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Top-5: Jacques Martin’s first game as Sens coach ends in defeat
Big night of action in the NHL last night.

There were 22 clubs playing. Here are the results and highlights:

1. Jacques Martin loses Sens’ first game at the helm

Despite expectations, the Senators are facing a difficult 2023-2024 season.

Yesterday, the team’s new head coach, Jacques Martin, played his first game at the helm. And it started well.

Ottawa took a 3-0 lead against the Coyotes.

But…

Arizona didn’t give up, scoring three unanswered goals to tie the game.

And what had to happen happened.

The home side took a late lead and won the game.

An unsuccessful debut, then, for Martin and Daniel Alfredsson.

Maybe they can’t work miracles either…

2. Auston Matthews tops NHL in goals

Last week, John Tavares collected the 1000th point of his career.

Last night, before the game, he was honoured in front of his fans.

But the man who stole the show was Auson Matthews.

The American finished the game with two goals and now has 25 goals this season.

He’s on course to score 72.

Matthews also has as many games of two goals or more as the CH’s leading scorer (Sean Monahan) has nets.

Quite a player!

Here are the center’s two goals last night:

The Rangers spoiled the party, however, with a 5-2 victory.

3. Even at “50”, Marc-André Fleury continues to dominate

Marc-André Fleury may not have been in front of the net in Pittsburgh, but he was last night in Boston.

It was his 997th NHL game, and let’s just say he had a lot of energy for this duel.

Thanks to a Wild overtime win and a 41-save performance, the Quebecer won the 549th game of his career.

Kirill Kaprizov sealed the game.

At intermission, Fleury’s teammate mocked him, calling him a 50-year-old.

Since the change of coach, the good mood seems to have returned to the Wild’s room.

The team is playing much better since the hiring of John Hynes.

4. Flyers stop losing

The Philadelphia Flyers are surprising this year.

Many thought they’d finish bottom of the standings, but as of December 20, they’re in second place in the Metropolitan Section.

Yesterday, they stole the game again in overtime. Owen Tippett was the hero.

In their last nine games, John Tortorella’s team is 7-0-2.

They haven’t lost in regulation time since November 28 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

5. Buffalo fans demand coach’s departure

The Sabres are really struggling this year, and yesterday they were washed out by the worst team in the East in terms of points per game.

9-4 Jackets victory. In the win, Kirill Marchenko scored a hat trick.

And he scored this superb goal:

In the stands, fans even called for the departure of their head coach, Don Granato.

Unfortunately, the team seems to have given up on him.

After Jay Woodcroft, John Hynes, Craig Berube and DJ Smith, he could become the fourth coach to be fired in the Bettman circuit.


Extension

– Another Brady Tkachuk fight.

– 16 straight games with at least one point for Nathan MacKinnon.

– Alex Ovechkin has five goals this season.

– Several three-point players.

(Credit: NHL.com )

– A quieter night in the NHL.

(Credit: )

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