13.12.2024
Toronto Maple Leafs 3 - 2 Anaheim Ducks
In a tightly contested game, Max Pacioretty led the Toronto Maple Leafs with two goals and an assist, securing a 3-2 victory against the Anaheim Ducks at Scotiabank Arena. Pacioretty's performance snapped a seven-game point drought, highlighted by an impressive poke-in goal after receiving a no-look, between-the-legs pass from John Tavares, who contributed two assists. Despite an early setback with goalie Anthony Stolarz replaced due to injury, Joseph Woll stepped in, making 19 crucial saves and ensuring Toronto's dominant play in the third period by limiting Anaheim to a single quality scoring chance. William Nylander also scored for the Maple Leafs, while the Ducks saw goals from Jackson LaCombe, who also assisted, and Frank Vatrano. The Maple Leafs held their ground, improving to a 5-2-0 record in their last seven games and capturing their NHL-leading 13th home win, while the Ducks extended their losing streak to five. Robby Fabbri returned for Anaheim after knee surgery, contributing two shots in his 16-minute run, and Jake McCabe notched an assist in his return for Toronto after recovering from a head injury.
Montreal Canadiens 2 - 9 Pittsburgh Penguins
In a high-scoring affair at the Bell Centre, the Pittsburgh Penguins overwhelmed the Montreal Canadiens 9-2, with Bryan Rust achieving a hat trick and Rickard Rakell contributing two goals and two assists, marking a standout performance for Pittsburgh’s top line alongside Sidney Crosby, who added three assists. The Penguins exploited Montreal's defensive lapses, particularly during a six-goal third period. Kris Letang also shined with a goal and assist, while Tristan Jarry made 21 saves for the Penguins. Montreal’s Nick Suzuki initially put the Canadiens ahead but couldn't prevent the collapse, and Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault was replaced after conceding six goals. Crosby's assists milestone saw him surpass Gordie Howe for fifth-most all-time with one franchise, highlighting the game's notable individual achievements despite another tough night for Montreal, which saw their coach Martin St. Louis emphasize the importance of maintaining focus throughout the game.
New Jersey Devils 3 - 1 Los Angeles Kings
In a gripping 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, Jack Hughes led the New Jersey Devils with a goal and two assists at the Prudential Center. Hughes described the match as a tightly contested affair, noting similarities to a close previous game against Toronto. Ondrej Palat, contributing with a goal and an assist, aided the Devils to secure their second win in a five-game homestand. Jacob Markstrom made 12 saves, while the Kings’ winning streak ended despite Jordan Spence's opening goal in the second period. Alex Turcotte missed a critical penalty shot opportunity for the Kings. Brett Pesce scored his first goal for the Devils, a significant short-handed goal, pushing their lead late in the game. Notably, Hughes highlighted his improving penalty-killing prowess, earning an assist on Pesce’s goal. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe praised Hughes's versatility and commitment to all aspects of the game. Additionally, Brett Pesce, playing his 650th game, marked a career milestone reaching his 200th point. Meanwhile, Devils' forward Dawson Mercer exited the game due to an injury requiring stitches, and Brenden Dillon celebrated the birth of his second daughter earlier that day.
Philadelphia Flyers 4 - 1 Detroit Red Wings
In a thrilling game at Wells Fargo Center, Scott Laughton scored all four goals for the Philadelphia Flyers, leading them to a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. This match marked Laughton's achievement of surpassing 100 career goals, as he became the first Flyer to net four goals in a game since John LeClair in 2002, tying the franchise record. Laughton's scoring included two decisive empty-net goals, while teammate Travis Konecny contributed with two assists. Aleksei Kolosov impressed with 25 saves, while Cam Talbot made 32 saves for the Red Wings in his return from injury. Sean Couturier and Dylan Larkin highlighted the strategic play and crucial moments, with the Flyers taking control in the second period. Ben Chiarot scored the lone goal for the Red Wings, but the Flyers' solid defense and Laughton's exceptional performance sealed the win, earning him hearty applause from his teammates.
Columbus Blue Jackets 1 - 2 Washington Capitals
In a thrilling overtime match, Aliaksei Protas was the hero for the Washington Capitals, scoring twice to lead his team to a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. This victory extended the Capitals' franchise-record road winning streak to ten games, which is tied for the seventh longest in NHL history. The Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski initially put them ahead with his 10th goal of the season, making him the first Columbus defenseman to score 100 career goals. However, Protas equalized early in the third period and then clinched the win with a strategic shot from above the right face-off circle in overtime. Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren made 32 saves, while Blue Jackets' Jet Greaves impressed in his season debut with 35 saves. Despite their current form, the Blue Jackets struggled, having lost five of their last six games. Capitals coach Spencer Carbery praised their perseverance, while Columbus coach Dean Evason noted the promise shown by their young goalie, Greaves. Overall, this match highlighted the Capitals' resilience and Protas' crucial role during their winning streak.
New York Islanders 5 - 4 Chicago Blackhawks
Simon Holmstrom led the New York Islanders to a narrow 5-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at UBS Arena, tallying a career-high three points with a goal and two assists. The Islanders took a commanding 5-1 lead midway through the third period only to see the Blackhawks surge back with three goals in the final 10 minutes, nearly overturning the deficit. Jean-Gabriel Pageau also excelled with three assists, while Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves amidst critiques from coach Patrick Roy about the team's late-game defensive lapses, stating the Islanders needed to show more respect for their goalie. For Chicago, Connor Bedard contributed a goal and two assists, while goaltending struggles continued with Arvid Soderblom conceding five goals before being replaced by NHL debutant Drew Commesso. Despite the loss, Chicago's penalty kill remained perfect over their last seven games, highlighting some defensive strengths during a challenging stretch under interim coach Anders Sorensen.
St Louis Blues 3 - 4 San Jose Sharks
In a thrilling encounter, Macklin Celebrini led the San Jose Sharks to a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues, contributing two goals and an assist. Celebrini, the first pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, achieved an impressive milestone by becoming one of only 11 18-year-olds in NHL history to score 19 points in their first 20 games. Making his Sharks debut, Alexandar Georgiev, recently acquired from the Colorado Avalanche, made 17 crucial saves to help end San Jose's three-game losing streak. In another highlight, Nikolai Kovalenko, also part of the recent trade, registered three assists, marking his first points with the Sharks. Despite a valiant late push from the Blues with contributions from Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis was unable to overcome their slow start. This match was pivotal for the Sharks, rounding off a tense six-game road trip with a vital win, while the Blues struggled as they returned from a Canadian road trip, emphasizing the effects of travel fatigue.
Dallas Stars 1 - 4 Nashville Predators
Ryan O'Reilly led the Nashville Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center, contributing two goals and an assist. This win ended Nashville's 0-5-3 losing streak, aided by Justus Annunen's 35 saves in his second game with the Predators. Nashville's resilience was shown by overcoming two overturned goals due to Dallas's successful challenges, and rookie Lian Bichsel made a mark by scoring for Dallas in his NHL debut. Despite Dallas's lackluster performance, as coach Pete DeBoer noted, the Predators outperformed with a stronger competitive edge, setting the stage for their upcoming challenge against the Colorado Avalanche.
Minnesota Wild 1 - 7 Edmonton Oilers
Leon Draisaitl led the Edmonton Oilers to a dominant 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, showcasing his skill with a goal and three assists at the Xcel Energy Center. This performance extended his impressive four-game point streak, totaling 10 points during that span. Edmonton, now on a four-game winning streak, delivered a comprehensive performance with contributions from Connor Brown and Connor McDavid, while Calvin Pickard made 29 crucial saves. Despite a strong season so far, the Wild struggled defensively as Filip Gustavsson conceded five goals before being replaced by Marc-Andre Fleury in the third period. Frederick Gaudreau scored the lone goal for Minnesota, who managed to score during a power play. Edmonton marked their first win in St. Paul since 2019, continuing a hot streak, as reflected in their recent 7-1-0 record over the past eight games.
Winnipeg Jets 2 - 3 Vegas Golden Knights
Ivan Barbashev scored 3:47 into overtime to help the Vegas Golden Knights secure a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, overcoming a late deficit in a dramatic fashion. The game saw Vegas tying the score in the final minutes of regulation with Victor Olofsson's clutch one-timer during a 5-on-3 power play after a slick pass from Mark Stone. Barbashev then finished off a 2-on-1 play with Shea Theodore to clinch the win, marking Vegas's eighth straight win against Winnipeg. Notably, Nikita Chibrikov continued his impressive start for the Jets, becoming the first player in franchise history to score in each of his first three NHL games. Despite being dominated for much of the game, the Jets, with contributions from Josh Morrissey and Chibrikov, demonstrated resilience but eventually fell short. Vegas's defensive strength was evident, and with Adin Hill making crucial saves, they extended their recent road success to 8-1-2 in their last 11 away games.
Colorado Avalanche 1 - 4 Utah Hockey Club
Dylan Guenther led the Utah Hockey Club to a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena, scoring two goals and providing an assist. His performance contributed to Utah's recent success, marking their third win in four games. Guenther's first goal occurred in the first period after a fortunate bounce off an opponent, and his second came on a power play in the second period. Vladislav Kolyachonok and Kevin Stenlund, who continues an impressive goal streak, added to the tally with Stenlund sealing the game with an empty-net goal. Logan Cooley assisted twice, and Karel Vejmelka made 22 saves. Nathan MacKinnon managed to score for the Avalanche, who previously had a strong winning streak, but it wasn't enough to overcome Utah's dominant performance.
Calgary Flames 3 - 8 Tampa Bay Lightning
In a commanding 8-3 victory over the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome, Nikita Kucherov matched Tampa Bay Lightning single-game records with six points and five assists, showcasing a stellar performance on Thursday night. This achievement places him alongside Doug Crossman and Brayden Point in Lightning's history books for six-point games. Jake Guentzel stood out with a hat-trick, while Brayden Point contributed four points and Anthony Cirelli added three. The win marked a strong performance for the Lightning, who have now won three of their last four games. The Flames had their seven-game home point streak broken despite goals from Jonathan Huberdeau, Connor Zary, and Nazem Kadri. Key highlights include Guentzel's hat-trick, Cirelli's crucial backcheck leading to an unexpected assist for the Flames’ initial goal, and Andrei Vasilevskiy's solid performance in his milestone 500th NHL game, with 19 saves. The absence of Victor Hedman due to a lower-body injury was notable, though it did not hinder the Lightning's dominant offensive display.
Vancouver Canucks 4 - 0 Florida Panthers
Lankinen makes 27 saves, Canucks shut out Panthers
VANCOUVER --
Brock Boeser scored in his 500th NHL game, and defenseman Carson Soucy scored his first goal of the season for the Canucks (15-8-5), who had lost two straight but have earned a point in six of their past seven (4-1-2). Quinn Hughes, Max Sasson and Teddy Blueger each had two assists.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 15 saves for the Panthers (18-10-2), who had their seven-game point streak end (6-0-1).
It was the first time this season Florida had been shut out.
Soucy gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead at 2:23 of the first period. He took a drop pass from Sasson as the trailer on a rush and scored with a shot from the top of the circles that deflected off the stick of Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and over the glove of Bobrovsky.
Danton Heinen made it 2-0 at 18:41. After taking a pass from Heinen on a rush, Sasson faked a shot along the right wing before sending a return pass back toward the crease, where it deflected in off the pad of Bobrovsky and Heinen's skate.
Boeser pushed it to 3-0 off a nice pass from Miller at 4:53 of the second period. His initial shot went wide of the net, but it caromed back to him off the end boards, and he scored into an open net with Bobrovsky looking the other way.
Jake DeBrusk made it 4-0 with a power-play goal at 12:55 of the third period. Miller won a face-off and passed to Hughes for a one-timer from the point that DeBrusk deflected in off Bobrovsky.
Lankinen made his best save at 10:33 of the third by stopping Niko Mikkola, who was alone at the hash marks.
Seattle Kraken 5 - 1 Boston Bruins
In a decisive 5-1 victory over the Boston Bruins, Oliver Bjorkstrand shone for the Seattle Kraken by scoring two goals at Climate Pledge Arena. Jared McCann contributed a goal and an assist, while Shane Wright provided two assists for the Kraken, who have shown promising form with points in five of their last six games. Philipp Grubauer was impressive in goal with 33 saves. The Bruins, coming off an 8-1 defeat by the Winnipeg Jets, saw Brad Marchand score their lone goal on a penalty shot, marking his seventh such success and putting him level with Pavel Bure for the most penalty shots scored in NHL history. Bjorkstrand's early power-play goal, Jaden Schwartz's swift backhand, Vince Dunn's rebound strike, and McCann's late empty-netter sealed the dominant win for Seattle.