With just one game on the schedule, it was a quiet night in the NHL.
(Of course, the same can’t be said for the MLB and Canadian politics.)
Here are three things we learned in the league on Monday night:
Antti Raanta looks good in blue…
Raanta made a strong first impression during his debut with the New York Rangers, making 22 saves and earning a 4-0 shutout over the San Jose Sharks.
This was 26-year-old Raanta’s fourth career NHL shutout — the first three came during his time as backup goaltender with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Rangers’ offence was also impressive, with Marc Staal starting the scoring in the first period and adding an assist in the third to deliver Sharks’ goaltender Martin Jones‘ first loss of the season. Staal is apparently a good luck charm — the Rangers have now won eight straight games when he scores.
Evander Kane goes the distance…
As we’ve learned throughout these MLB playoffs, hockey players love baseball, too — especially when the Toronto Blue Jays are involved.
Plenty of NHLers have been tweeting their support for the Blue Jays, as more and more join the baseball fun…
… but Evander Kane took his support to new heights.
The Buffalo Sabres forward and his teammate, Jamie McGinn, took a helicopter to the game — talk about traveling in style.
What’s wrong with Corey Perry?
According to Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau, nothing.
“I’m not worried about his goal scoring,” Boudreau told Sportsnet’s Hockey Central at Noon on Monday. “I know when he gets one, he’ll get more than one.”
Perry, along with teammate Ryan Getzlaf, have been kept scoreless so far this season as the Ducks have struggled out of the gates. Boudreau addressed the team’s scoring woes as they prepare for a tough Central Division road trip that will see them face the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues in the span of a single week.
Said Boudreau, “We’ve got to play better on this road trip or we’re in trouble.”
