NHL Recaps: Sunday, Dec 21, 2025

9 games: what happened that matters for your fantasy team, built from the play-by-play and shift charts.

Game recaps

Final / OT

Full report

Washington Capitals

Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings edge Washington Capitals 3–2 (OT)

Detroit Red Wings beat Washington Capitals 3–2 in overtime at home. Ethen Frank (WSH) led the scoring with 2G 0A. New look for WSH: Wilson–Strome–Protas skated 13:39 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (62.5% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•Ethen Frank had two goals (2 points) on 3 shots in 15:44.
•Andrew Copp had 2 assists (2 points) on 2 shots in 15:19.
•Dylan Strome had 2 assists (2 points) on 2 shots in 20:36.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Colorado Avalanche rout Minnesota Wild 5–1

Colorado Avalanche beat Minnesota Wild 5–1 at MIN. Cale Makar (COL) led the scoring with 1G 2A.

•Brock Nelson had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 2 shots in 17:57.
•Cale Makar had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 7 shots in 23:25.
•Nathan MacKinnon had two goals (2 points) on 4 shots in 22:33.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Ottawa Senators rout Boston Bruins 6–2

Ottawa Senators beat Boston Bruins 6–2 at BOS. Fabian Zetterlund (OTT) led the scoring with 2G 1A.

•Fabian Zetterlund had two goals and an assist (3 points) on 3 shots in 17:12.
•Drake Batherson had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 1 shot in 16:11.
•Dylan Cozens had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 2 shots in 15:40.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Buffalo Sabres beat New Jersey Devils 3–1

Buffalo Sabres beat New Jersey Devils 3–1 at NJD. Peyton Krebs (BUF) led the scoring with 1G 0A. New look for NJD: Meier–Bratt–Hischier skated 11:47 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (68.8% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•New look for NJD: Meier–Bratt–Hischier skated 11:47 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (68.8% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.
•New look for BUF: Malenstyn–Dunne–Rosen skated 8:29 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (57.1% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.
•New look for NJD: Hughes–Gritsyuk–Mercer skated 10:36 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (52.9% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Pittsburgh Penguins edge Montreal Canadiens 4–3 (SO)

Pittsburgh Penguins beat Montreal Canadiens 4–3 in a shootout at home. Oliver Kapanen (MTL) led the scoring with 1G 1A. PIT won it by committee.

•Ivan Demidov had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 15:56.
•Oliver Kapanen had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 7 shots in 14:44.
•Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 4 shots in 21:44.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Nashville Predators edge New York Rangers 2–1

Nashville Predators beat New York Rangers 2–1 at home. Ryan O'Reilly (NSH) led the scoring with 0G 2A. New look for NYR: Trocheck–Raddysh–Cuylle skated 6:25 together at 5v5 as the L2 trio (50% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•Ryan O'Reilly had 2 assists (2 points) on 1 shot in 21:24.
•New look for NYR: Trocheck–Raddysh–Cuylle skated 6:25 together at 5v5 as the L2 trio (50% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.
•Urho Vaakanainen (NYR) played 3:59, −10:10 down on his 14:09 season average over 33 games.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Dallas Stars rout Toronto Maple Leafs 5–1

Dallas Stars beat Toronto Maple Leafs 5–1 at home. Jamie Benn (DAL) led the scoring with 1G 1A. New look for TOR: Laughton–Joshua–Lorentz skated 7:27 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (66.7% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 4 shots in 9:49.
•Esa Lindell had 2 assists (2 points) in 25:45.
•New look for TOR: Laughton–Joshua–Lorentz skated 7:27 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (66.7% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Utah Mammoth edge Winnipeg Jets 4–3 (OT)

Utah Mammoth beat Winnipeg Jets 4–3 in overtime at home. Kyle Connor (WPG) led the scoring with 2G 0A. UTA won it by committee.

•Kyle Connor had two goals (2 points) on 6 shots in 23:03.
•Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 18:31.
•Dylan Guenther had 2 assists (2 points) on 3 shots in 16:19.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Edmonton Oilers edge Vegas Golden Knights 4–3

Edmonton Oilers beat Vegas Golden Knights 4–3 at home. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (EDM) led the scoring with 2G 1A.

•Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two goals and an assist (3 points) on 2 shots in 19:49.
•Connor McDavid had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 5 shots in 19:46.
•Tomas Hertl had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 5 shots in 19:33.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Goal of the night

The hardest tracked shot of the night: Lucas Raymond for DET vs WSH, 76.3 mph. Full game report →

Lucas Raymond (DET vs WSH): Forecheck turnover, 2 passes, 76.3 mph shot.

Top performers

Player	Game	G	A	P	SOG	Hits	Blk	TOI	PP
Fabian Zetterlund OTT	at BOS	2	1	3	3	1	0	17:12	—
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins EDM	vs VGK	2	1	3	2	1	0	19:49	—
Cale Makar COL	at MIN	1	2	3	7	1	0	23:25	—
Tomas Hertl VGK	at EDM	1	2	3	5	3	1	19:33	—
Connor McDavid EDM	vs VGK	1	2	3	5	0	1	19:46	—
Dylan Cozens OTT	at BOS	1	2	3	2	6	0	15:40	—
Brock Nelson COL	at MIN	1	2	3	2	1	0	17:57	—
Drake Batherson OTT	at BOS	1	2	3	1	2	1	16:11	—
Noah Hanifin VGK	at EDM	0	3	3	4	0	4	26:28	—
Kyle Connor WPG	at UTA	2	0	2	6	0	0	23:03	—
Nathan MacKinnon COL	at MIN	2	0	2	4	2	1	22:33	—
Ethen Frank WSH	at DET	2	0	2	3	0	0	15:44	—

Line changes

New look for WSH: Wilson–Strome–Protas skated 13:39 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (62.5% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for NJD: Meier–Bratt–Hischier skated 11:47 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (68.8% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for BUF: Malenstyn–Dunne–Rosen skated 8:29 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (57.1% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for NJD: Hughes–Gritsyuk–Mercer skated 10:36 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (52.9% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for NJD: Noesen–Glendening–Cotter skated 5:03 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (40% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for NYR: Trocheck–Raddysh–Cuylle skated 6:25 together at 5v5 as the L2 trio (50% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for NYR: Sheary–Othmann–Laba skated 4:06 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (50% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for TOR: Laughton–Joshua–Lorentz skated 7:27 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (66.7% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →

Goalie notes

Goalie	Game	Dec	SA	GA	SV%
Jesper Wallstedt MIN	vs COL	L	41	4	.902
Cam Talbot DET	vs WSH	W	33	2	.939
Jakub Dobes MTL	at PIT	O	31	3	.903
Jonathan Quick NYR	at NSH	L	31	1	.968
Connor Ingram EDM	vs VGK	W	31	3	.903
Mackenzie Blackwood COL	at MIN	W	29	1	.966
Jake Oettinger DAL	vs TOR	W	28	1	.964
Charlie Lindgren WSH	at DET	O	27	3	.889
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen BUF	at NJD	W	27	1	.963
Karel Vejmelka UTA	vs WPG	W	26	3	.885
Arturs Silovs PIT	vs MTL	W	25	3	.880
Jake Allen NJD	vs BUF	L	24	2	.917
Connor Hellebuyck WPG	at UTA	O	22	4	.818
Dennis Hildeby TOR	at DAL	L	21	4	.810
Carter Hart VGK	at EDM	L	21	4	.810
Linus Ullmark OTT	at BOS	W	20	2	.900
Joonas Korpisalo BOS	vs OTT	L	17	5	.706
Justus Annunen NSH	vs NYR	W	17	1	.941
Jeremy Swayman BOS	vs OTT	—	11	1	.909

Next up: tonight's starting goalies, today's line combinations and today's games. Takeaways are generated from the numbers with fixed rules; nothing is written by a language model.