Tag: NHL

On Tuesday night, the Penguins will play the second of a five-game homestand when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first matchup between these two Eastern Conference teams.

The Penguins are in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division, just ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and are desperate for wins. They have only 17 points, even though they have played the second-most games (20) of any team in the conference.

Saturday’s game against San Jose showed the Penguins’ struggles this season. They had a strong start, building a 3-0 lead, but then failed to keep it, which has been a common issue for them this year.

Pittsburgh was ahead 3-0 after captain Sidney Crosby scored his 599th career goal. However, the Sharks came back to tie the game and forced overtime.

In the shootout, Evgeni Malkin gave the Penguins the lead in the fifth round, and goalie Alex Nedeljkovic stopped Alex Wennberg to secure a 4-3 victory, improving Pittsburgh’s November record to 3-3-2.

“We’ve been playing pretty good as of late, maybe haven’t gotten the results or bounces, tough calls here or there,” said Nedeljkovic, who made 26 saves in the win. “We stuck with it. I think that’s been a big point of emphasis lately. Just staying with it.”

Crosby, who is 37 years old, is close to becoming the 21st player in NHL history to score 600 goals. He will be only the second active player to do so, joining Alex Ovechkin, who has 866 goals.

Defenseman Kris Letang, who is dealing with an illness, has missed the last two games and was also absent from Monday’s practice.

After a rough stretch where they went 0-3-1 and lost one of their top point producers, the Lightning appear to have found better form. Surprisingly, they showed improvement while facing two of the NHL’s best teams during a three-game homestand.

After a 2-1 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay bounced back with two of its best performances of the season. They won 4-1 against the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets and then beat the New Jersey Devils 4-0, with goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy earning his 36th career shutout.

Coach Jon Cooper had been telling his players to shoot more, saying they weren’t taking enough shots and were trying too hard to make the perfect pass instead of taking good chances.

“I think the big issue with us, especially of late, is we’re overcomplicating an uncomplicated game,” Cooper said. “I think we’re a bottom-five team in the league for shots on goal. It’s been the extra pass, the extra play, there’s something better out there. It has kind of sucked the life out of us and what does it do? It fuels the other team.”

The Lightning sent forward Gage Goncalves back to their AHL affiliate, Syracuse, on Sunday, which has led to speculation that injured top-line center Brayden Point (lower body) could be close to returning just as the team seems to be improving.

Point, who has 8 goals and 5 assists in 12 games, has missed the last four games but skated on Saturday morning in the team’s optional practice.

Nikita Kucherov had two assists in the win over New Jersey, leaving him just one point away from 900 for his career. Kucherov has 331 goals and 568 assists in 741 games. Only two players in Tampa Bay history have reached 900 points: Steven Stamkos (1,137 points) and Martin St. Louis (953).

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse will be out for five to 10 days after taking a hit to the head from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves over the weekend.

“Obviously there was a big scare there … since then, he’s progressed really well, he’s doing as good as he can,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said on Monday.

Reaves hit Nurse with his shoulder while Nurse was trying to skate out from behind the net during the second period of the Leafs’ 4-3 overtime win over the Oilers on Saturday. Nurse was bleeding after the hit and didn’t return to the game.

Reaves was given a five-minute major penalty for an illegal check to the head and a game misconduct. On Sunday, the NHL suspended him for five games.

Nurse, 29, has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 18 games this season.

In his 11th NHL season, all with the Oilers, Nurse has 276 points (78 goals, 198 assists) and a plus-69 rating. The Oilers drafted him No. 7 overall in the 2013 draft.

The Washington Capitals will try to complete a sweep of their three-game road trip when they play the Utah Hockey Club on Monday night in Salt Lake City.

After giving up a two-goal lead in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, the Capitals headed west and won against the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights.

Utah, on the other hand, is 1-1-0 in its first two games of a three-game homestand, after losing 4-2 to the Golden Knights on Friday.

On Sunday, Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 31st career hat trick in a 5-2 win over Vegas. Jakob Chychrun and Jakub Vrana also scored for Washington, and goalie Logan Thompson made 40 saves, including 25 in the third period, against his former team.

“Just happy for him and proud of him to beat his former team and to play the way he did here tonight and grind through that and battle and arguably be the difference in the second half of that game,” said Capitals coach Spencer Carbery about Thompson.

After struggling offensively last season, the Capitals have scored four or more goals in 10 of their first 17 games this season. They have scored 72 goals, with part of their success coming from better play in transition.

“I think that’s one of the areas of our game that’s really grown this year,” Carbery said. “We’re a very dangerous team off the rush. I feel like we’re picking our spots of when we can generate an entry and find the second wave, the Chychrun goal.”

Ovechkin, a three-time Hart Trophy winner, is tied for the NHL lead with 13 goals. He is now just 29 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894 goals.

Ovechkin’s linemate Dylan Strome assisted on two goals in the win, marking his seventh multi-assist game of the season. He has 21 assists and is on track to break his career-high of 42 assists from the 2022-23 season.

Utah started strong against Vegas, taking a 2-0 lead, but the Golden Knights came back with a power-play goal in the second period and scored twice more with the man advantage in the third period.

“It’s frustrating when you had a great start to the game, (then a) couple mistakes in the second,” said Utah’s Clayton Keller. “This one hurts. We were right there. Everyone was feeling good and we just made a couple mistakes and it cost us.”

Vegas tied the game in the third period, took a 3-2 lead with 1:18 left, and added an empty-net goal.

Logan Cooley and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev each scored for Utah, and goalie Karel Vejmelka made 25 saves. Utah finished the game with a season-high 34 shots on goal.

“We could not get the big goal,” said Utah coach Andre Tourigny. “The killer goal would have probably changed everything. But we could not separate ourselves.”

Sergachev has scored in each of his last four games at Delta Center. He has 12 points (four goals, eight assists), tied for third on the team.

Utah has a 4-3-1 record at home and a 4-2-0 record against Eastern Conference teams this season.

Steven Stamkos scored two goals, and Zachary L’Heureux netted his first career goal as the Nashville Predators defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 on Sunday night.

Roman Josi had a goal and an assist, Gustav Nyquist scored once, and Filip Forsberg recorded two assists for the Predators, who ended a three-game losing streak. Goaltender Juuse Saros made 24 saves.

For the Canucks, Aatu Raty, Elias Pettersson, and Kiefer Sherwood scored, but they’ve only won three of their 10 home games this season. Danton Heinen had two assists, and goalie Kevin Lankinen, who played for Nashville the past two seasons, made 16 saves.

With the Predators trailing 2-1, Stamkos tied the game at 12:17 of the second period, scoring a power-play goal with a wrist shot from the left circle.

Josi gave Nashville the lead at 14:21 with a one-timer from the right faceoff dot, scoring his second goal of the season.

Stamkos then made it 4-2 with 21.5 seconds left in the second period, adding his second power-play goal of the night with a perfect shot from the left circle for his sixth goal of the season.

Sherwood, who played parts of two seasons with Nashville, brought Vancouver back within one goal, scoring his fourth of the year with six minutes left in the game.

However, Nyquist sealed the win for Nashville with an empty-net goal with 21 seconds remaining, in a game where both teams had previously given up a lead.

L’Heureux, a first-round draft pick by the Predators in 2021, opened the scoring at 5:28 of the first period, jumping on a loose puck during a scramble.

Raty, who scored his first goal as a Canuck, tied the game at 5:57 with a deflection of Erik Brannstrom’s long shot from the blue line. Pettersson then gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead at 9:51 of the second period with a powerful one-timer from just inside the right circle for his sixth goal of the season.

The Chicago Blackhawks have not scored more than one goal in regulation since they played Anaheim on November 3.

Will Tuesday’s game against the Ducks help fix their struggling offense? Chicago certainly hopes so.

The Blackhawks have been outscored 15-6 in their last five games, losing four of them. Now, they’re back home looking for a spark. Their short road trip to Seattle and Vancouver didn’t do much to improve their offense.

Ilya Mikeheyev scored 6:50 into the game against the Canucks on Saturday, but Chicago couldn’t keep up the momentum and lost 4-1.

“Our quality scoring chances were up,” said Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson. “Just can’t find the back of the net. Lack of drawing penalties, too. We can’t seem to get enough chances there, which would probably help a little bit in production.”

Connor Bedard, the Calder Trophy winner, has been particularly eager to contribute. Although he leads the team with 10 assists and 13 points, Bedard hasn’t scored a goal since October 26 against the Dallas Stars.

He has just four points in the last nine games, including three assists during the Blackhawks’ 4-2 win in Anaheim.

Philipp Kurashev, who was the team’s second-leading scorer last season, has only four points this season, while Teuvo Teravainen has just one point in his last 13 games.

“We have to just start looking at the simple part of our game, (so) that can add more offense,” Richardson said. “I don’t think we’re a team built yet to open it up and go back and forth, like Edmonton or Colorado can.”

Anaheim has won three of its last four games, including a 4-2 road win against the Stars on Monday.

Defenseman Olen Zellweger put the Ducks ahead just 56 seconds into the game, and Brett Leason scored at 5:44. That early lead helped Anaheim play with more confidence behind goalie Lukas Dostal, who made 34 saves.

“We came out, we played a solid, 200-foot game, kept pucks going north. And I thought that’s why we had a 2-0 lead after the first 10 minutes,” said Cutter Gauthier, who had a goal and an assist. “The more we do that to start off games, the better it’s going to be for us moving forward.”

Brock McGinn left the game for Anaheim with a lower-body injury, but the Ducks showed their depth and won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Leason also added two assists for his first career three-point game.

“Kind of just play as hard as I can every day. Just do the simple things. Do everything correctly,” he said. “Do everything that coach asks of me. Give it my all, pretty much.”

Taylor Hall assisted on two goals in the first game between the Blackhawks and Ducks, but he was a healthy scratch against Vancouver. Hall said the decision surprised him, but he expects to play against the Ducks after speaking with Richardson.

“I just want to play better and be better for our team,” Hall said.

After Tuesday’s game, the Blackhawks and Ducks won’t face each other again until March 1, when they finish the season series in Anaheim.

Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse was injured and had to be helped off the ice after taking a hit to the head from Toronto forward Ryan Reaves early in the second period of Saturday night’s game, which the Maple Leafs won 4-3 in overtime.

Nurse was skating around his net when Reaves caught him high, sending Nurse crashing to the ice. He remained down for a few minutes while trainers attended to him in a quiet arena. Nurse did not return to the game.

Reaves received a match penalty and a game misconduct for the hit. Before leaving the ice, he briefly exchanged words with Edmonton captain Connor McDavid.

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch did not provide an update on Nurse’s condition, but he was seen in the hallway outside the locker room with a cut above his swollen right eye.

“It’s a dangerous play,” said Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “Reaves has to know that Nursey doesn’t see him coming and needs to make the right decision. It’s tough seeing one of your teammates down like that. Dangerous play.”

Nurse, 29, has scored two goals and added seven assists in 17 games this season.

“Penalty kill, power play, 5-on-5 minutes — he’s a very important part of our team, especially with how well he has been playing these last couple of weeks,” said Knoblauch.

Reaves, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 225 pounds, has been suspended three times in his 15-year NHL career for a total of six games, all for illegal hits.

“That’s the side of the game you never want to see,” said Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann. “Guys are playing hard. I don’t think he was trying to hit high like that. I know he wasn’t. He was just trying to get through and win the game. Sometimes you clip a guy in the wrong way.”

Amazon Prime Video has introduced “Prime Monday Night Hockey,” a new NHL broadcast featuring a team of respected on-air talent, including Hall of Fame player Mark Messier, who will serve as an analyst for select games. Messier’s involvement adds a strong element of authority and appeal to the broadcasts, aiming to attract both seasoned hockey enthusiasts and new viewers to Amazon’s expanding live sports portfolio. This launch marks Amazon’s significant move into NHL coverage, as it continues to grow its presence in sports streaming.

The broadcast team also includes hosts Andi Petrillo, known for her work on CBC during the 2024 Olympics, and Adnan Virk, who has experience with TSN, ESPN, and MLB Network. Their hosting will be supported by analysts Blake Bolden, Thomas Hickey, Shane Hnidy, and Jody Shelley, each of whom brings expertise and former player perspectives to the show. Play-by-play commentary will come from John Forslund, a former NHL on NBC broadcaster, ensuring a polished and knowledgeable presentation for the fans.

A unique aspect of Prime Monday Night Hockey is the on-site broadcasts, with each game aired live from the home team’s arena, adding an immersive atmosphere. The series will premiere on October 14 when the Montreal Canadiens play the Pittsburgh Penguins, setting a high-energy start to a series that will cover a variety of Canadian matchups. In addition to regular pre-game, intermission, and post-game coverage, viewers can expect comprehensive analysis and engaging commentary throughout each broadcast.

Amazon has introduced an innovative feature for these broadcasts: a two-minute, machine-learning-powered highlight reel that allows viewers who join the game late to catch up on key moments. Additionally, the platform is launching a new studio show, “NHL Coast to Coast,” hosted by Petrillo on Thursdays, featuring game highlights, expert analysis, and exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and commentators, providing hockey fans with engaging content beyond the Monday games.

To complement live game coverage, Amazon will also release a six-part documentary series titled “FACEOFF: Inside the NHL,” which debuts on October 4. The series will offer fans a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of top NHL players, including Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, William Nylander, and Quinn Hughes. This content, part of a two-season deal with Rogers Communications, grants Amazon the rights to stream all national Monday NHL games in Canada, establishing Prime Video as a key platform for Canadian hockey fans looking for streaming options.

The Dallas Stars delivered a dominant performance on Monday night, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-1. Miro Heiskanen led the charge, scoring two of the Stars’ six first-period goals. Mason Marchment played a key role, adding a goal and four assists, while Matt Duchene contributed a goal and two assists. The six goals in the first period marked the second time in franchise history that the Stars achieved such a feat, with the first occurring in March 1971 when they were the Minnesota North Stars. Logan Stankoven, Tyler Seguin, and Marchment also found the net during the fast start.

Dallas’ offensive explosion in the opening frame was unprecedented for Pittsburgh, who allowed six goals in the first period of a home game for the first time. The Stars capitalized on the Penguins’ defensive struggles, scoring all six goals within a 16-minute span. Wyatt Johnston added a power-play goal in the third period to complete the 7-1 victory. Goaltender Jake Oettinger was solid in the net, stopping 20 of 21 shots. Brendan Smith, in his 700th NHL game, contributed two assists to the win.

Pittsburgh struggled throughout the game, with goaltender Joel Blomqvist getting pulled after allowing three goals on just eight shots. Alex Nedeljkovic replaced him but was unable to stem the tide, allowing goals on the first two shots he faced. The Penguins’ lone goal came from Anthony Beauvillier, who scored his fourth of the season. This loss added to Pittsburgh’s recent struggles, as they had lost three of their last four games and nine of their last 12, despite a strong performance in their previous game, a 4-2 win over Washington.

The defeat highlighted Pittsburgh’s defensive issues, which were evident in a similar loss to Carolina just days earlier. The Penguins’ lackluster play left them unable to keep up with the Stars’ relentless offensive attack. The loss was a significant setback for a team trying to regain consistency after a rough stretch of performances. Pittsburgh’s defensive collapse was reminiscent of past struggles this season, contributing to their ongoing issues in both offense and defense.

The Stars, on the other hand, rebounded impressively after a 4-1 loss to Winnipeg just two days earlier. They had struggled offensively in recent games, scoring just six goals in their previous three matches combined. However, Monday night’s victory showcased their offensive depth, as Marchment tied a franchise record with four points in a single period. Looking ahead, the Stars will look to carry their momentum into their next game against Boston, while the Penguins will aim to bounce back when they host Detroit on Wednesday.

After a long wait, Jeremy Roenick was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, officially joining the prestigious ranks in a ceremony with his fellow inductees. Roenick, 54, a prolific American forward, spent 20 seasons in the NHL, earning 1,216 points across 1,363 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks.

His career was marked by skill and personality, and he also contributed significantly in the postseason, amassing 122 points in 154 playoff games. Roenick was a nine-time NHL All-Star and earned a silver medal with Team USA at the 2002 Olympics, reflecting his enduring love for the game, which he described as “a huge part of my life.”

Roenick’s induction was part of a larger class that included hockey stars like Shea Weber, Pavel Datsyuk, Natalie Darwitz, and Krissy Wendell. Weber, a former defenseman, had his career cut short due to injuries, but he still made a lasting impact with 589 points in 1,038 games for the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators. He emphasized the importance of the bonds formed throughout his career, from team camaraderie to mentorship from veteran players, noting how these relationships made the game so rewarding, even beyond the major victories and medals.

Pavel Datsyuk, another first-ballot Hall of Famer, enjoyed an illustrious career with the Detroit Red Wings, accumulating 918 points in 953 games. Known for his exceptional skill, Datsyuk won four Lady Byng Trophies and three Selke Trophies as the league’s top defensive forward. He also won two Stanley Cups and represented Russia in five Olympic Games, securing gold in 2018. Datsyuk expressed his immense honor at being inducted, a recognition he could never have dreamed of during his playing days.

Wendell and Darwitz, two American women’s hockey icons, were also celebrated. Wendell, a forward from Minnesota, earned silver and bronze Olympic medals and six world championship medals. She valued the friendships and experiences more than the medals, reflecting on the importance of the people she met along the way. Darwitz, another Minnesota native, played in three Olympics and won three world championships, noting the unlikely path that led her to hockey, starting with a supportive mother who encouraged her to pursue the sport.

In addition to the players, two influential figures from the broader hockey world were inducted. Colin Campbell, a former player, coach, and long-time NHL executive was recognized for his contributions, including the development of the centralized video review system used in modern hockey. David Poile, a highly respected NHL executive, was honored for his 50-year career, including a long tenure as the general manager of the Nashville Predators. Poile reflected on the personal rewards of the game, as it had given him and his family much more than he could have ever imagined.

Elias Pettersson scored in his second straight multi-point game to help the Vancouver Canucks win 3-1 against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Erik Brannstrom also had a goal and an assist for the Canucks, who won their second home game of the season (2-2-3). Pius Suter scored once, and J.T. Miller had two assists. Goaltender Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves to earn the win.

The Flames got a goal from Justin Kirkland, and Dan Vladar made 29 saves in net. Calgary was up 1-0 after the first period, but Pettersson tied the game with a power-play goal just 23 seconds into the second. Pettersson deflected a shot-pass from Miller for his fourth goal of the season.

Suter then put the Canucks ahead at 2:38, scoring his sixth goal after a pass from Miller. Brannstrom added another goal at 6:19 of the third period, his first of the season and first in 44 games, to make it 3-1. Despite pulling Vladar for an extra attacker late, the Flames couldn’t get back into the game.

Kirkland’s goal late in the first period gave the Flames a 1-0 lead. Lankinen stopped Kevin Rooney’s rush, but Kirkland was there to score on the rebound. This was the eighth straight game where the Canucks allowed the first goal.

Vancouver’s 2022 first-round pick, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, made his NHL debut but did not record a point.