Last Night's Preseason Performers (Sep 22)

It was a goaltending duel in Columbus, as the Penguins and the Blue Jackets squared off to open their preseason schedule.  It was a 0-0 tie, even through a 3-on-3 overtime session, which sent the game to the shootout, where Pittsburgh took the game, 1-0.

One stand out in this game, the Columbus goalie, who played the entire game, Joonas Korpisalo.  He made 39 saves through regulation and overtime, before succumbing to the skills competition.  He would have had 2 points for the shutout through regular play.

Welcome to Brooklyn, NHL.  Welcome to the Barclay's Center, the new home of the New York Islanders.

There was no better way to show off the new digs, than to have the team's best player get a nod in the blog with a couple of points in a 3-2 win, Islanders over the Flyers.  John Tavares is going to make his claim for the Art Ross Trophy and in his first warm-up for the year, he posted a goal and an assist.  Teammate Anders Lee, who had a good year in 2015, also had a good start, also posting a goal and an assist in the win.

Lots of goals between the Devils and Rangers in their preseason opener, as the hosts from New York earned a 6-3 win.

Brian Gibbons and Kevin Klein each posted 3 points for the hosts, while Jayson Megna scored a pair of goals and Raphael Diaz added a couple of helpers.  Klein should have some appeal in this year's pool, while Gibbons has been mentioned in sleeper talk in this off-season.

Pro tryout Tyler Kennedy had a couple of assists for the Devils, as he tries to secure a job in the swamp.

In Ottawa, it was the first of another set of split squad games, as the Senators played host to the Maple Leafs, opening up the preseason.  The Leafs were hardly good guests, taking the game, 4-3 in overtime, stealing a road win out of the preseason.

Joffrey Lupul scored a pair of goals, T.J. Brennan had one and one, while Nazem Kadri and rookie Dmytro Timashov each had a couple of assists each for the Leafs.

For the home side, Erik Karlsson was in fine form, picking up a goal and 2 assists, while rookie defense partner Thomas Chabot had a couple of assists as well.  Early chemistry on the blueline has to be promising for the Sens.

The Leafs picked up the sweep of the split squad games on Monday night, as they took the second game at the Air Canada Centre, 4-1.

PA Parenteau scored a pair of goals, while Michael Grabner had a couple of assists for his new squad and Jonathan Bernier played the whole game for the Leafs, making 28 saves for the win.  Not a bad start for the new regime in the Big Smoke.

The big rookie show got off to a bang on Monday night, as the #2 pick overall in the June's draft, Jack Eichel, got off to a rousing start for the Buffalo Sabres, picking up an assist before scoring the game-winner on a shorthanded breakaway, picking up his 2 points in the preseason and helping the Sabres to a 3-2 win.

In the loss, Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist, while Zach Parise added a couple of assists for the Wild.  Of course, they're going to be side notes after that preseason debut though.

The Calgary Flames kept all of their show pieces in their home barn during the split squad games against the Edmonton Oilers and they were no match for the B-Side Oilers team that made the trek down.  The Flames took a 3-1 loss at home, getting off on the wrong foot.

Matt Hendricks was the only notable Oilers player in the game, as he picked up a couple of assists in the win for the team.

He may not have had an electrifying game-winning goal, but Connor McDavid gets a nod for a couple of assists, the only notable player in this game, as the Oilers swept the split squad games, with a 4-2 win at home.

The Flames had a 2-1 lead, well into the 3rd period, before giving up three Oiler markers late on, including an empty-netter.

The Kings and Coyotes had a neutral site game in Bakersfield, CA on Monday night and it was the Kings that got the best of the new potential door mats of the Western Conference, 5-1.

Tyler Toffoli and Nick Shore each potted a couple of goals in the win for Los Angeles, both trying to secure jobs in the hockey pool this year.  Of course, Toffoli has a pretty good lock on a job, while Shore could act as a late round sleeper.