JETS, OILERS SQUARE OFF IN 2016 TIM HORTONS NHL HERITAGE CLASSIC
* The Jets are led in goal scoring by forward Patrik Laine (4-1-5), the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, who scored the tying and overtime-winning goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday en route to becoming the youngest player in franchise history to earn a hat trick. Edmonton counters with Connor McDavid, the No. 1 pick at the 2015 draft who has multiple points three times this season and leads the Oilers with four goals and eight points in five games. * The Heritage Classic pays tribute to the shared hockey history between the cities of Winnipeg and Edmonton, who welcomed the original Jets and the Oilers, respectively, when each joined the NHL in 1979-80 as part of a four-team expansion. * ICYMI: Fan favorite Teemu Selanne tallied had two goals and five points, including the game-winning goal on a penalty shot in the final seconds of the third period, to help the Jets to a 6-5 win in the 2016 Rogers NHL Heritage Classic Alumni Game .
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
CHICAGO 5, Toronto 4 (SO)
NY Rangers 4, WASHINGTON 2
Montreal 4, BOSTON 2
PHILADELPHIA 6, Carolina 3
Tampa Bay 4, OTTAWA 1
FLORIDA 5, Colorado 2
DETROIT 3, San Jose 0
NEW JERSEY 2, Minnesota 1 (OT)
NASHVILLE 5, Pittsburgh 1
Columbus 3, DALLAS 0
LOS ANGELES 4, Vancouver 3 (SO)
St. Louis 6, CALGARY 4
MULTI-GOAL COMEBACK TREND CONTINUES
The trend of multi-goal comebacks in the NHL continued Saturday when four teams - the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks - stormed back to earn at least one point: * Facing a 4-2 deficit with less than three minutes remaining in the third period, the Blackhawks scored two goals exactly 60 seconds apart to tie the game and set the stage for Artemi Panarin (0-2-2) to seal a victory in the shootout. * The Rangers scored four unanswered goals, including the tying and winning goals three minutes apart by Jimmy Vesey, to rally past the Washington Capitals. * The Flyers fell behind 2-0 in what became a seven-goal second period, but responded with four straight of their own, powered by Jakub Voracek (2-1-3) and Shayne Gostisbehere (1-2-3), to end a three-game skid. * Forward Dustin Brown (1-2-3) helped the Los Angeles Kings build a three-goal lead, but the Canucks rallied to tie the game with 34.4 seconds remaining in the third period before L.A. ultimately won in a shootout. It was the first loss of any kind for Vancouver this season. * Elias notes that there have been 17 instances this season when a team has overcome a multi-goal deficit to earn at least one point. The trailing team eventually won 13 of those 17 instances
DID YOU KNOW?
Elias notes that the Blackhawks won when trailing by two goals in the final three minutes of the third period for the fourth time in their history and for the second time in less than a year. The other instances: Nov. 27, 2015 at ANA (3-2 OT W), Feb. 6, 2007 at CGY (3-2 SO W) and Dec. 29, 1926 vs. the Montreal Maroons (5-4 OT W).
CANADIENS CONTINUE ROAD DOMINANCE OF BRUINS
Goaltender Carey Price (19 saves) helped the Montreal Canadiens extend their road winning streak against the Boston Bruins to nine games since March 3, 2013 (BOS: 0-7-2; includes 5-1 W by MTL in the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium). Elias notes that this marks the longest road winning streak by either team in their all-time series.
STRONG BETWEEN THE PIPES
* Sergei Bobrovsky denied all 32 shots he faced to help the Columbus Blue Jackets to their second win in as many nights. Bobrovsky, who moved to 8-1-1 in 10 career appearances against the Dallas Stars (1 SO, 1.78 GAA, .943 SV%), became the first goaltender to reach 100 wins in a Blue Jackets uniform. * Jimmy Howard denied all 30 shots he faced and Gustav Nyquist (2-0-2) provided the game-winning goal to guide the Detroit Red Wings to their fourth consecutive victory. Howard has surrendered one goal against in two appearances this season (2-0-0, 1 SO, 0.50 GAA, .984 SV%). * Making his second career NHL appearance (and first in nearly 11 months), goaltender Juuse Saros made 34 saves to help the Predators ebd a three-game skid. Saros surrendered his only goal against in the opening minute of the first period before Nashville responded with five unanswered tallies, led by multi-goal efforts from Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala.
STARTING STRONG
* Forwards Artem Anisimov (2-0-2) and Richard Panik (1-0-1) each scored in the final minutes of the third to rally the Blackhawks to victory. Panik has six goals and eight points in six games to equal his totals from 2015-16 (6-2-8 in 30 GP), while Anisimov has points in four of six games this season (4-4-8). * Flyers teammates Wayne Simmonds (1-1-2) and Matt Read (1-0-1) each extended their goal streaks to four games. Read shares second in the League (with Auston Matthews) with five goals, one back of Panik. * Offseason acquisition Taylor Hall, who scored both goals in the New Jersey Devils' 2-1 victory in their home opener, scored 29 seconds into overtime to help the Devils earn their second win of the season. All three of his goals have come at Prudential Center. * Defenseman Zach Werenski (0-1-1) became the first player in Blue Jackets history to begin his NHL career on a four-game point streak (2-3-5). Elias adds that Werenski is the first defenseman from any team to begin his NHL career on a four-game point streak since Jamie McBain with the Carolina Hurricanes in March 2010. * Hurricanes forward Victor Rask (3-3-6) and Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk (1-4-5) each had an assist to extend their season-opening point streaks to five games.
LOOSE PUCKS
Forward David Perron (3-1-4) matched a career high with four points, including his third career hat trick (second w/ STL) to power the St. Louis Blues to victory in the final game of their road trip through Western Canada . . . Steven Stamkos (GWG) led the Tampa Bay Lightning past the Ottawa Senators and coach Guy Boucher, who was Lightning coach from 2010-13 . . . Shane Harper, a 27-year-old forward from Valencia, Cali., scored the first two goals of his NHL career (5 GP) . . . Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek, the No. 20 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, scored in his League debut . . . Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cullen became the sixth active player to skate in 1,300 career NHL games . . . Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene had a goal and two points in his 500th NHL game . . . Kings teammates Jeff Carter (800) and Peter Budaj (300) and Devils defenseman Kyle Quincey (500) also played in milestone games . . . The Devils unveiled a statue of Martin Brodeur outside Prudential Center . . . Trevor Strader, the son of Stars play-by-play announcer Dave Strader who is battling cholangiocarcinoma , sang the national anthem and dropped the ceremonial puck as part of the first Hockey Fights Cancer night of the season.
