In vanquishing the Winnipeg Jets 4-2, the New York Islanders won their first regular season game at the Barclays Center, and the Jets got themselves a rather ignoble historical footnote. Here's a couple of trivia questions for you: against which team did the Winnipeg Jets 2.0 earn their first win at the MTS Centre, and who scored the game-winning goal? Scroll all the way down to find the answers!
Meanwhile, I think we should all be able to agree that this was the true highlight from yesterday's game:
As for tonight's tilt, let's hope more players than just Mark Scheifele and **insert goalie here** Michael Hutchinson show up against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
And now, your afternoon links.
Central Division
Through three games, Artemi Panarin has looked absolutely dynamite on a line with Artem Anisimov and Patrick Kane while averaging 17:19 TOI. He should soon be considered a top-three contender for the Calder Trophy, if he isn't already. And from a cap perspective, his $812,500 + performance bonuses looks pretty good compared to Brandon Saad's $6 milion. (The Faceoff Circle)
While the Chicago Blackhawks appear to have hit the jackpot with Panarin-Anisimov-Kane, the first line experimentation continues unabated. After already cycling through Marko Dano, Andrew Shaw and Teuvo Teravainen, Ryan Garbutt now finds himself auditioning for the rather prominent role beside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa. Might I suggest the Blackhawks consider Andrew Ladd? (Chicago Sun-Times)
Valeri Nichushkin's season is off to a rough start, leading to a demotion to the fourth line and possibly becoming a healthy scratch. According to Mike Heika, the latter seems the greater possibility. (Dallas Morning News)
Lindy Ruff doesn’t confirm, but it looks like Sceviour is in and Val Nichushkin is scratched. Both came off at about the same time.
— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) October 13, 2015
Teams across the league have moved towards having three scoring lines, something the Minnesota Wild are in lockstep with. Centered around a pairing of Thomas Vanek and Charlie Coyle, early returns from the third line have been quite positive. (Twin Cities Pioneer Press)
After pleading guilty to second-degree DWI, Minnesota Wild assistant coach Darryl Sydor has been sentenced to 60 days in Anoka County Jail, which will be served in intervals from 2015 to 2018. As per the team, they will "continue to support Darryl, and his family, as he continues with his recovery. His return to the organization will be addressed at a later date." (KSTP)
One person's loss is another's gain, as Robby Fabbri's concussion has opened the door for Scottie Upshall to draw into the lineup. It sounds as if Upshall will likely skate beside David Backes and Dmitrij Jaskin, in what remains a wholly competent third line. Meanwhile, the debut of Scott Gomez is still pending. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
In Fabbri’s absence, Hitchcock said Upshall would likely be in the lineup tomorrow. Gomez would get in “in the next couple games.” #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 13, 2015
What appears seamless up front is still a work in progress with the St. Louis Blues d-corps. According to head coach Ken Hitchcock, "I think we’re looking at probably a full 10 games before we solidify a group of six…So we’re going to continue to move guys in and out." So long as they're on the NHL roster, I don't expect Colton Parayko or Joel Edmundson will be complaining too much. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
And All The Rest
The knives are out in Boston, with Michael Felger writing that "this is the bed Neely and Sweeney made. And now the Bruins are wetting it." Claude Julien to Columbus or Los Angeles, anyone? (CSN New England)
Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien summed things up pretty well when he said that defence "used to be our strength and right now it’s our weakness". They've played a grand total of three games, but if these very early trends continue into November, one would hope it might provide GM Don Sweeney some direction. Now watch them convincingly beat Colorado tomorrow, just to throw us all off. (CSN New England)
It took a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets for the Buffalo Sabres to snap out of their mildly disappointing start to the season, but Jack Eichel's performance was well worth the wait. What a play, what a shot, what a goal. (Buffalo Hockey Beat)
The AHL 2015 Calder Cup champion Manchester Monarchs received their championship rings last week, except for goaltender Jean-François Bérubé, who was already en route to the east coast after being claimed by the New York Islanders off waivers. There's another odd twist to the story, in how this incarnation of the Manchester Monarchs is now defunct. The Kings' AHL and ECHL affiliates swapped locales, with the AHL franchise moving to Ontario, California and the ECHL franchise retaining the Manchester Monarchs moniker. Now you know. (LA Insider)
Good luck @JRouby. Great playing with you. Thanks for keeping my minuses down. Your bling is in the mail. pic.twitter.com/XJopU57S73
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) October 7, 2015
Dan Boyle's struggles are Dylan McIlrath's gain, as the former is being made a healthy scratch in favour of the latter. Meanwhile, "Tanner Glass will remain in the lineup on the fourth line…with fellow forwards Jesper Fast and Emerson Etem remaining healthy scratches". This is your reminder that most-to-all head coaches have their maddening idiosyncrasies. (New York Post)
After an embarrassing 7-1 loss to the Florida Panthers which precipitated a laughably early players-only meeting, the Philadelphia Flyers avenged themselves against those same Panthers, winning 1-0 in the team's home opener. (Broad Street Hockey)
.@mneuvirth30 (31 SV) posted his 8th NHL shutout – his 1st since Mar. 11, 2012 – to win his 1st start w/ @NHLFlyers. pic.twitter.com/E7CugCrspe
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 13, 2015
Despite a lauded preseason performance, Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Adam Clendening has yet to crack the team's lineup. Still, Pittsburgh remains wise for not trying to sneak Clendening through waivers à la Vancouver Canucks defenceman Frank Corrado. (Post-Gazette)
After spending four years with the Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward would like nothing more than a big win tonight against his former team. Skating alongside Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau, Ward appears to be the same valuable complementary piece in San Jose as he was in D.C. Still not crazy about the third year of his contract, though. (CSN Bay Area)
Meanwhile, on the other side of the reunion, Russian Machine Never Breaks is encouraging folks to give a warm welcome to the player nicknamed "the Big Cheese". (RMNB)
Let’s all be nice to Joel Ward tonight before the Caps beat his new team. Print out a sign! http://t.co/b368EJdrdU pic.twitter.com/dmiPDjJHWR
— RMNB (@russianmachine) October 13, 2015
Blight on the Land
The #NHLJets have four players with positive possession numbers through three games. Burmistrov is one of them. But oh well! #enigma
— #freepostma (@arby_18) October 13, 2015
<br>Thanks for reading! The answers, by the way, were the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tanner Glass.
