MONTREAL – Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the Montreal Canadiens dressing room after the team’s 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in a thrilling game Thursday night.

Carney was in Montreal for a Liberal party convention running through Saturday, attending the game following a day of media appearances and speeches across the city.

He met with Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, forwards Alex Newhook and Jake Evans, and defenceman Mike Matheson after an eventful game that featured fights, a dramatic finish and Cole Caufield scoring his 50th goal of the season.

“I’m going to be honest, I haven’t had that much fun in over a year,” Carney said, drawing laughs from the players. “Fantastic game.”

Related Videos

1:09
DIALOG and HNTB selected to design ICE District event park in downtown Edmonton

Previous Video

Next Video

Carney arrived at the start of the second period with the score 0-0 and sat three rows behind the Canadiens’ bench, shaking hands and chatting with nearby fans.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.

When Caufield scored his milestone goal six minutes into the period, Carney jumped up and hugged those same spectators.

He joined the energetic crowd in doing the wave, took photos on his phone and high-fived fans once Juraj Slafkovsky’s late goal sealed the win for Montreal, the only Canadian team to clinch a Stanley Cup playoff spot so far.

Carney placed a hand on his chest and applauded as he entered the locker room, telling players they needed no introduction.

“It’s a real, real honour,” he said while shaking Suzuki’s hand. “It was a key moment in the game, the way you stood up, it was unbelievable.”

Suzuki answered that it was a real pleasure to meet him.

“Is that all you got?” Carney joked.

Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, meanwhile, said he discussed “leadership” with Carney when they briefly met after the game.

Carney wore two different Canadiens hats despite being a lifelong Edmonton Oilers fan. He grew up in Edmonton during the Wayne Gretzky era and was a third-string goaltender at Harvard University.

Last March, he joined Connor McDavid and the Oilers at practice and previously posted a photo of himself wearing a “McJesus” T-shirt.

The Liberal convention in Montreal — and Carney’s visit to the game — comes ahead of three byelections on Monday, and a day after a fifth opposition MP crossed the floor to join the Liberal caucus.

— With files from Erika Morris and Daniel Rainbird.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Logan Thompson made 21 saves to register his third shutout of the season as the Washington Capitals breathed life into their fading playoff hopes with a 4-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

Dylan Strome and Martin Fehérváry, with a goal and an assist each, Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson, into the empty net, scored for Washington (40-30-9), which sits three points back of the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card spot with three games left on the schedule.

Anthony Stolarz suffered a lower-body injury early in the first period after stopping the second of two shots he faced for Toronto (32-32-14).

Joseph Woll finished with 14 saves in just over 57 minutes of work for the Maple Leafs, who are set to miss the post-season for the first time since 2016.

Related Videos

4:45
Blue Jays buzz lifts Toronto economy amid Leafs disappointment

Previous Video

Next Video

Alex Ovechkin — Washington’s leader with 31 goals and 61 points — announced Wednesday he won’t make a decision on his playing future until after the season.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.

The 40-year-old broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal mark of 894 last April and has found the back of the net at least 30 times in 20 of his 21 NHL campaigns.

TAKEAWAYS

Capitals: Rookie forward Ilya Protas made his NHL debut on a line with older brother Aliaksei and Tom Wilson. The bruising trio — Wilson is the smallest at six-foot-four, while the siblings each stand six-foot-six — tips the scales at a combined 700 pounds.

Maple Leafs: Oliver Ekman-Larsson returned to the lineup after missing Saturday’s overtime loss in Los Angeles with a lower-body injury. The veteran defenceman is the club’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, as voted by the Toronto chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

KEY MOMENT

Washington turned a one-goal lead into a 3-0 advantage early in the second period. Leonard ripped his 18th goal of the season 40 seconds after the restart before Fehérváry added his fifth just over two minutes later.

KEY STAT

Ovechkin has 45 goals and 35 assists for 80 points across 64 regular-season games against Toronto.

UP NEXT

Maple Leafs: Visit the New York Islanders on Thursday.

Capitals: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

EDMONTON – Connor Ingram went from being told not to report to Utah Mammoth training camp to starting in goal for the playoff-bound Edmonton Oilers.

His performance with the Oilers, where he seized the No. 1 goaltending job after three others failed to hold it, earned him the team’s nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Wednesday.

The trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” It is named after Minnesota North Stars forward Bill Masterton, who died following an on-ice injury in 1968.

The Oilers are one of eight teams that have never won the award. Ingram won it in 2023-24 with Arizona after overcoming mental health struggles and tying for the league lead with six shutouts.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” the 29-year-old Saskatoon native said of this season’s journey. “I never heard of someone not being invited to camp before. They put it in writing for me that they had asked that I not attend camp.

“At that point, it was just, whatever came next was what you were gonna deal with. And luckily it was here in Edmonton and (general manager) Stan (Bowman) gave me a chance, and I’ll be forever grateful.”

Related Videos

2:05
B.C. report outlines how to reduce cancer cases through alcohol policy

Previous Video

Next Video

Ingram was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2016, but never played for them and was traded to Nashville in June 2019. He recorded his first NHL win Oct 24, 2021, nine months after entering the league’s player assistance program to deal with obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and alcoholism.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

In October 2022, he was claimed off waivers by Arizona and spent two seasons there before the franchise moved to Utah.

Ingram was traded to Edmonton last September and called up from Bakersfield on Dec. 19 when Tristan Jarry, newly acquired from Pittsburgh, was injured.

“There’s a lot of things that happen in hockey that, as a human being, I understand,” he said of the Utah situation. “It’s when you get into how you treat people that bothers me. I’m an athlete, but I’m still a human being, and that’s what brothered me more than anything.”

The son of parents who were both teachers and first responders, Ingram struggled in Bakersfield, but credited the coaching staff there for giving him the chance to resettle his life and career.

“They never gave up on me. They kept letting me play,” he said of Bakersfield head coach Colin Chaulk and goaltending coach Kelly Guard. “A quote I always go back to is, ‘sometimes rock bottom’s a great place to build a foundation.’ That’s what it was. Nobody told me to quit, so I just kept playing, and here we are.

Ingram still deals with some mental health issues, but gets through those days with the help of his wife, Sarah, and simple walks.

“She sees it coming before I do most days,” Ingram said. “She takes care of me more than a wife probably should. I’ll be forever grateful for everything she does for me.

“I go for walks some days just to get some sunlight, but I mean, there’s nothing that I can do that’ll snap me out of it immediately. There’s no one fix for all of this.”

Regaining his position as a starting NHL goaltender helped restore his belief in himself.

“You have to believe in yourself,” he said. “There’s a lot of outside noise. You know, can you, can you not? If you believe you can, you’re gonna be just fine.”

The Masterton winner, which is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, will be announced at the league’s annual awards celebration.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

The Dallas Stars on Monday banned a fan from attending games at the American Airlines Center after they bought tickets for a group of spectators who were seen celebrating a goal with a Nazi salute.

Courtney Ripley told WFAA-TV that she was the one who took a video at a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in December, showing the group of four fans extending their right arms with a straightened right hand facing downward.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Fans line up outside American Airlines Center before the start of an NHL hockey game in Dallas on Oct. 28, 2025. (Tony Gutierrez/AP)

The team conducted an investigation that identified the person who bought the group their tickets and subsequently banned them.

“Any type of discriminatory or hateful behavior will not be tolerated and has no place in our arena,” the team said in a statement. “Creating and sustaining environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful is a non-negotiable for the Dallas Stars.”

NHL COMMISSIONER SAYS HE ‘BINGED’ NEW HOCKEY REALITY SHOW ‘IN ONE NIGHT,’ REAFFIRMS STANCE ON PRIDE JERSEYS

Dallas Stars players Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Esa Lindell, Jake Oettinger, and Miro Heiskanen celebrate their win over the Winnipeg Jets at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on April 2, 2026. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

“Additionally, we are increasing in-arena messaging regarding the Fan Code of Conduct and how our fans can report violations, along with prioritizing staff training to identify and handle situations that arise,” the team added.

The American Airlines Center told ESPN last week that it has “zero tolerance for any acts of hate and/or discrimination.”

The NHL has a multipoint fan code of conduct. It states that “the best hockey experiences happen in environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful.” Each team has a scripted segment that is shared on their video board, through their public address system or both.

Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque celebrates his empty net goal with teammates against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa., on March 28, 2026. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The script reminds fans about their respective codes of conduct.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

The New York Islanders have fired head coach Patrick Roy despite being in a tight playoff race.

Islanders GM Mathieu Darche announced the change from Roy to Peter DeBoer, who was fired by the Dallas Stars in June 2025.

The move comes with just four games left in the regular season for the Islanders, who sit on a four-game losing streak entering Sunday. And the streak comes with seven losses in their last 10 games.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Head coach Patrick Roy of the New York Islanders manages bench duties during the first period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, on March 21, 2026. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

As the NHL standings sit entering Sunday, the Islanders, who were once comfortably in position to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs, sit third in the Metropolitan division with 89 points, which would give them a slot if the season ended today.

However, the Philadelphia Flyers (88 points) and Columbus Blue Jackets (88) are gunning for that third and final divisional spot in the few games remaining. As a result, the Islanders are making the surprise change in hopes DeBoer can get them into the playoffs over the next week.

HOCKEY OFFICIALS REJECT CANADIAN COACH’S COMPLAINTS OF 3-ON-3 OVERTIME RULES AFTER OLYMPIC LOSS

Roy’s exit comes after a loss where the Carolina Hurricanes, who already secured a playoff spot, out shot them 40-16 in a 4-3 loss for New York.

The Islanders are not the only NHL team making a change at head coach with just days left in the regular season. The Vegas Golden Knights axed Bruce Cassidy from his role, hiring veteran coach John Tortorella on an interim basis last week.

Patrick Roy coaches the New York Islanders during a game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Feb. 5, 2026. (Rich Graessle/NHLI)

Like the Islanders, the Golden Knights (86) have the third and final position in their division, though the race is a bit more comfortable for Vegas with a five-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings.

But, while Tortorella is an interim move for Vegas, the Islanders are keeping DeBoer intact heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

DeBoer has been head coach of five different franchises over his extensive coaching career. He owns a career 662-447-152 record in 1,261 games with the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Golden Knights and the Stars, who he led for the past three seasons before his firing.

Head coach Patrick Roy of the New York Islanders looks on during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., on April 3, 2026. (Steven Ryan/NHLI)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

DeBoer wasn’t with a team this season, but he’s stepping up for the opportunity to help turn the tides on Long Island, as the Islanders hope to make the playoffs after missing out the previous two seasons.

While DeBoer hasn’t coached this season, he was a part of Jon Cooper’s Team Canada staff for the Milan Cortina Olympics earlier this year.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

An NHL fan at Rogers Place to watch the Edmonton Oilers take on the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday gave birth in the arena during the game, according to a broadcaster.

Oilers play-by-play man Jack Michaels made the revelation as Sportsnet came back on air for the start of the third period.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Vegas Golden Knights’ Noah Hanifin and Oilers’ Jack Roslovic battle for the puck in Edmonton, Alberta, on April 4, 2026. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

“Breaking news, we have word that someone has gone into labor here tonight,” Michaels said. “There’s a baby being born on the seventh floor at Rogers Place as we speak. So, someone is going to have a great story to tell. It would be nice to have them join us on ‘After Hours’ to describe what’s happened but that could be asking a bit much.”

There was no more information given about the baby, including the child’s name. Perhaps Edmond or Edmund could be a fitting name if the child is a boy.

OILERS LOSE LEON DRAISAITL FOR REST OF REGULAR SEASON AS PLAYOFFS APPROACH

Oilers goalie Connor Ingram makes a save against the Vegas Golden Knights in Edmonton, Alberta, on April 4, 2026. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

Meanwhile, the Oilers fell to the Golden Knights, 5-1. Brett Howden and Jeremy Lauzon each had a goal and an assist. Colton Sissons, Mark Stone and Rasmus Andersson had a goal each as well.

Vegas goaltender Carter Hart made 31 saves in the victory as the team remained perfect since John Tortorella was named head coach.

Both teams are in the midst of a division title race. Edmonton maintained a slim lead over the Anaheim Ducks with five games left in the season. Each team has 87 points on the year.

With the win, Vegas moved a point back behind both teams.

Vegas Golden Knights’ Ivan Barbashev, Mark Stone and Noah Hanifin celebrate a goal against the Oilers in Edmonton, Alberta, on April 4, 2026. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

EDMONTON – Betting on John Tortorella as a late-season replacement for head coach continues to pay off for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jack Eichel had three assists as the Golden Knights came away with a huge 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

Brett Howden and Jeremy Lauzon each had a goal and an assist and Colton Sissons, Mark Stone and Rasmus Andersson also scored for the Golden Knights (35-26-16) who have won all three games since Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy on the bench and are 3-0-2 in their last five contests.

“I think we’re buying into the mindset of just playing fast hockey, checking, moving our feet and playing teams really tight and aggressively and getting up in people’s faces,” Sissons said. “We’re kind of building our confidence back and our swag in that department, so it’s been good.”

Vegas moved one point back of both Edmonton and Anaheim, who share first place in the Pacific Division standings.

“I think we’re consistently trying to play fast, certainly playing north. We had a lot of good minutes tonight,” said Tortorella, who joined Cassidy and Gerard Gallant as the third coach in Golden Knights history to record wins in their first three games as Vegas bench boss.

Related Videos

2:14
Blades Bio January 2026: David Lewandowski

Previous Video

Next Video

“I thought (goalie Carter Hart) was really good. We had some hiccups here and there, but I thought we stayed within ourselves and kept playing.”

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.

Hart recorded 31 saves to earn the win for Vegas.

“He just looks solid,” Tortorella said. “I know nothing about goaltending, but you can tell when a goaltender feels big. He looked big to me, he just feels solid and made some key saves at key times. He made a couple of saves on the power play, so it was good.”

Lauzon hadn’t scored in 112 games, stretching back to Feb. 22, 2024.

“It was a great moment. I was waiting for it for a long time,” Lauzon said. “I thought our team played unbelievable tonight and it’s a huge win for our club.”

Ivan Barbashev had two assists to give him 200 in his career.

Eichel assisted on the opening goal to help him reach his second-straight 80-point season. No other player has reached the mark for the Vegas franchise. Eichel also recorded his 95th multi-point game, tying Jonathan Marchessault for the second most in franchise history behind Mark Stone with 102, and his 25th three-point game with Vegas, tying Marchessault for second with the franchise, again behind Stone (31).

The Golden Knights were in need of a win against the Oilers, having lost all three of their previous games to them this season and nine of their last 10 overall, including falling in five games to Edmonton in the second round of last year’s playoffs.

“Everybody has bought in,” Sissons said. “We knew the level of urgency that we needed to come out and play a tough game on the road. It’s a tough place to play, against a rival and I think everybody showed up and I’m proud of the effort.”

The Vegas win also represented Edmonton’s first loss in regulation time to a divisional rival at home this season, falling to 9-1-2.

Evan Bouchard scored the lone goal for the Oilers (39-29-9) who saw a season-high five-game win streak come to an end.

“They could have been, what, five points (back)? Now it’s one, right? So, yeah, pretty big,” said Oilers forward Trent Frederic, who retained his sense of humour when asked how the players reacted in the locker room after the loss.

“It’s just bickering back and forth, everyone telling everyone they make too much money. Which is all true. Sounds like a lot of people are jealous.”

Edmonton played without star forwards Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

EDMONTON – Jack Eichel had three assists as the Vegas Golden Knights continued their strong play under new head coach John Tortorella, coming away with a 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

Brett Howden and Jeremy Lauzon each had a goal and an assist, while Colton Sissons, Mark Stone and Rasmus Andersson also scored for the Golden Knights (35-26-16) who have won all three games since Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy on the bench and are 3-0-2 in their last five contests.

Vegas moved one point back of both Edmonton and Anaheim atop the Pacific Division standings.

Evan Bouchard replied for the Oilers (39-29-9) who had their season-high five-game win streak halted. Edmonton played without star forwards Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman.

Related Videos

2:14
Blades Bio January 2026: David Lewandowski

Previous Video

Next Video

Carter Hart recorded 31 saves to earn the win in the Vegas net, while Connor Ingram made 28 stops for Edmonton.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.

TAKEAWAYS

Golden Knights: Eichel assisted on the opening goal to help him reach his second-straight 80-point season. No other player has reached the mark for the Vegas franchise. Eichel also recorded his 95th multi-point game, tying Jonathan Marchessault for the second most in franchise history behind Mark Stone with 102.

Oilers: Bouchard, who has a 10-point lead over all NHL defencemen with 88 points on the season, has 10 points in his last seven games. Only 12 defencemen have ever reached the 90-point mark in a season.

KEY MOMENT

Vegas took a 3-0 lead 8:05 into the second period as Eichel dropped it back to Lauzon and he snapped his first goal of the season high to the blocker side past Ingram. Lauzon hadn’t scored in 112 games, stretching back to Feb. 22, 2024.

KEY STAT

The Golden Knights were in need of a win against the Oilers, having lost all three of their games to them this season and nine of their last 10 overall, including falling in five games to Edmonton in the second round of last year’s playoffs. The Vegas win also represented Edmonton’s first loss in regulation time to a divisional rival at home this season, falling to 9-1-2.

UP NEXT

Golden Knights: Visit the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.

Oilers: Visit the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press