NHL Recaps: Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024

13 games: what happened that matters for your fantasy team, built from the play-by-play and shift charts.

Game recaps

Final

Full report

Boston Bruins

Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals beat Boston Bruins 3–1

Washington Capitals beat Boston Bruins 3–1 at home. Aliaksei Protas (WSH) led the scoring with 2G 0A. WSH's first power-play unit (Ovechkin, Carlson, Wilson, Strome and Chychrun) scored 1 power-play goal on 1 attempt in 1:13 together.

•Aliaksei Protas had two goals (2 points) on 5 shots in 17:38.
•Tom Wilson had 2 assists (2 points) on 5 shots in 18:58.
•WSH's first power-play unit (Ovechkin, Carlson, Wilson, Strome and Chychrun) scored 1 power-play goal on 1 attempt in 1:13 together.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Toronto Maple Leafs beat New York Islanders 3–1

Toronto Maple Leafs beat New York Islanders 3–1 at home. William Nylander (TOR) led the scoring with 0G 2A. New look for NYI: Cizikas–Duclair–Horvat skated 9:39 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (35.7% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•William Nylander had 2 assists (2 points) on 4 shots in 21:27.
•New look for NYI: Cizikas–Duclair–Horvat skated 9:39 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (35.7% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.
•New look for NYI: Fasching–Engvall–MacLean skated 6:27 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (80% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Montreal Canadiens edge Vegas Golden Knights 3–2

Montreal Canadiens beat Vegas Golden Knights 3–2 at VGK. Cole Caufield (MTL) led the scoring with 1G 0A. New look for VGK: Rondbjerg–Schwindt–Holtz skated 5:21 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (14.3% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•New look for VGK: Rondbjerg–Schwindt–Holtz skated 5:21 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (14.3% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.
•Brayden McNabb (VGK) played 13:58, −6:13 down on his 20:11 season average over 81 games.
•Victor Olofsson (VGK) played 20:27, +6:04 up on his 14:23 season average over 55 games.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

St. Louis Blues rout Chicago Blackhawks 6–2

St. Louis Blues beat Chicago Blackhawks 6–2 at CHI. Justin Faulk (STL) led the scoring with 1G 2A. STL's first power-play unit (Fowler, Sundqvist, Buchnevich, Thomas and Bolduc) scored 1 power-play goal on 5 attempts in 2:12 together.

•Justin Faulk had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 3 shots in 16:16.
•Cam Fowler had two goals (2 points) on 2 shots in 25:08.
•Alexandre Texier had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 9:44.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Detroit Red Wings beat Pittsburgh Penguins 4–2

Detroit Red Wings beat Pittsburgh Penguins 4–2 at home. Drew O'Connor (PIT) led the scoring with 2G 0A. DET's first power-play unit (Kane, Larkin, DeBrincat, Seider and Raymond) scored 1 power-play goal on 6 attempts in 2:32 together.

•Drew O'Connor had two goals (2 points) on 4 shots in 14:02.
•J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 4 shots in 17:50.
•Jonatan Berggren had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 1 shot in 16:00.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Final / SO

Full report

Carolina Hurricanes

Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets edge Carolina Hurricanes 4–3 (SO)

Columbus Blue Jackets beat Carolina Hurricanes 4–3 in a shootout at home. Sean Monahan (CBJ) led the scoring with 0G 3A. CAR's first power-play unit (Aho, Necas, Svechnikov, Smith and Jarvis) scored 1 power-play goal on 11 attempts in 3:50 together.

•Sean Monahan had 3 assists (3 points) on 1 shot in 23:29.
•Kirill Marchenko had two goals (2 points) on 5 shots in 23:10.
•Dmitri Voronkov had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 4 shots in 21:13.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Dallas Stars beat Buffalo Sabres 4–2

Dallas Stars beat Buffalo Sabres 4–2 at home. Jason Robertson (DAL) led the scoring with 1G 2A. Ryan McLeod (BUF) played 12:14, −4:39 down on his 16:53 season average over 78 games.

•Jason Robertson had a goal and 2 assists (3 points) on 2 shots in 15:15.
•Thomas Harley had 2 assists (2 points) on 1 shot in 19:59.
•Ryan McLeod (BUF) played 12:14, −4:39 down on his 16:53 season average over 78 games.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Minnesota Wild beat Nashville Predators 5–3

Minnesota Wild beat Nashville Predators 5–3 at home. Marco Rossi (MIN) led the scoring with 2G 1A.

•Marco Rossi had two goals and an assist (3 points) on 7 shots in 19:18.
•Jonas Brodin had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 4 shots in 23:58.
•Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 1 shot in 20:58.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Colorado Avalanche beat Winnipeg Jets 5–2

Colorado Avalanche beat Winnipeg Jets 5–2 at home. Josh Manson (COL) led the scoring with 0G 2A. Eric Comrie (WPG) faced 36 shots and stopped 33 (.917), +9 against a season average of 27.4; the loss.

•Jonathan Drouin had 2 assists (2 points) in 18:15.
•Josh Manson had 2 assists (2 points) on 3 shots in 19:18.
•Eric Comrie (WPG) faced 36 shots and stopped 33 (.917), +9 against a season average of 27.4; the loss.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Anaheim Ducks edge New Jersey Devils 3–2

Anaheim Ducks beat New Jersey Devils 3–2 at home. Ryan Strome (ANA) led the scoring with 1G 1A. Frank Vatrano (ANA) played 20:46, +3:16 up on his 17:30 season average over 80 games.

•Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 19:05.
•Frank Vatrano had 2 assists (2 points) on 2 shots in 20:46.
•Frank Vatrano (ANA) played 20:46, +3:16 up on his 17:30 season average over 80 games.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Philadelphia Flyers rout San Jose Sharks 4–0

Philadelphia Flyers beat San Jose Sharks 4–0 at SJS. Egor Zamula (PHI) led the scoring with 1G 1A. PHI's first power-play unit (Konecny, Tippett, Frost, Farabee and Drysdale) scored 1 power-play goal on 5 attempts in 2:46 together.

•Egor Zamula had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 19:00.
•Bobby Brink had 2 assists (2 points) on 2 shots in 14:07.
•Jamie Drysdale had 2 assists (2 points) on 1 shot in 17:19.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Calgary Flames beat Vancouver Canucks 3–1

Calgary Flames beat Vancouver Canucks 3–1 at home. Jonathan Huberdeau (CGY) led the scoring with 1G 1A. VAN's first power-play unit (Miller, Boeser, DeBrusk, Garland and Brannstrom) scored 1 power-play goal on 2 attempts in 1:56 together.

•Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 1 shot in 18:09.
•VAN's first power-play unit (Miller, Boeser, DeBrusk, Garland and Brannstrom) scored 1 power-play goal on 2 attempts in 1:56 together.
•Carson Soucy (VAN) played 21:33, +3:41 up on his 17:52 season average over 74 games.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Edmonton Oilers beat Utah Mammoth 4–1

Edmonton Oilers beat Utah Mammoth 4–1 at home. Mattias Ekholm (EDM) led the scoring with 1G 1A. New look for EDM: Nugent-Hopkins–Brown–McDavid skated 5:43 together at 5v5 as the L2 trio (80% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games.

•Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist (2 points) on 2 shots in 23:19.
•Connor Brown had 2 assists (2 points) in 14:05.
•Connor McDavid had 2 assists (2 points) on 2 shots in 21:11.

Full report: shot map, shifts, lines, box score →

Goal of the night

The hardest tracked shot of the night: Justin Faulk for STL @ CHI, 88.0 mph. Full game report →

Justin Faulk (STL @ CHI): Off the faceoff, 1 pass, 88.0 mph shot.

Top performers

Player	Game	G	A	P	SOG	Hits	Blk	TOI	PP
Marco Rossi MIN	vs NSH	2	1	3	7	0	0	19:18	—
Justin Faulk STL	at CHI	1	2	3	3	0	1	16:16	—
Jason Robertson DAL	vs BUF	1	2	3	2	1	0	15:15	—
Sean Monahan CBJ	vs CAR	0	3	3	1	1	2	23:29	—
Kirill Marchenko CBJ	vs CAR	2	0	2	5	1	1	23:10	—
Aliaksei Protas WSH	vs BOS	2	0	2	5	0	0	17:38	—
Drew O'Connor PIT	at DET	2	0	2	4	1	0	14:02	—
Cam Fowler STL	at CHI	2	0	2	2	0	1	25:08	—
Dmitri Voronkov CBJ	vs CAR	1	1	2	4	2	1	21:13	—
J.T. Compher DET	vs PIT	1	1	2	4	1	0	17:50	—
Jonas Brodin MIN	vs NSH	1	1	2	4	0	1	23:58	—
Dylan Holloway STL	at CHI	1	1	2	3	3	0	16:48	—

Line changes

New look for BOS: Frederic–Brazeau–Koepke skated 10:35 together at 5v5 as the L2 trio (51.6% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for WSH: Eller–Mangiapane–Miroshnichenko skated 8:07 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (27.3% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for NYI: Cizikas–Duclair–Horvat skated 9:39 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (35.7% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for NYI: Fasching–Engvall–MacLean skated 6:27 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (80% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for VGK: Rondbjerg–Schwindt–Holtz skated 5:21 together at 5v5 as the L4 trio (14.3% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for COL: Drouin–Rantanen–Colton skated 7:14 together at 5v5 as the L3 trio (63.6% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for PHI: Couturier–Hathaway–Farabee skated 10:01 together at 5v5 as the L1 trio (46.7% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for EDM: Nugent-Hopkins–Brown–McDavid skated 5:43 together at 5v5 as the L2 trio (80% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →
New look for UTA: Schmaltz–Hayton–Maccelli skated 6:42 together at 5v5 as the L2 trio (0% of the shot attempts), a combination not used in the team's last 5 games. Report →

Goalie notes

Goalie	Game	Dec	SA	GA	SV%
Filip Gustavsson MIN	vs NSH	W	46	3	.935
Justus Annunen NSH	at MIN	L	38	5	.868
Jaxson Stauber UTA	at EDM	L	37	3	.919
Eric Comrie WPG	at COL	L	36	3	.917
Elvis Merzlikins CBJ	vs CAR	W	35	3	.914
Lukas Dostal ANA	vs NJD	W	34	2	.941
Alexandar Georgiev SJS	vs PHI	L	34	4	.882
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen BUF	at DAL	L	32	3	.906
Joseph Woll TOR	vs NYI	W	31	1	.968
Jordan Binnington STL	at CHI	W	30	2	.933
Samuel Montembeault MTL	at VGK	W	29	2	.931
Petr Mrazek CHI	vs STL	L	28	6	.786
Pyotr Kochetkov CAR	at CBJ	O	28	3	.893
Kevin Lankinen VAN	at CGY	L	28	2	.929
Logan Thompson WSH	vs BOS	W	27	1	.963
Stuart Skinner EDM	vs UTA	W	27	1	.963
Jeremy Swayman BOS	at WSH	L	26	2	.923
Jacob Markstrom NJD	at ANA	L	26	3	.885
Alex Lyon DET	vs PIT	W	25	2	.920
Ilya Sorokin NYI	at TOR	L	24	2	.917
Alex Nedeljkovic PIT	at DET	L	24	3	.875
Dustin Wolf CGY	vs VAN	W	24	1	.958
Casey DeSmith DAL	vs BUF	W	23	2	.913
Adin Hill VGK	vs MTL	L	22	3	.864
Mackenzie Blackwood COL	vs WPG	W	22	2	.909
Samuel Ersson PHI	at SJS	W	15	0	.1000
Aleksei Kolosov PHI	at SJS	—	7	0	.1000

Next up: tonight's starting goalies, today's line combinations and today's games. Takeaways are generated from the numbers with fixed rules; nothing is written by a language model.