Edmonton Oilers @ Nashville 0-2
Pekka Rinne made 31 saves in the Predators' 2-0 win against the Oilers at Bridgestone Arena. Rinne has allowed one goal in six periods this season. He has stopped 56 of 57 shots and Nashville is 8-for-8 killing penalties. Edmonton goaltender Cam Talbot made 24 saves. Oilers rookie forward Connor McDavid finished with two shots on goal in 18:39 of ice time. Smith gave the Predators a 1-0 lead with 1:08 remaining in the second period on an odd-man rush. Colin Wilson led the 2-on-1 and made a cross-ice pass to Smith, who was able to score his second goal. Smith has scored two of Nashville's four goals this season. Predators coach Peter Laviolette said he is happy with the production he's getting from the second line. Top-line forward Filip Forsberg gave the Predators a 2-0 lead at 13:02 of the third period. Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference turned over the puck behind the net, and Mike Ribeiro passed to Forsberg for his first goal. Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had an apparent goal to tie the game 1-1 at 6:07 of the third period, but it was overturned after review ruled he used a distinct kicking motion. Edmonton had five power-play opportunities but did not convert. McDavid primarily played on a line with Benoit Pouliot and Lauri Korpikoski.
Peter Laviolette: "I see an extension of last season at the end of the year. From the All-Star break in, our [penalty-kill] numbers were some of the top in the League. I think that that's a rhythm of the same players being back and understanding the system and what we're trying to do. When [Smith] gets his legs going, he's a real impactful player. I thought Colin Wilson had an excellent game tonight and could've had a couple of goals himself."
Pekka Rinne: "You don't want to give up any goals. It's always a good feeling when you have a shutout. It's a compliment to your teammates too. I'm never the only reason if we don't give up any goals. It's my teammates, too, and they played such a good game. I thought especially our penalty kill did an amazing job these first two games. I was hoping that it was a kick," Rinne said. "I was still a little nervous, you never know. I didn't know if it got a little bit of stick in between the leg and the puck. You never know with kicks. Sometimes it's a good goal, sometimes it's not a goal. My teammates were saying it's a kicking motion clearly so [that] made me feel a little bit more comfortable on the ice. You feel a little nervous when you wait to hear the decision."
Craig Smith: "It's been great. We've had a lot of guys step up in certain areas with blocked shots and playing tough down low. That's one of the things we were harping on, and that's a tribute to hard work. We're making some good plays. I was coming back with a little bit of speed so I was able to jump on it. [Wilson] had a great jump, and he got up there and made a really nice, deceptive pass across. He kind of started the whole thing."
Filip Forsberg: "At least we played for more than one period like we did last game. I think we played good. They're a really good offensive team, and I think we defended ourselves really well. Obviously we got two goals as well, so it was a solid hockey game for our team."
NY Islanders @ Chicago 1-4
The Blackhawks are still searching for another level in some areas of their game, but there are two they don't have to worry about. Their second line and solid goaltending paved the way to a 4-1 win against the New York Islanders at United Center on Saturday and a sweep of a home-and-home series that started at Barclays Center on Friday. Scott Darling, starting for the first time this season, made 28 saves and the second line sparked the first three goals, as rookie left wing Artemi Panarin and right wing Patrick Kane each finished with a goal and two assists. Kane has three goals and three assists through Chicago's first three games. Panarin has two goals and two assists. The center of their line, Artem Anisimov, has one goal and creates problems by screening opposing goalies with his 6-foot-4, 198-pound body. Including one preseason game, Kane and Panarin have played four games together. At times, it has seemed much longer. Each is creative with the puck, knows how to shield it from defenders and sets up teammates with precise passes.
The Blackhawks also got goals from defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk and Brent Seabrook. Van Riemsdyk's goal was the first of his career and he assisted on Kane's goal late in the second, which gave Chicago a 3-0 lead. Rookie goalie Jean-Francois Berube started for the Islanders, who are without Jaroslav Halak (upper-body injury). Darling started for the first time this season and looked sharp, making 12 saves in the first period, 13 in the second and three in the third. Cal Clutterbuck scored shorthanded at 18:55 of the third to spoil Darling's shutout bid, but it was much too late. Van Riemsdyk gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 4:07 of the first. After taking off down the slot, he scooped a rebound of a shot by Kane and put the puck into the net with a backhand shot. It rewarded Chicago's second line for one of its multiple impressive shifts. After getting the puck from Panarin, Kane shot the puck from above the faceoff circles. Anisimov screened Berube and stood in the way of defenseman Calvin de Haan, which allowed van Riemsdyk clear access to the rebound.
Darling turned away the Islanders completely in the first, which included a couple of good scoring chances. He did the same in the second, when Chicago increased its lead to 3-0 despite being outshot 13-11. His biggest save was at 3:55 of the second when New York caught the Blackhawks on a shift change and sprung Nikolay Kulemin for a breakaway. Seabrook caught up to Kulemin, but Darling had to make a sprawling save with his left skate. Three seconds later, he made another save against Clutterbuck and froze the puck.
Panarin, Kane and van Riemsdyk combined to produce the next two goals.
Panarin made it 2-0 at 5:53 with a wrist shot alone in the slot, after Kane made a great play behind the net to send him a crisp pass for the shot. Kane made it 3-0 at 16:25 to cap a shift in which he and Panarin took turns playing keep away from the Islanders in New York's defensive zone. After getting the puck from Panarin, van Riemsdyk flipped a shot toward Kane, who redirected the puck into the net with another good screen in front by Anisimov. Kane has scored all three of his goals this season against the Islanders.
Joel Quenneville: "They've been fun to watch. I mean, it's been some special plays and special players and puck possession. I just think they're amazing players, first and foremost, top players instinctually and [they] kind of anticipate what the other guy can do or [where he] will be or where he's going. [Their] patience level with the puck [is] extremely high end. The upside's still ... it's untapped right now, but it's certainly been fun to watch."
Trevor van Riemsdyk: "I knew there was traffic in front, so I figured I'd hang there for a second. I got a lucky bounce and just had a good amount of net to shoot at and luckily I put it in."
Scott Darling: "I thought he wasn't going to be able to get across the crease, so I stepped out a little father, and then he made a nice move to pull it across. I just tried to stretch as far as I could, tried to use my wingspan and I got a toe on it luckily."
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