P.K. Subban apparently goaded former teammate Brendan Gallagher into taking an extra penalty during a brawl in the third period of Wednesday's contest.
During the altercation, the Montreal Canadiens forward gave Subban a face wash - one the Nashville Predators defenseman admitted was likely the result of him chirping Gallagher's size.
"I called him short, he didn't like that too much," Subban told Sportsnet's Kyle Bukauskas postgame. "When I was talking to him I was just kind of looking over his head and I didn't think he'd like that too much. So I took the face wash, sometimes you've got to take it. Fortunately he got the extra minutes so that's why I was smiling."
Subban and Gallagher were each assessed a two-minute minor for roughing on the play, while Gallagher was also given a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct on Kyle Turris.
In the end, the Predators prevailed in a shootout, adding insult to injury for Gallagher and the Canadiens - who dropped their fifth straight game.
The contest would have been Weber's second in Nashville since being traded for Subban before last season, and the first time with both players in the lineup. Subban was injured during the Canadiens' lone trip to Nashville in 2016-17.
Weber was a late scratch Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars, a game the Canadiens dropped 3-1.
It was another forgettable outing for Cam Talbot on Tuesday night.
The Edmonton Oilers netminder saw just 7:35 of ice time before head coach Todd McLellan yanked him from the game after Talbot conceded two goals on the first three St. Louis Blues shots he faced.
Talbot's season hasn't been as prolific as it was one year ago. His second season as Edmonton's true No. 1 goalie was everything fans could have hoped for. He played a league-high 73 games and matched Washington Capitals starter Braden Holtby with 42 wins.
He was the team's most valuable player not named Connor McDavid, rocking a .919 save percentage while allowing an average of just 2.39 goals per game. And he played a monumental role in helping the Oilers reach the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
Now in his third season as the team's go-to shot-stopper, Talbot has failed to replicate last season's success through the first 19 games of the 2018 campaign.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
With Tuesday's game in the books, Talbot now sits with a .900 save percentage and a 3.19 goals against average - the 27th- and 28th-best marks, respectively, among the 33 goalies to play at least 10 games this season. Those numbers are simply not good enough for a team once expected to challenge for the Stanley Cup this season.
And at this point, the playoffs appear to be a pipe dream for the Oilers.
The club has been a disaster early on. Edmonton sits tied for the third-worst record in the league and is riding the 29th-best offense, averaging just 2.38 goals per game. But to their credit, the Oilers are allowing the fifth-fewest shots against per game and are firing the eighth-most, so they've done a good job at keeping the action in their opponent's end.
The problem has been the production up front, or lack thereof. Through 21 games, only six players have managed more than three goals.
Without the Oilers scoring on a regular basis, Talbot will need to get his play back on track for this team to win. The club has made it quite clear they don't have a ton of faith in Laurent Brossoit - at least not yet anyway - as Talbot has played in 90 percent of the Oilers' games this season, so they may be prepared to stick with the 30-year-old regardless of the results.
The omission of Auston Matthews from the Toronto Maple Leafs' lineup has moved the spotlight from the sophomore star to goaltending, the club's next most valuable asset.
The Maple Leafs have gone a perfect 4-0-0 with Matthews sidelined and that can be credited almost entirely to the nearly flawless play of Frederik Andersen and Curtis McElhinney.
The two have allowed just five goals on 153 shots - the most conceded by any team over the last 10 days - good enough for a save percentage of .967.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Andersen has played in three of the four games, and looks to have resurrected his play after a dismal first month of the season. He posted a 1.30 goals-against average and a .965 save percentage in his starts, seeing dramatic improvements in both categories when comparing November (2.29 goals-against average and .931 save percentage) and October (3.46 goals-against average and .896 save percentage).
As for McElhinney, he contributed his best game of the season Saturday when he gave up just one goal on 39 shots against the Boston Bruins.
While the Leafs' netminders have been great, it hasn't come easy. Without Matthews in the lineup, the Maple Leafs have given up a lot more chances per game, a trend head coach Mike Babcock has noticed.
"We still give up too many shots, but we’re way lower in quality chances, and that gives our goalie a chance to get into the game," Babcock said Friday, according to Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star.
There is only one problem with this assertion from Babcock, the Maple Leafs are actually - at least at even strength - giving up more high-danger opportunities with Matthews out of the lineup.
The Maple Leafs are giving up an extra six shots and at even-strength they are allowing one extra high-danger chance per game with Matthews out of the lineup.
Given the numbers, it's quite clear that when Matthews - who currently sits with a Corsi for rating of 52.1 - is in the lineup, the Maple Leafs spend far less time in their own end. In summary: less Matthews leads to more work for the team's goaltenders.
Fortunately Matthews' absence hasn't necessarily spelled doom for the club's offense, as the Maple Leafs have still scored an average of three goals per game without their prized possession in the lineup.
Matthews is a game-time decision for Saturday night's game against the Montreal Canadiens which - as far as Andersen and McElhinney are concerned - could mean a lighter workload for the two who have risen to the occasion while their No. 1 center nursed an upper-body injury.
After taking to the ice for an optional skate Saturday morning - ahead of the club's contest against the Montreal Canadiens - head coach Mike Babcock noted that Matthews would be a game-time decision, according to TSN's Mark Masters.
While a final decision won't be made until later, Babcock seemed confident that Matthews will suit up.
Babcock on whether Matthews returns: "Game-time decision. We'll see how everything is, but it looks like it's heading that way."
Auston has already left Bell Centre while Leivo, Soshnikov continue to skate
The incident occurred midway through the second period of Tuesday night's game. Scandella received a two-minute minor for slashing, while Hornqvist also received a minor for interference on Scandella on the same play.
The fine is the maximum allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
After limping out of the gate with just one win in their first eight games of the season, the New York Rangers have gotten things back on the rails.
The club has strung together six straight wins and victories in eight of its last 10 games. It now sits tied for the final wild-card spot with the New York Islanders, just outside of the playoff picture due to games played.
The Rangers have made up a lot of ground over the last couple weeks, and they can attribute much of that success to these five players:
Pavel Buchnevich
Buchnevich doesn't appear to be familiar with the term "sophomore slump." After the Russian forward put up a commendable 20 points in 41 games last season as a rookie, he's off to a hot start with eight goals and 15 points in 18 games.
The 22-year-old has upped his game over the last couple weeks, tallying seven points during the Rangers' six-game win streak. He's also scored in three straight games, recording five points in that span.
It's also worth noting Buchnevich has tallied at least one shot on goal in every game this season.
Michael Grabner
Last season, Grabner eclipsed the 20-goal mark (27) for the first time in five years, and enjoyed his most productive campaign since tallying 34 goals and 52 points with the Islanders in 2011.
He's been even better so far this season. With eight goals through the first 18 games, Grabner's on pace to set a new career high.
He's contributed plenty during the hot streak, too - tallying points in four straight games, including four goals - and his production has come despite largely playing on the Rangers' bottom two lines.
After a respectable 37 points in 56 games last season, the 24-year-old is making the best of his second campaign with the Rangers, leading the club with eight goals and 18 points.
Zibanejad has tallied eight points in his last six games, including two three-point outings. And he's done the majority of his heavy lifting on the power play, recording five goals and 10 points with the man advantage, which has played a huge role in New York featuring the league's third-best unit.
After recording just one goal and one point in his first 11 games of the season, Nash has put up five goals and eight points over the last seven contests - including three goals in the last two.
He also leads the Rangers with 65 shots this season, tied for eighth most in the league. Like Buchnevich, he's recorded at least one shot in every game, while averaging over 3.6 per night.
Kevin Shattenkirk
The free-agent signing of Shattenkirk appears to be working like a charm.
He's been as good as advertised so far, tied for second in league-wide scoring among defensemen and sitting second on the team with nine power-play points. Shattenkirk is also riding a seven-game point streak in which he's tallied a total of 10.
Overall, he's given the Rangers something they haven't had in years - elite offense from the back end.
Over the last handful of years there have been some constants with the Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron will win faceoffs, Brad Marchand will piss off the opposition, and Tuukka Rask will pester opposing shooters.
For the most part, this still remains the case today, albeit with one asterisk; Rask has not been the stellar goaltender that fans have come to expect.
Since collecting the Vezina Trophy during the 2013-14 campaign, Rask's play has been quietly declining. He remains a steady option for the Bruins and doesn't deserve to be run out of town, but many of the underlying numbers are quite telling.
Since being named the league's top goaltender three seasons ago, Rask has put up a respectable 105-69-28 record in 210 games, but claims a save percentage of .917 and a goals-against average of 2.39. Those totals are just the 22nd- and 18th-best, respectively, among all goaltenders to play at least 50 games - fair, but not elite. His even-strength save percentage over that time sits at .923, good enough for only the 26th spot.
Of course, there is the quality of shots Rask has faced over the last three years. Once again, the numbers are alarming.
Category
Stat (Rank)
LDSV%
98.41 (8th)
LDSA
2 331 (2nd)
MDSV%
91.43 (45th)
MDSA
1 482 (2nd)
HDSV%
75.62 (56th)
HDSA
730 (12th)
Among the 60 goalies to play at least 2,500 minutes at 5-on-5.
Here you can see Rask has faced the second-most low-danger and mid-danger shots among qualified goalies, but while his low-danger save percentage ranks high, the better the quality of chances, the lower Rask ranks - much lower.
Among all 60 goalies to play at least 2,500 minutes Rask has the 45th- and 56th- ranked mid-danger and high-danger save percentages at 5-on-5, respectively.
What makes these numbers so troublesome is how they compare to the three-year span from 2011-12 to the 2013-14 campaign.
During those three years, Rask boasted the top save percentage and even-strength save percentage at .929 and .938 marks, respectively, while also accumulating a 2.03 goals-against average, good enough for third overall.
The shot-quality metrics were also much more in his favor during that time.
Category
Stat (Rank)
LDSV%
97.96 (21st)
LDSA
1 326 (17th)
MDSV%
92.03 (26th)
MDSA
816 (23rd)
HDSV%
84 (2nd)
HDSA
425 (26th)
Among the 47 goalies to play at least 2,500 minutes at 5-on-5.
What's most startling here is that Rask - unlike in recent years - actually thrived in high-danger situations, stopping the second-highest percentage of high-danger shots in the league.
It's worth noting that Rask faced far fewer shots against across the board during this time, which is due in part to the fact Tim Thomas played the majority of games during the 2011-12 season.
All things considered, it's quite evident that Rask has seen a drop in his play. That being said, the Bruins are no longer the team they once were. Zdeno Chara has begun to show his age, the team's defense corps is not nearly as strong, and overall, the team no longer thrives playing a defensive brand of hockey.
All of this can impact Rask's play, but it can't explain it all. This season, Rask is off to a 3-6-2 start in 11 games, owning a 2.79 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Consequently, the Bruins sit just four points above the Eastern Conference basement.
At just 30 years old, Rask should not be seeing this type of regression solely due to aging. He remains under contract for the next three seasons and will make $7 million per year; that's elite money for a goaltender that no longer should be considered as such.
On the back of the unfortunate news that Anton Slepyshev was placed on injured reserve, the Oilers called up their prized 2016 first-round selection from the Bakersfield Condors.
For Puljujarvi, his promotion to the big club came after a questionable second professional season in North America, one that has seen him post just one goal and five points in 10 AHL games.
Last season, Puljujarvi tallied one goal - scored in the first game of the season - and eight points in 28 games with the Oilers before being sent down to the Condors in January for the remainder of the campaign.
Puljujarvi went the remainder of the year notching a respectable 12 goals and 28 points in 39 games. However, with a dip in production to begin his second stint in the AHL, it's clear there remains some skepticism regarding the 19-year-old's game.
"I think the talent is OK, but you get better by finding open spots, working hard," Mike Griffith of the Bakersfield Californian told theScore. "If he's all everyone wants him to be, I would think he would find a way to be dominant. How much is mental? I don't know. I think last year he probably was a little mentally burnt out and stuff. His numbers were OK last year, but they weren’t 'wow this is the next big thing.'"
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
The call-up also comes at an interesting time for the Oilers. After a dreadful start to the season, the team had raddled off three wins in their last four games prior to Saturday, but had only averaged two goals per game over that span.
It's the lack of offense that explains the decision, and head coach Todd McLellan insists Puljujarvi will be given a chance to make an impact. Playing alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Milan Lucic, the hope is he can aid the team with what historically has been his biggest strength - creating offense.
"We'll likely play him in the top six and we look for his shot and ability to score," McLellan said Friday, according to Paul Gazzola and Chris Wescott of EdmontonOilers.com. "We'll see if he's been able to work on some of the things we asked him to defensively and his checking skills."
Through the first month and a half of the season, all signs suggest Puljujarvi has taken the Oilers' constructive criticism to heart, making improvements to his overall game.
"I think his wall play has improved, but from last year it almost had to, there was nothing but going up," said Griffith. "He's a big guy, but I don't think he ever battled that hard on the wall last year. I think his wall play has certainly improved this year."
This was also quite evident Saturday afternoon in Puljujarvi's first game since being called up. He tallied one of the Oilers' two goals in a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers, finishing with five shots and two hits, recording 15:37 of ice time.
So, while his offensive numbers in the AHL may not have been great to begin the year, it is evident that Puljujarvi has developed his overall skill set. Griffith notes that Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli has also been impressed with what he's seen out of the Fin this season.
Meanwhile, it's worth noting that a certain Oilers star faced similar hardships before becoming a mainstay in the lineup.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
After being plucked third overall in 2014, Leon Draisaitl was sent down to the Western Hockey League after recording just two goals and nine points in 37 games with the Oilers.
The following season he started with the Condors, tallying just one goal and one assist in six games before being recalled by the club after an injury to Jordan Eberle. He made an immediate impact - remaining with the club - finishing the year with 19 goals and 51 points in 72 games. The rest is history.
"If I can make a comparison, he's (Puljujarvi) been here a lot longer than Draisiatl's six or seven games," said Griffith. "He (Draisaitl) had a definite 'wow' factor and he only got called up because of injuries. They weren’t planning to call him or (Darnell) Nurse up then. That was the pre-change of all the hierarchy there in Edmonton too and those guys were supposed to be down there probably until December or something, but there was injuries and whatnot and boom, never to come back."
For Puljujarvi, it's now time for him to follow in the footsteps of Draisaitl. On a team many have coined potential Stanley Cup favorites, there will only be so much time allotted for players to get up to speed and get the hang of things.
Puljujarvi has been gifted a rare and sizable opportunity to show he can still be the same dynamic player that turned heads during the 2016 World Junior Championship. On Saturday he made a great first impression in his return, but as coaches will tell you, you're only as good as your next game. It will be up to Puljujarvi to maintain his strong play if he plans to permanently cement his spot with the big club.
What was once a weakness might now be one of the Nashville Predators' most lethal aspects of their lineup.
Prior to the blockbuster trade that saw Matt Duchene shipped to the Ottawa Senators and Kyle Turris dealt to the Predators, Nashville had been a club incredibly thin down the middle of the ice.
While the club boasts Ryan Johansen - who oddly enough is still searching for his first goal of the season - the Predators have been missing a second centerman who can entice fear into the opposition.
That is until now. With Turris now in the fold, the Predators can ice one of the better one-two punches at center in the league and can now dress a more well-balanced forwards corps.
Prior to the Turris deal - and due to the injury of Nick Bonino that has limited him to just five games - the Predators had been forced to roll with Calle Jarnkrok, Colton Sissons, and Frederick Gaudreau down the middle. And while the three are surely serviceable options, they don't compare to Turris.
Here is how the four have fared since the start of last season:
Player
GP
Goals
Points
FO%
Turris
90
31
66
53.8
Jarnkrok
97
18
38
49.9
Sissons
73
10
14
53.5
Gaudreau
19
0
3
44.3
Suggesting that Turris is the more lethal offensive option between the three is quite obvious even without looking at the numbers, but the stats illustrate just how much better he is. In fact, Turris has tallied more goals and points than the other three combined.
On Saturday night Turris played his first game with the Predators and made an immediate impact, scoring his first goal with the team and adding an assist while playing 21:38 of ice time - the second-most of any Predators forward.
Turris' inclusion into the lineup allowed head coach Peter Laviollette to - on top of dressing a stronger top-six forward group - ice a better second power-play unit. Turris centered the club's second unit along with Kevin Fiala, Craig Smith, Viktor Arvidsson, and Mattias Ekholm.
Additionally, Bonino has been skating with the club and appears to be close to making his return to the lineup. When he finally returns, the Predators will have even more strength down the middle.
And as general manager David Poile suggested following the Turris trade, Bonino could be slotted on the wing of the Predators' second or third line when he returns, according to Thomas Willis of NashvillePredators.com. It's another sign of the versatility Turris gives the team. Meanwhile, it gives the potential to house a mighty top-nine with Johansen, Turris, and Bonino at center.
The acquisition of Turris has completely changed the complexion of the Predators' offense, and should instill a fear in opponents going forward that simply didn't exist a week ago.
