Players of the Night:
- Islanders who factored most into that wild win.
Do you go with the guy who collected a hat trick with the overtime game-winner, or the rookie who generated five assists for yet another five-point night?
Nelson’s the fellow who generated the hat trick, and he’s been hot lately. Maybe 24 points on the season is a little disappointing for Nelson, but he’s really heating up, collecting four goals and three assists for seven points during a four-game run. Impressive.
Mathew Barzal collected five assists, giving him 58 points in 56 games in 2017-18. It’s already his third five-point night of his rookie campaign.
He probably gets the nod if you can only choose one player of the night, as he’s achieved something that hasn’t been reached in 100 years:
Mathew Barzal of the @NYIslanders is the second rookie in League history to record three games with at least five points in a single campaign – and first since the NHL’s inaugural season in 1917-18. #NHLStats #DETvsNYI pic.twitter.com/vbJWKCNkTr
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 10, 2018
- Three helpers: Jamie Benn and Derek Forbort aren’t players you’d picture in the same breath, yet here they were, generating three assists tonight. Remarkably, it’s Forbort that is the player who was a first-rounder (15th overall in 2010), while Benn went 129th(!) in 2007.
Highlights
Curtis Lazar’s struggled to score at the NHL level more than the hype suggested, but at least this was a cool one:
Wait, there’s a turbo button in this game? Apparently Carl Hagelin can still fly.
When you have rockets on your skates. @CarlHagelin pic.twitter.com/sdyBRfREmt
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) February 10, 2018
Alexander Radulov + Tyler Seguin + Jamie Benn = glorious.
JAMIE BENN FINDS TYLER SEGUIN WHO SNAPS IT HOME, STARS WITHIN 1! pic.twitter.com/LqJPDlqMAb
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) February 10, 2018
Factoids
C’mon, it has to be Islanders related, right?
The @NYIslanders are the third team in NHL history to trail by at least three goals in the final 5:26 of regulation and win, joining the North Stars on March 12, 1984 vs. MTL (7-6 OT W) and Canadiens on March 15, 2014 vs. OTT (5-4 OT W). #NHLStats #DETvsNYI pic.twitter.com/0D7MOsJgUG
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 10, 2018
The not-so-good side of the Isles:
#Isles have now allowed 5+ goals in an NHL worst 16 games this season
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) February 10, 2018
Despite a win, the #Isles have an NHL-high 206 non-shootout goals against- on pace for 302 which would be their 5th most GA in any season (most since 315 in 1995-96)
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) February 10, 2018
Leon Draisaitl is quietly heating up:
#Oilers Leon Draisaitl has 13 points (3 G, 10 A) in his last 9 games.
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) February 10, 2018
Scores
Islanders 7, Red Wings 6 (OT)
Rangers 4, Flames 3
Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 2
Kings 3, Panthers 1
Hurricanes 4, Canucks 1
Blues 5, Jets 2
Stars 4, Penguins 3 (SO)
Ducks 3, Oilers 2
—
James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.