NHL MARCH 22, 2026 – 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.

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 Reilly Smith (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. Marner recorded 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

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 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 Detroit 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.

Panthers’ Greer Suspended Three Games for Boarding

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 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.

Kucherov, Forsberg and Caufield Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

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” 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).