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'I'm Dumbfounded': Wild Put Together First Winning Streak Of The Season After A Controversial Overtime-Winner

ST. PAUL, Minn - No one could have expected the final result of this game based on the first two periods. The Minnesota Wild (5-6-3) opened the first period with five high-danger chances against.

Constant turnovers led to multiple chances for the Nashville Predators (5-6-4). But Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson stood tall.

After a bad penalty by Michael Bunting, the Wild got their second power play chance of the opening period. Kirill Kaprizov and the top power play in the league, executed. It was Kaprizov's ninth goal of the year.

Even with the lead, the Wild's bad defensive play leaked into the second period. At one point Nashville outshot the Wild, 13-2. Matthew Wood tied the game at 1-1 after a turnover by Tyler Pitlick in the second.

But Zeev Buium answered on the power play to regain the lead. He jumped up into the slot and redirected a pass from Brock Faber into the back of the net past Justus Annunen.

“We always talk about good power plays everyone can play everywhere," Buium said. "You can’t be uncomfortable playing spots you’ve never played before. When you’re moving and you’re playing off instinct and just playing for each other, things like that can happen. Brock made a great play. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be the net-front guy.”

"Yeah, that was a good read," Wild head coach John Hynes said on the goal. "I think it was a nice read by Fabes too. I think the guy was in the shot lane for that shot tip play. So that was a good look."

Nashville continued to press in the third period but Gustavsson stood his ground. The Predators pulled Annunen for the extra attacker with about two minutes left.

The Wild had a chance at the empty net in the offensive zone but neither Matt Boldy or Joel Eriksson Ek could score.

Nashville went all the way back down and got the Wild trapped in the defensive zone. After a few icings and three face-off losses by Eriksson Ek, the Predators somehow tied it.

It came after Eriksson Ek went to clear the puck with two seconds left but the puck hit the ref along the boards. It then landed on the stick of Nick Blankenburg who later fed one to Steven Stamkos on the far side.

Stamkos, who hadn't scored or gotten a point in his last nine games, fired a one-timer that flew past the left shoulder of Gustavsson and into the net with 0.3 seconds left.

"All those one timers, you never know where they're shooting," Gustavsson said on the goal. "I don't think they know themselves either. I just missed it I guess."

Stamkos added: "Well, I took a peek at the clock with about eight seconds left. I knew any opportunity we’re gonna have to get the puck off quick. And we did a great job again of controlling the puck. We had some looks, some retrievals, some battles and just tried to get a shot off. Got a nice pass from Blankie and nice to see that go in."

After review it was clear that Stamkos scored with time still on the clock which sent this one to overtime.

Another possession type of overtime led to a very controversial goal.

Annunen, who had knocked the net off a different time, went to push off of the post when Kaprizov fed it across to Marcus Johansson. As Johansson went to shoot it, the net came off.

The referees instantly awarded it a goal even though the puck never went into the net.

"Yeah, I mean, I thought the explanation was, in his opinion, it was a goal," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "I disagree with his opinion but that’s the way it is."

After having Toronto review it, it still remained a goal. The Wild left the ice satisfied with the win and the Predators stayed on the ice to try and get an explanation.

It is safe to say the Predators were not happy with the call but the rules clearly state that it is indeed a goal.

"The net clearly comes off. I don't know how the ref can stand there with a straight face and call it a goal, and then they call Toronto, and they still decide to call it a goal," Predators forward Michael McCarron said. "I mean, I'm dumbfounded. I feel like we got screwed tonight. I don't know how they can call that a goal, really. I mean, we outplayed the other team quite a bit tonight. I think we had our A game. We were going. We found a way to score at the end there late.

"Unfortunately, we weren't able to hit them where it hurts early in the in the second period, in the middle of second period, where we were all over them. I think that's really where we've got to have that killer instinct to put them away in that second period, and then it comes down to that, which is unfortunate. I still don't understand. I'd love to hear some more clarification on that how the NHL can think that's a goal. Unfortunate. We played our butts off tonight, and I think we deserve better."

Well here is what the NHL had to say.

Rule 63.7: In the event that the goal post is displaced, either deliberately or accidentally, by a defending player, prior to the puck crossing the goal line between the normal position of the goalposts, the Referee may award a goal. In order to award a goal in this situation, the goal post must have been displaced by the actions of a defending player, the attacking player must have an imminent scoring opportunity prior to the goal post being displaced, and it must be determined that the puck would have entered the net between the normal position of the goal posts.

Credit to Johansson. Even though the net was off, he still shot the puck as if the net was in place. This helped him get credit with the goal.

“No. I mean I didn’t know really what happened. Didn’t know if we were supposed to celebrate or not. Just kind of didn’t know what the call was going to be," Johansson said. "When it’s pushed off like that, maybe it’s the right thing to do. But thankfully I put it in even though the net wasn’t there.”

Nonetheless, the Wild will take it. A win is a win. We are now 14 games into the season and the Wild just won two straight games for the first time all season. They started the homestand 0-2-2 but finished it with two wins.

Time will tell if the Wild can build off of this or not with the back-to-back coming up on Thursday and Friday. But the win was huge to say the least.

“Yeah definitely," Johansson said on finishing the homestand with two wins. "We can’t do anything about the past now, but we need to keep building off of this, building and get some confidence off these wins and move in the right direction.”

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Sabres Prospect Takes Advantage Of Big Opportunity

Noah Ostlund (© Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

Ahead of their Nov. 5 contest against the Utah Mammoth, the Buffalo Sabres called up prospect Noah Ostlund to their NHL roster. With the Sabres having multiple forwards sidelined, Ostlund was immediately inserted into the Sabres' lineup against the Mammoth, and he took advantage of it.

With 12:10 left in the third period, Ostlund tied the game up at 1-1 by scoring his first career NHL goal. It was a nice one, too, as he fired a feed from Isak Rosen past Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka for the goal.

Before his goal against the Mammoth, Ostlund was held off the scoresheet in each of his four games this season with Buffalo. He also did not get on the scoresheet in his first eight career NHL games with Buffalo this past season. As a result, this was not only his first NHL goal but also his first NHL point.

Ostlund immediately scoring after getting called up to the Sabres' roster is certainly a good thing for the 2022 first-round pick. He stood out positively, and he will now be looking to continue with the Sabres from here. If he does, it should open the door for him to get more opportunities with the NHL club this season.

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Steve Nash hilariously credits Steph Curry for pushing him into retirement

Steve Nash hilariously credits Steph Curry for pushing him into retirement originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

On the latest episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast, co-host Steve Nash told a story to LeBron James and guest Steph Curry about the moment he realized his NBA career was done — and Curry was part of the reason why.

The moment traces back to the 2014-15 preseason, when Nash and the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Warriors in Ontario, California. Golden State came out firing, putting up a 39-point first quarter and eventually cruising to a 116–75 win. Curry dropped 12 points in the opening 2:30 and finished with 25 points in just 24 minutes.

Nash, already dealing with back issues, knew he didn’t have the legs to keep up with Curry flying around screens.

“I’m guarding Steph,” Nash said. “They put up like 50 in the first quarter — maybe it was 45, but it felt like a 50-piece. He’s running everywhere. My back is broke. Everything’s jacked. I couldn’t have stopped him if I was 100 percent.”

A few days later, the realization hit.

“Man, literally like three more, four more days of thinking on it, I was like… yeah. I think it’s time,” Nash joked to Curry. “You put me out!”

In July 2014, Nash already had said the upcoming season would be his last. The 40-year-old point guard played just three preseason games before his back flared up again, including the one against the Warriors in Ontario. On October 23, 2014, less than a week before opening night, he was ruled out for the season and never appeared in another NBA game.

Nash didn’t formally announce his retirement until March 2015, but he says now that the moment guarding Curry was when the decision really settled in.

Instead of stepping away from the game entirely, Nash shifted into a new consulting role with the Warriors.

“Next thing I know,” Curry said, “he showed up at practice teaching us pick-and-roll.”

On the podcast, Nash joked that it was one of those “if you can’t beat ’em” situations — and LeBron quickly finished the line for him before the trio erupted into laughter. The matchup that ended his playing days ultimately brought him right back into the game.

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'Future Hall Of Famer' John Tavares To Be Honored By Maple Leafs Ahead Of Game Vs. Mammoth After Scoring 500 Goals

Ahead of Wednesday's game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Utah Mammoth, John Tavares will receive his flowers, both figuratively and literally.

The 35-year-old scored his 500th career goal one week ago against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was supposed to be a moment for the Maple Leafs to celebrate, but it was instead overshadowed by the enormous 6-1 scoreline at the time, and the loss that followed. 

"It's really hard to comment on it right now," Tavares said after the 6-3 defeat to the Blue Jackets.

"I understand the question and appreciate it, but you play this game to win as a team, and it's all about the team. You'd like to have made more of an impact in the game, but for sure in the days ahead and moments ahead, I'll appreciate it more."

Tavares struck a different tone about the subject on Tuesday, a day after the Maple Leafs' comeback win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and almost 24 hours before the organization holds a ceremony for the historic milestone.

"Yeah, it'll be special," he said, with a smile.

"To hit a mark like that. You never take it for granted. Even though it came in the fashion that it did, you know, you appreciate each and every goal that went in and how difficult it can be."

Only 48 other players in NHL history have hit the historic 500-goal mark. Tavares has scored 228 of those markers with the Maple Leafs and 272 with his former club, the New York Islanders, whom he was drafted by in 2009.

"So many of them, you just have to do the easy part and just push the puck over the line. So, you know, grateful for my teammates, all the support through my years here in Toronto and obviously in New York as well," Tavares added.

"Coaches, staff, family, everyone that helps me on a daily basis through the journey I've been on in my career. So, yeah, it'll be nice to take a few moments and to share with everyone. Definitely don't take it for granted, and like I said, just want to keep it going."

Not only did Tavares hit that milestone, but the veteran forward also tallied his 500th point with his second team in October, becoming only the fourth player in NHL history — alongside Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Ron Francis — to achieve the feat.

"It's great to come to the rink every day and see what he does and trying to pick up things from him and learn too," said Matias Maccelli, who's only been a teammate of Tavares' for a few months.

"I mean, he’s a future Hall of Famer. I mean, he's just a phenomenal player."

'What A Feeling, Especially For Your Hometown Team': Maple Leafs' Easton Cowan Pots First NHL Goal Against Flyers'What A Feeling, Especially For Your Hometown Team': Maple Leafs' Easton Cowan Pots First NHL Goal Against FlyersCowan's first NHL goal comes in his ninth career game with the Maple Leafs.

Morgan Rielly was also giving Tavares praise on Tuesday afternoon. The 31-year-old has been teammates with Tavares ever since he signed a massive seven-year, $77 million contract with Toronto in 2018.

Rielly has witnessed everything from Tavares' career-high 47 goals the year he signed, his captaincy in Toronto, and the several important goals he's scored for the Maple Leafs over the years.

And on Wednesday night, he'll be there to watch his teammate receive an honor he rightly deserves.

"Yeah, it's incredible,"  Rielly said of Tavares' latest accomplishment.

"I mean, not many guys have done that. He's been an incredible player for a long time. You don't get the 500 goals without a massive level of commitment and drive. He's been a real role model for a lot of people."

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Kadri Set to Hit 1,000-Game Milestone as Flames Host Blue Jackets

It will be a special night at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday, as Nazem Kadri reaches one of hockey’s most respected career milestones — his 1,000th NHL game. The Calgary Flames forward will become just the 12th player to hit the mark while wearing the Flaming C.

Captain, Mikael Backlund reached the millennium mark with the Flames last season. 

Kadri, who was drafted seventh overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2009, has carved out a career defined by resilience, intensity, and a fiery competitiveness that’s made him one of the league’s most respected two-way players. After stints in Toronto and Colorado — where he captured the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022 — Kadri brought his trademark edge and leadership to Calgary, quickly becoming a cornerstone of the franchise.

© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Ahead of the milestone, Kadri showed his lighter side at practice, donning a yellow non-contact jersey as a tongue-in-cheek nod to his upcoming achievement. But make no mistake — the 34-year-old is ready to go when the puck drops.

“To be physically and mentally ready for that many games, it’s an incredible achievement,” Kadri told the media on Tuesday. â€œI have so much thankfulness and gratitude at this point that I’ve been able to be put into this position to do what I love to do and to continue to do it.”

© Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Known for his combination of grit and offensive creativity, Kadri has led the Flames in scoring for each of the past two seasons and once again paces the team this year with 10 points (3G, 7A). His blend of leadership and passion has made him a steadying presence in a locker room undergoing transition.

For Kadri, Wednesday’s game isn’t just another number — it’s a celebration of perseverance, growth, and the journey from a young draft pick in Toronto to a Cup champion and veteran leader in Calgary.

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How Tony Vitello believes Bryce Eldridge can develop into ‘complete player'

How Tony Vitello believes Bryce Eldridge can develop into ‘complete player' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants manager Tony Vitello has spent most of his coaching career at the college level molding young men into refined baseball players. 

That will not end with his jump to MLB in San Francisco. 

Vitello gets the chance to coach the organization’s top prospect, 21-year-old Bryce Eldridge. During an interview on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs”, Vitello revealed how Eldridge can improve. 

“Physically, he’s still growing into that body,” Vitello noted. â€œAnd body control is so important. Part of that is adding in agility stuff and things to become more athletic.” 

Eldridge stands at 6-foot-7, weighing 240 pounds. He is the tallest position player to wear a Giants uniform since first baseman Damon Minor (2000-04). 

At just 21-years-old, it probably hasn’t been long since Eldridge stopped growing. Getting more comfortable with his body, as Vitello says, will help him at the plate. 

“With those guys, it takes longer to gain true core strength and control your body and just make things easier to repeat,” Vitello explained. “When he does that, it’ll be a higher percentage of success he has at the plate.” 

Eldridge, called up from Triple-A in mid-September, had just three hits in 28 at-bats in his 10 games played with the Giants. Despite his quiet late-season major league stint, he was a force in the minor leagues, which earned him the call-up. In 102 games played across three minor league levels, Eldridge batted .260 with 25 home runs and 84 RBI.

Learning how to play in his body will help him with more than just hitting, Vitello notes. 

“Defensively and on the bases, I think he’ll become a more complete player and more of a complete athlete,” Vitello said. 

Eldridge’s new major league coach also praised the young prospect’s foundation that will help with his development. 

“I wouldn’t by any means call him raw. He knows what he is doing,” Vitello said. “He played at a very high level in some competitive areas and on a great team when he was in high school even. And now he’s been through the system a little bit.” 

Eldridge’s development could prove to be Vitello’s keystone project in his new job, given the manager’s expertise, and he clearly is excited about the prospect’s potential. 

“What a blessing, to see a guy that is ultra-talented and can make an impact at a high level right away. But also, you can legitimately dream on what is to come,” Vitello said.

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‘Baz Bawl’: Australian media stoke Ashes rivalry with welcome for England’s Stokes

  • Captain labelled a ‘Cocky Complainer’ on arrival in Perth

  • Article critical of Stokes and McCullum’s positive tactics

Australian media gave Ben Stokes a scathing welcome to the country in the buildup to the Ashes. A picture of the England captain pushing a trolley laden with luggage at the airport was accompanied by the headline “Baz Bawl” on the front page of the West Australian newspaper.

“England’s Cocky Captain Complainer, still smarting from ‘crease-gate’, lands in Perth early thinking dopey “BazBall’ can take the Ashes,” read the subhead in reference to an incident in the last series when Jonny Bairstow was controversially stumped. The article went on to criticise England’s tactics under Stokes and the head coach, Brendon McCullum, describing it as “carefree and careless thrash batting”.

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Van de Ven brushes off Frank snub and reflects on his Spurs wonder goal

  • Incident with manager after Chelsea loss ‘nothing big’

  • He felt ‘I need to score’ after storming Copenhagen run

Micky van de Ven has downplayed the furore over his standoff with Thomas Frank after Tottenham’s Premier League defeat by Chelsea on Saturday, insisting it was misinterpreted and blown out of proportion. The centre-half preferred to focus on how the team had bounced back to thrash FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday – a game in which he scored a thrilling individual goal.

Van de Ven was all smiles after the Copenhagen victory, his surge and finish from one box to the other drawing comparisons to Son Heung-min’s Puskas Award-winning effort for Spurs against Burnley in 2019. It was a vivid contrast to the post-Chelsea scenes when Spurs were booed off by their home crowd, having also been jeered by them during the game.

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Fantasy Basketball Trade Tips: Early Season Buy Low, Sell High Guide

Early-season fantasy basketball trades separate contenders from pretenders. Shooting percentages haven't normalized, roles remain fluid, and league-mates overreact to hot starts or cold streaks. Smart managers target buy-low candidates with strong underlying metrics, cash in on unsustainable efficiency, and hold established players through shooting slumps. Understanding usage rates and minute trends reveals which performances are real versus noise. Act fast before the market catches up.

Buy

Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

As the top pick in the draft and one of the more highly regarded prospects in recent history, Flagg entered the league with significant fantasy expectations. He was going in the third or fourth round in many leagues, which means he's someone that fantasy managers intended to build their team around. The early returns have not been great, with him averaging 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 three-pointers. His biggest issue has been shooting only 38.8% from the field.

Since Kyrie Irving (knee) is out, the Mavericks have been deploying Flagg at point guard for stretches. That's a difficult assignment for any rookie, let alone one who is more suited to be a forward at 6'9". Despite the early growing pains, Flagg has massive upside. Once Irving comes back, Flagg can all settle back into a more suitable role playing the wing. Fantasy managers who drafted him early might be frustrated with their initial returns, so there is a possible buy-low window here.

Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls

Buzelis was widely regarded as one of the top breakout candidates this season. He didn't play much to begin his rookie season with the Bulls, but once they moved him into the starting lineup, his fantasy upside began to show. With a secure spot in the starting lineup entering this season, it looked like full-steam ahead for Buzelis when he recorded 21 points, six rebounds and three blocks in his season opener versus the Pistons. However, he has averaged a more modest 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks since.

Buzelis hasn't contributed a ton outside of points and three-pointers. It is encouraging to see him shooting 46.9% from the field and 42.4% from behind the arc. It's also good to see him logging 29 minutes per game. If not for a rough game against a very good Magic defensive team in which he fouled out in six minutes, his overall numbers for the season would look better. Big things could still be on the horizon.

Sell

RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors

The addition of Brandon Ingram figured to cut into Barrett's scoring opportunities. However, Barrett is still averaging 20.8 points per game, which is nearly in line with his average of 21.1 points last season. However, it's important to point out that Barrett is shooting 55.4% from the field. He has shot 44.3% for his career, so some significant regression could be coming. His usage rate has indeed dipped significantly, falling from 28.7% last season to 23.3% through eight games.

Barrett averaged 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists last season, but is down to 4.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season. If not for his significant increase in efficiency, his overall numbers would have taken a big step backward from last season. Trade him now before his shooting percentage begins to normalize.

Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia 76ers

Grimes helped many fantasy managers down the stretch last season. Over his final 25 games, he averaged 23.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 3.1 three-pointers. With the 76ers dealing with so many injuries, he logged 34 minutes per game during that span and was often their top scoring option. Despite Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid being back in the fold this season, Grimes has averaged 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.7 three-pointers over their first seven games.

Helping Grimes has been him playing 32 minutes per game. That type of workload might not be sustainable now that Jared McCain is back. Grimes played 30 minutes in McCain's first game of the season Tuesday against the Bulls, finishing with 10 points, three rebounds and four assists. Paul George (knee) should also return at some point down the road. It's possible that Grimes could be in the 25-to-28-minute range moving forward, so his fantasy value might have already peaked. 

Hold

Derrick White, Boston Celtics

White looked primed for an expanded role entering the season. Jayson Tatum (Achilles) is out, and the Celtics traded away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Other than Anfernee Simons, the Celtics didn't make any noteworthy additions. That left White with the potential to set a new career high in points after he put up 16.4 points per game last season.

As many expected, the added shots have been there for White. His usage rate is 23.6%, which is up from 19.8% last season. The issue is, him shooting 31.0% from the field and 26.3% from behind the arc has limited him to 14.4 points per game. Entering this season, White had shot at least 38.1% from behind the arc in each of his first three full campaigns with the Celtics. As his three-point percentage improves, so should his scoring contributions. Don't panic about his slow start and trade him at a discount.

Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic

The Magic had a clear need in the offseason and it was to improve their three-point shooting. That made the acquisition of Bane seem like a perfect fit. He has averaged at least 2.4 three-pointers in each of the last four seasons, and he has shot 40.8% from behind the arc for his career. The surprise for the Magic and fantasy managers alike is that Bane is shooting 28.6% from deep across his first eight games. That has left him to average just 13.9 points per game.

If there is a bright side to Bane's slow start, it's that his usage rate is 22.7%. That's not too far off from his mark of 23.3% with the Grizzlies last season. It will be difficult for him to average at least 5.0 assists for the third straight season playing alongside good passers in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but much better shooting production should be in the cards for Bane.

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Takeaways from the Ducks 7-3 Win over the Panthers

The Anaheim Ducks wrapped up a three-game homestand by hosting the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Tuesday, with hopes of extending their three-game winning streak to four. This was the second time the two teams faced each other in a week; the last result was a 3-2 shootout win by Anaheim.

Florida was coming off a 4-3 shootout win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday, arriving in Anaheim on two full days’ rest and hoping to kick off their west coast road trip on a high note.

The Anaheim coaching staff went with the same lineup that earned them their last win against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

Anaheim Ducks on the Tip of National Media Tongues

Game #12: Ducks vs. Panthers Gameday Preview (11/04/25)

Lukas Dostal got the start in net for the Ducks and saved 18 of the 21 shots he faced. Dostal stood in the opposite crease as Sergei Bobrovsky, who stopped just 25 of 32.

The Ducks lost Leo Carlsson at the start of the third period when he received an interference major and game misconduct when his shoulder made contact with Evan Rodrigues’ head while the Ducks were on the power play. Nikita Nesterenko filled in admirably in his place for the remainder of the game.

Here are my notes:

The Ducks came out of the gate a bit out of sync, struggling to build plays from their own end against one of the NHL’s top forechecking teams. The game opened up soon after, but favored the Panthers early.

The Ducks made some adjustments, behind some opportunistic goals from Cutter Gauthier, and dialed in a bit of their freewheeling, ultimately dictating pace with a relentless forecheck, clever rush sequences, and elongated time on the cycle.

They rode the emotions of extracurricular skirmishes and capitalized on the open ice created from non-5v5 play.

Cutter Gauthier-This game was all about Gauthier. In less than 15 minutes of TOI, three of his six shots on goal found the back of the net, and he added a primary assist to boot. Two of his goals came on the power play off of right-flank one-timers, a spot he’d played in for his entire pre-NHL career, and he’s now translating those efforts to the NHL, finding and manipulating those open lanes to make himself a passing option, and burying pucks with confidence at will.

“It’s a pretty special night,” Gauthier said after the game. “(They’re) the defending Cup champ, so the most important thing was that we got the job done. So it was super fun.”

Gauthier became the first NHL player 21 or younger to score 10 goals in the first 12 games of a season since Auston Matthews in 2018-19 and now co-leads the NHL in goals. He was drafted to be a goal scorer, acquired by Anaheim to be a goal scorer, and is now scratching the surface of that potential, scoring in a variety of ways, utilizing several of his above-average attributes, and rounding out his “B” game in the process.

Breakouts and Regroups-This was the area where the Ducks struggled most early. It seemed as if they were anticipating the Panthers to deploy an ultra-aggressive forecheck and were taken aback when Florida’s focus was more on eliminating outlets rather than pressuring the puck.

The Ducks adjusted by having forwards support lower and shortening the distance for outlets, leading to cleaner exits and possession through neutral ice.

Rush Defense-Florida exploited the Ducks’ weak side defender in the neutral zone, who was either too stationary or displayed a poor gap, by sending the weak side forward cutting to the middle of the ice on counterattacks for stretch passes, leading to breakaways or semi-breakaways.

This was another area the Ducks cleaned up nicely as the game went on, taking away that option and forcing the puck carrier to make safer reads, after which the Ducks' backcheck or strong defenders sealed on the wall and killed the rush.

Nikita Nesterenko-Nesterenko notched a goal and an assist in this game and is becoming noticeably more comfortable with and without the puck as each game goes on, now 41 games into his NHL career. He’s evolved into a plus forechecker and is taking his time, making NHL reads, and keeping his feet moving with the puck on his stick to optimize rush and cycle chances. He can play all 12 forward positions, and may very well at this rate if head coach Joel Quenneville continues to have lineup spots in need of filling.

“You get more comfortable with every game,” Nesterenko said after the game. “The more puck touches you get, you assess different situations throughout the game. If you’re not throwing it away as much, you’re trying to possess it, that’s the name of the game.”

The Ducks will hit the road for two games against perennial cup contenders: the Dallas Stars on Thursday and the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, looking to extend their now-four-game winning streak.

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