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The Buzzer: Six-point night makes Zibanejad top star of NHL on Wednesday

The Buzzer: Six-point night makes Zibanejad the star of NHL on Wednesday

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 17: (l-r) Mika Zibanejad #93 and Pavel Buchnevich #89 of the New York Rangers celebrate their 9-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on March 17, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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NHL Three Stars from Wednesday

1. Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers

Who else could be the top star of Wednesday in the NHL?

All it took was one of the most explosive single-period outputs in league history. By scoring three goals and three assists, Mika Zibanejad joined Bryan Trottier as the only players in NHL history to reach six points during a single period. To drill down deeper, Zibanejad scored those six points in about a 17-minute span.

Oh yeah, and Zibanejad didn’t just generate a natural hat trick during that span. He became the first Rangers player to record a natural hat trick with an even-strength, power-play, and shorthanded goal.

Remarkable stuff. If you want more stats about Zibanejad scoring six points, the Rangers winning 9-0, and the Flyers’ reactions, click here.

2. Pavel Buchnevich and the rest of the Rangers

Naturally, with the Rangers winning 9-0, it wasn’t just about Zibanejad and his six points. That’s just math.

Ultimately, deciding the other top Rangers contributor comes down to your personal taste.

Pavel Buchnevich was almost as big a part of that second period outburst. Overall, Buchnevich scored two goals and two assists for the first four-point game of his underrated career.

It’s easy to lose track of the goaltending performance in such a blowout, but Alexandar Georgiev generated a shutout in this one. Georgiev pitched a 26-save shutout, including highlight reel material against Nolan Patrick.

3. Tyson Barrie, Edmonton Oilers

Tyson Barrie experienced the opposite of “not even supposed to be here today.”

Instead of missing Wednesday’s Oilers - Flames game as feared, Tyson Barrie played. Barrie generated four assists in the process, helping Edmonton blow out Calgary for Darryl Sutter’s first loss during his second tour with the Flames.

Barrie deserves this nudge among the three stars of the NHL for Wednesday, as his more famous teammates will still dominate the headlines.

Both Connor McDavid (1G, 2A) and Leon Draisaitl (3A) collected three points in this dominant win. Simply put, you’re not going to shut down one or both of McDavid and Draisaitl for too long. Especially when Barrie and others can get them the puck.

Highlights from Wednesday in the NHL

Let’s be honest, if you missed the sheer power of the Rangers dropping a 9-0 loss on the Flyers, you probably need to witness the audacity of it all.

Nikolaj Ehlers, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Kyle Connor powered the Jets’ overtime win against the Canadiens. Ehlers scored the OT game-winner:

Unfortunate moment for Daccord, Senators

Not long ago, Joey Daccord was a wonderful story for the Ottawa Senators. On Wednesday, he needed help getting off of the ice after hurting himself making a save. Bummer.

Wednesday’s NHL scores

Rangers 9, Flyers 0
Oilers 7, Flames 3
Canucks 3, Senators 2 (SO)
Jets 4, Canadiens 3 (OT)
Golden Knights 5, Sharks 4
Kings 4, Blues 1

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.