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Boston Bruins. Photo: Tim Jarrold - In Play! magazine
File photo: Tim Jarrold - In Play! magazine
02
Feb
Home » Hockey » NHL » NHL NEWS FEBRUARY 2, 2023

NHL NEWS FEBRUARY 2, 2023 – LEAGUE-LEADING BRUINS EARN 39TH WIN AHEAD OF ALL-STAR WEEKEND

The Bruins benefited from depth scoring Wednesday as defensemen Derek Forbort and Brandon Carlo each found the back of the net in the second period while Pavel Zacha scored twice in the third to help Boston improve to 39-7-5 (83 points) withs 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs and maintain its seven-point lead over Carolina for first place in the NHL standings.

  • Boston became just the 10th team in NHL history to record at least 39 wins prior to the All-Star/Olympic break and the first in nearly a decade. The Bruins are on pace for 133 points in 2022-23, which would edge the 1976-77 Canadiens (60-8-12, 132 points) for the highest single-season total in League history.
  • Forbort opened the scoring while on the penalty kill and became the fourth different Bruins defenseman with multiple shorthanded goals in a single season since 1992-93. The others: Zdeno Chara (2 in 2016-17), Ray Bourque (2 in 1995-96 & 3 in 1993-94) and Don Sweeney (2 in 1993-94).

HURRICANES ENTER ALL-STAR BREAK WITH ANOTHER VICTORY

Sebastian Aho (1-0—1) and Brent Burns (1-0—1) continued their streaking ways to help the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes (34-9-8, 76 points) extend the NHL’s longest active win streak to seven games. Carolina, which also posted a 17-game point streak earlier this season, has also collected points in 10 straight contests dating to Jan. 12 (9-0-1).

  • Burns (37 years, 329 days) extended his point streak to seven games (4-4—8 in 7 GP) and sits two contests shy of his career high (9 GP in 2018-19 w/ SJS). He has netted five goals through the course of Carolina’s point streak, the most among all defensemen since Jan. 12.
  • Aho netted his 50th career power-play goal to extend his goal streak to six games (9-0—9 in 6 GP). Only two players in Hurricanes/Whalers history have recorded a longer such stretch: Pierre Larouche (9 GP in 1981-82 w/ HFD) and Ray Ferraro (7 GP in 1988-89 w/ HFD).
  • Carolina is the first team to post multiple double-digit point streaks in 2022-23 after four clubs accomplished the feat in 2021-22 (MIN: 3x, COL: 2x, FLA: 2x & CGY: 2x). It also marks the second campaign in Hurricanes/Whalers history to feature multiple double-digit point streaks, joining 2005-06 (12 GP & 10 GP) – a year that concluded with the franchise’s first and only Stanley Cup.

LOOKING AHEAD TO ALL-STAR: CENTRAL DIVISION PREVIEW

The Central Division heads into 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend aiming to win its first 3-on-3 title since the format was introduced in 2016 – it has made it to the final twice through that span, but fell to the Metropolitan Division both times (2022 & 2019).

  • Jason Robertson and Josh Morrissey are each set to make their first All-Star appearance. Robertson has 33-33—66 (51 GP) and is on pace to become the fourth different player in Stars/North Stars history to reach 50 goals and 100 points in a season, while Morrissey (10-43—53 in 52 GP) is just four points shy of establishing a Jets/Thrashers franchise record for most points by a defenseman in a single season.
  • Juuse Saros and Connor Hellebuyck will tend the crease for Team Central. The pair are among five goaltenders set to appear at this year’s event who were either undrafted or selected in the fourth round or later at the NHL Draft (also Linus Ullmark, Igor Shesterkin & Logan Thompson) – tying the highest such total in an All-Star Game since the draft was introduced in 1963 (also 5 in 1965, 1968, 1969, 1999 & 2018).
  • The Avalanche have three representatives featured on the Central Division roster, with Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen set to skate in the event. MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen make up three of four players on Team Central with a Stanley Cup (also Vladimir Tarasenko in 2019) – the most skaters with at least one championship among all four divisions at 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.

Sabres’ Dahlin Added to 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend Roster

The National Hockey League announced today that Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has been added to the roster for the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. Dahlin, who will be playing in his second career All-Star Game (also 2022), replaces injured teammate Tage Thompson on the Atlantic Division roster.

Dahlin ranks second among defensemen in goals (14) and points (55) this season, sits third in assists (41), and leads NHL blueliners in power-play points (24). The 22-year-old already has set career highs in each of those categories and is on pace to establish a Sabres franchise record for points in a season by a defenseman – a mark set by Phil Housley in 1989-90 (21-60—81 in 80 GP).

The League’s regular-season schedule is paused through Feb. 5 as the world’s top players gather in South Florida for the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend at FLA Live Arena. The midseason showcase will include the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills presented by DraftKings Sportsbook on Friday, Feb. 3 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Saturday, Feb. 4 (3 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN+, CBC, SN, TVAS).

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Guest Writer