Yesterday’s NHL Scores
Last Night’s News 📰
PRICE RETURNS: It was an emotional night in Montreal on Friday as veteran goaltender Carey Price made his season debut. The ovation was thunderous as he took the ice for the first time since the Stanley Cup Final last July. The 34-year-old made 17 saves, but his team ultimately fell to the New York Islanders.
TOUGH TIMING: The Pittsburgh Penguins announced goaltender Tristan Jarry is week to week with a lower-body injury. Behind Jarry, the Pens’ goaltending depth consists of Casey DeSmith and Louis Domingue. The team punched their ticket to the playoffs for the 16th consecutive time and will need Jarry at 100 percent if they hope to make it out of the first round.
KIRILL STILL THE THRILL: The Minnesota Wild battled the St. Louis Blues on Saturday and Kirill Kaprizov scored his 43rd goal of the season in the third period. The goal marked a new franchise record, as the young forward passed both Eric Staal and Marian Gaborik who were previously tied with 42 goals.
FLEURY’S NEWEST FAN: Laila Anderson is known for her loyalty to the Blues, but did you know she has ties to Minnesota and the Wild are her second favorite team? While in attendance on Saturday, she made sure to welcome their newest goaltender with a hand-written note and a flower. It is safe to say the hockey world is a better place with Laila in it.
ANOTHER BARRIER BROKEN: A little bit of NHL history was quietly made on Thursday night, as two Black on-ice officials worked a game together for the first time. Debuting referee Jordan Samuels-Thomas and linesman Shandor Alphonso were part of the crew for the Chicago Blackhawks’ 5-4 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks at the United Center.
By The Numbers: Saturday’s Scoring Spectacle
Saturday offered a high-octane night of action in the NHL. As several teams fought for playoff positioning, plenty of pucks found the backs of nets and some rather unprecedented happenings took place. Let’s take a look at the numbers from a historic Saturday in the NHL.
14 – The number of NHL games that took place on Saturday. By the end of the night, three teams clinched playoff berths (Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues) and one team was eliminated from postseason contention (Columbus Blue Jackets).
14-0 – The record of the betting favorites on Saturday, the best single day record by betting favorites in NHL history. According the ESPN Stats & Information, 14 games have been played in a day 21 times in the last five years, and this is the first time the favorites won each one.
3 – Games that went past regulation on Saturday. The Blues edged the Minnesota Wild 6-5 in overtime, the Toronto Maple Leafs scored a road victory over the Ottawa Senators with a 5-4 overtime win, and it took a shootout for the Seattle Kraken to secure a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.
101 – The amount of goals scored on Saturday, the second-highest single day goal total in NHL history. The only higher-scoring day was Jan. 23, 1993 when 103 goals were scored. The highest-scoring team was the Flames (nine goals) and the highest-scoring game was the Washington Capitals’ 8-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
11 – Players with multiple goals on Saturday. Alexis Lafrenière (New York Rangers), Ryan Hartman (Wild), Anthony Mantha (Capitals), Ryan Poehling (Canadiens), Mitch Marner (Maple Leafs), Tim Stützle (Senators), Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jordan Staal (Carolina Hurricanes), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Dillon Dubé (Flames) and Matthew Tkachuk (Flames) all potted a pair.
2 – Players who netted their first career NHL goal on Saturday. NCAA alum Ben Meyers made his NHL debut with the Avs following his senior season at Minnesota and scored a second period goal in the team’s 7-4 win over Carolina, while 2021 No. 2 overall pick Matty Beniers scored a power-play goal in the Kraken’s shootout win over the Devils.
Your Disney Starting Lineup
There are officially two more weeks left in the regular season. Honestly, where did the time go? Now is the time that playoff-bound teams begin tinkering with their lineup to ensure they have the best combinations ready for the postseason. Along those tinkering lines, we decided to take a look at what the perfect NHL starting lineup would be using Disney characters – because why not!
Forwards
Li Shang [Mulan]: Of course, the team captain would be in the starting lineup. The veteran winger is all business when he gets to the rink and leads by example. His hockey IQ is off the charts and he has the best moves of any team member. A true leader in every way, he will make a man out of each and every rookie at training camp.
Flynn Rider [Tangled]: Every team needs their talented heartthrob to help sell jerseys, and this is where top center Flynn Rider enters the conversation. His silky mitts and knack for outsmarting opponents make him absolute money in the faceoff circle. The downside is a mouth that moves about as fast as his skates, which tends to get him into some trouble. But with Li Shang on the ice, help is never far away.
Kocoum [Pocahontas]: Rounding out the top line is none other than Kocoum, a warrior on and off the ice. He never shies away from the tough areas of the ice and in the offensive zone will be positioned in front of the opposing goaltender, using his size and strength as a screen. He leads his forward corps in blocked shots and will not think twice about sacrificing his body if it will benefit the team.
Defensemen
The Beast [Beauty and the Beast]: The epitome of the perfect hard-hitting, stay-at-home defenseman. Standing at around 6-foot-2, Beast has the necessary formidable presence to keep his opponents away from his goaltender. Size aside, he is known to be temperamental and hostile towards intruders. Opposing players will need to keep their heads on a swivel when they enter the defensive zone when Beast is on the ice.
Aladdin [Aladdin]: While he may not have the size of his defensive partner, he does have natural athleticism and agility. He is the perfect puck moving defenseman who can quickly skate around the opposition to create chances in the offensive zone. His overall optimism makes him a great teammate, as he can rally the troops when necessary to earn the “dub”.
Goaltender
Maui [Moana]: A shapeshifting demigod in the crease? Yes, please! I mean – let’s be honest – who needs good reflexes when they have a giant magical fish hook? Reportedly he stands at around eight feet tall, giving him an immediate edge as he would have no problem covering the net. He will stop puck after puck as the crowd chants “It’s Maui time!”.
Have a Good Summer!
A busy Easter weekend of action brought the NHL postseason picture into clearer focus, as teams currently in playoff positions flexed some muscle. The New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers recorded shutouts to keep their momentum going, while the Calgary Flames (nine goals), Washington Capitals (eight), Colorado Avalanche (seven) and Tampa Bay Lightning (seven) showcased some potent offense. A Brayden Schenn OT winner clinched a playoff spot for the St. Louis Blues.
With all those highlights from the league’s upper crust, it’s no surprise that teams on the outside looking in saw the task to extend their season grow even more daunting. As a result, the Columbus Blue Jackets (more below) and the New York Islanders are officially out, while the Winnipeg Jets are hanging on by only the thinnest of threads. Once again, here’s to the officially ousted:
San Jose Sharks
“Shark tank” seems to be taking on a whole new meaning in San Jose, where the Sharks are without a win in the month of April, having lost 10 in a row. While the eight-year contract extension for Tomas Hertl back in mid-March represented a positive sign, the club has won just three times over their past 16 games since. Cue the speculation on the futures of veterans like Logan Couture, Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson.
Anaheim Ducks
If postseason berths were awarded based on how much fun a team was to watch (or how loathed a team is by hockey traditionalists), then the Anaheim Ducks would certainly be playing into May. The exciting Trevor Zegras provided a spark that kept things interesting in Anaheim up until an 11-game skid in March torpedoed their playoff chances. There’s a lot to look forward to with the Ducks, but before that, let’s salute the club’s all-time leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf ahead of his retirement!
Columbus Blue Jackets
It’s not that the Columbus Blue Jackets have been that bad this season, but the top-eight in the Eastern Conference simply set themselves apart and the Metropolitan Division was a killer. But fret not, Blue Jackets fans. The arrival of Kent Johnson adds to a youthful core that includes pending restricted free agent Patrik Laine, breakout star Oliver Bjorkstrand, defensive stalwart Zach Werenski and fellow teen Cole Sillinger.
NHL Standings
NHL’s Leading Scorers
Today’s NHL Schedule
- Today’s newsletter was edited by Ben Fisher and Kristy Flannery, with contributions by Grant Tingley.
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