On March 29, the Montreal Canadiens secured their fifth consecutive victory by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 in Raleigh, thanks in large part to an outstanding performance by goaltender Jakub Dobes, who made 34 saves. As in his previous two starts, Dobes kept his team in the game, particularly in the first period, when Carolina clearly dominated possession and scoring chances.
Nick Suzuki was the other standout of the game, scoring two goals and adding an assist. He thus becomes the first Habs player since Turgeon and Damphousse in 1995-1996 to reach the 90-point mark. Cole Caufield also found the back of the net with his 46th goal of the season.
Despite a rough start and a power-play goal by Andrei Svechnikov, the Canadiens turned the tide in the second period thanks to the opportunism of Suzuki and Caufield, backed by several key saves from Dobes. Lane Hutson also recorded two assists, setting a speed record for a defenseman to reach 30 games with two or more assists.
Arber Xhekaj, playing as a forward due to Josh Anderson’s absence, brought physical energy. The Habs thus maintain their third-place standing in the Atlantic Division and now head to Tampa to face the Lightning.
Tough Season for the Panthers
The 2025–2026 season has been a tough one for the Florida Panthers, who sit last in the Atlantic Division and have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Despite injuries and an up-and-down season, Matthew Tkachuk delivered a moment of brilliance on March 28 against the Islanders, scoring a spectacular between-the-legs goal that the team dubbed “Goal of the Year.” This technical feat allowed him to score his second goal of the period and give Florida a 2-0 lead, before New York completely turned the game around with five goals in the second period to win 5-2.
In this difficult situation, the Panthers head into their next matchup against the Ottawa Senators on the heels of three straight losses. Florida holds a 35-35-3 record and has had mixed results against teams in its division. The team is also heavily impacted by injuries, with several key players sidelined, including Barkov, Reinhart, Marchand, and Lundell. Sam Reinhart remains one of the top performers with 61 points, while Tkachuk has tallied 10 points in his last ten games.
Ottawa, which has been more consistent recently (6–3–1), is a tough opponent. The Panthers will have to cope with a depleted roster and regain stability if they hope to halt their losing streak.
In golf
On March 29, Gary Woodland returned to winning ways at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, seven years after his triumph at the U.S. Open and three years after major brain surgery followed by post-traumatic stress. The American won in style at 21 under par, ahead of Nicolai Hojgaard, and climbed to 25th place in the FedEx Cup standings.
On the DP World Tour, Alex Fitzpatrick claimed his first title by winning at 9-under in India, one week after his brother’s victory on the PGA Tour. France’s Ugo Coussaud finished in a strong third place and moved up to 31st in the Race to Dubai.
Finally, on the LPGA Tour, South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim dominated the Ford Championship at 28 under par, while France’s Nastasia Nadaud finished 14th.
Noteworthy: 12-year-old Flynn Lewis of Jupiter won the 2026 Jekyll Island Cup in Georgia on March 29 with a score of 1-under. Florida’s next generation is in good hands!
