No fewer than twelve games were played last night in the NHL, including the Habs’ game against the Arizona Coyotes.
Martin St-Louis’ men lost 3-2.
Let’s take a look at what else caught the eye in the league, though.
1: The Sharks…
Yikes. Let’s just say that the Sharks are off to a pretty atrocious start to the season.
Last night, the San Jose outfit hosted the Canucks at home, trying to win their first game of the campaign. The result?
A total failure. The Sharks were defeated 10-1 in a game that went the Vancouver Canucks’ way.
Prior to the duel, the Sharks had scored a total of nine goals in nine games. The Canucks, with their 10 goals last night alone, equalled the total number of goals scored by San Jose since THE BEGINNING of the season…
That’s tough on the Sharks, who haven’t scored more than one goal in a game this season. Ayoye.
They’re now 0-9-1…
In his team’s victory, it’s interesting to note that Quinn Hughes was dominant with five points (one goal and four assists).
Yeah… the @Canucks came to play tonight. 🔟 pic.twitter.com/MZ5GL5fi5v
– NHL (@NHL) November 3, 2023
2: Jack Hughes makes history
The first overall draft pick in 2019 may have taken a while to finally blossom…
But now he’s installed himself as the NHL’s leading scorer with 20 points in nine games.
His two assists last night against the Minnesota Wild put him in an elite NHL category, by the way.
He tied for the third-highest point total before the 10th game of the season (since the 1993-1994 campaign).
When your name is on the same list as Wayne Gretzky’s and Mario Lemieux’s… It’s because you’re doing things the right way.
Jack Hughes became the first player this season to 20 points in just his ninth game and joined an elite list of players in the process.#NHLStats: https://t.co/4kx7xmvfCX pic.twitter.com/A6QoeMdEhh
– NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 3, 2023
3: Injuries, injuries and more injuries
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard got shuffled last night in Arizona, so much so that he had to leave the game to retreat to the dressing room(he never returned afterwards).
Evidently, the bad luck continues to get to the CH…
But RHP isn’t the only one injured.
Timothy Liljegren fell heavily against the ramp after a collision with Brad Marchand… And the images are chilling.
Adam Fox was also the victim of a dirty gesture from Sebastian Aho (Hurricanes) and, like Liljegren, did not finish his club’s game. Not good for those who have the Rangers’ offensive defenseman in our pool…
Here’s the Brad Marchand play on Timothy Liljegren pic.twitter.com/8Kuu1QL3Ck
– Rink Rat Report (@RinkRatReport) November 3, 2023
Sebastian Aho sticks his leg out on Adam Fox. No call on the play. #NYR pic.twitter.com/36ucyKm7zt
– David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) November 2, 2023
4: Hat trick for Marchessault
The Golden Knights aren’t here to fool around.
After winning the Stanley Cup last spring… the Vegas outfit decided to start their season with a bang.
Bruce Cassidy’s men won their tenth game of the campaign against the Winnipeg Jets, ensuring they remain unbeaten in regulation time so far this season.
Jonathan Marchessault’s performance was particularly noteworthy in the club’s victory, as he finished the game with a hat-trick.
But there’s also something to be said for Logan Thompson: the goalie picked up his very first career NHL assist, and it was a magnificent one.
Here, in order, is the Quebecer’s hat trick and the goalie’s assist:
That’s a hatty for Jonathan Marchessault as the @GoldenKnights improve to 10-0-1 on the season! 🎩
Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS pic.twitter.com/RBwO27uzBU
– NHL (@NHL) November 3, 2023
Logan Thompson with a fantastic heads-up pass for his first NHL point! 👏 pic.twitter.com/5d14MDNnNG
– NHL (@NHL) November 3, 2023
5: Sam Gagner is back with a bang in Edmonton
In the last few days, Sam Gagner signed a contract with the Edmonton Oilers to play in the National Hockey League.
He had started the season with the Oilers’ training club, and the organization quickly realized that it needed the little forward in the big league.
The Oilers were right in the end, because Gagner scored two goals on his return to Edmonton, having not played there (in an Oilers uniform) since the 2019-2020 season.
But the bad news…
Connor McDavid and his band were unable to save themselves with the W .
A difficult start to the season for the Oilers, who find themselves 30th in the overall NHL standings this morning…
Sam Gagner(@89SGagner) is SO back. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/nqsviTHIPq
– NHL (@NHL) November 3, 2023
Prolongation
– There was some great visiting at last night’s Wild game.
We got the @Vikings in the 🏠#mnwild pic.twitter.com/MMaRpocUkZ
– Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 3, 2023
– The Bruins haven’t lost in regulation time in their last 10 outings.
9-0-1 🤩 pic.twitter.com/SwD06tAbNG
– NHL (@NHL) November 3, 2023
– He’s having a good time.
Eight-game point streak for William Karlsson ‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/EHVjfa1jpb
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 3, 2023
– Whitewash for Semyon Varlamov against the Capitals.
That’s a whole lot of shutouts. ❌
Congrats to Semyon Varlamov who notched the 40th of his career tonight! 🟠🔵 pic.twitter.com/433LKMhjTn
– NHL (@NHL) November 3, 2023
– Fifth straight game with at least one point for Matt Duchene.
Matt Duchene extends his points streak to five straight games for the Stars! ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/b5wyB4GT0D
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 3, 2023
– He’s going to break the bank.
Pending UFA William Nylander has a 10-game points streak to start his season for the #leafs.
– Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) November 3, 2023
– A 600th career game for former CH legend Chris Tierney.
Congrats on 6️⃣0️⃣0️⃣, Chris! pic.twitter.com/1TVThVOrBX
– New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 3, 2023
– A real, real cannonball!
– Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) November 3, 2023
– Elias Pettersson is smoking hot this early in the season.
Seven multi-point performances in just 10 games? 🤯
Elias Pettersson is having himself a season. pic.twitter.com/apaFe87PgX
– NHL (@NHL) November 3, 2023
– Offensive exits for several NHL players last night.
– Very, very quiet schedule in the NHL today.
Flyers vs Sabres (7pm) and Devils vs Blues (8pm).