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Daily Faceoff Morning Report — 03/11/22

Nick Szeman
Nick Szeman
Mar 11, 2022, 07:42 EST
Daily Faceoff Morning Report — 03/11/22

The Daily Faceoff Morning Report will be released on weekdays, recapping the key news and events from the day before.

We will highlight injuries that will affect today’s games, hot streaks, cold streaks, and anything relevant for everyone from the casual hockey fan to the Fantasy Hockey grinder.

Below is a look at some of the more memorable (and forgettable) moments from a very busy Thursday night in the NHL.

Goalies: The Bad

  • In a meeting of two teams that have both allowed more than 50 goals in their last 11 games, the result between the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild was an expected one. Cam Talbot (G) and Alex Nedeljkovic (G) continued their struggles of late, both allowing five goals in regulation before Minnesota was awarded the victory in the shootout. Since January 21st, Nedeljkovic is 3-7-2 with a horrendous 4.38 GAA and .861 SV%. His poor play was perfectly summarized in the first period when he allowed one of the worst goals in recent history.
  • Joonas Korpisalo (G) played his first game in over a month after returning from a lower-body injury and the rust was evident as he allowed six goals on 33 shots in a 6-0 loss to the New York Islanders. Korpisalo has been mentioned in trade talks all season but isn’t doing much to help his stock for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has a league-worst 3.95 GAA and .883 SV% amongst goalies that have played in at least 15 games this season.
  • As if goaltending issues weren’t already troubling the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was announced that Jack Campbell (G) will miss at least two weeks with a rib injury. Petr Mrazek (G) got the start for the Maple Leafs and was replaced by Erik Kallgren (G) after allowing four goals on 12 shots. Mrazek has allowed four or more goals in three consecutive starts and has a .863 SV% in his last eight appearances.

Even the best goalies have an off night once in a while

  • Perennial Vezina Trophy candidate Andrei Vasilevskiy (G) allowed four goals on 32 shots as the Tampa Bay Lightning were defeated 4-1 by the Calgary Flames. Vasilevskiy has now allowed three or more goals in four consecutive games for the first time this season.
  • Top Vezina and Hart trophy candidate Igor Shesterkin (G) allowed four goals on 17 shots and was pulled for the first time this season on route to a 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. It was only the fourth time in 37 starts this season that Shesterkin has allowed more than three goals.

Goalies: The Good

  • Antti Raanta (G) made 36 saves on Thursday and became the first goalie to shut out the first-place Colorado Avalanche this season. Raanta was expected to see a larger portion of starts this season but has mostly been relegated to backup duties. With Frederik Andersen (G) sidelined by an injury, Raanta has been thrust into more action as a result and is 3-0-1 with a 1.51 GAA and .941 SV%.
  • Craig Anderson (G) saved 30 of 31 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, helping spoil Jack Eichel’s (C) return to Buffalo. Anderson’s victory was the 300th of his career and he is putting together a very respectable season (9-8-0) at age 40 on a bottom-of-the-standings Buffalo Sabres team.

Hat-tricks and other storylines

  • Jack Eichel played his first game in Buffalo after being traded by the Sabres to the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this season. Eichel received a mixed reaction from the Buffalo faithful, who were ultimately treated to the Sabres’ 19th victory this season along with some poetic justice as Peyton Krebs (LW) and Alex Tuch (LW, RW), the two main pieces in the Eichel trade, scored goals in the 3-1 victory.
  • Sam Reinhart (C, RW) had a hat-trick for the Florida Panthers in a 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. He has 57 points (22G / 35A) and is on pace to shatter his previous career-high of 65 points set in 2018-19. Aaron Ekblad (D) and Jonathan Huberdeau (LW) both had four-assist nights. It was the fourth time this season Huberdeau has recorded four points or more and now leads the league with 82 (18G / 64A).
  • There was some concern about Johnny Gaudreau’s well-being after being clipped late in the Calgary Flames game against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday but Flames fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief as it turned out to be a false alarm. Gaudreau scored a hat-trick, extended his seven-game point streak (6G / 7A / 13PTS). He has 77 points (26G / 51A) and is pacing for what would be a career-best 111 points.
  • Anders Lee (LW) scored his first career hat-trick and has six points (5G / 1A) in his last two games. He had six points (3G / 3A) in his previous 16.
  • Filip Forsberg (LW – 1G / 2A) and Matt Duchene (C, RW – 2G / 1A) both had three-point nights. Going into action, Forsberg only had two points (1G / 1A) in his last five games while Duchene is now on a four-game point streak (6G / 2A / 8PTS).
  • Jakub Vrana (LW) scored two goals for the Red Wings and now has three goals in the two games he has played this season.
  • Alex DeBrincat (LW, RW) had two points (1G / 1A) and has 19 points (8G / 11A) in his last 12 games.
  • David Pastrnak (RW) scored a goal with 18 seconds remaining to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Pastrnak had three points (2G / 1A) in the game and has 15 points (9G / 6A) in his last 10 games.
  • Even with linemate Viktor Arvidsson (LW, RW) out for the next several weeks with a lower-body injury, Trevor Moore (LW, RW) continues to produce at an astonishing rate. Moore had three points (1G / 2A) in a 4-3 OT loss to the San Jose Sharks and has 29 points (8G / 21A) in his last 27 games.

Other News and Notes

Injury Report

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