It’s time to place a bow on one other weekend within the NHL. We noticed Jack Hughes single-handedly mild up the Capitals, and the Boston Bruins broke an NHL file by extending their prolonged dwelling successful streak.
Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at a few of the league’s high performs from the weekend as nicely the highest storylines.
Goal of the weekend: Jack Hughes visits the financial institution
Few gamers within the NHL are as sizzling as Jack Hughes lately (extra on that later), and he placed on a present towards the Capitals on Saturday. On one in all his targets, Hughes walked down the left wall and rifled a shot off the facet of Charlie Lindgren’s masks and into the online for his tenth purpose of the season.
I strive to not reward luck in terms of handing out this prestigious honor, however I do not suppose this was luck. Based on the replay, it is fairly clear that Hughes was aiming for that top-left nook by Lindgren’s ear, and he hit it. When you are sizzling, you are sizzling.
Robbery of the weekend: Connor Hellebuyck swats Seguin
The sport between the Stars and Jets was the most effective final week (extra on that later, too), and whereas it was a high-scoring affair, the goaltenders turned of their share of highlights. That brings us to Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck.
With Winnipeg up 3-2 within the third interval, the Stars rang an influence play shot off the put up. The rebound popped out to Tyler Seguin in entrance of the online, and he was looking at a 24 sq. foot opening. Just as Seguin went to faucet in what he thought could be one of many best targets of his profession, Hellebuyck reached out his paddle and swatted away Seguin’s shot.
With the Jets successful in time beyond regulation, that save loomed massive.
Bruins defending their den in historic vogue
The Bruins have made NHL historical past by successful their first 12 dwelling video games of the season, and the record-breaking victory got here in entertaining vogue. On Friday, the Bruins confronted a 2-0 deficit towards the Carolina Hurricanes, and it appeared like their 11-game dwelling successful streak would come to an finish.
That’s when veteran heart David Krejci scored a pair of targets to tie the sport at 2-2, and it will go to time beyond regulation from there. In the additional body, the Hurricanes gave the Bruins an influence play, which turned out to be a foul concept. Brad Marchand slid a go to David Pastrnak on the left circle, and the Czech sniper ripped a slapshot previous Pyotr Kochetkov to win the sport.
The Bruins have an opportunity to increase their dwelling successful streak to 13 video games on Tuesday night time, when the Lightning come to city.
Three-goal comebacks in New York and Florida
No lead is protected within the fashionable NHL, and the Rangers and Panthers discovered that out the exhausting approach on Saturday.
In their sport towards the Oilers, the Rangers took a 3-0 lead into the third interval and didn’t get even a single level within the standings. Just over 10 minutes into the interval, Oilers rookie Dylan Holloway scored his first profession purpose to tie the sport.
With simply over two minutes left in regulation, Leon Draisaitl scored an influence play purpose to provide the Oilers a 4-3 win. The groans in Madison Square Garden may need been heard in outer area.
Over 1,200 miles away in Florida, the Panthers held a 4-1 lead over the St. Louis Blues within the third interval. Much just like the Rangers, the Panthers tried to climate a barrage of scoring probabilities unsuccessfully.
With below 4 minutes left within the third interval, Vladimir Tarasenko fired dwelling a pleasant go from Ivan Barbashev to stage the rating at 4-4. Florida did handle to get some extent, however Jordan Kyrou completed off a pleasant deke in time beyond regulation to win the sport for St. Louis.
If you are questioning how typically two groups blow three-goal leads within the third interval on the identical day, the reply is just not fairly often. Saturday was simply the sixth time in NHL historical past it has occurred, and the final time it occurred was on Jan. 31, 2012, in line with NHL Public Relations.
Jets win Central Division showdown
The matchup of the highest two groups within the Central Division didn’t disappoint. Down 4-2 late within the third interval, the Stars pulled the goalie earlier than Jason Robertson performed hero with back-to-back tallies to tie the sport.
The second one was accompanied by some controversy as a result of Jamie Benn knocked off the helmet of Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Normally, the play could be whistled useless, and the purpose could be overturned due to goaltender interference. However, officers dominated that Benn was pushed into Hellebuyck by Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey.
However, it did not take lengthy for Morrissey to atone for his mistake. In time beyond regulation, Morrissey received a breakaway and cashed in on his alternative to win the sport.
Jack Hughes scores hat trick… and will get model factors
Hughes was one of many gamers the Devils wanted to take the following step to ensure that the entire franchise to do the identical. Through 22 video games this season, Hughes has been the most effective gamers within the NHL. The Capitals have been the newest group to endure Hughes’ wrath.
During Saturday’s sport, Hughes scored a hat trick, and he gained some model factors within the course of. On his first purpose of the sport, Hughes flew into the offensive zone with pace, deked out Charlie Lindgren and tucked the puck into the online off of Lindgren’s pad from beneath the purpose line.
That wasn’t the one time Hughes would use a chunk of Lindgren’s gear to attain a purpose. You’ve already seen Hughes’ second purpose of the sport, which he fired off Lindgren’s helmet, as a result of it was the purpose of the weekend above. Hughes’ third purpose, to finish the hat trick, was just a little extra simple.
The Devils would go on to win the sport, 5-1, and Hughes now has 4 targets in his final two video games.
Appointment viewing this week
Lightning at Bruins | Tuesday, Nov. 28: As talked about above, the Bruins have began the season with 12 straight wins at dwelling. They will put that streak on the road towards the Lightning in what is perhaps an early playoff preview.
Panthers at Flames | Tuesday, Nov. 28: This sport has been circled since Matthew Tkahuck requested a commerce out of Calgary. On Tuesday night time, Tkachuk makes his return whereas Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar face their former group after being shipped as much as the Flames as a part of the blockbuster deal.
Golden Knights at Penguins | Thursday, Dec. 1: The Golden Knights are headed east for a four-game highway journey on the heels of being outscored 9-3 in back-to-back losses to the Kraken and Canucks. In this one, we’ll get to see a uncommon showdown of Jack Eichel and Sidney Crosby at heart ice, which is nicely value tuning in for.
Panthers at Kraken | Saturday, Dec. 3: The Kraken have been arguably the largest shock out of the gate this season. Seattle sits close to the highest of the Western Conference standings because of rookie heart Matty Beniers pacing a deadly offense that averages the sixth-most targets (3.57) within the league. It’s loopy to suppose that the Panthers will in all probability be the underdog on this one.
