NHL Recaps: Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025

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

Game recaps

Final

Full report

New York Rangers

Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals beat New York Rangers 6–3

Washington Capitals beat New York Rangers 6–3 at home. Tom Wilson (WSH) led the scoring with 2G 1A.

•Tom Wilson had two goals and an assist (3 points) on 4 shots in 19:26.
•Justin Sourdif had two goals (2 points) on 2 shots in 18:46.
•Adam Fox had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 1 shot in 21:13.

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

Nashville Predators beat Vegas Golden Knights 4–2

Nashville Predators beat Vegas Golden Knights 4–2 at VGK. Pavel Dorofeyev (VGK) led the scoring with 0G 2A. NSH's first power-play unit (Stamkos, Josi, O'Reilly, Forsberg and Evangelista) scored 1 power-play goal on 8 attempts in 4:21 together.

•Luke Evangelista had 2 assists (2 points) on 2 shots in 17:19.
•Pavel Dorofeyev had 2 assists (2 points) on 3 shots in 18:36.
•NSH's first power-play unit (Stamkos, Josi, O'Reilly, Forsberg and Evangelista) scored 1 power-play goal on 8 attempts in 4:21 together.

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

Tampa Bay Lightning edge Anaheim Ducks 4–3 (OT)

Tampa Bay Lightning beat Anaheim Ducks 4–3 in overtime at ANA. Brandon Hagel (TBL) led the scoring with 0G 3A. New look for ANA: Granlund–Terry–Nesterenko skated 6:31 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (56.3% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•Brandon Hagel had 3 assists (3 points) on 6 shots in 19:14.
•Darren Raddysh had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 6 shots in 26:08.
•Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 3 shots in 18:29.

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

San Jose Sharks edge Minnesota Wild 4–3 (SO)

San Jose Sharks beat Minnesota Wild 4–3 in a shootout at home. Macklin Celebrini (SJS) led the scoring with 1G 1A. New look for SJS: Skinner–Dellandrea–Regenda skated 10:38 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (40% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•Igor Chernyshov had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 1 shot in 16:08.
•Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 4 shots in 21:59.
•New look for SJS: Skinner–Dellandrea–Regenda skated 10:38 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (40% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

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

Detroit Red Wings edge Winnipeg Jets 2–1

Detroit Red Wings beat Winnipeg Jets 2–1 at home. Dylan Larkin (DET) led the scoring with 1G 0A. DET's first power-play unit (Kane, Larkin, DeBrincat, Seider and Raymond) scored 1 power-play goal on 2 attempts in 2:25 together.

•DET's first power-play unit (Kane, Larkin, DeBrincat, Seider and Raymond) scored 1 power-play goal on 2 attempts in 2:25 together.
•New look for DET: van Riemsdyk–Kasper–Danielson skated 7:23 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (25% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.
•Simon Edvinsson (DET) played 26:48, +4:30 up on his 22:18 season average over 71 games.

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

Final

Full report

New Jersey Devils

Columbus Blue Jackets

New Jersey Devils edge Columbus Blue Jackets 3–2

New Jersey Devils beat Columbus Blue Jackets 3–2 at CBJ. Luke Hughes (NJD) led the scoring with 1G 1A. New look for NJD: Bratt–Hischier–Hughes skated 11:29 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (47.8% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•Luke Hughes had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 1 shot in 21:27.
•New look for NJD: Bratt–Hischier–Hughes skated 11:29 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (47.8% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.
•Kirill Marchenko (CBJ) played 25:11, +6:19 up on his 18:52 season average over 75 games.

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

Buffalo Sabres beat Dallas Stars 4–1

Buffalo Sabres beat Dallas Stars 4–1 at DAL. Tage Thompson (BUF) led the scoring with 2G 1A. Justin Hryckowian (DAL) played 10:10, −3:10 down on his 13:20 season average over 80 games.

•Tage Thompson had two goals and an assist (3 points) on 7 shots in 18:45.
•Bowen Byram had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 24:36.
•Josh Doan had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 3 shots in 15:27.

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

Colorado Avalanche rout St. Louis Blues 6–1

Colorado Avalanche beat St. Louis Blues 6–1 at home. Nathan MacKinnon (COL) led the scoring with 2G 2A. COL's first power-play unit (Nelson, Lehkonen, MacKinnon, Nichushkin and Makar) scored 1 power-play goal on 3 attempts in 2:35 together.

•Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and 2 assists (4 points) on 7 shots in 17:12.
•Valeri Nichushkin had a hat trick (3 points) on 6 shots in 17:05.
•Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 1 shot in 16:48.

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

Calgary Flames rout Philadelphia Flyers 5–1

Calgary Flames beat Philadelphia Flyers 5–1 at home. Connor Zary (CGY) led the scoring with 1G 1A. Hunter Brzustewicz (CGY) played 12:06, −4:10 down on his 16:16 season average over 33 games.

•Connor Zary had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 11:34.
•MacKenzie Weegar had 2 assists (2 points) on 4 shots in 23:32.
•Matt Coronato had 2 assists (2 points) in 16:27.

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

Boston Bruins rout Edmonton Oilers 6–2

Boston Bruins beat Edmonton Oilers 6–2 at EDM. David Pastrnak (BOS) led the scoring with 2G 1A.

•David Pastrnak had two goals and an assist (3 points) on 6 shots in 20:03.
•Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 17:34.
•Hampus Lindholm had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 5 shots in 21:20.

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

Goal of the night

The hardest tracked shot of the night: Rasmus Andersson for CGY vs PHI, 84.9 mph. Full game report →

Rasmus Andersson (CGY vs PHI): Point shot, 3 passes, 84.9 mph shot.

Top performers

Player	Game	G	A	P	SOG	Hits	Blk	TOI	PP
Nathan MacKinnon COL	vs STL	2	2	4	7	0	0	17:12	—
Valeri Nichushkin COL	vs STL	3	0	3	6	1	1	17:05	—
Tage Thompson BUF	at DAL	2	1	3	7	1	0	18:45	—
David Pastrnak BOS	at EDM	2	1	3	6	0	0	20:03	—
Tom Wilson WSH	vs NYR	2	1	3	4	4	0	19:26	—
Brandon Hagel TBL	at ANA	0	3	3	6	0	0	19:14	—
Justin Sourdif WSH	vs NYR	2	0	2	2	3	1	18:46	—
Darren Raddysh TBL	at ANA	1	1	2	6	1	3	26:08	—
Hampus Lindholm BOS	at EDM	1	1	2	5	0	2	21:20	—
Macklin Celebrini SJS	vs MIN	1	1	2	4	0	2	21:59	—
Josh Doan BUF	at DAL	1	1	2	3	4	0	15:27	—
Nikita Kucherov TBL	at ANA	1	1	2	3	0	0	18:29	—

Line changes

New look for ANA: Granlund–Terry–Nesterenko skated 6:31 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (56.3% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for TBL: Bjorkstrand–Paul–James skated 6:50 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (15.4% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for SJS: Skinner–Dellandrea–Regenda skated 10:38 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (40% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for DET: van Riemsdyk–Kasper–Danielson skated 7:23 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (25% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for NJD: Bratt–Hischier–Hughes skated 11:29 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (47.8% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →

Goalie notes

Goalie	Game	Dec	SA	GA	SV%
Jordan Binnington STL	at COL	L	43	6	.860
Jeremy Swayman BOS	at EDM	W	36	2	.944
Jake Allen NJD	at CBJ	W	35	2	.943
Jet Greaves CBJ	vs NJD	L	33	3	.909
Justus Annunen NSH	at VGK	W	31	2	.935
Casey DeSmith DAL	vs BUF	L	31	4	.871
Lukas Dostal ANA	vs TBL	O	29	4	.862
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen BUF	at DAL	W	29	1	.966
Connor Ingram EDM	vs BOS	L	29	6	.793
Andrei Vasilevskiy TBL	at ANA	W	28	3	.893
Jesper Wallstedt MIN	at SJS	O	28	3	.893
Jonathan Quick NYR	at WSH	L	26	5	.808
Samuel Ersson PHI	at CGY	L	26	5	.808
Dustin Wolf CGY	vs PHI	W	26	1	.1000
Charlie Lindgren WSH	vs NYR	W	25	3	.880
John Gibson DET	vs WPG	W	24	1	.958
Yaroslav Askarov SJS	vs MIN	W	23	3	.870
Akira Schmid VGK	vs NSH	L	19	4	.789
Connor Hellebuyck WPG	at DET	L	19	2	.895
Mackenzie Blackwood COL	vs STL	W	13	1	.923

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.