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Daily Faceoff Morning Report — 03/14/22

Nick Szeman
Nick Szeman
Mar 14, 2022, 09:05 EDTUpdated: Mar 14, 2022, 09:32 EDT
Daily Faceoff Morning Report — 03/14/22

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.

Maple Leafs lose 5-2 to Sabres in Heritage Classic

The goaltending struggles for the Toronto Maple Leafs are getting worse by the minute as Petr Mrazek (G) allowed four goals on 37 shots, the fourth consecutive game he has allowed four or more goals (1-2-0). Mrazek was playing one of his better games of late until Vinnie Hinostroza (C, RW) scored a goal from a terrible angle, early in the third period, to give the Buffalo Sabres their first lead of the night. Hinostroza had three points in the game (2G / 1A).

Auston Matthews (C) scored his 45th goal of the season and now has a five-game goal streak (7G / 1A / 8PTS). He leads the league in goals and seems poised to be the first to hit 50 but may be forced to wait a little bit longer to reach it. Frustrations boiled over for Matthews late in the third period when he delivered a high cross-check to Rasmus Dahlin that will be reviewed by the league and potentially result in supplementary discipline.

Newly formed line has big night for the Jets

In his first five games since returning from injury, Nikolaj Ehlers (LW, RW) had been playing on Winnipeg’s third line, but he was moved up to second-line mid-game on Sunday with Kyle Connor (LW) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (C). The move paid dividends as the trio combined for three goals in the 4-3 overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues. Ehlers had two points (1G / 1A) and now has six points (2G / 4A) in the six games since making his return. Dubois also had two points (1G / 1A), including the overtime winner. Connor had a three-point night (1G / 2A) and has 15 points (8G / 7A) in his last 10 games.

Vladimir Tarasenko (RW) had a three-point effort (1G / 2A) in the loss and now has eight points (1G / 7A) in his last five games. Tarasenko has never previously finished a season at a point-per-game pace but currently has 54 points (20G / 34A) in 54 games.

Predators top Wild in big divisional matchup

Roman Josi (D) led the way with four points (2G / 2A) and set a new career-high in goals (17) and points (66) in only his 57th game this season. Josi has 13 points on a current six-game point streak (3G / 10A). Filip Forsberg (LW) scored his 31st goal of the season, the third time he has reached the mark in his career, in a three-point night (2G / 1A). Forsberg has eight points (4G / 4A) in his last three games. Matt Duchene (C, RW) had two assists and has 13 points (8G / 5A) on a six-game point streak. All three of these players are currently pacing to have their first point-per-game seasons.

With the loss, the Minnesota Wild remain in third place in the Central Division but are now tied in points with the Predators with one game in hand.

Penguins defeat Eastern-leading Hurricanes

Sidney Crosby (C) scored an empty-net goal late in the third-period goal from behind his own goal line that ended up being the game-winning goal in an eventual 4-2 victory for the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Carolina Hurricanes. The goal was Crosby’s 20th of the season, the 14th time he has reached the milestone in his 17-year career. The goal also extended his season-high point streak to nine games (6G / 6A / 12PTS). Tristan Jarry (G) saved 41 of 43 shots and now has consecutive wins with 40 or more saves.

Evan Rodrigues (C, RW) was recently moved up to the second line alongside Evgeni Malkin (C) and had an assist in the game to give him points in back-to-back games (1G / 1A / 2PTS) for the first time since Malkin made his season debut in early January. Since Malkin’s return, Rodrigues has primarily seen third-line deployment and minimal production after an incredible start to the season (33GP / 15G / 15A / 30PTS). Rodrigues clearly has shown the ability to produce and if he continues to play with Malkin. Perhaps Rodrigues can offer more of what he did early in the season.

Bjorkstrand, Sillinger lead Blue Jackets

Patrik Laine (LW, RW) was a game-time decision after leaving his previous game with a lower-body injury but showed no ill effects as he opened the scoring two minutes into the first period. Oliver Bjorkstrand (LW, RW) had a massive four-point night (1G / 3A) and has points in seven of his last eight games (5G / 5A / 10PTS). Rookie Cole Sillinger (C) recorded his first career hat-trick after being held pointless in his previous five games.

The Vegas Golden Knights had been hesitant to start Logan Thompson (G) whenever Robin Lehner (G) has been injured. Thompson got his third career start on Sunday but certainly didn’t instil any more confidence in his ability as he allowed five goals on 37 shots. The Golden Knights have allowed 16 goals over a current four-game losing streak (0-4-0) and are facing somewhat of a mid-season crisis as injuries continue to pile up. Jonathan Marchessault (C, LW) had two points in the loss (1G / 1A) and is the only player for the Golden Knights that has managed to stay healthy and produce consistently all season. He has 12 points (5G / 7A) in his last nine games.

Avs win battle of Western Conference elite

The Calgary Flames were shut out for the first time this season as the Colorado Avalanche defeated them 3-0 in a meeting of the top two teams in the Western Conference. Darcy Kuemper (G) made a season-high 46 saves for the shutout and recorded his first win in four starts (1-2-0) despite having a .942 SV% across those games.

Nathan MacKinnon (C – 2G / 0A) and Mikko Rantanen (C, RW – 1G / 1A) both had two points in the victory. MacKinnon has points in all but one of his last 14 games (12G / 7A / 19PTS) whereas Rantanen registered points for just the second time in his last seven games (2G / 2A / 4PTS). Johnny Gaudreau (6G / 8A / 14PTS) and Elias Lindholm (7G / 6A / 13PTS) both saw eight-game point streaks come to an end in the shutout loss.

Canadiens improve to 8-5-1 under St. Louis

The Montreal Canadiens won 4-3 in overtime over the Philadelphia Flyers and won for the eighth time in the 14 games since Martin St. Louis was hired as the head coach. The Canadiens had only won eight times (8-30-7) in the previous 45 games with Dominique Ducharme.

Rem Pitlick (C, LW, RW) tied the game with under one minute remaining in regulation in part of a two-point night (1G / 1A). Pitlick has 16 points (6G / 10A) in the 23 games since being traded to the Montreal Canadiens. Nick Suzuki (C, RW) had two goals in the victory and has recorded points in all but one of his last 10 games (7G / 8A / 15PTS). Cole Caufield (LW, RW) scored the overtime game-winner on an old-school slapshot as he was breaking into the Flyers zone. Caufield added an assist as well and has 15 points (6G / 9A) in his last 11 games.

Streaks end for Lightning, Canucks

The Tampa Bay Lightning snapped a season-worst three-game pointless skid (0-3-0) with a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Andrei Vasilevskiy (G) saved 33 of 34 shots in the victory and allowed fewer than three goals for the first time in his last five outings (2-3-0).

The Canucks failed to gain a point in the standings for the first time in five games (3-1-1). J.T Miller (C, LW) scored the lone goal for the Canucks and extended his point streak to 12 games (8G / 16A / 24PTS).

Other News and Notes

Injury Report

  • Robert Thomas (STL) was a late scratch with a non-COVID-related illness.
  • Max Pacioretty (VGK) did not play after leaving the game early on Friday.
  • Elias Pettersson (VAN) did not play and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
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