Page 46 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 119
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46 Issue #119 December 2022 www.sportsenergynews.com
Over the Boards - Surprise Teams in NHL
In the Eastern conference the Blackwood and Akira Schmid have offence. Coach Dave Hakstol has
By Brad Robertson
New Jersey Devils have reeled off also started games and held their pushed all the right buttons thus far.
a thirteen game winning streak and own. Up front young stars Jack 2022 fourth overall draft pick hasn’t
lead the Metropolitan division by 6 Hughes leads the team in goals, played much and is currently on a
points. Their 36 points have them and Jesper Bratt in assists. Captain conditioning stint with their farm
tied atop the conference standings Nico Hischier is among their point team in Coachella Valley. It will
with the equally hot Boston Bruins. leaders as well. The defence core is be interesting to see what comes
New Jersey are third in the NHL led by star Dougie Hamilton, whose of their decision regarding his
in Goals Per Game, first in Goals strong two-way play has led the way development this season after the
Against and seventh in Penalty for the rest of the D core. Coach conditioning stint. Do they loan him
Killing. Their Power Play clocks Lindy Ruff has managed his teams’ to Team Canada in the World Junior
in only at twenty-second but still individuals’ minutes very well as Tournament? Do they eventually
clicks at a 20% rate. The Devils start he plays all four lines, and the top send him back to his Junior team
has been a total team affair with guys stay fresh as their minutes are in Kingston, or do they commit to
contributions from all four forward at about twenty or less per game. play him and develop him with the
ell, American Thanksgiving lines, stingy defence, and some That balanced attack is working big club? Can Seattle keep up their
Wis usually when NHL teams terrific goaltending. beautifully for them. Speed and pace? Only time will tell.
start evaluating their teams and skill are definitely an asset for this
figuring out their best course of New Jersey Vitek Vanecek, club but their overall depth up front, There is progress being made
acquired in a draft day deal with the in several markets that have gone
action moving forward. There are on the back end, and in goal, has
two surprise teams, one in each Washington Capitals, has played been key to their start. It’s a coaches through tough times on the ice
conference, which have enjoyed in fourteen games and has a low dream to be able to roll four lines recently. The Detroit Red Wings
2.04 GAA. Young Mackenzie are alive and well currently in third
amazing starts to their season. consistently and not rely on one or
two lines for all the offence. If New place in the Atlantic Division, and
the Montreal Canadiens are two
Mike’s contact Karate Jersey can keep up this pace, the games over .500 in a rebuilding
playoffs are a given. cycle. The Buffalo Sabres went
Over in the Western Conference through an eight game losing streak
the second year Seattle Kraken are but have looked better this season.
definitely making some noise as they The Vancouver Canucks had a
sit second in the Pacific Conference brutal start to their season but are
with 29 points behind the Vegas quietly making their way up the
Golden Knights and third in the standings and are only a game under
conference. They have increased .500 now. New coach Rick Bowness
their goals a game dramatically in Winnipeg, a team that basically
with 3.57 GPG, and they are tenth stood pat in the off season, has them
overall in Goals Against Average. trending in the right direction as
Their Power Play is clicking along well and sitting in second place in
at 23.2%, but their penalty killing the Central Division with 27 points
is an anemic 69.7% and twenty- trailing Bowness’ former team the
ninth in the league. No player Dallas Stars by only a point.
has more than 21 points (Andrei The NHL season is basically
Burakovsky), and the minutes are at the quarter point and there are
spread pretty equally amongst the
only a handful of teams that are
forwards. Goaltender Martin Jones struggling pointwise. They would
has taken the #1 spot from Phillip
be Ottawa, Columbus, Chicago, San
Grubauer and has posted eleven Jose, Anaheim, and Arizona. Let’s
or 613-577-9054 and posted a solid 2.58 GAA along see what happens up until the trade
wins in seventeen games played
613-932-9054
deadline where plenty of teams will
the way. A solid power play and
be looking for help in the push to
balanced scoring has aided the
make some playoff noise.
