Three Stars
1. Christian Fischer, Arizona Coyotes. After a miserable start to the season where they could not find the back of the net no matter what they did, the Arizona Coyotes are starting to put it together a little. Their 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night was their second in the past three games. While the return of Alex Galchenyuk should help, it was Christian Fischer playing the role of star in this one as he recorded the hat trick in the win to give him four goals on the season. Derek Stepan recorded the lone assist on all three goals. Dylan Strome scored the other goal on the night for Arizona as the Coyotes scored four consecutive goals to take the win and end their current road trip. They still have a ways to go, but it took them more than 20 games a season ago to win their third game of the season. Progress. There is talent here. Some patience is required.
2. Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers. Entering play on Tuesday night there were only two teams in the NHL that had yet to win a game in regulation this season. They just so happened to be playing in New York when the Rangers hosted the Florida Panthers. It was the Rangers that ended up getting the win thanks in large part to Mika Zibanejad. He finished the game with three points, including two goals (one of two Rangers players -- Mats Zuccarello being the other -- to score two goals on the night) to help lift the Rangers to the win.
3. Brandon Saad, Chicago Blackhawks. Saad has been under the microscope in Chicago for two reasons: First, he simply has not played well since returning to the Blackhawks at the start of the 2017-18 season. Second, the guy that was traded for him -- Artemi Panarin -- has continued to be a star in Columbus and has been one of the best players in the league. The Blackhawks have said they need, and want, more from Saad and on Tuesday night they finally got it. He scored a pair of goals, including one on the power play, an area where he struggled mightily a year ago, to help lead the Blackhawks to a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Southern California’s hockey teams are not having fun
The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings are not off to good starts. At all. The Kings have been a mess all season and dropped yet another game on Tuesday, losing in Dallas by a 4-2 margin. They are now the worst team in the Western Conference through nine games and just keep looking like a team that needs a fresh start and a new direction. This group is just not working anymore.
Meanwhile, the Ducks’ record looks better but the actual play on the ice doesn’t. Starting goalie John Gibson was great once again on Tuesday night, turning aside 36 out of 38 shots. It is the fifth time this season he has made at least 36 saves in a game. He has allowed more than two goals in just one of those five games. His team has only managed to win one of those five games. He has been amazing, and perhaps the most impressive player in the league so far. The team in front of him, not so much.
The Burns-Karlsson connection clicks for San Jose
San Jose’s two Norris Trophy winning defensemen teamed up for the game-winning goal in Nashville on Tuesday night as the Sharks erased two-goal third period deficit to storm back for a 5-4 win.
Read all about it and see all of the highlights here.
Highlights of the Night
The Boston Bruins’ top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak is arguably the best line in the NHL. They dominated again on Tuesday night in Ottawa and this play by Marchand to set up Pastrnak for his second goal of the game was a thing of beauty.
Sidney Crosby did this thing in overtime, making an emphatic statement in the best player debate that has been taking place so far this season.
Factoids
The Montreal Canadiens continue to be a surprise team and Carey Price continues to play well. These two things are related. Speaking of Carey Price, Tuesday’s win was a big one for him as it continues to move him up the Canadiens’ all-time wins list, tying him with a very important player.
Carey Price earned the 289th win of his NHL career (all w/ MTL) to move in to a tie with Patrick Roy for second place in @CanadiensMTL franchise history. @CP0031 trails Jacques Plante at 314 all-time wins. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/Rz2LRwPVkz
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 24, 2018
Scores
Arizona Coyotes 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
New York Rangers 5, Florida Panthers 2
Montreal Canadiens 3, Calgary Flames 2
Boston Bruins 4, Ottawa Senators 1
San Jose Sharks 5, Nashville Predators 4
Chicago Blackhawks 3, Anaheim Ducks 1
Dallas Stars 4, Los Angeles Kings 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 6, Edmonton Oilers 5 (OT)
MORE: Your 2018-19 NHL on NBC TV schedule
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.