DeBrusk scores 2 in 3rd, Bruins beat Pens in Winter Classic
In an interesting twist to the game’s venue, the Penguins are owned by Fenway Sports Group, which also owns the Red Sox. During the second-period intermission, there were performers taking trick shots off Fenway’s fabled 37-foot Green Monster, which was adorned with the logos of the Bruins, Penguins and Winter Classic. It was the second Classic in Fenway; Boston beat Philadelphia 2-1 in overtime in 2010. Orr also took a shot, sliding it to former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, who squatted down and made the catch. During a stoppage in the second, the Boston Pops, wearing Winter Classic hats and scarfs, played Sweet Caroline, a staple in the middle of the eighth inning during Red Sox games.
wftv.comBruins set NHL record: 12 straight home wins to start season
BOSTON — (AP) — The Boston Bruins set the NHL record for most home victories to start a season with their 12th straight, topping the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime on Friday with a power-play goal from David Pastrnak. The Bruins broke the mark of 11 that was set by the 1963-64 Chicago Blackhawks and equaled by the Florida Panthers last season. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Stefan Noesen each scored a power-play goal for Carolina, and Pyotr Kochetkov made 38 saves. Boston starting goaltender Linus Ullmark made 28 saves but had to leave with 13:03 left in the third period with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Krejci scored for Boston with 31 seconds left in the second.
wftv.comLinus Ullmark makes 30 saves, Bruins beat Blue Jackets 4-0
COLUMBUS, Ohio — (AP) — Linus Ullmark made 30 saves for his fifth career shutout, Charlie Coyle scored short-handed and the NHL-leading Boston Bruins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on Friday for their fifth straight victory. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 25 shots for the Blue Jackets before being replaced in the third period by Daniil Tarasov, who stopped six. Columbus has lost three straight at home and six of its first nine games. Columbus set a record for futility in the second period with its 22nd power-play without a goal. Coyle added to those woes by notching a short-handed score at 4:30, the second given up by the Blue Jackets this season.
wftv.comFantasy Hockey Trade Tips: Early targets and players to shop
Fear not, it's another edition of Trade Tips to jumpstart your team so you don't fall too far behind. Playing to the level of his lesser teammates seriously hurts Kane's fantasy value, and the only reprieve will come if Kane is traded to a Cup contender. At this point, Boeser's reputation is the main driver of his fantasy value and fantasy managers should shop him before reality sets in. Evan Bouchard, D, Oilers (88% rostered)The Oilers are so enamored with using Tyson Barrie on PP1 — for reasons that aren't very clear — that it caps Bouchard's fantasy value. It's best to deal Fleury while his fantasy value is still relatively high early in the season, lest he becomes a headache for managers all year.
wftv.comCanada rallies in 3rd, tops Sweden 4-3 in OT in world hockey
Finland Hockey Worlds Team of Canada celebrates a overtime goal scored by Drake Batherson, during the Hockey World Championship quarterfinal match between Sweden and Canada in Tampere, Finland, Thursday, May 26, 2022. (Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via AP) (Vesa Moilanen)TAMPERE, Finland — (AP) — Drake Batherson scored on a power play 43 seconds into overtime to give Canada a 4-3 comeback victory over Sweden on Thursday night in the world hockey quarterfinals. In the semifinals Saturday, defending champion Canada will face the Czech Republic, and the United States will play Finland. The Czech Republic beat Germany 4-1, the United States topped Switzerland 3-0, and Finland beat Slovakia 4-2. In the United States' victory, Ben Meyers scored twice, Adam Gaudette added a goal and Jeremy Swayman made 33 saves.
wftv.comHurricanes claim testy win vs. Bruins, take 2-0 series lead
Bruins Hurricanes Hockey Carolina Hurricanes' Vincent Trocheck (16) celebrates a goal by Sebastian Aho, not seen, on Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) during the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Jesper Fast had the game's first goal for Carolina in another strong offensive showing to start this series. Rookie goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov came on in relief of Raanta to finish with 29 saves. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen to start the playoffs, Carolina turned to Kochetkov as Raanta exited while bleeding from an apparent mouth injury. It was part of a busy night in the box for the Bruins, who had 12 penalties for 26 minutes.
wftv.comGoal crazy: Offense highlights opening night of NHL playoffs
(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) (Frank Gunn)So much for the notion that goals are hard to come by in the playoffs. If the opening night of the chase for the Stanley Cup is an indication of what’s to come, the NHL is in for another wildly unpredictable postseason. The St. Louis Blues blanked the Minnesota Wild 4-0, with Marc-Andre Fleury giving up four goals on 31 shots. Monday night was also a busy night for officials, who doled out 48 penalty minutes in Blues-Wild. The Blues not only ranked second in the NHL during the regular season with the 27% success rate on their power play, they set a franchise record for that efficiency.
wftv.comAbundance of goals on opening night of Stanley Cup playoffs
(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) (Frank Gunn)So much for the notion that goals are hard to come by in the playoffs. If the opening night of the chase for the Stanley Cup is an indication of what’s to come, the NHL is in for another wildly unpredictable postseason. The St. Louis Blues blanked the Minnesota Wild 4-0, with Marc-Andre Fleury giving up four goals on 31 shots. The opening-night scoring barrage came after a regular season in which teams combined to average 6.29 goals per game — up from 5.87 the previous year. Monday night was also a busy night for officials, who doled out 48 penalty minutes in Blues-Wild.
wftv.comEller scores, Capitals beat Bruins for 3rd consecutive win
Bruins Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov, far left, and defenseman Martin Fehervary, center, right, react after teammate John Carlson scored a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, April 10, 2022, in Washington. Looking on are Boston Bruins' Josh Brown (44) and goaltender Linus Ullmark (35). (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (Julio Cortez)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Lars Eller made the best of his move back to center, scoring the go-ahead goal and assisting on another to help the Washington Capitals beat the Boston Bruins 4-2 Sunday and extend their winning streak to three. With Eller as an important part of the rotation, Washington's penalty kill was a perfect 4 of 4 against Boston's power play. The Capitals held a moment of silence for former Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who was killed Saturday in an auto accident.
wftv.comSabres end 18-game skid with 6-1 win over Flyers
Buffalo Sabres celebrate a goal by center Curtis Lazar (27) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Buffalo, N.Y., Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Embarrassment for Brandon Montour and the Buffalo Sabres turned into relief on Wednesday night. The Sabres ended their 18-game skid — the NHL’s longest in 17 years — with a resounding 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. AdThe Sabres also snapped a 0-9-2 home skid, one short of matching a franchise record set during the 1990-91 season. After Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov scored 3:50 into the second period, Buffalo responded by closing the period with goals from Fogarty and Casey Mittelstadt.
Elliott stops 23 shots in Flyers' 3-0 win over Sabres
The Flyers were spurred by a replenished lineup in which four players returned after spending two weeks in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. They included Scott Laughton, who scored a breakaway goal to make it 3-0 late in the second period. Elliott improved to 5-1 this season and upped his career record to 15-2-2 with four shutouts against the Sabres, including a 40-save outing in a 3-0 win on Jan. 19. Elliott chalked up his dominance to opening his career with Ottawa, Buffalo’s traditional Atlantic Division rival. The Sabres dropped to 2-6-1 in their past nine and played their second game without captain Jack Eichel, listed as day to day with a lower body injury.
Sabres injuries mount; Skinner's status remains uncertain
Buffalo coach Ralph Krueger still wasnt ready to say whether high-priced forward Jeff Skinner will resume playing after a three-game benching. Except to say it's not a disciplinary issue, Krueger has declined to detail the reasons behind his decision regarding Skinner. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres enter the weekend dealing with injuries to two key players and uncertainty as to whether coach Ralph Krueger is going to end the benching of high-priced forward Jeff Skinner. Krueger would only say Skinner would be available to play Saturday. As for Ullmark, Krueger said the goalie is still being evaluated to determine the severity of the injury he sustained in the first period against the Devils.
Eichel scores in shootout, Sabres beat Devils 4-3
Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel (9) carries the puck past New Jersey Devils forward Yegor Sharangovich (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Jack Eichel scored in a shootout, Linus Ullmark made 31 saves and the Buffalo Sabres beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Saturday. Victor Olofsson, Tobias Rieder and Eric Staal also scored to help the Sabres improve to 3-0-2 in their past five games. AdJanne Kuokkanen, Ty Smith and Andreas Johnsson scored for New Jersey in former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff’s first trip to Buffalo since taking over the Devils this offseason. Buffalo’s top free-agent acquisition assisted on two goals, tying Eichel for the team lead with nine points in eight games. RUFF’S RETURNRuff served as a Rangers assistant and Stars head coach since being fired by the Sabres in 2013.
Shorthanded Capitals beat Sabres 4-3 in home opener shootout
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON – Jakub Vrana had a goal and an assist, Vitek Vanecek made 24 saves through overtime and the short-handed Washington Capitals beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in a shootout Friday night in their home opener. Vanecek was perfect in the shootout to pick up his second victory of the season as defenseman John Carlson scored the shootout winner. Buffalo rookie Dylan Cozens scored his first NHL goal on a top-shelf snipe past Vanecek in the second period. Eric Staal and Riley Sheahan each scored his first goal since joining the Sabres. Linus Ullmark made 29 saves and was spotless in the shootout until Carlson beat him.
NHL training camps open with sense of urgency
It was the first day of training camp for Laviolette and the Washington Capitals and most of the NHL. Camps are now open for the league's 31 teams and they will last just 10 days. “You get a fresh start,” said Jeff Skinner of the Buffalo Sabres, who haven't played a game since March. “Most players would argue that camps are a little bit long anyway," Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “I’ve been told from our team and from the league, when a player is not on the ice during training camp, we’re supposed to say he’s not available today,” Philadelphia coach Alain Vigneault said.