NHL Daily: Nicklas Backstrom, Nikita Scherbak, Patrik Laine

NHL Daily: Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom recorded his 500th assist on Saturday night, Montreal Canadiens rookie Nikita Scherbak scores a goal early in his debut, Patrik Laine takes a massive hit from Sabres D Jake McCabe, and more! (Morning Coffee Headlines)

Grab your morning cup of coffee and join us here at Puck Prose for a compilation of NHL daily links that will help keep you updated with everything going on in the hockey world.

12 games were on the NHL schedule Saturday. Winnipeg fell 4-3 to Buffalo and lost rookie Patrik Laine on a big hit, Edmonton beat New Jersey 2-1, Washington shut out the Senators 1-0, NY Rangers edged Columbus 5-4 on the road, St. Louis defeated Dallas 4-3, Arizona won 2-1 at home versus the NY Islanders, while the San Jose Sharks trampled the Red Wings 6-3 in the late game.

Here is your highlight of the night:

NHL Daily: Morning Coffee Headlines

Backstrom Records 500th Assist

Washington Capitals veteran forward Nicklas Backstrom hit a big milestone on Saturday reaching 500 assists. In doing so, the Swede has become the first Caps player in history to join the club. [NHL.com]

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Eichel Earning the “C”

Richard Spalding over at Sabre Noise believes that Jack Eichel is already earning the “C” based on his play on the ice and dedication off the ice. Among his many compelling arguments, he cites the fact that Jack isn’t afraid to use the media to challenge himself and teammates. [Sabre Noise]

Scherbak Scores in Debut

With the recent injury to Brendan Gallagher, the Montreal Canadiens were forced to dip into their prospect pool down in St. John’s. This time around, the Habs decided to give Nikita Scherbak a long overdue look. He didn’t disappoint scoring early in the game on a pass from Shea Weber. [Yahoo Sports]

Ode to Dubinsky

Alexandra Russo over at Blue Line Station is paying homage to former Rangers players. Yesterday, she took a look at Brandon Dubinsky, who wound up being shipped out in 2012 to Columbus as part of the Rick Nash deal. [Blue Line Station]

Laine Takes Big Hit

As you can see in our highlight of the night, Jets rookie Patrik Laine was on the wrong end of a hard Jake McCabe hit. Laine was forced out of the game and did not return, but luckily he was seen boarding the team bus later on. We never like to see players get hurt, but it doesn’t get much cleaner than that. [ESPN]

Caps Win, Holtby Earns 2nd Straight Shutout

Washington Capitals starter Braden Holtby is on fire of late. After shutting out the Blue Jackets to snap a 16-game win streak on Friday, Holt-beast responded with another 30-save shutout versus Ottawa on Saturday. [Stars and Sticks]

Next: Vegas Golden Knights Mock Expansion Draft Roundtable

NHL Daily Morning Rant

I’ve got a new-found respect for Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe. Despite the fact that Jets players responded by dropping the gloves, it was clear in post-game interviews that no one had a problem with the hit. And truth be told, it’s kinda refreshing to see a good ol’ hockey hit.

In Laine’s defence, it was a bit of a suicide pass. Sure, it was right on the tape, but as soon as the Finn lifted his head, there was no time to avoid the collision. Hopefully the Jets rookie is okay and doesn’t miss any time.

All of that being said, I fear the days of these big open-ice hits could be numbered. We’ve got crusaders battling to get hits and fighting out of the game, and all those who oppose are considered “dinosaurs” who don’t care about public safety. If we don’t fight to preserve the values/traditions of our sport, we risk losing a whole lot more than just the physical aspect of the game.

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