The Senators end their losing streak, the Sabres are shut out again, the Jets reach for the top and more. Here are five things we learned in the NHL on Friday night.
Senators’ skid stops at seven
It wasn’t a great night to be a goalie in Brooklyn, as both the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders pulled their starters midway through Friday’s high-scoring game—Craig Anderson‘s night was over after letting in five goals on 18 shots, while Thomas Greiss gave up five on 20. Mike Condon was perfect in relief, backstopping the Senators to their first win since the Global Series in Stockholm on Nov. 11 and capping their losing skid at seven games.
In a game featuring 11 goals, there were plenty of highlights in this one. But our favourite belongs to rookie defenceman Thomas Chabot, who buried a beautiful slapshot for his first career NHL goal, tying the game at four apiece:
In addition to his first NHL marker, Chabot also registered two assists Friday night for his first multi-point game—including a helper on Ryan Dzingel‘s game-winner.
Chabot suited up for three games with the Senators in October before being sent back to AHL Belleville, and was recalled again last week. In six games this season, Chabot has a goal and five assists.
Sid steals one in Buffalo
Just a quick reminder to protect the puck when you’re in your own zone and playing against Sidney Crosby. The Buffalo Sabres learned that the hard way on Friday night in an own-zone gaff that led to a Pittsburgh Penguins goal in the first period:
Crosby stole a goal, but it was Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry who stole the show in Buffalo on Friday. The netminder, who’s filling in for injured starter Matt Murray (week-to-week), earned his first NHL shutout with an impressive 34-save performance. Jarry has yet to lose in regulation this season, logging three straight wins since Murray’s injury.
“He earned it,” Crosby told reporters after the 4-0 win. “It was a great game by him. He made big saves all the way through.”
Sabres are still scoreless
It was Jarry’s first shutout, but it was Buffalo’s third time being shut out in as many games, which is a franchise record.
“It’s quite embarrassing,” Sabres coach Phil Housley told reporters after the 4-0 loss. “We had a game plan, and I don’t think we executed on that.”
“We’re playing a backup goaltender,” he said. “I think we didn’t take advantage of that tonight.”
Forward Kyle Okposo offered a similar sentiment.
“It’s just embarrassing. We’ve got to take more pride in here and we’ve got to be better—everybody, top to bottom,” he said after the game. “It’s just not good enough. The effort’s not good enough. We work in practice. We work in practice and then that doesn’t translate for some reason. It’s just a lack of execution.”
The Sabres have now lost 10 of their past 11 games. They won’t have much time to rest, as they face the Penguins again Saturday night for Part II of their home-and-home.
Slump. Speak. Score. Repeat.
Patrik Laine‘s pretty much got it down to a science.
It starts with a few games off the scoresheet, and then come the magic words: “My confidence is not up again…”
“But I just try to work hard every shift,” Laine told reporters earlier Friday. “It doesn’t matter what your confidence level is. Just work hard and do those simple things on the ice and do those winning little things on the ice.”
Then, come the points. We’ve seen it before, when Laine again spoke out about not being pleased with his own play back in late October… only to go on a goal-scoring spree.
This time around, on the heels of a three-game dry spell, Laine looked back to his usual self Friday night with a goal and two assists to help the Winnipeg Jets defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 7-4. He would’ve made it a two-goal night had it not been for Max Lagace‘s blocker:
Jets take top spot in the West
The Winnipeg Jets should stop a take in the view—just for a moment, of course—after their big win over Vegas, as they find themselves at the top of the standings in the Western Conference.
Their 16-6-4 record through 26 games has them tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning at 36 points at the top of the league, though Tampa has one game in hand.
Never one to get ahead of himself, head coach Paul Maurice cautioned the rest of Hockey Twitter to do the same.
But he did offer some insight into why the Jets are enjoying such a successful start to the season—and it goes beyond just straight-up skill (of which they’ve clearly got plenty).
The Jets are off Saturday before taking on the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.
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