The Boston Bruins (3-0-0) made positive headlines once once more, undisputedly circling the Toronto Maple Leafs at the top of the Atlantic Division with a six-point lead. The Bruins are one of six teams not to lose a game in the past week. The only teams not to record a win were the Columbus Blue Jackets (0-3-0) and Chicago Blackhawks (0-3-0).
Five climbers:
1. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are laying claim to the lead in the Metropolitan Division, as demonstrated impressively in clashes with the Dallas Stars (5-4 OT), New Jersey Devils (4-1) and Pittsburgh Penguins (3-2; 4-3 OT ) underpinned. With 48 points, they took first place in the division from the Devils.
Of the 19 players the Hurricanes played, 16 had a scorer point, including four defensemen and six forwards with at least three points. Carolina’s squad of scorers was led by Center Jordan Steel (3 Tore, 1 Assist).
The next opponents for the Hurricanes at Raleigh’s PNC Arena are the Philadelphia Flyers and Blackhawks.
Video: CAR@PIT: Slavin secures victory in the OT
2. Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings took the full number of points in front of their home crowd from the games once morest the San Jose Sharks (3:2 SO), Anaheim Ducks (4:1) and Calgary Flames (4:3 OT) and reduced their deficit to four points once morest the Pacific Division runners-up Vegas Golden Knights.
with the centers Phillip Danault (2 goals, 1 assist) and Blake Lizotte (1 goal, 2 assists) and the right winger Gabriel Vilardi (1 Tor, 2 Assists) und Adrian Kempe (1 goal, 2 assists), four Kings players averaged 1.00 points.
The Californians would like to continue their quest for the lead in away games at the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche and at home once morest the Golden Knights.
Video: ANA@LAK: Fiala lets defenders stand and scores
3. Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals might not be stopped by the Maple Leafs (5:2), Detroit Red Wings (4:3 OT) and Ottawa Senators (3:2 OT). even if this time Washington’s captain Alex Ovechkin (3 assists) didn’t score himself.
The most accurate player of the Capitals was defender Erik Gustafsson (4 Tore, 2 Assists) vor Center Nic Dowd (2 goals, 1 assist). Like Ovechkin, left wingers performed Sonny Milano (1 Tor, 3 Assists) und Center Evgeny Kuznetsov (1 goal, 3 assists) to three goals by the Capitals.
Will Ovechkin score his 801st NHL goal next week? He has the opportunity to do this in encounters with the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers and Senators.
Video: DET@WSH: Orlov scores in overtime
4. Buffalo Sabres
Away wins at the Coyotes (5-2) and Golden Knights (3-2) extended the Buffalo Sabers’ winning streak to four games. In the month of December, they went without a point in just two of nine appearances (6-2-1).
With left winger Jeff Skinner (3 Tore, 1 Assist), Center Tage Thompson (2 goals, 2 assists) and right winger Alex cloth (4 assists), three Sabers forwards collected four points.
After their seven days off, the Sabers take on the Blue Jackets and Red Wings.
Video: BUF@VGK: Thompson with his 26th goal of the season
5. Colorado Avalanche
With double point wins in home games once morest the Nashville Predators (3-1), New York Islanders (1-0 SE) and Montreal Canadiens (2-1 OT), the Colorado Avalanche reported in the battle for the top three spots in the Central Division return.
Bustle and misery often separate little. Last week, Colorado had the happier ending twice in the extra shift. goalkeeper Alexander Georgiev (26 saves) was a right winger and kept a clean sheet once morest the Islanders in his second regular-time shutout of the season, including overtime and penalty shootouts Mikko Rantanen (2 goals, 1 assist) scored the winning goal in overtime once morest Montreal.
Over the next week, the Avalanche will visit the Coyotes and Predators, and host the Kings at their home Bell Arena.
Video: MTL@COL: Rantanen’s winner in overtime
Five relegated:
1. Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks’ fall as penultimate in the league-wide ranking was not particularly great. After losing away to the Minnesota Wild (1-4) and losing at home to the Rangers (1-7) and Predators (2-4), the Blackhawks, without a win in eight games, have reached the bottom of the league table with a point win rate of 29.0 percent.
Whether in 5-on-5 (eleven goals conceded), outnumbered (three goals conceded; penalty killing: 40.0 percent) or on the power play (10.0 percent): Coach Luke Richardson’s team has also been in the past seven days, To put it mildly, only conditionally competitive. It is significant that with defenders Connor Murphy (1 goal, 1 assist) a defensive man had the most points.
The Blackhawks host the Blue Jackets at the United Center on Friday. They then make guest appearances with the Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues.
2. Vancouver Canucks
In order not to lose the connection to the playoff spots in the Western Conference completely, the Vancouver Canucks depend on every point. In the past seven days, home games once morest the Jets (1-5), Blues (1-5) and Seattle Kraken (6-5 SO) were only enough for two.
Next to the Blackhawks, the Canucks conceded the most goals with an average of 5.00 goals. Center reported back impressively Elias Pettersson (2 goals, 3 assists) with a 5-point game once morest Seattle.
The Canucks will also need the 24-year-old Swede’s services with the Edmonton Oilers, at home once morest the Sharks and in Winnipeg.
3. New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils came to a conciliatory end of the week in Florida (4:2), following they had suffered five and six defeats in a row at home once morest the Panthers (2:4) and in Carolina (1:4).
The Devils had to vacate their first place in the Metropolitan Division and slipped to fourth place in the league standings with a point win rate of 69.7 percent. Center mightn’t prevent this either Jack Hughes (1 goal, 2 assists), who was involved in a Devils goal in all three games.
The Devils will meet the Bruins twice next week at Newark’s Prudential Center.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
After their successful performance in Montreal (5:1), the Tampa Bay Lightning distributed gifts in Toronto (1:4) and in Detroit (4:7).
right winger Nikita Kucherov (2 goals, 2 assists) and team captain Steven Stamkos (4 assists) mightn’t keep the Lightning from widening the Atlantic Division gap to the second-place Maple Leafs and closing to the fourth-place Red Wings.
After the Christmas break, the Lightning will welcome the Canadiens and Rangers to the Amalie Arena within 24 hours.
5. New York Islanders
The New York Islanders made stops on their away tour at the Coyotes (4:5), Golden Knights (5:2), Avalanche (0:1 SO) and Rangers (3:5) and were able to leave the ice as winners only once .
Goalkeeper delivered a strong performance Ilya Sorokin (46 saves) in Denver, where he only had to be defeated twice in the shootout. Ten Islanders players distinguished themselves as scorers, as double centers Mathew Barzal (2 goals, 1 assist) and left winger Anders Lee (2 Tore, 1 Assist).
After 12 days of touring, the Islanders have home games once morest the Panthers, Penguins and Blue Jackets.
