Last year’s top goal-scorer has returned to his specialty, a trade wakes the Oilers’ offence up and a Panthers forward is on pace for a career year.
Here’s five things we learned in the NHL on Tuesday night.
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Crosby ends 11-game goal drought
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby re-entered into the goal column with a second-period power-play goal against the Buffalo Sabres.
It was only a matter of time before he snapped his 11-game drought without a goal.
Crosby said before the game that he was trying to trust the process a little bit more during the current stretch without a goal.
The goal on Tuesday was his sixth of the season — a far cry from his 44 that earned him the Maurice Richard Trophy last year. However, there’s still lots of hockey left to be played this season.
Vegas welcomes another goalie to the fold
Dylan Ferguson was thrusted into the spotlight on Tuesday when he became the fifth goaltender used by the Vegas Golden Knights this season.
Ferguson entered the game midway through the period after starter Maxime Lagace allowed a seventh goal against the Edmonton Oilers.
The 19-year-old Ferguson, who was recalled on an emergency basis from the Western Hockey League’s Kamloops Blazers on Oct. 31, allowed one goal on two shots in his NHL debut.
It remains to be seen whether Ferguson will get his first career start on Thursday when Vegas visits the Vancouver Canucks. Lagace appeared to be shaken up on the fifth Oilers goal.
The Golden Knights are still without goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury, Malcolm Subban and Oscar Dansk due to injury.
Roster shakeup sparks Oilers’ offence
Edmonton General manager Peter Chiarelli had seen enough of his struggling offence and made the decision to acquire winger Michael Cammalleri from the Los Angeles Kings.
The move was made before the Oilers’ game against the Golden Knights and saw Jussi Jokinen heading the other way.
Edmonton responded positively to the move — even though Cammalleri wasn’t in its lineup against Vegas — with three first-period goals, including one on the power play and another shorthanded.
The Oilers entered the night with the fewest goals scored in the NHL with 38 and are hoping that Cammalleri can provide a spark.
They didn’t need him against the Golden Knights as they cruised to an 8-2 win.
Canadiens test Mete at forward
The Montreal Canadiens were forced to mix up their forward corps against the Columbus Blue Jackets after centre Torrey Mitchell came down with the flu.
Subbing in for Mitchell on the fourth line was rookie defenceman Victor Mete, who played on the wing with Jacob de la Rose and Byron Froese.
Mete ended up switching back to defence for Paul Byron‘s tying goal in the third period and finished with 7:06 of ice time.
Montreal fell 2-1 to the Blue Jackets in overtime.
Huberdeau continues to shine for lowly Panthers
Jonathan Huberdeau is on pace to eclipse all of his previous career highs.
The Panthers winger scored twice on the power play in Florida’s 4-3 shootout win over the Dallas Stars for his fifth multi-point game of the season.
Huberdeau’s performance against the Stars gives him seven goals and 14 assists on the season. He managed 26 points in an injury-shortened season last year and his previous high before that was 59 points (20 goals, 39 assists) in 76 games in 2015-16.
Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, he was stood up at the blue line by Stephen Johns in the second period although later returned.
Note: Vincent Trocheck scored the shootout winner for the Panthers against Dallas. He delved into a few different topics in a piece published on The Players’ Tribune earlier Tuesday.
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