The primary week of NHL hockey flew by, and there was a lot motion it was robust to maintain monitor of all of it. Fortunately, CBS Sports activities can have you coated with our weekly NHL Rewind, hitting all the very best highlights and largest tales you might need missed.
This previous week, Auston Matthews was hotter than the floor of the Solar. He got here out of the gates firing and barely missed, turning into the fifth participant in NHL historical past to begin the season with back-to-back hat methods.
Elsewhere, The Connor Bedard Present was in full impact. Not solely was he good in his first NHL recreation, however he additionally recorded his first profession aim throughout the next contest. Not a nasty week for the rookie.
See all that and extra in our first NHL Rewind of the 2023-24 season. There may be lots to atone for, and that is solely the start.
Theft of the week: Binner Binner Rooster Dinner
Jordan Binnington is making an attempt to rebound after a tricky 2022-23 season, and he obtained off to begin towards the Dallas Stars on Thursday evening. Early within the second interval, the St. Louis Blues netminder stopped a shot by way of visitors, however he unwittingly kicked the rebound proper out to future Corridor of Famer Joe Pavelski.
Pavelski has greater than 400 objectives in his profession, and it regarded like he was about so as to add to that whole, however Binnington stretched out and robbed him with the leather-based.
Jordan Binnington (@binnnasty) exhibiting off his reeeeach! 😳 #NHLFaceOff pic.twitter.com/zhSDxVfADl
— NHL (@NHL) October 13, 2023
That will have been adequate to win Theft of the Week by itself, however Binnington was placing on a present in Dallas. In extra time, Binnginton went from publish to publish and took away a game-winning aim from Jason Robertson. As soon as once more, it was the glove hand that did the work.
Jordan Binnington is placing on a present in OT 🧱🍿 pic.twitter.com/RhkuhU5iqL
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 13, 2023
Sadly for Binnington, he did not get the outcome he deserved because the Blues misplaced in a shootout. Nevertheless, if Binnington retains taking part in like that, St. Louis would possibly be capable of overcome some its deficiencies on the blue line.
Purpose of the week: Purpose Caufield ignites Montreal
Expectations are excessive for Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield this season, and he’s already doing his finest to exceed them. In Saturday evening’s recreation towards the Chicago Blackhawks, Caufield gave the hometown crowd lots to cheer about.
Lower than 4 minutes into the second interval, Caufield obtained the puck with velocity within the offensive zone. He pulled the puck round Kevin Korchinski and drove to the online earlier than flipping a backhand shot on goaltender Petr Mrazek.
Mrazek made the preliminary save, however the rebound popped into the air, and Caufield caught with the play and batted it residence.
Purpose Caufield doing Purpose Caufield issues 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2MYo4iRMcJ
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 15, 2023
The Canadiens are nonetheless rebuilding, and this is probably not the very best season from a wins and losses perspective, however followers will proceed to have enjoyable if Caufield can preserve dazzling the group like that.
Auston Matthews tallies back-to-back hat methods
The nice individuals of Toronto should improve their hat budgets this month. By way of the primary two video games of the Maple Leafs’ season, Auston Matthews has compelled them to toss their lids on the ice twice.
In Toronto’s season-opener towards the Montreal Canadiens, Matthews began his incendiary streak by tallying his three hundredth aim in his 482nd recreation, making him the tenth quickest participant to achieve that milestone in NHL historical past.
TONE 300 🔥 pic.twitter.com/s1M63b9PRZ
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 12, 2023
That achievement was nearly overshadowed by a brutal season-opening loss when the Canadiens took a 5-3 lead over the Maple Leafs within the third interval. That is when Auston Matthews dashed into the telephone sales space, threw on his cape, and saved the day for the Leafs.
Matthews obtained Toronto inside one with underneath 5 minutes left in regulation, after which with 67 ticks remaining, Matthews got here by way of within the clutch. He obtained the puck down low, evaded a poke test from Montreal goalie Jake Allen, and scored to finish the hat trick and tie the sport.
MATTY HATTY!! 🧢
MATTY HATTY!! 🧢
MATTY HATTY!! 🧢 pic.twitter.com/GddeaeypNr— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 12, 2023
That was already adequate to qualify for this week’s Rewind, however Matthews wasn’t executed there. Within the Maple Leafs’ second recreation of the season, towards the Minnesota Wild, he brought on a cascade of hats once more.
Matthews completed this one with a terrific energy transfer across the web. He obtained the puck under the aim line, used his physique to defend the puck from the defender, and muscled a wraparound shot by way of the legs of Filip Gustavsson.
TWO GAMES, TWO HAT TRICKS 😱
Auston Matthews is the primary participant to begin the season with back-to-back hat methods since Alex Ovechkin in 2017-18 😮 pic.twitter.com/agTpDOz8cO
— ESPN (@espn) October 15, 2023
Matthews is the primary participant to begin the season with back-to-back hat methods since Alex Ovechkin in 2017-18, and simply the fifth participant to do it in NHL historical past. The opposite three gamers — Cy Denneny, Joe Malone and Reg Noble — all did it 100 years earlier than Ovechkin in 1917-18.
Bedard will get on the board in his second NHL recreation
Connor Bedard, the No. 1 total decide within the 2023 NHL Draft, made his debut within the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins final Tuesday. He recorded his first level with an help, however he did not discover the again of the online regardless of his 11 shot makes an attempt.
Bedard made followers wait one other complete 24 hours earlier than lighting the lamp towards the Boston Bruins on Wednesday evening. Bedard began the play with a slick drop go to Ryan Donato, which kicked off a give-and-go.
Skating down the appropriate wing, Bedard threw a bad-angle shot on Linus Ullmark, picked up his personal rebound, and scored on a wraparound within the blink of an eye fixed.
CONNOR BEDARD WITH HIS FIRST NHL GOAL 🥳🚨 pic.twitter.com/pQeHIDx7WO
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 11, 2023
That was the one aim Chicago obtained in that recreation, a 3-1 loss, however Bedard has already proven famous person potential on the NHL stage. He’ll make the Blackhawks one of many extra entertaining groups this yr.
Brady Tkachuk on hearth out of the gate
The Ottawa Senators have an opportunity to take a giant step throughout the 2023-24 season if they will make a playoff push. Star winger Brady Tkachuk is certainly getting the staff began on the appropriate foot.
Over the staff’s previous two video games, Tkachuk has tallied 4 objectives and an help to assist lead the Senators to a pair of wins towards the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tkachuk registered a pair of objectives in Sunday’s 5-2 win towards the Lightning, however his second aim has been one in every of his most spectacular to date. The 24-year-old acquired the puck simply over heart ice from defenseman Jake Sanderson, bullied his strategy to the entrance of the online, and put the puck proper by way of Lightning goaltender Matt Tomkins’ five-hole.
Tkachuk is an electrical participant that may pour in a aim at a second’s discover. He is definitely proving that by way of the primary week of the 2023-24 marketing campaign.
Malkin’s playmaking skill on full show
When the Pittsburgh Penguins started play final week, it marked the 18th consecutive season during which Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have been taking part in collectively. It additionally broke a North American sports activities report for teammates taking part in collectively because the Penguins journey topped the New York Yankees group of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada.
Retaining Malkin round has clearly proved to be the appropriate transfer because the Penguins star has gotten off to a stellar begin in 2023-24. Getting into Tuesday, Malkin is at the moment tied with Auston Matthews, Elias Pettersson and teammate Jake Guentzel with six factors (two objectives and 4 assists)
Malkin has registered all six of these factors over the Penguins’ final two video games. The veteran winger racked up a aim and three assists in a 4-0 win over the Washington Capitals on Friday, then adopted it up with a aim and an help in a 5-2 win towards the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Most significantly, Malkin is showcasing his skill as a playmaker, and he notably did so when he put a go proper on the tape of the stick of teammate Reilly Smith for a aim towards the Flames.
After squandering a 2-0 lead towards the Blackhawks within the season opener, Malkin has rebounded in a giant manner, and he’s dominating every time he steps foot onto the ice.
Appointment viewing this week
Stars at Golden Knights | Tuesday, Oct. 16: That is the primary assembly between these two groups for the reason that Golden Knights defeated the Stars in final season’s Western Convention Last. Vegas and Dallas each got here into the 2023-24 season with eyes on the Stanley Cup, so this will probably be a heavyweight battle.
Maple Leafs at Panthers | Thursday, Oct.18: Talking of playoff rematches, the Panthers made fast work of the Leafs within the second spherical final postseason. This Atlantic Division showdown has the potential to turn into a monitor meet, so do not stand up off your sofa whereas this one is on TV.
Hurricanes at Avalanche | Saturday, Oct. 21: That is simply two of the easiest groups within the NHL going head-to-head. Colorado has large firepower on the prime of its lineup, however no staff has as a lot depth on the blue line as Carolina. This needs to be an amazing hockey recreation.
Bruins at Kings | Saturday, Oct. 21: There most likely will not be any scoring data damaged on this matchup, however high quality defensive hockey will be entertaining too. The Kings have the sting at heart, however they could not have the wingers to match Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. This conflict is an early benchmark for each squads.
