One other week is within the books within the NHL, and fairly a little bit of motion occurred. Happily, we have you lined with the weekly NHL Rewind to catch you up.

One of many largest tales throughout the NHL noticed defenseman Torey Krug tally a five-assist efficiency, serving to the St. Louis Blues defeat the Montreal Canadiens 7-2 on Sunday. The Blues have been victorious for the seventh time of their final eight video games, sustaining their Wild Card playoff spot.

In the meantime, the Ottawa Senators got here away with a 5-3 upset win towards the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Late within the third interval, the Senators scored an empty-net purpose by way of a slap shot from middle Ridly Greig in shut, however Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly took exception and checked Greig following the purpose. A postgame brawl ensued consequently.

Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at a number of the largest tales and highlights from the week that was within the NHL.

Aim of the week: Sebastian Aho bats puck out of midair for insane game-winner

Pyotr Kochetkov and Vitek Vanecek placed on a clinic Saturday as the 2 goaltenders mixed to file 65 saves. Because of this, the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils have been pressured to play an additional time interval to determine a winner.

With slightly below 90 seconds remaining within the additional time interval, the Hurricanes lastly broke via. 

Hurricanes ahead Martin Necas carried the puck into the Devils’ zone and Vanecek was in a position to cease the shot. Nevertheless, the rebound went straight up within the air, and Aho was in a position to name sport. Aho displayed terrific hand-eye coordination as he batted the puck out of the air and into the again of the online.

It was one of many extra insane objectives we have seen all through the 2023-24 NHL season, and the aptitude for the dramatic definitely did not damage.

Theft of the week: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen slides throughout to cease Brandon Saad

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been having fun with a breakout season up to now. The Buffalo Sabres goaltender continued his sensational marketing campaign with probably the most spectacular saves of the week.

Early within the second interval, Blues defenseman Colton Parayko snapped a shot on web that Luukkonen turned apart. Nevertheless, Blues winger Kevin Hayes was in a position to safe the rebound, and he arrange one in every of his teammates on the doorstep for a primary scoring likelihood. Hayes slid the puck over to veteran ahead Brandon Saad in entrance for a point-blank vary shot, however Luukkonen slid throughout to disclaim Saad with a pad save.

Luukkonen and the Sabres could have fallen 3-1 on this explicit contest, however this save was definitely the most effective of the week.

Torey Krug leads Blues previous Canadiens with five-assist efficiency

The St. Louis Blues have had fairly the stretch not too long ago with seven wins throughout their final eight video games. The workforce stayed within the win column over the weekend with a pair of wins, together with a 7-2 triumph towards the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.

In Sunday’s convincing victory, veteran defenseman Torey Krug led the way in which with 5 assists. Krug’s 5 factors have been essentially the most by a Blues participant in franchise historical past.

Krug turned simply the second defenseman to register a five-assist sport in the course of the 2023-24 season, as he joined Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had six assists in a 7-0 win towards the New York Islanders in December 2023. It’s the first time because the 2003-04 marketing campaign during which a number of defensemen tallied five-assist video games, as Sheldon Souray and Marek Zidlicky achieved the feat.

Whereas all 5 assists have been of the secondary selection, it was nonetheless fairly the efficiency for Krug.

The Blues tallied three objectives within the opening 20 minutes to leap out to an early lead. On the 15:20 mark of the primary interval, Krug was in a position to corral the puck off of the face-off and dished it off to teammate Robert Thomas. Thomas put the puck on web, and star ahead Jordan Kyrou deposited the rebound previous goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the purpose.

It was one in every of three power-play objectives for the Blues on the afternoon, and Krug assisted on two of these man-advantage alternatives. 

The Blues proceed to climb again into the playoff image as they presently are the No. 2 Wild Card workforce within the Western Convention. 

Senators topple Maple Leafs, late sport dust-up ensues

The Ottawa Senators returned from the All-Star break following a 10-day layoff, and so they got here away with a formidable 5-3 win towards the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Nevertheless, it wasn’t the ultimate rating that had the hockey world buzzing when it got here to this contest.

Within the last seconds of Saturday’s sport, the Senators had a 4-3 lead and Ottawa ahead Ridly Greig had an empty web in entrance of him. Greig uncorked a large slap shot to place the sport away, however Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly took exception to the assertion purpose.

Rielly skated over to Greig by the aspect boards and delivered a jarring cross-check to the pinnacle of Greig. Because of Rielly’s hit, a brawl started to ensue between the 2 groups.

Senators middle Shane Pinto registered a purpose and a pair of assists to assist lead the workforce to victory. Veteran forwards Claude Giroux, Vladimir Tarasenko and Josh Norris additionally scored objectives for Ottawa.

Rielly obtained a serious penalty for cross-checking and a sport misconduct on account of the vicious hit. 

“We clearly did not just like the consequence on the empty-netter,” Toronto captain John Tavares stated following the sport. “So, we’ll stick collectively and stand our floor when mandatory.”

Rielly has an in-person listening to with the NHL scheduled for Tuesday to ensure that the league to assist decide what kind of suspension the Maple Leafs blue-liner will obtain.

Panthers shut out Avalanche

The Florida Panthers took the NHL by storm final season once they surged all the way in which to the Stanley Cup Closing. Now, it seems the Panthers are getting sizzling on the proper time but once more.

On Saturday, the Panthers shut out the Colorado Avalanche 4-0 behind one other stellar efficiency from star middle Aleksander Barkov, who registered a purpose and two assists.

Along with Barkov’s huge evening, Panthers ahead Sam Reinhart continued his spectacular marketing campaign along with his league-leading twenty second power-play purpose. 

With the Panthers already main 1-0 due to a Carter Verhaeghe power-play tally, Reinhart was the beneficiary of some phenomenal puck motion by his teammates.

Barkov had possession of the puck behind the online, and he discovered star ahead Matthew Tkachuk within the face-off circle. Tkachuk then slid the puck throughout to Reinhart within the slot, who scorched a one-timer previous Avalanche netminder Alexandar Georgiev to present the Panthers a 2-0 benefit.

Reinhart’s 22 power-play objectives are presently the seventh-most by an energetic participant in a single season. Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl holds the file with 32 power-play objectives in the course of the 2022-23 season.

It marked the sixth win in seven video games for the Panthers. Florida continues to climb within the Atlantic Division standings and solely trails the Boston Bruins by three factors for first place.

Appointment viewing this week

Avalanche at Lightning | Thursday, Feb. 15: The Avalanche have been on a large slide recently as they’ve dropped 4 consecutive video games following the All-Star break. In the meantime, the Lightning have been dealt a brutal blow final week once they misplaced defenseman Mikhail Sergachev for the remainder of the season. It is a sport each groups might desperately want within the win column.

Hurricanes at Coyotes | Friday, Feb. 16: The Hurricanes have been extraordinarily energetic over the summer season, however have been up-and-down all through the 2023-24 season. Now, Carolina appears to have hit its stride with 5 wins over its final six video games. It is a highway contest the Hurricanes will wish to have.

Kings at Bruins | Saturday, Feb. 17: The Kings notched their first win beneath interim head coach Jim Hiller on Saturday in a 4-0 win victory towards the Oilers. Los Angeles positively may have its palms full when the workforce travels to Boston, however it’ll be fascinating to see if offseason acquisition Pierre-Luc Dubois continues to raise his degree of play.

Flyers at Devils | Saturday, Feb. 17: The Stadium Sequence takes place this weekend with a pair of contests. The Flyers and Devils will do battle in a matchup of Metropolitan Division foes. The Devils discover themselves exterior of the playoff image up to now, whereas the Flyers have been one of many greater shock groups. This needs to be a enjoyable outside contest at MetLife Stadium.

Rangers at Islanders | Sunday, Feb. 18: The Stadium Sequence continues Sunday when the battle for supremacy within the New York Metropolis space takes place between the Rangers and Islanders. The Islanders have been enjoying a lot better beneath new head coach Patrick Roy, whereas the Rangers are thriving with Jonathan Fast in web. Hockey followers will come away as winners with a pair of rivalry matchups within the nice outside.