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Jonathan Huberdeau
31
Dec

NHL Recap Dec. 31, 2021

HUBERDEAU POSTS FIVE POINTS AS PANTHERS NET NINE GOALS
Jonathan Huberdeau (1-4—5) factored on five of Florida’s nine goals to record his fourth career five-point game as the Panthers (20-7-4, 44 points) defeated the League-leading Lightning and leapfrogged the Toronto Maple Leafs (20-8-2, 42 points) for second place in the Atlantic Division. Since Huberdeau entered the NHL in 2012-13, only two players have recorded more games with five-plus points: Connor McDavid (7x) and Brad Marchand (5x).

  • Thursday’s nine-goal performance marked the franchise’s second-highest total in a game, behind a 10-goal contest on Nov. 26, 1997 (10-5 W vs. BOS). Florida also became the first team to score nine goals in a game this season.

Thursday’s game at FLA Live Arena featured appearances by Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight and Lightning netminder Hugo Alnefelt, who made his NHL debut in relief of Maxime Lagace. It marked the first contest in League history where multiple goaltenders born in the 2000s made an appearance.

BARZAL, AHO EXTENDING STREAKS
Several more notes from the seven-game slate are featured Thursday include:

  • Johnny Gaudreau (2-1—3) scored twice and assisted on the game winner with 2:26 remaining in regulation, which was the final goal during a sequence that saw the Flames and Kraken combine for three third-period tallies over a span of 41 seconds.
  • Brent Burns scored to climb the NHL’s all-time goals and points lists among defensemen as the Sharks edged the Flyers in overtime, while Jonathan Quick collected his 48th career shootout victory as Los Angeles snapped Vancouver’s seven-game winning streak.
  • Mathew Barzal (1-2—3) factored on three Islanders goals and has at least one point in each of his last seven games played dating to Dec. 2 (2-10—12). New York improved to 3-0-1 in its last four contests at UBS Arena after going winless in the franchise’s first seven games at the venue (0-5-2).
  • Sebastian Aho accumulated two assists in his first game since Dec. 11 as Carolina (22-7-1, 45 points) blanked the Montreal Canadiens to reclaim first place in the Metropolitan Division. Aho has multiple points in each of his last six games played dating to Dec. 2 (5-9—14).

EIGHT NHL TEAMS IN ACTION ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
An octet of clubs are set to ring in the new year during Friday’s slate, which begins at 1 p.m. ET when League scoring leaders Leon Draisaitl (24-26—50 in 30 GP) and Connor McDavid (17-33—50 in 30 GP) visit Prudential Center.

NHL Postpones Dallas-Arizona Game On Jan. 2

The National Hockey League has announced that due to COVID-related issues affecting the Dallas Stars, the Dallas at Arizona game on Sunday, Jan. 2 has been postponed. A make-up date for the game has yet to be established.

RED WINGS REASSIGN BARBER TO GRAND RAPIDS
The Detroit Red Wings today reassigned left wing Riley Barber to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins from the team’s taxi squad. The veteran winger made his Red Wings debut on Dec. 18.

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