Top 3: Another big win for the Sabres

Marc-Olivier Cook
Top 3: Another big win for the Sabres
Credit: Capture d'écran / X

Only three games were played last night in the National League.

How did it go?

Let's take a look:

1: Another big win for the Sabres

We're at the end of the first period of the game between the Sabres and the Rangers.

The score is 2-0 in favor of Buffalo… but that's when Alexis Lafrenière decides to step up.

The Quebec native scored two goals in quick succession to tie the game:

Adam Fox scored his team's third goal uncontested, and it really seems like that fired up the Sabres on the ice.

I say that… because Buffalo scored twice in the span of one minute and 29 seconds to start the third period. And they never looked back after that:

Zach Benson sealed the deal with an empty-net goal to help his team secure a 5-3 win over the Rangers.

With the win, the Sabres pull away from the Canadiens in the Atlantic standings. They now have 104 points, sitting alone in first place in the division (but with a game in hand over the Lightning and the Habs):

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

2: Not the Leafs' night 

One, two, three…

Yeah. The Leafs gave up three straight goals to the Capitals to start last night's game between the two clubs. Not ideal:

The Leafs had some bad luck in the game. Anthony Stolarz got injured, as did Dakota Joshua… who was the victim of a pretty dangerous hit.

At least he was able to get back up on his own:

Ilya Protas scored into an empty net to make it 4-0 and record his first career point in the NHL.

It was his brother, Aliaksei, who retrieved the puck from the net for him, and it certainly made for a pretty special moment for the Protas: 

3: Ah, Connor…

Has anyone ever told you that Connor McDavid is a damn good hockey player?

No joke… Macklin Celebrini may have stood out, but that's not what we'll remember from the Sharks vs. Oilers game:

In fact, it was Connor McDavid's performance that really stole the show.

And rightly so, you might say… because the Oilers' captain had five points by the end of the second period. You read that right.

He finished the game with three goals and two assists:

McDavid was involved in all five of his team's goals (5-2), bringing his season total to 133 points.

He's pulling away from Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon at the top of the NHL scoring race:


Behind the scenes

– The Western Conference standings. Big win for the Oilers!

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

– The top scorers of the night:

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

– Lots and lots of action tonight in the NHL:

(Credit: Screenshot / Google)
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