* It was an emotional night at Nationwide Arena as the Blue Jackets and Panthers lined up for a special opening face-off after the hosts raised a banner in honor of Johnny Gaudreau, which longtime teammate Sean Monahan pointed to after scoring a goal during Columbus’ home opener Tuesday.
* Alex Ovechkin collected another milestone in a Capitals victory and became just the sixth player in NHL history with 700 career goals and 700 career assists.
* We’re less than two weeks into 2024-25 and we already have our first goalie goal, thanks to Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson. The NHL has now featured at least one goalie goal in three consecutive campaigns, tied for the second-longest stretch in NHL history.
* A four-game Wednesday includes the Kings visiting the Maple Leafs on Sportsnet, as well as a TNT doubleheader that starts with the Penguins welcoming the Sabres before the Avalanche play host to the Bruins.
COLUMBUS, FLORIDA honor GAUDREAU DURING SPECIAL OPENING FACE-OFF
The Blue Jackets and Panthers paid tribute to brothers Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau in several ways at Nationwide Arena, which included Columbus only lining up four skaters in the opening face-off, leaving the left wing vacant for Johnny’s position. Both teams then let the game’s first 13 seconds expire in honor of his number.
* Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk skated several seasons alongside Johnny in Calgary. Bennett lined up across from the Blue Jackets for the opening face-off and received the puck from another one of Johnny’s longtime teammates, Sean Monahan. Tkachuk was unable to attend due to illness but shared a heartfelt message about Johnny via Florida’s account on X and encouraged teammates to arrive at the rink with Skittles and purple Gatorade – two of Johnny’s favorite pre-game snacks.
* The Blue Jackets and Panthers sported sweaters featuring Johnny’s nameplate and No. 13 during warmup, which preceded a video tribute and pre-game ceremony where members of the Gaudreau family helped raise Johnny’s number to the Nationwide Arena rafters. Meredith Gaudreau also recorded a video thanking Columbus and its fans, who rained down several “Johnny Hockey!” chants throughout the evening.
OVECHKIN REACHES 700-ASSIST MILESTONE
Alex Ovechkin collected 0-2—2 to reach another milestone in his illustrious career – 700 NHL assists – while Logan Thompson made his Washington debut against his former team and posted 24 saves to help the Capitals win their first game of the 2024-25 season.
* Ovechkin became the seventh active player to record 700 career assists, joining Sidney Crosby (1,007), Patrick Kane (814), Evgeni Malkin (804), Anze Kopitar (795), Nicklas Backstrom (762) and Claude Giroux (716). The Capitals captain also joined Backstrom as just the second player in franchise history to reach the milestone.
GUSTAVSSON NETS GOALIE GOAL IN WILD WIN
Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves to improve to 2-0-1 on the season and capped the victory off with the first goalie goal in Wild history and just the second by a Swedish-born goaltender (also Linus Ullmark on Feb. 25, 2023). It marks the third consecutive campaign in which a goalie goal has been scored, tied for the second-longest stretch in NHL history (2011-12 to 2013-14) and behind only a four-season span from 1998-99 to 2001-02.
* Gustavsson, who became the 15th goaltender in NHL history to score, potted his on the power play to become the fourth goaltender with a special-teams goal (regular season or playoffs). The others: Martin Brodeur (PPG on March 21, 2013), Evgeni Nabokov (PPG on March 10, 2002) and Ron Hextall (SHG on April 11, 1989).
STARS AND FLAMES EARN TIGHTLY-CONTESTED WINS TO IMPROVE TO 4-0-0
The Stars (4-0-0, 8 points) and Flames (4-0-0, 8 points) edged the Sharks and Blackhawks on home ice, respectively, to extend their season-opening win streaks to four games. Dallas and Calgary find themselves atop the NHL standings and are two of four teams without a loss of any kind to date – a group that includes Tampa Bay (2-0-0, 4 points), who also skated to victory Tuesday (also WPG: 3-0-0, 6 points).
* The Stars opened a season 4-0-0 for the fifth time in franchise history, but overcame a deficit for the first time in four contests. Meanwhile, the Flames matched a franchise record with four straight wins to start a season.
YOUNG PLAYERS HELP PROPEL CLUBS TO VICTORY IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
A busy Tuesday night edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates included a trio of young players who posted notable performances:
* Jackson Blake, son of former NHLer Jason Blake (8-13—21 in 47 GP vs. NJD), scored his first career goal and finished with the game winner as the Hurricanes captured their first win of the season. Drafted 109th overall in 2021, Jackson (22-38—60 in 40 GP) spent last season with the University of North Dakota where he led the team in goals, assists and points.
* Ryker Evans scored the first of Seattle’s season-high seven goals – the second tally of his career (also March 22) – to help the Kraken defeat the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Evans (No. 35 in 2021) was the first defenseman selected by Seattle in NHL Draft history and reached the Calder Cup Finals in each of the past two seasons with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, whose coaching staff featured current Kraken bench boss Dan Bylsma and assistant Jessica Campbell.
* Matvei Michkov scored his first and second NHL goal Tuesday in the Flyers loss to the Oilers – Edmonton’s first win of 2024-25. Michkov (19 years, 311 days) was selected seventh overall in the 2023 NHL Draft and made his League debut on Oct. 11. He required the fewest career games by a Philadelphia player to register his first multi-goal outing since Vinny Prospal (2 GP on March 3, 1997).
QUICK CLICKS
* NHL Cultural Celebrations/Community Theme Nights blog
*Lukas Dostal surprises young fan with news of being selected as 21st Duck
*Walter “Turk” Broda benched by Maple Leafs for being overweight in 1949
* Women in Hockey Operations feature: Oilers’ scout Dani Rylan Kearney
KINGS CONTINUE ROAD TREK IN TORONTO ON SPORTSNET
Quinton Byfield and the Kings (1-0-2, 4 points) contest the fourth game of their season-opening seven game road trip when they visit Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs (2-1-0, 4 points) on Sportsnet. Los Angeles has secured points in each of its first three outings, marking the second straight season the Kings have opened a campaign with a road point streak – they secured points in each of their first 12 road contests to start 2023-24 (11-0-1, 23 points). The Kings will be the last of the 32 teams to contest their home opener when they host the Sharks on Oct. 24. Byfield, who grew up in nearby Newmarket, Ont., recorded a multi-point game in his only previous appearance at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto (0-2—2 on Oct. 31, 2023).
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TNT DOUBLEHEADER HAS STAR DEFENSEMEN ON DISPLAY
A bevy of star blueliners will hit the ice as part of a TNT doubleheader, opening with Erik Karlsson and the Penguins hosting Rasmus Dahlin and the Sabres, followed by Charlie McAvoy and the Bruins visiting Cale Makar and the Avalanche. Karlsson (Sweden), McAvoy (United States) and Makar (Canada) have each already been named to play for their respective country at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025.
* Karlsson (2013-14, 2014-15 & 2022-23) and Dahlin (2023-24) are two of six Swedish-born defensemen in NHL history to record a 20-goal season. Dahlin, who is in his first season as Sabres captain, is seven points from becoming the third defenseman to record 300 points with the franchise, while Karlsson is 25 points from moving into the top 15 on the NHL’s all-time list among defenseman.
* Makar (86-255—341 in 318 GP) has more points than any defenseman since entering the League in 2019-20 and already has more career goals, assists and points than any blueliner in Avalanche history. Since entering the NHL in 2017-18, McAvoy ranks first among U.S.-born defensemen and third among all blueliners with a plus-147 rating. McAvoy led all Bruins skaters in average time on ice in 2023-24 (24:51) and is doing so again in 2024-25 through four contests (23:31).
