NHL Review February 2, 2021

CANADIENS BENEFIT FROM ANOTHER HIGH-SCORING OUTBURST VS. CANUCKS

Montreal raced to a 6-1 lead in the opening two periods en route to a 6-2 victory and has tallied at least five times in all four head-to-head matchups versus Vancouver this season. The Canadiens scored at least five goals in four consecutive games against one opponent within a single regular season for the first time since 1992-93, when they did so against the Hartford Whalers.

Montreal moved to 11-0-2 in its last 13 games against Vancouver dating to Nov. 16, 2015 (VAN: 2-9-2), extending the club’s longest active point streak versus one opponent. Throughout that run, Claude Julien owns an 8-0-2 record in 10 career head-to-head games against Travis Green – who was named Canucks head coach just a few months after Julien was brought back for a second stint behind the Canadiens bench.

Tyler Toffoli (1-0—1), who skated 10 regular-season games and seven playoff contests with Vancouver in 2019-20, has scored six of his team-leading seven goals against his former club this season (6-2—8 in 4 GP). Only three other Canadiens players have recorded as many goals versus the Canucks in a single regular season – each skater other than Toffoli did so while the teams competed in the NHL’s East Division for four consecutive seasons from 1970-71 to 1973-74.

BRUINS, FLAMES AND RANGERS EACH RALLY TO RECORD COMEBACK WINS

The Bruins (6-1-2, 14 points), Flames (4-3-1, 9 points) and Rangers (3-4-2, 8 points) overcame respective deficits to earn wins Monday:

With Boston trailing 3-0 in the second period, David Pastrnak (2-0—2) scored two of his team’s five unanswered goals as the Bruins improved to 5-0-1 in their past six contests and halted the Capitals’ season-opening point streak at nine games. Monday marked the sixth time in the last 25 years Boston has overcame a three-goal deficit to win in regulation.

Trailing 2-0 through 20 minutes, Christopher Tanev scored from his own blueline and Johnny Gaudreau found the back of the net in the third period – as well as the decisive marker in the shootout – as the Flames earned their second win in as many games. Gaudreau extended the League’s longest active point streak to eight games (6-4—10) and became the fifth player in franchise history to record a season-opening point streak of at least eight contests. Two players registered a run of at least that length to start 2019-20: Nathan MacKinnon (8-10—18 in 13 GP) and Leon Draisaitl (6-10—16 in 8 GP).

Skating in his 400th career game, Artemi Panarin (1-2—3) factored on all three unanswered Rangers goals as New York split its back-to-back set with Pittsburgh. Panarin boosted his career totals to 153-274—427; only five undrafted players have recorded more points through their 400th career game than the Rangers forward.

NBCSN DOUBLEHEADER HIGHLIGHTS TUESDAY’S NINE-GAME SLATE

Tuesday’s nine scheduled games include a pair of contests airing nationally in the U.S. on NBCSN, with the Islanders and Sabres set to square off as divisional opponents for the first time since 1973-74 as well as the Avalanche and Wild contesting their third of four straight head-to-head meetings.

EDMONTON, OTTAWA SET TO MEET AGAIN AFTER 8-5 OILERS WIN SUNDAY

The Oilers and Senators, who combined for 13 goals Sunday highlighted by six- and five-point showings from League leaders Leon Draisaitl (0-6—6) and Connor McDavid (1-4—5), are set to go head-to-head again at Rogers Place (10 p.m. ET on RDS, TSN5, SNOL, ESPN+).

Edmonton and Ottawa are currently averaging the most goals per game among any head-to-head series in the NHL season (13.0 G/GP), followed by Montreal and Vancouver which eclipsed 30 combined goals on Monday (9.0 G/GP) and square off again tonight at Bell Centre (7 p.m. ET on RDS, TSN2, SNP).

Only two players skating with a Canadian-based team in the last 30 years required fewer games than McDavid (8-14—22 in 11 GP) and Draisaitl (6-15—21 in 11 GP) to record 20 points against domestic opponents.

Capitals’ Vitek Vanecek, Frontline Healthcare Hero Mary ‘Dani’ Dell’Isola Named NHL ‘Rookies of the Month’ for January

Washington Capitals goaltender Vitek Vanecek and MedStar Washington Hospital Center emergency room RN Mary “Dani” Dell’Isola have been named the NHL’s “Rookies of the Month” for January.

Throughout the 2020-21 season the NHL is celebrating the remarkable efforts of the off-ice stars who make it possible for us to play our games amid a pandemic by honoring frontline healthcare heroes from the regions represented by the League’s weekly and monthly “Stars.”

Dell’Isola began her nursing career as a new graduate in February 2020, right at the onset of the pandemic. Along with caring for patients and honing her nursing skills, Dell’Isola quickly learned how to remain safe during an unprecedented healthcare crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic almost immediately changed her outlook and perspective, providing greater awareness about the importance of frontline workers overall and nurses in particular. Dell’Isola, who regularly attends Capitals games, says that she is looking forward to the day when she can return to Capital One Arena. In the meantime, she is proud that her nursing career has helped those in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

Vanecek went 5-0-2 with a 2.78 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in seven January appearances to edge New Jersey Devils defenseman Ty Smith (2-6—8 in 9 GP), Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (2-6—8 in 10 GP), Vancouver Canucks left wing Nils Hoglander (3-3—6 in 11 GP) and Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Kevin Lankinen (3-1-2, 1.97 GAA, .937 SV%) for “Rookie of the Month” honors.

Vanecek, who was selected by Washington in the second round (39th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, became the 11th goaltender in League history to begin his career with a point streak of at least seven games – and the first to accomplish the feat since Mike Condon in 2015‑16 (6-0-2 w/ MTL). The 25-year-old Havlickuv Brod, Czech Republic, native – who was thrust into duty following the absences of Ilya Samsonov and Henrik Lundqvist – is the first Capitals goaltender to be named a “Rookie of the Month” since fellow Czech Michal Neuvirth in October 2010.

NHL Announces ‘Stars,’ Frontline Healthcare Heroes for January

Dallas Stars center Joe Pavelski and clinical social worker Heather Newby (Discover NHL Central Division), Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar and Dr. Maurice O’Gorman (Honda NHL West Division), Philadelphia Flyers left wing James van Riemsdyk and the Hatheway family (MassMutual NHL East Division), and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and RN Renee Herman (Scotia NHL North Division) have been named the NHL’s “Stars of the Month” for January.

Throughout the 2020-21 season the NHL is celebrating the remarkable efforts of the off-ice stars who make it possible for us to play our games amid a pandemic by honoring frontline healthcare heroes from the regions represented by the League’s weekly and monthly “Stars.”

More on each frontline healthcare hero and NHL player can be found below:

DISCOVER NHL CENTRAL DIVISION – HEATHER NEWBY AND JOE PAVELSKI

More than 25 years ago, Newby decided that she wanted to become a social worker because of “how closely it tied to social justice and how giving people opportunity and support can make their lives better.” She currently works for the GENder Education and Care Interdisciplinary Support (GENECIS) Program at Children’s Health in Dallas, the first and largest transgender youth clinic in the Southwest that serves patients from all over Texas as well as adjoining states. For every family that comes through the clinic or calls for intake, Newby is the first point of contact. “I have been given an incredible privilege to support patients and families at a time in their lives when they may feel overwhelmed, particularly in the face of COVID-19,” Newby says. “I don’t take this privilege lightly and I’m greatly appreciative to Children’s Health for supporting their employees in doing what they do best: making lives better for children.”

Pavelski found the scoresheet in five of his six January appearances, totaling 5-5—10 to propel the Stars to a 4-1-1 month (9 points). Pavelski opened 2020-21 with consecutive multi-point performances and game-winning goals, notching 2-2—4 on Jan 22 and 1-2—3 on Jan. 24 – both against the Nashville Predators – to become the oldest player in NHL history with three or more points in each of his team’s first two games of a season (36 years, 197 days). The Plover, Wis., native then became the 17th U.S.-born player to accumulate 800 NHL points, reaching the milestone with an assist on Jan. 26 vs. DET. Pavelski, who shared the League lead with four power-play goals in January, has 131 career power-play tallies – good for fourth in the NHL since his debut in 2006-07 (behind only Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and Evgeni Malkin).

HONDA NHL WEST DIVISION – DR. MAURICE O’GORMAN AND ANZE KOPITAR

Dr. O’Gorman is the chief of laboratory medicine as well as the director of the Clinical Lab and the Diagnostic Immunology and Flow Cytometry Laboratory at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). He oversees the development and operations of the more than 2 million laboratory tests performed annually at CHLA and leads the laboratory and pathology teams, which have been at the forefront of CHLA’s COVID testing and research efforts. Dr. O’Gorman’s research interests include the discovery of biomarkers related to the immunopathogenesis of immune system-related disorders and the development of diagnostic laboratory tests for the latter. He has written more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters, lectured across the globe, and currently serves as the chair of the Duke Vaccine Institute’s Scientific Advisory Board.

Kopitar ranked fourth in the NHL with 11 assists and seventh with 12 points (1-11—12) in eight contests to lead the Kings to a 3-3-2 month (8 points). He produced five multi-point performances, highlighted by 1-2—3 (including his 54th career game-winning goal) on Jan. 24 at STL. Kopitar, who shared first place in the League with seven power-play assists, also placed second by taking 38.5 percent of Los Angeles’ total face-offs (176-of-457), ranking eighth overall with 96 wins. The 33-year-old Jesenice, Slovenia, native is 38 points shy of becoming the 91st player in NHL history to reach the 1,000-point milestone (334-628—962 in 1,081 GP) as well as the fourth to do so with the Kings, after Marcel Dionne (550-757—1,307), Luc Robitaille (557‑597—1,154) and Dave Taylor (431-638—1,069).

MASSMUTUAL NHL EAST DIVISION – THE HATHEWAY FAMILY AND JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK

The Hatheway family from Langhorne, Pa., features a pair of frontline healthcare heroes who recently were honored during a Flyers game at Wells Fargo Center. Mom Amanda works as a nurse for St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she specializes in home healthcare visits. Amanda had to take a leave from her job shortly after the pandemic began because she was diagnosed with cancer. However, she recently received a bone marrow transplant and now is recovering nicely at home. Dad Josh is an emergency medical technician (EMT) who first worked for Newtown Ambulance until recently beginning a job at St. Mary’s Medical Center in the emergency room, where he now is the clinical lead for all ER technicians. Amanda and Josh have two children: Westin (age 4) and Carson (age 2).

Van Riemsdyk shared the League lead with four power-play goals and placed sixth overall with 5-8—13 in 10 outings to power the Flyers to a 7-2-1 January (15 points), their most points through the opening 10 games of a season since 2002-03 (7-1-2, 16 points). Van Riemsdyk recorded a quartet of multi-point performances, including multi-goal games Jan. 21 at BOS (2-0—2) and Jan. 26 at NJD (2-0—2). He then capped the month with assists on all four Philadelphia goals in a Jan. 31 overtime win vs. NYI, his most helpers in a single game and tied for his most points (also Nov. 15, 2016 vs. NSH: 3-1—4). The 31-year-old Middletown, N.J., native and second overall pick from the 2007 NHL Draft sits six points shy of 500 in his career (252-242—494 in 751 GP).

SCOTIA NHL NORTH DIVISION – RENEE HERMAN AND CONNOR McDAVID

A registered nurse since 2010, Herman has been working in the Royal Alexandra Hospital ICU since 2014. Throughout the pandemic she has shown excellent leadership, remained positive, and maintained a focus on providing patient- and family-centered care, which has been challenging for staff and physicians on the unit due to COVID-19 restrictions and protocols. Along with her colleagues, Herman constantly does her best to update and support family members who cannot be bedside for their loved ones during this difficult time.

McDavid (8-14—22 in 11 GP) led the NHL in goals (t-8), points (22), power-play assists (t-7), power-play points (10), game-winning goals (t-3) and shots on goal (t-43) to guide the Oilers to a 5-6-0 January. McDavid finished the month on a seven-game point streak (5-12—17), highlighted by multiple points in each of his last five contests (4-11—15) and 1-4—5 on Jan. 31 vs. OTT – his League-best sixth five-point performance since entering the NHL in 2015-16. The 24-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., native and two-time Art Ross Trophy winner (2016-17 and 2017‑18) reached the 20-point plateau within Edmonton’s first 11 games for the second consecutive season, following 6-14—20 in 2019-20. Only one other player in Oilers history has achieved that feat multiple times: Wayne Gretzky (6x, most recently 1987-88: 7-19—26).