NHL Players Trending Up, McDavid Returns for Oilers
The NHL starts the theoretical second half of its season this week following last weekend’s All-Star Game break. Heading into the stretch run, the biggest name trending in the game is that of John Scott who plays for the AHL Montreal Canadians affiliate but was voted to the All-Star Game and earned MVP honors with two goals scored.
While Scott heads off to play at St. John’s in New Brunswick, Canada, these are the players who stepped up just prior to the All-Star break.
Eastern Conference
Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres is playing well. Prior to the break, he scored both the tying and winning goals to give Buffalo a victory of 3-2 against Ottawa. It was his third multi-goal game of the season, his first in the NHL.
Jakub Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers scored a pair of goals prior to the All Star Game, including the winner to help the Flyers beat Washington in overtime 4-3. It was the sixth goal he has scored in overtime and the second of this season. He has now scored multiple goals in 14 games.
Reilly Smith of the Florida Panthers has been amongst a number of players contributing to the success the team has enjoyed this season. In the last game prior to the break, he scored one goal and added a big assist to help the Panther beat Toronto 5-1.
Western Conference
Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks recorded his 1,300th point last week. The two assists in the Sharks 6-1 victory over Colorado helped the team extend its point streak to 10 straight games. Thornton is the 33rd NHL player in the history of the sport to reach the 1,300-point plateau and currently owns a point streak of 10 games with 3 goals plus 15 assists over that span.
James Neal of the Nashville Predators scored the game winner in a 2-1 win against Vancouver just before the All-Star break. The Predators have won four straight and Neal has scored three goals over his last seven games.
Columbus Blue Jackets Joonas Korpisalo the rookie goaltender saved 28 shots to help the team win 5-2 over Montreal last week. Korpisalo is 5-5-2 in his first 12 games in the NHL, while going 4-0-1 over his last five starts.
Rookie sensation Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers practiced on Monday and said that he would return from his broken collarbone that has sidelined him for 37 games.
McDavid, who is just 19, has scored 5 goals and 12 points in the first 13 games of his NHL career. He has a rating of plus-four and only six penalty minutes.
