Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

12/03/2014 at 10:43am EST

NHL MOURNS THE PASSING OF BÉLIVEAU
The NHL, along with the rest of the hockey world, mourns the passing of the legendary Jean Béliveau.

Béliveau, 83, played 20 seasons for the Canadiens from 1950-71, highlighted by 10 Stanley Cup championships (including five consecutive from 1956-60). He served as the longest-tenured captain in club history, holding the role from 1961-71, and captured the Hart Trophy (1955-56 and 1963-64), Art Ross Trophy (1955-56) and inaugural Conn Smythe Trophy (1964-65) during his playing career.

Béliveau still ranks second on the Canadiens’ all-time regular-season points list (1,219), while placing third in goals (507) and second in assists (712). He also owns the team’s playoff record with 176 points (79-97—176) in 162 contests.

A few months after announcing his retirement, Béliveau’s trademark No. 4 jersey was raised to the rafters of the Montreal Forum (Oct. 9, 1971). The Hockey Hall of Fame waived its standard three-year waiting period to immediately induct the Canadiens legend in June 1972.

Béliveau then added seven more Stanley Cup championships as a member of the Canadiens management team; no person has his name engraved as much as Béliveau (17 total). Named grand officer of the Ordre national du Québec in 2010 (named knight in 1988 and officer in 2006), Béliveau was awarded the highest distinction in Canada, the Companion of the Order of Canada, in 1998.

Click here to learn more about his legendary career and here to see the hockey world’s reaction to his passing.

GIRGENSONS TAKES OVER TOP SPOT IN ALL-STAR VOTING
Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons (399,356) is the top vote-getter after two weeks of balloting in the 2015 NHL All-Star Fan Vote presented by SiriusXM.

Last week’s leader, Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban, occupies the second spot in the overall leaderboard with 240,362 votes, while Blackhawks teammates Patrick Kane (216,261), Jonathan Toews (212,994), Duncan Keith (208,086), Corey Crawford (174,466) and Brent Seabrook (154,865) continue to rule the top 10.

Nearly 8.5 million votes from more than 170 countries have been cast to date.

The top vote-getters by position are forwards Girgensons, Sidney Crosby (218,672) of the Penguins and Kane; defensemen Subban and Keith; and goaltender Carey Price (204,923) of the Canadiens.

Click here for the complete results through two weeks of balloting. The real-time leaderboard of the top vote-getters is available at NHL.com/vote.

BLUES INK BRODEUR TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT
The Blues on Tuesday signed free-agent goaltender Martin Brodeur to a one-year contract.

The winningest goaltender in NHL history (688) and League’s all-time shutouts leader (124) joins the Blues after spending the first 21 seasons of his career with the Devils, the team that selected him 20th overall in the 1990 NHL Draft. Among his many achievements, Brodeur, 42, has won the Calder Trophy (1993-94), Vezina Trophy (2002-03, 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2007-08) and Jennings Trophy (1996-97, 1997-98, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2009-10). He also backstopped the Devils to the Stanley Cup Final five times, hoisting the trophy on three occasions (1994-95, 1999-00 and 2002-03).

“I’ve been waiting for a great opportunity and it came from the Blues,” Brodeur said. “I feel good in the net. Until I play games it’s going to be hard to tell before that. But I’m going to prepare myself for that until I get that first start.”

Click here for more details.

TUESDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
NY ISLANDERS 3, Ottawa 2 (OT)
PITTSBURGH 1, New Jersey 0
Vancouver 4, WASHINGTON 3
CAROLINA 2, Nashville 1
BUFFALO 2, Tampa Bay 1 (SO)
TORONTO 5, Dallas 3
Florida 4, DETROIT 3
CALGARY 5, Arizona 2
SAN JOSE 2, Philadelphia 1
LOS ANGELES 2, Boston 0

DOWN TO THE WIRE
Of the 10 games contested Tuesday:

* Nine were tied or within one goal entering the third period (OTT-NYI, NJD-PIT, VAN-WSH, NSH-CAR, TBL-BUF, FLA-DET, ARI-CGY, PHI-SJS, BOS-LAK).

* Seven featured one-goal margins (OTT-NYI, NJD-PIT, VAN-WSH, NSH-CAR, TBL-BUF, FLA-DET, PHI-SJS). One other game was decided by two goals following an empty-net score (BOS-LAK).

* Seven saw a tying or winning goal scored in the third period (OTT-NYI, NJD-PIT, VAN-WSH, NSH-CAR, TBL-BUF, FLA-DET, PHI-SJS), including two in the final five minutes of regulation: Zemgus Girgensons (BUF) potted the game-tying goal with 3:54 left in the third period, while Matt Nieto (SJS) tallied the decisive marker with 11.5 seconds left on the clock.

SEDINS LIFT CANUCKS TO TOP SPOT IN WESTERN CONFERENCE . . .
Daniel Sedin posted 2-1—3, including the tiebreaking goal with 10:21 left in regulation, to lift the Canucks to their fourth victory in their past five outings.

* With the win, the Canucks (17-7-1, 35 points) leapfrogged the Ducks (15-6-5, 35 points), Predators (16-6-2, 34 points) and Blues (16-6-2, 34 points) for the top spot in the Western Conference.

* Sedin recorded his third three-point game of the season (also Oct. 11 vs. EDM: 0-3—3 and Nov. 19 at EDM: 0-3—3). Both of his goals came via the power play; he now has 114 career power-play markers, tying Markus Naslund for the most in Canucks history.

* Twin brother Henrik picked up the primary assist on both of Daniel’s goals. The pair share the team lead with 6-18—24 in 25 games this season.

* The Canucks went 3-for-4 with the man advantage, marking the first time they have scored at least three power-play goals in one game since Jan. 25, 2013 at ANA (3-for-9).

* Ryan Miller made 22 saves to pick up his 16th victory of the season (2.45 GAA, .910 SV%, 3 SO), tying Pekka Rinne for the League lead.

* The Canucks improved to 11-2-0 in their last 13 meetings with the Capitals dating to Jan. 19, 2002.

. . . JOORIS HELPS FLAMES KEEP PACE
Rookie Josh Jooris recorded his first career hat trick, including the game-winning goal, to power the Flames to their third consecutive victory and seventh win in their last nine outings.

* At 16-8-2 (34 points), the Flames trail the Canucks (17-7-1, 35 points) and Ducks (15-6-5, 35 points) by one point for the top spot in the Pacific Division and Western Conference.

* Playing in his 19th game, Elias says Jooris became the sixth player in Flames history to post a hat trick before reaching 20 career outings. The others: Bobby Gould (first hat trick in sixth game), Matthew Lombardi (13 GP), Jiri Hrdina (14 GP), Joe Nieuwendyk (15 GP) and Brett Hull (19 GP).

* Only two other Flames rookies have recorded hat tricks in the past 26 years: Hrdina on Nov. 7, 1988 vs. HFD (4-0—4) and Lombardi on Nov. 12, 2003 at CHI (3-1—4). Jooris is the first rookie to accomplish that feat (for any team) in 2014-15.

* Karri Ramo made 27 saves to match a career best with his fifth consecutive victory (also Jan. 22 – March 24, 2014). He also extended his shutout streak to a career-long 142:59 before allowing a first-period goal to Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

* The Flames stretched their overall shutout streak to 148:41 before yielding Ekman-Larsson’s goal, falling 12:30 shy of the franchise record set April 11-15, 2006.

* Jiri Hudler collected two assists to stretch his point streak to five games (5-5—10), including three consecutive multi-point performances.

* The Flames posted their seventh consecutive home victory over the Coyotes dating to March 15, 2012.

FLEURY, PENGUINS SHUT OUT DEVILS TO REMAIN IN FIRST . . .
Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 29 shots he faced, including 24 over the final two periods, to pick up his 33rd career shutout and backstop the Penguins to their fourth victory in their past five starts.

* With the win, the Penguins (17-5-2, 36 points) maintained the top spot in the Metropolitan Division and moved within one point of the Lightning (17-6-3, 37 points) for first place in the Eastern Conference and NHL standings.

* Per Elias, the Penguins have won 17 of their opening 24 games of the season for the first time in franchise history.

* Fleury posted his League-leading fifth shutout of the season (19 GP), matching a career high set in 2006-07 (67 GP) and equaled in 2013-14 (64 GP). Elias says he is the first goaltender to record five shutouts in his first 19 starts of the season since 2010-11, when Tim Thomas accomplished that feat in his first 16 appearances for the Bruins.

* Evgeni Malkin scored the lone goal, his 42nd career game-winner and second this season (also Nov. 24 at BOS). He has found the scoresheet in 20 of 24 appearances in 2014-15, ranking fourth in the NHL with 12-18—30.

* The Penguins improved to 10-2-0, including four consecutive victories, in 12 all-time home games against the Devils since the opening of CONSOL Energy Center in 2010-11.

. . . HICKEY’S HEROICS POWER ISLANDERS
Thomas Hickey (1-1—2) scored at 3:06 of overtime to lift the Islanders to their seventh consecutive win at Nassau Coliseum and seventh victory in their last eight overall games.

* At 18-7-0 (36 points), the Islanders kept pace with the Penguins (17-5-2, 36 points) for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh, however, holds one game in hand.

* The Islanders lead the NHL with 18 victories; they have won 18 of their opening 25 games of the season for the first time in franchise history.

* The Islanders last recorded a home winning streak of at least seven games in 2003-04, when they went 7-0-0 from Dec. 6-29.

* Two of Hickey’s seven career goals have come in overtime; he scored his first NHL goal at 3:12 of overtime in a 4-3 win Feb. 21, 2013 at MTL.

* Jaroslav Halak made 16 saves to extend his career-long winning streak to 10 games. That ties Billy Smith’s franchise record, established in 1981-82.

* The Islanders improved to 11-1-0 in one-goal games this season, including a perfect 8-0 record in games that have gone past regulation (3-0 in OT, 5-0 in SO).

NIETO’S LAST-MINUTE WINNER PROPELS SHARKS
Knotted at 1-1, Matt Nieto scored the game-winning goal with 11.5 seconds remaining in regulation to propel the Sharks to their second consecutive victory.

* Nieto posted his third career decisive marker and first since March 2, 2014 at NJD.

* Down 1-0 just six minutes after the opening face-off, the Sharks tied the game on the strength of Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s second-period goal. Per Elias, the club last rallied for a last-minute comeback victory exactly eight years prior, when rookie Joe Pavelski scored with 5.9 seconds left in a 3-2 win Dec. 2, 2006 at DET.

* Nieto became the seventh player to score a game-winning goal in the final minute of regulation this season and the first to do so at home. The others: Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec (19:17, Oct. 8 at TOR), Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf (19:36, Oct. 11 at DET), Colorado’s Daniel Briere (19:59, Oct. 13 at BOS), Dallas’ Tyler Seguin (19:57, Oct. 16 at PIT), Columbus’ Mark Letestu (19:39, Oct. 23 at SJS) and Minnesota’s Jason Zucker (19:14, Nov. 20 at PHI).

* The Sharks improved to 13-1-2 in their last 16 meetings with the Flyers dating to Jan. 2, 2002, including a 7-1-1 record in San Jose.

AROUND THE RINKS
Other highlights from Tuesday’s action:

* Nazem Kadri (1-2—3), Mike Santorelli (0-3—3), Joffrey Lupul (2-0—2), Cody Franson (0-2—2) and Dion Phaneuf (0-2—2) all recorded multiple points to power the Maple Leafs to their fourth consecutive victory at Air Canada Centre. Santorelli set a career high for assists in one game (and also matched a career high for points), while Tyler Bozak scored for the fourth straight game (a first in his NHL career) and extended his point streak to five contests (6-2—8).

* Down 1-0 late in the third period, Zemgus Girgensons potted the tying goal with 3:54 remaining and Cody Hodgson and Tyler Ennis both scored in the shootout to lift the Sabres to their third consecutive win and sixth victory in their past seven outings. Jhonas Enroth made 26 saves – and denied both shootout attempts he faced – to improve to 5-1-0 with a 1.55 goals-against average and .953 save percentage in his last six appearances.

* Jonathan Quick stopped all 31 shots he faced, including 12 in the final period, to pick up his 34th career shutout (third this season) and lead the Kings to their second win in their last three starts. Quick improved to 10-1-1 with a 1.17 goals-against average, .958 save percentage and three shutouts in his last 12 appearances at STAPLES Center; the Kings lead the NHL with 11 wins and 23 points on home ice this season (11-3-1).

* Vincent Trocheck (1-2—3), who played youth hockey in Detroit and junior hockey for two OHL teams based in Michigan, posted a career-high three points to power the Panthers over the Red Wings. Florida picked up its third victory in its past four outings on the strength of Aaron Ekblad’s second career game-winning goal (also Nov. 1 vs. PHI); he leads all rookie defensemen with 4-9—13 in 23 games this season.

* Jeff Skinner collected 1-1—2, including the lone assist on Victor Rask’s game-winning goal, to lift the Hurricanes to their second victory in their last three starts. Cam Ward made 32 saves, including 14 in the third period, to improve to 5-1-0 in his last six appearances at PNC Arena. Skinner now has 5-5—10 in six career games against the Predators.

LOOSE PUCKS
Despite their shootout loss, the Lightning (17-6-3, 37 points) picked up one point to maintain the top spot in the NHL standings . . . Capitals defenseman John Carlson (2-1—3) recorded his first career multi-goal game and matched a career high with three points . . . Forward Scott Gomez made his first regular-season appearance for the Devils since April 8, 2007, logging 22:10 of ice-time . . . Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom collected one helper to extend his assist/point streak to six games (1-8—9) . . . Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg posted one assist to push his point streak to five games (1-6—7) . . . Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges (0-1—1) recorded his 100th NHL point . . . Flyers forward Scott Laughton posted his first NHL assist/point . . . Capitals forward Eric Fehr played in his 400th NHL game . . . Penguins forward Scott Wilson made his NHL debut . . . ICYMI: The NHL fined the Kings $100,000 for violating the terms of defenseman Slava Voynov’s suspension . . . The Department of Player Safety announced that it will have a hearing with Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo for a late hit on Devils forward Jaromir Jagr.

SNEAK PEEK AT WEDNESDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Montreal @ Minnesota, 7:00 p.m., SN, RDS, FS-N
St. Louis @ Chicago, 8:00 p.m., NBCSN, TVA
Edmonton @ Winnipeg, 9:00 p.m., SN, SN1
Philadelphia @ Anaheim, 10:30 p.m., TCN-PH, FS-W

thanks to the NHL PR department for the above information

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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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