Tuesday was a long day.
The captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs was traded, two Calgary Flames stars were made healthy scratches, and some dude named Marty was honoured for his legendary career.
Believe it or not, there were five more things we learned in the NHL Tuesday.
Nine different Kings score in Lucic’s return to Boston
Milan Lucic warned Boston he was coming when he penned a letter to the city in The Players’ Tribune on Monday. On Tuesday, the Lucic-train ran roughshod through Beantown.
The Los Angeles Kings ripped the Bruins to the tune of 9-2. Nine different skaters potted goals. What’s going on?
As well, no Kings player scored more than two points. Lucic was the third star of the game with a goal and assist to his name.
Schneider a rock on Brodeur night
The play of Cory Schneider this season and last is remarkable, not just for his shining statistics but for the way he’s been able to fill the crease once dominated by Martin Brodeur who was on hand Tuesday to see his number 30 retired.
Schneider should be in most Vezina Trophy conversations this year, having amassed 23 wins, a 2.03 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. He made this series of saves in a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers while Brodeur watched from a suite high above the rink.
Connor McDavid, who recorded an assist in the game — his seventh point in five games since returning — may just be catching up on who this Brodeur guy is.
Kane vs. Petrovic
So this is rare.
Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane and Florida Panthers defenceman Alex Petrovic fought each other three times Tuesday night. That’s one more than two!
And it’s all in one, convenient package:
Kane likely thinks he won all three as evidenced by his hand signals here:
The two received 29 penalty minutes each as they were both ejected for fighting three times. They also both took their helmets off for the finale, earning them unsportsmanlike penalties. But don’t think they just goon-ed it up all night. Kane scored a goal and Petrovic potted his own, adding an assist in a 7-4 Panthers win.
Ducks hunting for playoffs
The Anaheim Ducks‘ first half of 2015-16 made captain Ryan Getzlaf tear out all his hair as the team struggled to score or string together wins. Now the club is 8-2-0 over its last 10 games and sit clear of the wild card spot, third in the Pacific Division.
The Ducks have scored 18 goals over their last five games and pulled away from the Philadelphia Flyers Tuesday with a 4-1 win. Rickard Rakell scored two, earning first star honours.
Frederik Andersen, whose start to the year mirrored that of his team, has similarly bounced back with six straight wins. It’s hard to believe Andersen lost 11 of his first 14 starts but the 26-year-old may have wrestled the starting job back from John Gibson who was blown out 6-2 by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.
Warning Sean Monahan
Calgary Flames head coach Bob Hartley chastised his team at Monday’s practice, which typically wouldn’t reach the top of the news heap. But Sportsnet’s Mark Spector revealed today that Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau and Lance Bouma would be healthy scratches for Tuesday’s game against the now captain-less Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to Spector, the three were guilty of enjoying Super Bowl Sunday a little too much. That didn’t stop the Boring Sean Monahan Twitter account from cracking wise during the contest.
Hmm.
“Mistakes happen, they’re all good kids,” said Matt Stajan after the game. Forgive and forget?
The Flames just held on to beat the Leafs 4-3 after Toronto mounted a partial comeback.
Concerning for the Leafs was Nazem Kadri‘s throat slash gesture that he directed toward Flames defenceman Mark Giordano. The Leafs’ forward was hit up high by Giordano and went to the bench before making this threatening motion.
