NHL Morning Skate – Dec. 1, 2017

A LOOK BACK: NOVEMBER

An overview of the top performers in the month of November:

* A total of 1,219 goals were scored (including shootout-decidin

g goals), the second-highest total in November over the past 13 seasons – only November 2005 saw more goals in that span (1,236).

* The Predators (10-3-1) and Maple Leafs (10-4-1) shared the League lead for wins (10) and points (21).

* Two players topped the League with 20 points in November: Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (5-15—20) and Oilers captain Connor McDavid (6-14—20). MacKinnon matched the highest total recorded by a Colorado player in a calendar month over the past 13 seasons, while Elias notes that McDavid became the first Edmonton player to record 20 points in a calendar month since Doug Weight in Dec. 1995 (6-14—20).

* Canucks forward Brock Boeser led all skaters with 11 goals; Elias notes that he became the first rookie to score 11 goals in a calendar month since Nail Yakupov in April 2013 (11 w/ EDM).

* MacKinnon also led the League with 15 assists, the most in a calendar month by an Avalanche player since 2002-03 when Peter Forsberg hit the mark in January (16), February (19) and March (17).

* Artem Anisimov paced all players with five game-winning goals (13 GP), two shy of his total from the entire 2016-17 campaign (7 GWG in 64 GP). Anisimov and Brandon Saad (6 GWG) have combined for 11 of Chicago’s 12 game-winning goals this season (Lance Bouma has the other).

* Three goaltenders shared the League lead with nine wins apiece: Frederik Andersen (9-2-1) of the Maple Leafs, Henrik Lundqvist (9-2-0) of the Rangers and Pekka Rinne (9-3-0) of the Predators.

* The Sharks allowed a League-best 22 goals against, with Aaron Dell (2-1-1, 1.76 GAA, .938 SV%, 1 SO) and Martin Jones (5-2-1, 1.85 GAA, .935 SV%, 1 SO) ranking first and second, respectively, in goals-against average (min. 5 GP).

* Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk was one of five goalies with multiple shutouts, leading the way with three clean sheets – recorded in three consecutive games from Nov. 9-14. The NHL record for shutouts in a calendar month by a goaltender is seven, set by Alec Connell in Feb. 1928.

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

Los Angeles 5, WASHINGTON 2
Montreal 6, DETROIT 3
Vancouver 5, NASHVILLE 3
MINNESOTA 4, Vegas 2
Dallas 4, CHICAGO 3 (OT)
CALGARY 3, Arizona 0
Toronto 6, EDMONTON 4

DANIEL SEDIN JOINS BROTHER HENRIK IN 1,000-POINT CLUB

Canucks forward Daniel Sedin collected 1-2—3 to become the 87th player in NHL history (eighth active) to eclipse the 1,000-point milestone (376-625—1,001). Daniel reached the mark 315 days after his brother, Henrik Sedin, achieved the feat with a goal against the Panthers on Jan. 20. Daniel and Henrik, selected second and third overall, respectively, by the Canucks in the 1999 NHL Draft, are the only players to record 1,000 career points with the club.

* The Sedins are the only brothers in League history to each score 1,000 career points. Only one other sibling duo combined to each score 900 career points – Henri Richard (358-688—1,046) and Maurice Richard (544-422—966).

* In fact, the Sedins are the second-highest scoring pair of brothers in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (894-1,963—2,857) and Brent Gretzky (1-3—4). Only two other sets of brothers have combined for more points in the NHL – the Sutters and Stastnys.

* The Sedin brothers also are among five Swedish-born players to record 1,000 career NHL points. The others: Mats Sundin (564-785—1,349), Daniel Alfredsson (444-713—1,157) and Nicklas Lidstrom (264-878—1,142).

* Daniel became the 13th NHL player to record his 1,000th career point at age 37 or older, and the first to do so since 2014-15 when Martin St. Louis (39 years, 163 days) and Patrik Elias (38 years, 268 days) each did so. Two other Swedish-born players achieved the feat after their 37th birthday – Alfredsson (37 years, 315 days) and Lidstrom (39 years, 170 days).

ROOKIES BOESER, DeBRINCAT CONTINUE TO SHINE

Rookies Brock Boeser (2-1—3) and Alex DeBrincat (1-0—1) each found the back of the net on Thursday to conclude the month of November with 11 and 10 goals, respectively. Via Elias:

* Boeser – who scored more goals than any NHL player in November – became the second rookie in Canucks history to score 11 goals in a calendar month.

* DeBrincat became the first rookie in Blackhawks history to score 10 goals in a calendar month.

* November 2017 marked the first calendar month to feature multiple rookies each scoring at least 10 goals since March 2006, when Alex Ovechkin (11), Steve Bernier (10) and Chris Higgins (10) did so.

CANADIENS, KINGS AND STARS EXTEND WIN STREAKS

The Canadiens (12-12-3, 27 points), Kings (15-8-3, 33 points) and Stars (14-10-1, 29 points) each earned victories to extend win streaks:

* Brendan Gallagher (2-1—3) registered his first three-point game of the season to lead the Canadiens to their fourth straight victory. Carey Price (28 saves) improved to 4-0-0 since making his return to the lineup on Saturday (1.25 GAA, .962 SV%, 1 SO).

* The Kings erased a 2-1 deficit with two goals in a span of nine seconds en route to their third consecutive win. Marian Gaborik scored his first two goals of the season to move within two of becoming the sixth active player to reach the 400-goal milestone.

* The Blackhawks overcame three separate one-goal deficits, but Mattias Janmark scored his second goal of the contest 51 seconds into overtime to power the Stars to a 5-1-0 record in their last six games, including three straight victories.

SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION

HENRIQUE, VATANEN EXPECTED TO DEBUT FOR NEW CLUBS

Forwards Adam Henrique and Joe Blandisi and defenseman Sami Vatanen are expected to join their new clubs on road trips after being traded on Thursday:

* Henrique and Blandisi join the Ducks (11-10-4, 26 points) in Columbus to take on the Metropolitan Division-leading Blue Jackets (16-8-1, 33 points). Henrique, a third-round pick (82nd overall) by the Devils in the 2008 NHL Draft, tallied 122-135—257 in 455 career regular-season games with the club; he also scored two series-clinching goals in overtime to help New Jersey reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2012.

* Vatanen, a fourth-round pick (106th overall) by the Ducks in the 2009 NHL Draft, joins the Devils (14-6-4, 32 points) in Colorado to face the Avalanche (12-9-2, 26 points). He collected 33-93—126 in 280 regular-season games with Anaheim.