Read the reports from Wednesday’s NHL games.
Consult the meeting summaries
Lightning victory against the Leafs, Matthews stops at 69 goals
Nikita Kucherov became the fifth player in NHL history to obtain at least 100 assists in a single season as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 on Wednesday night.
Kucherov set the table for 46e Brayden Point’s goal of the season in the second period, joining Wayne Gretzky (11 times), Mario Lemieux (1988-89), Bobby Orr (1970-71) and Connor McDavid (2023-24) among this renowned group. McDavid accomplished the feat Monday night in a 9-2 Oilers victory over the San Jose Sharks.
Kucherov also scored a goal to finish his season with 144 points, which should allow him to win the Art Ross Trophy for the second time in his career. Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, his closest pursuer, has collected 138 points this season and he must play his last game Thursday night, against the Oilers.
Anthony Duclair, Nicholas Paul and Brandon Hagel also had a goal and an assist in the victory for the Lightning, who already knew they would face the Florida Panthers in the first playoff round. Tanner Jeannot also hit the mark.
Matt Tomkins stopped 34 pucks for the Tampa team, which ended a two-game losing streak.
Ryan Reaves, TJ Brodie, Pontus Holmberg and John Tavares were the scorers for the Maple Leafs, who will face the Boston Bruins in the first round. Martin Jones gave up six times in 32 shots for Toronto, who suffered a second straight defeat.
Auston Matthews concluded his campaign with 69 goals, the highest total since Lemieux’s 69 in 1995-96. Matthews was trying to become the first 70-goal scorer in the NHL since Teemu Selanne (76) and Alexander Mogilny (76) in 1992-93.
The Canadian Press
The Coyotes win their last game in Arizona
PHOTO MARK J. REBILAS, USA TODAY SPORTS
Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory for the Arizona Coyotes over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday in the game that ended the Coyotes’ 28-year tenure in the Phoenix area .
Liam O’Brien, Matias Maccelli, Lawson Crouse and Sean Durzi scored the other goals for the Coyotes, who turn to Salt Lake City.
PHOTO ROSS D. FRANKLIN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is expected to buy the club from Alex Meruelo in a $1.2 billion deal through the NHL, possibly as early as Thursday.
Connor Ingram stopped 25 shots, being beaten by Sam Carrick and Warren Foegele. The latter reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career.
Calvin Pickard made 16 saves.
John Marshall, Associated Press
The Stars secure the best record in the West
PHOTO JEROME MIRON, USA TODAY SPORTS
Jason Robertson was the only scorer in the shootout and the Dallas Stars secured first place in the West for the first time since 2016 on Wednesday, winning 2-1 against the St. Louis Blues.
The match went beyond 60 minutes, the Stars thus obtained a 112e point, becoming assured of doing better than the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks would finish with 111 points if they win in Winnipeg on Thursday.
Robert Thomas scored in the second period before Mason Marchment of the Stars responded in the third period.
In the first round, Dallas will face the Los Angeles Kings or the Vegas Golden Knights. The latter are the reigning Stanley Cup champions.
Associated Press
The Islanders have the upper hand over the Penguins
PHOTO DENNIS SCHNEIDLER, USA TODAY SPORTS
Brock Nelson
Simon Holmstrom scored the key goal in the third period and Ilya Sorokin stopped a penalty shot from Sidney Crosby on Wednesday as the New York Islanders prevailed 5-4 over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Samuel Bolduc and Brock Nelson each provided a goal and an assist.
Casey Cizikas and Kyle Palmieri were the other Islanders scorers.
Bolduc scored his second goal in the National League.
The Islanders have won eight of their last nine games heading into their first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The confrontation will begin on Saturday in Raleigh.
Sorokin made 39 saves, including one on a penalty shot awarded to Crosby, in the last minute of the game.
Jeff Carter, Rickard Rakell, Evgeni Malkin and Valetteri Puustinen responded for the Penguins.
Crosby had two assists, finishing the season with 42 goals and 94 points.
Alex Nedeljkovic blocked 27 shots for the Penguins, who were excluded from the playoffs for a second year in a row.
Scott Charles, Associated Press
reference: www.lapresse.ca