NHL Recap October 22, 2023 – red wings DEBRINCAT NETS HAT TRICK

Farmington Hills, Mich., native Alex DeBrincat (3-1—4) played hometown hero Sunday, thrilling fans with a four-point performance that included his first hat trick in a Detroit Red Wings jersey as Detroit recorded another six-goal game at Little Caesars Arena and extended its win streak to five contests.

• DeBrincat, who dreamed of playing for Detroit when he was young, became the fifth Michigan-born player to record a hat trick with the Red Wings, joining Jimmy Carson (4x), Dylan Larkin (2x), Justin Abdelkader (2x) and Kevin Miller (1x).
• DeBrincat, who now leads the NHL in goals and points this season (8-4—12), became the second player in League history to record three or more points in each of his first three home games with a franchise, joining Harry Meeking (3 GP in 1917-18 w/ TAN).
• The Red Wings became the seventh team in NHL history to score six-plus goals in each of their first three home games of a season, joining the 1988-89 Kings (4 GP), 1984-85 Islanders (4 GP), 2022-23 Penguins (3 GP), 1991-92 Flames (3 GP), 1996-97 Avalanche (3 GP) and 1985-86 Whalers (3 GP).

ROOKIE POITRAS SCORES FIRST TWO NHL GOALS IN COMEBACK WIN
After the Ducks scored the first goal of the game, rookie Matthew Poitras responded with his first and second career tally in the third period to help the Bruins improve to 5-0-0 – their second-longest season-opening win streak in franchise history (6-0-0 in 1937-38) and the longest such run by a reigning Presidents’ Trophy winning team, eclipsing a benchmark they set in 1990-91 (4-0-0).

• Poitras (19 years, 226 days) became the third Bruins rookie to score a game-tying and –winning goal in a third period, joining Craig Janney (March 12, 1988) and Bill Cupolo (Dec. 3, 1944).

SEVERAL YOUNG STARS SET TO SKATE TONIGHT
A number of rising stars are set to hit the ice at KeyBank Center on Monday, including Cole Caufield and Rasmus Dahlin who will both look to extend their respective point streaks to five games when the Canadiens and Sabres go head-to-head.

• Caufield, who leads Montreal with 3-2—5 through four games this season, needs one point to hit 90 in his career (56-33—89 in 127 GP). Should he do so tonight, Caufield will have required the second-fewest games to reach the mark among players to debut with the Canadiens in the past 25 years, behind only Michael Ryder (118 GP).
• Dahlin, who is one of three No.1 picks from the last six NHL Drafts that are in action tonight (also Juraj Slafkovsky: No.1 in 2022 & Owen Power: No. 1 in 2021), leads the Sabres with five points through five games this season (0-5—5). Should Dahlin score his first goal of the campaign Monday, it would mark the 47th of his career – he would surpass Rasmus Ristolainen (46) and tie Richard Smehlik for seventh place on the Sabres’ all-time goals list by defensemen.

FROZEN FRENZY, HERITAGE CLASSIC HIGHLIGHT UPCOMING NATIONAL BROADCASTS
A pair of special events will headline the national broadcast schedule for the week of Oct. 23, starting with NHL Frozen Frenzy on Tuesday – a 16-game slate with 16 different start times and a special “whip-around” show on ESPN+ and ESPN2 – as well as the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic on Sunday which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first outdoor game in NHL history.

Tuesday, Oct. 24: Frozen Frenzy
All 32 teams will be in action on a unique 16-game night with each contest dropping the puck at a different time. There will be a tripleheader of games on ESPN, starting with the Maple Leafs at Capitals (6 p.m. ET), followed by the Bruins at Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET) and Flyers at Golden Knights (11 p.m. ET). In addition, fans can watch a “whip-around” show hosted by John Buccigross bringing all the best action from the 16 games to a special broadcast on ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET) and ESPN2 (8 p.m. ET). Click here for more info.

Sunday, Oct. 29: 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic

The NHL will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first regular-season outdoor game in League history when the Oilers host the Flames in the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at the home of the CFL’s Edmonton Elks, Commonwealth Stadium. The game takes place 20 years after the Oilers hosted the first Heritage Classic and the first-ever NHL regular-season outdoor game – also at Commonwealth Stadium – against the Canadiens on Nov. 22, 2003. It will mark the first time the historic “Battle of Alberta” will take place in an outdoor setting.

DeBrincat, Georgiev and Reinhart Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev and Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Oct. 22, 2023.

FIRST STAR – ALEX DeBRINCAT, RW, DETROIT RED WINGS

DeBrincat, acquired in an offseason trade with the Ottawa Senators, shared the League lead in goals (5) and ranked second in points (8) across four games to power the Red Wings (5-1-0, 10 points) to a perfect week and their fifth consecutive victory dating to Oct. 14. He collected an assist in a 4-0 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets Oct. 16. DeBrincat then registered 2-1—3, including a helper on the decisive goal, in a 6-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins Oct. 18. He was held off the scoresheet in his return to Ottawa (a 5-2 victory Oct. 21), but rebounded with 3-1—4 – his fifth career hat trick and sixth career four-point performance – in a 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames Oct. 22. The 25-year-old Farmington Hills native became the fifth Michigan-born player to record a hat trick with Detroit, joining current teammate Dylan Larkin (2x) as well as Jimmy Carson (4x), Justin Abdelkader (2x) and Kevin Miller (1x). DeBrincat, who leads the NHL in goals and points through six total contests this season (8‑4—12) and has 7-3—10 in three appearances at Little Caesars Arena, became the third player in League history with multiple goals in each of his first three home games with a franchise (following Newsy Lalonde and Joe Malone in 1917-18, the NHL’s first season, w/ MTL) and just the second to record three or more points in each of his first three home outings with a team (after Harry Meeking in 1917-18 w/ TAN).

SECOND STAR – ALEXANDAR GEORGIEV, G, COLORADO AVALANCHE

Georgiev went 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average, .940 save percentage and one shutout to help the Avalanche (5-0-0, 10 points) continue their unblemished start to 2023-24 as they moved within two victories of matching the longest season-opening winning streak in franchise history, established in 1985-86 (7-0-0 as QUE). Georgiev stopped 37 of 38 shots, including all 22 he faced after the first period, in a 4-1 victory against the Seattle Kraken Oct. 17. He then made 18 saves for his 14th career shutout, and sixth with Colorado, in a 4-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks Oct. 19. Georgiev closed the week with 23 stops in a 6-4 triumph against the Carolina Hurricanes Oct. 21, his League-best fifth win in as many starts this season (5-0-0, 1.58 GAA, .943 SV%, 1 SO). The 27-year-old Georgiev, who owned 58 victories in 129 career appearances prior to being acquired by the Avalanche in July 2022 (58-48-11, 2.94 GAA, .908 SV%, 8 SO), paces the NHL with 45 wins in 67 contests since the start of 2022-23 (45‑16-6, 2.46 GAA, .920 SV%, 6 SO).

THIRD STAR – SAM REINHART, C, FLORIDA PANTHERS

Reinhart accounted for half of Florida’s 10 goals, scoring in all three games and totaling 5-1—6 to propel the reigning Eastern Conference champion Panthers (2-3-0, 4 points) to a pair of wins. He recorded his 31st career game-winning goal and 25th career multi-goal performance with a pair of tallies in 4-3 victory against the New Jersey Devils Oct. 16. Reinhart then notched 1-1—2, including an assist on the decisive goal, in a 3-1 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs Oct. 19. He finished the week by scoring twice to help Florida erase a two-goal, third-period deficit in what ultimately was a 5-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks Oct. 21. The 27-year-old Reinhart, who has been producing nearly a point per game since being acquired by the Panthers in July 2021 (70-87—157 in 165 GP), shares second place in the NHL in goals (6) and ranks ninth in points (8) through his first five appearances of 2023-24.