Puck Daddy - NHL

No. 1 Star: Evgeni Nabokov(notes), San Jose Sharks

The Sharks netminder was solid against the defending champions making 27 saves for his 49th career NHL shutout during a 5-0 San Jose victory. After facing just three shots in the first period, the Penguins tested Nabokov with 24 shots in the final two periods. Having taken a 4-0 lead early in the second period, Nabokov fought off a desperate Penguins team trying to break the shutout.

No. 2 star: Antero Niittymaki(notes), Tampa Bay Lightning

Another game, another solid effort by Niittymaki. His 36 saves silenced the Montreal crowd as the Lightning ended a four-game road trip with a 3-1 win. Niittymaki has now won two of his last three starts and lowered his goals-against average to 1.90 and improved his league-best save-percentage to .940.

No. 3 star: Mike Knuble(notes), Washington Capitals

No Alex Ovechkin(notes) or Mike Green(notes) didn't stop the Capitals offense from exploding for seven goals in a victory over the Florida Panthers with the 37-year old Knuble popping in two goals and adding two assists. Knuble's multi-goal game was the seventh time a Washington player has reached the feat so far this season. 

Honorable mention: Behind Dan Ellis'(notes) 27 saves and Cody Franson's(notes) second goal in the NHL, Nashville downed Los Angeles 3-1 ... Flyers rookie Mika Pyorala(notes) may not have scored his first goal of his young NHL career, but his tally in the shootout was enough to give Philadelphia a 2-1 win over St. Louis ... Jonas Gustavsson(notes) came up big in his third straight start by stopping 35 shots while Phil Kessel(notes) added his first goal in a Toronto jersey along with an assist as the Maple Leafs routed the Detroit Red Wings ... Along with Knuble's pair, Tomas Fleischmann(notes) fourth and fifth goals of the season ... Nigel Dawes(notes) had a hand in all three Calgary goals as the Flames upended the Rangers 3-1 ... In his first game since early October, Joe Pavelski(notes) potted his first goal of the season during San Jose's win over Pittsburgh ... Miikka Kiprusoff's(notes) 32 saves paced Calgary pasted the Rangers ... Despite two goals by Loui Eriksson(notes), Marek Zidlicky's(notes) goal near the end of the second period was the eventual game-winner as Minnesota got by Dallas 3-2 ... New Jersey extended their league-best road record to 8-0-0 ... Milestones on the night: Tim Connolly(notes) and Francois Bouillon playing in their 500th NHL games while Henrik Tallinder(notes) appeared in his 400th. Capitals rookie Mathieu Perreault(notes) scored his first career NHL goal. 

Did you know?: Craig Conroy(notes) is the only Calgary Flames forward without a goal through the team's first 15 games. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: Buffalo Sabres goaltender Jhonas Enroth(notes) didn't have a memory NHL debut allowing a goal on the first shot he saw and losing to Boston 4-2 ... Powerless power-play's tonight included Buffalo (0-for-7) and Detroit (0-for-5) ... Carolina extended their power-play drought to 0-for-30, while the Penguins are now 0-for-21 in their last four games ... Ottawa penalty-kill could have used an extra hand allowing all three goals on the in a 3-2 loss to New Jersey ... Finally, the struggling Carolina Hurricanes took another blow tonight when they lost goaltender Cam Ward(notes) after his thigh was lacerated by Rick Nash's(notes) skate:

digg delicious
more

21 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. Panda God
    1. Posted by Panda God Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:42 am EST

    Report Abuse

    It just goes from bad to worse for the Canes. Well, really really bad to holy-crap-willthepainend-worse.
    The Lightning are finding themselves in an unusual situation: Having a goaltender playing well consistently. I mean, since the Bulin wall left.
    Detroit-Yikes. Yikes yikes. 36 SOG...I watched that game, it didn't seem like that many.
    WTF is up with Florida? Anderson? Bouwmeester? Anyone?
  2. Johnny Appleseed
    2. Posted by Johnny Appleseed Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:02 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Big win for the Bruins tonight. End the power-play skid (was 1 for last 27; went 2-3 tonight), the scoring drought comes to a grinding halt (4 goals in previous 5 games; 4 goals tonight), the penalty kill was effective, to say the least (Sabres went 0-7), and Thornton and Stuart mix things up for the first fights in 2 weeks. Marco Sturm gets his first in 10 games, and Chara his first of the year.
    Yet, all that Leahy comments on the game is, "Forgettable first NHL start for Jhonas Enroth."?
  3. MarkT
    3. Posted by MarkT Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:48 am EST

    Report Abuse

    What? No Mention of the Islanders 6-3 win? bah
  4. Xerxes
    4. Posted by Xerxes Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:07 am EST

    Report Abuse

    24+ 3 = 26?
  5. let s go buffalo!
    5. Posted by let's go buffalo! Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:10 am EST

    Report Abuse

    You can't possibly fault Enroth for that one. He played extremely well. Without him it could've been 10-2. The team fell apart in front of him AGAIN.
  6. Matt R
    6. Posted by Matt R Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:11 am EST

    Report Abuse

    That must have been Nash's way of saying he doesn't think Ward should be playing with him on Team Canada 2010. Hope Cam recovers quickly.
  7. habs1rule
    7. Posted by habs1rule Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:02 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Nice game by Nittymaki, however, when Montreal posts 36 shots, being the perimiter team that we are, few are actually considered 'scoring chances'..When you dont drive to the net because of your lack of size on the top two lines, when nobody stands in front of the net for screens and rebounds, when the few times you try and drive to the net, you are easily pushed out of the way...Most of our "Shots" are as dangerous as those coming from a BeeBee gun. Six years under Boob Gainey, is enough for me. I have my white bloomers on a pole...Surrender!!
  8. habs1rule
    8. Posted by habs1rule Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:03 am EST

    Report Abuse

    PS...Can we call Carolina the "Cool Breeze' Canes now!!
  9. Tacks
    9. Posted by Tacks Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:53 am EST

    Report Abuse

    no dishonorable for curtis glencroft? may karma come back to you threefold
  10. Das Schutzenfest
    10. Posted by Das Schutzenfest Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:51 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Yikes... 10 goals given up in the last 2 for the Pens... Ouch. On the bright side, Nabokov is on my fantasy team. For whatever reason, the Pens stink in California, and are without Malkin, Gonchar, Kennedy and Talbot. No excuse, though, to get shown up like that two games in a row...
  11. JS
    11. Posted by JS Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:08 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Glencroft causing concussion on Rangers captain and you are not even mentioning that? Does these blindsight hits without a puck happen so often these times that it does not deserve to be mentioned?
  12. The Bog
    12. Posted by The Bog Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:36 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Nothing like a huge forward skating right through the crease and almost killing Cam Ward. His skate make contact in the middle of the crease. Can we please, please, please, keep the forwards out of the crease now? I know he was making a move to the net and had no intention of making contact with the goalie but what will it take for something to be done about these kind of injuries?
  13. jc
    13. Posted by jc Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:16 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Another hit to the head last night. A d-bag on Calgary blindsided Chris Drury, he's probably out for a few months. Disgusting.
  14. Brian C
    14. Posted by Brian C Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:13 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I don't know what Habs is talking about. Gionta, Camms and Gomez all drive the net at various times. They aren't coming in with power and strength, but speed. I have seen Gionta finangle his way between defenders to get a solid stick on a perimeter shot, and Cammellari gets there too.. Lapierre and Latendresse go hard to the net.
    That said, there wasn't enough of that last night, and I still think Montreal should try and get a big talented forward to complement the speed and finesse and talent of the guys they do have. A Brendan Shanahan type.
  15. Guy F
    15. Posted by Guy F Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:19 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    "Glenncross, cross"
    "Who own the chiefs"..."Owns, owns"
  16. habs1rule
    16. Posted by habs1rule Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:25 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Brian, Those players you just mentioned get swatted away driving to the net...Size does matter, and we are simply too small on the top two lines, its not even questioned anymore...We are 24th in penalty opportunities, which shows a lack of a physical presence around the net...We are too easy to defend as well as too predictable. And the 'juggling' of lines again, ala Guy Carbonneau, you would think paying $25 million dollars this off season on all those free agents would at least give you some stability there. Sorry, Bri, Most knowlegeable Habs fans dont quite understand whay You are talking about...PS...Yesterday you mentioned Latendresse and Lapierre Earned being on the second line....NO they didnt, we have so little talent, thanks to Gainey, we will try anyone there...The experiment failed, as both players were benched by the third period.
  17. shrk33
    17. Posted by shrk33 Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:15 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    NABBY, NABBY, NABBY! I'm hoping #50 comes very soon.
  18. McLean
    18. Posted by McLean Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:46 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    i dont know whats worse. a blind side hit that knocks out a player, or a bunch of ignorant ranger fans who pretend that their gods gift to the nhl, but cant be bothered to learn player's names. drury can meet up with lindros and play a game of mumblypeg for all i care.
  19. cc
    19. Posted by cc Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:29 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Gotta think Nigel Dawes deserves some sort of mention - assists on all 3 Calgary goals in a game against his ex-team?
  20. cc
    20. Posted by cc Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:31 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Whoops. Read bettter, cc, you moron.
  21. firewing
    21. Posted by firewing Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:18 am EST

    Report Abuse

    this has to be considered the worse game for the wings this year. other then draper and helm it didnt seem to matter if they played or not. you would think the hall of fame game with stevie there would be more important to them. what else do you want for motivation? its time to seriously consider the abilities of a lame coach to motivate his players on a night like this. i hope mike and marion are burning up the phones getting names of coaching options. truly a sad night for the wings faithful. lets hope for a major winning streak now that we played so bad.
    WINGS TIL DEATH

Puck Daddy

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Greg Wyshynski

Puck Daddy is an NHL blog edited by Greg Wyshynski. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Teams

Customize to follow news and rumors on your favorite teams. [ Sign in ]

Related Photo Gallery

Y! Sports Blogs

Puck Daddy Recent Readers