11 preseason games took place last night with a handful of teams sending split-squads into action. One of those teams was the Winnipeg Jets, and the split-squad that began things in Winnipeg got the franchise’s re-birth off to a roaring start.
The Night that Was:
-Things started off with a hit and a fight in Winnipeg last night, as Dustin Byfuglien showed Jets fans a little taste of what they were in for all season long, and after that it was a healthy dose of offense. Paul Potsma scored the first goal for the latest installation of the Jets and from there on out there was plenty to cheer about. Potsma would add three assists for a four-point night and Mark Scheifele, this year’s first round pick, had two goals and two assists for an electrifying first game. Seven other players recorded a point as the Jets beat the Blue Jackets 6-1.
-It was a different story for the Jets team that visited Columbus however. The Blue Jackets scored the first three goals of that one before Evander Kane got the Jets on the board but that’s all they’d get. Maksim Mayorov had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets and 11 other players for Columbus had a point in the Jackets’ 5-1 win.
-In Toronto, the Maple Leafs played their second game in as many days, but it was a very different result. After winning their pre-season opener against Ottawa the evening before, they fell to the new-look Philadelphia Flyers. Wayne Simmonds and Sean Couturier were amongst the new acquisitions to get on the board for Philadelphia, as Brayden Schenn and Jakub Voracek would also record assists. Couturier, who was once thought to be a candidate to go first overall but went eighth, had a goal and an assist as Philadelphia rolled to a 4-0 win.
-Remember last year when Carey Price said “calm down, it’s just pre-season”? Well he may be saying it again after last night. Price made just nine saves on thirteen shots as Dallas torched the Canadiens 6-3. Former Habs Michael Ryder and Mike Ribeiro both scored against their former team and had two-point nights, while Erik Cole scored Montreal’s first goal of the evening.
-Formerly a New York Rangers draft pick, Evgeny Grachev made case to be a St. Louis Blue last night. Grachev had a pair of goals for the Blues last night, David Backes and Jamie Langenbrunner had two helpers, and Jonathan Cheechoo had an assist as the Blues scored a 3-1 win over Tampa Bay. Steve Downie was the only one to score for Tampa Bay.
-In an all-Canadian matchup, the Calgary Flames made as much of a statement as you can in the pre-season against the reigning Western Conference Champs. Tom Kostopoulos, Alex Tanguay, and Brendan Mikkelson all had two points in Calgary’s 5-1 win over Vancouver. These Canucks were without Roberto Luongo or Cory Schneider, both Sedins, and many other regulars.
-The split-squads for both of these teams had the opposite result. Vancouver was able to pull out a 4-3 win over the Flames thanks to two-point nights from Marco Sturm, Jordan Schroeder, Nicklas Jensen, and Steven Pinizzotto. Cory Schneider got the start for these Canucks, stopping 17 of 20 shots, while Nicklas Hagman had a pair of goals for Calgary.
-Phoenix and Anaheim took part in an offensively charged matchup last night as the Coyotes came out on top 7-4. Andrew Cogliano and Kyle Palmieri each had two points for the Ducks, while Teemu Selanne added an assist in his return. Patrick O’Sullivan had a four-point night (2g/2a) and Andy Miele had three points (1g/2a) and 10 other Coyotes added at least one point.
-Baltimore hosted an NHL exhibition game last night as the Nashville Predators visited, and beat, the Washington Capitals 2-0. Chris Mueller had a goal and an assist and Niclas Bergfors had two assist in the win over a Washington club who played Alexander Ovechkin, Alex Semin, and others.
-In the first split-squad game for Edmonton, the Oilers weren’t able to pull out the victory, falling 4-3 to the Minnesota Wild. Anton Lander and Magnus Paajarvi each had two points for the Oilers, but Jared Spurgeon had two goals to sink the Oil. Matt Cullen added two assists for the Wild.
-In the second split-squad game, the Oilers pulled out a 4-2 win over Chicago. Despite the loss, Jonathan Toews was ecstatic about the chance to skate alongside his brother David, but both were held scoreless. Josh Green had two goals for the Oilers and Ryan Smyth had one. And if you’re wondering, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins looked pretty good, recording an assist.
What’s on Tonight:
Another busy night with 10 games on the exhibition schedule. Phoenix and Los Angeles pit their split-squads against one another.
Other News:
-The NHL Board of Governors held a meeting yesterday regarding the green goal-verification line and received conditional approval to go ahead with the project. The thinner mesh on top of the net and clear skirts around the base of the net were also approved, and the changed now await the go-ahead from Colin Campbell.
-Dustin Byfuglien is facing four charges for boating under impairment, after an incident that happened in late summer. While Byfuglien did agree to a breathalyzer, he refused to submit a blood or urine sample, which his side stated that he did not know was a chargeable offense. Byfuglien will appear in court on October 21st.
You can follow Bryan on Twitter at BryanThiel_88.