Chicago is getting the majority of its production from one source, a Red Wings forward haunts a former foe and Anaheim continues to pound on the Bruins.
Here are three things we learned in the NHL on Wednesday night.
Quenneville ignites Anisimov during second intermission
Whatever Joel Quenneville said to his Chicago Blackhawks during the second intermission of an Original Six matchup against the New York Rangers, Artem Anisimov was listening.
The Russian winger scored twice in the first five minutes of the third period and then completed his first career hat trick later in the frame as the Blackhawks went on to win 6-3.
Perhaps Chicago was just building off the momentum of Alex DeBrincat‘s late second-period goal that had tied the game at 1-1.
Whatever the case, the Blackhawks have had to rely on both Anisimov and DeBrincat quite a bit in the past few weeks.
Since Oct. 27, Anisimov has eight goals and DeBrincat six, while the rest of Chicago has 12 goals combined.
The loss snapped New York’s six-game winning streak.
Athanasiou gets the better of Lack again
Andreas Athanasiou has gotten the better of goaltender Eddie Lack on more than one occasion already in 2017.
Let’s rewind to March 27 when Lack was still with the Carolina Hurricanes. Athanasiou drove hard to the net in overtime and scored on Lack to win the Detroit Red Wings the game, although it left Lack sprawled out on the ice.
The Swede had to be stretchered off, although he missed only one game.
Fast-forward to Wednesday night, and Athanasiou started what would be a miserable night for Lack, who’s now with the Calgary Flames.
Athanasiou scored the first of five Red Wings goals on Lack and added another in the third along with an assist in an 8-2 rout of the Flames. The game turned ugly in the third period with the two teams combining for 111 penalty minutes.
Lack, who was making his second start of the season, finished with 10 saves in place of Mike Smith and was pulled early in the second period.
Smith suffered an upper-body injury on Monday against the St. Louis Blues and wasn’t with the Flames to start their six-game road trip.
Ducks’ dominance over Bruins continues
If you looked at the shots-on-goal column from the Anaheim Ducks‘ game against the Bruins, you’d think this game was all Boston.
Anaheim was the team getting heavily outshot, however, and still came out with the victory.
The Ducks downed Boston 4-2 despite managing 27 shots as compared to 41 for the Bruins. A classic Randy Carlyle-style victory.
The win also extended Anaheim’s win streak over Boston to eight games.
