22.11.2024

Boston Bruins 1 - 0 Utah Hockey Club
Bruins shut out Utah Hockey Club in Sacco's 1st game BOSTON -- Joonas Korpisalo made 21 saves for the Boston Bruins, who won Joe Sacco's first game as coach, 1-0 against the Utah Hockey Club at TD Garden on Thursday. Sacco replaced Jim Montgomery, who was fired on Tuesday after posting a 120-41-23 record in three seasons.

“[It felt] pretty good, I’m not going to lie to you, obviously,” Sacco said. “To get our guys to get a win, too, was even more important. We feel better about ourselves, and I think how we went about the game tonight was like a business-like approach. I thought that we had a couple of individuals that really brought the energy to our group tonight to lift the bench at certain moments during the game, and just a good effort all around from our guys.”

Elias Lindholm scored for Boston (9-9-3), which ended a three-game losing streak. Korpisalo earned his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career.

“The guys played so well in front of me,” Korpisalo said. “Every [penalty kill], I saw every shot throughout the whole game. A couple bad rebounds, but they took care of it, pucks out, everything. No odd-man rushes, so it’s really, really fun to play behind the guys today.” Karel Vejmelka made 30 saves for Utah (7-9-3), which has lost three straight.

“We should have been better offensively, at supporting the puck here and putting speed around them,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “We’re a fast team, and if we don’t create speed around the puck and around their defensemen, [it gets] easy to shut down.”

The Bruins had three power-play chances in the first period but failed to convert despite generating 10 shots on goal.

Lindholm gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 12:41 of the second period, corralling a net-front rebound and pushing it past Vejmelka on Boston’s fifth man-advantage of the game.

“It’s been a tough couple games, or a stretch here, for me,” Lindholm said. “Obviously, I haven’t played good enough, and yeah, hopefully that can help a little bit and get some confidence.” Maveric Lamoureux nearly tied it for Utah at 11:51 of the third period, but his wrist shot went off the crossbar.

“It’s frustrating. I feel like a lot of guys are getting a lot of chances,” Utah forward Nick Schmaltz said. “Myself included, maybe just gripping the stick a little bit too tight, got to have a little more poise and confidence with the puck when you get those Grade-A opportunities.”

David Pastrnak appeared to score an empty-net power-play goal at 19:01 of the third, but it was overturned after an official review due to a high stick.

“I think it’s a good confidence thing,” Bruins captain Brad Marchand said. “Knowing that, you know, we can play the right way and it is in here, and we can respond. You still hate the situation that had to arise for us to respond that way. It was a good game tonight, but it’s one game.”

NOTES: Utah defenseman Olli Maatta played his 700th career NHL game. He is the eighth Finnish defenseman to reach that milestone. Teppo Numminen (1,372 games played) has the most. … Sacco became the second coach in Bruins history to guide his team to a shutout victory in his debut with the franchise. Fred Creighton was the first in 1979-80. … Lindholm snapped a 17-game goal drought with his power-play goal in the second period.

Box Score, Gamecast

Ottawa Senators 2 - 3 Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights edged out the Ottawa Senators 3-2 at the Canadian Tire Centre, with Ilya Samsonov playing a crucial role by making 38 saves, including 16 in the third period, to secure the win. Brett Howden and Jack Eichel contributed to the Knights' scoring, while Ivan Barbashev assisted twice, helping Vegas snap a two-game losing streak. The victory marked coach Bruce Cassidy's 400th NHL win. Despite goals from Adam Gaudette and Drake Batherson, the Senators suffered their fourth consecutive loss, with goaltender Linus Ullmark, who was acquired from Boston, saving 29 shots in his debut with Ottawa. The Golden Knights continue to dominate the Senators historically, boasting a 12-1-1 record against them. Notably, Vegas' Alex Pietrangelo missed the game due to injury, and Robert Hagg made his season debut after being called up from the AHL.

Box Score, Gamecast

Detroit Red Wings 2 - 1 New York Islanders
The Detroit Red Wings clinched a 2-1 comeback victory over the New York Islanders at Little Caesars Arena, with Lucas Raymond scoring the decisive goal just 52 seconds before the final buzzer. This thrilling conclusion unfolded after Jonatan Berggren tied the game with a strategic play stemming from an unfortunate broken stick by Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov. Despite Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin's commendable 29 saves, Detroit's Alex Lyon managed to hold the fort with 22 saves, helping to halt the Red Wings' three-game losing streak. The Islanders, having lost their lead during the third period in three consecutive matches, saw Simon Holmstrom score their initial goal early in the first period, ultimately rounding off a challenging 1-2-2 road trip. This game set the stage for the teams' final meeting in New York, where Detroit previously edged out a narrow 1-0 win. Before the game, the Red Wings honored the legacy of Hall of Famer Pavel Datsyuk, who officially concluded his illustrious career with the team through a ceremonial one-day contract.

Box Score, Gamecast

New Jersey Devils 4 - 2 Carolina Hurricanes
In a thrilling matchup, Jesper Bratt shone with two goals and an assist, leading the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Prudential Center. Jack Hughes provided exceptional support with three assists, continuing his streak as a significant playmaker, now ranking fifth among U.S.-born players for three-point games before age 24. In a special milestone, Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom, who joined the elite ranks of Swedish goalies with 500 NHL games, celebrated the occasion with his 2-year-old son in the locker room, adding a personal touch. Stefan Noesen, a former Hurricane, scored against his old team, adding an emotional element to the Devils' triumph. The Hurricanes saw Spencer Martin making 17 saves, while Andrei Svechnikov contributed a power-play goal, but it wasn't enough to extend their winning streak.

Box Score, Gamecast

Washington Capitals 1 - 2 Colorado Avalanche
In a tightly-contested game, the Colorado Avalanche edged past the Washington Capitals 2-1 at Capital One Arena, with Miles Wood scoring the decisive goal in the third period. Mikko Rantanen also found the net for the Avalanche, notching his ninth goal in eight games and breaking a franchise record with his 97th career power-play goal. Alexandar Georgiev returned from an injury to make 28 crucial saves, helping the Avalanche secure their fifth win in six games. Despite Pierre-Luc Dubois giving the Capitals an initial lead, Rantanen’s goal in the second period equalized the score, and Wood’s deflection early in the third sealed the victory for Colorado. Washington, missing star player Alex Ovechkin due to a fractured fibula, saw their five-game point streak snapped, despite a late-game surge that included a near miss from Connor McMichael hitting the crossbar.

Box Score, Gamecast

Columbus Blue Jackets 7 - 6 Tampa Bay Lightning
In a thrilling encounter, Zach Werenski's historic five-point performance, including the overtime winner, led the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 7-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nationwide Arena. Werenski's standout game, featuring two goals and three assists, set a new record for the most points by a defenseman in Blue Jackets history. This win marked the team’s resilience as they overcame a 3-0 deficit, underscoring the Blue Jackets' offensive prowess, with Kent Johnson also impressing by scoring twice in his return from injury. Despite Nikita Kucherov surpassing 900 NHL points with three assists and the Lightning initially taking a commanding lead, Columbus fought back to secure the win. The thrilling back-and-forth match highlighted contributions from both teams and ultimately ended Tampa Bay's three-game winning streak.

Box Score, Gamecast

St Louis Blues 3 - 2 San Jose Sharks
In an exciting NHL matchup, Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues tied the franchise's all-time wins record by securing a thrilling 3-2 shootout victory over the San Jose Sharks. Binnington, who matched Mike Liut with his 151st win, stopped 22 shots and denied all three shootout attempts. The Blues, with goals from Nathan Walker and Jordan Kyrou, snapped a tough stretch of challenges on home ice with this win. Jake Neighbours scored the decisive shootout goal, while Alex Wennberg kept the Sharks in contention by forcing overtime with a late third-period goal. Notably, Macklin Celebrini had a standout performance with 10 shot attempts, and Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves in his Sharks debut after being traded from Nashville. The victory marked a significant morale boost for the Blues as they head out on a road trip.

Box Score, Gamecast

Chicago Blackhawks 3 - 1 Florida Panthers
Petr Mrazek made a standout return with 32 saves, propelling the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers, breaking a three-game losing streak. Teuvo Teravainen opened the scoring with a power-play goal, and Craig Smith extended the lead with a backhand finish on a breakaway. Despite Sam Reinhart extending his point streak to 12 games with his 15th goal of the season, tying for the NHL lead, the Panthers couldn't overcome the deficit. Nick Foligno secured the win with an empty-net goal. Special teams were pivotal for Chicago, with coach Luke Richardson highlighting the exceptional play of Mrazek. The game also marked a continued goal drought for promising forward Connor Bedard, who went without a shot on goal.

Box Score, Gamecast

Calgary Flames 3 - 2 New York Rangers
Connor Zary's decisive third-period goal helped the Calgary Flames secure a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Saddledome, marking Calgary's third consecutive win. Zary's sharp-angled wrist shot beat Igor Shesterkin, who made an impressive 46 saves despite the loss. The Flames, now with points in seven of their last eight games, showcased strong performances from Matt Coronato and Yegor Sharangovich, each contributing a goal and an assist, alongside MacKenzie Weegar's three assists. Goalie Dustin Wolf added to the defensive effort with 27 saves. While Alexis Lafreniere and Will Cuylle scored for the Rangers, Cuylle's quick goal following Lafreniere's brought the game level at 2-2 before Zary's game-winner.

Box Score, Gamecast

Edmonton Oilers 3 - 5 Minnesota Wild
In a thrilling match at Rogers Place, Frederick Gaudreau led the Minnesota Wild to a 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, scoring two goals and providing an assist. This win marked the Wild's third consecutive triumph, with Kirill Kaprizov setting a franchise record with an 11-game road point streak. Additionally, Marc-Andre Fleury made history by surpassing Patrick Roy for the third-most games played by a goalie in NHL history. Despite Leon Draisaitl's quick opening goal and Corey Perry's efforts for Edmonton, the Oilers fell short, losing three of their last four games. Key moments included Matt Boldy's game-tying wrist shot, goals from Marcus Foligno and Marcus Johansson, and Gaudreau's clinical finish during a 2-on-1 rush.

Box Score, Gamecast