NHL October 20 2019 Recap
CARLSON FINDS SCORE SHEET AGAIN TO JOIN RARE COMPANY
John Carlson (0-1—1) found the score sheet for a seventh consecutive game to boost his 2019-20 totals to a League-leading 3-15—18 (10 GP) and help the Capitals improve to 4-1-0 as visitors this season. Carlson became the third different defenseman in NHL history to record 18 or more points through his team’s first 10 games in a season.
Carlson, who is expected to contest four more games before November, is two points shy of becoming the fourth different defenseman in League history to register 20 or more in a single month of October. He would join Paul Coffey in 1981 (7-13—20 in 13 GP) and 1988 (3-18—21 in 11 GP), as well as Al MacInnis (8-17—25 in 13 GP) and Brian Leetch (5-16—21 in 14 GP) in 1990.
Carlson has collected at least one assist in each contest of his seven-game point streak (3-12—15). Only two defensemen in franchise history have recorded a longer assist streak: Scott Stevens from Feb. 19 – March 6, 1988 (2-10—12 in 8 GP) and Mike Green from Oct. 15 – Nov. 1, 2009 (1-9—10 in 8 GP).
Carlson assisted on a goal by Alex Ovechkin, who also extended his point streak to seven games (5-4—9). Ovechkin scored his 729th career NHL goal (regular season and playoffs combined) to pass Teemu Selanne (728) for sole possession of the 11th-highest such total in League history.
Ovechkin has scored six goals this season (6-4—10 in 10 GP), including five in road games (5-0—5 in 5 GP). His 335 career regular-season road goals are the seventh-most in NHL history, 11 back of Marcel Dionne (346) for sixth place.
MAURICE REACHES 700-WIN MILESTONE
Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck turned aside all 28 shots he faced and denied both of the Oilers’ shootout attempts as head coach Paul Maurice earned the 700th regular-season win of his NHL career. Maurice became the seventh head coach in League history to reach the 700-win milestone.
THIRD OVERALL PICK DACH MAKES LEAGUE DEBUT
Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach, the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, made his League debut. Dach (18 years, 272 days) became the youngest Blackhawks player to make his NHL debut since defenseman Steve McCarthy (18 years, 243 days) on Oct. 4, 1999 (7-1 L at SJS).
Dach was born in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., a city with a population of roughly 25,000 which has produced several NHL players – notably Stanley Cup winners Ray Whitney (385-679—1,064 in 1,330 GP), Richard Matvichuk (39-139—178 in 796 GP) and Mike Commodore (23-83—106 in 484 GP).
OFFENSIVE FIRST PERIOD GUIDES CANUCKS TO ROAD WIN OVER RANGERS
The Canucks scored an even-strength goal, a power-play goal and a shorthanded goal in the first period en route to a road win over the Rangers. Vancouver, which forged a 43-40 shot advantage including a 20-13 mark in the opening frame, improved to 5-1-0 in its last six games following a 0-2-0 start to the season.
The Canucks scored at least one even-strength goal, power-play goal and shorthanded goal in a regular-season period for the first time since March 21, 2015 (4-1 W at LAK) and for the first time in a first period since March 15, 2009 (4-2 W vs. COL). Vancouver’s 20 shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes also were five shy of its franchise record for most in a first period, set on Jan. 7, 1989 in a 7-5 win at Pittsburgh (25).
PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION – AVALANCHE, MacKINNON LOOK TO EXTEND SEASON-OPENING POINT STREAKS
The Avalanche (7-0-1, 15 points), the only team without a regulation loss in 2019-20, look to extend their season-opening point streak to nine games when they take on the Blues (3-2-3, 9 points) at Enterprise Center. Colorado has recorded a season-opening point streak of nine or more games once in franchise history, doing so in 2000-01 (9-0-2) en route to capturing its second Stanley Cup in a five-year span.
Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon has found the score sheet in all eight contests (4-7—11) and can match his career high for longest season-opening point streak, a mark he set in 2018-19 (8-7—15). MacKinnon can become the fifth player in NHL history to record a season-opening point streak of nine or more games in consecutive campaigns.