NHL October 23 2019 Recap
LIGHTNING CELEBRATE MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS BEFORE WIN
In a pre-game ceremony at AMALIE Arena, the Lightning celebrated 46 of the 70 living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor prior to their game against the Penguins.
After trailing 2-1 in the third period, Tampa Bay scored twice – including a game-winning goal from Victor Hedman with 57 seconds remaining in regulation – to defeat Pittsburgh at AMALIE Arena for the fourth consecutive time and improve to 7-1-0 against the Penguins on home ice since Dec. 23, 2014 (regular season only).
Hedman’s game-winning goal marked the 15th of his career and moved him within three of tying Pavel Kubina (18) for the most game winners by a defenseman in franchise history.
It also marked the third game-winning tally in the final minute of regulation this season. The others: Detroit’s Anthony Mantha on Oct. 6 vs. DAL (59:06) and Los Angeles’ Alex Iafallo on Oct. 12 vs. NSH (59:01).
PAGEAU NETS SHORTHANDED WINNER IN EXPLOSIVE SECOND PERIOD
Anthony Duclair led all skaters with two goals and the Senators (3) and Red Wings (2) combined for a five-goal second period, including Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s shorthanded tally that stood as the game winner, as Ottawa earned its second win of the season to snap a four-game slide (0-3-1).
It marked the 16th time in 2019-20 that two teams have combined for five or more goals in a period, and the third time in the last two days, after a pair of instances on Tuesday when the Canucks scored five times in the third frame (5-2 W at DET) and the Capitals (3) and Flames (2) each contributed to a five-goal second period in Washington’s 5-3 victory.
Pageau, who scored Ottawa’s third shorthanded goal of the season (9 GP) after the team tallied just four in 82 games in 2018-19, is tied for the second-most shorthanded markers since 2014-15 – the season in which he notched his first career shorthanded goal.
PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION – 50-GOAL SCORERS OVECHKIN, DRAISAITL MEET IN EDMONTON
The NHL’s two 50-goal scorers from last season will face off when Alex Ovechkin (51 goals in 2018-19) and the Capitals visit Leon Draisaitl (50 goals in 2018-19) and the Oilers at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
The 2018-19 campaign marked the first season in seven years to see multiple 50-goal scorers (Steven Stamkos: 60 and Evgeni Malkin: 50 in 2011-12).
Ovechkin, who enters Thursday’s contest on an eight-game point streak (6-5—11), is one of three players in NHL history with eight or more career 50-goal seasons – a list that includes Mike Bossy (9), Wayne Gretzky (9) and Ovechkin (8).
Draisaitl, who ranks fourth in the League with 6-10—16 in 10 GP this season, joined Wayne Gretzky (8x), Jari Kurri (4x), Glenn Anderson (2x) and Mark Messier as just the fifth player in Oilers franchise history to score 50 goals for the team in a single season.
This will mark the ninth time Ovechkin and Draisaitl have gone head-to-head in the regular season – with the veteran holding a slight edge in production.
PERRY SET TO FACE DUCKS FOR FIRST TIME
Stars forward Corey Perry will face his former team for the first time when Dallas hosts Anaheim at American Airlines Center.
Perry, who spent his first 14 seasons with Anaheim and helped the team win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship in 2007, ranks among the top three in Ducks history in goals (372; 2nd), assists (404; 3rd) and points (776; 3rd).
In 2010-11, Perry became the third different Ducks skater to register a 50-goal season, joining Paul Kariya (50 in 1995-96) and Teemu Selanne (51 in 1996-97 and 52 in 1997-98). In that 2010-11 campaign, he became the only Ducks player to be awarded the Hart Trophy and the second to capture the Rocket Richard Trophy (also Selanne in 1998-99).