“Le Belle Province” is another name for the province of Quebec, and it sure was a belle week for the French-Canadian kingdom. Not only have the Montreal Canadiens gone seven games without a regulation loss, but Sherbrooke native David Perron gave the St. Louis Blues an offensive thrill with a hat trick for his first points on the team. Both the Habs and Blues remain comfortably within the Top 10 of the NHL Power Rankings.
The Edmonton Oilers continue to climb their way up, while the Arizona Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres have returned to the all-too-familiar territory known as the bottom.
1. Tampa Bay Lightning (10 points)
Last week: 1 (6 points)
It is a shame that Tampa Bay is not in first place in the Atlantic Division. That is what one flat game against the Avalanche will do these days. Fortunately, their road performance has been stellar, as the Lightning have put up an 11-4 whipping against the Senators and Maple Leafs, combined. Perhaps it is too early to call him “vintage”, but Steven Stamkos brought back memories 0f 2009-2012, when he had 90+ points in three straight seasons, on Tuesday. He had two goals and two assists against Toronto and controlled the game the entire night.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins (9 points)
Previously 5 (5 points)
The Pens basically lost to the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday. That is a heavy eyesore, but they scored five third period goals in their two combined wins over San Jose and Florida. October thrillers are not the same as June thrillers, but the team’s ability to take over in the clutch will be heavily feared come playoff time. Sidney Crosby returned to the roster on Tuesday, and he scored Pittsburgh’s first goal in the win over the Panthers.
3. Montreal Canadiens (13 points)
Previously 8 (5 points)
They looked good to begin the season, but now they are rolling! They have won five straight games and lead the league in points. They have yet to lose a game in regulation, which should be concerning for those who remember Montreal’s hot start last season before falling off the cliff. Of course, Carey Price was a non-factor last year, but he made his first three starts of the season this week. He capped it off with 31 saves on 32 Philadelphia shots on Monday to improve to 3-0-0.
4. St. Louis Blues (9 points)
Previously 3 (7 points)
Not everything can be good news for the Blues (hey, that rhymes!). David Perron charged the Blues with a hat trick against the Flames on Saturday, but St. Louis went just 1-2 against the Alberta teams this week. To make matters worse, Brian Elliott had an excellent game against his former team on Tuesday. At least for one night, Elliott is better than Jake Allen.
5. Florida Panthers (7 points)
Previously 2 (5 points)
Like the Blues, the Panthers have hit the skids after their first loss of the season. In fact, they have been the exact opposite of Tampa Bay. They had no problems dispatching Colorado, but they cannot seems to beat anyone else. They can be forgiven, however, because their three losses are to the Top 3 teams in the NHL Power Rankings. Shane Harper powered Florida with his first two career goals in the win over the Avalanche. Move over, namesake Bryce!
6. Washington Capitals (7 points)
Previously 4 (5 points)
After getting a huge win in Sunrise, the Caps have now hit the wall. They lost at home to the Rangers, which always stings, and came up empty again following a lengthy rest. Edmonton manhandled them on Wednesday, and they get three more Canadian teams before going home again. Even with a somber week in the standings, Alex Ovechkin has returned to…well…being himself. After not scoring in his first two games, he has now scored in four straight, including an uncharacteristic deflection against the Panthers.
7. Dallas Stars (7 points)
Previously 6 (4 points)
They had three very winnable games at home, but they could only register three points. After the offense fell victim to Sergei Bobrovsky, the defense continued to show its potential improvement in their win over the Jets. Antti Niemi made 28 saves on 30 shots for his first win since Opening Night. Jordie Benn, who re-signed with Dallas over the offseason to remain with his younger brother, Jamie, is on pace to cruise past his assist total from last season – nine – after two assists in the first two games of the season.
8. San Jose Sharks (8 points)
Previously 7 (6 points)
After limping their way to the end of their East Coast swing, the Sharks finally returned home. They got another tight game against Anaheim, but Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s breakaway goal in overtime got San Jose back on track. Martin Jones had a more relaxing game after Detroit tagged him with three goals on 32 shots. He only faced 20 Anaheim shots and saved 19 of them.
9. New York Rangers (10 points)
Previously 10 (4 points)
It was actually rivalry week for the Rangers, with Detroit, Washington, and Boston on their schedule. After falling to the suddenly hot Wings (see what I did there?), they had key wins against the other two, as well as one against the Coyotes. Now they are first in the Metropolitan Division. It is was all about the threes this week, for Brandon Pirri had three goals, including two against the Bruins, while Henrik Lundqvist had three wins and allowed two goals in all three of them. That means he also avoided allowing the dreaded THIRD goal three times. Confused, yet? Good. Let’s move on.
10. Chicago Blackhawks (7 points)
Previously 9 (4 points)
There is no way this is going to hold up, but the Chicago Blackhawks’ penalty kill has been historically bad. They have given up 14 Power Play goals on 26 opportunities this season. They allowed five more, including both of Columbus’ chances, over their last three games. Even worse, they have gone 0-13 on the Power Play since their last conversion, which happened to be Marian Hossa’s 500th career goal last Tuesday. Chicago has had it with curses.
11. Edmonton Oilers (10 points)
Previously 12 (6 points)
Different players are stepping up at opportune times, and the MVP for this week goes to Cam Talbot. He did not allow more than one goal in any of his three starts, which included shutting out the Winnipeg Jets at the Heritage Classic. Everything, even the defense, seems to be falling into place.
12. Ottawa Senators (8 points)
Previously 13 (6 points)
The high-flying Sens had a light week, with just two games since last Tuesday. After succumbing to the Lightning, the offense-happy Senators fired on all cylinders…from the other side of the rink! Craig Anderson shut out Vancouver on 22 shots on Tuesday night. Ryan Dzingel scored twice in that game, and at four goals, the seventh-rounder out of Ohio State may be eyeing a breakout this season.
13. Minnesota Wild (9 points)
Previously 21 (4 points)
Perhaps the Bruce Boudreau formula is working. The Wild are looking like the deepest team in the league, with 17 players with at least one point and 16 of them with goals. The train kept rolling on Tuesday when they scored five goals with as many players in their 5-0 rout over the Bruins. Zucker also added two assists from behind the net in that game, doubling his assist total for the season.
14. New York Islanders (6 points)
Previously 16 (2 points)
Now here is a team that would move to the Western Conference if it could. They have won three games against those teams, while they have been hard-luck losers to three of the better teams in the East. The tides may turn in their favor soon enough. John Tavares has started to heat up, and Johnny Boychuk has found the net, too. His first career shorthanded goal was enough to give the Isles the win over Arizona.
15. Nashville Predators (4 points)
Previously 11 (2 points)
The same team that they eliminated from the playoffs last year fought back in a big way. How about six goals in two periods? Pekka Rinne has been blasted on the road, allowing four goals in both of those starts. He probably does not have to worry about his job security, but Juuse Saros shined in his NHL debut. He allowed just one goal on 35 shots against Pittsburgh, while fellow phenoms Viktor Arvidsson and Kevin Fiala lit up the scoreboard with two goals apiece.
16. Philadelphia Flyers (7 points)
Previously 14 (3 points)
Philly has had plenty of issues on the road since their first game of the season, but there is also plenty of optimism because of Steve Mason. He kept Montreal’s top-ranked offense in check for most of the game before the Habs finally got a lucky ricochet. He then took over for Michal Neuvirth and kept Buffalo off the scoreboard, making it possible for the Flyers to pull off an incredible comeback after trailing 3-0 in the third period. He then stopped Kyle Okposo in the shootout, leading to Jakub Voracek’s game-winner. Maybe Neuvirth is not the best option for the Flyers.
17. Detroit Red Wings (10 points)
Previously 22 (4 points)
Detroit really does not want the Joe Louis Arena to go down quietly. They are undefeated at home and earned their first five-game winning streak since January 2015. Jimmy Howard has only started twice, but he could be playing at a much higher rate very soon. After shutting out the Sharks on Saturday, his GAA is only 0.5 and his save percentage is .984, both tops in the league. If Petr Mrazek maintains the starting job, which he easily could since he is much younger, Howard could be a very popular trade candidate.
18. Anaheim Ducks (6 points)
Previously 17 (1 point)
Nick Ritchie has been excellent in Anaheim’s two home games. He has scored in each of those games, including the go-ahead goal in the home opener against Vancouver.
19. Calgary Flames (7 points)
Previously 19 (3 points)
No team needed a bigger road trip than the Flames this week. They were in danger of falling out of the playoff race early and their goaltending was downright pitiful. Brian Elliott to the rescue. He held the Blackhawks off just long enough (and literally, I mean juuuuuust long enough, for he needed a toe save with under five seconds in regulation) to earn his first Calgary win in a shootout. Then he went into his old stomping grounds and pummeled the Blues in their own building. A win over the surprisingly hot Senators could change their entire season, if it had not already been changed.
20. New Jersey Devils (7 points)
Previously 23 (3 points)
Though not stellar, the Devils have certainly made the home crowd happy. After two low-scoring affairs to begin their home schedule, they finally got an offensive outburst against the Coyotes. Travis Zajac scored twice in the third period to stave off the win. Taylor Hall continues to plow through the Prudential Center. He has five goals in his first three games there since that questionable trade with Edmonton. Then again, the Oilers have had no problems making up for his absence.
21. Winnipeg Jets (4 points)
Previously 18 (4 points)
The Jets were hoping to get things going with a win at the Heritage Classic, but they were smothered due to some excellent defense from Cam Talbot, Andrej Sekera, and Adam Larsson. Had it not been for two incredible comebacks, Winnipeg would likely be stuck at zero points. That is terrible for Paul Maurice’s job security. In his first game in Dallas since his career-best performance in February, when he scored twice in the first game after the Andrew Ladd trade, Joel Armia stole the puck away from Antti Niemi and scored his first goal of the season on Tuesday.
22. Boston Bruins (6 points)
Previously 20 (4 points)
You know you had a bad week when you had to use four goaltenders in as many games. Amazingly, that is more than the desperate Los Angeles Kings have used. Malcolm Subban gave up three quick goals in the second period, and Zane McIntyre allowed two more as the Bruins continued its cataclysm at home. Fortunately, Tuukka Rask is day-to-day.
23. Los Angeles Kings (6 points)
Previously 28 (0 points)
Alec Martinez is known for scoring in overtime. Everyone who follows hockey knows that. This year, however, he is adding to his reputation. He is directly responsible for two of LA’s wins, and his rebound on Tuesday has suddenly made the Kings a competitive threat in the Pacific Division, again. Of course, we should give Peter Budaj some credit, too. He has three wins in as many starts, and he has outlasted extra time in all of them.
24. Vancouver Canucks (9 points)
Previously 24 (6 points)
I guess there will not be any extra time magic in Vancouver. After finally winning a game in regulation (OK, it was against Buffalo. So what?), Vancouver finally lost a game in extra time, losing to Los Angeles in a shootout. They have since fallen flat on offense, a real concern considering how terrible they were on offense at the end of last season. Jannik Hansen had plenty of great opportunities against the Sabres on Thursday, and he was finally rewarded with his first goal of the season on a rebound. That marked the first time Vancouver held a lead in regulation.
25. Colorado Avalanche (6 points)
Previously 25 (4 points)
After two games in Florida, including a shocking shutout victory in Tampa, the Avalanche get a very long break. They do not have to play until Friday against Winnipeg. Matt Duchene had a great time in the tropics, with three goals and two assists in those two games.
26. Buffalo Sabres (4 points)
Previously 15 (3 points)
Surely the Sabres could have found a backup goalie better than Anders Nilsson. Alas, after things looked promising through two periods in Philadelphia, the Flyers pulled off the “come-out-from-the-dead” magic trick and came back from a 3-0 deficit in the third period. With their loss to Vancouver being their only other game over the past week, the Sabres could only get one point this week…from that heart burner of a game in Philly. Matt Moulson has been the biggest offensive spark for Buffalo to start the season, with four goals in the first five games and two against the Flyers.
27. Columbus Blue Jackets (5 points)
Previously 30 (0 points)
There were a couple of times last year when I realized that the Jackets actually were not the worst team in the NHL, but it took a while for me to realize that. It took just two weeks for me to think twice this year. Two huge wins against Chicago and Dallas will be great confidence boosters, and they nearly pulled off another one before LA’s Alec Martinez shut the door in overtime. Sergei Bobrovsky had just one shutout last year (November 20 against Nashville), and he needed just four starts to get #1 this season against a strong Dallas offense.
28. Toronto Maple Leafs (5 points)
Previously 27 (4 points)
Do not let the hype fool you. This team looks very promising, but not everything is going to be figured out in one season. They are 29th in the league in GAA and have failed to win in three extra time opportunities. At least their offense is giving them those chances. While the #1 pick leads the league in goals, William Nylander has had more lamp burners of late. This includes three goals in the last two games and three of his four goals on the Power Play. Yes, Auston Matthews had a lot to do with those goals…
29. Carolina Hurricanes (4 points)
Previously 29 (2 point)
How cruel. Who gives a team a six-game road trip to begin a season? The Hurricanes have their home opener on Friday against the Rangers, and that will be a tall task considering their only win has been against a Flames team that just got their act together three days ago. Can this team win without a superstar? Or maybe Victor Rask or Teuvo Teravainen, who started the goal parade in Calgary, are primed for that role.
30. Arizona Coyotes (2 points)
Previously 26 (2 points)
Arizona also has had limited time at home, but at least the Hurricanes have won a game in enemy territory. Arizona, who has yet to play a team in the Western Conference, has looked dreadful on the road. They were somewhat close in their three games against the New York Metro teams, but they have not salvaged one point. As a result, all of the other teams in the NHL have at least two more points. Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s two goals on Tuesday still were not enough against New Jersey. Good job, Zona. I hope you are enjoying the AHL team in Tucson that you somehow snagged from Springfield…but at least we got the one from Portland, Maine.
Bold Predictions:
Last week:
Evgeni Malkin gets the overtime goal in the Stanley Cup rematch on Thursday: I meant Patric Hornqvist…in regulation…dangit.
Brent Burns has a goal and two assists against Detroit on Saturday: No one on San Jose scored…how anticlimactic.
Johnny Gaudreau gets the hat trick against the Blackhawks on Sunday: At least the Flames won.
This week:
The Maple Leafs get two goals from both Auston Matthews and William Nylander against Florida on Thursday.
The Nashville goalie (Pekka Rinne, most likely) allows just one goal on at least 30 San Jose shots on Saturday.
Vladimir Tarasenko defeats the New York Rangers in overtime with a breakaway goal on Tuesday.
(I am feeling a win this week!)