Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

10/12/2015 at 10:19am EDT

CONDON LEADS CANADIENS PAST SENATORS IN NHL DEBUT
Mike Condon made 20 saves, including nine in the third period, to backstop the Canadiens past the Senators in his NHL debut.

* Condon, a 25-year-old native of Needham, Mass., spent last season with the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL), where he compiled a 23-19-6 record in 48 appearances (2.44 GAA, .921 SV%, 4 SO). He also played four seasons at Princeton University, where he went 18-22-8 in 53 outings (2.67 GAA, .923 SV%, 3 SO).

* “It was exciting. I thought the guys played an awesome game,” Condon said. “A lot of energy going into the game, but after that first shot comes all the interior monologue just quiets down and all your training takes over. After the first shot, I was just having some fun.”

* Tomas Plekanec (2-0—2) scored twice in the opening frame, including his 32nd career game-winning goal. Plekanec registered three multi-goal performances last season: Oct. 8 at TOR (2-0—2), Jan. 17 vs. NYI (2-2—4) and Feb. 7 vs. NJD (2-0—2).

* Max Pacioretty added one assist; he has collected at least one point in each of the team’s three games since being named the 29th captain in franchise history (2-2—4). Overall, Pacioretty has 8-6—14 in the club’s last 10 regular-season games against the Senators dating to the start of the 2013-14 season.

* The Canadiens and Senators faced off for the first time since the opening round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a six-game series victory by Montreal. Overall, the Canadiens have won five of the past eight regular-season meetings between these clubs dating to Jan. 16, 2014 (MTL: 5-3-0, OTT: 3-3-2).

DID YOU KNOW?
Senators goaltender Matthew O’Connor (31 SV) also made his NHL debut. The 23-year-old Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., native spent the last three seasons with Boston University (H-East), where he compiled a 40-21-10 record in 76 career appearances. That included a 25-4-4 clip last year (2.18 GAA, .927 SV%, 1 SO), when he led the Terriers to the national championship game.

* Via Elias, Condon and O’Connor became the first set of starting goaltenders to make their NHL debuts in the same game since Oct. 14, 1967, when Wayne Rutledge and the Kings beat Doug Favell and the Flyers 4-2. (It was the first game in Kings history and the second game in Flyers history.)

* The only other time that two starting goaltenders both made their NHL debuts in the same game was on the first day in League history (Dec. 19, 1917), when it happened twice.

MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Senators teammates Milan Michalek (700 GP) and Erik Karlsson (400 GP) both played in milestone games.

LOOSE PUCKS
Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his third career shorthanded goal and first since April 7 vs. PIT . . . Canadiens forward Torrey Mitchell posted his first regular-season goal since joining the team at 2015 NHL Trade Deadline (17 GP). He also had one goal in 12 playoff appearances last season . . . ICYMI: The NHL released the public on-sale dates for its 2015-16 slate of outdoor games . . . The daughters of Senators owner Eugene Melnyk thanked fans at Canadian Tire Centre for helping their father receive a life-saving liver transplant . . . Members of the Oilers, including forwards Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, attended Game 3 of the ALDS between the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers.

SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Tampa Bay @ Boston, 1:00 p.m., SN360, TVAS, SUN, NESN
Winnipeg @ NY Islanders, 1:00 p.m., TSN3, MSG+
Columbus @ Buffalo, 3:00 p.m., FS-O, MSG-B, BELL TV
Florida @ Philadelphia, 7:00 p.m., NHLN-US, FS-F, CSN-PH
Vancouver @ Anaheim, 10:00 p.m., SNV, PRIME, FS-SD
NBCSN Channel Finder
Sportsnet Channel Finder

MATINEES DOT MONDAY’S SCHEDULE
Three matinee games highlight Monday’s holiday schedule: Steven Stamkos and the Lightning look to snap a 10-game losing streak at TD Garden when they visit the Bruins;John Tavares and the Islanders search for their first victory at Barclays Center when they take on the Jets; and the Sabres and Blue Jackets both vie for their first wins of the season when they face off at First Niagara Center.

PANTHERS, FLYERS PLAY SECOND HALF OF HOME-AND-HOME
The Panthers and Flyers complete their home-and-home series when they meet at Wells Fargo Center. Florida picked up a 7-1 victory in the first half of the set, aided by four goals in the opening 6:46 of the first period – the fastest four goals to start a season in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44). Overall, the Panthers are 7-4-0 in the last 11 meetings between these clubs dating to March 20, 2012 (PHI: 4-5-2); the Flyers, however, are 2-0-1 in their past three matchups at Wells Fargo Center (FLA: 1-2-0).

DUCKS OPEN HOME SCHEDULE AGAINST CANUCKS
The Ducks, who have posted the top record in the Western Conference each of the last two seasons, open their home schedule when they welcome the Canucks to Honda Center. Anaheim owns a 9-1-1 record in the last 11 meetings between these clubs dating to April 25, 2013 (VAN: 2-6-3), but saw its 10-game head-to-head point streak end in their most recent matchup on March 9 (2-1 L). These Pacific Division rivals will face off five total times this season, including New Year’s Day at Rogers Arena.

This contest also marks Kevin Bieksa’s first game against his former club. A fifth-round pick (151st overall) by the Canucks in the 2001 NHL Draft, Bieksa played his first 10 seasons with Vancouver (56-185—241 in 597 GP) before a trade to Anaheim on June 30. “It’s going to be a unique situation for me,” Bieksa told the Orange County Register. “I’ve never been in this [position] before. It’s early in the season. I think the key thing is to just focus on our game. Focus on my game and try to win the game. Try to keep emotions in check and everything and play the game.”

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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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