Player of the Night: Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
You can criticize the Edmonton Oilers for taking too many perimeter shots and/or having their defensemen fire the puck far too often, and you’d probably have a point.
Still, on nights like these, you also have to acknowledge that the Oilers have also run into some tough luck and even tougher goalies. When it came to Thursday, Saros was that tough goalie, and he reminded the NHL that’s he capable of being more than “just a backup.”
The Finnish goalie set a new Predators record by making 46 saves for a shutout, collecting the second goose egg of his blossoming career.
The Predators (specifically Kyle Turris’ new second line, which might need to be called a 1B line at this rate) are on a roll, beating Edmonton 4-0 to grab at least one point (7-1-2) in nine of their last 10 games.
Highlights of the Night
Nice play finished by Patrick Kane, as the Blackhawks cooled the Jets:
Jakub Vrana’s goal was pretty sweet, and a taste of the Capitals’ recent dominance of the Bruins.
Josh Bailey’s hat trick is worth watching here, even if it wasn’t enough to propel the Islanders to a win against the Blue Jackets.
Scary moment
Here’s hoping that Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Ryan Callahan are OK:
The Lightning kept their hot streak going with a W over the Coyotes.
Factoids
Brayden Point gets the Lightning their ... well, you probably know. Their points.
Brayden Point scored the game-winning goal for the third consecutive contest to lift the League-leading @TBLightning (23-6-2, 48 points) to their sixth straight victory, the longest active win streak in the NHL. #TBLvsARI pic.twitter.com/0G7QX9rwNi
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 15, 2017
The Wild are picking it up, and it’s not just the power of Bruce Boudreau. Probably.
Alex Stalock turned aside all 28 shots he faced to backstop the @mnwild to their fourth straight win overall and a 7-0-1 record in their last eight home games. #TORvsMIN pic.twitter.com/ZGFd8SmcV8
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 15, 2017
The Flyers are weird, and so is hockey.
The @NHLFlyers are the fifth team in NHL history to post 5+ consecutive wins immediately following a winless stretch of 10+ games.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 15, 2017
The other teams: 1966-67 Maple Leafs, 1992-93 Flames, 1994-95 Blackhawks and 2005-06 Sharks. #NHLStats #BUFvsPHI @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/pYDajmE6uX
Scores
Capitals 5, Bruins 3
Flyers 2, Sabres 1
Blue Jackets 6, Islanders 4
Canadiens 2, Devils 1 (OT)
Ducks 3, Blues 1
Wild 2, Maple Leafs 0
Blackhawks 5, Jets 1
Avalanche 2, Panthers 1
Sharks 3, Flames 2
Predators 4, Oilers 0
Lightning 4, Coyotes 1
Golden Knights 2, Penguins 1