ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – Stephen Perfetto improved by leaps during his rookie season last year with the Aces. Looks like he’ll get the bounds part done early this time around.
The second-year pro scored twice and assisted on the other two as the Aces downed South Carolina 4-1 in an exhibition game Thursday night at the Sullivan Arena.
Perfetto figured in the scoring at 9:04 of the first period as he gave a perfect centering pass to a net-driving Ben Lake. Lake deflected the puck past goaltender Parker Milner and Alaska took a 1-0 lead into the second period.
Perfetto again in the second…driving the left wing and firing a bullet past Milner at 10:58. Assists to Peter Sivak and Tim Wallace.
Mads Eller cut the Aces lead in half with an unassisted goal at 14:44 of the second period.
In the third, Sivak gave the Aces some breathing room at 10:39 with a scathing wrister top shelf, stick side after taking a pass from Perfetto. Ryan Trenz was also credited with an assist.
The deal was sealed with Perfetto’s near full-court empty net shot at 19:15.
South Carolina outshot Alaska 35-32 for the game.
Milner stopped 29 shots in the loss, while winning goaltender Kevin Carr of the Aces finished with 34 saves.
Alaska is off until Friday, October 21 when they open the 2016-17 regular season at Colorado against the Eagles.
Welcome to the “NHL Brief,” a daily collection of the latest news and notes from around the League.
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
NY RANGERS 5, NY Islanders 3
Boston 6, COLUMBUS 3
Montreal 4, BUFFALO 1
FLORIDA 2, New Jersey 1 (OT)
TAMPA BAY 6, Detroit 4
WINNIPEG 5, Carolina 4 (OT)
ST. LOUIS 3, Minnesota 2
PITTSBURGH 3, Washington 2 (SO)
DALLAS 4, Anaheim 2
FLEURY GUIDES PENGUINS ON BANNER NIGHT IN PITTSBURGH
After the Penguins raised their fourth Stanley Cup banner to the rafters at PPG Paints Arena, Marc-Andre Fleury made 39 saves through overtime and added two stops in the shootout to help Pittsburgh defeat Washington in their first meeting since Game 6 of the Second Round last spring.
PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 13: Members of the Pittsburgh Penguins watch as the 2016 Stanley Cup Banner is raised prior to the game against the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena on October 13, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)
* MUST SEE: Captain Sidney Crosby, who missed the game due to injury, was on the ice with the Stanley Cup as part of the banner-raising ceremony.
* Fleury, who missed the final five games of the 2015-16 season due to injury and made only two appearances in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, improved to 9-1-0 in his last 10 regular-season contests dating to March 11 at CBJ.
MARCHAND BUILDS OFF SUCCESS AT WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY
Brad Marchand (2-3—5), who led the World Cup of Hockey 2016 with five goals and finished second with eight points, equaled NHL career highs for assists and points in a game to rally the Bruins to victory in their season-opener.
* Marchand’s second career five-point performance (also Dec. 23, 2011 vs. FLA: 3-2—5) came exactly two weeks after he scored a shorthanded, game-winning goal in the final minute of regulation to power Team Canada to the World Cup of Hockey 2016 championship.
* Marchand became the 14th player in NHL history to record at least five points in a season-opener, and the first to do so since Thomas Vanek on Jan. 20, 2013 (2-3—5 w/ BUF). One other Bruins player has achieved that feat: Phil Esposito on Oct. 10, 1973 (3-2—5 vs. VAN).
VETERAN NETMINDERS CLIMB ALL-TIME WINS LIST
Goaltenders Roberto Luongo and Henrik Lundqvist each moved up the NHL’s all-time wins list after posting victories in their club’s season-opener.
* Luongo made 23 saves in Florida’s overtime victory to earn his 437th career win and move into a tie with Jacques Plante for sixth place all-time, on a night when the Panthers raised their Atlantic Division championship banner to the rafters.
* Lundqvist (25 SV) earned his 375th career NHL win (all w/ NYR) to move past John Vanbiesbrouck (374) into sole possession of 14th place all-time and help the Rangers begin their 90th NHL season with a victory.
MOST CAREER WINS
1. Martin Brodeur: 691
2. Patrick Roy: 551
3. Ed Belfour: 484
4. Curtis Joseph: 454
5. Terry Sawchuk: 447
t-6. Jacques Plante: 437 t-6. Roberto Luongo: 437
. . .
13. Mike Vernon: 385 14. Henrik Lundqvist: 375
LAINE AIDS JETS’ COMEBACK IN LEAGUE DEBUT
No. 2 overall pick Patrik Laine (1-1—2) collected the first two points of his NHL career in the final six minutes of regulation and Mark Scheifele (1-0—1) scored in overtime to help the Jets overcome a three-goal, third period deficit against the Hurricanes.
WINNIPEG, MB – OCTOBER 13: Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets poses with the game puck after scoring his first career NHL goal in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at the MTS Centre on October 13, 2016 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
* Laine became the third player selected in the top four picks at the 2016 NHL Draft to score in his League debut, joining top pick Auston Matthews (4-0—4 w/ TOR) and No. 4 overall pick JessePuljujarvi (1-0—1 w/ EDM).
* Elias notes that Matthews and Laine are the first pair of top-two picks from the same NHL Draft to each record multiple points in their debut.
* The Jets became the third team in NHL history to win their first game of the season by overcoming a three-goal deficit in the third period, and the second to do so in as many years.
In 2015-16, the Wild also erased a 4-1 deficit in the third period to win their opener at COL. The only other to do so: the Whalers, who rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the third period to defeat the Flames 6-5 in their first contest of the 1986-87 campaign.
* Blake Wheeler collected 1-2—3, including the primary assist on the tying and winning goals, in his first regular-season game as Jets captain.
LOOSE PUCKS
David Pastrnak (20 years, 141 days) registered 2-2—4 to become the youngest player to record four points for the Bruins since Oct. 25, 2008 when Milan Lucic (20 years, 140 days) posted 3-1—4 vs. ATL . . . Bruins offseason acquisition David Backes contributed 2-1—3 in his team debut . . . Blues forward Nail Yakupov (1-1—2), acquired via trade on Oct. 7, collected his first points with the team to help them move to 2-0-0 this season . . . MikhailSergachev (18 years, 110 days), the ninth overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft, became the youngest defenseman (and fourth youngest player) to play a regular season game for the Canadiens . . . The Strumbellas and Sum 41 will headline the entertainment for the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic . . . The Maple Leafs unveiled statues honoring Dave Keon, Turk Broda and Tim Horton outside Air Canada Centre . . . The Stars wore special helmet decals to honor the police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty on July 7, 2016 in downtown Dallas . . . The Panthers honored late Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez during their home opener.
FLYERS, KINGS MEET ON ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST NHL GAME IN L.A.
A pair of 2015 first-round picks – defenseman Ivan Provorov (No. 7) and forward Travis Konecny (No. 24) – will debut for the Flyers when they travel to California to open their 50th anniversary season against the Kings, on the anniversary of the first NHL game in Los Angeles. On Oct. 14, 1967, the Kings scored four unanswered goals to earn a 4-2 victory against the Flyers in their League debut.
SUBBAN READY FOR MUSIC CITY DEBUT
Defenseman P.K. Subban, who was acquired in June in exchange for former Predators captain SheaWeber, will make his much anticipated regular-season debut when Nashville welcomes Chicago to Bridgestone Arena.
