Overview
- Vancouver, which had dropped six straight, beat NHL‑leading Colorado 8-6 on Wednesday in Denver, with Brock Boeser scoring three times and Nathan MacKinnon notching his 50th goal.
- Colorado played without top defenseman Cale Makar because of an upper‑body injury, and reporters noted the shuffled pairings as the Avs conceded a shorthanded tally and six goals through two periods.
- Winnipeg edged Chicago 4-3 in overtime Tuesday on Kyle Connor’s winner 33 seconds into three‑on‑three, a result that kept the Jets within a point of the West’s second wild‑card spot.
- Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said overtime has been a recurring problem in three‑on‑three play and confirmed season‑ending injuries for defensemen Artyom Levshunov and Matt Grzelcyk.
- ESPN’s playoff watch lists Buffalo and Carolina with a magic number of two to clinch and Minnesota at one, setting up potential clinchers Thursday as the regular season enters its final two weeks.