Saturday offered a jam-packed 14-game schedule across the NHL, and there was surely no shortage of action.Streaks were snapped, and milestones were reached, but without wasting too much time, let's dissect what we can take away from the busy slate of games.The Flyers can light the lampThe Flyers couldn't wait to get back to Philly, as they thumped the Washington Capitals 8-2 in their home opener coming off a Western swing to start the season.The Flyers have scored at least five goals in three of five games and have received positive contributions from star players Jakub Voracek (nine assists) and Claude Giroux (three goals, four assists), both of whom are looking to rebound from poor outputs a season ago.Crosby owns the Panthers againSidney Crosby tipped home two goals Saturday against Florida, continuing a rather ridiculous trend for his career.

Dallas Stars bench boss Ken Hitchcock claimed his 783rd career win Saturday to pass Al Arbour for third on the NHL's all-time coaching wins list.The milestone came as the Stars defeated the Colorado Avalanche by a 3-1 score.Hitchcock returned to the Stars this offseason after a six-year run with the St. Louis Blues. He previously coached the Stars from 1995-2002, guiding the franchise to its lone Stanley Cup championship in 1999.Here's the breakdown of Hitchcock's historic coaching career:TeamTenureGamesWinsStars1995-02503277Flyers2002-06254131Blue Jackets2006-10284125Blues2011-17413248Stars2017-52Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a good Saturday night for Mike Babcock.With a 4-3 overtime win over the rival Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss notched his fourth win of the season, and 600th of his NHL coaching career.Babcock, who joined the Maple Leafs in 2015, picked up 458 wins in his previous stop with the Detroit Red Wings. He also collected 69 victories while with the Anaheim Ducks from 2002-04. Saturday's victory marked his 73rd win at the helm of the Maple Leafs.Babcock currently sits 16th in all-time wins, and a spot just outside of the top-10 could be in reach by season's end:RankCoachGamesWins10Ron Wilson1 40164811Darryl Sutter1 28563412Bryan Murray1 23962013Jacques Lemaire1 26261714Alain Vigneault1 13961515Jacques Martin1 29461316Mike Babcock1 119600Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was at it again Saturday night in Montreal, going end-to-end to bury a nasty finish top corner past Canadiens netminder Carey Price in the first period.Of course, the shot and the goal itself were nice, but the play as a whole deserves another look due to Matthews' stellar solo effort and silky hands.Here's a more in-depth look at the sequence.Matthews, No. 34, starts the play in his own defensive zone, taking a pass from Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen and quickly turns up ice. The next frame is where the magic starts to happen.With his hand-eye coordination on full display, Matthews flips the puck over the outstretched stick of the Montreal defender and proceeds to corral the puck and continue the rush.After skating the puck through the neutral zone, Matthews temporarily loses it to Canadiens defenseman Jordie Benn only to bat the biscuit out of mid-air and back onto his tape. No big deal.With the puck seemingly glued to his blade, Matthews then sizes up his competition and sets up for a slippery toe drag.Executing the toe drag to perfection, Matthews slips the puck slightly to his inside and fires an absolute lazer of a wrist shot past Price for his fourth tally of the season.Here is the play in it's entirety:

Local hero Georges St-Pierre was on hand to drop the ceremonial puck ahead of the Montreal Canadiens-Toronto Maple Leafs game at the Bell Centre Saturday.St-Pierre was joined by Michael Bisping - his opponent for the middleweight championship at UFC 217, along with UFC president Dana White. The Canadian superstar was loudly greeted by the Canadiens' fan base, while Bisping received a chorus of boos.

Greeted Friday by a good Twitter roast, the Vegas Golden Knights mascot is anything but a blight on the hockey landscape.Prior to Friday's game against Detroit, the Golden Knights unveiled a Gila monster named "Chance" as their new mascot. For those unfamiliar with these creatures, "the venomous Gila monster is the largest lizard native to the United States," according to National Geographic.Vegas, however, has given "Chance" a backstory that belies its poisonous nature.From the team:

Their inaugural loss appears to have propelled the Vegas Golden Knights to bring in reinforcements.Russian forward Vadim Shipachyov has been recalled from the Chicago Wolves, according to AHL transactions - though he never actually played a game with them.

The Vancouver Canucks will be without Alex Edler for at least a month.The defenseman suffered an MCL sprain and will be out of the lineup for four-to-six weeks, head coach Travis Green announced Saturday.As a result, the recently-acquired Derrick Pouliot will get a shot to impress his new club.

The Edmonton Oilers are dealing with a potentially serious early-season injury.Ahead of Saturday's game against Ottawa, head coach Todd McLellan disclosed forward Leon Draisaitl is dealing with concussion-type symptoms.Draisaitl missed practice the past few days after suffering en eye injury during the team's loss Monday against Winnipeg, a game in which he played over 18 minutes, and scored a goal."He’s had an eye injury and the eye was swollen shut but obviously the eye is attached to the head which leads to concussion-type symptoms,” McLellan said per Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal.He will therefore not play against the Senators and will be held out of the lineup until deemed clear of the concussion symptoms.Draisaitl, who signed an eight-year, $68 million extension this past summer, recorded a goal and two assists in three games so far this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The National Hockey League season is only 10 days old, meaning there's little reason to panic for teams off to slow starts - though for the Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars, things look rather discouraging.Both teams, expected to be solidly in playoff contention, are off to 1-3-0 starts. They're at the bottom of the league standings in terms of goals per game; Dallas sits 30th with eight goals in four contests, while Montreal has managed only four goals, two of which came shorthanded.The reality of the latter's situation leads to gulp-worthy stats like this:

A promising start to the regular season for the Washington Capitals has been potentially hindered by the loss of defenseman Matt Niskanen.Niskanen, who left Friday's game against New Jersey after taking a slash to the left hand, has been placed on long-term injured reserve with what's being labeled an upper-body injury.The veteran defenseman is considered week-too-week and is expected to be out a minimum of 10 games and 24 days by being placed on LTIR, per Cap Friendly.Madison Bowey has been recalled from the Hershey Bears to fill Niskanen's spot in the lineup.Niskanen averaged 21:09 of ice time through the first five games of the season, recording one assist and four shots on goal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The rest of Canada might not be willing to admit it just yet, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are legit.And, despite losing the last 14 games to their bitter rival, the Montreal Canadiens, the Leafs are a team on the rise, while the Habs are struggling just to put the puck in the net more than once per game.Although, that wasn't always the case.Only a few short years ago, the Leafs' roster looked like a shell of its future self. Sure, the Canadiens have undergone their fair share of roster changeover, but their cornerstone pieces remain mostly the same (minus, of course, that Subban guy).Simply put, Montreal has dominated Toronto over the past three-plus seasons. And, after you have a look at the Leafs' roster - both then and now - the team's transformation from pretenders to contenders becomes evident.Take a peek at the Leafs' lineup from the last time they bested the Canadiens, a 5-3 victory Jan. 18, 2014:Player (Position)Current Team Carter Ashton (F)Tolyatti Lada (KHL)Troy Bodie (F)UFAPhil Kessel (F)Pittsburgh PenguinsNikolai Kulemin (F)New York IslandersJay McClement (F)UFAPeter Holland (F)Montreal CanadiensTyler Bozak (F)Toronto Maple LeafsJames van Riemsdyk (F)Toronto Maple LeafsMason Raymond (F)Bern SC (Swiss League)Colton Orr (F)RetiredNazem Kadri (F)Toronto Maple LeafsJoffrey Lupul (F)Toronto Maple Leafs (LTIR)Dion Phaneuf (D)Ottawa SenatorsCarl Gunnarsson (D)St. Louis BluesTim Gleason (D)UFAJake Gardiner (D)Toronto Maple LeafsCody Franson (D)Chicago BlackhawksMorgan Rielly (D)Toronto Maple LeafsJonathan Bernier (G)Colorado Avalanche(Lineup courtesy: Hockey Reference)Fast forward to today, with the Buds and Habs set to meet for the first time this season, and you have two very different-looking teams than the ones that faced off almost four years ago.No disrespect to guys like Tim Gleason, Carter Ashton, and Mason Raymond, but Toronto's roster shakeup has sprinkled elite talent up and down the lineup.A lot of that has to do with a revamped front-office staff and Brendan Shanahan's commitment to building from within. Of course, a handful of draft picks in the top 10 is bound to improve any club.The progression made by No. 1 overall pick Auston Matthews, No. 4 overall Mitch Marner, and No. 8 overall William Nylander over the past two years have the Maple Leafs primed to leave their rival from La Belle Province in the dust for the first time in a long time.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Especially considering the Canadiens sit last in goals scored with four, while the high-flying Leafs are second in the NHL with 22. Mind you, Toronto is far from a perfect team, and has struggled in its own end, sitting tied for the third-most goals against at 16.Four years of dominance compared to four games of high-scoring contests hardly seems like enough to deem the Leafs the next Cup champs.However, when you compare the talent levels of these two bitter opponents, it's clear to see that the tide is turning in Toronto's favor. With a totally different lineup and fresh approach, the Leafs have transformed themselves from the hunted to the hunters.It's still early, and the Canadiens have plenty of time to figure it out. But expect the lengthy losing streak to be snapped, much sooner than later.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon appears to have avoided a major scare.The Colorado Avalanche forward's teammates, Tyson Barrie and Gabriel Landeskog, told reporters postgame that he'll be fine and that the eye injury he suffered in Friday's win over the Anaheim Ducks is not serious, according to the Denver Post's Mike Chambers.Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar confirmed those assessments, telling Chambers and other reporters that MacKinnon will "probably" play Saturday night against the Dallas Stars.The 22-year-old center left Friday's game and didn't return after taking Derek Grant's stick in the eye.MacKinnon posted four assists in the first four games, before being held off the score sheet on an abbreviated Friday night for the 2013 first overall pick.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is still red-hot, and even though Evgeny Kuznetsov didn't help him score Friday night, the younger Washington Capitals forward deserves some credit for aiding the captain's explosion out of the gate.Ovechkin notched his ninth goal of the season in a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils, continuing the best start of his career through five games, while Kuznetsov made some history of his own.The 25-year-old picked up two assists in the win, becoming the first player in Capitals history to notch 10 helpers through the club's first five contests.While he's certainly benefited from playing alongside Ovechkin on both the top line and top power-play unit, Kuznetsov is a major reason for his countryman's rejuvenation.The less experienced Russian star has assisted on seven of Ovechkin's nine goals, and six of those helpers were of the primary variety.While all of those connections came in the Capitals' first two games, Kuznetsov is proving both that he can produce regardless of his linemate, and, more importantly, that he has undeniable chemistry with Ovechkin that should ensure head coach Barry Trotz keeps the two together.Kuznetsov put up a respectable 59 points while appearing in every regular-season game last season, but that output was mildly disappointing after the 77-point campaign he authored in 2015-16.It's way too early to project he'll pile up 164 assists based on his two-per-game pace, but Kuznetov's early production is encouraging, particularly considering how well he's clicked with Washington's best and brightest star.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon left Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks after taking a stick blade to the eye.MacKinnon was caught with Ducks pivot Derek Grant's stick and fell to the ice holding his eye in obvious pain.The Avalanche later confirmed MacKinnon's injury was indeed an eye issue, and that he wouldn't return to the game.No timetable for his return nor severity of the injury was given.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mark Streit reportedly isn't keen on being demoted.The veteran defenseman won't report to the Laval Rocket and will take the next few days to evaluate his options, according to TVA's Renaud Lavoie.Streit was loaned to the Montreal Canadiens' AHL affiliate after clearing waivers Friday.The 39-year-old was reportedly shopped by the NHL club before being put through the waiver process.He underwhelmed in the Canadiens' first two games after signing a one-year deal in July.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild left Chicago on Thursday night with two points, but it cost them three of their top-six forwards, as the team announced Friday that Charlie Coyle, Nino Niederreiter, and Marcus Foligno will all miss time due to injury.Foligno and Blackhawks forward John Hayden got into a spirited scrap in the second period, with Foligno taking a few vicious blows. After serving his major, Foligno left the ice and didn't return. The team later reported he suffered a facial fracture, with details emerging today that he'll undergo surgery and miss at least a week.Meanwhile, Niederreiter suffered a high ankle sprain after taking a hit from Hawks center Tanner Kero.Kero tried to check Niederreiter and instead landed on his left leg, resulting in Niederreiter hobbling down the tunnel to the dressing room. He was placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss a minimum of three weeks.As for Coyle, he'll miss the most significant chunk of time, as he'll be placed on long-term injured reserve and miss six-to-eight weeks. With Coyle's LTIR designation, Minnesota is able to recall at least three players from its AHL affiliate in Iowa.Since the Wild were already playing without top scorer Mikael Granlund - who is also out with injury - or an extra forward due to salary cap restrictions, the loss of three of their best forwards could be a crippling blow to the start of the club's 2017-18 season.Minnesota next takes to the ice Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Curtis Lazar is paying his respects.The Calgary Flames forward will sport a helmet decal honoring former Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray when the two teams face off Friday.

The Buffalo Sabres are off to a 0-3-1 start this season, and after finishing with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference a year ago, Jack Eichel's patience is growing thin."We've got to just figure a way to be sick of losing," Eichel said, according to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. "I know I'm sick of losing. There's a lot of guys that are sick of losing. There's a difference between playing hard and playing hard and smart. We've got to execute our game all the way through the lineup, myself included."The Sabres haven't held a lead since the mid-way mark of the third period in their season-opener against the Montreal Canadiens. The club is averaging just 2.25 goals per game, tied for the third-worst mark in the league, and are conceding the third-most goals (4.25 goals per game) as well.What's more shocking is that Evander Kane, Jason Pominville, and Eichel have combined to score all nine of the team's goals, meaning there is a desperate demand for secondary scoring."We all need to relax," Eichel said. "We have a lot of good players on this team. It will come. It will come. It's frustrating it's not coming right now. We want to see results. We're working hard but sometimes working hard is not enough."After dropping a 3-2 decision to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, the Sabres will be back in action on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings where they will look to finally get into the win column.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With Steve Mason struggling, Connor Hellebuyck is making the most of his opportunity in the crease.The Winnipeg Jets backup netminder picked up his second straight win Thursday as he turned aside 30 shots to help secure a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks."He's had two really, really good nights where he's looked the same," Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters following the victory. "His positioning is real strong and he's seeing the puck. He looks good."Hellebuyck's quick shift into the starting role comes as a bit of a surprise after Winnipeg made a two-year, $8.2-million commitment to Mason this offseason.The thinking was Mason would help shore up the Jets' biggest weakness - between the pipes - after Hellebuyck failed to claim the top job last season. But the early returns from the new addition have been ugly - Mason holds a .831 save percentage and 6.56 goals-against average through two games - leaving Maurice little choice but to call on Hellebuyck.Winnipeg's next game comes Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, and while the team has not yet announced its starter, it's up to the recently-extended Maurice to stick with the hot hand in Hellebuyck.It's early in the season, but every point is crucial for the high-flying Jets, especially for a team that missed last year's postseason due to the handful of points squandered from poor goaltending. In the here and now, Hellebuyck offers the Jets their best chance to turn the tide.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens loaned defenseman Mark Streit to the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League on Friday after the 39-year-old cleared waivers, the team announced.On Thursday, Montreal placed Streit on waivers after it was reported that the club was actively shopping him.Given his age, the news has sparked discussion as to whether Streit might elect to return to his native Switzerland to potentially play in the Olympics.

Were just over a week into the NHL season and while many of the stories sweeping the league have been the strong starts from teams we didn't expect, we have also seen the complete opposite.Related: 3 teams off to surprisingly good startsClubs such as the Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils are off to perfect 3-0-0 starts, while reigning Atlantic Division champs, the Montreal Canadiens, are struggling just to score a couple goals a game.It's too early to say any team's poor start will result in missing the playoffs, but still, these five teams are struggling out of the gate and very few expected it.Montreal CanadiensThe Canadiens can't score, it's as simple as that.Through four games the club has gone 1-3-0, while managing a league-low five goals, despite averaging 38.8 shots per game. Brendan Gallagher is the lone Canadien to manage more than a single point on the season (one goal and one assist).It doesn't help that Carey Price hasn't been his usual self, either. Through the first four games he's rocking a 3.30 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage.The Canadiens have a minus-8 goals differential, the second-worst in the league. The team needs more goals and to allow fewer, which is easier said than done with its current roster.Boston BruinsThe Boston Bruins might only be 1-2-0 on the season, but it's troubling that both their losses have come at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche.Sure the Avalanche are off to a strong start, but after they put up the worst record in the salary cap era last season, Bruins fans likely expected at least a split in their home-and-home series.The Bruins have just seven goals through three games, while Tuukka Rask has been underwhelming, posting a 3.75 GAA and a .870 save percentage.Having Patrice Bergeron sidelined by an injury doesn't help, but the Bruins should still be able to put up a better effort than they have early on.Dallas StarsAfter adding Ben Bishop and Alexander Radulov in the offseason, many penciled the Dallas Stars into a playoff position. However, through four games the Stars haven't gotten off on the right foot.The club has gone 1-3-0 and are averaging two goals per game while allowing an average of three - not a winning formula.Luckily for the Stars, they play the Avalanche twice, the Arizona Coyotes twice, and the Vancouver Canucks once before the end of the month. Of course nothing is certain - as the Bruins have learned - but these games should provide an opportunity for the Stars to get back on track.New York RangersThrough four games the New York Rangers are also off to a 1-3-0 start. They have shown that their potential to be great is there, but the goaltending remains a question mark.The Rangers have scored 10 goals in four games and showed resiliency against the Toronto Maple Leafs after falling behind 5-1 and rallying to tie the game before ultimately conceding to an 8-5 loss.Related: Why the Rangers' goaltending woes are destined to continueThe club has also lost to the Avalanche and its lone win came against the struggling Canadiens. The Rangers can certainly get things back on track, but they will need to figure out their issues in net first.Edmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are among the oddsmakers' favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season, but the club has had a bit of a hiccup to start the year.The Oilers are 1-2-0, having dropped their last two games against the Canucks and the Winnipeg Jets after shutting out the Calgary Flames 3-0 in their season-opener.They've given up just eight goals, but have failed to do much offensively, tallying just seven of their own - of course, Connor McDavid has three of those.The Oilers are averaging just under 40 shots per game, so some better puck-luck and secondary scoring should correct things.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ken Hitchcock is in uncomfortable territory.The Dallas Stars bench boss tied Al Arbour for third in all-time wins with a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. But the mention of his name alongside the Hall of Fame coach doesn't sit well with Hitchcock."I don't really know why, but I don't feel good," Hitchcock told Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. "I felt he was a special human being and a special coach. He was a guy that I could relate to, so it doesn't feel great, to be honest with you."We all got our lunch handed to us by Scotty (Bowman), but Al was more of a measuring stick for us. Scotty was rarified air at the time, but Al was a guy we got to talk to and meet."The victory gave Hitchcock 782 wins, and while a loss followed in the next game, he has another opportunity to take sole possession of third place on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche.After six years behind the bench of the St. Louis Blues, Hitchcock returned to Dallas this season, his former stomping grounds, and a franchise which he led to a Stanley Cup championship in 1999. He is out to turn the trick again this season, and while that can't happen until June, Hitchcock will continue to climb the coaching ranks in the meantime.Next up? Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, who has 854 career wins to his name.RankCoachGamesWins1Scotty Bowman214112442Joel Quenneville1544854T3Al Arbour1607782T3Ken Hitchcock14587824Lindy Ruff14937365Barry Trotz1446715Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The new rule governing lost offside challenges cost the Chicago Blackhawks in a loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night, and coach Joel Quenneville was not happy about it.So what was Quenneville so upset about?Chris Stewart scored to give the Wild a 2-1 lead midway through the third period, and the Blackhawks bench boss challenged the play hoping Minnesota forward Jason Zucker would be deemed offside carrying the puck in before setting up Stewart for the go-ahead marker.Instead, it was ruled that Brent Seabrook carried the puck into his own zone, preventing an offside call."(Seabrook) didn’t carry it and didn’t have possession, so I disagree with that ruling," Quenneville said after the game, according to Mark Lazarus of the Chicago Sun-Times. "Plus it was offside. I mean, why didn’t he blow the whistle? Unless he knew that rule and thought he had possession? Or he thought he carried it or controlled it?"But the goal call was upheld, and because of the NHL's new policy of assessing a penalty against the team that loses an offside challenge, the Wild went on a power play as a result. Zucker scored on the man advantage to make it 3-1 for Minnesota. Stewart followed that with another goal, and the Wild cruised to a 5-2 victory.The NHL reiterated the Seabrook possession ruling and offered an official explanation postgame, citing Rule 83.1, which states, in part:"If a player legally carries or passes the puck back into his own defending zone while a player of the opposing team is in such defending zone, the off-side shall be ignored and play permitted to continue."This is the first season the league is penalizing teams for failed offside challenges.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Steven Stamkos scored his first goal since having right knee surgery last November and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Thursday night.Stamkos made it 3-1 with a power-play goal at 3:49 of the second period from the low left circle. The Lightning star previously scored Nov. 15th at Detroit, the same game that he had a season-ending lateral meniscus tear in the knee.Stamkos entered with five assists in three games this season.Slater Koekkoek got his first two NHL goals, and Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov also scored for the Lightning. Alex Killorn had four assists, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves.Pittsburgh got goals from Jake Guentzel, Conor Sheary, Bryan Rust and Matt Hunwick. Antti Niemi, who allowed four goals on 13 shots over 9:16 against Chicago on Oct. 5 in his Penguins debut, stopped 29 shots.After Stamkos tied Vincent Lecavalier for the Lightning team record with 112 power-play goals, Sheary and Kucherov traded goals later in the second. Rust scored on the power play to cut the deficit to 4-3 with 5:36 to go in the period.Koekkoek got his first goal, coming in his 43rd game, 6:07 into the first. His second extended the lead to 5-3 late in the second.Hunwick got Pittsburgh within 5-4 at 10:01 of the third.Hedman put Tampa Bay up 2-1 on a power-play goal from just inside the blue line with one-tenth of a second left in the first period.Guentzel tied it at 1 four seconds after a Pittsburgh power play ended midway through the first. The Penguins had three man-advantage goals in a 3-2 win Wednesday night at Washington.Kris Letang assisted on Guentzel's goal and joined Paul Coffey (332) as the only Pittsburgh defenseman to reach 300 assists.NOTES: Pittsburgh will play its second and final game at Tampa Bay on Oct. 21. ... Lightning C Cedric Paquette didn't play due to an undisclosed injury.UP NEXTPenguins: Return home to play Florida on Saturday night.Lightning: Host St. Louis on Saturday night.---More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a 37-save effort Thursday versus the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo climbed into a tie with Curtis Joseph for fourth place on the all-time wins list at 454.In his 18th season, Luongo, 38, accomplished the feat in his 967th game. The only goalies ahead of him on the all-time list are Hall of Famers Ed Belfour (484), Patrick Roy (551), while Martin Brodeur (691) will be a shoo-in for the Hall once he's eligible.Luongo can gain sole possession of fourth place Saturday night versus Pittsburgh.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes president Don Waddell isn't pushing the panic button just yet despite a dwindling number of fans in attendance at games.The Hurricanes played to a 2-1 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in front of a crowd of just 7,892 people Tuesday. It's a startling number and comes after the Hurricanes saw the league's worst attendance figures last season.However, Waddell disputes the numbers, insisting it all comes down to money in the end."We're not last in the league in attendance," Waddell said, according to Chip Alexander of the News Observer. "You guys can publish (attendance) reports, but I go by dollars. So we're not last."Nobody is happy where we are, no doubt. We also have to continue to keep moving all the elements forward. If we can do that, I think attendance is going to pick up with that."Waddell has focused his efforts on season tickets and after distributing a survey to season-ticket holders, decided to limit the number of discounted tickets to increase the value of season seats. The move has struck a blow to attendance figures.If there is a bright side to the Hurricanes' attendance conundrum it's that the season opener against the Minnesota Wild last week did sell out, so fans aren't completely ignoring the club.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames were one of the most active clubs this offseason and after jumping out to a 3-1-0 record in the first week of the new season, their biggest risk - acquiring goaltender Mike Smith - looks to be paying off.After a disappointing exit from the playoffs last season - a four-game sweep at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks - the Flames understood that once again they would need to address their biggest crutch, goaltending.This was the same logic coming off the 2015 campaign after the goaltending carousel of Karri Ramo, Joni Ortio, and Jonas Hiller that led to the signings of Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson.Elliott and Johnson ultimately failed to give the Flames the confidence they'd been searching for between the pipes since the departure of Miikka Kiprusoff. Despite each going through periods of consistent play, both would always regress back to their normal selves.In the end, Elliott put up a 26-18-3 record with a 2.55 GAA (23rd among goalies) and a .910 save percentage (tied for 32nd). Meanwhile, Johnson went 18-15-1 with a 2.59 (24th) GAA and a .910 save percentage.Elliott manned the net in the playoffs where he was even worse, posting a 3.89 GAA and a .880 save percentage.So this offseason Brad Treliving and Co. made the decision to "upgrade" by acquiring Smith from the Arizona Coyotes for Johnson, prospect Brandon Hickey, and a conditional draft pick.It seemed like an odd move given that Smith had posted a 2.92 GAA (43rd among goalies) and a save percentage of .914 - only slightly better than both Elliott and Johnson.However, if you look at last season's stats you'll see Smith faced 1,819 shots, the sixth most in the league, and subsequently turned away the sixth-most shots, averaging 34 saves per 60 minutes. Furthermore, the Coyotes allowed the second-most shots against per game (34.1) and had the worst Corsi-against per 60 minutes with a 61.72 mark.Fast forward to this season and through four games it would look as if the Flames' front office knew exactly what it was doing all along.Smith has been the Flames' best player putting up a 2.00 GAA, a .950 save percentage, while adding a shutout. In those games, he has made over 40 saves three times and has already faced 160 shots - a league high.Following Wednesday night's game against the Kings, head coach Glen Gulutzan noted that the Flames are relying too heavily on the play of Smith.It means the team has more in the tank up front, but it's also an insinuation that the team has a newfound trust in a position that's long been an area of concern.To the Flames' brass, this reward was certainly worth the risk(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers founder Ed Snider will be immortalized in the form of a nine-foot bronze statue outside of the Wells Fargo Center, the team announced Thursday.Snider founded the Flyers in 1967 and owned the franchise until his death in 2016. He witnessed Stanley Cup victories in 1974 and 1975.The statue will be revealed Oct. 19 prior to a game against the Nashville Predators - on the 50th anniversary of the Flyers' first-ever game.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild are victims of the salary cap.When the team faces off against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, it will mark the second straight game in which the Wild have played shorthanded.Salary cap constraints have forced Wild coach Bruce Boudreau to carry one less forward on his bench, opting to use a spare defenseman to fill the roster hole. The Wild elected for the same arrangement in their last game, a 5-4 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.According to CapFriendly, Minnesota has just over $200,000 in salary cap space, leaving little flexibility for general manager Chuck Fletcher to make a move. Key injuries to forwards Zach Parise and Mikael Granlund also haven't helped the cause.The Wild also do not have the necessary salary cap space to recall a forward from their AHL affiliate. Even if that could work, the team would need to make a corresponding roster move. This could mean demoting spare defenseman Mike Reilly, who would need to clear waivers in order to report to the AHL - a risk the Wild are not willing to take.According to Dane Mizutani of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press, Boudreau called the roster management a "great challenge." He expects to ice three lines against the Blackhawks, with veteran forwards Matt Cullen and Daniel Winnik filling specific roles."In a perfect world, would we like 12 (forwards) and six (defensemen)? Yeah," Boudreau said. "I don't think it will happen all season long. Usually things work their way out."Thursday's contest against the Blackhawks marks Minnesota's third game of the season. The Wild are still in search of their first victory after posting a 0-1-1 showing through two games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have placed Mark Streit on waivers, according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.The move comes one day after a report indicated the Canadiens were looking to trade the veteran defenseman.Streit has appeared in two games this season, posting a minus-2 rating and averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time.The 39-year-old signed with the Canadiens in the summer after splitting last season between the Philadelphia Flyers and Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. His $1-million salary-cap charge includes $700,000 in base pay, plus $300,000 in performance bonuses, according to CapFriendly.Streit was drafted by the Canadiens in 2004. He made his NHL debut the following season and spent the first three years of his career in Montreal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A fresh season, a new head coach, and perhaps the disappointment of a poor 2016-17 campaign appear to have lit a fire under Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown.The Kings are 2-0-1 to start to the season and can thank the blistering starts by their current and former captain. Through Los Angeles' first three games, each has tallied three goals and two assists, accounting for six of the team's nine markers thus far.It's a pleasant sight for new head coach John Stevens, but following the club's 4-3 overtime defeat to the Calgary Flames, Stevens admitted - of Brown in particular - that he isn't too surprised by the early production."I think he's excited getting his game back on track, I think he's earned the right to play a lot of key situations," Stevens said, according to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. "He and Kopi have had a long history of being good together and they've been great together all training camp. But he's a net-front guy that we want on the power play who’s created a lot for us, he's playing a power game, and I think with that comes confidence."Obviously he scored a little bit, so that’s going to fuel his confidence, but I think the bottom line is Brownie has been a real good player in the league. He's excited about trying to prove that he can still be a good player in the league, and he's playing like it."(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Kopitar tallied just 12 goals and 52 points last year - his lowest marks in a full 82-game season. Brown, despite an improvement from the three previous campaigns, recorded just 14 goals and 36 points.Scoring goals didn't come easy for the pair last season. Brown didn't score his third goal until Nov. 15 - 17 games in, while Kopitar needed 23 contests to notch No. 3 on Dec. 13.Brown's early-season rebound could be attributed in part to an uptick in confidence from the coaching staff. He's averaging 19:32 of ice time per game - second among the team's forwards only to Kopitar and up from last year's average of 16 minutes. Over the previous three years, Brown averaged just 16:08 of ice time per night, 18th most on the Kings during that span.Kopitar, on the other hand, is benefiting from shooting the puck on a more consistent basis. With 10 shots through three games, he's on pace to throw 273 shots at the opposition, which would shatter his career high of 259 in 2010.He's converting 30 percent of his chances, but even if his shooting percentage returns to his career average of 12.2 percent, he would still finish with 32 goals - his highest mark since that 2010 season when he tallied 34.The Kings have missed the playoffs in two of the past three years, but if Kopitar and Brown can continue to produce, a return to the postseason should be in the cards.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston, we want a hockey team.Tilman Fertitta - the new owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets following a record $2.2-billion sale - is interested in adding another sports franchise to his portfolio."I would put an NHL team here tomorrow," Fertitta told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. "This one has got to work. But I'd love to have the other dates in the building."Do I want to see Toyota Center filled up 300 nights a year? Definitely. We'll do whatever we can do, but whatever we do has to make sense ... Will we be aggressive? Yes. That's my nature."The NHL recently completed an expansion phase, adding its 31st franchise in Las Vegas, while deferring a bid from Quebec City. No other expansion applications, including Houston, were submitted to the league.NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke on expansion as recently as Wednesday on Fox Sports, stating, "Could it happen some point? Yes, but it's nothing we are focused on right now," per Sportnset's John Shannon.Adding a team in Houston - the fourth-most populous city in the United States - would be a first for the NHL, however hockey itself is not unfamiliar with the area. The city was previously home to the WHA's Houston Aeros from 1972-78 and a minor-pro team of the same name from 1994-2013.Houston would also provide some intriguing benefits to the NHL. Not only would the city offer a major television market, but Houston is also a natural Texas rival to the Dallas Stars, and the team could also bring some balance to the Central Division - currently home to seven teams, while the other three divisions carry eight clubs.The NHL was previously linked to Houston in 2015, when Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, who chairs the NHL board of governors, told Nicholas Goss of NESN, "I'd love to see (a team) in Houston, but we can't get into that building."With Rockets' ownership now changing hands, it could open the door for the NHL's entry into Houston and the Toyota Center. The 2003-built arena seats 17,800 for hockey and is home to only one major-league tenant."We have to make sure hockey fans in Houston, Texas and Houstonians will come out and support an NHL team," Fertitta added. "When the Aeros left they were drawing 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 a game. If we have an NHL team, we have to put 16,000 in that stadium every night, 17,000, 18,000."If I go out and get an NHL team, I'm going to ask the citizens of Houston to make sure they commit to help me do it. None of this is successful without the fans out there."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Over the course of the 2017-18 NHL season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their careers. This edition focuses on Hall of Famer Denis Savard, who compiled more than 1,300 points over 1,196 career games with three teams.On what he remembers from his first NHL game:It was against the Sabres at home; we won 4-3, I remember that. Game 2 was on the road in Montreal, where I grew up, so that's the one I remember most.On his first career goal:We picked up the puck inside of our blue line, and I came into the neutral zone; I remember that Larry Robinson was kind of chasing me from behind. I just came over the blue line and made a move inside, went to my right, came to the top of the circle and took a shot and scored short side on (Canadiens netminder) Dennis Herron.On who hit him the hardest:There were quite a few of them. Mark Messier is probably the one ... he played a physical game, as you know. And there was a guy in Edmonton who also played in Montreal, (Andrei) Kovalenko.We were playing Edmonton one night, and I'm not a hitter, not somebody who tries to hit guys out there, but at that time I'm trying to kick him off the puck. So I went and tried to hit him, and it was like trying to hit a brick wall. I didn't know how strong he was, or how painful it was going to be. That's the one I remember the most.The other time, I got hit by my own teammate. Paul Coffey was playing in Detroit, and he liked to come down the right side of the ice offensively. As he's coming up from his own end, I challenged him to pass the puck. I didn't have a really good angle, so he deked me out. And as he disappeared, Eric Daze was chasing him from behind and knocked me right out.He's about 6-foot-5, 240 pounds. So the lights went out. (laughs) Eric still lives in Chicago, and we catch up sometimes, and talk about hockey or life or whatever. And that (hit) still comes up.On trash talking during his era:To be honest, I didn't trash talk, because I never had a good comeback. (laughs) So I tried to avoid them as much as I could. Guys would call you all kinds of names at times, but nothing that you hadn't heard before, especially in contact sports. I think that's going to go on forever. But I don't recall anything that was particularly bad, no.(Video courtesy: YouTube)On his favorite referee story:I remember me and Gary Leeman, when we had our fight during that brawl in Toronto ... It was 5-on-5, and Gary hit me in the corner (at) the buzzer, and it was kind of a dirty hit. I felt I needed to respond to that, so I gave him some stickwork, and all of a sudden, my teammates came to try and save me. Two seconds later, everybody has their gloves off.And there's Gary and I, going around in circles. And I'm thinking, "If this guy gets ahold of me, he could probably kick my ass pretty good." He was bigger than me, and I know Gary wasn't a fighter, but I think I got him pretty good with my stick and he was pretty upset.As we kind of twirled around for about 20 seconds, (referee) Andy Van Hellemond came over and he goes, "Aren't you guys going to fight?" And I looked at Andy and I said, "Well, I really don't want to." (laughs) That was one of those stories that I remember well. Andy was funny, too.On who he considered most underrated from his era:Steve Larmer. No question. The reason I say that is, he did everything well, without the flash in his game. He was a great goal-scorer, he was a great guy on the wall, he was great defensively, he was a great teammate. He had a Hall of Fame career as far as I'm concerned. Larms was a smart player.At the end of the day, if you saw the scoresheet or the puck control he had during the course of the game, he was really, really good. When I got traded to Montreal, one primary reason why my numbers went down was because I wasn't playing with him anymore.The puck would be on his side of the ice, whether it was coming around the wall or through a direct pass, and he'd find me in the neutral zone. I would come really deep and try to create some speed coming down below him, and if he didn't find me then, he would kind of swing up ice again and find me skating through the neutral zone.I know for sure, having been a coach, you pay attention to details, the wall work, faceoffs ... they've become so important. In our days it wasn't mentioned; people didn't really talk about it. But it's mentioned now. And Steve Larmer was probably one of the best in those departments.On Larmer playing 884 consecutive games from 1982-93:He played hurt a lot. His pain tolerance was incredible. Knee injuries, shoulder injuries ... I know for a fact that 99 percent of us wouldn't have played. That was his character. Larms loved to play the game, loved to be on the ice.As an athlete, you always felt like if you missed two or three days, even during the Christmas break, you come back, and that first game is like, "Where have I been? It's like I've never worked out in my life before." So when you miss part of the season and have to come back, it's so difficult. That's probably what he had in his mind. I didn't want to miss any time, either.On what he remembers from his last NHL game:I don't really remember ... I think it was against Colorado in the playoffs.I don't think I had planned on retiring that year. But after looking back, I put all the positives and negatives together and decided it was time to retire. I probably decided that in July; it was time to really get at it to get ready for the season, and in my mind I just didn't want to do that.I felt like, if I don't do it, I have to retire. If I'm not willing to pay the price to get ready for the season, then it's not fair to my teammates or the organization not to come ready.On his favorite hockey story from the 1992-93 Montreal Canadiens, with whom he won his only Stanley Cup ring:I drove with Patrick Roy the three years we were together in Montreal. Going into the finals, I played in Game 1, but had hairline fractures in my foot and I didn't play the last four games of the series.Going into Game 1, I told Patrick, "Wow, I can't believe we're here." And he looked at me and said, "And you're gonna win. We're gonna win the Cup. I know we will. They ain't gonna beat me." That's pretty much what he said. And you know Patrick, and how competitive he was and how confident he was. So I said, "All right, I'll buy that." (laughs)On his first visit to Chicago Stadium as a member of the Canadiens:It was a tough building to play in as a visitor. When I came with Montreal, it was difficult to play in that environment, even though I knew that people still liked me there ... I hoped they did. (laughs) It was still intimidating.So I got a penalty in my first game back there, and I was so accustomed to go to the penalty box to the left, the Blackhawks' penalty box, so I went there. And I'm telling the guy, "Open the door!" and I'm kicking the door with my skate. I said, "Open the door!" And the (penalty box attendant) says, "No, no, no! You gotta go to the next penalty box!"That was pretty embarrassing. Fortunately, I'm not sure too many people saw it, except for the guys in the penalty box.Rapid FireThe greatest player he ever played with: Steve LarmerThe greatest player he ever played against: Wayne GretzkyThe best goaltender he ever faced: Grant FuhrThe best coach he ever had: Jacques Demers(Special thanks to the NHL Alumni Association for its assistance.)(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr is looking for his hockey legs.The legendary winger made his season debut with the Calgary Flames on Wednesday, skating just under 14 minutes in the team's 4-3 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings."I didn't feel very well," Jagr said following the victory, per Lisa Dillman of NHL.com. "But, I expect that. I'm glad it's behind me, so hopefully next game I feel better ... After my legs come back, it's going to be a little bit different."While the 45-year-old Jagr was held pointless on the night, he was still able to further cement his mark in history, as the appearance brought him one game closer to Gordie Howe's record 1,767 games played. Jagr currently sits fourth all-time with 1,712 contests under his belt.Wednesday's affair was Jagr's first game since last April while with the Florida Panthers. He played in all 82 games with the Panthers last season, finishing with 46 points.Jagr's next opportunity to record his first point as a member of the Flames comes Friday against the Ottawa Senators.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As everyone predicted, the Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils, and Vegas Golden Knights are each sitting comfortably in a playoff spot.Related: 3 teams off to surprisingly good startsSure, the NHL season is just a week old, but still the hot starts by these three clubs have been surprising. The Avalanche had - by far - the worst record in the NHL last season, the Devils dwelled in the Eastern Conference basement, and the Golden Knights didn't even have a roster at this time last year.It is still early, but could one of these teams really be turning a corner?Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Over the past decade, few teams have enjoyed as much consistency between the pipes as the New York Rangers.With Henrik Lundqvist long cemented as the No. 1 - while supported by a string of solid backups - the Rangers rode their goaltending to the playoffs in 11 out of the past 12 seasons.However, this year is different.Lundqvist's declining ability has been evident over the past two campaigns, and he's looked even shakier so far in the new season, posting an ugly goals-against average (3.06) and save percentage (.898) through four appearances.Sure, it's still early, but the Rangers' blue paint is a mess for the first time in over a decade.Here's why those issues could linger throughout this season, and perhaps beyond.Pavelec isn't the high-caliber backup they're used toFirst it was Cam Talbot. Then came Antti Raanta. And now, it's Ondrej Pavelec's turn to be Lundqvist's backup.But while Talbot and Raanta had elite potential - and both eventually became No. 1 netminders - the same cannot be said for Pavelec.The 30-year-old was signed to a one-year contract during the offseason with the hope he could step into the starting role if Lundqvist struggled or got hurt.But if Pavelec's last two seasons and the start to this one are any indication, his days as a reliable goalie are finished. He posted less-than-stellar numbers over his last two campaigns with the Winnipeg Jets, registering a 17-17-4 record along with an awful save percentage (.901) and goals-against average (2.92).Between those numbers and the fact Pavelec looked lost in his lone relief appearance to begin this season, it's becoming more apparent that he can't be the steady presence the Rangers need in their No. 2. Too much cash tied up in LundqvistThe chances of remedying this scenario with a trade involving Lundqvist are slim to none, largely due to his age and hefty remaining salary.Lundqvist, 35, is under contract until the end of the 2020-21 season, and is owed a whopping $8.5 million per year.That's not to say the Rangers have any plans to move their longtime goaltender, but it would be difficult to pull off if they wanted to, as they'd have to find a trade partner with a ton of cap space and optimism that Lundqvist can recapture his Vezina-level form.Those teams will be few and far between, so there's certainly no easy fix on the trade front.The King can't stay healthyPerhaps the biggest concern surrounds Lundqvist's inability to play a full slate of games.King Hank hasn't played more than 65 contests in a single season since the 2010-11 campaign. He's also dealt with worrisome knee issues - most recently this summer, when he sprained his MCL during the World Championship.While Lundqvist is supposedly fully healthy and should still have enough gas left in the tank to compete for another season or two, a 35-year-old goalie with a history of knee problems is hard to count on day in and day out.Lundqvist's early struggles, injury history, and his contract - along with the lack of a reliable backup - certainly don't bode well for New York's goaltending situation moving forward.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's finally happening.Jaromir Jagr emerged from the tunnel for pregame warmups for the first time as a member of the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night, before their game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.The 45-year-old legend, who officially joined the club last week, needed to get some practices in before making his debut, but his return to the NHL is clearly a welcome sight for all.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Nail Yakupov could play against the Boston Bruins all season, he might have a shot at the "Rocket" Richard Trophy.The Colorado Avalanche winger finished off an odd-man rush with Nathan MacKinnon to give his club a 2-1 lead early in the second period.It was Yakupov's third goal in four games this season, and his third in two regular-season contests against the Bruins so far this fall. He potted a pair in a 4-0 victory over Boston on Monday.Yakupov scored only three goals in 40 games with the St. Louis Blues in 2016-17.He kept his resurgence going later in the second period Wednesday, notching an assist on the Matt Duchene marker that gave the Avalanche a 4-1 lead.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WASHINGTON (AP) Patric Hornqvist scored a power-play goal and assisted on another in his season debut to help the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Wednesday night in their first meeting since the playoffs.Hornqvist assisted on a goal by Kris Letang, the defenseman's first since Feb. 4 after missing the end of last season and playoffs because of neck surgery. Hornqvist, who scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal last spring despite a broken finger on his right hand, was playing for the first time since offseason surgery to repair it.Conor Sheary scored the Penguins' third goal as they went 3 for 6 on the power play. The Capitals' six minor penalties were a season high and contributed to their first regulation loss.Alex Ovechkin scored his NHL-leading eighth goal of the season in the Capitals' fourth game. Christian Djoos assisted on Ovechkin's goal and scored in his NHL debut to become the third defenseman in franchise history to score in his debut after Steve Poapst and Hall of Famer Scott Stevens.Matt Murray stopped 20 of the 22 shots he faced to pick up the victory. Braden Holtby made 33 saves for Washington.Although Ovechkin's goal made things interesting at 3-2 with 7:09 left in the third period, Hornqvist staked the Penguins to a lead and paid immediate dividends in his return. Coach Mike Sullivan expected Hornqvist to be ''a momentum guy,'' which the 30-year-old Swede was on the power play.Hornqvist was on the ice and around the net for all three Penguins goals. He also scored in their Game 7 victory in Washington in the second round of the playoffs last year, the last time these teams faced each other.NOTES: Pittsburgh scratched Scott Wilson to make room for Hornqvist. ... Washington scratched Taylor Chorney for Djoos and Aussie Nathan Walker for Tyler Graovac.UP NEXTPenguins: Visit Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.Capitals: Get Tom Wilson back from a four-game suspension when they travel to play the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.---Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno---For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The biggest question facing the Montreal Canadiens ahead of the season was whether they can score. So far, the answer has been no. The Habs have scraped together a measly four goals in four games.However, despite the ice-cold start for a team that usually comes out of the gate firing on all cylinders, the Canadiens aren't on a downward spiral, they've just been extremely unlucky.Shot quantityThe Canadiens have attempted 206 shots at five-on-five this season. The next most? Edmonton, with 175. It's not a matter of games played, either, as there are four other teams that have played at least four games. Of those 206 shot attempts, they've put 112 on net, which is also the most in the league at five-on-five, according to Corsica.On a per-60 minutes basis, only the Panthers and Oilers have taken more shots on goal at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.Shot qualityThough how many shots a team takes is important, it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. The Los Angeles Kings had the best Corsi For percentage (Corsi = shot attempt) in the NHL last season, but their inability to get shots from in tight made them one of the league's worst offenses.Unlike the Kings, the Canadiens have been getting many shots right around the net, as seen below:(Courtesy: Icy Data)The Habs also rank in the top 10 in both Scoring Chances For per 60 minutes and High-Danger Scoring Chances For per 60 minutes, per Natural Stat Trick.Snakebitten snipersMontreal's offensive woes aren't helped by the fact that some of its best offensive players have been snakebitten:PlayerGSS%Jonathan Drouin0170.0Max Pacioretty1166.3Shea Weber0120.0Alex Galchenyuk080.0Though many attribute the team's offensive struggles to a dearth of puck-movers on the back end, it has yet to be a factor in their ability to generate scoring chances. It simply comes down to the fact that their players - most notably the ones relied upon to score - haven't capitalized.As the saying goes, the 2017-18 Habs have been all Swedish and no finish through the season's first four games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Mark Streit era seems to be nearing its end in Montreal once again, as the Canadiens are trying to trade the veteran rearguard, Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports.Streit was added to Montreal's roster during the offseason in an attempt to offset the offensive production lost with Andrei Markov's move to the KHL.The 39-year-old rearguard is in his second tour of duty with the Canadiens. Across two games this season, Streit has zero points and three shots on goal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for another edition of Sidney Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin.The two rivals, linked since sharing the same rookie campaign in 2005-06, will face off for the first time this season Wednesday at Washington's newly renamed Capital One Arena.Each superstar has taken home a mantle full of personal accolades. What really separates them is team accomplishments; there, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain has steadily outpaced Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.Here's where the matchup stands heading into Wednesday's contest, their 42nd encounter during the regular season.GoalsIt's no surprise that Ovechkin, one of the best pure shooters in decades, leads Crosby here. His 565 career goals are 182 more than Crosby's netted, and put him just outside the top 20 in NHL all-time scoring.Even when compared on a per-game basis - Ovechkin has played 139 more games than Crosby - the Capitals captain still comes out ahead, besting Crosby 0.61 to 0.49 goals per game.Head to head, Ovechkin again takes top honors. In their 41 regular-season meetings, Ovechkin has heavily outscored Crosby, coming up with 29 tallies to Crosby's 20.AssistsMuch as Ovechkin is the goal-scorer, Crosby is the setup man. He's managed 649 career helpers, nearly 200 ahead of Ovechkin. Crosby's assist total ranks 63rd all time, and he could climb inside the top 50 with a strong 2017-18 season.On a per-game basis, Crosby is well in front of Ovechkin in this department at 0.83 assists, compared to his fellow superstar's 0.52.The regular-season matchup isn't remotely close: Crosby has tallied 40 assists, more than double Ovechkin's 18.PointsTheir current head-to-head tally in points is 60 to 47, with the Penguins captain getting the nod. The two players have been fairly evenly matched when facing each other during the regular season, with both producing well above a point per game, but in the end, the margin of victory goes to Crosby.The career numbers are tight as well, with Ovechkin just 10 total points ahead of Crosby. The comparison becomes much more wide-open when reviewing points per game, however - Crosby mightily outpaces Ovechkin, 1.31 to 1.13.AwardsOvechkin takes the lead in personal accolades. He's got six goal-scoring titles, an Art Ross Trophy as the league's top point producer, three Hart Trophies as the NHL MVP, and even a Calder Trophy from the season he topped Crosby as the league's most outstanding rookie.But Crosby's collected some hardware of his own. The Penguins center is a two-time Art Ross winner and has two Hart Trophies, plus some other major plaudits - including the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, an award Crosby's won in each of the past two postseasons.PlayoffsWhere it matters most, Crosby has prevailed: The Penguins have erased the Capitals three times in the postseason during the Crosby and Ovechkin era.That count includes last spring, when the defending Stanley Cup champions eliminated the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners in their second straight playoff meetup. Both years ended with Crosby hoisting the Stanley Cup - his second and third titles after winning his first NHL championship in 2009.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings are paying tribute to Bob Miller.The longtime Kings announcer, who retired at the end of last season following 44 years in the broadcast booth, will be recognized by the team with a statue in his honor.The statue, to be unveiled Jan. 13 prior to a contest vs. the rival Anaheim Ducks, will be located outside of the Staples Center. Miller's will be the third statue revealed by the Kings, following Wayne Gretzky and Luc Robitaille.Miller, 78, called 3,353 games as the team's broadcaster and witnessed Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sonny Milano has won over one of the NHL's most stubborn head coaches.The Columbus Blue Jackets rookie scored his fourth goal of the young campaign on Tuesday - an overtime winner against the Carolina Hurricanes - and while his offense has been the talk of the town, head coach John Tortorella has marveled at his play on the other side of the puck."Forget about offense, because we know that's going to be there," Tortorella said, according to NHL.com's Kurt Dusterberg. "I think he's been really consistent away from the puck too. He gets the puck out, and that's the most important part for this coach."With goals in each of the Blue Jackets' first three games, Milano has matched a franchise record set by Kristian Huselius in 2010-2011. He also paces all rookies in goals and ranks second in points, but for now he can be content knowing Tortorella applauds his back-checking.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On Wednesday night, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins will tangle for the first time since the Penguins ousted the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series last spring.The Penguins and Capitals have long been the kings of the Metropolitan Division and, while the Columbus Blue Jackets are certainly making strides, the Caps and Pens remain the behemoths.Both teams are offensively sound and strong between the pipes (although Pittsburgh goaltending has been shaky to begin the season). And let's not forget the Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin never-dying rivalry. If you aren't completely convinced, here are three reasons why Wednesday's contest is a must-watch:"Just hatred"When a team eliminates you from the playoffs in two straight seasons and then goes on to win the Stanley Cup - twice - chances are you're not their biggest fan.That appears to be the case, as Capitals head coach Barry Trotz discussed the emotion felt by his club toward their Metropolitan rival."No, just hatred," Trotz said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "You hate the guys that bumped you out and all the credit to the Penguins. They've been the standard for the last two seasons and we've had to try to get by them and we have not."It's not the playoffs, but you would be foolish to think that the Capitals aren't chomping at the bit to try and get some sort of redemption.Emotions will be high, and while Capitals tough customer Tom Wilson will remain sidelined due to a suspension, Ryan Reaves and Ovechkin will almost guarantee that there is no shortage of rough stuff on Wednesday.Crosby vs. OvechkinIt's the storyline you just can't avoid.Crosby and Ovechkin will go head-to-head once again and, as per usual, each are the focal point of their respected club.Ovechkin has set the league ablaze with his seven goals through three games, including two hat tricks, and there doesn't appear to be any sign of him slowing down.Meanwhile, Crosby has been no slouch either. The Penguins captain has tallied five points in three contests, recording at least a point in as many games.Eyes will clearly be on these two and for good reason.There will be goalsThis shouldn't come as a surprise, but chances are we are in for some goals on Wednesday night.Through a total of six games, the two clubs have combined for 22 goals for and 24 against. In fact, a quick look at the numbers from each team's top producers really proves just how much talent these clubs boast.Team Player Goals PointsCapitalsEvgeny Kuznetsov08CapitalsAlex Ovechkin77CapitalsNiklas Backstrom15PenguinsSidney Crosby15PenguinsEvgeni Malkin14PenguinsBryan Rust04CapitalsT.J. Oshie34PenguinsJake Guentzel13CapitalsJakub Vrana03PenguinsOlli Maatta23Meanwhile, though the stats are largely inflated by the Penguins' 10-1 drumming at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks, Antti Niemi currently sports a 26.67 goals-against average and a .692 save percentage while Matt Murray holds a 3.84 goals-against average and a .879 save percentage.It's hard to take those numbers too serious early on, but the point is the Penguins' goaltending is off to a rocky start, which opens up the potential for a high-scoring affair.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It will be at least another week until Erik Karlsson makes his season debut.General manager Pierre Dorion announced Wednesday that while Karlsson has not suffered a setback, he will not join the Ottawa Senators on their current Western Canada road trip, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun."No setback. It’s all about when he’ll be ready to play. It’s all about conditioning and he’s got to get used to a different sensation in his feet but there’s no setback," Dorion said. "We’re always hopeful he’d be ready (this week) but we felt the best thing for him would be to skate with Shean Donovan on a daily basis and we’re very hopeful he’ll play next week."The Senators are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night and will now travel to play the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers on back-to-back nights starting Friday.Karlsson - who is coming off surgery to repair tendons in his foot - stated last Saturday that he still hadn't taken contact in practice, but felt he wasn't too far away from returning to the lineup.With Karlsson out for the remainder of the road trip, the earliest date for his potential return is Oct. 17 when the Senators host the Canucks.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.