Here's Williams' first goal, set up with a deceptive Marcus Johansson feed from behind the net.
Then Nicklas Backstrom (appropriately honored pregame for his 500th helper) teed up the second, knocking a puck back between his legs to Williams at the back post.
Include St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock in with the list that believes the NHL would have a better product without the "loser point."
Hitchcock admits that in the final stages of tight games, the mindset shifts from pursuing the full freight, to ensuring his team secures at least one point to avoid losing ground.
"I like when you are playing all out, all the way," Hitchcock told Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe. "But I've got to tell you as a coach, if there's five minutes left in the game, and it's tied, I'm not necessarily thinking about winning it. I want at least a point.
"A lot of coaches think like that. We have to think like that. Because to get zero points in a tie game with 10 minutes left is devastating."
This counterproductive feedback loop is arguably killing the NHL. The more overtimes and shootouts, the tighter teams remain bunched in the standings. Meanwhile, because nearly every team is in contention, they must continue to err on the side of caution, as more often than not coming away with nothing will result in a slip in the standings.
Many believe there's an easy fix to this conundrum. If regulation wins become valued at three points, suddenly the payoff obscures the consequence. For this reason, teams would be much more willing to attack.
The Blues included.
"If you can put more value in (a regulation win), I am all for it," Hitchcock said. "But to me, right now when there's 10 minutes left in a hockey game I want that one point, at least.
"I've got to have it. That's how you get in the playoffs."
Shaw also noted that he disagreed with being tossed from the game following the hit, before adding that he has yet to receive a call from the NHL Department of Player Safety.
Shaw mentioned he made sure as best he could for it to be a shoulder-to-shoulder hit on Fast. Wasn't worried about fighting - he is healthy
It was Shaw's first game back after missing the previous 14 matches with a concussion.
Against the Rangers, Shaw was thrown out late in the first period, but not before being assessed an interference major, a game misconduct, and five for fighting after trading punches with Rangers forward J.T. Miller.
In all, Shaw wrapped the evening with just 5:20 in ice time, plus 22 minutes in penalties.
To say Eric Staal has found his game in Minnesota would be an understatement.
After agreeing to a three-year deal with the Wild, Staal headed to St. Paul in search of a fresh start after a few stale seasons in Carolina and a flop on Broadway following a late-season trade to the New York Rangers.
Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, also in his first season in Minnesota, raised the eyebrows of many with his offseason proclamation that Staal was due for a rebound with his new club.
"Maybe I'm out in left field, but I think Eric is going to have a great year," Boudreau said in August. "I think there's been circumstances for the last two years that haven't been well, but I am pretty sure that he is really excited about coming to Minny, and he is really excited about playing."
As it turns out, Boudreau was exactly right.
With an assist against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, Staal tallied his 39th point on the season - the same production as a year ago, except he did it 42 games earlier.
Season
Team
Games
G-A-Pts
2011-12
CAR
82
24-46-70
2012-13
CAR
48
18-35-53
2013-14
CAR
79
21-40-61
2014-15
CAR
77
23-31-54
2015-16
CAR/NYR
83
13-26-39
2016-17
MIN
41
15-24-39
Staal played one extra game last season following his trade to New York.
The Raleigh hockey club has climbed its way back into the postseason picture in hockey's toughest division. As of Sunday, the Hurricanes are just one point back of a playoff position. No easy feat, considering both wild-card slots are occupied by Metropolitan Division foes.
But this wasn't the case not long ago. As the calendar turned to December, the Hurricanes owned a 9-9-5 record through their first 23 games, outpacing only the New York Islanders in the East, as the team looked poised to extend its postseason drought to eight years.
The Hurricanes have not qualified for the playoffs since 2009, their lone appearance since winning it all in 2006.
But on Saturday, the Hurricanes pasted those same Islanders, sinking New York 7-4 before the Carolina faithful, as the Hurricanes pushed their record at PNC Arena to 15-4-1. Five forwards had multi-point nights, including winger Lee Stempniak, one of many key players for Carolina this season.
After scoring 51 points a year ago, a season split between Boston and New Jersey, Stempniak is on pace for another 40-plus point campaign. Not a bad free-agency bargain, coming in at $2.5 million.
There are several Hurricanes forwards to speak of, including winger Jeff Skinner. The 2011 rookie of the year is having a bounce-back season after a few so-so years in the Tar Heel State. With 35 points in 42 games, Skinner is on pace to top his career-best production set in his freshman campaign.
Indeed, things have turned around in Carolina in the past two months, with just six regulation losses through December and January. Collectively, the Hurricanes are 21-15-7, good for 49 points.
Skinner isn't the only Hurricane playing like his old self. After a slow start to the season, in which he captured just a single victory in his first six outings, netminder Cam Ward has found his game and has appeared in all but one game since the start of December. With an 18-12-6 mark on the season, alongside a .915 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average, Ward is seeing his best numbers in five seasons.
The Hurricanes are the NHL's fifth-youngest team, a fact no more apparent than on the Carolina blueline, which features four regulars under 24 years old. Veteran defender Ron Hainsey, 35, is the lone elder statesman on the back end.
Defenseman
Age
Games
G-A-Pts
Noah Hanifin
19
43
2-13-15
Jaccob Slavin
22
43
1-15-16
Brett Pesce
22
43
2-9-11
Justin Faulk
24
36
8-12-20
Ron Hainsey
35
43
2-8-10
Given that overall adolescence, it makes the Hurricanes' impact on the penalty kill even more impressive. If you're facing Carolina, you best score 5-on-5, as the Hurricanes are the NHL's best when down a man, allowing a goal against just 11.3 percent of the time when shorthanded. That ranks more than a full two points above the next best club, with the Bruins holding a 86.2 percent success rating.
While the play of Carolina is a surprise to many, don't count Hurricanes bench boss Bill Peters among those blown away.
"Our team has gotten better as we've gone along," Peters told reporters. "We're a better team now, whether we're on the road or at home. As the calendar clicks off, we're getting better as we go."
The Edmonton Oilers content team had some fun ahead of the latest Battle of Alberta, filming a spoof starring Craig MacTavish and the club's terrifying new mascot, Hunter.
In the short clip, MacTavish - who famously tore the tongue from the mouth of Calgary Flames mascot Harvey the Hound - prepares Hunter for the clash between the two mascots.
Of note: No mascots were violently beaten with a bat. At least, not on camera.
Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.
Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Sunday, Jan. 15 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockeyand apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
C Nicklas Backstrom (53K) and RW T.J. Oshie (45K), Capitals (vs. Flyers): There's no overthinking things in pairing together two-thirds of Washington's productive first line (LW Alex Ovechkin and his 74K salary fails to make the cut). Backstrom and Oshie each had a goal and an assist in Friday's 6-0 rout of Chicago, and the Flyers have the third-worst team GAA (3.09) and the second-worst 5-on-5 save percentage.
C Eric Staal (43K) and D Ryan Suter (36K), Wild (at Blackhawks): Minnesota is on a goal-scoring tear, having found the net 12 times over its last two games. Staal notched four points in that stretch and has found the score sheet in 14 of his last 15 games. His linemates are Charlie Coyle, a fellow C in Squad Up, and pricey LW Zach Parise (57K), so Suter gets the nod as Staal's partner. Suter has three points in his last two games and sees a massive 27:12 nightly workload.
C Ryan Kesler (49K) and RW Jakub Silfverberg (48K), Ducks (vs. Blues): Two-thirds of Anaheim's second line at even strength, Kesler and Silfverberg rank first and fourth, respectively, in team scoring, and have combined for 11 points so far in January. The Blues have the NHL's third-worst 5-on-5 save percentage, and expected starting netminder Jake Allen has allowed three or more goals in five of his last six appearances.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET: Braden Holtby (98K), Capitals (vs. Flyers): Holtby is hard to ignore, given that he's won his last five starts, with three shutouts and a total of three goals allowed in that stretch. Philadelphia has lost its last eight road games, heightening Holtby's appeal in the earliest game of the day.
BARGAIN: Devan Dubnyk (83K), Wild (at Blackhawks): A relative bargain, Dubnyk has only fared marginally worse on the road, holding a 1.85 GAA and a 10-3-3 record compared to 1.69 and 12-4-0 at home. He's won all three of his starts in January, and should be assured of plenty of goal support given his teammates' recent form.
FADE: Steve Mason (83K), Flyers (at Capitals): Mason has beaten the Capitals once this season, though that outing came in Philadelphia. He's struggled on the road, holding a 3.09 GAA and winning just four of 15 starts. A meeting with the red-hot Holtby and the high-scoring Capitals isn't likely to go well for the former Calder Trophy winner.
CONTRARIAN: John Gibson (93K), Ducks (vs. Blues): Gibson is nearly playing as well as Holtby, having won five of his last six starts, including two via shutout, but draws a tougher opponent in the Blues. The Ducks allow the eighth-fewest scoring chances against per 60 minutes, and Gibson's understudy, Jonathan Bernier, kept up the team's strong defensive play with a shutout on Saturday.
Bargain Plays
RW Ryan Hartman (28K), Blackhawks (vs. Wild): Despite playing on the third line at even strength and seeing little in the way of power play time, Hartman has notched six points in his last five games, including a hat trick and a two-assist effort. Ranking second among Blackhawk forwards in Corsi For percentage (52.64), Hartman has managed to drive possession in his limited role.
C Jori Lehtera (25K), Blues (at Ducks): On Sunday's small slate, viable bargain options are hard to come by, especially at C and LW. Lehtera has just 13 points in 38 games, but centers St. Louis' second line featuring high-scoring RW Vladimir Tarasenko at even strength. Lehtera scored on Saturday, and has notched a point in three of his last six games.
D Jared Spurgeon (25K), Wild (at Blackhawks): The 5-foot-9 Spurgeon doesn't often feature on the Wild's top power play unit, but with 19 points in 37 games, offers some offensive punch from the back end. Spurgeon has seven points in his last eight games, and also averages nearly four combined blocks and shots on goal per game.
Top Fades
C Henrik Sedin (59K), Canucks (vs. Devils): With one point and seven shots on goal in his last five games, name recognition and respect for his career must be the justification for Sedin's ranking as Squad Up's second-priciest center. The stingy Devils allow the ninth-fewest scoring chances against per 60 minutes, increasing the chances that Sedin will have another fruitless outing.
RW Patrick Kane (86K), Blackhawks (vs. Wild): Kane is as reliable a scorer as there is, averaging exactly a point per game after 45 contests. He's priced so prohibitively high, though, that only a multi-point effort will allow him to live up to his salary. Against the NHL's leader in both GAA and save percentage (Dubnyk), that seems an unlikely proposition.
D Shayne Gostisbehere (44K), Flyers (at Capitals): Gostisbehere was a healthy scratch for Saturday's game in Boston. While he could regain his place in the lineup for Sunday's clash in Washington, there's still a large degree of risk in selecting him. The healthy-again Mark Streit could monopolize power play duties, and there's of course the matter of facing a hot goaltender in the Capitals' Holtby.
Contrarian Options
C Bo Horvat (57K), Canucks (vs. Devils): Vancouver's leader in goals (13) and points (30), Horvat likely won't garner too much fantasy attention thanks to a relatively high salary. He's been extremely consistent of late, recording at least a point in eight of his last nine games. He's also fared better at home, where he's scored 10 of his goals in 23 games.
RW Justin Williams (40K), Capitals (vs. Flyers): A slow start that saw him record just four points in 21 games through November has contributed to Williams' underwhelming average of 13.1 fantasy points per game. Since December, he's turned things around, notching 10 goals and eight assists in 21 outings.
LW Jason Zucker (38K), Wild (at Blackhawks): Despite the lack of regular power play time, Zucker has notched six points in as many games, including three goals. He may fly under the radar compared to some of the better known options at his position, but like the majority of his teammates, he's been finding the score sheet with regularity.
Once again, Andrew Shaw's provided an act of indiscretion for frame-by-frame inspection.
The Montreal Canadiens winger delivered a high, late, and outwardly malicious hit on New York Rangers forward Jesper Fast on Saturday. As it does in these situations, the NHL will review the tape to determine if the action warrants a suspension or fine.
And in addition to scrutinizing the hit, Stephane Quintal's team at Player Safety will take Shaw's body of work into consideration when deciding on a course of action.
Here is that historical context:
April 2012: Shaw banned three games for "forceful blow" delivered to the chin of Mike Smith in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
November 2012: Shaw suspended six games for leaving the bench to fight in a minor-league game. He was suspended again not long after his return, sitting one game for a boarding incident.
March 2014: Shaw handed five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for spear on Zack Smith.
October 2014: Shaw swings his stick up between the legs of Tyler Myers.
March 2015: While engaged in a puck battle Shaw delivers head butt to the face of Brock Nelson. He's handed a five-minute major and game misconduct, but no suspension.
April 2015: Shaw takes a run at Barret Jackman, and launches at the point of contact. He slips suspension again as the hit didn't land clean.
June 2015: Shaw accused of biting Victor Hedman in a scrum.
April 2016: Shaw suspended one game and fined $5,000 for directing homophobic slur and an inappropriate gesture at an official. He was ordered to undergo sensitivity training.
September 2016: Shaw was ejected for delivering hit from behind on Connor Hobbs in his debut with the Canadiens. Shaw accrued 30 penalty minutes on the play, and was suspended three preseason games.
October 2016: Shaw avoids a suspension after dropping Johan Larsson with slew foot.
Sitting fourth in the Central Division with a 20-16-7 record through 43 games, the Predators have yet to live up to their preseason billing where many saw a team with Stanley Cup potential.
As of Sunday, the Predators sit outside of the West playoff picture, one point back of the second wild-card slot and a pair behind the division's third seed.
"Statistically everything is just OK," Predators general manager David Poile told Kevin Allen of USA Today. "We might have only one or two players who are having a career year. If we are going to be a playoff team and believe we can win rounds in the playoffs, we are going to need more exceptional individual play."
Nashville hoped to build on last season, when the club made the second round of the postseason for just the third time in its 17-year history. The Predators pushed the San Jose Sharks, who later advanced to the finals, to seven games before being eliminated. That performance earned head coach Peter Laviolette a two-year contract extension.
In an offseason effort to remake the look of his club, Poile dealt former captain Shea Weber to the Montreal Canadiens, a move which returned exuberant blue-liner P.K. Subban to Tennessee.
But for a team built on speed and scoring, the Predators have struggled this season, as the club sits in the middle of the pack, ranked 17th league-wide with 119 goals. No Predators skater is close to a point per game, with the top five scorers coming in as:
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
Ryan Johansen
43
7
23
30
Filip Forsberg
43
11
16
27
Mike Fisher
39
12
14
26
Viktor Arvidsson
41
10
15
25
Roman Josi
42
5
17
22
The numbers are average across the board - certainly not exceptional. On the special teams, the Predators' power play rings as the NHL's 15th-best, firing at a 18.2 percent success rating, while the penalty kill hasn't fared much better, sitting 11th at 82.7 percent.
Things have been so-so through the early goings of January, as the team has posted a 4-2-1 mark. Nashville was strong through November, but posted losing records in both October and December:
Month
Record
GF
GA
Differential
October
2-5-1
19
28
-9
November
9-3-2
46
27
+19
December
5-6-3
36
42
-6
January
4-2-1
17
14
+3
Like most teams, the Predators have dealt with their share of injuries, though most of the ailments have come to the team's top players.
Subban has been sidelined since mid-December with a herniated disc. Forward James Neal is back in the lineup, but has missed nine of the last 23 games as he dealt with an upper-body injury. Most recently, the team lost defenseman Roman Josi, out with an upper-body ailment.
"There are a lot of reasons we are where we are," Poiled added. "But my belief is that if we get healthy we can move up and be one of the better teams in the league."
