* Cale Makar prevailed in a battle against fellow defenseman and NHL scoring-leader Quinn Hughes with his fifth straight multi-point outing and reached 20 points in a calendar month for the second time in his career.
* The Bruins and Golden Knights each picked up wins Wednesday to become the first teams this season to reach the 30-point mark.
* There are no games on Thursday as we wish our friends in the United States a Happy Thanksgiving, but action returns with a packed 15-game schedule Friday starting at 1 p.m. ET.
STAR DEFENSEMEN COLLECT 20TH POINTS OF NOVEMBER IN HEAD-TO-HEAD SHOWDOWN
Cale Makar (1-1—2) helped give the Avalanche (12-6-0, 24 points) a first-period lead before Quinn Hughes (0-1—1) played a role in a Canucks game-tying goal, but the former would ensure Colorado skated away with a victory by scoring an insurance marker in the third period en route to joining his counterpart with 20 points in November.
* Makar (2-18—20 since Nov. 1), who reached the 20-point mark this month thanks to an active streak of five consecutive multi-point games, became the first defenseman in Avalanche/Nordiques history with 18 assists in a single calendar month and collected 20 points in that scenario for the second time in his career (4-17—21 in March 2023).
* The 2019-20 Calder Trophy winner, 2021-22 Conn Smythe Trophy winner and 2021-22 James Norris Memorial Trophy winner is one of 13 defensemen in NHL history to produce multiple 20-point months. Paul Coffey (21x), Bobby Orr (20x), Ray Bourque (9x) and Brian Leetch (5x) are the only ones to do so more than five times.
* Hughes (5-15—20 since Nov. 1), who maintained his lead atop League scoring, joined Dennis Kearns (1-20—21 in March 1977) as the second player in Canucks history with a 20-point calendar month.
BRUINS, GOLDEN KNIGHTS REACH 30 POINTS
The Eastern Conference-leading Bruins (14-1-3, 31 points) and Western Conference-leading Golden Knights (14-4-2, 30 points) became the first two teams to reach the 30-point mark in 2023-24.
* Jack Eichel scored his 10th career overtime goal to help the Golden Knights best the Stars in a contest featured on NHL on TNT. Vegas tied the fifth-best point total by a reigning Stanley Cup champion through their first 20 games of a season in the NHL’s expansion era (1967-68) – of that cohort, three went on to win another Cup: 2020-21 Lightning, 1984-85 Oilers and 1976-77 Canadiens.
* Charlie Coyle was one of three skaters to find the back of the net for the Bruins on Wednesday as they defeated the Panthers to maintain their place at the top of the League standings. Boston became the fourth team in 30 years to lead the League in points (outright or tied) at U.S. Thanksgiving in consecutive years, joining the Canadiens (3 from 2014-15 – 2016-17), Sharks (2 from 2008-09 – 2009-10) and Panthers (2 from 1995-96 – 1996-97).
BLUES OUTLAST COYOTES IN BACK-AND-FORTH AFFAIR IN THE DESERT
After the Coyotes tied the game twice in the first period, St. Louis and Arizona combined for three more within the opening 10:49 of the middle frame before Kevin Hayes (1-0—1) put the Blues (10-7-1, 21 points) ahead once and for all in the third period to guide his club to their seventh win in 10 contests.
* The Coyotes and Blues combined for six goals in the second frame, one shy of the most by two teams in any period this season. St. Louis scored two of its three goals shorthanded and in a 33-second span – the second-fastest two shorthanded goals in franchise history behind 26 seconds on Nov. 6, 2019.
AROUND THE TABLE TURKEY ROUNDUP
* Zach Werenski (0-4—4) assisted on four of seven Blue Jackets goals to establish a franchise record for most in a game by a defenseman. Werenski (0-10—10 since Nov. 1), the eighth player and third defenseman with a four-assist game in 2023-24, also tied the Blue Jackets benchmark for the most assists by a blueliner in a single month following Seth Jones (Feb. 2021), James Wisniewski (Jan. 2014), Ryan Murray (Jan. 2014) and Ron Hainsey (Dec. 2006).
* Oliver Bjorkstrand (1-3—4) helped Seattle join Columbus as the second team Wednesday to score seven goals and tied a franchise record for the most points in a game. The Kraken recorded their second seven-goal outing of the season (also Oct. 19) and matched the Coyotes, Avalanche and Canucks for the most among all teams. In 2022-23, Seattle finished the campaign with the most seven-goal outings across the League with eight, one more than the Oilers (7).
* Jonathan Quick earned his first career shutout against the Penguins and became the first U.S.-born goaltender to record 60 blank sheets in his career. With the win, Quick improved to 5-0-1 to start 2023-24 and became the second Rangers netminder to begin his tenure by earning a point in his first six decisions, joining Eddie Mio in 1981-82 (5-0-2 in 7 GP).
* Tom Wilson tallied a tying goal at 18:45 of the third period and Dylan Strome (1-1—2) scored with eight seconds remaining in overtime as the Capitals extended their winning streak to five games. Strome became the third player in franchise history with a goal in the final 10 seconds of overtime, following Calle Johansson (4:59 on Jan. 28, 2000) and Peter Bondra (4:56 on Nov. 5, 2002).
* Lucas Raymond scored the first of three Red Wings tallies in the span of 1:12 to extend his goal streak to four games. He became the fourth Detroit player in the past 40 years to record a run of four-plus contests at age 21 or younger, joining Dylan Larkin (4 GP in 2015-16), Sergei Fedorov (2x: last 4 GP 1990-91) and Steve Yzerman (7x: last 5 GP in 1986-87).
BENSON’S BETWEEN-THE-LEGS GOAL FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Wednesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the 14-game slate, including Sabres rookie Zach Benson burying his first career goal in highlight-reel fashion. He scored the first between-the-legs goal this season – there were six during the 2022-23 regular season and two in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
McAVOY SET TO GIVE BACK ON THANKSGIVING
While the NHL takes a break for American Thanksgiving, Charlie McAvoy will continue his philanthropic efforts by carrying on the Bruins’ tradition of delivering pies to those in need.
QUICK CLICKS
* Predators honor former GM David Poile with special pregame ceremony
*Cal Clutterbuck’s kids make homemade sign to celebrate 1,000th NHL game
* Connor Bedard scores his 10th goal of the season
* ‘Road To NHL Winter Classic’ returns to TNT on Dec. 13
* NHL and adidas unveil uniforms for 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic
NHL RETURNS FRIDAY WITH A 15-GAME SLATE
There are no games on Thursday as we wish our friends in the United States a Happy Thanksgiving. The 2023-24 season resumes Friday with a packed 15-game schedule including NHL on TNT’s Thanksgiving Showdown doubleheader that opens with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins visiting Rasmus Dahlin and the Sabres and concludes with Cale Makar and the Avalanche facing off with Kirill Kaprizov and the Wild.
