Posted on by Guest Writer
blank
The Red Wings, are in the hunt for a playoff position in the Eastern Conference and collected a win after scoring a go-ahead goal in the final 67 seconds against the Anaheim Ducks.
08
Jan

NHL Recap January 7, 2024 – RED WINGS, CAPITALS SCORE LATE GAME WINNERS

The Red Wings (20-16-4, 44 points) and Capitals (19-13-6, 44 points) both scored late game-winning goals to help propel their clubs within reach of the final Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference – a spot currently held by the Devils (21-15-2, 44 points), who share the same number of points as Detroit and Washington but have more regulation wins.

  • Michael Rasmussen scored the game winner with 1:07 remaining in regulation to help the Detroit Red Wings sweep its California road trip, earning its third straight win. Rasmussen’s winner marked the Red Wings’ sixth-latest go-ahead goal on the road in the past 20 years, trailing Henrik Zetterberg (59:51 on Apr. 15, 2006), Darren Helm (59:42 on Jan. 7, 2010), Valtteri Filppula (59:35 on Oct. 30, 2007), Pavel Datsyuk (59:26 on Jan. 6, 2015) and Brad Richards (59:00 on Feb 27, 2016).
  • Two days after collecting his 500th career assist, John Carlson (1-1—2) had another notable performance, this time scoring with just 53 seconds remaining in regulation to help the Capitals hand the Kings just their third regulation loss on the road this season.

HELLEBUYCK, JETS EXTEND POINT STREAKS
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 15 of 17 shots to extend his own point streak to 12 games (10-0-2) and help the Jets push their franchise-record point streak to 12 contests. With its sixth straight victory, Winnipeg (26-9-4, 56 points) moved within one game of the longest win streak in franchise history while also moving two points clear of the Rangers (26-10-2, 54 points) and Bruins (24-8-6, 54 points) for top spot in the NHL standings.

  • The Jets, who own the League’s best defense this season at 2.38 goals against per game, allowed three goals or fewer for the 29th straight contest. Only five teams in NHL history have posted a run of that length, with the 2014-15 Wild (35 GP) standing as the only other club to have done so in the past 70 years.

BLACKWELL HELPS BLACKHAWKS BEAT FLAMES
Colin Blackwell (2-1—3) factored in on three of Chicago’s four goals to help the Blackhawks defeat the Flames. Blackwell matched his single-game career highs for goals and points.

MONDAY FEATURES CANUCKS-RANGERS ON SPORTSNET, TVA SPORTS DOUBLEHEADER

Monday’s four-game schedule is highlighted by Quinn Hughes and the Canucks clashing with Artemi Panarin and the Rangers on Sportsnet. The slate also features a TVA Sports doubleheader pitting Sidney Crosby and the Penguins against Travis Konecny and the Flyers followed by David Pastrnak and the Bruins battling Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche.

  • Hughes (10-39—49 in 39 GP) can become the fastest defenseman in franchise history to reach 50 points in a campaign, besting the mark he set in 2022-23 (49 GP). Panarin (8-4—12 in 7 GP) carries a seven-game point streak into Monday and ranks third in the Art Ross Trophy race with 25-30—55 in 38 contests this season.
  • Crosby (54-71—125 in 85 GP) has collected the most goals and points against Philadelphia in League history, while his 71 assists are two back of the NHL mark for the most versus the franchise behind former Pittsburgh forwards Jaromir Jagr, Mario Lemieux and Bryan Trottier (all w/ 73). Konecny (5-5—10 in 7 GP) has found the score sheet in each of his last seven contests for the Flyers, who occupy third place in the Metropolitan Division.
  • Pastrnak (325-347—672 in 630 GP) needs two points to tie Ken Hodge (289-385—674 in 652 GP) for 10th place on the franchise’s all-time list and one goal to match Bobby Holik (326) for fourth place in League history among Czech-born players. MacKinnon (22-43—65 in 40 GP) ranks second in NHL scoring this season and can close the gap on Lightning forward and League-leader Nikita Kucherov (28-39—67 in 40 GP), who is idle until Tuesday.
  • The other game Monday features Jason Robertson and the Stars squaring off with Marc-Andre Fleury and the Wild. Fleury, who hustled back to the crease just seconds before Minnesota tied the contest and then robbed Columbus of an overtime winner Saturday, can pass Patrick Roy (551) for sole possession of second place on the NHL’s all-time wins list should he get the nod for the Wild.

WEEK AHEAD FEATURES THIS SEASON’S FIRST SATURDAY MATINEE ON ABC

This week’s 22 national telecasts are highlighted by Alex Ovechkin facing Artemi Panarin during the first Saturday matinee on ABC this season, Connor McDavid and the Oilers looking to extend their streaks on ESPN+, Mikko Rantanen and Jack Eichel closing out an NHL on TNT doubleheader as well as Nathan MacKinnon and fellow No. 1 pick Auston Matthews going head-to-head on Sportsnet and NHL Network.

Tuesday, Jan. 9: Oilers at Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, HULU, SN1, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS-D)

  • McDavid and the Oilers own an active seven-game win streak and can match their season high set from Nov. 24 to Dec. 12, 2023 (8-0-0). Edmonton can record multiple winning streaks of at least eight contests in a single season for the third time in franchise history, following 1983-84 (3x) and 1984-85 (2x).

Wednesday, Jan. 10: Wild at Stars (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX)

  • Joe Pavelski (1,288 GP) needs two games to overtake Mathieu Schneider (1,289 GP) for eighth place on the League’s all-time list among U.S.-born players. Pavelski’s teammate Ryan Suter (1,400 GP), who played nine seasons with the Wild from 2012-13 to 2020-21, is six back of passing Phil Housley (1,495 GP) for fourth.

Wednesday, Jan. 10: Golden Knights at Avalanche (10 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX, SN, TVAS)

  • Rantanen (240-323—563 in 530 GP) and Eichel (198-290—488 in 516 GP) rank third and fifth, respectively, for most career points among members of the 2015 NHL Draft class. Eichel needs two goals to join Rantanen as the fifth member of that group with 200.

Saturday, Jan. 13: Rangers at Capitals (1 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN+, SN)

  • Ovechkin (42-25—67 in 73 GP) enters the first Saturday matinee on ABC this season with 42 career goals against the Rangers, which rank third among all players in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) behind Mario Lemieux (61) and Mike Bossy (43).

Saturday, Jan. 13: Avalanche at Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET on SN, NHLN)

  • MacKinnon (22-43—65 in 40 GP) can become the fastest player in Avalanche team history (since 1995-96) to reach 70 points in a season, besting the mark he set in 2022-23 (46 GP). He would be the third different player in franchise history to do so in 45 games or fewer, joining Nordiques forwards Peter Stastny (5x; last: 43 GP in 1987-88) and Michel Goulet (2x; last: 45 GP in 1987-88).

MAPLE LEAFS SIGN WILLIAM NYLANDER TO EIGHT-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward William Nylander to an eight-year contract extension. The average annual value of the contract is $11.5 million.

Nylander is currently tied for fifth among NHL scoring leaders with 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) in 37 games with the Maple Leafs this season. The 27-year-old opened the 2023-24 season with 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 17 games to set a new franchise record for longest point streak to start a season. Nylander has also since recorded a 13-game point streak and has at least a point in a league-leading 33 of 37 games this season. Nylander was also recognized as an NHL Star of the Week in consecutive weeks of November (second star for the week ending on Nov. 19th and third star for the week ending on Nov. 12th). The 6’0, 202-pound forward skated in all 82 regular season games and 11 playoff games during the 2022-23 campaign, setting regular season single-season career-highs in goals (40), assists (47) and points (87).

In 558 career regular season NHL games, Nylander has recorded 484 points (198 goals, 286 assists) while adding 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 50 career Stanley Cup playoff games. On the regular season franchise all-time list, Nylander is currently ranked 15th in goals, 17th in assists and 14th in points.

Internationally, Nylander has represented Sweden on several occasions. Nylander has competed in three IIHF World Championships (2022, 2019 and 2017), helping Sweden capture a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Championship where he posted 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 10 games during the tournament. He was named to the World Championship All-Star Team on two occasions (2019, 2017) while being selected as the 2017 World Championship MVP. He also played in the 2016 and 2015 World Junior Championships, the 2014 and 2013 World U-18 Championships, the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.

Nylander was selected by Toronto in the first round (8th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.

Reinhart, Jones and Hellebuyck Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ Of The Week

Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Jones and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 7, 2024.

FIRST STAR – SAM REINHART, C, FLORIDA PANTHERS

Reinhart led the NHL in goals last week, recording 5-1—6 with a pair of game-winners in three road starts to help the Panthers (25-12-2) extend their winning streak to seven games and close within two points of the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins. Reinhart tallied goals in all three games, beginning with a third-period game-winner in a 4-1 victory at Arizona Jan. 2. Shortly after being named an NHL All-Star for the first time, he notched a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win at Vegas Jan. 4 and concluded the week with his seventh career hat trick in an 8-4 win at Colorado Jan. 6. The third of his three-goal effort was his seventh game-winner and 13th power-play tally of the season, which both lead the League. Reinhart improved his season totals to a team-leading 28-22—50 (39 GP), tied for second place in the NHL goal-scoring race and on pace to shatter his career high for goals in a season (currently 33 in 2021-22). With his father Paul Reinhart having played a pair of NHL All-Star Games, in 1985 and 1989, the pair will become the ninth father-son to both feature, following the Tkachuks, Stastnys, Parises, Hulls, Howes, Fogolins, Dineens and Apps’.

SECOND STAR – MARTIN JONES, G, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Jones posted a 3-0-0 record with a 0.66 goals-against average, .976 save percentage and one shutout, helping the Maple Leafs (20-10-7) sweep a three-game trip to California. He stopped 81 of 83 shots he faced, beginning with a 31-save shutout in a 3-0 win at Los Angeles Jan. 2. Jones recorded his 30th career shutout and second with Toronto in just seven starts for the club; only seven goaltenders in Maple Leafs history had previously recorded two shutouts in their first seven starts in the Blue and White, the most recent being Jean-Sebastien Giguere in 2009-10. Jones went on to make 27 saves in a 2-1 overtime victory at Anaheim Jan. 3 and 23 stops in a 4-1 win at San Jose Jan. 6. The 11-year NHL veteran improved his season record to 7-3-0 with a 2.08 goals-against average and .932 save percentage in 11 appearances. His 232 career wins are tied for eighth place among active goaltenders (min. 1 GP in 2023-24) with Cam Talbot and his 30 career shutouts are tied for seventh on the active list with Talbot and Darcy Kuemper.

THIRD STAR – CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, G, WINNIPEG JETS

Hellebuyck started and won three of the Jets’ four consecutive victories last week (3-0-0, 1.68 goals-against, .937 save percentage) extending his personal point streak to 12 (10-0-2) and helping Winnipeg (26-9-4) climb to first place in the NHL overall standings. Hellebuyck began the week stopping 32 shots in a 4-2 home win over Tampa Bay Jan. 2. He marked his selection to participate in the NHL All-Star Game for the fourth time making 27 saves in an 2-1 win at San Jose Jan. 4 and made 15 saves in a 6-2 win at Arizona Jan. 7. Hellebuyck upped his season record to 20-6-3 in 29 appearances, tied for second place in wins, ranking fourth in goals-against average (2.27) and sixth in save percentage (.921). The Jets have won six consecutive games, one short of tying their franchise record, and have set a franchise mark with an active 12-game point streak (10-0-2). The club has allowed three goals or fewer in 29 straight contests; only five teams in NHL history have posted a run of that length, with the 2014-15 Wild (35 GP) the only other club to have done so in the past 70 years.

blank
Guest Writer