Tampa Bay had this game exactly where they wanted it. Up 4–1 cruising to a win.

Montreal comes back with four unanswered goals, the last one with four seconds left, just enough time to flip the script apart and force overtime.

Nick Paul and Nikita Kucherov were the difference with Kucherov scored twice in regulation.

Oliver Bjorkstrand and Gage Goncalves both picked up two assists, with Goncalves factoring in on both Kucherov goals.

Noah Dobson and Ivan Demidov both chipped in multi-point nights, quietly important in a comeback where contributions had to come from everywhere.

Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson each added helpers as well.

Juraj Slafkovsky was solid for the Canadiens with two goals in the comeback. His growth has not jumped out in one clean spike and while he is tracking toward a 60-point pace while playing under 18 minutes a night, and most of that value comes from stability with a  top-six, PP1 role for a third straight season. At times it seemed like he was not going to survive the influx of talent Montreal had but looking at it now, most of his even-strength minutes come next to either Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield or Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen. He has just over two shots per game, shooting at 16.7%. A touch warm, but not outrageous given the quality of his looks and his net-front usage. Being stapled to the top-six is the real safety net and looks like a stable fantasy floor.

Jabob Fowler started for Montreal and also took the OT loss. He has a record of 3-1-2, 0.904 SV% and a 2.64 GAA over six games started.

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Things got a little over the top in the second period between the Blue Jackets and the Islanders when Mason Marchment stuck a leg out on Matthew Schaefer during a breakout. Barzal saw it, he did not hesitate for a second, and came back with a heavy slash, and from there it was instant chaos.

Marchment picked up the penalty on the trip, Barzal got tossed from the game, and it would not be surprising if the league circles back with a hearing on the retaliation in the days ahead.

Maxim Shabanov and Bo Horvat were the only Islanders to find the back of the net, and that was the entirety of New York’s offense on the night

Columbus leaned heavily on Kirill Marchenko, who was the difference maker with two goals, including the eventual game-winner, and drove the result from the front

Ivan Provorov chipped in with a goal of his own, Cole Sillinger iced it with the empty-netter.

Denton Mateychuk and Sean Monahan both finished with two assists, with Mateychuk now up to four points, all helpers, over his last three games

Jet Greaves took care of the rest, turning aside 24 shots and doing enough when the game was still in reach

It has been a hard swing in the wrong direction for Kent Johnson for last year. He posted for 57 points in 68 games last season and has just 11 points through 35 games this season, pacing for just 25 points. His ice time is down more than three minutes a night, which usually tells you the coaching staff sees a player whose offense has stalled, not one who is simply snakebit. The finishing has fallen off a cliff. Johnson is shooting at just 5.5%, less than half of last season’s rate. Some of that will correct, but it does not explain everything. The opportunity just is not there the way it was before, not even on the powerplay where he was playing over 70% last year to this year’s low-40’s. He may be a buy low for anyone who is getting frustrated with his lack of production.

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Nicholas Robertson and Matthew Knies both scored for the Leafs with John Tavares and Auston Matthews posting an assist each on the evening.

Matthews now has 26 points through 32 games played, pacing in the high 60s on the season. For sone centers that’s a clean, productive season. For Matthews, it’s a clear disappointment. The power play has not saved him either, although he has posted two power play points in the last two games. Regardless, the Leafs powerplay has been bottom of the league and Matthews is more of an endpoint than the hub. We are seeing less deception, more predictability and fewer freebies they once had before. It’s a new environment for Matthews and the Leafs in a post Marner world, and so far, they look like a team still searching for the answers. With Steven Sullivan in as the new assistant coach, we may see some initial improvements, hopefully it sticks. Matthews is still still elite and the rest of season view probably lands closer to 80 points unless the Leafs crack this code fast and he goes nuclear.

Meanwhile on the other end, we are looking at a Red Wings team firing on all cylinders and is at the top of the Atlantic Division with their win over the Leafs.

Edvinsson could barely stand after eating a one-timer off the knee and still found a way to get his stick in the lane to block another shot.

He ended up being the hero for Detroit in OT scoring on a back hander pass that as feed right to him by Denis Hildeby. Regardless, Hildeby played well making 33 saves in the loss.

Maston Appleton and Moritz Seider were the other goal scorers for the Red Wings. Seider has been on  a hot streak with six points in the last five games.

Lucas Raymond also registered an assist extending his point streak to five points (1G,5A) in four games putting him in as the leading scorer for Detroit. Raymond has quietly crossed that line to a star player and should be considered a higher draft option in your leagues next year. Through 38 games he’s sitting at a 91-point pace while playing the same ice time as last year. At 5v5 this is the best version of Raymond we have seen. His scoring rates have jumped into legit top-tier territory. The Larkin-Raymond pairing controls the ice regardless of who the third winger is, which is a big shift from earlier seasons when Raymond’s results were more dependent on lineup context.

Raymond has been living in that same healthy S/60 range for years now. It does not hurt to also play alongside elite teammates in Larkin, DeBrincat, and Kane. His 90+ point pace is very much in play but more importantly, his floor has moved.

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This one was over before it really had a chance to breathe. Pittsburgh poured in seven goals and turned it into a runaway almost immediately, with the damage done early.

Bryan Rust scored two first period goals, one coming off a feed from Sidney Crosby with Kris Letang.

Rust is quietly stacking production now (32 points), sitting with four points over his last three games and trailing only Crosby in team scoring, with Crosby already up to 39 points.

The night, though, belonged to Justin Brazeau who recorded his first NHL hat trick. It was one of those games where every touch felt dangerous and Chicago never really adjusted.

Pittsburgh’s depth showed on the scoresheet with Ryan Shea‘s three assists, while Blake Lizotte and Jack St. Ivany both chipped in with two helpers of their own.

Chicago did get goals from Nick Foligno, Wyatt Kaiser, and Tyler Bertuzzi, but by that time the game was virtually over.

Spencer Knight never had a chance to settle in. Four goals against on just seven shots in the opening frame forced the early hook, though he was sent back out to start the third.

Back-to-backs continue to be a nightmare for Chicago. They have not won a single one this season, and the margins are ugly. In the second half of those back-to-back sets, they have been outscored 27–7.

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Jared McCann and Vince Dunn returned to the lineup for Seattle, but honestly, they barely got a chance to make an impact tonight, this one was all Eeli Tolvanen. He completely stole the show.

Tolvanen went off in the third, scoring twice and tacking on an assist, finishing the night with three points and basically putting the Flyers away on his own.

Chandler Stephenson was the only other Kraken to hit multi‑point territory, chipping in a goal and an assist, while Jordan Eberle added a goal as well.

Philipp Grubauer in net was phenomenal. He faced 32 shots, allowed just one goal, and ended up with a .969 SV%, making key stops for the win.

For Philadelphia, their top guns Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny just could not get it done. Neither found the consistency to swing the game. Zegras in particular came in hot, riding a 10‑game point streak (5G, 5A) which was snapped against the Kraken.

Thanks for reading! See you next week! For more fantasy hockey content and analysis, follow me on X @Punters_hockey. If you have any questions about your team or a trade? My DMs are always open, happy to help!