On his very own bobblehead night, Ryan Getzlaf will return to the Anaheim Ducks' lineup Friday night versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The captain missed the club's mid-week win over the Nashville Predators while nursing an upper-body injury.

Getzlaf was back between Corey Perry and Nick Ritchie in warmups - a trio that has accounted for 17 points so far this season.

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Thousands of hats were handed out at the Carolina Hurricanes' home opener on Friday, but few will be pinned to the heads of fans who'll exit through the same turnstiles.

Only they should be.

Jeff Skinner beat the buzzer with what appeared to be his hat-trick goal versus the New York Rangers, prompting fans to litter the ice with their gifts. But closer inspection revealed the puck took a touch off Bryan Bickell on the way in.

For Bickell, the change gives him his maiden goal with the Hurricanes, and his first NHL marker in 18 months.

For everyone else, it's needless forfeiture of free stuff.

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Jeff Skinner is having quite the October.

The Carolina Hurricanes forward fought off New York Rangers defenseman Kevin Klein, before backhanding his second goal of the game past goaltender Henrik Lundqvist on Friday night.

The goal gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead, but on a more personal note it gave Skinner eight points through six games this season, his highest six-game total to start a campaign.

Given that the 24-year-old managed 50 points last season despite just three through the entire month of October, Skinner looks well on his way to surpassing the half-century mark.

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With a .932 team save percentage, the Detroit Red Wings' goalies have been the driving force behind an unexpected 6-2 start to the season.

Now this stat - not unlike anything else we measure - tends to revert closer to the league average as the season progresses. But that can't erase the progress Petr Mrazek and Jimmy Howard have keyed for the Red Wings over the season's two-plus weeks.

So, what's been the difference for the tandem that hasn't allowed more than three goals since opening night? Is it as simple as Mrazek no longer looking over his shoulder, and Howard no longer pressing when he receives opportunities?

General manager Ken Holland seemingly buys into that theory.

"I think Jimmy (Howard) is coming in understanding that Petr Mrazek is the No. 1 goaltender. He's the backup," Holland told ESPN's Craig Custance. "I think you have to practice different. You have a different mental outlook."

But while at $5 million-plus, Howard is far too expensive for a clear and defined backup role - especially on a cap-strapped team - Holland still sees value in keeping the veteran in the support role he's embraced.

"We were hoping, believing, the one-two punch we had in goal was going to be a strength," Holland said. "In the early going, it has been."

Howard, who's allowed just one goal across two starts against formidable opponents in the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks, will get his third start this weekend when the Red Wings host Boston and Florida on back-to-back nights.

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The injury that forced Tampa Bay Lighting forward Nikita Kucherov from Thursday's contest against the Montreal Canadiens was of the upper-body variety, and he's currently listed day to day, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.

Kucherov appeared to suffer the injury after falling awkwardly into the boards during the first period. Luckily, it appears the 23-year-old avoided serious injury.

In the meantime, while Kucherov's status for Saturday's game against New Jersey is not yet known, the team recalled forward Cory Conacher from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, according to Smith.

Through seven games, Kucherov has tallied just one goal and six assists.

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The injury that forced Tampa Bay Lighting forward Nikita Kucherov from Thursday's contest against the Montreal Canadiens was of the upper-body variety, and he's currently listed day to day, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.

Kucherov appeared to suffer the injury after falling awkwardly into the boards during the first period. Luckily, it appears the 23-year-old avoided serious injury.

In the meantime, while Kucherov's status for Saturday's game against New Jersey is not yet known, the team recalled forward Cory Conacher from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, according to Smith.

Through seven games, Kucherov has tallied just one goal and six assists.

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PHILADELPHIA - Pittsburgh won three of its four games without defenseman Kris Letang in the lineup and there is a chance the Norris Trophy candidate could be back in uniform when the Penguins renew their rivalry with the Flyers in Philadelphia on Saturday night.

Sidelined by an upper-body injury suffered on Oct. 18 in Montreal, Letang was examined by a doctor on Friday before boarding the team's flight to Philadelphia.

"He's getting closer for sure," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told the team's website. "Obviously, he's a big part of our team and we're a better team when he's a part of our lineup."

The same can be said of captain Sidney Crosby, who has two goals and one assist in two games since returning from his third concussion in six years.

Pittsburgh is 2-0 with its captain in the lineup and if history is any indication, Crosby will get an earful when he steps on the ice at the Wells Fargo Center. Crosby has scored more goals against the Flyers (33 in 55 games) than he has against any other NHL team.

While the Penguins (5-2-1) are coming off Tuesday night's 4-2 home win over the New York Islanders, the Flyers (3-4-1) are coming off a 5-4 loss to the Arizona Coyotes, whose only two wins of the season have come against Philadelphia.

Slow starts have been an Achilles' heel for the Flyers, who surrendered the first goal in each of their four home games and have been outscored 8-1 in first periods this season, including 2-0 against Arizona on Tuesday.

"The first period was not pretty and we know that," Flyers captain Claude Giroux said. "We need to find a way to come out stronger."

"We did some good things sporadically," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. "But you don't win games by doing a few good things sporadically throughout the game. You have to be good from start to finish, individually, collectively and that's how you win games."

Giroux is still seeking his first goal of the season but leads the NHL with nine assists. He is on a seven-game point streak, which ties the second-longest of his career. He also recorded a seven-game streak from Jan.14-25, 2011 and posted a nine-game streak from Dec. 11-30, 2013.

Flyers right wing Jake Voracek leads the team and ranks third in the NHL with 33 shots this season. He has three goals.

Philadelphia defenseman Andrew MacDonald (1 goal, 1 assist, minus-3) could be a healthy scratch for the first time this season in favor of Nick Schultz on Saturday.

Sullivan said Marc-Andre Fleury (5-2-1, 2.97 GAA) will be between the pipes for the Penguins on Saturday.

Flyers coach Dave Hakstol has a tougher decision. Both Steve Mason (2-4-1, 3.15 GAA) and 1-0-0, 4.47) have struggled. Neuvirth was pulled from each of his first two starts.

Penguins forward Carl Hagelin, who is struggling with one goal in eight games, was checked into the boards from behind against the Islanders but practiced on Friday and is expected to play, despite sporting stitches and a black left eye.

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The United States and Canada will take their long-standing junior rivalry outdoors for the first time at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo.

USA Hockey confirmed Friday afternoon that the rivals' preliminary-round matchup - on Dec. 29, 2017 - will be staged at New Era Field, home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

The Orchard Park, NY., venue is easily accessible to fans of both countries on either side of the border, ostensibly making it the ideal spot to host the first-ever outdoor game for a top-level IIHF-sanctioned event.

"The U.S.-Canada rivalry is as good as it gets in sport," USA Hockey executive director Dave Ogrean said in a press release. "And to have an outdoor game between the two countries as part of the World Juniors in hockey-rich Western New York will be spectacular."

KeyBank Center and HarborCenter - both also based in Buffalo - will host the other games throughout the tournament.

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No St. Louis Blues player will ever wear No. 5 again.

Bob Plager's number will be retired in a pregame ceremony before the Blues host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 2, the club announced Friday.

The 73-year-old has been with the franchise since its inception in 1967; first as a player until 1975-76, and then in various other roles, including head coach, director of pro scouting, and director of player development.

His number was previously raised to the rafters when the Blues honored him for his franchise-long commitment and service, but it was never officially retired, and was worn most recently by defenseman Barret Jackman.

Plager will become the seventh player in franchise history to have his number retired. Here are the others:

He and his brother, Barclay, will join Maurice and Henri Richard as the only brothers in NHL history to have their numbers retired by the same team.

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The Detroit Red Wings allowed 10 goals in their first two games of the season, both losses. They've allowed eight in six games since - all wins.

The streak continued Thursday in St. Louis, a 2-1 win over the Blues in a shootout. And goaltenders Petr Mrazek and Jimmy Howard shouldn't be paying for any meals at team dinners.

No puck

Detroit's been outshot in four of six games on their current run, and six of eight games overall, including by 16 in game two and 15 in game four. The Red Wings aren't a positive possession team - their 44.71 percent rate is second last in the league - and likely won't be this season.

In other words, goaltending will continue to determine Detroit's fate.

Mrazek has a .925 save percentage in six games, while Howard's at an unsustainable .984 in two games. The Red Wings' .923 save percentage as a team ranks third in the NHL.

Middle of the pack

Last season, Detroit finished 15th in the league with a .910 save percentage. Not bad, but not elite. It was good enough to get the club in the playoffs, and continue the club's streak, but barely. The Red Wings' post-All-Star break .898 save percentage was fourth-worst in the NHL.

Mrazek and Howard need to sustain their play all season for Detroit to make some noise, but that's not exactly a recipe for success. Eventually, the goalies are going to need some help.

Eventually, that ghastly possession number has to go up. Otherwise the Red Wings will be going down.

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