Hurricanes cruising, Hellebuyck’s Devils rising: Metropolitan Division roundup

The Hurricanes are rolling, the Devils have Connor Hellebuyck in the fold, and the Capitals keep banking tight wins. Below them, the Rangers stumble, the Blue Jackets steal an extra point, and the Flyers sink deeper down the table.

Hurricanes in control, Devils shift with Hellebuyck

At the top, the Carolina Hurricanes closed out their road trip with a decisive 4-0 win in St. Louis. According to Sportsnet, Pyotr Kochetkov turned aside all 24 shots he faced in the shutout, a strong answer after what The Hockey Writers described as a gut-punch shootout loss to the Oilers earlier in the trip. Carolina now sits comfortably first in the Metropolitan with 20 points in 13 games (9-2-2).

Chasing them, the New Jersey Devils continue to gather momentum. They beat the Kings 3-1, with Sportsnet noting that Arseny Gritsyuk scored for a fifth straight game while Brett Pesce and Nathan Bastian also found the back of the net. The bigger-picture change is in goal: Daily Faceoff underlines that star netminder Connor Hellebuyck has been traded from the Jets to the Devils, and The Hockey News frames him as the key piece in a revamped goalie trade market.

Sportsnet also reports that the Hurricanes tried to trade for a forward specifically to flip him to the Jets for Hellebuyck, an illustration of just how intense the arms race has become near the top of the East.

Capitals edge ahead, Rangers leak goals, Jackets cash in

In Washington, the Capitals needed overtime to knock off the Sabres 4-3. Sportsnet reports that Alex Tuch scored twice against his former team, including the overtime winner on a wrist shot from the slot, helped along by a friendly bounce on his first goal. The Capitals move to 12 points in 10 games (6-4-0) and added depth on the back end by claiming defenceman Jack St. Ivany off waivers from the Jets. Sportsnet’s Saturday Headlines segment also notes that Washington is allowing teams to speak with one of their young players, without naming him.

The Rangers, second in the division with 15 points in 13 games (7-5-1), were carved up 7-4 in Ottawa. According to Sportsnet, Drake Batherson recorded a hat trick, finishing it off with an unusual empty-netter, and combined with Tim Stutzle as the Senators struck just over a minute apart early on.

In Columbus, the Blue Jackets (8 points in 9 games, 4-5-0) pulled out a 2-1 overtime win against the Golden Knights. Sportsnet says Adam Fantilli scored the OT winner, while Cam Talbot stopped 26 shots for Vegas and allowed just one goal in defeat.

Penguins hang around, Flyers sliding fast

Pittsburgh stayed in touch with the pack thanks to a 3-2 overtime win against Nashville, nudging up to 11 points in 12 games (5-6-1). Details on the game were scarce, but the extra point keeps the Penguins in the middle of the Metro traffic jam.

In Philadelphia, the trend is the opposite. The Flyers blew two leads and fell 5-4 at home to the Ducks, as La Presse notes. Sportsnet highlights Leo Carlsson’s goal off a turnover behind the Flyers’ net and his one-goal, one-assist night, a pointed showing against the team Sportsnet says tried to pry him out of Anaheim last season. Quebec defenceman Tristan Luneau posted three points, including a goal, while Joseph Woll delivered a highlight-reel save on Cutter Gauthier. With just 9 points in 13 games (3-7-3), the Flyers are now seventh in the Metropolitan.