NHL Morning Skate – Nov. 22, 2023

November 21, 2023

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* An NHL on TNT doubleheader features a pair of rematches from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs when Sam Reinhart and the Panthers host David Pastrnak and the Bruins, while Jason Robertson searches for his 250th career point when the Stars and Golden Knights clash.

* Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar are each producing at a 100-point pace to start 2023-24 and will face off against one another when the Avalanche host the Canucks at Ball Arena.

* As the quarter mark of the 2023-24 season draws closer, #NHLStats examines where we stand entering Wednesday – less than a week from the mark.

FIRST TNT DOUBLEHEADER OF THE WEEK HEADLINES 14-GAME SLATE
A night off from NHL action rebounds with a 14-game schedule Wednesday night, including an NHL on TNT doubleheader. A battle between the first- and second-seeded teams in the Atlantic Division starts the night off at 7 p.m. ET when the Bruins (13-1-3, 29 points) face the Panthers (12-5-1, 25 points), then division leaders in the Western Conference will clash at 9:30 p.m. ET when the Stars (12-4-1, 25 points) host the Golden Knights (13-4-2, 28 points).

* A pair of the League’s highest goal scorers in 2023-24 will meet at Amerant Bank Arena with Sam Reinhart (13 in 18 GP) welcoming David Pastrnak (12 in 17 GP). Reinhart (CAN) and Pastrnak (CZE) represent two of five countries to feature a player with 10 or more goals in 2023-24, a list led by the United States (8) – including the top two scorers in Auston Matthews and Kyle Connor (both w/ 14).

* Jason Robertson (109-140—249 in 227 GP) eyes his 250th career point when he takes to the ice against fellow American Jack Eichel (187-278—465 in 495 GP). Robertson can join Jimmy Carson (209 GP), Neal Broten (219 GP), Joe Mullen (222 GP) and Craig Janney (225 GP) as the fifth U.S.-born player in NHL history to record 250 career points in 228 contests or fewer.

HUGHES vs. MAKAR HIGHLIGHTS BATTLE OF THE BLUELINE IN COLORADO
A pair of high-scoring blueliners on pace to record 120-plus points will go head-to-head when Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (8-22—30 in 19 GP) and Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (4-23—27 in 17 GP) take to the ice at 10 p.m. ET.

* Hughes and Makar’s strong starts to 2023-24 come on the heels of Erik Karlsson’s 101-point, Norris Trophy-winning campaign in 2022-23. There have been only three stretches in NHL history to feature a 100-point defenseman in consecutive seasons: 1988-89 to 1991-92, 1983-84 to 1985-86, and 1969-70 to 1974-75.

* Hughes was the first player to reach the 30-point mark in 2023-24 following a 1-1—2 performance that helped Vancouver win its 11th consecutive game against the Sharks dating to Jan. 18, 2020. The Canucks captain is one of just two defensemen in NHL history to be the first player to 30 points in a season, following Bobby Orr in 1974-75.

* Makar, with 0-3—3 in each of his past three outings, can become the fifth player in NHL history – and first defenseman – to collect at least three assists in four consecutive games. Hockey Hall of Fame members Mario Lemieux (4 GP in 1996-97), Jari Kurri (4 GP in 1992-93), Adam Oates (4 GP in 1990-91) and Wayne Gretzky (4 GP in 1985-86) are the only players to achieve the feat to date.

MORE #NHLSTATS TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON WEDNESDAY

* A pair of selections from the 2023 NHL Draft and teammates from Team Canada’s gold medal-winning team at the 2023 World Junior Championship will be going head-to-head for the first time when No. 1 pick Connor Bedard (9-6—15 in 16 GP) and the Blackhawks travel to Columbus to take on No. 3 pick Adam Fantilli (4-5—9 in 17 GP) and the Blue Jackets.

* The Flyers (10-7-1, 21 points) currently occupy second place in the Metropolitan Division and do so thanks in part to the League’s longest active win streak (5-0-0 dating to Nov. 10). Philadelphia, which has not trailed at any moment during its current string of victories, ranks third among all teams in total time leading in 2023-24 (537:47) behind Vancouver (548:25) and Boston (545:32).

* Antti Raanta and the Hurricanes (10-7-0, 20 points) welcome Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers (5-11-1, 11 points) to PNC Arena for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop on Sportsnet. Raanta has earned a win in each of his past 13 decisions at home for Carolina dating to Nov. 26, 2022 (1.75 GAA, .929 SV%, 4 SO). Only two active goaltenders have had a stretch of 14 or more consecutive regular-season decisions with a win at home (spanning seasons or otherwise): Linus Ullmark (15 from 2021-22 – 2022-23) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (15 from 2019-20 – 2020-21).

2023-24 CLOSING IN ON QUARTER MARK
The 2023-24 season will officially hit the quarter mark Tuesday, Nov. 28 when the Panthers and Maple Leafs meet in the League’s 328th contest. Ahead of that milestone, #NHLStats is taking a look at where we stand entering Nov. 22 (278 GP):

* The 6.4 goals per game (including shootout-deciding goals) are on par with last season, which ended as the highest-scoring campaign in 29 years. Along with 2022-23, only two other seasons in the past 30 years had a goals-per-game average of 6.4 or higher at this stage: 1995-96 (6.4 G/GP) and 1993-94 (6.7 G/GP).

* A come-from-behind victory has been featured in 47% (130 GP) of games in 2023-24 – tied with 2022-23 and 1986-87 for the highest percentage at this stage of any campaign. This includes 55 third-period comeback victories, which is the second most at this stage of a season behind 2019-20 (59).

* Four teams who did not compete in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs sit in a postseason position as we near the quarter mark: Washington (9-4-2, 20 points), Philadelphia (10-7-1, 21 points), Vancouver (13-5-1, 27 points) and St. Louis (9-7-1, 19 points). Five other teams who were not in the postseason last year sit within two points of a playoff position: Detroit (8-6-3, 19 points), Pittsburgh (9-8-0, 18 points), Anaheim (9-9-0, 18 points), Arizona (8-8-2, 18 points) and Calgary (7-8-3, 17 points).

* Four of the five players who are in the top five for points in 2023-24 were outside of the position at the quarter mark of last season, with the exception of David Pastrnak (4th in 2022-23). Through the quarter mark of 2022-23 (entering games played Nov. 25), Quinn Hughes was tied for 64th place, J.T. Miller was tied for 51st, Nikita Kucherov was tied for sixth and Elias Pettersson was tied for 13th.

* All five players in the top five for goals this season are new faces from the quarter mark a year ago (entering games played Nov. 25) – Kyle Connor and Sam Reinhart sat tied for 85th, Auston Matthews was tied for 32nd, Nikita Kucherov was tied for 19th and Brock Boeser was tied for 302nd.