NHL Recap October 12 2019
BIG THIRD PERIOD LIFTS LEAFS OVER THE WINGS
Nick Shore put the Maple Leafs on the board at 9:57 of the first period and later had the secondary assist on Muzzin’s third period goal. Shore’s goal was his first goal and point as a Maple Leaf. Last night’s game was his sixth career multi-point game.
Ilya Mikheyev scored the second Toronto goal of the night at 19:30 of the second period and later had the lone assist on Kerfoot’s third period goal. Mikheyev has two goals and three assists through the first six games of his NHL career. Last night’s game is his second multi-point performance of the season.
Alex Kerfoot scored the third Maple Leafs goal of the game at 9:11 of the third period. Kerfoot has four points (2-2-4) over his last four games.
Jake Muzzin scored the fourth Toronto goal of the game at 13:34 of the third period. Muzzin’s goal is his first goal and third point of the season. He had five goals in 30 games with the Maple Leafs in 2018-19.
Trevor Moore scored the fifth Maple Leafs goal of the night into an empty net at 17:47 of the third period. Moore has three goals through the first six games of the season.
Dmytro Timashov registered the lone assist on Shore’s first period goal and later had the primary assist on Muzzin’s third period goal. Timashov has three assists in three games played this season. Last night’s game was his first career multi-point and multi-assist game.
Kasperi Kapanen had the lone assist on Mikheyev’s second period goal. Kapanen has assists (2) in two consecutive games.
John Tavares had the lone assist on Moore’s empty net goal in the third period. Tavares has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games.
Frederik Andersen stopped 25 shots to earn the victory. He is 8-0-1 in his career vs. Detroit.
KINGS ERUPT FOR SEVEN GOALS, INCLUDING THREE IN 30 SECONDS
The Predators scored three straight goals in the third period to erase a 4-1 deficit, but Alex Iafallo, Dustin Brown (1-2—3) and Drew Doughty each scored within a 30-second span during the final minute of regulation to lift Los Angeles to victory in its home opener.
The Kings established a franchise record for the fastest three goals in a regular-season game, marking the fastest such instance by any team since Jan. 26, 1993 when the Penguins scored three goals in a 29-second span.
Los Angeles scored at least seven goals in a home opener for the fifth time in franchise history and first since 1997-98 (7-4 W vs. OTT). Saturday’s Kings goal total was one shy of the most in a home opener for Los Angeles (Oct. 11, 1980: 8-1 W vs. DET and Oct. 6, 1988: 8-2 W vs. DET).
The Kings, who lost 8-2 to the Canucks in their last outing, scored at least seven goals in a game following a contest in which they allowed that amount for the first time in 24 years (April 1 and 3, 1995).
DRAISAITL, McDAVID LEAD OILERS RALLY FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT GAME
Leon Draisaitl (2-1—3) and Connor McDavid (1-1—2) each played significant roles in the third period as the Oilers improved to 5-0-0 and matched the second-longest season-opening win streak in franchise history (5-0-0 in 1985-86; 7-0-0 in 1983-84).
Trailing 1-0 through 20 minutes, the Oilers earned their fifth comeback win in as many contests to open 2019-20 – a first in NHL history.
McDavid (4-8—12) and Draisaitl (4-7—11) have found the score sheet in each of Edmonton’s first five games of 2019-20 and sit first and second in League scoring, respectively. McDavid is the second player in franchise history to record at least 12 points within the team’s first five games of a season – Wayne Gretzky also did so in 1987-88 (3-9—12).
YOUTHFUL BLUELINERS SHINE AS AVALANCHE CONTINUE STREAK
Twenty-year-old defenseman Cale Makar assisted on both Avalanche goals in regulation, while 21-year-old blueliner Samuel Girard helped set up the overtime winner as Colorado improved to 4-0-0 to begin 2019-20.
This marks the fourth time in franchise history that the Avalanche/Nordiques have won each of their first four home games of a season (also 4-0-0 in 1985-86; 6-0-0 in 2007-08; 6-0-0 in 2009-10). This is the first time they have started a season 4-0-0 by winning each game at home.
After scoring the game-winning goal in his first-ever NHL appearance (Game 3 of the 2019 First Round vs. CGY), Makar has found the score sheet in each of his first four regular-season appearances (0-5—5). He is one of 11 rookie defensemen in NHL history to collect a point in each of his first four regular-season contests.
While Makar and Girard led offensively, 29-year-old netminder Pavel Francouz turned aside 34 shots to earn his first NHL win. He joined Sergei Mylnikov (31 years, 162 days on March 17, 1990) as the second goaltender in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history to record his first win at age 29 or older.
CROSBY LEADS, PENGUINS MARCH TO SEVEN-GOAL OUTING
Sidney Crosby (1-1—2) sparked the Penguins to a 2-0 lead to extend his season-opening point streak to five games and propel Pittsburgh to its second seven-goal output of the season.
The Penguins captain boosted his career totals to 449-775—1,224 in 948 games to pass Rick Middleton (448 G in 1,005 GP) on the NHL’s all-time goals list and move within one of tying Peter Stastny (450 G in 977 GP) and Doug Gilmour (450 G in 1,474 GP) for 59th place.
Crosby has factored on the game’s opening goal in each of Pittsburgh’s last three contests. Over the course of his 15-season career, the 32-year-old has helped give the Penguins a 1-0 lead 222 times, trailing only Joe Thornton (259) for the most points on game-opening goals among active players.
The Penguins spoiled the Wild’s 2019-20 home opener by handing the club just its second regulation loss ever in a home opener (13-2-4 in 19 GP). Minnesota entered the season with the highest point percentage in home openers in League history.
COMEBACKS ABOUND ACROSS BUSIEST DAY SO FAR IN 2019-20
Half of Saturday’s games saw the winning team overcome a deficit of at least one goal, with a total of 19 score-tying goals scored (at least one in 11 of 14 GP). A few highlights:
Trailing 2-0 through 20 minutes, the Jets scored in each of the second and third periods before Mark Scheifele scored his eighth career overtime goal (one shy of the franchise record). Winnipeg has trailed by at least one goal in each of its four wins in 2019-20.
Brendan Gallagher (1-2—3) scored one of four unanswered goals by the Canadiens as they handed the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues their first regulation loss of the season. Jonathan Drouin (1-1—2) extended his season-opening point streak to five games (2-4—6).
Anders Lee (1-0—1), Josh Bailey (1-0—1) and Brock Nelson (GDG) – who each have played their entire NHL career with the Islanders – factored on the score sheet to help newcomer Semyon Varlamaov (35 saves) secure his first win with the club.
Carolina’s Erik Haula scored one of two tying goals in the game – his fifth tally in six games with the club – but Pierre-Luc Dubois netted the winning goal for Columbus just 75 seconds into the third period. Dubois (49 G in 169 GP) needs one goal in his next four games to become the second-fastest to 50 career NHL goals in Blue Jackets history (Rick Nash: 133 GP; Boone Jenner: 174 GP).
Twelve different players registered a point as the Golden Knights improved to 5-0-0 against the Flames at T-Mobile Arena. Calgary is one of three teams (min. 3 GP) that Vegas has yet to suffer a home loss of any kind against (VGK is 3-0-0 vs. both COL and CHI).