NHL Roundup: Jets Surge, McDavid Leads & Sabres Hit 100 Points

The National Hockey League landscape shifted significantly on March 31, 2026, as multiple teams secured crucial victories impacting the playoff race and individual award trajectories. The Buffalo Sabres reached a century of points for the first time in over a decade, while Connor McDavid extended his lead in the Art Ross Trophy race during a standout night for offensive production across the league.

Sabres Reach 100-Point Milestone

The Buffalo Sabres recorded their first 100-point season since the 2009-10 campaign, finishing the night with a record of 46-21-8 for 100 points. This achievement allowed Buffalo to pass the Tampa Bay Lightning, who stood at 46-22-6 with 98 points, to claim first place in the Atlantic Division. The milestone was secured when Peyton Krebs scored the game-winning goal with 3:01 remaining in regulation.

Buffalo became the first Eastern Conference team to reach the 100-point mark this season, though the Carolina Hurricanes also accomplished the feat shortly thereafter with a record of 47-21-6. In net, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made his fourth career penalty shot save during the victory. This performance passed Patrick Lalime, Roger Crozier, and Martin Biron, who each had three, for the third-highest total in franchise history. Biron was present on the Sabres’ broadcast team for the game alongside Don Stevens, the longtime voice of the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

McDavid Widens Art Ross Lead

Connor McDavid continued his dominant scoring pace, recording an empty-net goal to finish with 125 points on the season. His stat line of 43 goals and 82 assists extended his lead to four points in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. McDavid is seeking his sixth Art Ross Trophy, a feat that would tie him with Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux for the second-highest total in NHL history, behind only Wayne Gretzky, who holds the record with 10.

The Edmonton Oilers, now holding a record of 38-28-9 for 85 points, moved to within two points of the resting Anaheim Ducks, who sat at 41-28-5 with 87 points for first place in the Pacific Division. Goaltender Connor Ingram celebrated his birthday with a shutout performance, supported by McDavid’s empty-netter to seal the victory.

Atlantic Division Contenders Maintain Pace

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division, the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins won their respective matches to maintain pressure on the division leaders. The Canadiens, holding a record of 43-21-10 for 96 points, secured a crucial regulation-time win over their division rivals in what could serve as a potential first-round preview against the Lightning.

Cole Caufield scored the game-winner for the second time in as many games, propelling Montreal to their sixth straight victory. During this streak, the team allowed a goal or less in each of the last four games. Caufield reached the 300-point milestone in the process and joined captain Nick Suzuki as the second Canadiens player to finish the month of March with at least 20 points.

Caufield’s performance included his 27th game-winning goal of the 2025-26 season. This total passed David Pastrnak, who recorded 26 in 2022-23, for the third-highest single-season total in NHL history. The record is held by Brett Hull, who scored 39 in 1990-91, followed by Pavel Bure with 28 in 1999-00.

The Boston Bruins, with a record of 43-24-8 for 94 points, earned their fourth straight victory by dominating the Dallas Stars. David Pastrnak contributed three assists, tying David Krejci for the sixth-highest multi-assist game total in franchise history with 106 games. Pastrnak was involved in the game-winning goal for the 166th time in his career, tying Phil Esposito for the fifth-highest total in Bruins history. He trails Ray Bourque, Patrice Bergeron, Johnny Bucyk, and Brad Marchand on the franchise list.

Viktor Arvidsson scored a hat trick for the Bruins, marking his fifth career hat trick. The offensive output helped Boston pull away in the third period to secure the win.

Jets Close Gap on Playoff Spot

In the Western Conference, the Winnipeg Jets moved closer to securing a playoff place. Kyle Connor scored the game-winner in overtime, contributing one goal and one assist for two points. The Jets improved to a record of 32-30-12 for 76 points, closing to within one point of the resting Nashville Predators. The Predators, holding a record of 34-31-9 for 77 points, occupy the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Winnipeg concluded the month of March with a record of 9-4-3 for 21 points. This surge came after the team started the month 10 points behind the playoff line, highlighting a significant recovery effort during the final stretch of the regular season.

Schaefer Sets Rookie Defenseman Record

On the individual statistics front, Matthew Schaefer reached 57 points this season with one assist in Tuesday’s action. This total passed Stefan Persson, who recorded 56 points in 1977-78, for the highest single-season total by a rookie defenseman in franchise history. Schaefer also tied the NHL record for most points by an 18-year-old defenseman.

With the regular season entering its final days, these results have tightened the standings in both conferences. The Sabres and Hurricanes have established themselves as the only Eastern Conference teams to reach 100 points, while the race for the Art Ross Trophy and the Pacific Division title remains contested heading into April.