Ehlers extends Hurricanes’ streak, Leonard shines for Caps: Metropolitan Division roundup

It was a busy Saturday for the Metropolitan Division, highlighted by the defending champs rolling on, the Capitals taking care of a divisional rival, and long-awaited relief in Philadelphia.

Hurricanes stay on top with seventh straight win

The Carolina Hurricanes continue to set the pace. The reigning Stanley Cup champions opened a five-game road trip with a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. According to The Hockey Writers, Nikolaj Ehlers scored the game-winning goal against his former team, pushing Carolina’s winning streak to seven. Sportsnet and The Hockey Writers note that the deciding marker came on the power play, with Ehlers blasting a slapshot past Clay Stevenson, and that the Hurricanes did it while missing captain Jordan Staal and Taylor Hall.

Carolina now sits first in the Metropolitan with 15 points through 9 games (7-1-1), looking every bit like a team comfortable defending its title.

Leonard’s highlight-reel goal, Tuch’s three points lift Capitals

In Washington, the Capitals strengthened their grip on third place with a 4-2 home win over the New Jersey Devils. Sportsnet reports that Alex Tuch had two goals and an assist in the victory, while Ryan Leonard delivered one of the night’s standout moments.

As shown on Sportsnet and described by La Presse, Leonard went nearly coast-to-coast on a power play, weaving through Devils defenders before sliding home the tying goal to make it 1-1. The Capitals improve to 5-3-0 (10 points, 3rd), while the Devils fall to 4-4-0 (8 points, 5th) after this first meeting of the season between the two rivals, summed up by The Hockey Writers as a game with several takeaways for New Jersey.

Flyers finally win, Islanders roll, Jackets edge Rangers

At the bottom of the table, the Philadelphia Flyers finally have something positive to show. Their 3-1 win over the Ottawa Senators is their first victory of the season and, according to Sportsnet, snaps a nine-game skid for the “lowly Flyers.” Porter Martone scored a goal and added an assist, and told Sportsnet he felt relief for both the team and its fans. The Hockey Writers had recently questioned whether to worry about Dan Vladař’s save percentage, underlining just how rough this 1-6-3 (5 points, 8th) start has been.

Off the ice, The Hockey News reports encouraging news as former Flyers enforcer Dave Schultz, recovering from a stroke, has made visible strides and even joked with former teammates before turning talk to the club’s current state.

The New York Islanders, meanwhile, continue a steady start. Sitting fourth with 9 points in 8 games (4-3-1), they handled the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Sportsnet notes that Bo Horvat scored the winner and added an assist as New York handed the Leafs a third straight loss, leaving Toronto last in the Atlantic. Horvat also scored on a rebound after making a move around Gavin McKenna, as highlighted by Sportsnet. Daily Faceoff and Sportsnet report that forwards Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli left the game with lower-body injuries.

In Columbus, the Blue Jackets rebounded from what The Hockey Writers called a brutal 7-3 loss to the Florida Panthers by edging the New York Rangers 1-0 in overtime or a shootout. The Jackets now sit at 3-3-0 (6 points, 7th) with games in hand, while the Rangers remain second at 6-3-1 (13 points) but see their momentum stalled.

Pittsburgh’s struggles continued with a 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Penguins are 3-5-1 (7 points, 6th), still searching for consistency as the rest of the division pushes forward.