National Hockey League

National Hockey League

The Hershey Bears are hosting their biggest regular-season game of the year this afternoon at Giant Center. The team will host its 25th Teddy Bear Toss, aiming to break its ice hockey world record of 102,343 set last season. The team accomplished the feat on January 5, 2025, against the Providence Bruins when Mike Sgarbossa scored Hershey's Teddy Bear Toss goal at 14:45 of the first period, starting the sweet cuddly mayhem.

Speaking to media after the game, head coach Craig Berube acknowledged Rielly's recent struggles, but said he has faith in the veteran to get back on track. "Tonight was a tough one," Berube said, per The Hockey News' David Alter. "I know that, but he's played some really good hockey for us this year. I'm not worried about it. I think he'll get back to the level he was at. I do believe that. That's kind of where I'm at with it."

The Hershey Bears authored an impressive comeback victory on their third Washington Capitals' night of the season. Wearing their tan Screaming Bear jerseys, Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall registered the first three-point game of his career, while Bears captain Aaron Ness scored the game-winning goal with 11:50 remaining in the third period to give the Bears a 5-4 victory over the Rockford IceHogs.

Alexis Lafrenière had three assists and Igor Shesterkin stopped 36 shots for the Rangers, who improved to 6-0-0 in outdoor games. Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, which was playing outdoors for the first time and lost for the fourth time in its last six contests overall. The Panthers gave up goals to Zibanejad and Panarin 64 seconds apart late in the first period, giving New York a 2-0 lead, and the Rangers kept control the rest of the way.

Marner, who the Leafs drafted in 2015, 4th overall, had nine productive seasons in Toronto, where, as part of the so- called 'core four', this elite playmaker produced 221 goals and 741 points in 657 games until last summer when he became a Golden Knight. Following last season, Marner, who was an unrestricted free agent, took the brunt of some heavy criticism on social media from fans and different Toronto media outlets for the team's disappointing early playoff exit against the Florida Panthers. For the past several years, Marner has taken a lot of blame for the team's playoff failures, and he decided it was time to move on.

Obviously, pretty tough week for me,

Jakob Chychrun has become well known for his eccentricities over the years, whether it be his supposed aversion to light bulbs, dislike of Tesla batteries, or unique "animal-based" diet. While he has seemingly toned some aspects of those things down, Chychrun is still catching some heat from his Caps teammates for the sometimes peculiar food he chooses to put into his body. According to recent, exclusive reporting from ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, Chychrun still regularly consumes raw animal hearts and livers.

USA Hockey Leaks over the past couple of days have prepared us for this, so there are no true surprises in this morning's announcement. That still doesn't make some of GM Bill Guerin's decisions any sounder. The most blatant is the omission of Dallas's Jason Robertson, who leads all Americans in NHL scoring with 48 points (24 goals). Robertson, like other top forward snubs including Cole Caufield, and to a lesser extent Matthew Knies and Alex DeBrincat, is a little one-dimensional.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been named to Team Sweden's Olympic roster. Ekman-Larsson will join William Nylander on the Swedish team. Oliver Ekman-Larsson has had a very strong season with the Maple Leafs this season, as he has been the most consistent and reliable defenceman on the Maple Leafs blueline. This will be Ekman-Larsson's second trip to the Olympics, as he previously participated for the Swedes in 2014, where he won a silver medal.

SAN JOSE San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg has been playing some of his best hockey of the season in recent weeks but now has a lower body injury and is considered doubtful to play against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Friday that Klingberg's injury cropped up during the Sharks' 4-3 shootout win against the Minnesota Wild, as the veteran defenseman had a team-high 25:46 in ice time.

Adam Fox is a top 10 defenseman in the entire world. Not just a top 10 defenseman born in the United States, but a top 10 defenseman in the entire world. There is not a country participating in the Olympics that Fox not only should make the team, but also should be in the lineup getting big minutes. Yet somehow Team USA left him off the roster. Adam Fox's Olympic snub is patently absurd, and there is very little logic to explain away Fox's omission.