20.12.2024
Tampa Bay Lightning 3 - 1 St Louis Blues
Nikita Kucherov powered the Tampa Bay Lightning to a commanding 6-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues by scoring twice, elevating his total to 22 goals, placing him third in the NHL, while leading the league with 54 points. Kucherov shone with 10 points over his last five games, contributing to Tampa Bay's success alongside Nicholas Paul, who added a goal and two assists, and Steven Stamkos with three assists. Despite Blues' Justin Faulk scoring his first goal of the season, St. Louis struggled as their goaltender Jordan Binnington allowed five goals on 23 shots before being substituted. Tampa Bay's coach Jon Cooper emphasized a simplified playing strategy, leading to goals from Michael Eyssimont, Tyler Motte, and Cal Foote, putting pressure on St. Louis. The Lightning, benefiting from secondary scoring and strong goalkeeping by Andrei Vasilevskiy with 28 saves, celebrated home success. Notably, Mikhail Sergachev was injured during the game, and further updates are anticipated.
Philadelphia Flyers 3 - 7 Los Angeles Kings
In a dominant 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala each scored twice for the Los Angeles Kings at Wells Fargo Center. This win marked the Kings' eighth victory in their last ten games and showcased their resilience, coming from behind after Tyson Foerster's two goals had put the Flyers ahead. The turning point arrived late in the second period when Kopitar tied the game, setting the stage for a strong third-period performance. Warren Foegele's early third-period goal gave the Kings the lead, and additional goals from Kopitar, Quinton Byfield, and Fiala secured the triumph. Captaining the team with 37 points in 32 games, Kopitar continues to excel at age 37, showcasing his career-best average of 1.16 points per game. The Kings' comeback underscored their commitment to "Kings hockey," as stressed by players like Foegele, who emphasized the importance of maintaining their high standards, particularly in the third period.
Columbus Blue Jackets 4 - 2 New Jersey Devils
The Columbus Blue Jackets ended their five-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils, largely thanks to Elvis Merzlikins' standout performance in goal with 40 saves. Sean Monahan played a crucial role, contributing two goals and an assist, while Zach Werenski and Ivan Provorov also found the net. Werenski extended his home point streak to ten games, tying a franchise record. Despite scoring opportunities, the Devils were thwarted by Merzlikins' remarkable saves. Luke Hughes and Timo Meier scored for New Jersey, with Hughes also tallying an assist. The Devils, who were building momentum from a three-game win streak, struggled against the resilient Blue Jackets, highlighted by Merzlikins' calm and poised goaltending under pressure.
Nashville Predators 4 - 5 Pittsburgh Penguins
In an exciting overtime victory, Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby each tallied four points, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Rust's decisive wrist shot in overtime, assisted by Evgeni Malkin, capped his two-goal and two-assist performance, while Crosby ended a personal ten-game goal drought with a power-play goal in the second period, contributing a total of three assists. The Penguins showcased resilience, coming back three times during the match, with Erik Karlsson's third-period wrist shot tying the game 4-4. Both teams competed fiercely, with Pittsburgh extending their point streak to four games. The match highlighted Crosby's 478th multipoint game, moving him past Steve Yzerman for seventh most in NHL history, and marked a reunion for Philip Tomasino, playing against Nashville for the first time since his trade, as well as Ryan O'Reilly's 500th NHL assist milestone. Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos continued their point streaks for Nashville, who battled through key absences, including Roman Josi's injury, but ultimately fell short in overtime.
Chicago Blackhawks 3 - 1 Seattle Kraken
Ilya Mikheyev's two-goal performance propelled the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken, marking their third consecutive win. Arvid Soderblom's 27 saves and Nolan Allan's first NHL goal contributed to this success, while Teuvo Teravainen provided two assists, demonstrating his playmaking skills by assisting on five consecutive team goals, a feat last achieved by Patrick Sharp in 2015. Interim head coach Anders Sorensen has guided the Blackhawks to a 4-3-0 record since taking over, fostering a more cohesive style of play. For Seattle, Ryker Evans scored the team's only goal, and newcomer Kaapo Kakko made his debut, though coach Dan Bylsma lamented the overall lack of execution. Yanni Gourde returned, making a crucial block early on, but the Kraken suffered their third straight loss.
Calgary Flames 2 - 3 Ottawa Senators
In a thrilling match at the Scotiabank Saddledome, Brady Tkachuk scored just 55 seconds into overtime to secure a 3-2 victory for the Ottawa Senators over the Calgary Flames, marking Ottawa's fifth consecutive win. Despite missing part of the game from an injury caused by a high stick, which resulted in Tkachuk losing a tooth and needing nine stitches, he returned to deliver the game-winning goal after Tim Stutzle's rebound pass. Calgary's Dan Vladar, despite making 26 saves, couldn't stop Tkachuk's decisive play. The Senators' Linus Ullmark continued his impressive form, achieving his seventh straight win with 29 saves. Calgary's Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Flames, with the latter's goal confirmed by video review. The Flames have now lost three of their last four games and dropped four straight overtime decisions. Notably, Tkachuk now holds the franchise record with 10 overtime goals, while Linus Ullmark has been a standout performer, boasting a .967 save percentage across his last seven games.
Edmonton Oilers 3 - 2 Boston Bruins
In a thrilling comeback victory, the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Boston Bruins 3-2 in overtime at Rogers Place, with Mattias Ekholm scoring the winning goal at 1:04 of the extra period after a drop pass from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers rallied from a 2-0 deficit with three unanswered goals, thanks to pivotal contributions from Leon Draisaitl, who extended his multipoint streak to seven games with three assists, and Zach Hyman, who netted a goal and an assist. Stuart Skinner made 24 saves for the Oilers, who have now won six of their last seven games. Although Elias Lindholm and Mark Kastelic gave the Bruins an early 2-0 lead, the Oilers' resilience led to their victory, with Connor McDavid tying the game late in the second period. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves for the Bruins, who concluded their road trip with a 2-2-1 record.
Vegas Golden Knights 3 - 1 Vancouver Canucks
In a tightly contested matchup, William Karlsson scored the decisive goal early in the third period, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena. Karlsson's goal, coming off a rebound at the left post, broke a tie and provided Vegas with the lead they would maintain. Notable performances included Brett Howden, who contributed a goal and an assist, and Adin Hill, who secured the victory with 19 saves. Meanwhile, Teddy Blueger netted the Canucks' only goal early in the game, but they were unable to capitalize further, especially following their previous night's overtime loss. Alex Pietrangelo's slap shot tied the game in the second period, and Howden sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
San Jose Sharks - - - Colorado Avalanche
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