In this edition of NHL Talk, these are the top storylines with quotes from players, coaches, managers, and more.
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Canucks’ Quinn Hughes Looking for First Win Over Brother Jack
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes looks to defeat his brother, forward Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, when their two teams face-off in New Jersey on Monday. The brothers have played each other a total of three times in their hockey careers, once in junior hockey and twice in the NHL, with the younger Jack coming out on top each time. Their parents, Jim and Ellen Hughes, are expected to be in attendance for the latest on-ice battle between the two brothers.
“I think I’m 0-3 against him and 0-2 against in the NHL, so it’s kind of a problem,” said Quinn. “Especially tonight. We need points so bad right now, so it’s not as much about changing the narrative but more we need to keep climbing the ladder.
“But it’d be nice to hopefully be 1-3 after tonight. We got some of those side bets going on. I think we wanted to get a little painting we’ve been talking about for the house (in Michigan), so I think the loser is going to pay for it.”
Hurricanes’ Teravainen Extends Career-High Point Streak to Eight Games
Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen extended his NHL career-high eight-game point streak (four goals, seven assists) with a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. His point streak is the longest by any Hurricanes player this season, and is helping Carolina maintain its spot as the No. 1 team in the Metropolitan Division and No. 2 team in the NHL standings. He is finding his scoring and playmaking touch at the right time.
“Everybody is trying to tell me to shoot the puck more,” Teravainen said. “I always try to look for the play. If it’s there, I’ll pass. If it’s not, I’ll try to shoot sometimes.”
Stars’ Harley Records First Career NHL Point
Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley recorded his first NHL point with an assist in a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. He earned the secondary assist on Stars forward Roope Hintz’ goal at 6:34 of the second period, giving Dallas a 2-0 lead in the game. It took Harley, who was drafted 18th overall by the Stars at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, 15 games to earn his first NHL point, which was well worth the wait for him.
“It’s been coming for the past couple of games,” Harley said. “You grow up dreaming that it’s going to be a little more memorable than just a poke back down the wall. But they don’t ask how, they ask how many, so I’m happy.”
Blues’ Binnington Posts 10th Career NHL Shutout
St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington posted his 10th career NHL shutout, and second of the season, in a 4-0 victory at the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. He turned aside all 30 shots he faced in the game, leading the Blues to a fourth consecutive win. Both of his shutouts this season have come against the Blackhawks, with his first coming as a 36-save performance in a 1-0 win on Oct. 30, 2021.
“Today, I think our team played really strongly in the last two periods,” Binnington said. “It feels good to get a shutout and a win. We were really solid. The team did a good job making my job easy tonight.”
Canucks’ Highmore Tallies Goal, Assist on 26th Birthday
Canucks forward Matthew Highmore celebrated his 26th birthday with a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory at the New York Rangers on Sunday. It marked his second multi-point game of the season, and helped lead the Canucks to its third consecutive win. It is crunch time for Vancouver, who are just three points back of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, and Highmore has high hopes for his team.
“It’s up there with a couple other birthday games I’ve had, but to be here at MSG, ultimately get the win and keep our playoff push alive is pretty cool,” Highmore said. “Our group is growing in confidence, and we have to continue to keep it going.”
Islanders’ Sorokin Earns Fifth Shutout of Season
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin turned aside all 34 shots he faced in a 4-0 win at the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. It marks his fifth shutout of the season, ranking him second in the NHL in that category, only behind Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom’s eight shutouts. Sorokin is quickly establishing himself as a quality starting goaltender, with eight shutouts and a .921 save percentage (SV%) through his first 57 NHL games.
“Sorokin made a few huge saves when they needed it,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said. “He deserved the shutout.”
“We had some chances to score, but their goalie was on point,” Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins said. “It seemed like everything that we threw at their net, either [Sorokin] saw or it got blocked.”
Sharks’ Reedy, Gadjovich Each Score First NHL Goals in Same Game
San Jose Sharks forwards Scott Reedy and Jonah Gadjovich each scored their first NHL goals in a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday. Both players were selected in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, with Gadjovich going 55th overall (second round) to the Canucks and Reedy going 102nd overall (fourth round) to the Sharks. The pair of rookies helped San Jose to its first regulation win since a 4-1 win at the Washington Capitals on Jan. 26.
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“It’s an emotional moment for me, just thinking about everything that went into it and getting to this point,” Reedy said. “In this building, too, in front of all the fans. And my family is watching back home. It’s actually my mom’s birthday, so [it’s a] little birthday present for her. Special moment.”
