speed and power-play efficiency vs. Vancouver’s home defensive structure. Special teams will be pivotal—Boston’s PP has been a difference-maker all season. Physical play along the boards (evident in prior meetings) could tilt ice time.
Betting Trends
Boston covers the puck line or wins outright in ~65% of games vs. sub-.500 teams this season.
Vancouver is 1-3 in recent home games, with three of the last four going under the total or to OT.
Head-to-head: 3 of 4 matchups this year stayed under 5.5 goals or required extra time.
Boston has won 3 of its last 4 road games against Western/expansion sides; Vancouver has earned points in 60% of home contests but rarely in regulation lately.
GAME ODDS
Vancouver Goldeneyes 5.5
Boston Fleet – 125
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, March 23, 2026
NEW YORK – Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg and Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending March 22.
FIRST STAR – NIKITA KUCHEROV, RW, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Kucherov moved into first place in the Art Ross Trophy race by leading the NHL in goals (6), assists (t-7), points (13), game-winning goals (t-2), shots on goal (t-20) and plus/minus (+11) across four contests as the Lightning (43-21-5, 91 points) completed a 3-0-1 week. He notched 3-2—5, his seventh career hat trick and ninth career five-point performance (that also included his 63rd career game-winning goal), in a 6-2 triumph over the Seattle Kraken March 17. Kucherov then registered 1-2—3, his ninth three-point effort of the season, in a 6-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks March 19. He followed that with 2-2—4, featuring his League-best ninth outing with at least four points in 2025-26, team-leading seventh game-winning goal of the campaign, 40th overall tally of the season and first career shorthanded goal/point, in a 5-2 decision versus the Edmonton Oilers March 21. Kucherov then added one assist in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames March 22. The 32-year-old Kucherov, who was as many as 22 points back of first place in the Art Ross Trophy race this season (through games of Dec. 23), now tops the NHL with 40-79—119 through 65 total appearances as he pursues his third straight and fourth overall scoring title.
SECOND STAR – FILIP FORSBERG, LW, NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Forsberg ranked second in the NHL with 4-5—9 in four games to propel the Predators (33-28-9, 75 points) to a perfect week and into the final Wild Card position in the Western Conference. He posted 1‑1—2 in a 4-3 shootout victory against the Winnipeg Jets March 17. Forsberg then earned the primary assist on the decisive goal in each of Nashville’s next two contests, a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken March 19 (in which he totaled 1-2—3, his fifth three-point performance of the campaign) and a 4-1 triumph versus the Vegas Golden Knights March 21. He capped the week with 2-1—3, highlighted by his franchise-record 12th career overtime goal, in a 3-2 decision against the Chicago Blackhawks March 22. The 31-year-old Forsberg, who became the sixth Swedish-born player in League history to accumulate at least 350 career goals, sits second on the Predators in goals (32) and points (62) through 70 total games this season (32-30—62).
THIRD STAR – COLE CAUFIELD, RW, MONTREAL CANADIENS
Caufield collected 4-4—8 in three appearances to power Montreal (38-21-10, 86 points) to a pair of victories. He recorded 1-1—2, including his franchise-record 13th career overtime goal, in a 3-2 triumph over the Boston Bruins March 17 to become the first Canadiens player to reach the 40-goal milestone in a single season since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94. Caufield then assisted on Montreal’s lone tally in a 3-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings March 19. He finished the week with 3-2—5, his third career hat trick and first career five-point performance (the first by a Canadiens player since Feb. 26, 2019), in a 7-3 victory against the New York Islanders March 21. The 25-year-old Caufield, who has points in five straight games dating to March 14 (6-4—10) and nine of his 11 outings since the Olympic break (11-6—17), ranks second in the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race with 43 goals through 68 total contests this season (43-31—74).
* Alex Ovechkin scored his 1,000th career goal (regular season & playoffs combined) and became the second player in NHL history to reach the milestone.
* The Stars became the second team to secure a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs by virtue of the Mammoth defeating the Kings on Sunday.
* Tim Stützle and the Senators can inch closer to the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot when they visit Mika Zibanejad and the Rangers during the latest edition of Prime Monday Night Hockey, one of several national telecasts slated for the week ahead. Zibanejad is set to reach the 1,000-game milestone against his former team.
OVECHKIN JOINS GRETZKY IN MILLENNIUM GOAL CLUB Alex Ovechkin tied the game and forced overtime with his 1,000th career goal (regular season & playoffs combined) to join Wayne Gretzky (1,016) as the second player in NHL history to reach the millennium mark before Brock Nelson netted the winner for Colorado. The Avalanche (46-13-10, 102 points) gained a five-point lead over the Stars (43-16-11, 97 points) for first in the Central Division.
* Nelson netted his ninth game-winning goal of 2025-26 and second in as many contests. Only five players in Avalanche/Nordiques history have scored more game winners in a season: Michel Goulet (16 in 1983-84), Nathan MacKinnon (12 in 2017-18), Joe Sakic (12 in 2000-01), Claude Lemieux (10 in 1995-96) and Mike Ricci (10 in 1992-93).
* 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.
STARS CLINCH BERTH INTO 2026 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS The Stars became the second team to clinch a berth into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs by virtue of a Mammoth victory against the Kings. Dallas will make its fifth consecutive postseason appearance, tied for the second longest run in franchise history, behind seven straight playoff berths from 1980 to 1986.
TOP PACIFIC, METROPOLITAN DIVISION CLUBS CONTINUE TO CONTEND FOR TITLE The race for a division title continued to heat up in the Pacific and Metropolitan Divisions on Sunday as the Ducks, Hurricanes and Golden Knights each skated to victory.
* After the Sabres rallied back from multiple deficits to take a 5-4 lead, Leo Carlsson (0-2—2) helped set up Mikael Granlund (1-0—1) for the tying goal in the final two minutes of regulation and Troy Terry (2-0—2) found the back of the net in overtime to lift the Pacific Division-leading Ducks (39-27-4, 82 points) to their 10th third-period comeback victory of 2025-26 – their second most in a season in franchise history behind 2014-15 (18). Terry’s overtime goal marked the sixth of his career, moving him into a tie with Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry for the third most in Ducks history behind Ryan Getzlaf (11) and Rickard Rakell (7).
* Sebastian Aho scored the first of Carolina’s five goals as the Hurricanes (45-19-6, 96 points) opened a one-point lead on the Sabres (44-20-7, 95 points) atop the Eastern Conference. Aho became the first player in Hurricanes/Whalers history with eight career 25-goal seasons – he bested the previous mark set by Ron Francis (7).
* After the Stars went up 2-1, Ivan Barbashev (1-0—1) scored to pull Vegas even and Mitch Marner (0-1—1) set up ReillySmith (1-0—1) for the game winner in the final five minutes of the third period to help the Golden Knights (32-25-14, 78 points) leapfrog the idle Oilers (34-28-9, 77 points) for second place in the Pacific Division standings. Marnerrecorded his 70th point of 2025-26 (19-51—70 in 70 GP) and surpassed Jonathan Marchessault (42-27—69 in 2023-24) for the fifth most in a single season in franchise history.
WILD CARD RACE IN WEST AND EAST SPOTLIGHTED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured several teams engaged in a tightly contested Wild Card race picking up wins on Sunday, including the Islanders, Predators and Mammoth.
* Ilya Sorokin turned aside all 26 shots he faced as the Islanders (40-26-5, 85 points) leapfrogged the idle Red Wings (38-24-8, 84 points) for the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot. Sorokin has 29 shutouts through 298 games played and became the first goaltender with as many before his 300th career appearance since Braden Holtby (31 through 299 GP on March 18, 2017).
* Filip Forsberg had a tying tally and the overtime winner as the Predators (33-28-9, 75 points) opened a two-point lead on the Kings (28-25-17, 73 points) for the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot. Forsberg became the sixth Swedish player in NHL history with 350 career goals.
* Lawson Crouse (2-1—3) factored on three goals and Nick Schmaltz (2-0—2) scored twice, including a highlight-reel tally in the second period, as the Mammoth (37-28-6, 80 points) defeated the Kings (28-25-17, 73 points) and strengthened their grip over the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Crouse moved within one of becoming Utah’s fifth 20-goal scorer this season (only CAR & VGK have as many) while Schmaltz became the third player to record a double-digit game-winning goal total with the franchise, joining Dylan Guenther (15) and Clayton Keller (10).
NHL family sends condolences to Pierce family The entire National Hockey League family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Pierce family on the passing of Jessi Pierce and her three young children. Jessi loved our game and was a valued member of the NHL.com team for a decade. We will miss her terribly.
Senators seek TO GAIN GROUND IN PLAYOFF RACE ON PRIME MONDAY NIGHT HOCKEY
Tim Stützle and the Senators (36-24-9, 81 points) can inch closer to the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot when they visit former Ottawa forward Mika Zibanejad and the Rangers during the latest edition of Prime Monday Night Hockey. Zibanejad is set to play the 1,000th game of his career, which includes 281 with the Senators from 2011-12 to 2015-16.
NATIONAL GAMES ON THE RADAR THIS WEEK
Get set for the week ahead with five #NHLStats and storylines you need to know about national broadcasts on tap:
1. NHL on TNT and ESPN+ telecasts dot 15-game slate (Tuesday): The first of two 15-game days this week features the Blue Jackets and Flyers battling for playoff positioning in the Metropolitan (ESPN+, HULU), two of the NHL’s top teams colliding when the Lightning host the Wild (TNT, truTV, HBO MAX) and Connor McDavid (399-799—1,198) looking to hit a trio of milestones when the Oilers face the Mammoth (ESPN+, HULU, SN1, TVAS).
2. Another NHL on TNT game has Bruins visiting Sabres (Wednesday): The Sabres enter the week with an NHL-best 12-1-1 record since returning from the Olympic break as Buffalo (44-20-7, 95 points) looks to overtake Carolina (45-19-6, 96 points) as the top team in the Eastern Conference. At the other end of the rink, David Pastrnak will look to add to his lofty totals versus the Sabres (18-30—48 in 44 GP) – the Bruins forward has never recorded 50 career points against a franchise.
3. ESPN doubleheader features last season’s conference champions (Thursday): The Panthers and Wild open up a doubleheader on ESPN before the Oilers and Golden Knights face off in a rematch of last season’s Second Round. Should the standings remain the same, the Oilers and Golden Knights would meet in the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking their third postseason meeting in four years – Edmonton won the 2025 Second Round, while Vegas triumphed in the 2023 Second Round.
4. Fourth annual “Hockey Day in Finland” (Friday & Saturday): The two-day event in Kuopio features a star-studded alumni contest with former NHL and local players as well as a viewing party for the NHL Saturday presented by Fastenal game between the Panthers and Islanders (1 p.m. ET on SN360, SCRIPPS, MSGSN).
5. ABC Hockey Saturday and Hockey Night in Canada (Saturday): The Red Wings, who enter the week one point outside of the playoff picture, face the Flyers on ABC with Philadelphia sitting just five points back. Meanwhile, a four-game Hockey Night in Canada slate features Toronto forward William Nylander (286-391—677 in 739 GP), who enters the week two shy of tying his father, Michael (209-470—679 in 920 GP), for career points.
NEW YORK – Florida Panthers forward A.J. Greer has been suspended for three games, without pay, for boarding Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary during NHL Game No. 1097 in Calgary on Friday, March 20, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.
The incident occurred at 11:11 of the third period. Greer was assessed a major penalty for interference and a game misconduct.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Greer will forfeit $13,281.24. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
NEW YORK – Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell and Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie have each been suspended one game without pay for fighting and escalating an on-court altercation which spilled over into the spectator stands, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
Additionally, Oklahoma City forward Jaylin Williams has been fined $50,000 and Oklahoma City guard Cason Wallace and Washington forward Anthony Gill have been fined $35,000 each, for their respective roles in the altercation.
The incident occurred with 27 seconds remaining in the second quarter of the Thunder’s 132-111 win over the Wizards on March 21 at Capital One Arena.
The Thunder’s Mitchell, Wallace and Williams and the Wizards’ Champagnie all received technical fouls and were ejected from the game for their involvement in the incident.
Champagnie will serve his suspension tonight when the Wizards visit the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mitchell will serve his suspension on March 23 when the Thunder visit the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
* Nikita Kucherov reached 12 points through the first three games of the Lightning’s road trip and passed Connor McDavid for first place in the Art Ross Trophy race.
* Cole Caufield continued to shine during Hockey Night in Canada games this season and moved within two goals of Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race leader Nathan MacKinnon.
* The Rush to the Playoffs continues during Sunday’s slate, which features a pair of pivotal Metropolitan Division matchups when the Penguins host the Hurricanes and the Blue Jackets visit the Islanders.
Art Ross Trophy race has new leader for first time in nearly two months Nikita Kucherov (2-2—4) converted on a second-period breakaway to record his first career shorthanded point and added another goal to conclude the contest two points ahead of Connor McDavid (116) atop the Art Ross Trophy race. McDavid had held the outright scoring lead through each day since Jan. 24.
* Kucherov has 12 points through the first three games of the Lightning’s northwest road trip. Kucherov trailed McDavid by eight points before the journey began on March 17.
Saturday night’s alright FOR “ROCKET” contender CAUFIELD THIS SEASON
* Caufield reached 43 goals on the campaign to climb within two of idle Nathan MacKinnon (45), who has led the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race (outright or tied) through each day since Nov. 8, 2025 – when Caufield and MacKinnon had a dozen tallies apiece. Caufield’s 19 goals on Saturday lead the League and tied the highest single-season total by Maurice Richard (19 in 1950-51 & 1946-47), who the trophy is named after.
PREDATORS CLIMB INTO PLAYOFF POSITION FOR FIRST TIME SINCE OCTOBER
StevenStamkos (2-1—3) notched his 238th career power-play goal (7th), 106th career multi-goal game (t-22nd) and finished with his 101st career game-winning goal (t-10th) to lift the Predators (32-28-9, 73 points) to their third straight win. Nashville, which now occupies Wild Card 2 and moved into a playoff spot for the first time since Oct. 25, trailed the playoff line by as much as 11 points this season (last: Nov. 25, 2025) – the largest deficit among any team in the mix for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* Nashville is no stranger to overcoming significant standings deficits to earn a playoff berth, after securing a position in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs following an 11-point disadvantage on March 6, 2021. Overall, the Predators can become the ninth team to qualify for the postseason after being outside the playoff picture at the Olympic break – the 2005-06 Sharks (6 points) overcame the largest standings deficit en route to doing so.
WILD, BRUINS EARN IMPORTANT WINS OVER DIVISION RIVALS
The Wild skated to an overtime win against the Stars in a potential preview of the 2026 First Round, while the Bruins defeated the Red Wings in a battle between the two Wild Card teams in the East. Minnesota (40-19-12, 92 points) moved within five points of Dallas (43-15-11, 97 points) for second place in the Central and Boston (39-23-8, 86 points) built a two-point cushion over Detroit (38-24-8, 84 points) for the Eastern Conference’s first Wild Card spot. Elsewhere in the East, the Senators (36-24-9, 81 points) and Flyers (34-23-12, 80 points) each picked up wins to move within three and four points, respectively, of Detroit for the second Wild Card position.
* Quinn Hughes (0-2—2) recorded his 12th multi-point outing in just his 39th game with Minnesota and tied Brock Faber (12 in 2025-26) as well as Ryan Suter (12 in 2018-19) for the most in a season by a Wild defenseman. Hughes’ 42 assists are also the third most in a season by a Minnesota blueliner, trailing only Suter (45 in 2017-18 & 43 in 2015-16).
* David Pastrnak (1-1—2) scored his 132nd career power-play goal and passed Patrice Bergeron for fourth most in Bruins history before adding his 500th career assist and becoming the sixth Czech player in NHL history to reach the milestone. Jaromir Jagr, who collected seven of his 1,155 career assists with the Bruins,leads the list.
DAHLIN HELPS SABRES SKATE CLOSER TO TOP OF EAST STANDINGS Rasmus Dahlin (1-0—1) scored one of three third-period goals to help the Sabres (44-20-6, 94 points) skate to a fourth straight win and move into a tie with the Hurricanes (44-19-6, 94 points) for the most standings points in the Eastern Conference. Carolina maintains first place by virtue of holding a game in hand.
* Dahlin recorded his fourth straight 15-goal campaign and became the second Sabres defenseman with a run of that length, alongside Phil Housley (8 from 1982-83 – 1989-90). The Sabres captain also tied Erik Karlsson (4 from 2013-14 – 2016-17) for the longest run in NHL history by a Swedish blueliner.
* The Sabres, who improved to 12-1-0 since returning from the Olympic break, recorded their 44th victory of 2025-26 and tied 2005-06 (44-21-5, 93 points) for their second-highest win total through 70 games of a season, behind 2006-07 (45-19-6, 96 points). Buffalo is on pace to record its third 50-win campaign in franchise history, following 2006-07 (53-22-7, 113 points) and 2005-06 (52-24-6, 110 points).
CRUCIAL CONTRIBUTORS FOR TOP METROPOLITAN CLUBS FEATURED IN LIVE UPDATES
* The Jets erased a 2-0 deficit but ErikKarlsson (2-0—2) scored a pair of goals for the Penguins and SidneyCrosby scored one of two tallies in the shootout as Pittsburgh (35-18-16, 86 points) bolstered their cushion on second place in the Metropolitan Division. Karlsson is one of six players – and the only defenseman – with 20 points since Feb. 1 and became the first blueliner in franchise history with consecutive multi-goal games.
* Karlsson (11-43—54 in 64 GP) has also benefited from four consecutive multi-point games en route to reaching the 10-goal mark for the third straight season with Pittsburgh (11 in 2023-24 & 2024-25). He joined PaulCoffey (5 from 1987-88 – 1991-92), SergeiGonchar (3 from 2005-06 – 2007-08) and KevinHatcher (3 from 1996-97 – 1998-99) as the fourth defenseman to score 10+ goals in each of his first three seasons with the Penguins.
* ZachWerenski (0-3—3) potted his fourth three-assist game of the season, and second in as many outings to help the third-place Blue Jackets (37-21-11, 85 points) extend their point streak to 12 games (8-0-4 since Feb. 28). Columbus sat six points back of a postseason position prior to its point streak but now sits one point back of second-place Pittsburgh for home-ice advantage in the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* Werenski, who matched the franchise record for assists in a period, became the third player in Blue Jackets history to record multiple three-assist periods alongside Artemi Panarin (3x) and Cam Atkinson (2x). Overall, Saturday was his fourth three-assist game of the season and also tied the most in a single campaign in franchise history (last: SeanMonahan in 2024-25).
KEY METROPOLITAN MATCHUPS SET FOR SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE
A pair of pivotal Metropolitan Division matchups headline a nine-game Sunday of NHL action when the first-place Hurricanes (44-19-6, 94 points) and second-place Penguins (35-18-16, 86 points) meet at PPG Paints Arena while the third-place Blue Jackets (37-21-11, 85 points) look to fend off the fourth-place Islanders (39-26-5, 83 points).
* The Blue Jackets and Islanders continue to jockey for positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, with hopes of returning to the postseason for the first time since 2019-20 and 2023-24, respectively. Columbus and New York are among a handful of teams in the East looking to end their absences in the Stanley Cup Playoffs – a Conference that currently features a five-team turnover from 2024-25. The 2025-26 campaign can match the highest season-to-season playoff turnover in a single conference since their introduction in 1974-75, alongside 2016-17 (MTL, TOR, BOS, OTT & CBJ in East).
* The Penguins, who have captain SidneyCrosby (1,096) closing in on 1,100 career assists, are no strangers to success against Metropolitan Division teams this season in their quest to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021-22. Pittsburgh is 11-1-9 against divisional opponents in 2025-26, which includes an 18-game point streak dating to Oct. 25, 2025 (their lone regulation loss: Oct. 11, 2025 vs. NYR).
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