Tag: NHL

Matt Duchene and Roope Hintz scored third-period goals less than a minute apart, and the Dallas Stars came from behind twice to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Saturday night.

The game was tied 2-2 in the third period after Dallas had erased two one-goal deficits. The Stars used their speed and took advantage of the Lightning’s defense to secure their fifth win in the last six games (5-1-0).

Duchene, who also had an assist, started and finished a give-and-go play with Tyler Seguin. Duchene received a pass from Seguin on the right side and scored with a sharp-angle wrist shot at 6:55 of the third period, marking his 11th goal of the season.

Less than a minute later, Hintz increased Dallas’ lead to 4-2 after speeding past the Lightning defense and scoring his eighth goal of the season.

Evgenii Dadonov and Miro Heiskanen also scored for Dallas, as the Stars won against Tampa Bay for just the fifth time in the last 15 matchups between the teams (5-8-2). Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 27 saves for the Stars.

Anthony Cirelli scored both of Tampa Bay’s goals and has now scored in five straight games. Brandon Hagel had two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves.

Tampa Bay continued its tough November, falling to 3-4-2 for the month.

In the only game between the teams in Tampa Bay this season, Cirelli was a key player for the Lightning in the first period.

Hagel took a shot from a bad angle, and the puck came out to Cirelli, who scored the first goal of the game just 4:09 into the first period. However, Dadonov quickly responded for Dallas, scoring his sixth goal of the season less than two minutes later.

Cirelli gave Tampa Bay the lead again at 8:34 after he scored off a rebound in front of Oettinger. It was Cirelli’s eighth goal of the season.

After Heiskanen took a delay of game penalty, he made up for it by scoring a backhand goal off a saucer pass from Duchene at 15:49 to tie the game at 2-2. It was Heiskanen’s third goal of the season.

Kyle Palmieri scored two goals on Saturday night as the New York Islanders held onto a third-period lead to beat the St. Louis Blues 3-1 in Elmont, N.Y.

Palmieri’s first goal came late in the first period, and he added an empty-net goal in the third to seal the win. The victory ended a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) for the Islanders, where they had lost each time after giving up a third-period lead.

Brock Nelson also had a strong game, scoring a power-play goal in the second period and adding two assists. Goalie Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves, earning his 100th career win. Sorokin had lost his last four starts (0-2-2).

Jake Neighbours scored for the Blues early in the third period. The Blues have now lost seven of their last nine games (2-6-1). Goalie Jordan Binnington made 28 saves in the loss.

Palmieri opened the scoring with 1:09 left in the first period. Ryan Suter’s pass deflected off the stick of Neighbours, who was closely guarded by Palmieri. Neighbours couldn’t control the puck, which slid back to Suter near the St. Louis blue line. Suter passed to Pierre-Olivier Joseph, but Brock Nelson intercepted his attempt to send the puck up the boards. Nelson then passed to Palmieri, who fired a shot from the top of the slot that went under Binnington’s stick.

In the second period, a tripping penalty on Suter led to Nelson’s power-play goal with 4:05 left. Maxim Tsyplakov passed the puck behind the Blues’ net to Nelson, who was falling in the slot. From his knees, Nelson shot the puck over Binnington’s glove.

A cross-checking penalty on Islanders defenseman Isaiah George 35 seconds into the third set up Neighbours’ goal 10 seconds later. Robert Thomas won a faceoff against Nelson, and Neighbours, positioned next to Sorokin, received a pass from Pavel Buchnevich and scored by tucking the puck over Sorokin’s stick.

A goal by Noah Dobson at 8:27 of the third was called back due to goalie interference. Palmieri had fallen into Binnington just before Dobson’s shot went in. Binnington then made two big saves to deny Anders Lee with 3:01 left. Palmieri sealed the win by scoring an empty-net goal just over a minute after Binnington was pulled for an extra attacker.

Alex Tuch scored the game-winning goal in the third period, and James Reimer made 31 saves in his debut with the Sabres as Buffalo won 4-2 against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.

Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist, while Bowen Byram recorded two assists for the Sabres, who completed a three-game road trip through California with a perfect record.

Fabian Zetterlund and Luke Kunin scored for the Sharks, who have now lost three games in a row. Mackenzie Blackwood made 27 saves in goal for San Jose.

Tuch gave the Sabres a 3-2 lead at 5:27 of the third period when he scored short-handed. He intercepted a pass from Mikael Granlund and then went on a breakaway, beating Blackwood with a shot through the five-hole from the right circle.

Dylan Cozens tied the game at 2 early in the third period, scoring at 2:07. He received a pass from Dahlin just outside the zone and one-timed it from above the slot, beating Blackwood to the stick side.

Zetterlund gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 9:59 of the first period. William Eklund passed the puck to Jake Walman at the point, and Reimer made a save with his pad. The rebound went to Zetterlund, who scored.

Peyton Krebs tied it up 1-1 at 11:03. Byram intercepted an attempt by Will Smith to send the puck in and passed it to Krebs at the Sharks’ blue line. Krebs then took the puck to the left circle and fired a wrist shot into the top corner of the net.

Kunin gave San Jose a 2-1 lead at 4:07 of the second period, taking a pass from Tyler Toffoli in front of the net and scoring with a backhand shot past Reimer’s right pad.

Reimer kept Buffalo in the game, especially during the first half of the second period when the Sabres struggled to generate offense. He made an incredible stop on Macklin Celebrini, using his left arm to catch a shot while lying on his stomach.

Dahlin sealed the win for Buffalo with an empty-net goal from his own end with one second left in the third period, making it 4-2.

Connor McDavid scored twice in the third period and added an assist in the second, while Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the New York Rangers 6-2 on Saturday night.

McDavid reached at least three points in a game for the fourth time this season with some impressive plays. He finished off a give-and-go with Draisaitl to put Edmonton up 3-0 with 11:06 left in the second during a four-on-four. Then, he scored twice in the third period in just 3:48.

Draisaitl scored his 16th goal of the season, tying him with Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers for the league lead.

McDavid’s first third-period goal came 5:49 in, redirecting a shot from Evan Bouchard. He then faked a pass when New York defenseman Victor Mancini lunged at him, before shooting the puck past Jonathan Quick’s right pad.

Darnell Nurse scored a short-handed goal in the final seconds of the first period, while Vasily Podkolzin and Bouchard also found the net for the Oilers, who are 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Connor Brown and Mattias Janmark each had two assists for Edmonton, which is 8-2-1 in its past 11 games against New York.

Stuart Skinner made 32 saves and was only beaten by Artemi Panarin, who scored for the Rangers with 4:58 left in the second and 3:31 remaining in the third.

Quick allowed six goals on 40 shots.

The Oilers controlled much of the first period. After Artemi Panarin lost the puck near the blue line, Edmonton quickly moved into the offensive zone. Podkolzin scored with a one-timer from the right circle past Quick with 2:26 left in the period.

Edmonton made it 2-0 when Nurse entered the offensive zone without resistance, received a pass from Janmark, and sent a shot past Quick’s glove.

Just over three minutes after Draisaitl’s goal, Bouchard took a drop pass from Janmark and fired a shot from the slot past Quick’s stick.

The Utah Hockey Club will aim for their second straight win when they play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night.

Utah ended a three-game losing streak with a 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. This win came in the second game of their four-game road trip.

Dylan Guenther scored twice and assisted on another goal, while Clayton Keller recorded three assists. Utah succeeded on 3 out of 4 power-play opportunities.

Guenther said, “It’s huge for us, just for a confidence booster. Nice for us to get a few there.”

Nick Bjugstad, who scored another power-play goal for Utah, added, “It just came down to compete. I think that’s kind of the theme of the night. Good things happen when we work hard.”

The Maple Leafs also extended their winning streak to three games with a 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. They have won six of their last seven games.

Toronto will again be without their captain, Auston Matthews, who has an upper-body injury. Matthews skated before practice on Saturday and had spent five days in Germany recently for medical evaluation.

Matthews explained, “It kind of flared up a little bit in preseason and then it felt better and then it was just kind of getting worse, so I thought it was time to kind of take a step back and re-evaluate it and take it day-by-day.”

He also said it hadn’t gotten worse, but it wasn’t improving, so he decided to be cautious. Matthews might return next week, possibly on Wednesday when Toronto faces the Florida Panthers.

Toronto coach Craig Berube said, “He’s feeling a lot better, which is good. He skated (Saturday) and he will probably get on the ice again (Sunday).”

Matthews led the league with 69 goals last season and has scored five goals in 13 games this season.

William Nylander, who leads Toronto with 13 goals, said, “We’re missing him a lot out there, the leadership he brings and everything he can do on the ice.”

Toronto is also without forwards Matthew Knies, Max Domi, Calle Jarnkrok, David Kampf, and Max Pacioretty. Knies has an upper-body injury, while the others have lower-body issues.

The Maple Leafs have adjusted well to Berube’s focus on defense. Defenseman Morgan Rielly said, “As players, we feel it, and I think you can tell by watching that it’s a different kind of game than what we’ve played in the past. It has been a bit of an adjustment, but it has been good. I think we’re doing all right.”

For Utah, this will be their first back-to-back game of the season.

Goalie Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves in Saturday’s game and has started five consecutive games. He has allowed just two goals in his last two games.

Utah coach Andre Tourigny said, “He radiates confidence. We will surely talk about it (starting Vejmelka on Sunday). I don’t know if it’s the right move because it’s four (games) in six (days). Probably, the answer will be no, but we’ll see.”

Backup goalie Jaxson Stauber, who has not played in the NHL this season, was called up from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL this week. Goaltender Connor Ingram, who has an upper-body injury, is out.

Joe Thornton spent his career setting up perfect passes for his teammates, helping them score goals. His jersey retirement ceremony on Saturday gave his former San Jose teammates a chance to honor him for his play, leadership, and friendship. Their tributes brought Thornton to tears during an emotional afternoon.

“The best thing hockey ever gave me — friends for life,” Thornton said during a heartfelt speech, thanking his former teammates, coaches, executives, and family members who supported him throughout his career.

Dressed in a black suit and top hat, Thornton walked out to the ceremony. He passed through the current Sharks players, who wore fake beards in his honor, and entered through the iconic Shark head to loud applause.

Many of his former teammates were present and shared tributes in a special video for the player known as “Jumbo.”

“It feels good to be back,” Thornton said.

With his perfect passing, joyful personality, and famous beard, Thornton became the face of the Sharks franchise. His No. 19 jersey was raised to the rafters in honor of his legacy.

Thornton now joins longtime teammate Patrick Marleau as the only players to have their jerseys retired by the Sharks. It’s especially fitting that they are together, as they were both top draft picks in 1997 and spent 13 seasons playing together in San Jose.

“Thank you for making hockey fun, even in the hardest moments,” Marleau said in his tribute. “I’m very thankful and honored that your banner is going to be up next to mine.”

Thornton was the No. 1 overall pick by Boston but achieved his greatest success in 15 seasons with San Jose after being traded to the Sharks on Nov. 30, 2005.

He ranks first in Sharks history with 804 assists, second with 1,055 points, third with 1,104 games played, and fourth with 251 goals. He helped turn the Sharks from a struggling team into a consistent contender.

“San Jose is his city and the Sharks are his team,” said former teammate Joe Pavelski, who was making his first public appearance at the Shark Tank since retiring last season in Dallas.

Over his entire career, Thornton played 1,714 regular season games, recording 1,109 assists and 430 goals. He was a four-time All-Star, won an Olympic gold medal with Canada in 2010, and earned the Hart Trophy as MVP and the Art Ross Trophy as the scoring leader in 2005-06 after his trade to San Jose.

Thornton ranks seventh all-time in assists, 14th in points with 1,539, and sixth in games played. The only major achievement Thornton didn’t reach was winning a Stanley Cup. His team lost in the final round in 2016 to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

But despite not winning the Cup, Thornton became the face of the Sharks franchise after his trade from Boston in 2005.

Before his arrival, San Jose only had limited success, but they made the playoffs all but two seasons during Thornton’s time with the team. The Sharks also had the best regular season record in the NHL during that time.

Thornton helped the team win the Presidents’ Trophy in 2008-09, make back-to-back conference finals appearances in 2010 and 2011, reach the Stanley Cup final in 2016, and make another trip to the Western Conference final in 2019.

“Thank you, Sharks fans,” Thornton said to end his speech. “And like I said when I retired, ‘I’ll see you at the rink. Peace and love. Go Sharks.’”

The St. Louis Blues have fired coach Drew Bannister and hired Jim Montgomery as his replacement, just five days after Montgomery was let go by the Boston Bruins.

Blues president and general manager Doug Armstrong made the announcement on Sunday. He is expected to speak with reporters via video call in the afternoon, while Montgomery will join the team in New York on Monday.

Bannister had been with the Blues for less than a year after replacing Craig Berube, the coach who led the team to the 2019 Stanley Cup win. Bannister had his interim status removed after last season, but the Blues have lost 13 of their first 22 games this season.

Montgomery spent two seasons as an assistant coach under Berube in St. Louis before coaching the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins. The Bruins fired him early in the season after losing 12 of their first 20 games.

The Blues signed Montgomery to a five-year contract.

Armstrong’s quick decision to move on from Bannister and commit to Montgomery for the long term is part of his effort to keep St. Louis’ championship chances alive.

Last summer, Armstrong made moves to improve the team by signing restricted free agents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to offer sheets, trying to lure them from the defending Western Conference champions, Edmonton. He also made several other player acquisitions to reshape the roster.

By hiring Montgomery, Armstrong is bringing in an experienced and successful coach. The 55-year-old former player has a regular-season record of 180-84-33, which gives him a points percentage of .659, one of the best in league history.

The NHL Network is building excitement for the upcoming hockey season with its annual top 50 players ranking. This comprehensive list, curated by researchers, producers, and on-air personalities, spotlights the elite talent in the league. Players ranked 10-1 were revealed in the grand finale of a nine-part series, showcasing remarkable statistics, achievements, and contributions to their respective teams.

This year’s top 10 includes a mix of offensive dynamos, defensive stalwarts, and exceptional goaltenders. From record-breaking performances to championship leadership, these players define excellence in the NHL.

Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers

Connor McDavid remains the NHL’s top player, leading the playoffs with 42 points and earning the Conn Smythe Trophy despite his team’s loss in the Stanley Cup Final. His 132 points (32 goals, 100 assists) in the regular season and unmatched dominance since entering the league make McDavid the ultimate hockey superstar.

Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon’s award-winning season featured 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists), earning him the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. His 35-game home point streak was a historic achievement, cementing his legacy as one of the league’s most dynamic players. MacKinnon continues to be a cornerstone for the Avalanche.

Auston Matthews – Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews showcased his scoring prowess with 69 goals, becoming the first player since 1995-96 to hit that mark. As the league leader in goals since his debut in 2016, Matthews is one of hockey’s most reliable offensive threats, redefining excellence for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Cale Makar – Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar solidified his status as a top defenseman, leading the position in points per game (1.17) and excelling on both ends of the ice. With exceptional power-play contributions and defensive stats, Makar remains a key figure for the Avalanche and a Norris Trophy favorite.

Leon Draisaitl – Edmonton Oilers

Leon Draisaitl’s consistent performance saw him tally 106 regular season points and 31 playoff points in 2023-24. The Edmonton Oilers center continues to dominate alongside McDavid, ranking among the league’s top players in goals and overall production since 2018-19.

Igor Shesterkin – New York Rangers

Igor Shesterkin leads the NHL’s goalies with stellar stats, including 36 wins and a .913 save percentage last season. His playoff performance, with a .927 save percentage, reaffirmed his elite status. As a former Vezina Trophy winner, Shesterkin anchors the Rangers with reliability and skill.

Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning

Nikita Kucherov delivered a record-breaking season for the Lightning, earning 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists) and leading the league in power-play production. As a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner, Kucherov’s offensive consistency ranks him among the NHL’s most formidable forwards.

Aleksander Barkov – Florida Panthers

Aleksander Barkov captained the Florida Panthers to their first Stanley Cup victory, contributing 22 points in the playoffs. With 80 points during the regular season, Barkov remains Florida’s all-time leader in games, goals, assists, and points, defining his legacy as a franchise cornerstone.

Matthew Tkachuk – Florida Panthers

Matthew Tkachuk played a pivotal role in Florida’s championship run, recording 22 points in the postseason. With 88 points during the regular season, Tkachuk’s offensive impact and ability to thrive in high-pressure moments solidify his standing as one of the league’s top forwards.

Quinn Hughes – Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes led all NHL defensemen with 92 points, including an impressive 75 assists, as captain of the Canucks. His ability to dominate at both ends of the ice and set up scoring opportunities places him in elite company, highlighting his exceptional skill and leadership.

Bruce Cassidy reached his 400th win as a coach on Thursday when his Vegas Golden Knights won 3-2 against the Ottawa Senators. Cassidy became the eighth active NHL coach to achieve this milestone.

However, the Ottawa native didn’t have much time to celebrate, as the Golden Knights immediately traveled to Montreal for their season-long five-game road trip, which continues on Saturday against the Canadiens.

“It feels great,” Cassidy said about reaching 400 wins. “You never know where your numbers are going to end up, but right now, I’m just thinking about No. 401.”

The win against Ottawa came after Vegas had suffered their first shutout loss since January, losing 3-0 to Toronto on Wednesday. The Golden Knights’ victory over Ottawa marked their second game in a back-to-back, and it was their fourth win in 10 road games (4-4-2) this season. Vegas has never lost in Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre, with a 6-0-1 record there.

In the win, Ilya Samsonov made 38 saves, including 16 in the final period when Ottawa outshot Vegas 18-5. Pavel Dorofeyev scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season midway through the third period, which turned out to be the game-winning goal.

“We managed to get it to the finish line,” Cassidy said. “That’s a good win for the team even though it got a little hectic there. But you’ve got to find ways to win. There are no easy wins in this league, so good on the guys.”

The Golden Knights will now face a Montreal team that has won two straight games and three of its last four. The Canadiens are coming off a 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, in which Sam Montembeault made 30 saves for his second shutout of the season. Jake Evans, Brendan Gallagher, and Kaiden Guhle all scored to lead Montreal.

“I’m just really proud of the way we played tonight,” Montembeault said after earning his third career shutout. “The last few games, we’ve taken a really good step in the right direction defensively, and now we’ve just got to be more consistent with it.”

Montembeault has been in excellent form, going 3-1-0 with a 0.93 goals-against average, a .966 save percentage, and a shutout in his last four games.

While Montreal has outscored Columbus and Edmonton 8-1 in their last two wins, they have still allowed the most goals in the Atlantic Division with 71, leaving them with a minus-17 goal differential.

“The win was great,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “Obviously, the result. But to me, it’s how we won that galvanized the group. … To me, it’s how we did it, not so much the result. I feel, right now, we’re in a good place to reinforce the stuff that’s working.”

The Golden Knights will be playing their third game in four nights, while Montreal has had four days off, with practices on three of those days.

“We should come out with some good energy (Saturday),” St. Louis said. “I think our start is (going to be) very, very important.”

The Seattle Kraken are showing improvement.

The Kraken won five out of six games on their recent homestand, improving their record to 10-9-1, and are now just one point behind the Western Conference’s two wild-card playoff spots.

Seattle hopes to continue this success in Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings, who have lost three of their last four games.

Before their homestand, the Kraken had lost four straight road games, scoring only four goals during that stretch.

“We were obviously losing those games, and I think your confidence, momentum, and mindset starts to change a little bit,” Kraken center Matty Beniers said. “So, I think being able to get home, we just kind of had a couple of days off.

We were able to get some really good days of practice and make sure that our mindset and game was good and together. And then we were able to get that first win… and once that happens, you build confidence, and you build chemistry from there.”

The Kraken are coming off a 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday. Joey Daccord recorded 24 saves for his first shutout of the season. Brandon Montour (one goal, one assist) and Chandler Stephenson (three assists), two of Seattle’s key offseason signings, played major roles in the win.

Jared McCann, who leads the Kraken with nine goals and 21 points, scored three goals during the homestand, including an overtime winner against Vegas.

“The way things ended on the road trip, we felt like we’d let some games get away from us,” McCann said. “Obviously, it wasn’t good but coming home here we kind of turned the page and just tried to focus on the next game.

I mean, it’s just more of a mental thing. You’ve got to get past that mental block. We didn’t have our best (on the road), but you’ve got to just push that aside and worry about the next one. That’s kind of the way we had to look at it and it’s worked out for us.”

The Kings lost 1-0 to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday despite 18 saves by David Rittich. It was the first time Los Angeles had been shut out this season.

“There’s nights that I’m really frustrated with how we played, and it’s hard to be disappointed with the guys (Wednesday),” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “They tried, it didn’t go their way. Live with it and move on.”

Los Angeles came close to scoring multiple times, including a two-on-one break late in the second period when Trevor Moore tried to pass to Phillip Danault instead of taking the shot himself.

“Just one too many passes,” Hiller said. “We thought Mooresy should have shot it. If the pass gets through and Phil taps it in the back door, we’re saying, ‘Wow, what an incredible goal.’ So you can’t take that decision-making off the players.

They have to play hockey and choose what’s right in the situation. On a night like (Wednesday) where it was hard to find a goal, you don’t want to pass too many up. Maybe that was one that we passed up.”

The Washington Capitals struggled to get their offense going in their first game since learning that star captain Alex Ovechkin would be out for four to six weeks with a broken left fibula.

The Capitals will aim for a better performance on Saturday night when they face the New Jersey Devils. The two teams each won on the other’s home ice last month.

Washington had trouble creating offense in Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, with Pierre-Luc Dubois’ goal late in the first period being the only highlight. This loss ended the Capitals’ three-game winning streak.

The game was Washington’s first since Ovechkin got injured in Monday’s 6-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club. Ovechkin, 39, had scored 13 of his team-leading 15 goals in the last 11 games before his injury.

“It’s an unfortunate injury,” said Capitals coach Spencer Carbery. “Anytime you lose your captain, anytime you lose a player that is having the year that he’s having and playing as well as he’s playing — he’s such a big part of our team. … He’ll be back at some point for us. Now we just need other guys to do more.”

To adjust, Andrew Mangiapane moved to the top line with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas, while Hendrix Lapierre joined the third line with Lars Eller and Jakub Vrana.

“We had a couple new combinations, guys maybe feeling each other out a little bit,” forward Tom Wilson said. “But I think we could definitely hold on to more pucks and create a little bit more offensively.”

Ovechkin’s absence was felt, especially by the Devils. The three-time Hart Trophy winner had a goal and an assist in Washington’s 5-3 loss to New Jersey on October 12, and a goal in their 6-5 overtime win on October 19.

New Jersey captain Nico Hischier had two goals and four points in the two previous games against the Capitals. Hischier scored all 10 of his goals this season in October and is tied with Jesper Bratt and Stefan Noesen for the team lead.

Speaking of Bratt, he scored two goals and added an assist in the Devils’ 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

“Bratter is just playing elite right now,” said Jack Hughes. “We’re connected. We’re moving the puck well and finding our groove but it’s about staying consistent throughout the year.”

Noesen, who was dealing with an illness, also scored a goal against his former team. It was his third goal in the last three games and his 10th in 22 games this season after setting a career-high 14 goals in 81 games with the Hurricanes last season.

“Noesen was a game-time decision,” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He almost didn’t play … Then he scores that goal against his former team.”

The Columbus Blue Jackets continue their four-game homestand on Saturday with a matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Blue Jackets are coming off a strong performance, winning three of their last four games, including a 7-6 overtime win against Tampa Bay on Thursday. Their offense has been on fire recently, scoring 18 goals in their last three victories.

This turnaround comes after a tough six-game losing streak (0-5-1), and it has helped the Blue Jackets move out of last place in the Metropolitan Division.

They are now tied with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia for sixth place with 18 points, but Columbus has played fewer games than both teams and has more regulation wins (seven compared to four). They are also just one point behind the fifth-place New York Islanders.

In the win over Tampa Bay, defenseman Zach Werenski had a career-best game, scoring the game-winning goal and finishing with five points (two goals and three assists). The 27-year-old leads the team with 13 assists and shares the team lead in points (19) with Sean Monahan.

Head coach Dean Evason praised Werenski for stepping up as a leader this season, especially with captain Boone Jenner and alternate Erik Gudbranson sidelined due to shoulder injuries. Jenner has yet to play this season, while Gudbranson was lost after only three games. “I’ve seen a lot of hockey players,” Evason said.

“I don’t think I’ve seen one like him. Honestly, he’s amazing. He just does it all. When he wants the puck, he goes and gets it. When he wants to defend, he defends.”

The Hurricanes are leading the Metropolitan Division with 28 points, tied with the New Jersey Devils, who have played three more games. Carolina lost to New Jersey 4-2 on Thursday, snapping their three-game win streak.

The Devils scored twice in a 3:30 span in the third period to secure the win. Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said, “We hung around, that’s basically all we did tonight… you’re not going to win when you do that kind of stuff.”

Andrei Svechnikov and Jack Roslovic scored for the Hurricanes. Roslovic’s goal was his 11th of the season, tying him with Martin Necas for the team lead. Necas, who had his 13-game point streak end in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Philadelphia, added an assist. Necas, with 31 points, is third in the league entering Friday’s games.

Carolina also announced that goalie Frederik Andersen will need knee surgery, likely sidelining him for up to 12 weeks. Andersen had a 1.49 goals-against average and a 3-1 record in four games this season. He missed much of last season due to blood clots but returned in time for the postseason.

Pyotr Kochetkov has been the primary goalie for Carolina this season. The 25-year-old has a 10-2-0 record with a 2.30 GAA and .907 save percentage.