INTER-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS HIGHLIGHT TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE
A quartet of inter-conference matchups highlight Tuesday’s schedule:
* The undefeated Canadiens (6-0-0, 12 points) look to maintain their perfect record – and best start in their 98-year NHL history – when they face the Blues (5-1-0, 10 points), winners of four in a row, at Bell Centre. Montreal swept the two-game series between these teams last season, on the heels of a five-game losing streak in their head-to-head matchups dating to Jan. 20, 2010 (0-3-2). This game features two of the reigning Stars of the Week: First Star Carey Price of the Canadiens (3-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .963 SV%, 1 SO) and Third Star Vladimir Tarasenko of the Blues (3-3—6, +6 in 4 GP).
* The Flyers (2-1-1, 5 points), who have shut out their last two opponents, attempt to extend that unblemished streak when they welcome the Stars (4-1-0, 8 points), winners of three straight, to Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia has not allowed a goal in its past 132:05, led by consecutive shutouts from newcomer Michal Neuvirth: Oct. 12 vs. FLA (31 SV) and Oct. 14 vs. CHI (30 SV). The Flyers have won eight of the last 10 matchups between these clubs dating to Nov. 24, 2008 (DAL: 2-6-2).
* The Flames (1-4-0, 2 points) look for their first home win of the season when they face the Capitals (3-1-0, 6 points) at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary, who went 23-13-3 (51 points) at home last season, has split its past four meetings with Washington at Scotiabank Saddledome dating to Oct. 21, 2008. These clubs will play one more time in 2015-16, Nov. 13 at WSH. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (478-421—899 in 763 GP) enters the contest one point shy of 900 in his NHL career.
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NHL Short Notes
* The Predators (4-1-0, 8 points) attempt to continue their dominance at Bridgestone Arena when they drop the puck against the reigning Eastern Conference champion Lightning (4-2-0, 8 points) in Music City. Nashville, who is off to a 2-0-0 start at Bridgestone Arena, ranked second in the NHL last season with a 28-9-4 record (60 points) at home. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, led the League in that category (32-8-1, 65 points). The Predators have won six of the past seven meetings between these teams dating to Dec. 15, 2009 (TBL: 1-5-1).
HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER AWARENESS NIGHT
The Blue Jackets host their Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Night when they face the Islanders at Nationwide Arena. Click here for more details.
Click here for the full list of Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Nights.
MONDAY’S RESULT
Home Team in Caps
NY RANGERS 4, San Jose 0
RAANTA EARNS SHUTOUT WIN IN RANGERS DEBUT
Antti Raanta stopped all 22 shots he faced, including nine in both the first and third periods, to record a shutout victory in his Rangers debut.
* Via Elias, Raanta became the fourth goaltender in Rangers history to post a shutout in his team debut – and the first to do so in 58 years. The others: Hal Winkler (Nov. 16, 1926 vs. Mtl. M.), John Ross Roach (Nov. 15, 1928 at DET) and Marcel Paille (Nov. 2, 1957 vs. BOS). Winkler’s shutout came in the first game in franchise history (1-0 W).
* Raanta, who was acquired from the Blackhawks during the offseason, improved to 15-0-3 in 20 career home appearances (1.51 GAA, .944 SV%, 4 SO). That includes a 14-0-3 record in 19 games with the Blackhawks at United Center (1.59 GAA, .942 SV%, 3 SO).
* The Rangers improved to 11-4-1 in 16 all-time home games against the Sharks dating to Dec. 16, 1991 (SJS: 4-10-2). The Rangers also improved to 10-4-1 in their past 15overall meetings with the Sharks dating to Dec. 28, 2001 (SJS: 4-8-3).
DID YOU KNOW?
Players from three different Nordic countries appeared for the Rangers on Monday: goaltender Antti Raanta (Rauma, Finland); forward Mats Zuccarello (Oslo, Norway); and forwards Jesper Fast (Nassjo, Sweden), Oscar Lindberg (Skellefteå, Sweden) andViktor Stalberg (Gothenburg, Sweden).
Per the Rangers, it marked the first time a Finn, a Norwegian and a Swede were in one team’s lineup and all played in the same game since Nov. 3, 2008, when the Blue Jackets had one Finn (Fredrik Norrena), one Norwegian (Ole-Kristian Tollefsen) and three Swedes (Christian Backman, Kristian Huselius and Freddy Modin) in their lineup at NYI. It also marked the first such occurrence in Rangers history.
MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Rangers forward Rick Nash collected one assist to move within one point of 700 in his NHL career (378-321—699 in 869 GP).
LOOSE PUCKS
Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (24 SV) suffered his first loss of the season (4-1-0, 1.18 GAA, .957 SV%, 2 SO) . . . ICYMI: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, Stars forwardTyler Seguin and Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko were named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Oct. 18 . . . The NHL received the 2015 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recognizing the League’s leadership, overall strategy and impact on the green power market . . . Former high school hockey player Jack Jablonski, who was paralyzed from the chest down nearly four years ago, has joined the Kings as an intern in their Communications Department.
SNEAK PEEK AT TUESDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Arizona @ New Jersey, 7:00 p.m., FS-A, MSG
Florida @ Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m., TVAS, FS-F, ROOT
NY Islanders @ Columbus, 7:00 p.m., MSG+, FS-O
Dallas @ Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., NBCSN, CSN-PH
St. Louis @ Montreal, 7:30 p.m., FS-MW, CITYM, RDS
Tampa Bay @ Nashville, 8:00 p.m., SUN, FS-TN
Washington @ Calgary, 9:00 p.m., SN360, CSN-DC
the information above was provided by the NHL PR department
About Kukla's Korner Hockey
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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