NHL NEWS DEC 31 – STREAKING BLUE JACKETS, WILD MEET IN NEW YEAR’S EVE SHOWDOWN
The League’s two hottest teams go head-to-head on Saturday with the Blue Jackets (25-5-4, 54 points) putting their 14-game winning streak on the line when they visit the Wild (23-8-4, 50 points), victorious in 12 straight contests. Both clubs have benefitted from strong goaltending, with Blue Jackets’ Sergei Bobrovsky on a personal 12-game winning streak (12-0-0, 1.67 GAA, .924 SV%) and Wild netminder Devan Dubnyk on a personal 10-game run (10-0-0, 1.67 GAA, .942 SV%).
LOOSE PUCKS
- Trailing 2-0 in the second period, the Canucks scored three unanswered goals capped by Henrik Sedin’s overtime winner to complete the comeback win
- Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows skated in his 800th career NHL game
- Blackhawks defenseman Michal Kempny (1-1—2) scored his first career NHL goal (25 GP)
- Wayne Gretzky met St. Louis Cardinals legend Ozzie Smith ahead of Saturday’s Winter Classic Alumni Game
- The Red Wings practiced at Exhibition Stadium on Friday ahead of the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, SN, TVAS, NBC).
- Captain Henrik Zetterberg hosted Jager Perreault, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2015, and his family at practice.
FRIDAY’S NHL RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
CAROLINA 3, Chicago 2
Nashville 4, ST. LOUIS 0
SAN JOSE 2, Philadelphia 0
VANCOUVER 3, Anaheim 2 (OT)
SATURDAY’S NHL ACTION
All Times Eastern
Buffalo @ Boston, 1 p.m.
Washington @ New Jersey, 1 p.m.
Columbus @ Minnesota, 6 p.m.
NY Islanders @ Winnipeg, 7 p.m.
Montreal @ Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Carolina @ Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
NY Rangers @ Colorado, 8 p.m.
Florida @ Dallas, 8 p.m.
Vancouver @ Edmonton, 10 p.m.
Arizona @ Calgary, 10 p.m.
San Jose @ Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.