Friday, November 8, 2024, 7:03 a.m. – Stephan Häfliger
Well, hold onto your hats, folks! It was a whirlwind of NHL hockey last night, and all the Swiss players were on the ice—well, almost all of them. It seems hockey’s favorite goalie, Akira Schmid, decided to skip the festivities—probably a good call on his part! Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche took on the Winnipeg Jets, and let’s just say, they left with their tails between their legs…
The Winnipeg Jets feasted on the Colorado Avalanche like kids on Halloween candy, notching up their 14th win in as many games. Gabriel Vilardi nabbed the early goal within just a minute of the first period, showcasing a performance so solid that goalie Connor Hellebuyck didn’t have to break a sweat—stopping all 35 shots like they were mosquitoes buzzing around his head!
Poor Nino Niederreiter shot twice on goal and logged a respectable 18:45 of ice time, but it was akin to trying to put out a five-alarm fire with a water pistol. Meanwhile, if you’re a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks, you’d better have some strong beverages handy. Despite getting outclassed by the Dallas Stars with a 40-26 shooting advantage, the Hawks’ body check count was like a desperate attempt at being physical at a tea party—39 checks to 15 faceoffs doesn’t quite cut it for a 3-1 loss.
Now, the Tampa Bay Lightning have become the hockey equivalent of trying to catch a falling soufflé; they tied the game, saved a point in the penalty shootout, but ultimately crumbled under pressure against the Philadelphia Flyers— a mere 2-1 loss, which completes their fourth defeat in a row. They’ll need to spend their week off watching motivational videos—maybe some TED talks on ‘How to Stop Losing’ might help?
Switching gears to the New Jersey Devils, they had themselves a night! Hosting the Montreal Canadiens, they quickly sliced through their defense like a hot knife through butter—scoring just two minutes in. And guess who decided to join the party? That’s right, Jonas Siegenthaler scored his first goal of the season. I mean, at this rate, he’ll need a bigger trophy cabinet—final score was 5-3, leaving five French-Canadian fans in tears.
Speaking of unfortunate news, the Nashville Predators are like a ship with a gaping hole at the bottom—sinking faster than you can say “subpar performance.” After a brutal 6-2 loss, solidifying their third defeat in a row and stuck at a meager 9 points from 14 games, they’re heading home with more question marks than answers. Captain Roman Josi logged a hefty 21:29 of ice time with a rather unflattering -2 record—let’s hope he’s got a spare pair of skates because they need better performance, stat!
In a delightful turn of events, the Vancouver Canucks managed to outshine the competition, locking in their third straight win. In the Swiss duet battle, Pius Suter came out on top against Kevin Fiala in a thrilling 4-2 victory. Suter’s got a little spring in his step with a +1 record—mind you, it’s not quite Roger Federer levels of greatness, but we’ll take it!
- Boston Bruins – Calgary Flames 4:3 n.V.
- Ottawa Senators – New York Islanders 2:4
- Florida Panthers – Nashville Predators 6:2
- New Jersey Devils – Montreal Canadiens 5:3
- New York Rangers – Buffalo Sabres 1:6
- Carolina Hurricanes – Pittsburgh Penguins 5:1
- Tampa Bay Lightning – Philadelphia Flyers 1:2 n.P.
- St. Louis Blues – Utah Hockey Club 2:4
- Dallas Stars – Chicago Blackhawks 3:1
- Winnipeg Jets – Colorado Avalanche 1:0
- Los Angeles Kings – Vancouver Canucks 2:4
- San Jose Sharks – Minnesota Wild 2:5
So there you have it, folks! Another entertaining night in the NHL with Swiss players leaving their mark. Grab your skate, and let’s see what sort of drama unfolds next week!
Friday, November 8, 2024, 7:03 a.m. – Stephan Häfliger
On Friday night, all NHL Swiss players (except Akira Schmid) were actively competing for their respective teams. The Colorado Avalanche faced off against the Winnipeg Jets, while the Chicago Blackhawks struggled to contend with the Dallas Stars. The Tampa Bay Lightning found themselves in a tense showdown that ended in a penalty shootout loss. Notably, Jonas Siegenthaler recorded the first goal of his season, but the Nashville Predators continued to face challenges in their campaign. In a thrilling Swiss battle, Pius Suter emerged victorious over Kevin Fiala.
The Winnipeg Jets celebrated their 14th victory of the season in just 13 games, defeating the Colorado Avalanche with a decisive score line of 1-0. Gabriel Vilardi scored just shy of a minute into the first period, setting the tone for the match. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck showcased his incredible skills, thwarting all 35 shots from the Avalanche and securing his second consecutive shutout. Nino Niederreiter had a couple of shots on goal during his 18:45 of ice time, although the team ultimately fell short.
Phillipp Kurashev faced disappointment as his Chicago Blackhawks succumbed to a 3-1 loss against the Dallas Stars. The Stars dominated the offensive battle with a striking 40-26 advantage in shots and won an impressive 71.4% of the game’s face-offs. Despite the Blackhawks appearing physically formidable with a commanding 39-15 edge in body checks, it was not sufficient as they fell behind 3-1. Kurashev logged 11:49 on the ice, registered 2 shots on goal, incurred a 2-minute penalty for tripping, and ended with a faceoff percentage of 41.7%.
The Tampa Bay Lightning managed to secure a point in their ongoing battle but ultimately lost 2-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers in a nail-biting penalty shootout. This marks the Lightning’s fourth consecutive defeat, though they managed to capture their first point in November. The team will now take a week off to regroup before clashing with the formidable Winnipeg Jets in a home game next Friday night.
The New Jersey Devils triumphed over the Montreal Canadiens, kicking off the match with a goal just two minutes into the game. The standout moment of the evening came when Jonas Siegenthaler scored the first goal of his season, netting a wrist shot to elevate the score to 3-1 in the second period. The Devils maintained home advantage, eventually securing a 5-3 victory. Nico Hischier logged an impressive 20:56 with a balanced record, while Timo Meier contributed 16:54 and finished with a +1 record. In total, Siegenthaler spent 20:57 on the ice, fired off 3 shots, scored 1 goal, and recorded a +2 rating.
The Vancouver Canucks celebrated their third consecutive victory in a highly anticipated matchup featuring Swiss players Pius Suter and Kevin Fiala. The Canucks outperformed their rivals, winning the game 4-2. Suter enjoyed a solid performance, finishing with a +1 rating after nearly 20 minutes on the ice, contributing 1 shot on goal. Meanwhile, Fiala appeared for 21:30, registering 2 shots but finished with a -1 rating.
Results:
Boston Bruins – Calgary Flames 4:3 n.V.
Ottawa Senators – New York Islanders 2:4
Florida Panthers – Nashville Predators (mit Josi) 6:2
New Jersey Devils (with Hischier, Meier, Siegenthaler) – Montreal Canadiens 5:3
New York Rangers – Buffalo Sabres 1:6
Carolina Hurricanes – Pittsburgh Penguins 5:1
Tampa Bay Lighting (mit Moser) – Philadelphia Flyers 1:2 n.P.
St. Louis Blues – Utah Hockey Club 2:4
Dallas Stars – Chicago Blackhawks (mit Kurashev) 3:1
Winnipeg Jets (with Niederreiter) – Colorado Avalanche 1:0
Los Angeles Kings (mit Fiala) – Vancouver Canucks (mit Suter) 2:4
San Jose Sharks – Minnesota Wild 2:5
**Interview with Hockey Analyst, Alex Fournier**
**Stephan Häfliger (Host):** Good morning, Alex! Thanks for joining us. What a night in the NHL! Let’s dive right into the Vancouver Canucks’ impressive victory over the Los Angeles Kings. What stood out for you in that match?
**Alex Fournier (Guest):** Good morning, Stephan! It was indeed a thrilling match. The Canucks showed great resilience, coming away with a 4-2 win. Their ability to capitalize on opportunities was evident, especially with Pius Suter’s performance. He’s really finding his stride this season, and it was exciting to see him outshine his Swiss counterpart Kevin Fiala.
**Stephan:** Absolutely! Suter’s contribution is crucial, especially as they chase consistency. On the other hand, the Kings struggled. What do you think went wrong for them last night?
**Alex:** The Kings seemed to have a tough time generating offense. They were outperformed in terms of shots and failed to maintain puck possession at key moments. The Canucks took advantage of this with quick counterattacks. Defensively, the Kings need to tighten up if they hope to compete later in the season.
**Stephan:** Moving on to the Winnipeg Jets, they achieved a remarkable 14th win in just 13 games by defeating the Colorado Avalanche. What are your thoughts on that performance?
**Alex:** The Jets are really showing they mean business this season! Connor Hellebuyck’s goalkeeping was stellar, earning him a shutout. The early goal from Gabriel Vilardi set a confident tone right away. What’s impressive is their balance; they’re both defensively sound and capable of scoring under pressure, which is a winning combination.
**Stephan:** Right! And speaking of performances, Nino Niederreiter had some attempts but ultimately couldn’t help the Jets create more scoring chances. How do you think he can turn things around?
**Alex:** Niederreiter is a skilled player but sometimes it comes down to finding chemistry with line mates. He needs to focus on positioning himself better during offensive plays to create those critical chances. If he can work on this during practice, he could become that impactful player the Jets need.
**Stephan:** It seems like the Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators are facing rough patches. What’s the outlook for them moving forward?
**Alex:** For the Blackhawks, they must find a way to translate their physical play into results. Outshooting an opponent yet losing indicates a disconnect. They must improve in the finishing department to capitalize on those shots. As for the Predators, their struggles are concerning. Leadership from players like Roman Josi is essential now, and the coaching staff needs to regroup and re-strategize to salvage their season.
**Stephan:** A lot for them to think about then! any predictions for next week’s matchups?
**Alex:** I expect the Jets to keep their momentum rolling, but it’ll be interesting to see how the Lightning fares against them. They need to break their losing streak, but the Jets are a tough opponent right now. And keep an eye on the New Jersey Devils; they’re building confidence and could upset some higher-ranked teams!
**Stephan:** Exciting times ahead! Thank you for your insights, Alex. We’ll be sure to enjoy the thrilling hockey coming our way next week.
**Alex:** Always a pleasure, Stephan! Looking forward to discussing more hockey soon.