NHL Review November 2, 2021
VASILEVSKIY, LIGHTNING STIFLE OVECHKIN AND CAPITALS
Anthony Cirelli posted 1-1—2 and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 31 of 33 shots as the Lightning (5-3-1, 11 points) brought an end to Alex Ovechkin’s season opening point streak and handed the Capitals (5-1-3, 13 points) their first regulation loss of 2021-22.
- Monday marked the 300th start of Vasilevskiy’s career. His 195 wins through that span (including starts or in relief) are the second most in NHL history.
DRAISAITL POTS ANOTHER FOUR-POINT GAME AS OILERS MOVE TO 7-1-0
Leon Draisaitl (2-2—4) scored twice, including once on the power play, en route to his NHL-best second outing with four points and 15th of his career. His 15 such performances since joining the NHL in 2014-15 are tied with Patrick Kane for the third most among all players over that span and trail only Connor McDavid (19 w/ EDM) and Nikita Kucherov (16 w/ TBL).
- The Oilers, with a League-leading 12 power-play goals, have struck on the man advantage in each of their first eight games to start 2021-22.
- Draisaitl and Connor McDavid (both w/ 7-10—17) joined Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (0-11—11) as the second and third Oilers players with at least 10 assists this season (8 GP). Edmonton became the fifth team in NHL history to feature at least three players each reach the 10-assist mark by their eighth game of a season. The others: NY Islanders (4 in 1984-85), Pittsburgh (4 in 1992-93, 3 in 1988-89 & 1995-96), Los Angeles (3 in 1979-80 & 1980-81) and Calgary (3 in 1984-85).
KANE PASSES LARMER WITH HAT TRICK
Patrick Kane (3-1—4) scored his seventh career hat trick and recorded his 16th career game with four-plus points to boost his career totals to 408-689—1,097 and pass Steve Larmer (406-517—923) for sole possession of third place on the Blackhawks’ all-time goals list.
MOORE NAMED 2021 HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER AMBASSADOR
Dominic Moore has been named the 2021 ambassador of the NHL and NHLPA’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer campaign. Moore, who skated in 13 NHL seasons, founded the Katie Moore Foundation in 2013 in honor of his late wife who was diagnosed with Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma, a rare form of liver cancer. Moore also co-founded Smashfest, a charitable ping-pong event that raises awareness and funds for concussion and rare cancer research.
- Since 1998, the joint initiative has raised more than $30 million, uniting the hockey community in support of cancer patients and their families. You can find more information at HockeyFightsCancer.com including an NHL All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas sweepstakes benefitting Hockey Fights Cancer.
WILD HOST FIRST HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT OF 2021-22
The Wild will host the first of 32 Hockey Fights Cancer nights around the NHL this month when they welcome the Senators to Xcel Energy Center on a nine-game Tuesday. Sixteen other teams will be in action, including Detroit’s Moritz Seider and Anaheim’s Troy Terry who each aim to extend their respective point streaks, while Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom enters with a shutout in each of his last two games.
- Terry (5-5—10 in 8 GP) enters Tuesday riding an eight-game point streak, tied with Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid (who extended Monday) for the longest by a player this season. Only four Ducks players in the last decade have extended their run to nine contests: Ryan Getzlaf (14 GP in 2013-14 & 11 GP in 2015-16), Mathieu Perreault (9 GP in 2013-14), Corey Perry (9 GP in 2013-14) and Teemu Selanne (9 GP in 2011-12).
- Seider, who has a point in each of his last five contests (0-5—5), can tie Reed Larson (6 GP in 1977-78) for the longest point streak by a rookie defenseman in franchise history should he find the score sheet Tuesday. The 20-year-old has 0-8—8 through his first nine career games; only two Red Wings have had more assists through their first 10 career NHL games: Dutch Reibel (10) and Dale McCourt (9) – neither of whom were defensemen.
MARKSTROM CAN KEEP SHUTOUT STREAK ALIVE TUESDAY
Jacob Markstrom has shut out his opponent in each of Calgary’s last two games, and three of his last four appearances overall, to help the Flames extend their win streak to six games. Markstrom, the first Calgary goaltender to record shutouts in consecutive appearances since Brian Elliott in 2016-17, could become the first in franchise history to blank the opposition in three straight appearances.
- Two goaltenders posted a shutout in three consecutive appearances during the 2020-21 regular season: Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy (3 GP from Feb. 24 – March 2) and NY Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov (3 GP from April 22 – May 1).
Ovechkin, McDavid and Andersen Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ for October
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of October.
FIRST STAR – ALEX OVECHKIN, LW, WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Ovechkin registered a League-leading nine goals in eight games (9-6—15) to power the Capitals to a 5-0-3 month (13 points), marking the first time in franchise history that Washington has completed October without a regulation loss. Ovechkin, who also ranked second in the NHL with 15 points and fourth with 36 shots on goal, scored in seven of his eight appearances, including his 731st and 732nd career goals on opening night (Oct. 13 vs. NYR: 2-2—4) to surpass Marcel Dionne (731) for fifth place on the League’s all-time list. The nine-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner, who now sits two goals shy of matching Brett Hull (741) for fourth place in NHL history, also tied his own franchise record by beginning the season with points in eight straight games, a feat he first accomplished during his rookie campaign of 2005-06 (6-4—10) and was matched by Alexander Semin in 2006-07 (8-4—12). The 36-year-old Moscow, Russia, native has accumulated 739-596—1,335 in 1,206 contests since entering the NHL in 2005-06, 253 more goals and 10 more points than the next-closest player during that span (Sidney Crosby: 486-839—1,325 in 1,040 GP).
SECOND STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS
McDavid topped the NHL with 7-9—16 in seven outings to propel the Oilers to a 6-1-0 October (12 points) and second place in the Pacific Division. McDavid found the scoresheet during all seven of his appearances, including six consecutive multi-point performances to open the season (7-8—15) – a feat achieved by only six other players in League history (Mario Lemieux: 2x, Mike Bossy, Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Sweeney Schriner and Kevin Stevens). That run included McDavid’s 10th career hat trick (Oct. 16 vs. CGY: 3-0—3) and 200th NHL goal (Oct. 21 at ARI: 2-1—3). Among players to make their League debut with Edmonton, only three required fewer games than McDavid (411 GP) to reach the 200-goal milestone: Gretzky (242 GP), Jari Kurri (328 GP) and Glenn Anderson (348 GP). The 24-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., native and reigning Hart Memorial Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award and Art Ross Trophy winner has produced 202-389—591 in 415 contests since joining the NHL in 2015-16, 51 more points than the next-closest player during that time (Patrick Kane: 203-337—540 in 459 GP).
THIRD STAR – FREDERIK ANDERSEN, G, CAROLINA HURRICANES
Andersen began his tenure in Carolina with a 7-0-0 record, 1.29 goals-against average, .956 save percentage and one shutout to help the Hurricanes (8-0-0, 16 points) become the eighth team in NHL history – and second in 2021-22 (also FLA) – with a season-opening win streak of at least eight games. Andersen, who signed with Carolina as a free agent on July 28, became the fourth goaltender in League history to win each of his first seven regular-season appearances with a new team – a feat also achieved by Bob Froese (8 w/ PHI), Martin Jones (8 w/ LAK) and Wayne Thomas (7 w/ MTL). Andersen did so by allowing two or fewer goals in six of his seven outings, highlighted by his 20th career shutout Oct. 28 vs. BOS (33 SV). The 32-year-old Herning, Denmark, native – who capped the month by playing in his 400th NHL game (Oct. 31 vs. ARI) – has earned 233 career victories since joining the League in 2013-14, fifth behind Braden Holtby (254), Marc-Andre Fleury (244), Sergei Bobrovsky (240) and Tuukka Rask (240) during that span.