New York, N.Y.; December 16th, 2025
Across five rinks Monday night, the NHL delivered a slate that blended road shocks, overtime drama, rivalry control, and star performances, with several games turning sharply on a handful of defining moments rather than long stretches of sustained pressure.
At Madison Square Garden, the Anaheim Ducks quieted the building early and never lost control, skating away with a 4–1 win over the New York Rangers. Anaheim set the tone with aggressive forechecking and special teams execution, opening the scoring shorthanded before taking advantage of power-play opportunities later in the game. Cutter Gauthier was the difference, scoring twice, including the decisive power-play goal and an empty-netter, while Lukas Dostal steadied things in goal with a composed performance that limited second chances. The Rangers struggled to generate consistent offense, managing just one goal as Anaheim dictated pace from the opening period.
In Winnipeg, the Senators and Jets played a tight, physical contest that refused to separate until overtime. Ottawa struck first, Winnipeg answered, and the teams traded momentum through regulation, with each side leaning heavily on goaltending and defensive structure. Late in the third period, Jake Sanderson tied the game for Ottawa, setting the stage for extra time. Just over two minutes into overtime, Brady Tkachuk ended it, finishing a clean entry and snapping a road win that underscored Ottawa’s ability to capitalize when space finally opened.
Dallas delivered one of the more controlled performances of the night, handling the Los Angeles Kings 4–1 at home. The Stars built their lead through sustained pressure and clean transitions, forcing turnovers and converting them into scoring chances. Roope Hintz paced the offense with two goals, while Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski added insurance as the game wore on. Casey DeSmith turned aside quality looks when Los Angeles attempted to respond, but the Kings never fully recovered after falling behind early, their offense again struggling to find rhythm.
In St. Louis, the Nashville Predators continued their surge, pulling away from the Blues for a 5–2 win that turned on finishing and persistence. Filip Forsberg authored the night, recording a hat trick that included timely strikes and a late empty-net goal that sealed the result. Nashville maintained pressure throughout, answering each St. Louis push with a goal of its own, and steadily drained any momentum the Blues attempted to build.
The night closed with a statement in the Sunshine State, as the Florida Panthers took control of the Florida rivalry, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 5–2. Sam Reinhart led the way with two goals, striking once on special teams and again at even strength, while Florida’s disciplined structure frustrated Tampa Bay’s offensive flow. Sergei Bobrovsky was sharp in net, and the Panthers’ ability to capitalize on key moments separated the game before the Lightning could mount a sustained comeback.
By the end of the night, the common thread was efficiency. Teams that finished chances and managed key moments dictated outcomes, while those that faltered briefly found themselves chasing games that slipped out of reach quickly. It was a slate that rewarded decisiveness, punished hesitation, and reshaped the standings one result at a time.
Sources
Secondary Sports Reporting and League Records
• Associated Press, NHL Game Recap: “Ducks beat Rangers 4–1 as Gauthier scores twice,” Anaheim Ducks at New York Rangers, December 15th, 2025
• Associated Press, NHL Game Recap: “Tkachuk scores in OT as Senators beat Jets 3–2,” Ottawa Senators at Winnipeg Jets, December 15th, 2025
• Associated Press, NHL Game Recap: “Stars roll past Kings 4–1,” Los Angeles Kings at Dallas Stars, December 15th, 2025
• Associated Press, NHL Game Recap: “Forsberg’s hat trick powers Predators past Blues,” Nashville Predators at St. Louis Blues, December 15th, 2025
• Associated Press, NHL Game Recap: “Reinhart scores twice as Panthers beat Lightning 5–2,” Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning, December 15th, 2025
• Reuters, NHL Game Recaps for all listed matchups, December 15th, 2025
• NHL.com, official Gamecenter summaries, box scores, and play-by-play records for all listed games, December 15th, 2025
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