NHL Recap November 5, 2023 – VANECEK VAULTS DEVILS TO VICTORY IN 80TH CAREER WIN

Vitek Vanecek stopped 32 of 34 shots – highlighted by a diving desperation save on Tyler Johnson in the opening frame – to vault the Devils (7-3-1, 15 points) to victory and register his 80th career win.

• Vanecek (80-35-14 in 139 GP) became the sixth active goaltender to reach 80 career wins in 139 contests or fewer. The others: Igor Shesterkin (129 GP), Matt Murray (130 GP), Ilya Samsonov (132 GP), Frederik Andersen (133 GP) and Tristan Jarry (133 GP).
• Vanecek holds a 39-13-4 career record in 60 career games with New Jersey and will likely become the fastest goaltender in franchise history to reach the 40-win mark, surpassing Hockey Hall of Fame member and Devils legend Martin Brodeur, who required 76 appearances.

DUCKS SOAR TO ANOTHER THIRD-PERIOD COMEBACK WIN TO STUN GOLDEN KNIGHTS
The Ducks found themselves in a familiar position, trailing in the third period for the fifth time in their past six games, but Mason McTavish (1-0—1) scored the third of four unanswered goals to help Anaheim (7-4-0, 14 points) snap Vegas’ season-opening 12-game point streak – and did so just 10 days after handing the Bruins their first loss following six straight victories to begin their campaign.

• The Ducks, with their NHL-best fifth third-period comeback win of 2023-24, became the third team in NHL history to snap an opponent’s point streak of 12 or more games by overcoming a multi-goal deficit in the final frame. The others: Tampa Bay (vs. COL: 12 GP in 1996-97) and Colorado (vs. ANA: 12 GP in 1996-97).
• Anaheim extended the League’s longest active win streak to six games and became just the third club in NHL history to post at least five third-period comeback victories throughout a win streak of any length, joining the 2018-19 Sabres (6 in 10 GP) and 2013-14 Penguins (5 in 15 GP).

BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLEHEADERS ON TNT HIGHLIGHT SLATE OF 25 NATIONAL GAMES

With Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Weekend approaching, the NHL on TNT panel will undoubtedly be celebrating one of its own during back-to-back doubleheaders Tuesday and Wednesday, the latter telecast marking Navy Federal Credit Union Veterans Appreciation Night.

Tuesday, Nov. 7: Red Wings at Rangers (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX, SNP, SNO, SNE, SN1)

• An Original Six matchup will take place at Madison Square Garden, where NHL on TNT panelist and former Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist claimed 262 of his franchise-record 459 wins over 15 seasons in the New York net. “King Henrik” will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in one week, alongside fellow netminders Tom Barrasso and Mike Vernon. It will mark the first time three goaltenders who played in the NHL will be inducted as part of the same class.
• The Detroit Red Wings will look to pick up its 100th all-time road win against the Rangers, entering the contest with a 99-140-62 record in 301 head-to-head contests as the visiting club dating to Dec. 19, 1926. New York, meanwhile, will enter the contest on a seven-game point streak and forward Artemi Panarin will look to continue his pursuit of the franchise record for longest point streak from the start of a season.

Tuesday, Nov. 7: Devils at Avalanche (10 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX, SNP, SNO, SNE, SN1)

• A pair of the NHL’s leading scorers among their position will go head-to-head when Jesper Bratt (7-11—18 in 11 GP), who ranks tied for third among skaters in points, and the Devils travel to Colorado to take on Cale Makar (3-8—11 in 10 GP), who ranks third in scoring among defensemen (tied), and the Avalanche at Ball Arena. The duo and their respective offenses have benefited from extended period of time in the offensive zone at even strength entering action Sunday (COL: 43.8% & NJD: 42.4%). Only five other clubs have as high a percentage in 2023-24, according to NHL Edge: Carolina (47.8%), Edmonton (43.8%), Pittsburgh (43%), Florida (42.8%) and Calgary (42.7%).

Wednesday, Nov. 8: Panthers at Capitals (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX)

• Both 2023 Stanley Cup Final participants will be in action during the second NHL on TNT doubleheader of the week, starting with Matthew Tkachuk and the Eastern Conference champion Panthers paying a visit to the nation’s capital against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals. Tkachuk (194-306—500 in 520 GP) recorded his 500th NHL point Saturday. The 25-year-old was younger than his father was when he hit the benchmark, but his dad has the slight edge in terms of fewest games (Keith Tkachuk notched his 500th NHL point in his 519th game on March 30, 1999 – two days after his 27th birthday and when Matthew was 15 months old).
• Ovechkin, meanwhile, needs four goals to join Wayne Gretzky (1,016) as the second player in League history to score 900 times, including playoffs. “The Great Eight” has scored 37 of his 896 total goals against the soon-to-be Hall of Famer Lundqvist. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who could be in net for the showdown Wednesday, is among the top five on the list of netminders Ovechkin has beat most.

Wednesday, Nov. 8: Kings at Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX, SN360, TVAS)

• The only team to win a series against Florida in 2023 will host the nightcap as Jack Eichel and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights welcome Anze Kopitar and the Kings. Both Eichel (6-20—26 in 2023) and Kopitar (5-21—26 in 2014) led the NHL in playoff scoring en route to a Stanley Cup win.
• The Kings are on an active six-game road winning streak, the longest from the start of a season in franchise history and two shy of the club record at any point in a season. Only seven teams in NHL history have won each of their first seven-plus road games of a season. This is the second time the Kings have had a road point streak of six-plus games from the start of a season (also 11 GP in 1974-75).

WEEK 5 OF 2023-24 BEGINS WITH DOUBLEHEADER ON SPORTSNET, TVA SPORTS

A showdown between the Lightning (5-3-3, 13 points) and Maple Leafs (5-4-2, 12 points) as well as the Oilers (2-7-1, 5 points) and Canucks (8-2-1, 17 points) highlight a doubleheader on Sportsnet and TVA Sports during the Monday schedule. Vancouver (48 GF in 11 GP) can join Vegas (50 GF through first 12 GP) as the second team to score at least 50 goals through their first dozen games of the season (including shootout-deciding goals) – a feat last accomplished by multiple teams in 2005-06 (OTT: 58, PHI: 56, COL: 53, CAR: 52 & DET: 51).

Hughes, Talbot and McTavish Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot and Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Nov. 5, 2023.

FIRST STAR – QUINN HUGHES, D, VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Hughes led the NHL with seven assists and eight points in three games (1-7—8) to propel the Canucks (8-2-1, 17 points) to a perfect week as they extended their point streak to seven contests dating to Oct. 21 (6-0-1). Hughes registered his 14th career three-assist performance – and second of the season (also Oct. 11 vs. EDM: 0-3—3) – in a 5-2 victory against the Nashville Predators Oct. 31. He then collected 1-4—5 in a 10-1 triumph over the San Jose Sharks Nov. 2 to help Vancouver post its eighth double-digit goal total in franchise history and first since March 1, 1992 vs. CGY (11-0 W). In doing so, Hughes joined Jeff Brown (0-5—5 on Feb. 20, 1995 vs. LAK) as the second defenseman in Canucks history to record a five-point game and became the first blueliner from any team with such a performance since Jan. 7, 2023 (Rasmus Dahlin: 2-3—5 w/ BUF). He finished the week with 25:23 of ice time and a +1 rating in a 2-0 win versus the Dallas Stars Nov. 4. The 24-year-old Hughes, the seventh overall pick from the 2018 NHL Draft, paces defensemen with 4-12—16 and leads the entire League (forwards and blueliners) with a +14 rating through 11 total appearances this season. Only 10 defensemen in NHL history have accumulated more points than Hughes (30-227—257) through their first 294 career games, a list topped by Bobby Orr (96-233—329).

SECOND STAR – CAM TALBOT, G, LOS ANGELES KINGS

Talbot turned aside 77 of the 80 shots he faced, compiling a 3-0-0 record, 1.00 goals-against average, .963 save percentage and one shutout to backstop the Kings (7-2-2, 16 points) to a perfect week as they stretched their point streak to six games dating to Oct. 24 (5-0-1). He made 29 saves, including 24 across the second and third periods, in a 4-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs Oct. 31. Talbot then defeated two of his former teams, denying 24 of 26 shots in a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators Nov. 2 and earning his 29th career shutout – and first with Los Angeles – with another 24 saves in a 5-0 triumph versus the Philadelphia Flyers Nov. 4. The 36-year-old Talbot, who signed with the Kings in July, shares the League lead with six wins and ranks fourth overall with 229 saves through nine total appearances this season (6-2-1, 2.14 GAA, .923 SV%, 1 SO). That record includes an active five-game point streak dating to Oct. 27 (4-0-1, 1.42 GAA, .945 SV%, 1 SO).

THIRD STAR – MASON McTAVISH, C, ANAHEIM DUCKS

McTavish registered 3-2—5 in three outings – including points on all three of Anaheim’s decisive goals – to help the Ducks (7-4-0, 14 points) rally from third-period deficits in each contest to extend their winning streak to six games dating to Oct. 24. He posted 2-1—3, highlighted by the game-winning, shorthanded goal with 12.8 seconds remaining in regulation, in a 4-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins Oct. 30. McTavish then collected the lone assist on Troy Terry’s overtime winner in a 4-3 triumph versus the Arizona Coyotes Nov. 1. He capped the week with the decisive goal – in his 100th NHL game – as Anaheim overcame a 2-0 third-period deficit for a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights Nov. 5, handing the reigning Stanley Cup champions their first regulation loss of the season. The 20-year-old McTavish, who paces the Ducks with 6-7—13 through 11 total contests in 2023-24, shares the League lead with three game-winning goals this season.