In training camps and prospect camps, one way to get attention is to pick some fights. Hockey players have to be tough so dropping the mitts seems like a great way to show the coaches that they aren't afraid of getting physical against the opposition. But the thing that really matters once the calendar flips to the regular season is results. And how does one get good results? By scoring goals of course!
With one week of 2013-14 in the books, let's take a look, chronologically, at who put up their first career NHL tally.
Luke Gazdic - Edmonton Oilers - October 1, 2013
On the first day of the 2013-14 regular season, James van Riemsdyk of the Toronto Maple Leafs kicked off the year by being the first player on the stats sheet with a goal. Later in the night, Luke Gazdic of the Edmonton Oilers became the first rookie to pot one with this sneaky chip:
This was an absolutely terrible face-off, for both teams actually, but Gazdic comes out with the puck by the far-side boards. Eric Tangradi's backcheck circuit malfunctions and Mark Stuart unsuccessfully tries to barrel through a wall named Mike Brown, leaving Gadzic all alone approaching the goal at a wide angle. He lazily lifts the puck towards the front of the crease where it tips off of Jim Slater's stick and over Pavelec's pad.
This wasn't a SportsCenter-worthy goal, but good on Gazdic for getting a notch on his belt on his first NHL shot in his five-ish minutes of ice time. After his second game he has yet to register another shot on goal so let's not get ahead of ourselves and assume he can maintain his 100% shooting percentage pace. If you find yourself in Vegas, put your money on black-eyes when it comes to this guy.
Jacob Trouba - Winnipeg Jets - October 1, 2013
Later on in this same game, the Oilers exploded for three unanswered goals, putting themselves up 4-2. A goal from Michael Frolik at the end of the second brought the Jets within one heading into the dressing room prior to the third frame. Jacob Trouba contributed a secondary helper on Frolik's tally but the highlight of his first NHL game comes midway through the third:
The Jets lose the puck in the neutral zone and Ales Hemsky pinches back into his defensive end to activate the breakout. He shovels the puck ahead to Taylor Hall who tosses it cross ice in the direction of Ryan Smyth breaking towards the center line. Trouba reads the play developing and steps straight into the pass from Hall. He enters the Oilers' zone before winding up a slapper that punishes Devan Dubnyk near side.
This is some good vision from Trouba here. While he puts his own end of the ice at risk by jumping this far into the play he makes it worth it by sending that puck past Dubnyk. I also like how he waited for Jeff Petry to get in the shooting lane before firing away, making Petry the screen on the hard shot. And what an adorable smile juxtaposed to Mr. Grumpy Gills who fed him the pass!
Zemgus Girgensons - Buffalo Sabres - October 2, 2013
In the season's debut of "Wednesday Night Rivalry" (more on that coming soon), the Red Wings played their first game as a member of the Eastern Conference and the Buffalo Sabres played their first game attempting to make us forget that they will be wearing new third jerseys at some point this year. But this Wednesday Night game was also a first for Latvian centre Zemgus Girgensons, who was able to capitalize on the forecheck:
Personally I love this goal. Not fancy or anything but it is Girgensons' positioning, mobility, and vision that make this possible. Just a run-of-the-mill dump-in by Buffalo, Jimmy Howard leaves the crease to play the puck while his defencemen peel off to the corners to provide low outlets. Howard attempts to send the puck around the boards to Kyle Quincey on his left but Brian Flynn comes in hot to cut off Howard's pass and succeeds, causing the puck to bounce out in front of the net. Girgensons is sweeping around Howard's weak side, covering Brendan Smith, as the bounce occurs and immediately comes in to collect. He waits for Howard, who has made the short trip back to the goal-mouth, to drop and flips the puck upstairs on the backhand.
Was this sloppy support by Detroit in their own zone? Absolutely. Was this the kind of goal there is no excuse for you not to score? A million times yes. Which is why this is a great example of a no-bones-about-it good goal. The forecheck delivered, Girgensons found the open ice, and he was patient with the puck. I know it's only one goal but I could see this kid frustrating the heck out of the opponent's defence, and not just because he asked them to point out Latvia on a map.
Connor Carrick - Washington Capitals - October 3, 2013
The Washington Capitals had their home opener on October 3rd, hosting the Calgary Flames. Much to the chagrin of Capitals fans, the Flames jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the end of first period. The team definitely needed a spark. With all the firepower on the Caps' front end it was rookie Connor Carrick that would lead the charge back into the game:
Approaching the midway point of the game, the Capitals were just expiring a hooking penalty committed by Carrick. The Flames send the puck deep into the Capitals' end and send some fresh legs on the ice. Marcus Johansson gains control of the puck and sees Carrick coming out of the box, hitting him with the pass square on the tape. Carrick is uncontested on the breakaway, dekes to the backhand which freezes goaltender Karri Ramo, and slides it past Ramo forehand.
As a defenceman, Carrick will not likely see many opportunities such as this so good on him for making a great play on it. This was simply a good read on the line change to get a scoring chance alone against the goaltender. With Mark Giordano coming in to apply back-pressure Carrick maintained his poise and didn't over-think the shot. This goal would also be the first in the Capitals' 5-4 shootout victory.
Aleksander Barkov - Florida Panthers - October 3, 2013
There were big stories at either end of the ice in this game. Dallas held their home opener with a revamped roster in squeaky clean jerseys. Florida would debut Tim Thomas as their netminder after he spent a year away from the NHL. Somewhat overlooked was the match-up between 2013 first round draft picks Valeri Nichuskin of Dallas and Aleksander Barkov of Florida. With the Stars leading by a goal midway through the third period, Barkov decided he would take top rookie honours for the night:
It's ugly, but it will have to do. Florida does a great job controlling the puck on the faceoff and as they weave it through to the net, all five guys on the ice for the Dallas Stars decide they want to tryout for goalie. Barkov is in a great position to at least get a solid tap-in but once the defence collapses around the crease, all bets are off and this turns into a mad scramble. Somehow Barkov finds the puck as it pops out of the melee and spins around to throw it at and into the net. This goal ties the game and sets the stage for a Panthers comeback win.
Not everyone's first is a beauty but sometimes you just have to get it out of the way to move on to bigger and better things. I am certain this isn't the best we will see this year from the second overall draft pick. And for those of you keeping score at home, Nichuskin didn't make the score sheet in this game or in his next one either. Looks like the ball is in the Russian rookie's court.
Sean Monahan - Calgary Flames - October 4, 2013
The Calgary Flames opened the season with a short two-game road trip in the Metropolitan division. The night before they took a shootout loss at the hands of the Washington Capitals after going up 3-0 early. They decided to replicate the fast start they had in the U.S. capital city in the next matchup:
The Flames execute a quick breakout with Sven Baertschi sending the puck to Lee Stempniak at centre ice who takes it wide up the right-wing boards. Sean Monahan stays in the middle and despite James Wisniewski giving him all kinds of trouble, Monahan keeps his eyes on the play and stick on the ice. Stempniak shoots the puck low at Sergei Bobrovsky's pads, Bob pops the rebound out right in front of his crease, and Monahan flips the puck into the back of the net just 2 1/2 minutes after the start of the game.
Let this be a lesson to any young hockey players out there; stick to your lane and get to the net because you might catch a rebound. This is a great example of poor rebound control by Bobrovsky who will be hard-pressed repeating his Vezina-winning season with plays like that. But this is great awareness by Monahan and, with his assist the night before, a great start to his rookie season.
Tomas Hertl - San Jose Sharks - October 5, 2013
The Sharks hosted the Phoenix Coyotes in their second game of the season. They weren't too hot to start their first game off against Vancouver but kicked on the jets to grab a 4-1 win. They definitely needed to come strong out of the gates and thanks to rookie Tomas Hertl they did just that:
Much like the Carrick tally, this was another team exploiting the opponent on a bad change. Marc-Edouard Vlasic finds Hertl at the Coyotes' blue line and Hertl immediately takes the puck up the middle. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is already back on defence but Derek Morris is scrambling to get in position from the bench. Hertl quickly gains a step on OEL, who was previously occupied by Joe Thornton, and fends off a leg-whack from Morris on his way to pushing his backhand shot through the wickets of Mike Smith at the 46 second mark of the game.
Hertl potted an assist in the game against Vancouver but the game against Phoenix would prove to be his early breakout performance. 6 1/2 minutes later the rookie would score the game-winning goal on the power play, leading the Sharks to their second consecutive 4-1 victory. On an unrelated note, I have to say his goal celebrations are fun, yet classy, and almost makes one forget that the Sharks are sporting those terrible jerseys.
Notable Rookies who have not yet found the twine: Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado), Seth Jones (Nashville), Valeri Nichuskin (Dallas), Rasmus Rustolainen (Buffalo), Danny DeKeyser (Detroit), Morgan Reilly (Toronto), Ryan Murray (Columbus)
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