NHL MARCH 31, 2026 – 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.

• 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.
• 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.

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).

Schaefer passing Persson, tying Housley

Tuesday featured a 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.

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.

Blues’ Snuggerud Named NHL ‘Rookie of the Month’ for March

St. Louis Blues right wing Jimmy Snuggerud, who posted 7-8—15 in 14 games to lift the Blues to a 10-2-2 March – the best record in the Western Conference – and within four points of a playoff spot, has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month.”

Snuggerud edged New York Islanders teammates Matthew Schaefer (4-12—16 in 16 GP) and Calum Ritchie (5-6—11 in 16 GP), New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (4-10—14 in 16 GP), and Montreal Canadiens teammates Jakub Dobes (7-3-0, 2.21 GAA, .927 SV%) and Ivan Demidov (4‑7—11 in 15 GP) for the honor.

Kucherov, Karlsson and Zacha Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ for March

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson and Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of March.

FIRST STAR – NIKITA KUCHEROV, RW, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Kucherov, despite missing two games, led the NHL with 9-17—26 in 14 contests to power the Lightning (46-22-6, 98 points) to an 8-6-2 month as they neared their second straight 100-point season and third in the past five years (also 2021-22). He found the scoresheet in 11 of his 14 appearances to additionally rank among the top March performers in assists (1st; 17), even-strength points (t-2nd; 18), even-strength assists (t-3rd; 11), goals (t-8th; 9), even-strength goals (t-8th; 7) and plus/minus (t-8th; +10). The two-time defending Art Ross Trophy winner registered four assists on March 7 at TOR to hit the 100-point milestone for the fourth straight season and sixth time overall – tied for the seventh-most in League history. He finished the month with six total multi-point performances, including a trio of games with at least four points (also March 17 at SEA: 3-2—5 and March 21 at EDM: 2-2—4), while ultimately reaching the 120-point mark for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall – a total achieved by just eight other players in NHL history: Wayne Gretzky (14), Mario Lemieux (8), Marcel Dionne (6), Phil Esposito (6), Guy Lafleur (5), Jaromir Jagr (4), Connor McDavid (4) and Bobby Orr (4). The 32-year-old Kucherov sits second in the League with 40-81—121 through 68 overall games this season, also placing among the leaders in points per game (1st; 1.78), assists (2nd; 81), power-play assists (t-3rd; 29), plus/minus (4th; +42), goals (t-5th; 40), game-winning goals (t-5th; 7) and power-play points (6th; 36).

SECOND STAR – ERIK KARLSSON, D, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Karlsson topped defensemen and placed second in the entire NHL with 9-15—24 in 17 games to propel the Penguins (38-21-16, 92 points) to an 8-6-3 March as they maintained their hold on second place in the Metropolitan Division. His nine goals were the most in a calendar month by a Pittsburgh blueliner, ahead of the eight scored by Paul Coffey in December 1990 (17 GP), while his 24 points ranked second only to Coffey’s 28 in February 1990 (6-22—28 in 14 GP). Karlsson also became the third defenseman this century to score at least nine goals in a single month (for any team), joining Sergei Gonchar (10 in January 2000 w/ WSH) and Mike Green (9 in February 2009 w/ WSH). At 35 years, 304 days on the final day of March, Karlsson became the oldest blueliner in League history to record at least 24 points in a single month – ahead of Roman Josi, who was 31 years, 303 days when he concluded March 2022 with 4-24—28 (w/ NSH). Karlsson, a three-time James Norris Memorial Trophy winner, sits ninth among defensemen with 13-47—60 through 70 total appearances this season – his eighth career 60-point campaign and first since producing a career-high 25-76—101 in 2022-23 (w/ SJS).

THIRD STAR – PAVEL ZACHA, C, BOSTON BRUINS

Zacha paced the NHL with 13 goals in 16 games (13-9—22) to lift the Bruins (43-24-8, 94 points) into the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference on the strength of a 23-point March (10-3-3) – the second-most standings points in the League behind the Buffalo Sabres (11-2-2, 24 points). Zacha became the fifth Boston player in the last 42 years (since 1983-84) to score at least 13 goals in a single month, following Brad Marchand (14 in April 2021), David Pastrnak (13 in January 2023), Jarome Iginla (13 in March 2014) and Cam Neely (13 in January 1994). Zacha scored in half of his 16 March outings, highlighted by his second career hat trick March 8 at PIT. He also picked up points in 13 of his 16 appearances, including seven multi-point efforts. The 28-year-old Zacha, playing in his 11th NHL season, ranks third on the Bruins with career highs in both goals (28) and points (60) through 72 total contests in 2025-26 (28-32—60).