The Boston Bruins started off their week by traveling to play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, Nov. 26. Boston fought hard in a 4-2 loss to a tough Maple Leafs team. Bruin’s right wing David Pastrnak scored both of Boston’s goals against Toronto, giving Pastrnak 19 goals on the season.
On Thursday, Nov. 29 the Bruins hosted the New York Islanders. The Bruins won 2-1 over the Islanders in a shootout. Left wing Brad Marchand tallied his seventh goal of the 2018-19 season in the second period to tie up the game. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask stopped all four shootout chances the Islanders had. The Bruins netted their last shootout opportunity to clinch the game.
On Saturday, Dec. 1, the Bruins hosted the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings came away with a 4-2 win with help from a goal by University of Maine alumni Gustav Nyquist and a locked down net from another UMaine alumni, goaltender Jimmy Howard. Bruins forward David Backes scored his second goal of the season in the first period. The Bruins’ second goal was scored by defenseman Ryan Donato, his second of the season. The Bruins record falls to 14-8-4, putting them in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
NHL’s three stars for November.
The first star of the month was Winnipeg Jets forward Patrik Laine. He recorded 18 goals and one assist for 19 points in 12 games played this month, including three big nights against the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. He recorded five goals on Saturday, and picked up two hat tricks against the Panthers and the Canucks.
The second star of the month was forward Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. MacKinnon netted nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 14 games. He had three games with over three points and had a six-game point streak with two-plus points in each game. MacKinnon is second in the league in points with 41 through 26 games.
The third star of the month is Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. The Golden Knights’ keeper went 9-4-0 in the month of November with a 2.23 goals against average, and a 0.920 save percentage. Fleury recorded five shutouts in November and is tied for the most wins in the league. Fleury has helped lead the Golden Knights to a five-game winning streak.
Hot teams in the NHL
The Buffalo Sabers are 8-1-1 in the last 10 games and sitting at third in the Atlantic Division.
The Washington Capitals are riding a seven-game winning streak and are 8-2-0 in the last 10 games giving them a one-point lead in the Metropolitan Division.
Cold teams in the NHL
The San Jose Sharks are ice cold, losing their last four games in November and dropping to fourth place in their division.
The Montreal Canadiens are currently on a five-game losing streak dropping them down to fifth place in their division, five points behind the Boston Bruins.
Teams on the rise
The Vegas Golden Knights are riding a five-game winning streak going into the month of December, putting them at 14-12-1 on the season.
The Anaheim Ducks ride a three-game winning streak to end the month of November, giving them second place in the Pacific Division and a 13-10-5 record.
