Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

11/23/2014 at 10:48am EST

FLAMES, AVALANCHE STAGE LATE RALLIES . . .
Both the Flames and the Avalanche staged late rallies to record come-from-behind wins Saturday:

* Down 4-2 late in the third period, the Flames scored twice in the final three minutes of regulation – including Curtis Glencrosstying goal with five seconds left on the clock – en route to defeating the Devils 5-4 in a shootout. Via Elias, the Flames won when trailing by two goals in the final three minutes of regulation for the first time since March 13, 1999, when Valeri Bure (18:30) and Jeff Shantz (19:28) knotted the game before Bure scored the overtime winner in a 5-4 victory at WSH.

* Glencross (2-0—2) and Jiri Hudler (1-1—2) both recorded multi-point games. Hudler also posted the game-deciding goal in the shootout, while Sean Monahan scored in the tiebreaker to improve to 7-for-11, with five game-deciding goals, in his shootout career – his 63.6% efficiency leads all active skaters with a minimum of 10 attempts.

* The Flames recorded their fourth win in their past five outings. They also picked up their fourth consecutive victory over the Devils dating to Jan. 10, 2012. At 13-7-2 (28 points) this season, Calgary sits one point behind Anaheim (12-4-5, 29 points) for the top spot in the Pacific Division and Western Conference.

* Trailing 2-0 early in the first period and 3-2 late in the third, the Avalanche scored twice in the final six minutes of regulation to edge the Hurricanes. Via Elias, the Avalanche overcame a deficit in the final six minutes of the third period to win in regulation for the first time since Dec. 13, 2010, when Tomas Fleischmann (17:36), Matt Duchene (18:36) and Ryan O’Reilly (19:37) all scored in a 2:01 span to lead the team to a 7-5 win vs. CHI.

* Nathan MacKinnon (0-3—3) set a career high for assists in one game and matched his best single-game effort in terms of points (Feb. 1 vs. BUF: 1-2—3). Zach Redmond (2-0—2) added his first multi-goal game, while Jarome Iginla (1-1—2) and Gabriel Landeskog (0-2—2) also recorded multi-point performances. With his goal, Iginla (563) moved within one score of tying Joe Nieuwendyk and Mats Sundin for 21st in NHL history.

* The Avalanche picked up their third win in their last four outings. They also recorded their 10th consecutive home victory against the Hurricanes dating to March 18, 1999; they have not lost to the Hurricanes/Whalers franchise at home since Feb. 9, 1996 (10-0-2).

. . . PANTHERS FALL SHORT IN COMEBACK BID
Down 2-0 with less than one minute remaining in regulation, the Panthers scored twice in 12 seconds to force overtime, but ultimately lost to the Predators in a shootout.

* Elias says it was only the fourth time since 2006 that a team has avoided a regulation loss in a game in which it trailed by two goals in the final minute of the third period. The last such instance: Feb. 12, 2011, when Jeff Skinner (19:08) and Erik Cole (19:27) helped the Hurricanes force overtime in an eventual 4-3 loss at TBL.

* Rocco Grimaldi sparked Florida’s comeback bid with his first NHL goal (7 GP). The 21-year-old Anaheim native made headlines earlier in the week by playing in two professional games in one day.

* Nick Bjugstad potted the game-tying goal to stretch his point streak to four games (5-3—8). Roberto Luongo made 48 saves, his best single-game performance since March 18 at SJS (52 saves).

* Filip Forsberg scored his first career shootout goal (1-for-3, 33.3%) to lift the Predators to their third win in their last four outings. Nashville also recorded its sixth consecutive home victory against Florida dating to Oct. 27, 2007, and improved to 7-2-2 in their 11 all-time meetings in Tennessee.

PRICE, CANADIENS CONTINUE DOMINANCE OF BRUINS . . .
Carey Price stopped all 33 shots he faced to collect his 27th career shutout (second of the season) and backstop the Canadiens to their eighth win in their last nine outings.

* The Canadiens recorded their fourth consecutive regular-season victory over the Bruins (3-0-0 in 2014-15) and improved to 9-1-0 in their last 10 regular-season matchups dating to March 3, 2013.

* The Canadiens registered their first regular-season shutout in Boston since March 9, 2006, when Cristobal Huet made 28 saves in a 3-0 victory.

* Price improved to 20-8-3 with a 2.42 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and one shutout in 32 career regular-season appearances against the Bruins.

* Andrei Markov scored his 100th NHL goal (the game-winner), becoming just the fourth defenseman in Canadiens history to reach the milestone.

* At 16-5-1 (33 points), Elias says the Canadiens have won 16 of their first 22 games of the season for the first time since 1959-60 (16-4-2).

. . . LIGHTNING KEEP PACE IN ATLANTIC DIVISION
Behind 1-0 early in the second period, the Lightning scored a pair of unanswered goals to snap a two-game skid and improve to 8-2-1 at home this season.

* At 14-6-2 (30 points), the Lightning trail the Canadiens (16-5-1, 33 points) by three points for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference and NHL standings.

* The Lightning’s 14 wins through 22 games match a franchise record, while their 30 points are a new club record through the opening 22 contests of the season.

* Steven Stamkos scored his 14th goal of the season, one off the League lead held by Stars forward Tyler Seguin. He now has 6-5—11 in his past nine outings.

* Alex Killorn potted the game-winning goal to stretch his point streak to a career-long five games (4-1—5).

ISLANDERS SWEEP HOME-AND-HOME WITH PENGUINS
Trailing 1-0 late in the second period, the Islanders scored four unanswered goals to sweep their home-and-home series with the Penguins and improve to 8-1-0 in their last nine outings.

* At 14-6-0 (28 points), the Islanders are tied with the Penguins (13-4-2, 28 points) for the most points in the Metropolitan Division, but Pittsburgh holds one game in hand.

* With 14 wins, the Islanders have matched a franchise record for the most victories through the first 20 games of the season (also, 1976-77: 14-3-3; 1978-79: 14-3-3; and 1987-88: 14-5-1). The Islanders didn’t record their 14th win until their 42nd game in 2013-14 (14-21-7).

* Jaroslav Halak made 27 saves to extend his personal winning streak to six games, his longest such run since a career-long eight-game winning streak for the Blues Feb. 23 – March 11, 2012. He has a 1.31 goals-against average, .952 save percentage and two shutouts during the current six-game stretch.

* Eleven Islanders players found the scoresheet, led by 1-1—2 from captain John Tavares.

DEMERS POWERS STARS IN TEAM DEBUT
Making his team debut after being acquired in a trade Friday, Jason Demers scored what proved to be the game-winning goal to lift the Stars to their second straight victory.

* Demers posted his first goal since April 9 at ANA and first game-winning goal since Nov. 23, 2011 vs. CHI.

* Per Elias, Demers became the first Stars player to record the game-winning goal in his debut with the club since Feb. 13, 2010, when Brandon Segal (1-1—2) did so in a 3-0 win at PHX.

* Jamie Benn registered 2-1—3 for his first multi-goal game and second three-point performance of the season (also Oct. 14 at CBJ: 1-3—4). He now has 4-11—15 in his last 11 games against the Kings dating to March 7, 2013.

* Tyler Seguin (1-1—2) scored his League-leading 15th goal of the season off a stretch pass from goaltender Kari Lehtonen.

* John Klingberg added 1-1—2 to extend his point streak to four games (2-4—6). Elias says he is the first Stars rookie defenseman to post a four-game point streak since Nov. 30 – Dec. 16, 1989, when Rob Zettler had an equal stretch (0-4—4).

VORACEK, FLYERS SNAP FOUR-GAME SKID
Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux both collected two assists to help the Flyers snap a four-game skid.

* Voracek leads the NHL with 22 assists and 29 points. He has found the scoresheet in 17 of Philadelphia’s 19 games this season, including 10 multi-point performances.

* Per Elias, Voracek is just the sixth player in Flyers history to record at least 10 multi-point games in the club’s opening 19 contests of the season. The others: Peter Forsberg (13 in 2005-06), Brian Propp (12 in 1985-86), Tim Kerr (11 in 1984-85), Bobby Clarke (10 in 1975-76) and Mark Recchi (10 in 1992-93).

* Voracek now has 3-8—11 in seven career games against the Blue Jackets, who selected him seventh overall in the 2007 NHL Draft. Voracek spent the first three seasons of his career in Columbus, totaling 39-95—134 in 241 GP; he has 70-116—186 in 227 GP with Philadelphia.

* Giroux recorded his 400th NHL point, reaching the milestone in his 434th game (125-276—401). He also went 23-for-28 (82.1%) in the face-off circle; Elias says he is the first Flyers player to post 23 or more face-off wins in one game since Nov. 29, 2005, when Michal Handzus went 23-for-31 (74.2%) in a 4-3 win at NYI.

* Voracek (5-13—18) and Giroux (5-12—17) both have registered at least one point in all 11 of Philadelphia’s home games this season. Per Elias, they’re the first players to begin a season with 11-game (or longer) home point streaks since 2007-08, when Mats Sundin (16 games), Tomas Holmstrom (12), Sidney Crosby (11) and Henrik Zetterberg (11) all did so.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
Notes from the rest of Saturday’s action:

* Marian Hossa (1-3—4) registered his 14th career four-point game – and first since Feb. 8, 2007 at COL (2-2—4) – to lead the Blackhawks to their fifth win in their last six outings, including a 2-0-0 mark on their six-game circus road trip. Jonathan Toews (2-0—2), Patrick Kane (1-1—2) and Brandon Saad (0-2—2) also recorded multiple points for the Blackhawks, who picked up their fifth straight victory over the Oilers.

* Jhonas Enroth made a season-high 43 saves to backstop the Sabres to their third consecutive win, their longest such run since Feb. 25-28 (3-0-0). Torrey Mitchell posted the tiebreaking goal with 7:42 remaining in regulation, his third career game-winner and first since Feb. 17, 2013 vs. DET.

* Tyler Bozak scored a pair of goals, including his fourth career shorthanded tally and first since Oct. 1, 2013 at MTL, to power the Maple Leafs to their second consecutive win. Jonathan Bernier made 26 saves to improve to 1-0-1 with a 0.96 goals-against average and .966 save percentage in two appearances against the Red Wings this season.

* After yielding a one-goal lead in the third period, Antoine Vermette potted the lone marker in the shootout to lift the Coyotes to their third win in their last five outings (3-1-1). Devan Dubnyk stopped 40 shots – and all three attempts he faced in the tiebreaker – to improve to 5-0-1 with a 2.34 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and one shutout this season.

* Facing his former club, Brian Elliott made 24 saves to help the Blues snap a two-game skid. A ninth-round selection (291st overall) by the Senators in the 2003 NHL Draft, Elliott spent the first four seasons of his career in Ottawa (59-45-15 in 130 GP); he now has a 2-0-1 record with a 1.96 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in three appearances against his former team.

LOOSE PUCKS
Avalanche goaltender Calvin Pickard stopped all 17 shots he faced in relief of Reto Berra, including a goal-line stick save, to pick up his first NHL win . . . Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne made 28 saves, including an acrobatic paddle stop, to earn his League-leading 13th win of the season (tied with Canadiens goaltender Carey Price) . . . Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season . . . Devils goaltender Scott Clemmensen made 33 saves in his first start with the team since Feb. 21, 2009 at NYI . . . Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar scored for the third consecutive game to stretch his point streak to a career-long five games (5-2—7) . . . Kings forward Justin Williams (2-0—2) recorded his first multi-goal game since Oct. 19, 2013 vs. DAL (2-1—3) to push his point streak to four games (2-3—5) . . . Devils forward Mike Cammalleri found the back of the net in regulation and the shootout in his return to Calgary . . . Sharks forward Joe Pavelski scored his 200th NHL goal, becoming the third player in franchise history to reach the milestone . . . Hurricanes forward Andrej Nestrasil registered his first NHL goal while making his team debut . . . Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker (0-2—2) collected his 100th NHL assist . . . Penguins forward Craig Adams (900), Sabres defenseman Andrej Meszaros (600), Blackhawks forward Daniel Carcillo (400), Islanders forward Matt Martin (300), Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk (200) and Bruins defenseman Torey Krug (100) all played in milestone games . . . Avalanche forward Andrew Agozzino (0-1—1) and Blackhawks forward Phillip Danault made their NHL debuts . . . Bruins head coach Claude Julien coached his 800th NHL game . . . ICYMI: The Stars honored Mike Modano following his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame . . . The Islanders honored four-time Stanley Cup champion Billy Smith during a pregame ceremony.

SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
St. Louis @ Winnipeg, 4:30 p.m., TVA, FS-MW, TSN3
Montreal @ NY Rangers, 7:00 p.m., NHLN-US, CITY, RDS, MSG
Arizona @ Anaheim, 8:00 p.m., FS-A, FS-W
Chicago @ Vancouver, 9:30 p.m., CSN-CH, SNP
NBCSN Channel Finder
Sportsnet Channel Finder

SUNDAY NIGHT HOCKEY VISITS FORT MCMURRAY
The 2014 Eastern Conference finalists – the Canadiens and Rangers – face off for the second time this season as Rogers Hometown Hockey visits Fort McMurray, Alta. Every Rogers Sunday Night Hockey game this season will be broadcast from a different community rink in various towns across Canada. Included in each telecast will be local NHL player profiles, grassroots stories and local entertainment features.

Click here for more information about this week’s broadcast.

The information above was provided by the NHL PR department.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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