NHL Recap November 1, 2023 – FIALA EXTENDS STREAK, KINGS COLLECT POINT IN FOURTH STRAIGHT GAME

Kevin Fiala (0-1—1) extended his point streak to eight games and Quinton Byfield (0-2—2) was the lone Kings player to record multiple points in his first appearance against his hometown team as Los Angeles began a four-game road trip with a win in Toronto.

• Fiala has both an eight-game point and assist streak (1-11—12), with the latter standing as the longest active run by any player this season. Fiala also became the fourth Kings player in the past 30 years to record an assist streak of eight-plus games, joining Lubomir Visnovsky (9 GP in 2005-06), Craig Conroy (8 GP in 2005-06) and Wayne Gretzky (2x: 8 GP in 1995-96).
• Byfield, a Newmarket, Ont., native, played in Toronto in front of friends and family for the first time since making his League debut. The forward grew up a Maple Leafs fan and idolized William Nylander – who set a franchise record for longest season-opening point streak Tuesday – for his speed and puck handling abilities.

THREE-POINT NIGHTS FROM PETTERSSON AND HUGHES CARRY CANUCKS TO VICTORY
Elias Pettersson (3-0—3) scored his second career hat trick and Quinn Hughes (0-3—3) surpassed the 250-point milestone to help Vancouver extend its season-opening home point streak to four games (3-0-1), its longest run to start a season since 2019-20 (6 GP; 4-0-2).

• Pettersson (9 GP) improved his 2023-24 totals to 5-11—16 and moved into second place in points this season behind only Jack Hughes (5-13—18). In fact, only three other players in Canucks history recorded 16 or more points before his 10th game of a campaign: Tony Tanti (19 in 1983-84), Patrik Sundstrom (17 in 1983-84) and Paul Reinhart (16 in 1989-90). With Pettersson’s hat trick, Vancouver became the first team in 2023-24 to have multiple players with a three-goal outing (also Brock Boeser on Oct 11).
• Hughes (292 GP) became the fastest defenseman in Canucks history to reach 250 career points, besting Jyrki Lumme (430 GP), and equaled the 12th-fewest games needed among blueliners in NHL history. The Canucks captain improved his season totals to 3-8—11 (9 GP) to tie Adam Fox (3-8—11 in 9 GP) for the most points among all defensemen, while his brother, Jack, currently sits atop the NHL for overall points.

Bruins’ McAvoy Suspended Four Games for Illegal Check to the Head

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for four games, without pay, for an illegal check to the head of Florida Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson during NHL Game No. 130 in Boston on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. The incident occurred at 9:24 of the third period. McAvoy was assessed a match penalty. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, McAvoy will forfeit $197,916.68. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

NOVEMBER OPENS WITH DOUBLEHEADER ON TNT
A pair of matchups on NHL on TNT headline the Wednesday schedule when Tage Thompson and the Sabres travel to Philadelphia to meet Travis Sanheim and the Flyers, while Brayden Schenn and the Blues close out a four-game road trip against Mikko Rantanen and the Avalanche.

• Entering play Tuesday, two of the five players who recorded a 100 mile-per-hour shot in an NHL game this season will be in action when the Sabres visit the Flyers. Sanheim has reached triple digits twice already, including a League-high 101.49 mile-per-hour reading, while Thompson topped out at 100.76 miles per hour. The players have both recorded a shot of 90-plus miles per hour at least 10 times.
• Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche return to Ball Arena, where MacKinnon looks to score in each of his first three home games of a season for the second time in his career (3 GP in 2018-19). Entering Tuesday’s action, MacKinnon has recorded a burst of at least 20 miles per hour an NHL-best 82 times this season and 17 more than the next-closest player (Martin Necas: 65).

NHL, NHLPA Commemorate 25 Years Of Hockey Fights Cancer Initiative, Powered By The V Foundation For Cancer Research

Hockey Fights Cancer, a joint initiative of the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association powered by the V Foundation for Cancer Research, begins today. Through its first 25 years, this annual campaign has raised over $32 million and touched the lives of millions, offering support, raising awareness, and standing with those affected by cancer.

Ducks’ Dostal Named NHL ‘Rookie of the Month’ for October

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, who led rookie netminders with four wins in five appearances (4-1-0, 2.79 GAA, .921 SV%) and accounted for all but one of the team’s five total victories (5-4-0, 10 points), has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for October.

Dostal edged Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (3-2-0, 1.89 GAA, .942 SV%), Ottawa Senators center Ridly Greig (2-5—7 in 8 GP), Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (4‑2—6 in 9 GP) and Philadelphia Flyers right wing Bobby Brink (2-4—6 in 8 GP) for the honor.

Dostal, who also topped rookie goaltenders in saves (151) and shots against (164), made at least 25 stops in all five of his appearances, including a trio of 30-save outings: Oct. 15 vs. CAR (32 SV), Oct. 24 at CBJ (35 SV) and Oct. 30 at PIT (33 SV). The latter performance featured Dostal denying 33 of 35 shots in 40:00 of relief as Anaheim rallied from a third-period deficit to win its final game of the month.

The 23-year-old Dostal, who was selected by the Ducks in the third round (85th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, has played in 28 career NHL contests, compiling a 9-13-3 record, 3.50 goals-against average and .905 save percentage. He is the first Anaheim player to earn “Rookie of the Month” honors since Trevor Zegras in December 2021 and the first Ducks goaltender to claim the award since John Gibson in December 2015.

Hughes, Pettersson and Pastrnak Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ for October

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes, Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of October 2023.

FIRST STAR – JACK HUGHES, C, NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Hughes led the NHL with 13 assists and 18 points in eight contests (5-13—18) to power New Jersey to a 5-2-1 October (11 points). He recorded the most points by a Devils player through his first eight appearances of a season – besting the previous high of 15 by Paul Gardner in 1977-78 (9-6—15 w/ CLR) – and became the first player on any team to collect at least 18 points within his first eight games of a campaign since Thomas Vanek in 2012-13 (8-11—19 w/ BUF). Hughes, who also paced the League in power-play assists (t-7) and power-play points (t-10), found the scoresheet in all but his final appearance of the month, producing five multi-point performances. That included consecutive four-point outings Oct. 20 at NYI (2-2—4) and Oct. 24 at MTL (0-4—4) as well as a pair of three-point efforts (Oct. 13 vs. ARI: 0-3—3 and Oct. 25 vs. WSH: 0-3—3). The 22-year-old Hughes, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, has registered 92-133—225 in 252 career NHL appearances, highlighted by a franchise-record 99 points last season (43-56—99 in 78 GP).

SECOND STAR – ELIAS PETTERSSON, C, VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Pettersson ranked second in the NHL with 5-11—16 across nine contests to propel Vancouver to a 6-2-1 October (13 points), its best nine-game start to a season since 2005-06 (7-1-1, 15 points). Only three other players in Canucks history have produced as many points through their first nine appearances of a campaign: Tony Tanti in 1983-84 (11-8—19), Patrik Sundstrom in 1983-84 (6-11—17) and Paul Reinhart in 1989-90 (5-11—16). Pettersson, who also placed among the October leaders in assists (t‑2nd; 11), power-play points (6th; 5), power-play assists (t-6th; 5) and shooting percentage (t-17th; 25.0%, minimum: 10 SOG), collected points in seven of his nine outings. That included six multi-point performances, highlighted by four points in his season debut (Oct. 11 vs. EDM: 1-3—4) and his second career hat trick in his final game of the month (Oct. 31 vs. NSH: 3-0—3). The 24-year-old Pettersson, the fifth overall pick from the 2017 NHL Draft, leads Vancouver with 141-198—339 in 334 career appearances (1.01 P/GP) since entering the League in 2018-19.

THIRD STAR – DAVID PASTRNAK, RW, BOSTON BRUINS

Pastrnak (8-6—14 in 9 GP) finished among the League leaders in plus/minus (t-2nd; +9), shots on goal (3rd; 42), goals (t-3rd; 8) and points (5th; 14) to guide Boston to an 8-0-1 October (17 points), its longest point streak to start a season in franchise history. Pastrnak collected points in seven of his nine outings, beginning the campaign on a four-game goal/point streak (Oct. 11-21: 5-3—8), registering five multi-point efforts and scoring in six total contests. He also converted on a pair of penalty shots: Oct. 14 vs. NSH (Juuse Saros) and Oct. 28 vs. DET (Ville Husso). The 27-year-old Pastrnak, who in 2022-23 became the second player in Bruins history to post a 60-goal season (61-52—113 in 82 GP), ranks third in the NHL with 309 career goals since entering the League in 2014-15 (309-322—631 in 601 GP) – a total topped only by Alex Ovechkin (402 G in 676 GP) and Leon Draisaitl (310 G in 646 GP) during that span.

OTTAWA Senators Forfeit First-Round Draft Pick

The National Hockey League has announced that the Ottawa Senators will forfeit a first-round draft pick for their role in the July 2021 trade of Player Evgenii Dadonov from the Senators to the Vegas Golden Knights and the subsequent, invalidated March 2022 Dadonov trade between the Golden Knights and the Anaheim Ducks.

Ottawa will forfeit its first-round draft pick in one of the 2024, 2025 or 2026 Drafts. The determination as to which pick will be forfeited will be made by Ottawa within 24 hours of the conclusion of the Draft Lottery for that year.