NHL Recap: Flyers Edge Penguins in Shootout Thriller, Canadiens Outlast Kings 4-3

Flyers edge Penguins

NHL Recap: Flyers beat Penguins 4-3 in shootout, Canadiens top Kings 4-3 in NHL thrillers, Canadiens win nail-biters; Flyers edge closer to playoffs, and more.

Flyers near playoff spot, Canadiens jump to 4th in East; state rivalry...

The Flyers took down the Penguins 4-3 in a thrilling shootout win, keeping the state rivalry intense. The Penguins had a strong game, but the Flyers' special teams and goaltending shone through.

Saturday's matchup was filled with excitement, and the Flyers capitalized on their chances, taking the win in the shootout. Trevor Zegras scored the shootout winner, while Matvei Michkov and Anthony Mantha also found the back of the net.

🔶 FLYERS WIN 🔶

Nerves of steel.#PHIvsPIT | @SNICKERS pic.twitter.com/o1yBTEw0jj

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 8, 2026

Flyers Edge Penguins in Shootout Thriller

The Flyers showed crazy grit to outlast Pittsburgh 4-3 in a shootout thriller. The Pens led three times, but couldn't hold on. Novak scored early, but Tippett equalized quick.

Rickard Rakell then put the hosts back in front early in the second, only for Alex Bump to respond a minute after. Erik Karlsson made it 3-2 for Pittsburgh, but once more, Philadelphia had an answer. Denver Barkey was the one to restore parity.

It ultimately required a shootout to determine a winner, where Trevor Zegras was the only skater to find the back of the net among the five shooters. 

The Flyers edge closer to playoffs, now six points off Boston's pace in the East. The Pens, meanwhile, suffer third straight loss, staying sixth in the conference.

You already knew how this one would end.#PHIvsPIT | @fwwebb pic.twitter.com/3Gn2OjMwj0

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 8, 2026

Canadiens Edge Kings in Thriller

Another back-and-forth contest from Saturday's play went the Montreal Canadiens' way in a 4-3 defeat of the Los Angeles Kings.

Both teams took the lead at some point of this contest, with Anze Kopitar putting the Kings in front early on. The Habs responded in the second with goals from Jake Evans and Juraj Slavkovsky to take a 2-1 lead. Yet, they would go into the locker rooms level thanks to Scott Laughton's equalizer.

C'EST CE QU'ON APPELLE UNE REMONTÉE

CALI IT A COMEBACK#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/8VZAZpAtxx

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 8, 2026

Alex Laferriere put Los Angeles back in front with 13:16 left in regulation as they hoped to win consecutive matches. Unfortunately for them, it was not meant to be. Slafkovsky got his second of the night before Nick Suzuki netted the winner with a little less than five minutes left.

Read Also: NHL Recap: New Jersey Devils Beat Toronto in High-Scoring Game

The Habs jump back up to fourth in the Eastern Conference, passing the Detroit Red Wings in the process. The Kings sit three points back of the Seattle Kraken for the last playoff berth in the West.

Other results

Boston Bruins 3-1 Washington Capitals

New Jersey Devils 6-3 New York Rangers

Buffalo Sabres 3-2 Nashville Predators

Columbus Blue Jackets 4-5 Utah Mammoth (OT)

Toronto Maple Leafs 2-5 Tampa Bay Lightning

Winnipeg Jets 3-2 Vancouver Canucks (OT)

Back at home Monday#CapsBruins pic.twitter.com/VHSTdY6Odw

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 7, 2026