NHL NEWS OCTOBER 31, 2022 – FLEURY CLIMBS NHL ALL-TIME LIST, BOLDY BANKS TWO

Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves, including two of two in the shootout, for the 4-3 SO win over the Chicago Blackhawks to surpass Henrik Lundqvist (61) for the most shootout wins in NHL history, while Dean Evason recorded his 100th win as head coach – a victory powered by Matt Boldy’s fourth career multi-goal outing

• Evason, who was behind the bench for his 159th game as head coach, required the fifth-fewest contests in NHL history to record his 100th career win, trailing Tom Johnson (138), Mike Keenan (152), Todd McLellan (158) and Terry Crisp (158).
• Boldy improved his 2022-23 stat line to 5-3—8 (9 GP) – a goal total which trails only Kirill Kaprizov (6) for the most among Wild players – and reached the 20-tally mark of his NHL career (20-27—47 in 56 GP). Boldy (21 years, 208 days) became the second-youngest player to record 20 career goals with Minnesota, behind only Marian Gaborik (19 years, 244 days).

PANARIN, BRATT CONTINUE HOT STARTS TO 2022-23

Artemi Panarin (1-2—3) and Jesper Bratt (1-1—2) each posted multi-point outings as the pair continued their scorching hot start to the 2022-23 campaign.

• Panarin recorded his third three-point game, which trails only Connor McDavid (4) for the most among all players this season, to boost his 2022-23 totals to 5-11—16. He is now one of just 10 different players in franchise history to record 16-plus points through the club’s first 10 contests of a season. In the past 30 years, only Jaromir Jagr (3-15—18 in 2006-07), Pavel Bure (11-7—18 in 2001-02) and Mark Messier (5-13—18 in 1992-93) have done so.
• Bratt extended his point streak to nine contests overall dating to the start of the season (4-11—15 in 9 GP) – he became the third Devils player to do so in the past decade, following Pavel Zacha (10 GP from Jan. 30 – Feb. 28, 2021) and Taylor Hall (19 GP from Jan. 30 – March 6, 2018, 9 GP from Oct. 11 – Nov. 1, 2018 & March 18 – April 3, 2018). With points in each of the first six games at Prudential Center, Bratt tied Patrik Elias (6 GP in 2001-02) for the second-longest season-opening home point streak by a Devils player in the past 30 years, behind only Kyle Palmieri (8 GP in 2018-19).

HOCKEY HALLOWEEN HIGHLIGHTS MONDAY SLATE

The Sabres host the Detroit Red Wings at KeyBank Center in the first of three games set for Halloween night. Of the six teams in action, Detroit (12-7-4) owns the best all-time record on Oct. 31, followed by Los Angeles (8-9-2), St. Louis (7-2-4), Buffalo (5-5-5), Washington (4-5-3) and Carolina (3-3-0).

McDavid, Bratt and Fleury Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, New Jersey Devils left wing Jesper Bratt and Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Oct. 30, 2022.

FIRST STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS

McDavid topped the NHL with 4-4—8 – with all eight points earned on goals that tied the game or gave the Oilers the lead – in four outings to propel Edmonton (6-3-0, 12 points) to a perfect week and into second place in the Pacific Division. After being held off the scoresheet in a 6-3 win versus the Pittsburgh Penguins Oct. 24, McDavid rebounded with the primary assist on Ryan Nugent-Hopkin’s tiebreaking goal in a 3-1 triumph over the St. Louis Blues Oct. 26. The Oilers captain then compiled seven points over a pair of comeback wins, recording 3-1—4 (including his second hat trick of the season) in a 6-5 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks Oct. 27 and 1-2—3 (his League-best fourth three-point performance of the campaign) in a 3-2 triumph over the Calgary Flames Oct. 29. McDavid, who established career highs in goals (44), assists (79) and points (123) last season en route to capturing his second straight and fourth overall Art Ross Trophy as the League’s scoring champion, currently paces the NHL in both goals (9) and points (18) through nine contests thus far in 2022-23.

SECOND STAR – JESPER BRATT, LW, NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Bratt registered 4-3—7, including one game-winning goal, in four contests to lift the Devils (6-3-0, 12 points) to a 3-1-0 week and into first place in the Metropolitan Division. He scored once in a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals Oct. 24. Bratt then potted the decisive tally and matched career highs for goals and points in a game with 2-1—3 in a 6-2 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings Oct. 25. He added the primary assist on the contest’s lone goal in a 1-0 victory against the Colorado Avalanche Oct. 28 before finishing the week with 1-1—2, his fifth multi-point performance through nine games this season, in a 7-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Oct. 30. A sixth-round selection (162nd overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft, Bratt has found the scoresheet in each of New Jersey’s first nine games of 2022-23 – the second-longest point streak to begin a season in franchise history – to rank fifth in the League with 4-11—15.

THIRD STAR – MARC-ANDRE FLEURY, G, MINNESOTA WILD

Fleury climbed a pair of all-time lists while going 3-0-0 with a 1.95 goals-against average and .927 save percentage as the Wild (4-4-1, 9 points) completed a 3-1-0 week. Fleury played in his 944th regular-season game – making 26 saves (as well as his 22nd career stop on a penalty shot) in a 3-1 victory against the Montreal Canadiens Oct. 25 – to move past Curtis Joseph and into sole possession of sixth place on the NHL’s all-time list among goaltenders. He then turned aside 27 shots in a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators Oct. 27. Fleury capped the week with 23 saves, plus another two in the tiebreaker, as he earned his 62nd career shootout victory – in a 4-3 triumph against the Chicago Blackhawks Oct. 30 – to surpass Henrik Lundqvist for the most in League history. The 19-season NHL veteran has posted a 4‑1-1 record through seven total appearances thus far in 2022-23 (3.69 GAA, .880 SV%).