Carter Hart is eligible to play his first NHL game in nearly 2 years tomorrow vs Chicago Story with comments from Hart and Bruce Cassidy on how he has prepped for the return, and how the goalie rotation might go moving forward On @theathletic.com ⤵️

Bruce Cassidy wouldn’t confirm Hart is playing tomorrow, he said he’ll announce tomorrow morning whether that is the case. He said they expect some rust in his game, so they’ll have to be patient and give him the starts he needs to shake that rust off.

I ranked all 32 goalie tandems in the NHL based on their 2025-26 statistics and how they've looked on film. No. 1 was not an easy choice. There were several deserving tandems. No. 32 was not as difficult. It was pretty straight forward. The list ⤵️

We’re a quarter of the way through the NHL season, so I ranked how every goalie tandem in the league is performing. 1 through 32 On @theathletic.com ⤵️

Petr Mrazek has been killing the mask game this season This one is awesome 🎨 by David Gunnarsson

“It felt great. He works hard. Great kid. Obviously there was some tough luck, and games we could’ve done more for him. He deserves it and I’m really happy for him.” — Hertl on Lindbom’s win

All the love for Lindbom

Final- Vegas 4, San Jose 3 The Golden Knights end the losing streak. Carl Lindbom made 18 saves for his first NHL victory.

Nice cheer from the crowd at T-Mobile Arena as they show UNLV crushing Reno 42-17 in the Battle for the Fremont Cannon.

The Golden Knights are blocking everything here in the 3rd period. Playing for their rookie goalie trying to get his first win in seven tries.

Carl Lindbom makes a big save on a dangerous shot from right in the slot. He's 8:55 away from earning his first NHL win.

It looked like it was offside, but that play by Barbashev to knock that puck out of the air was amazing.

William Eklund cuts Vegas' lead to 1 with a nice move on the breakaway. He cut across to open up Lindbom's five-hole, then tucked it through his pads. 4-3 late in the 2nd

That was an odd play. The puck was along the walls, and it looked like Kolesar missed a pass and centered it right to Will Smith in front, and he crushed it into the net. 4-2

Tomas Hertl tips Marner's shot from the point for his second goal of the night. 4-1 Vegas

Mitch Marner catches Nedeljkovic over-committing to the short side, and scores on a wraparound. 3-1 Vegas

Pavel Dorofeyev had the puck in the slot, but lost it. Fortunately for him he lost it straight onto the stick of Tomas Hertl, who buries a shot past Nedeljkovic. 1-1

The Golden Knights were totally dominating the game, then San Jose skates down and takes a 1-0 lead with a shot by Will Smith. It looked like it was deflected as he was releasing the shot, and it found the top corner past Lindbom's glove.

I’ve never seen this before, but the entire Sharks team has gone bucketless for pregame warm ups.

Golden Knights pregame line rushes vs San Jose: Barbashev–Eichel–Bowman Marner–Howden–Stone Dorofeyev–Hertl–Holtz Reinhardt–Sissons–Kolesar McNabb–Theodore Hanifin–Whitecloud Hutton–Korczak Lindbom Schmid

Mackenzie Blackwood's shutout streak finally comes to an end at 173:31 (nearly three full games). It is the 3rd longest streak in Avalanche history (behind two by Patrick Roy). Blackwood saved 84 consecutive shots without allowing a goal during the streak.

Jack Eichel emphasized the need for the team to have more of a shooters mentality. He said this is a very unselfish group with the puck, but sometimes that can work against you, especially when the goals aren’t going in.

Final- Montreal 4, Vegas 1 The Golden Knights have lost four straight, and 12 of their last 17 games.

4-1 Montreal Empty netter for Slafkovsky

Cassidy pulls Schmid for the extra attacker with 3:09 to play

Mark Stone was left all alone in front, and gets Vegas on the board. 3-1 with 4:44 to play

Pretty uninspired first half of this 3rd period for the Golden Knights, still looking for their first goal of the game. They're 9 minutes away from losing for the 7th time in their last 9 home games.

Jake Evans skates in all alone and picks the glove side corner. Marner fumbled the puck in the slot just before, leading to the break the other way. 3-0 Montreal

Nick Suzuki outmuscled Noah Hanifin on an awkward play at the blue line to spring a break for he and Caufield. Caufield hit the cross bar on the shot.

This was a heck of a save by Akira Schmid, and since I highlighted the poor weight shift in the RVH from the goal the other night, it's only fair to point out how good his weight shift was on this play. Thread 🧵⤵️

Slafkovsky with an incredible pass to find Bolduc in front of the net, and he buries the shot. Vegas leads 10-3 in shots, but trails the game 1-0 early.

That Golden Knights power play was very good. Montembeault was just better.

Vegas' power play gets the pass to Hertl for the one-timer on the doorstep, but Montembeault slides across for a huge save. That is such a hard play to get across laterally without opening the 5-hole, and he did it to perfection.

Low-event start to this game through the first 7 minutes. Only 3 shots on goal, and none have been all that dangerous. The Eichel line has created a few chances around the net but couldn't get a stick on the passes.

Vasilevskiy has been an absolute monster through the first 15 minutes of this game. I’ve lost count of the odd man rushes and backdoor passes the Lightning have allowed, and Vasi has made some incredible stops.

“That has no right going in the net. You have to be ready to go… That ends up being the difference in the game, if you look at it like that.” — Bruce Cassidy on this goal

Vegas can't beat Ullmark on any of the 3 tries, and falls 4-3 to Ottawa in the shootout. The Golden Knights have now lost seven straight games decided after regulation.

No goals in OT. Barbashev's crossbar was the closest anyone got. Vegas and Ottawa are heading to a shootout.

Golden Knights and Senators are heading to OT tied 3-3. Vegas is 1-7 this season in OT/SO, and has lost the last six in a row.

Jack Eichel breakaway, Ullmark makes the save and somehow keeps the puck from crossing the line.

The animosity and physicality have really ratcheted up in the third. It's been a fun period of hockey thus far.

Mark Stone scores on the power play to tie it 3-3. It was a lucky bounce off a Sens defender's skate and into the net, but the Golden Knights will take it.

Brutal start-sit decision for my fantasy hockey team. I should fire the coach.

He's behind because of all the time missed with the offseason surgery, but if Mackenzie Blackwood keeps playing well he should be in the conversation for Team Canada at the Olympics.

The Avalanche have posted three-straight shutouts. Two by Mackenzie Blackwood and one by Scott Wedgewood. 189:42 without allowing a goal 85 consecutive saves

It's honestly amazing how much better Stone is at playing that spot on the power play than everyone else. Vegas struggled to get those passes through to Pavel the entire time he was out. He steps back in and makes it look easy.

Linus Ullmark's recovery speed is just not anywhere close to where it needs to be. Vegas takes advantage for an easy goal by Eichel. 3-2

This is an example of how tiny details are the difference between saves and goals (and in this case, an embarrassing goal). Schmid’s mistake here is allowing his hips to get too low in his RVH. Thread 🧵⤵️

That's a brutally timed goal there for the Senators. Stutzle drives wide around Whitecloud and finds Batherson for a one-timer on the backdoor. He crushed it to the top corner of the net. 3-1 Ottawa with 16.2 seconds left in the period.

Gorgeous passing play between Theodore, Marner and eventually Howden, who scores. It was close to being offside at the blue line. It'll be interesting to see if Ottawa challenges.