Daniel Bochner knew of Matvei Michkov because the gaudy 2019-20 scoring totals made it impossible to miss him.
As a burgeoning star in Russia, Michkov averaged almost three points per game on the under-16 international stage. He racked up an incomprehensible 109 points (70 goals, 39 assists) in only 26 games at the Russian under-16 level. He was producing offense at a rate rarely if not ever seen in his country.
“So he was pretty well-known,” Bochner said.
Bochner was the player development coach for the Russian national teams and SKA St. Petersburg, one of the most prominent clubs in the KHL, Russia’s top pro league. He first met Michkov when the prospect was 15 years old.
“I had no doubt that he was going to come in there and, as long as he was given opportunity and ice time, he was going to be impactful scoring,” Bochner, now a player development coach for the Hurricanes, said in a mid-January phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “At the same time, I knew that there were other areas that he was going to have to get better at and I think that’s no different than any rookie coming into the NHL. It’s a big jump for anybody.”
From the start, Bochner saw special talent in Michkov. But as a development coach, his job wasn’t to pump up Michkov’s strengths; it was to identify a weakness and hope Michkov would want to attack it.
“He’s an extremely competitive person and within that competitiveness is that need to want to be better than other people,” Bochner said. “Then obviously within that is, ‘I need to get better at stuff, I’m not naturally better than everybody. I may be in some areas, but there are going to be other areas where I’ve got to outwork people.'”
Bochner approached Michkov with an area to refine.
“There was some knock on his skating early,” he said. “I never saw it as bad as other people saw it. I always thought that he was never going to be explosive with linear speed. But what I did want to improve with him was his lateral movement because I think that’s really important off the rush and it’s really important to be deceptive once you get into the offensive zone, which is sort of his bread and butter — his ability to create separation in the offensive zone, find open ice and then be able to capitalize on that with his scoring ability.
“That was really, when I first met him, something I picked up and that became a focus, retooling his crossovers, his edge work and just try to get him more comfortable in tight areas and then more comfortable with lateral movement when he has got the puck on rush offense. Making sure that he wasn’t just pushing with his outside leg, but he had that inside leg driving through, which is going to create more lateral force as he’s skating up the ice.”
Bochner worked closely with Michkov in SKA St. Petersburg’s development camps, which would run for about two and a half weeks. He was pleased with the youngster’s devotion to a monotonous and meticulous part of his game.
“Not only was he receptive, but he was also self-aware,” Bochner said. “We came up with a game plan and obviously when you try to make any adjustments with your technical skating, it’s sort of a boring process. There’s a lot of boring repetition, it’s not a ton of fun, especially with guys who want to play with the puck and shoot on goalies.
“It’s usually isolated movement patterns. So if you’re not interested and you’re not committed to making that better, you’re not going to be very receptive. And he was. We would go out there early, work on his crossovers, work on his skating. He was super receptive.”
The work wasn’t to make Michkov’s stride look more aesthetically pleasing; it was to make him stronger and more efficient in his movements.
“When you look at him, the skating technique doesn’t stand out where you’re saying, ‘Wow, what a beautiful skater,'” Bochner said. “But what he does is he’s able to skate off his check quickly, he’s agile, he can control the puck very well in tight spaces, he’s sturdy and strong on the puck. It’s not easy to take the puck off of him.”
“I am going to put that into practice because that’s what brings him joy, so you want that as a motivating factor, you want him to stay sharp there,” Bochner said. “But you want to identify the things where he’s having a low success rate. And that’s how I went about it with him.”
The Flyers have seen Michkov’s sheer competitiveness this season.
“Oh yeah, definitely,” Sean Couturier said last Friday. “Anything he does. Even in practice sometimes.”
The Flyers’ captain recalled a recent 2-on-2 drill in which Michkov thought he scored, but for some reason the goal didn’t count. As a result, Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster ended up scoring on Couturier and Michkov.
“I think he didn’t talk to them for the next day,” Couturier said. “He’s that kind of guy, really competitive. … I think that’s what makes him special. Those elite athletes always have that competitive edge and he definitely has that.”
Despite some slumps and learning moments, Michkov has had a highly promising rookie season. The offensive gifts have been as advertised. He entered Monday leading all rookies in goals (24) and even strength points (43). He’s tied for first in power play goals (seven), second in overall points (58) and tied for second in assists (34). And he’s the only player in the NHL with both three or more overtime goals and three or more shootout goals.
Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson is the likely front-runner for the Calder Trophy, while Sharks center Macklin Celebrini and Flames goalie Dustin Wolf also stand as Michkov’s competition.
Michkov’s 58 points are the most by a Flyers rookie since Mikael Renberg had 82 in 1993-94. Renberg’s mark is a franchise record for most points by a rookie in a season. Michkov is ninth on the Flyers’ all-time rookie single-season scoring list.
“You want to let him play his game, but once in a while, kind of remind him that there are certain things at certain times you’ve got to take care of,” Couturier said. “How to manage a game, you can’t always cheat for offense when you’re playing with a lead, sometimes it’s better off to just defend. But I don’t want to be in his ear every shift, I kind of just let him play. I try to also encourage him when I see improvement and when he’s doing the right plays. It’s definitely a balance.”
At the start of November, Brad Shaw mentioned how Michkov liked to play on the move and, because of that, he’d sometimes drift out of good position. Essentially, Michkov likes to read and react for when the play may shoot up ice. He’s thinking offense.
“You might ask the coach who’s here in 10 years and [Michkov] might still have a little drift to his game,” Shaw, now the Flyers’ interim head coach, said last Friday with a laugh. “But I think it’s one of the reasons that he’s a great player, I think it’s a reason why he’s dangerous, is his ability to anticipate. And we’re just trying to get him smarter in that anticipation — ‘this one was good and this one was not so good.’ That’s all part of the process.
“He’s a very willing student of the game, which I love. He’s a guy that wants to get better as soon as possible, wants extra, not afraid of being shown mistakes. It doesn’t really affect him like some other young players. That’s a real asset to have for a guy his age, for a guy who kind of has his style of play, because he’s going to butt heads with coaches, he’s going to be stubborn in some aspects of how he would like to play.”
Bochner worked with Artemi Panarin the summer before the Rangers’ star became one of three finalists for the 2019-20 Hart Trophy (NHL’s MVP). He has also trained Canadiens prospect and 2024 fifth overall pick Ivan Demidov, Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko, former Flyer and current King Andrei Kuzmenko and Oilers winger Vasily Podkolzin.
With Michkov, he could sense the clutch gene.
“He is a guy that when the game is on the line, he doesn’t run away,” Bochner said. “He’s the guy that wants the puck on his stick. There is an innate confidence that comes with that mentality. And when you have confidence and you have scoring ability, even if there are issues in other areas, you’re going to find the back of the net. Those two things combined, if you have confidence and you have scoring ability, that’s a deadly combo. And he definitely has that.”
As this season has gone on, Michkov has shown more and more of his personality.
“He’s very serious and stoic at times, but at the same time, he can quickly come out of that and make a joke or just lighten up the mood with something,” Bochner said.
Bochner will keep him in touch with Michkov through an occasional text message.
“I try not to bother him too much,” Bochner said, “but if I see him score a nice goal or something, I will send him a little note and he usually sends me back a nice emoji or a thumbs up.”
Those moments probably don’t happen without Michkov wanting to sharpen a weakness at a young age back in Russia. The boring work has made big goals and unreal highlights the expectation in Philadelphia.
“Even outside of him scoring, just his body language, you see that he wants the puck, you see that he wants to be the guy to make a difference in those situations,” Bochner said. “It’s pretty remarkable.”
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver's most recent 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Canucks were outplayed in their loss to the Golden
Knights. Vegas held a 26-22 even-strength scoring chances advantage, while Vancouver also lost the even-strength high-danger scoring chances battle 10-8. While there were some positive moments in the game, the Canucks struggled to match the Golden Knights speed, which ended up costing them on Sunday night.
As for the heatmap, it is a good illustration of how Vancouver's defence struggled against Vegas. The Golden Knights generated shots from all over the zone and were able to get 35 shots on Kevin Lankinen. Yes, it is a positive that the Canucks were able to limit Vegas to just eight high-danger shots, but overall, they struggled defensively as the Golden Knights held most of the possession.
Looking at the forward lines, Vancouver's top trio was Nils Höglander, Pius Suter and Brock Boeser. During their 11:19 of ice time, the Canucks held a 9-6 scoring chances advantage, while also outscoring their opposition 1-0. Overall, this line was impressive as each member was able to generate an individual high-danger chance at even strength.
To wrap things up, Aatu Räty also had a strong night. During his 11:10 of even-strength ice time, Vancouver finished with a 6-5 scoring chances advantage, while Räty led the team with two individual even-strength high-danger chances created. Räty also won six of nine faceoffs and showed once again why he deserves a full-time spot in the NHL.
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The Calgary Flames (36-27-13, fourth in the Pacific
Division, four points away from the second wild-card spot) will travel to the
Bay Area to play the San Jose Sharks (20-46-10, last in the Pacific Division, 23.1%
to win first overall pick).
This will be the third of four meetings between the two
teams. Calgary won both previous matchups.
Despite being dominated offensively by the Golden Knights, the
Flames came away with one point thanks to a First-Star performance by goalie
Dustin Wolf. Calgary will now face off against a San Jose team that was the
first team eliminated from play-off contention, and are favorites to pick up
the first overall pick for the second year in a row. But this team consists of
exciting and talented first rounders like William Eklund, Will Smith
and rookie of the year favorite Macklin Celebrini, alongside veterans like
Alexander Wennberg and Tyler Toffoli. They are certainly not a bunch to take casually.
But for Calgary, with Vancouver and Utah hot on their tail in the standings, a win will keep their playoff hopes alive as they trail the
current second wild-card spot holders Minnesota by four points. It goes
without saying: this game is a MUST WIN.
HEAD 2 HEAD
Based on both prior games this season, the Calgary Flames
have the fifth-best save percentage against the San Jose Sharks at even-strength
situations. It is expected that Wolf will make his fourth consecutive
start in net. This should be a relatively easier night compared to Saturday, as
the San Jose offense have belted just 25.5 shots on goal against the Wolf (who was goaltender
in both previous games), which is 18th against any team by San Jose this
season.
In 4-on-5 penalty
kill situations, the Flames are 4-for-5 against the Sharks. After going 2-for-2
in the PK against the Knights, along with a string of good performances highlighted
in this article, I have no doubt the PK unit will continue their great form in
this upcoming game. It also helps that the Sharks power play is the sixth-worst
in the league. Still, it’s probably best
not take a hungry young team, one with the Calder Trophy front-runner, lightly
considering their power play percentage of 20.0 against Calgary is a modest 16th
amongst all teams.
On the offensive end, the Flames have enjoyed showering Sharks
goalies with shots on goal, putting up 34.5 per game, the third-most against any team.
However, the Flames powerplay unit has gone 2-for-9 on the
man-advantage against San Jose.
After Saturday’s embarrassing powerplay showing, Calgary needs
a comeback, and an emphatic one at that.
TALE OF THE TAPE (SKATERS)
TALE OF THE TAPE (GOALIES)
PLAYOFF ODDS
As San Jose has been eliminated from playoff contention, this
game has no impact on the Sharks’ playoff odds.
For the Flames, the playoff odds are as follows depending on the outcome of the game:
The Calgary Flames take on the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center in San Jose tonight at 8:30 MDT/10:30 EDT
The Vancouver Canucks have lost yet another important game for their playoff hopes. Despite coming close, they lost 3–2 to the Vegas Golden Knights, marking their eighth loss in the second-half of back-to-backs this season. Nils Höglander and Aatu Räty scored for the Canucks, while Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves on 35 shots against.
Höglander made his return to the lineup tonight, starting on a line with Brock Boeser and Pius Suter. This was his first taste of in-game action since leaving the match on March 22 against the New York Rangers, though he joined the team for a regular practice on Friday. He tallied the opening goal off a solid offensive effort from Vancouver, grabbing a rebound after the Canucks sent a flurry of shots at Vegas goaltender Adin Hill. Prior to tonight’s game, he had five points in his previous five games. In his return to the lineup, he put up two shots and two hits in 16:20 minutes on the ice.
“It felt good to get the goal there in the first period,” Höglander said after the game. “Feels good to get it over and just keep going from this.”
“I think a lot of guys can learn from Höggy," Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet added on Höglander's performance tonight. "You’ve got to move your feet and go to where the puck is going to be.”
The chances didn’t stop for Vancouver after Höglander’s goal, as each line contributed to generating the team’s seven shots produced within the first half of the first period. By the end of the first frame, despite the 2–1 score, the Canucks put up 12 shots and a corsi-for of 17. As well, the night after scoring his first career NHL goal, Elias Pettersson (D) put up three hits in the first period.
“I think the first period was pretty good. We got some good forecheck and good looks. So, yeah, that's the goal. We’ve gotta score,” Höglander added.
For Vegas, the first period was extremely lucky. Their first goal could have been challenged for being offside, as Barbashev seemed to enter the Canucks’ zone only inches before Mark Stone carried the puck in. However, Vancouver decided not to challenge it despite it looking pretty close. This is assumedly due to Vegas’ status as the top power play team in the NHL. The second Vegas goal bounced off of Victor Mancini’s skate and flew into the net before Lankinen could slide to the other side of his crease to stop it.
Lankinen made his first start since the team’s 7–6 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 28. The Finnish goaltender’s playing time has decreased significantly since Thatcher Demko returned to the lineup on March 24 against the New Jersey Devils, giving him ample rest after starting nearly 50 games this season. Despite letting two in during the first period, he settled into the game and made a great slew of saves in the second frame.
Räty, who has been fantastic since being called up on March 23, scored his sixth goal of the season to tie the game up at 2–2. He now has four goals in his last six games. He was the team’s best regular faceoff man by a mile today, winning seven of 10 draws (though Jake DeBrusk won all three that he took). Räty also had three shots and four hits in 11:35 minutes played.
Despite their impressive start to the game, by the third period, play fell dramatically into Vegas’ favour. In this frame, the Golden Knights piled 12 shots onto the Canucks in an attempt to break the tie and finally beat Lankinen near the 17-minute mark of the third period.
"Obviously we didn't have the puck enough the second half of the game. They controlled the play, so we're kind of hanging in there. So it's tough when you're you don't have the puck a lot, but there's some effort from a lot of guys out there," Tocchet noted.
“I think we’ve just got to keep building, keep believing here,” Lankinen said of what the team can take from the loss.
While their postseason hopes will depend on other teams in their conference, Vancouver can’t afford to lose any more games if they want a shot at playoff hockey.
Stats and Facts:
With the win, Vegas’s record at Rogers Arena is now 9–1–2
Canucks playoff odds now sit at 0.2%, as per MoneyPuck.com
Boeser tallies his 11th point in the last 10 games
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
4:46 - VAN: Nils Höglander (7) from Pius Suter and Brock Boeser
8:36 - VGK: Ivan Barbashev (21) from Mark Stone
13:15 - VGK: Nicolas Roy (13) from Tanner Pearson and Keegan Kolesar
2nd Period:
8:03 - VAN: Aatu Räty (6) from Filip Hronek and Kiefer Sherwood
3rd Period:
16:46 - VGK: Victor Olofsson (14) from William Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo
Up Next:
With the conclusion of their final back-to-back of the season, Vancouver’s next game will come against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday in the first of a two-game road trip. This will be the second game they play against four straight playoff-contending teams. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00 pm PT.
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MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Zack Bolduc sat at his locker recently, comfortable in his own skin -- his NHL skin.
The St. Louis Blues forward, playing in his first full season after getting a taste of life in the NHL last season after the Blues selected the 22-year-old with the No. 17 pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, can look around his surroundings in St. Louis and finally knows he belongs.
It took some time, plenty of learning curves and teachable moments, lots of patience and frequent flier miles between St. Louis and Springfield of the American Hockey League.
It's not always fun and games for a highly-touted prospect to hit the ground running -- or skating -- in the NHL. Look at Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon, who did have 63 points in his first NHL season in 2013-14 but only had 38 in his second; Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid did put up 48 points his rookie season in 45 games before he's taken off; Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov may be the best comparison of them all after scoring just 18 points in 52 games his rookie season of 2013-14. Those are some of the high-end first-round picks that are faces of the league today.
Not comparing Bolduc to any of these players, but it just shows that even the best of players need some time to develop. Bolduc is still developing, but the foundation seems to have been laid for growing his potential.
Earlier in the season, Bolduc still wasn't sure he belonged -- yet. As the Blues (43-28-7) embark on their final road trip of the season, starting with Monday against the Winnipeg Jets, Bolduc knows he longs.
"Oh yeah, definitely," he said. "I'm feeling comfortable and confident on the ice. I feel like I can play with everyone on the ice, against anyone. I think I can help this team win some games too. It's great to be a part of it.
"We have a great group of guys too. We're building something special here right now. We've just got to keep it going."
Bolduc, who has 33 points (18 goals, 13 assists) in 68 games this season and is among the team leaders at plus-20, was in and out of the lineup earlier in the season under Drew Bannister. But when Jim Montgomery took over and made his Blues debut as coach on Nov. 25 against the New York Rangers, Bolduc scored his first two goals of the season and seemingly began to build his game.
It took some time, even though Montgomery was building trust in the young player, but it finally started taking shape despite the occasional healthy scratch. Things really seemed to take off after the 4 Nations Face-Off break, coinciding with the Blues' 18-2-2 run since Feb. 22.
Remember, this is a player that combined for 209 points (105 goals, 104 assists) in two seasons with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL before turning pro.
"I don't know exactly when he had the 'Ah-ha' moment in the last six weeks, but he obviously had it mentally," Montgomery said. "As coaches, you can tell someone, 'I want you to make plays, I believe in you.' Until he believes it himself, there's going to be inconsistency. And what we're getting out of him is night in, night out, he competes. Night in, night out, his details are really good. The offensive part of his game, he's getting more opportunities because his habits are so much better."
Bolduc had a goal and two assists in two games leading into the break but was sent to Springfield during the break to continue playing, and despite only getting two assists in four games with the Thunderbirds, it seemed to reset Bolduc and he's scored 12 of his 18 goals on the season in 22 games since, including two power-play goals on Saturday in a 5-4 win against the Avalanche to extend the Blues' winning streak to a franchise record 12.
Power play goal for St. Louis!
Scored by Zack Bolduc with 19:11 remaining in the 1st period.
"I think it's just time," Bolduc said. "Play the position and feel some situations here and there, be around the guys and do some video and try to learn everything on the ice and off the ice.
"For me it was all about time. You give yourself some time and try and work, try and learn every day and things will happen. I started feeling all the effort you put in when you come back, it's fun."
Even though he's played majority of the time on the third line with Oskar Sundqvist, Mathieu Joseph and whoever else has had to slip into the lineup, Montgomery seems to be tapping No. 76 on the shoulder more so if there's a need for top six minutes with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, or Brayden Schenn, Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours now that Dylan Holloway is sidelined week to week.
"It's a great feeling," Bolduc said. "I know I can play with these guys. I know now I can help this team win some games and I can play with a guy like Thomas, 'Jakey', whoever. Sometimes I play with 'Schenner' when lines are flipping here or there.
"Our full lineup is full of talent. It's fun to play with everyone. I just want to do the best for this team and win as many games as we can."
Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Penguins, they will be hitting the links early for the third consecutive season.
With a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, the Penguins were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the third consecutive season, which puts them just one season shy of the four-year non-playoff stretch from 2002-06.
For a franchise that has seen the success that Pittsburgh has, losing is not something the Crosby-era group, in particular, has been accustomed to. That's why it's important for the team to maintain the winning culture within their locker room as they transition to the next phase of young talent.
"Obviously, we're not where we want to be, and we all understand that," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "We know where we're at. We know where we want to go. We've got to keep working towards that, and that's what we're trying to do."
This one was a back-and-forth affair for a lot of the evening, as chances were traded throughout most of the game. Although the Penguins pressured at various points, Chicago capitalized on odd-man rushes and were able to get behind the Penguins' defense in the latter half.
With just a minute and five seconds to go in the second period, the Blackhawks got a shorthanded two-on-one when Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson pinched to try to keep the play alive in the attacking zone. Frank Nazar capitalized to give Chicago the 1-0 lead.
Then, midway through the final frame - and after a flurry of Penguins' chances - Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev managed to get behind Penguins' defenseman Conor Timmins for a breakaway, and he beat goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to put his team ahead, 2-0.
Rickard Rakell did add a power play goal a few minutes later for his 34th of the season - tying his career-high set in 2017-18 with the Anaheim Ducks - but it didn't prove enough, as Mikheyev added the empty-netter with 56 seconds left to secure the win.
"I just don't think we matched their energy," Nedeljkovic said. "I mean, the game was right there. I just think they had a little bit more juice than we did."
"We weren't even close to the team we were [Saturday]," Sullivan said. "It was one of those nights where we just didn't seem to have the energy. I didn't think we did as good a job managing it also. There's going to be some nights where, maybe, you don't have your legs or you don't have your A-game, so to speak. But you have to acknowledge it, recognize it, and manage the game appropriately and be yourself. I just didn't think we were diligent enough in that area."
In addition, captain Sidney Crosby's 12-game point streak drew to a close. During his streak, he registered 11 goals and 20 points.
On Friday night, the Chicago Blackhawks were a part of history when they faced the Washington Capitals at home. In that game, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tied the all-time goals record set by Wayne Gretzky.
Chicago had to follow that up with travel home to play a Sunday match against another legend in Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh Penguins are not an elite team anymore, but any squad with Crosby is dangerous on a given night.
It looked like the Blackhawks and Penguins were going to make it to the second intermission scoreless but Frank Nazar had other ideas.
With under two minutes left in the middle frame, Nazar scored the first shorthanded goal of his NHL career. It was a great play by Teuvo Teravainen, finished off by Nazar for his 9th of the season.
Since coming up from the AHL, Nazar has been great. His speed and hard-working motor are noticeable on just about every shift. He needs to work on his finishing a bit more over the summer and in the future but you wouldn't be able to tell on this goal.
In the third period, Connor Bedard made a great play to spring Ilya Mikheyev, who scored his 19th goal of the season. On the goal that made it 2-0 Chicago, Sam Rinzel earned his first career NHL point with an assist.
Rinzel has been playing well for Chicago in all three zones. He was finally rewarded with a point, which will be the first of many.
With the assist on Nazar's goal, Bedard became the 11th player in NHL history to have multiple 60+ point seasons as a teenager. Sidney Crosby and Patrik Laine are the only other two active players on the list.
In the final moments of regulation time, Mikheyev deposited his 20th of the season into an empty net. The Blackhawks took the 3-1 final to the bank.
After some struggles to hang onto leads in recent weeks, it was good for the Hawks to get this one in the win column. They aren't going to the playoffs and they are in the mix for the draft lottery but it doesn't hurt for the young guys to hold a victory.
Next up for Chicago is two games on the road. It starts with these Pittsburgh Penguins again back in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.
Owen Sound Attack (Ontario Hockey League) goalie Carter George has been re-assigned to the Ontario Reign (American Hockey League).
The 18-year-old netminder compiled a stat line of 47 W 46 L 9 OTL 6 SOL and four shutouts in 113 games played with the Owen Sound Attack.
George's quest for the J. Ross Robertson Cup was dashed by a four-game sweep at the hands of the London Knights. George was virtually under siege in the 1st Round series, facing 42, 41, 39, and 53 shots respectively in the four games.
huge props to carter george, absolute gem of a goalie, facing 53 shots tonight ❤️ pic.twitter.com/3P0nyI42Ow
Although the Los Angeles Kings are riding high with goalie Darcy Kuemper this season, the organization has sought to bolster its pipeline of young goalies over the past few years. George will join 24-year-old goalie Erik Portillo with the Reign, with both prospects hoping to be the future of LA Kings goaltending.
Portillo, who was acquired in a trade from Buffalo, made his NHL debut this season on November 29th. His 28 saves on 29 shots backed the Kings to a 2-1 win at Anaheim and the big Swede looked the part of somebody knocking at the door for a longer stint in the NHL.
Carter George was initially drafted by Owen Sound in 2022 and then in the 2nd round by Los Angeles in 2024. Therefore, George cannot play in the American Hockey League until he turns 20. The Thunder Bay, Ontario native would, however, be eligible to play with the Kings at the NHL-level.
A forgettable road trip has finally come to an end for the Florida Panthers.
Playing their second straight set of back-to-back games, the Panthers failed score in either game this weekend, dropping Sunday’s affair to the Detroit Red Wings 3-0.
Despite missing several key players, the Panthers looked like they were on top of their game during the opening 20 minutes.
Florida ended up with a 10-7 shot advantage on the Red Wings after the opening frame, but strong efforts from Vitek Vanecek for the Cats and Cam Talbot for the Wings kept the game scoreless.
An early second period power play would turn the tide in favor of the home team.
Alex DeBrincat converted a one-timer from Lucas Raymond to put Detroit up 1-0 at the 4:37 mark, sending the Little Caesar’s Arena fans into a frenzy.
The Red Wings doubled their lead about seven minutes later.
Crossing Florida’s blue line with sudden time and space. J.T. Compher snapped a wrist shot past Vanecek, giving Detroit a 2-0 lead they would carry into the final frame.
Rookie Mackie Samoskevich scored with under a minute left and Florida’s net empty, cutting the Red Wings’ lead in half, but that would be as close as the Cats would get.
On to Toronto and the final homestand of the season.
QUICK THOUGHTS
Florida’s five-game losing streak is the team’s longest of the season.
Samoskevich has two goals and three points over his past four games.
Anton Lundell assisted on Verhaeghe’s goal and overall has two helpers and 15 shots on goal over his past four games.
Ovechkin's 10 Best Goals On His Record-Breaking JourneyWashington Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s career goal mark of 894 goals on Sunday against the New York Islanders after tying the Great One in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.
