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An exciting night of NHL action featured big performances from Nikolaj Ehlers and Aleksander Barkov, with some teams breaking out of slumps and others continuing hot streaks. Here’s a comprehensive recap of Friday’s key matchups.
Ehlers’ Hat Trick Leads Jets Past Blue Jackets
Nikolaj Ehlers put on an offensive clinic, registering a hat trick and an assist to guide the Winnipeg Jets to a dominant 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in Columbus. Ehlers scored his seventh goal of the season and completed his fifth career hat trick late in the second period, giving the Jets a 4-2 lead. Josh Morrissey contributed a goal and an assist, and Eric Comrie stopped 20 shots for his third consecutive victory. Winnipeg has now won two straight and 10 of their first 11 games.
For the Blue Jackets, Sean Kuraly and Sean Monahan provided the offense, while goalie Elvis Merzlikins made 38 saves in a losing effort. Columbus, which had been on a decent run, faces a quick turnaround as they head to Washington for an afternoon matchup against the Capitals on Saturday.
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Barkov Stars in Finnish Homecoming, Panthers Top Stars
Playing in front of a hometown crowd in Tampere, Finland, Aleksander Barkov made his presence felt, leading the Florida Panthers to a 6-4 victory over the Dallas Stars in the NHL Global Series. The Tampere native tallied a goal and three assists, giving him six points since returning from a lower-body injury that had kept him out for eight games. The Panthers have now won four consecutive matches.
Esa Lindell led the Stars with a goal and an assist, but Dallas saw their two-game winning streak come to an end. The game featured fast-paced action and plenty of offense, making it a memorable contest for the Finnish crowd.
Flames Snap Skid with Shutout Win Over Devils
The Calgary Flames ended a four-game losing streak by shutting out the New Jersey Devils 3-0 at home. Blake Coleman broke a scoreless deadlock in the third period, scoring twice on the night, while Dan Vladar made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season. Vladar also chipped in with an assist, and Jonathan Huberdeau added a goal for the Flames.
New Jersey goalie Jacob Markstrom, traded to the Devils in June after four seasons with Calgary, made 29 saves but couldn’t get his team on the board. The Devils’ two-game winning streak was halted as they struggled to generate offense.
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Shesterkin Shines as Rangers Edge Senators
Igor Shesterkin was a wall in net for the New York Rangers, making 40 saves to secure a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden. Alexis Lafreniere had a standout game with a goal and an assist, while Shesterkin made clutch saves on Josh Norris and Claude Giroux to preserve the win.
Despite 16 saves from Linus Ullmark, Ottawa couldn’t replicate the offensive outburst they had earlier in the week when they crushed the St. Louis Blues 8-1. The Senators have now dropped three of their last four contests.
Islanders Snap Losing Streak Against Sabres
The New York Islanders overcame adversity to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on the road, snapping a three-game losing streak. Bo Horvat, Maxim Tsyplakov, and Kyle Palmieri each scored to give the undermanned Islanders a much-needed win. Jean-Gabriel Pageau added an insurance goal in the third period, while goalie Ilya Sorokin made 32 crucial saves.
Despite missing star center Mathew Barzal and losing defensemen Mike Reilly and Adam Pelech to injuries during the game, New York held firm. Buffalo, which got goals from Dylan Cozens, Jason Zucker, and Owen Power, couldn’t mount a comeback and has now lost two straight following a three-game winning run. Devon Levi made 32 saves for the Sabres.
Kaprizov Lifts Wild Over Lightning with Late Heroics
Kirill Kaprizov scored the go-ahead goal with just over five minutes remaining and added an empty-netter to propel the Minnesota Wild to a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kaprizov, who extended his streak of multi-point games to seven, also recorded an assist. The Wild’s victory continued their strong start to the season.
Marco Rossi nearly scored before Kaprizov’s goal, but it was Kaprizov who finished the play, slipping the puck past Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel each scored power-play goals, but the Lightning struggled to generate chances at even strength, falling to 3-15 all-time in Minnesota.
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Friday night’s NHL slate delivered everything from hat tricks and shutouts to thrilling finishes, setting the stage for another exciting weekend of hockey.
