NHL FEBRUARY 5, 2026 – LIGHTNING, GOLDEN KNIGHTS OLYMPIANS FIND SCORING TOUCH AHEAD OF BREAK

The Lightning and Golden Knights skated to wins thanks to production from their respective players bound for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in the final gameday ahead of the break.

• The Lightning scored early and often in the latest “Battle of Florida” and had all six of their goals scored by a different athlete heading to the Olympic Winter Games: Brandon Hagel (Team Canada), Zemgus Girgensons (Team Latvia), Jake Guentzel (Team USA), Erik Cernak (Team Slovakia), Pontus Holmberg (Team Sweden) and Oliver Bjorkstrand (Team Denmark). Tampa Bay extended its winning streak to five games, its home winning streak to nine games (excluding 2026 SS) and enter the break with a record of 17-1-1 since returning from the holiday break – top among all teams.
• Tampa Bay will have nine players heading to Milan – second to only Florida (10) – and have the most Olympic-bound countries represented on their roster (7). One of those players is Victor Hedman (0-1—1), who also found the score sheet in the Lightning’s final game before the Olympic break, and will head to Milan as one of two Norris Torphy winners on Team Sweden (also Erik Karlsson). In the history of the Norris Trophy, a player from Sweden has won the award 11 times, second only to Canada (49).
• All four of Vegas’ Olympic-bound forwards found the score sheet in the Golden Knights’ victory Tuesday, with Mark Stone (Team Canada) and Jack Eichel (Team USA) leading the way with multi-point performances. Stone (1-2—3) became the first Vegas player with 100 multi-point games after posting all three of his points in the first period and tied Jonathan Marchessault (5) for the most three-point periods in franchise history. Eichel (291 GP) became the fifth player in Golden Knights history to post 200 assists and became the fastest among that group to reach the mark, besting Stone (311 GP).

OTHER OLYMPIC-BOUND PLAYERS SHINE AHEAD OF OPENING CEREMONIES
A handful of players bound for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 found the score sheet in close games during the final night of NHL action until Feb. 25. The League’s 700 close games (contests decided by one or two-plus following an empty-net goal) are the most through this stage of a season in NHL history (908 GP), and 17 more than the next closest (683 in 2024-25).

• After the Flyers pulled even with just 1:14 remaining in regulation, Tim Stützle (Team Germany) found the back of the net in overtime to extend his goal streak to five games – the longest by a Senators player in over two years – to lift Ottawa to victory. Stützle registered his eighth career overtime winner and surpassed Mike Fisher for the second most in franchise history. He also eclipsed Marco Sturm and Christian Ehrhoff for the second-most overtime goals by a German player in NHL history behind only his soon-to-be Olympic teammate Leon Draisaitl (20).
• Nikolaj Ehlers (Team Denmark) collected an assist on one of Carolina’s two goals as the Hurricanes (36-15-6, 78 points) shut out the Rangers to keep pace with the first-place Lightning (37-14-4, 78 points) in the Eastern Conference standings. Ehlers tops the all-time NHL lists for goals, points and assists by Danish players (239-324—563 in 731 GP) after surpassing Frans Nielsen (167-306—473 in 925 GP) on the latter chart earlier in 2025-26.
• The Islanders and Devils traded second-period goals before Bo Horvat (Team Canada) scored a go-ahead tally with 3:27 remaining in regulation and assisted on an empty-net goal as New York swept its season series with New Jersey. Horvat, who scored the game winner for the second time in as many games, is one of four players on Team Canada’s roster seeking their first medal/championship with the country at a major international tournament (incl. OLY, WC, WJC, WCH/4N) alongside Macklin Celebrini (SJS), Nick Suzuki (MTL) and Tom Wilson (WSH).

OLYMPIC-BOUND GOALTENDERS HEAD TO ITALY ON WINNING NOTE
A pair of goaltenders slated to represent their respective countries at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 picked up wins on the final gameday before the Olympic break:

• Tom Wilson opened the scoring for Washington and his fellow Team Canada teammate Logan Thompson made 27 saves for his 50th win with the Capitals as they bested the Predators at Capital One Arena. Thompson (82 GP) became the second-fastest goaltender in franchise history to reach 50 career wins, behind only Braden Holtby (81 GP). Thompson (2023), along with Jordan Binnington (2019) and Darcy Kuemper (2022), will mark the first time Team Canada will roster three Stanley Cup-winning goaltenders at the Olympics.
• Arturs Silovs (Team Latvia) made 26 saves en route to his fourth straight road win and helped the Penguins (29-15-12, 70 points) improve to 5-0-1 in their past six road games. His international experience with Lativa includes the 2023 World Championships, where he backstopped the country to its only medal at a major tournament. He posted a 7-3-0 record while playing in all 10 of the team’s games – including six straight victories in his hometown of Riga to secure a spot in the semifinals. His 26-save effort against USA in the bronze medal game helped clinch an overtime victory. Silovs secured tournament MVP and Best Goaltender honors, as well as a spot on the All-Star Team.

NHL PLAYERS TO CARRY NATION’S FLAG IN OPENING CEREMONIES

The 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony for Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will take place Friday at 2 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock, CBC, CBC Gem). Three current NHL players have been named flag bearers for their country during the opening ceremony: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (Team Germany), Bruins forward David Pastrnak (Team Czechia) and Jets forward Nino Niederreiter (Team Switzerland).

• In the previous five Olympics with NHL players, only Zdeno Chara (BOS, Team Slovakia) had carried a flag for his country while representing an NHL team when he did so at the 2014 Opening Ceremony in Sochi, Russia.
• Additionally, three other men’s hockey players with NHL experience will serve as flag bearer in the Opening Ceremonies, meaning half of the countries participating in the tournament will have a men’s hockey player as a flag bearer. The others in 2026: Tomas Tatar (Team Slovakia; 927 GP w/ DET, VGK, MTL, NJD, COL & SEA), Kaspars Daugavins (Team Latvia; 91 GP w/ OTT & BOS) and Mikko Lehtonen (Team Finland; 26 GP w/ CBJ & TOR).

Boldy, Horvat and Vejmelka Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (United States), New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (Canada) and Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (Czechia) – three players who will represent their respective countries at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 – have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Feb. 5.

FIRST STAR – MATT BOLDY, LW, MINNESOTA WILD

Boldy recorded 3-3—6 in two contests to help the Wild (34-14-10, 78 points) extend their winning streak to five games dating to Jan. 27. He collected a pair of helpers, including the secondary assist on Kirill Kaprizov’s overtime winner, in a 4-3 comeback victory against the Montreal Canadiens Feb. 2. Boldy then posted 3-1—4, highlighted by the fastest hat trick from the start of a game in franchise history (12:58) as well as the primary assist on Jared Spurgeon’s overtime winner, in a 6-5 triumph versus the Nashville Predators Feb. 4. The 24-year-old Boldy, who has points in each of his last six appearances dating to Jan. 24 (5-6—11), shares third place in the NHL with 32 goals through 54 total contests this season (32-30—62). He also is one of five players in the League with at least 30 goals and 30 assists in 2025-26, joining Connor McDavid (34-62—96 w/ EDM), Nathan MacKinnon (40-53—93 w/ COL), Kaprizov (32-38—70) and Jason Robertson (32-34—66 w/ DAL).

SECOND STAR – BO HORVAT, C, NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Horvat compiled 3-2—5, highlighted by a pair of game-winning goals, across three appearances to propel the Islanders (32-21-5, 69 points) to a 2-1-0 week. He was held off the scoresheet in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals Feb. 2 but bounced back with 2-1—3 and a +5 rating, capped by his 12th career overtime goal, in a 5-4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins Feb. 3. Horvat then notched 1-1—2, including the tiebreaking goal with 3:27 remaining in regulation, in a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils Feb. 5. The 30-year-old Horvat, who became the first Islanders player to register the winning goal in consecutive contests since Kyle Palmieri from April 9-11, 2024, leads the team with 24 goals and ranks second with 40 points (24-16—40) despite only playing in 44 of New York’s 58 total games this season.

THIRD STAR – KAREL VEJMELKA, G, UTAH MAMMOTH

Vejmelka went 2-0-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average and .944 save percentage to lift the Mammoth (30-23-4, 64 points) into the first Wild Card position in the Western Conference. He denied 22 shots, including all 10 he faced in the third period, in a 6-2 triumph versus the Vancouver Canucks Feb. 2. Vejmelka then made 29 saves, yielding his lone goal with 4:08 remaining in regulation, in a 4-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings Feb. 4. The 29-year-old Vejmelka, who already has established a career high, shares the League lead with 27 wins through 44 total appearances this season (27-14-2, 2.58 GAA, .903 SV%, 1 SO).

Fines handed out

Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron has been fined $2,343.75, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Washington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk during NHL Game No. 908 in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Feb. 5. The incident occurred at 8:20 of the third period.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Curtis Douglas has been fined $2,018.23, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for serving as the aggressor in an altercation with Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola during NHL Game No. 904 in Tampa on Thursday, Feb. 5. The incident occurred at 6:33 of the third period. Douglas was assessed a major penalty for fighting as well as a game misconduct under Rule 46.2 (Aggressor).

Money from fines goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.