* Two of the top three teams in Western Conference skated to high-scoring victories as the Stars and Canucks benefited from eight and five goals, respectively, en route to road wins.
* Quinn Hughes collected his 18th assist and 23rd point of the season and moved into elite company in NHL history for points by a defenseman through their first 15 games of a campaign.
* A quartet of games for the 2023 NHL Global Series – Sweden presented by Fastenal are just a handful of contests on the radar for the upcoming week around the NHL, broadcasted by the NHL Network and the League’s international rightsholders.
STARS SCORE EIGHT THANKS TO SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
Joe Pavelski (1-0—1) scored his 100th career goal with the Stars just 57 seconds into the contest – the first of seven special-teams tallies by the club Sunday – and Wyatt Johnston (2-1—3) netted his second shorthanded tally in as many days to help Dallas (10-3-1, 21 points) put up at least eight goals in a road game for the fifth time in team history.
* Pavelski, who joined the Stars after stringing together 355 goals with the Sharks, became the ninth active player with 100-plus tallies for multiple franchises. The others: T.J. Oshie (STL & WSH), Jordan Staal (PIT, CAR), Adam Henrique (NJD, ANA), John Tavares (NYI, TOR), Brayden Schenn (PHI, STL), Jeff Skinner (CAR, BUF), James van Riemsdyk (PHI, TOR), and Jeff Carter (PHI, LAK).
* Johnston, the second player in Stars/North Stars history to score a shorthanded goal on consecutive days, became just the third player to accomplish the feat in the past 10 years alongside William Karlsson (March 30-31, 2018 w/ VGK) and Matt Read (March 15-16, 2014 w/ PHI).
* Dallas matched its franchise record for most power-play goals in a game, accomplishing the feat as the visitors for just the third time following Jan. 27, 1984 and Nov. 16, 1982. Only two other teams have scored five power-play goals in a road game since 2012-13: Vancouver (Nov. 21, 2019 at NSH) and Colorado (Feb. 20, 2018 at VAN).
DEFENSEMEN CONTINUE TO PILE UP THE POINTS FOR CANUCKS
Captain Quinn Hughes (0-1—1) factored on the first of five Canucks goals and fellow defenseman Filip Hronek (0-1—1) assisted on the game-winning tally as Vancouver (11-3-1, 23 points) collected 11 wins through its first 15 games of a season for the first time in franchise history.
* The 2023-24 campaign marks the second time Hughes (5-18—23 in 15 GP) has had at least 18 assists through his first 15 games of a season (also 18 in 2022-23). He became the second defenseman in NHL history to achieve the feat multiple times following Bobby Orr (1969-70: 21 in 15 GP & 1974-75: 21 in 15 GP).
* Hronek, the third player of any position in Canucks history with an assist streak of 10-plus games, became the seventh defenseman in the past 30 years with an assist streak of at least that length. The others: Erik Karlsson (14 GP in 2022-23), Cale Makar (13 GP in 2021-22), Josh Morrissey (11 GP in 2022-23), Garry Galley (11 GP in 1993-94), Roman Josi (10 GP in 2021-22) and Sergei Gonchar (10 GP in 2012-13).
* The Canucks are the seventh team in the past 30 years to score 66 or more goals through their first 15 games of a season (including shootout-deciding goals). The others: 1995-96 Penguins (78), 2005-06 Senators (75), 2006-07 Sabres (68), 2005-06 Flyers (68), 1993-94 Flyers (67) and 1994-95 Penguins (66).
PANARIN’S POINT STREAK CONTINUES AS RANGERS RALLY LATE
Artemi Panarin (0-2—2) extended his season-opening point streak to franchise-record tying 14 games after he factored on two Rangers goals, including the game-tying tally from Alexis Lafrenière (2-0—2) with just 11 seconds remaining in regulation, to help New York (11-2-1, 23 points) rally to a shootout victory. Sunday marked the fifth time in franchise history the club has won after scoring a game-tying tally within the final 11 seconds (also Jan. 12, 2023, Oct. 25, 2008, Nov, 9, 2005 & Dec. 1, 1998).
* Panarin, who kept pace with Toronto’s William Nylander (14 GP) as the only skaters with a season-opening point streak of 14-plus games to start 2023-24, has factored on either a game-tying, go-ahead or game-winning goal in each of New York’s past four games – a stretch that also includes multi-point outings. With another two points in his team’s next game against the Devils on Nov. 18, Panarin can be the first Rangers skater with at least five straight multi-point games since Jaromir Jagr (6 GP in 2005-06).
REINHART, BEDARD FACTOR ON SIX OF CONTEST’S SEVEN GOALS
Sam Reinhart (2-2—4) factored on all of Florida’s tallies and Connor Bedard (2-0—2) recorded his second straight multi-goal game in a contest that saw three game-tying goals before the Panthers secured their fourth consecutive win.
* Reinhart recorded his third career four-point performance, all since he joined the Panthers, and improved his season totals to 11-10—21 (14 GP). He required the second-fewest games by a Florida player to reach 10 goals in a campaign behind Pavel Bure (9 GP in 1998-99) and tied the franchise mark for the fewest contests to 20 points (also Matthew Tkachuk in 2022-23 & Jonathan Huberdeau in 2020-21).
* Bedard scored a highlight-reel goal as one of two tallies Sunday as he became the seventh 18-year-old in NHL history to record consecutive multi-goal games. Bedard, who began the season with two goals through his first seven contests, has now scored seven times through his past six games and leads all rookies in goals (9) and points (13).
ON THE RADAR: GLOBAL SERIES, NHL ON TNT DOUBLEHEADER, BEDARD IN PRIMETIME
With four teams headed overseas for the 2023 NHL Global Series – Sweden presented by Fastenal, the NHL Network and the League’s international rightsholders will carry four regular-season contests from Avicii Arena in Stockholm. It will be the first time that a city outside North America hosts an NHL regular-season game on four consecutive days. Click here for a full #NHLStats Pack ahead of a trip that will bring the League total to 42 regular-season contests played outside North America.
* Before the games in Sweden, the NHL on TNT will air a doubleheader that starts in Carolina where Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns is set to make a move on the League’s “Ironman” list and ends in Vancouver where former Canucks captain Bo Horvat will return for the first time since a trade last season.
Wednesday, Nov. 15: Flyers at Hurricanes (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX, TVAS)
* Burns (776) is set to surpass forward Craig Ramsay (776) for the eighth-longest consecutive games played streak in NHL history. Burns began his streak nearly 10 years ago as a member of the Sharks, scoring a goal Nov. 21, 2013 at home against the Lightning, in his return from a 13-game absence. Over the course of his 776 consecutive regular-season appearances since then, Burns has totaled 168-426—594 while helping his club to a 404-293-79 record.
Wednesday, Nov. 15: Islanders at Canucks (10 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX, SNP, TVAS)
* Horvat returns to Vancouver for the first time after spending parts of his first nine seasons with the Canucks (wearing the “C” from 2019-20 to 2022-23). Horvat ranks in the top 10 in goals (8th, 201) and points (10th, 420) in franchise history.
* Quinn Hughes (31-233—264 in 298 GP) approaches his 300th career game, only two defensemen in NHL history have had as many assists as the current Canucks captain at the time of the milestone contest: Bobby Orr (239) and Brian Leetch (238).
Thursday, Nov. 16: Lightning at Blackhawks (8 p.m. ET on ESPN+, HULU, SN360, TVAS)
* Steven Stamkos and Connor Bedard are two of nine active players to be selected first overall in a CHL Draft (OHL, WHL, QMJHL) as well as the NHL Draft. The others being Alexis Lafrenière, Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, John Tavares and Sidney Crosby.
* Bedard will have the opportunity to become the first 18-year-old in NHL history to record multiple goals in three consecutive games and just the second teenager to do so – Patrik Laine tallied multiple goals in three straight contests as a 19-year-old in 2017-18 with Winnipeg.
QUICK CLICKS
* #NHLStats: Live Updates features Frank Vatrano, Mason McTavish’s 15th point of 2023-24
* Jay Woodcroft fired as Oilers coach, replaced by Kris Knoblauch
* Mitchell Marner‘s dog Zeus gets new toy from Maple Leafs fan
* Roman Cechmanek dies at 52, was goalie for Flyers, Kings
* Anton Forsberg, Senators look to get back on track at Global Series in Sweden
WEEK SIX OPENS WITH FOUR TEAMS IN ACTION
A two-game Monday will begin with the Islanders opening a four-game road trip with a stop in Edmonton as the Oilers welcome a new head coach, Kris Knoblauch – head coaches own an all-time record of 9-7-1 in their first game with the club.