There were 13 games on Saturday's schedule, and no shortage of drama around the NHL.

Here are five of the best photos with a brief setting of the scene for each.

1. McDavid's lament

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

The Edmonton Oilers fell hard to the Dallas Stars in an afternoon tilt, a game in which superstar center Connor McDavid's performance was a mixed bag.

He recorded a goal, two assists, and three shots in 17:42 of ice time, but finished with a minus-2 rating, and his line was on the ice for more shot attempts against than for.

In fairness, one man can only do so much, and he's clearly not the problem in Edmonton.

2. Original 6

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Prior to puck drop in Montreal, the NHL honored its Original Six franchises by having (from left to right) Dave Keon, Ray Bourque, Denis Savard, Yvan Cournoyer, Frank Mahovlich, and Rod Gilbert participate in a ceremonial puck drop.

To please the home crowd, Savard and Mahovlich ditched their respective Chicago and Detroit jerseys in favor of their old Canadiens colors.

3. Ovi down

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

A scary scene unfolded in Washington as Capitals franchise winger Alex Ovechkin crumpled to the ice after taking a puck to the face.

Ovechkin bled quite profusely and was forced to leave the game for medical attention, but was able to return for the third period.

4. Crawford appears to escape injury

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford briefly exited an eventual win over the Pittsburgh Penguins after getting knocked in the head by Evgeni Malkin.

Malkin was penalized for goalie interference. Crawford quickly returned to the crease after being checked by team doctors in the locker room.

5. Auston's all smiles

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Sidelined for four games with an upper-body injury, Auston Matthews made his return to the Toronto Maple Leafs' lineup Saturday, and scored his team's fifth and sixth goals of the night in a romp over the Canadiens.

He now has 12 goals in 17 games, and sits in a tie for the NHL's fourth-highest goal total (12) despite the time missed.

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Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien's hands are tied after a 6-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

In his perfect world, he'd be able to put his players through a grueling practice or bag skate, but the NHL's collective bargaining agreement prohibits him from calling the Canadiens to the rink Sunday.

"The CBA says they get four days off a month, and they've got tomorrow off," Julien said after the game, according to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN. "There was a time when you could react. You can't anymore. They got the day off tomorrow, and on Monday we leave (for back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday).

"So I gotta continue to find ways - through video, through making guys accountable - because a punishing skate for us on Monday would do what for us on Tuesday and Wednesday? That's where we are now in this league. So we need to evolve in the game. Maybe back in the day, there was a time where we could do (a punishment skate). It's a lot harder today than it was back then."

The loss dropped Montreal to 8-11-2, much further down in the standings than the Canadiens expected to be at any point this season.

Things aren't about to get easier during their back-to-back in Dallas and Nashville.

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It's been quite a whirlwind start to the season for Antti Niemi.

The veteran goaltender was called into duty late in the Montreal Canadiens' blowout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, officially becoming the fifth goalie in NHL history to play for three teams in a season.

Here's the rest of the list:

Niemi began the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who placed him on waivers after three games. He was claimed by the Florida Panthers, placed on waivers again just under three weeks later, and then claimed by the Canadiens.

Seeing as it's November and both Carey Price and Al Montoya are currently injured, it's quite possible Niemi won't finish the season in Montreal, thereby giving him an opportunity to join a fourth team. His .822 save percentage heading into Saturday, however, may prove to be prohibitive at some point.

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There's always some concern when a goalie takes a bump up high.

That's what happened Saturday in Pittsburgh as Penguins superstar center Evgeni Malkin charged toward the net and caught Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford in the head with his thigh / posterior.

Crawford was examined by the trainer and left the ice, presumably at the behest of the NHL's concussion spotter.

He was, however, able to return shortly thereafter.

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The NHL insists the Winter Classic concept hasn't gone stale, but that's hard to accept given its constant showcasing of the same teams.

On Saturday, the NHL announced the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks will play in the 2019 Winter Classic, marking the third appearance for the Bruins and the sixth for the Blackhawks.

Meanwhile, eight other teams have never taken part in an outdoor game. Here are five fresh teams we'd prefer to watch.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets were one of the most exciting teams last season, and at one point pieced together a 16-game win streak. This year, Columbus has won 12 of its first 20 games, showing it's no fluke.

With some of the game's best young stars, like Zach Werenski, on the roster, the Blue Jackets are a prime candidate for an outdoor game. The best bet could be a showdown at Ohio Stadium against the playoff rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

Dallas Stars

The Stars can score, which makes them a perfect candidate for one of the NHL's premier events. A game outdoors would also give superstars like Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn more time in the limelight.

The Stars moved to Dallas in 1993, and a game in their former state against the Minnesota Wild could be an instant classic. To make it extra special, have Stars legend Mike Modano drop the puck in the ceremonial faceoff.

Nashville Predators

Hockey fans in the Music City put on a show during last year's playoffs with raucous crowds at Bridgestone Arena. Can the spectacle be taken to the next level?

The site is there in Nissan Stadium, and concerns over climate should be minimal after the NHL hosted two successful outdoor games in California. A game involving the Predators would highlight one of the NHL's most dynamic personalities in P.K. Subban, and facing off against his former team, the Montreal Canadiens, would provide intrigue in the Great White North.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning are an offensive machine this season, with the duo of Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov scoring at will. It's time the two get the chance to show their stuff on the Winter Classic stage.

The Florida club would likely have to take the show on the road in order to be featured in the Winter Classic, but there are plenty of options. Here's one: Going up against the Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, potentially at FedEx Field, home of the NFL's Redskins.

Vegas Golden Knights

Nobody puts on a better show than Vegas, and given the Golden Knights' strong performance, it's time to grant them an opportunity.

As a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, team owner Bill Foley could like the idea of playing a neutral-site game at New York's West Point campus. A perfect opponent could be the Florida Panthers, whose owner, Vincent Viola, is also a West Point graduate.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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Auston Matthews is back.

The Toronto Maple Leafs star center is in the lineup for Saturday's game in Montreal against the Canadiens, ending a four-game absence due to an upper-body injury.

Toronto posted a record of 4-0-0 without Matthews, but the Leafs will gladly welcome him back given the 10 goals and nine assists he recorded in 16 games prior to the injury.

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A scary incident appears headed toward a happy ending.

During an ECHL game between the Quad City Mallards and Tulsa Oilers on Friday, Oilers head coach and former NHL forward Rob Murray had to be removed from the bench area on a stretcher, and was taken to hospital after suffering a medical emergency in the second period.

His condition was updated Saturday by John Peterson, the team's vice president of communications:

Earlier in the day, Peterson said Murray had been suffering from dehydration and exhaustion.

Friday's game was postponed and will be made up at a later date.

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The Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins have been announced as participants in the 2019 Winter Classic, and there's no shortage of critical yet amusing reactions on Twitter as a result. Chicago now gets set to appear in a fifth outdoor game since 2014, and sixth in total since hosting the event in 2009.

Let's sample some of the best tweets:

The Blachawks, by the way, are 1-4-0 in outdoor games, so maybe they're also getting a little tired of it. The bottom line, however, is it's good for business.

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The Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks will take it outside next year, as the two teams have been chosen to compete in the 2019 Winter Classic.

The game will be held Jan. 1, 2019, at Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana, which seats more 77,000 fans.

The Blackhawks have played in five outdoor games, with their most recent coming last January against the St. Louis Blues. Chicago has a 1-4-0 all-time record when playing outside.

The Bruins have twice played outdoors, featuring in a pair of home games held at the Red Sox's Fenway Park and the Patriots' Gillette Stadium. Boston is 1-1-0 in outdoor games.

Three outdoor games are on the docket for this season.

The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators will face off at TD Place Stadium in the Canadian capital, the state-rival Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers will skate at Citi Field, home of the MLB's Mets, and the Toronto Maple Leafs will take on the Washington Capitals at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.

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Detroit Red Wings forward Luke Witkowski has decided not to appeal his 10-game suspension, the team announced in a release, according to Craig Custance of The Athletic.

Witkowski was given the 10-game ban following Wednesday's game against the Calgary Flames where, after being assessed a game misconduct, he returned to the ice after being sticked by Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk.

"I accept and understand that the wording of the rule, combined with what happened during the incident, leave little to no chance of a successful appeal," Witkowski said in the release.

Witkowski admitted Friday that he was unaware of Rule 70.6 that states any player that returns to the bench or ice after being ejected from the game shall be assessed an automatic 10-game suspension.

This means the Red Wings will be without Witkowski until at least Dec. 11.

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