Wings Look for Larkin Production – DFS GAMEPLAN 1/31/18
Finally the breaks are over and we can get back to hockey. Leafs host the Islanders in what could be a night scorer. Detroit hosts San Jose tonight, and look to take advantage of a Sharks team that was crushed by the Penguins last night. Will the Capitals stop the Flyers playoff hopes?
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NHL SCHEDULE
NHL BACK-TO-BACK
NY Islanders @ Toronto
San Jose @ Detroit
*Team in italics is on the second night of a back-to-back
Jan 25, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
THE DEBATE – Hockey Podcast | Episode 13
Goaltender Interference, Seattle Expansion, and Coaches Poll
Brad Burud and Blake Friars breakdown and debate the recent goaltender interference epidemic. They have solutions… Seattle expansion is discussed and potential nicknames are debated. Then they dive into TSN’s Bob McKenzies coaches poll. Who are the leagues best?
Jan 28, 2018; Tampa, FL, USA; Pacific Division forward Brock Boeser (6) of the Vancouver Canucks controls the puck around Central Division defenseman P. K. Subban (76) of the Nashville Predators during the 2018 NHL All Star Game at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser, Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel and Buffalo Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 28.
FIRST STAR – BROCK BOESER, RW, VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Boeser earned MVP honors at Sunday’s 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game, won Saturday’s Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting competition and also scored two goals in two contests earlier in the week with the Canucks(19-24-6, 44 points). Participating as the only rookie in the weekend festivities at AMALIE Arena, Boeser recorded the winning goal in the Pacific Division’s 5-2 semifinal victory against the Central Division and added 1-1—2 in a 5-2 triumph over the Atlantic Division in the final. He became the second rookie to win NHL All-Star Game MVP honors, following Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux in 1985. Prior to that, Boeser won Saturday’s Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting competition and $25,000 by hitting all five targets in 11.136 seconds. Earlier in the week, he scored two goals in Vancouver’s 6-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings Jan. 23 before being held off the scoresheet in a 4-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres Jan. 25. The 20-year-old Burnsville, Minn., native leads all rookies and shares seventh overall with 24 goals in 46 games this season (24-19—43).
Eichel led the NHL with 2-3—5 in three outings to power the Sabres (14-26-9, 37 points) to a perfect week. He scored his third career overtime goal in a 2-1 triumph over the Calgary Flames Jan. 22. Eichel then posted 1-3—4, his third career four-point performance, in a 5-0 win against the Edmonton Oilers Jan. 23 before being held without a point in a 4‑0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks Jan. 25. The 21-year-old North Chelmsford, Mass., native – who added 1-2—3 (2 GP) Sunday in his NHL All-Star Game debut – paces Buffalo with 20-29—49 through 49 contests this season. He is the fourth player in Sabres history to reach the 20-goal milestone in each of his first three seasons, joining Gilbert Perreault, Richard Martin and Thomas Vanek.
THIRD STAR – ROBIN LEHNER, G, BUFFALO SABRES
Lehner registered shutouts in each of his two appearances, stopping all 63 shots he faced to help the Sabrescomplete their first three-game winning streak since Feb. 14-18, 2017 (3-0-0). He made 33 saves in earning his seventh career shutout in a 5-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers Jan. 23. Lehner then denied all 30 shots against in a 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks Jan. 25. In doing so, he became the first Buffalo goaltender to post consecutive shutouts since Feb. 29 – March 1, 2012 (Ryan Miller). The 26-year-old Gothenburg, Sweden, native owns an 11-18-6 record with a 2.87 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and three shutouts in 37 outings this season.
Jan 28, 2018; Tampa, FL, USA; Central Division goalie Pekka Rinne (35) of the Nashville Predators makes a save on the shot of Pacific Division forward Connor McDavid (97) of the Edmonton Oilers during the 2018 NHL All Star Game at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game
Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018 AMALIE Arena, Tampa
Semifinal 1: Pacific Division 5, Central Division 2
PACIFIC WINS ALL-STAR GAME TOURNAMENT FOR SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS
Featuring balanced scoring and stellar goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury and Mike Smith, the Pacific Division All-Stars defeated the Atlantic Division 5-2 in the Final of the 3-on-3 competition at the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game. Five players recorded multiple points for the winners in the Final, led by three points (2-1–3) from F Rickard Rakell. Fleury and Smith stopped nine of 11 Atlantic Division shots.
As tournament champions, the Pacific Division players claimed the winner-take-all $1-million prize.
The Pacific Division has established its dominance in the 3-on-3 tournament format in the All-Star Game since its inception in 2016, winning for the second time in three years. Appearing in the Final in all three years under this format, the Pacific also captured the inaugural competition in 2016 and lost in the Final to the Metropolitan Division in 2017.
The Pacific Division won its third Semifinal in as many years by defeating the Central Division 5-2. Pacific captain Connor McDavid tallied a game-high four points, all assists, including setups for a pair of goals by FJames Neal. Goaltenders Fleury and Smith combined to stop 14 of 16 Central Division shots.
The Atlantic Division had advanced to the Final by defeating the defending All-Star champion Metropolitan Division 7-4 in the Semifinals. Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov (3-0–3) netted the first hat trick in 3-on-3 NHL All-Star history to lead the hometown favorites. Seven other Atlantic Division players netted multiple points, including F Jack Eichel (1-2–3), D Erik Karlsson (0-3–3) and two of Kucherov’s Tampa Bay teammates, F Brayden Point (1-1–2) and F Steven Stamkos (0-2–2).
The format divided the All-Star Game into three 20-minute games, with players from each Division making up the four All-Star teams: Pacific, Central, Atlantic, and Metropolitan.
CANUCKS’ BOESER VOTED HONDA NHL ALL-STAR GAME MVP
Pacific Division F Brock Boeser captured the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game MVP Award in an online fan vote and will take home a 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid. Boeser joins Mario Lemieux (1985 in Calgary) as the only rookie to capture MVP honors in NHL All-Star Game history.
Showing the pinpoint skill he demonstrated in winning the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting competition the night before, Boeser tallied the game-winning goal in the Semifinal win over the Central Division with a precision shot to the top corner. The goal snapped a 2-2 tie with 1:46 remaining. Boeser recorded two more points (1-1–2) in the Final for a two-game total of 2-1–3.
The 20-year-old Burnsville, Minn., native leads all NHL rookies in goals at the All-Star break (24) and tops the Canucks in scoring (24-19–43).
BURNS, DOUGHTY AND GAUDREAU WIN SECOND ALL-STAR 3-ON-3 TOURNAMENT
Pacific Division All-Stars Brent Burns, Drew Doughty and Johnny Gaudreau won their second All-Star Game title under the 3-on-3 tournament format, all having been part of the winning Pacific Division side at Nashville in 2016. The trio joins Taylor Hall as two-time winners in the event’s three-year history. Hall won with the Pacific Division at Nashville in 2016 and with the Metropolitan Division last year in Los Angeles.
Gaudreau, Doughty and Burns also make up the top three scorers all-time under the 3-on-3 All-Star Gameformat:
