* The Sabres and Capitals earned crucial wins to strengthen their respective positions in the Eastern Conference playoff race, with Buffalo moving into second place in its division at this stage of a season or later (932 GP) for the first time since 2009-10.
* The Ducksstormed back from a two-goal third-period deficit for the second straight game and matched a franchise mark with their League-leading ninth multi-goal comeback win of the season.
* The first Saturday since the Olympic break features 13 games, including a doubleheader on ABC and a four-pack on Hockey Night in Canada.
SABRES, CAPITALS EARN KEY WINS IN EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF RACE
The Sabres and Capitals both earned crucial wins in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race as Buffalo (34-19-6, 74 points) jumped into second place in the Atlantic Division while Washington (31-23-7, 69 points) moved within two points of idle Boston (33-20-5, 71 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the East during Friday’s four-game slate.
* Overall, the No. 2-seeded Sabres and No. 5-seeded Bruins (WC2) are separated by just three points in the Atlantic Division standings, while the No. 2-seeded Penguins (30-15-12, 72 points) own just a three-point cushion on the No. 4-seeded Capitals in the Metropolitan Division.
* Alex Lyon extended his road winning streak to nine games and became the ninth different goalie in NHL history with a run of that length – Kevin Lankinen (10 GP in 2024-25) is the only active netminder to extend their run to 10. The Sabres also pushed their road point streak to eight games (7-0-1) and matched the fourth-longest run in franchise history.
* Pierre–Luc Dubois (2-1—3) and Jakob Chychrun (1-0—1) helped Washington build a 3-0 lead in the second period, which also featured the former scoring twice in the opening 3:23 of action, before withstanding Mitch Marner’s 800th career point and a three-goal comeback attempt. Chychrun, whose 12 game-winning goals since joining Washington last season are the most among all blueliners and four more than the next closest, has found the back of the net 22 times this season – the most by any Capitals defenseman in a single campaign since Mike Green in 2008-09 (31).
* The Capitals are tied for the fourth-most home wins this season and swept a three-game home stand, where they never trailed and doubled their opponents’ goal total (10-5). Since the turn of the calendar, Washington has sat as low as third-last in the Eastern Conference standings (Jan. 28) but has since risen to their current position thanks to a 6-1-0 stretch.
DUCKS SOAR TO SECOND STRAIGHT MULTI-GOAL THIRD-PERIOD COMEBACK WIN
After the Ducks rallied back from a 2-0 deficit, Kyle Connor tied the game with 1:22 remaining in regulation to force extra time, where Chris Kreider netted the overtime winner with the help of Beckett Sennecke (0-3—3). The Ducks recorded their League-leading ninth multi-goal comeback win of the season and tied their franchise mark for most in a campaign (also 9 in 2013-14).
* Sennecke (19-29—48 in 58 GP) surpassed Ivan Demidov (12-35—47 in 58 GP) for the League lead in points among rookies thanks to his second three-point performance of the season (also 3-0—3 on Jan. 25). Sennecke became the fifth Ducks skater to post multiple three-point games in a season before age 21, following Leo Carlsson (4 in 2025-26), Mason McTavish (3 in 2023-24 & 2 in 2022-23), Trevor Zegras (3 in 2021-22) and Ryan Getzlaf (2 in 2005-06).
KELLER REACHES 100-ASSIST MARK WITH MAMMOTH IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
In a battle between the top two Western Conference teams since Jan. 1, Clayton Keller (1-2—3) helped the Mammoth best the Wild to strengthen their position as the first Wild Card in the West. Keller, who became the first Mammoth player to post 100 points with the franchise on Oct. 23, 2025, also became the first skater to reach 100 assists with Utah on Friday night. Find more notes on Keller and the rest of the four-game slate in #NHLStats: Live Updates.
THIRD ANNUAL PRIDE CUP OPENS TODAY IN SURREY
The NHL in partnership with Pride Tape will host the 2026 NHL Unites Pride Cup for the third consecutive season. The event features members of Vancouver’s The Cutting Edges and the Seattle Pride Hockey Association competing for the Pride Cup trophy on Sat. Feb. 28 and Sun. Mar. 1, in Surrey, British Columbia.
* Now in its third year, the expanded two-day event at the North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex will showcase two LGBTQ+ hockey associations leading the way in the Pacific Northwest. The three-game series will see each organization receive a $25,000 donation in support of their continued community impact. More than 40 players will participate alongside special guests.
* Click here for more information.
QUICK CLICKS
* NHL set to celebrate ‘Hockey Day’ in Sweden, Germany, Czechia, Finland
* NHL Trade Buzz: Wild still ‘have work to do,’ Bill Guerin says
* Trade decisions may not be made until right before Deadline, Mammoth GM says
* NHL EDGE stats behind Matthew Schaefer’s historic rookie season
*Keivonn Woodard, Duante Abercrombie drop puck at Capitals Black History celebration
SATURDAY’S FULL OF HOCKEY ARE BACK
A 13-game Saturday will feature 12 hours of consecutive NHL action, including a doubleheader on ABC starting with the Penguins visiting the Rangers before the Flyers welcome the Bruins. It will also feature four Hockey Night in Canada matchups, comprised of showdowns between the Capitals-Canadiens, Senators-Maple Leafs, Flames-Kings and Canucks-Kraken.
PENGUINS, RANGERS, BRUINS, FLYERS TAKE CENTER STAGE ON ABC
ABC Hockey Saturday will make its return – and will stay for the remainder of the 2025-26 season – with storylines including teams looking to boost their positioning in the standings, move towards the playoff line and keep streaks alive.
* An all-Metropolitan Division showdown will pit the Penguins (30-15-12, 72 points), who sit second in the division, against the Rangers (22-29-7, 51 points). It will mark the final of four meetings between the two clubs this season (3-0 PIT on Oct. 7, 6-1 NYR on Oct. 11 & 6-5 PIT on Jan. 31). Evgeni Malkin is averaging 1.35 points per game when his teammate Sidney Crosby is out of the lineup, having posted 77-124—201 (149 GP). Malkin’s career points-per-game rate is 1.11.
* The Penguins-Rangers contest will also be part of a viewing party at the second annual Hockey Day in Sweden, a two-day event in Gothenburg culminating with a viewing party for the NHL Saturday presented by Fastenal contest. For the first time, the NHL will host four “Hockey Day” celebrations in Europe this season, with this weekend’s event in Sweden to be followed by ventures to Czechia (March 6-7), Germany (March 13-14) and Finland (March 27-28). Additionally, the Predators will host the Red Wings for “NHL Prime Time” on Monday – a weekday contest that had a start-time change (from 8 p.m. ET to 2 p.m. ET) to give the passionate hockey fans across Europe a chance to watch NHL stars in prime time (8 p.m. CET).
* Charlie McAvoy will carry an eight-game point streak into Saturday’s contest when the Bruins (33-20-5, 71 points) clash with Travis Sanheim and the Flyers (26-21-11, 63 points), with Boston having won each of the past three head-to-heads between the two clubs and currently occupying the second Wild Card seed in the East. McAvoy can become the second Bruins defenseman in 33 years to extend their point streak to nine games and would join Ray Bourque (13 GP in 1992-93).
* Sanheim, returning from representing his country at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, is being featured for his community impact. Sanheim has been actively involved in Philadelphia for nearly a decade now and in his hometown of Elkhorn, Man. Sanheim and Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell support their hometown by attending charity events and donating to their local rink. His involvement has also included an equipment donation program for the Elkhorn Manitoba Minor Hockey association.
HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA FEATURES FORMER FIRST ROUND FOES
Hockey Night in Canada returns from the Olympic break with focus turning towards the playoff push heading into the stretch drive of the 2025-26 season. Two matchups on Saturday’s broadcast will feature teams that faced off in the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Capitals-Canadiens and Senators-Maple Leafs.
* Heading into their First Round series in 2025, one which Washington would win in five games, the Capitals had finished as the top team in the East and the Canadiens needed their final game of the season to clinch a playoff spot. Those roles are somewhat reversed this season, with Montreal comfortably in the mix in the Atlantic Division and the Capitals just outside the playoff line looking to jump back in.
* Cole Caufield leads all Canadiens skaters and sits tied for fourth in the League with 33 goals – only five Canadiens skaters have finished a season among the top five goal scorers in the expansion era: Guy Lafleur (5x), Steve Shutt (2x), Max Pacioretty (2x), Yvan Cournoyer and Jacques Lemaire. Caufield is on pace to record a 46-goal season, which would be the highest total by a Canadiens skater since Stephane Richer over 30 years ago (51 in 1989-90).
* Less than a week after skating as teammates in Milan, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews and Senators captain Brady Tkachuk renew their rivalry on opposite sides of the “Battle of Ontario” with both leaders looking to help will their team back into the postseason conversation. Toronto and Ottawa met in the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the Maple Leafs winning the first postseason “Battle of Ontario” in 21 years, and the clubs have since participated in a high-scoring contest earlier this season (TOR: 7-5 W).
NHL PODCASTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP
* 100% Hockey (Feb. 26): Jim Rutherford on what’s next in Vancouver
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (Feb. 26): Trade Deadline preview with David Pagnotta
* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (Feb. 26): Ryan O’Reilly & Jamison Coyle
* NHL Forček (Feb. 26): díl o olympiádě, prodloužení tři na tři i kanadských hvězdách
* NHL @TheRink (Feb. 25): Digesting the Olympics, Trade Deadline looms
* 100% Hockey (Feb. 25): Spencer Carbery on Washington’s Playoff Push
* La Tasse de Café LNH (Feb. 25): En route vers la date limite des transactions
* Never Offside with Julie and Cat (Feb. 24): Will Stephens of TPSN; Olympic glory
* NHL Schlagschuss (Feb. 24): Goldrausch in den USA
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (Feb. 23): USA wins gold; Olympics reax, pickups
* 100% Hockey (Feb. 23): Chris Pronger on Olympics and return of NHL season
* NHL Längs Sargen (Feb. 23): OS tände gnistan igen
* 100% Hockey (Feb. 22): USA Wins Gold — Ken Hitchcock Reacts to Olympics
