JFresh: Ethan Bear, acquired by VAN, is a puck-moving defenceman who never really settled in with CAR. Results were okay in a depth spot but he had better two-way results in a bigger role in EDM. Easy to forget he played some of the biggest minutes in the NHL in 19-20.
JFresh: I like this a lot for VAN. Bear has skill and a solid track record including some heavy minutes. Lost his spot in CAR after struggling with COVID. Notably, he’s one of those guys whose on-ice goals against are always above expected. Is that his fault? Maybe!
If Bear’s defensive screw-ups are really the reason his goalies always have a roughly .905 save percentage behind him, then don’t re-sign him. But doesn’t hurt to take a chance.
Rick Dhaliwal reported Ethan Bear’s agent Jason Davidson, as saying Bear is happy about the move: “Ethans #1 destination through this process was to come to Vancouver… he is extremely excited to join the Canucks organization. He works out with Luke Schenn in the off season, he is very excited to get to Vancouver.”
D Ethan Bear will wear jersey number 74 for the Vancouver Canucks. Number never worn before in team history.
General Manager Patrik Allvin on bringing in newly acquired Ethan Bear: “We wanted to add younger players. We got a right-shot defenceman that’s been playing in the league for a couple years.”
Satiar Shah: Ethan Bear’s puck moving ability should be a big boost for a Canucks D that struggles in transition, especially with Hughes out. Not sure he makes the Canucks any better when it comes to in-zone defending but he should help them spend less time there to begin with
“I remember him in Edmonton as a very good puck moving defenceman and very aggressive offensively. We’re looking forward to having him here.”: Head Coach Bruce Boudreau on newly acquired Ethan Bear
Rob Williams: Fun fact: New #Canucks defenceman Ethan Bear received some Calder Trophy votes two years ago.
Ethan Bear (traded to Vancouver) is a high-event defender who creates chaos, has some helpful goal-threat skills, and causes his team to draw penalties a little.: Micah Blake McCurdy
Randip Janda: Ethan Bear addresses a need on the right hand side & is a good buy low option for the Canucks. Good opportunity for Bear to rebound as the Canucks will give him the mobility to move up the depth chart if he can deliver.
Joey Kenward: Both Ethan Bear & Lane Pederson are graduates of @TheWHL. Both were teammates from 2013-15 with @SeattleTbirds
* While players 23 and younger found their names all over score sheet for the Canadiens on Saturday, it was 26-year-old Christian Dvorak who completed a third-period hat trick and capped a Montreal comeback win.
* Nikita Kucherov and Brent Burns both propelled their clubs to victory and did so by scoring within the final 60 seconds of regulation and overtime, respectively.
* Matty Beniers has collected points in four straight games to boost his 2022-23 totals to 4-4—8 and overtake the points lead among all rookies this season.
SEVEN-GOAL OUTBURST HELPS CANADIENS RALLY PAST BLUES After the Blues jumped out to a 3-1 lead and the trio of Cole Caufield (2-1—3), Nick Suzuki (1-2—3) and Kirby Dach (0-2—2) helped the Canadiens take a 4-3 advantage entering the third period, Christian Dvorak’s first career hat trick secured a Montreal victory as well as the fifth seven-goal performance by a team in 2022-23.
* Dvorak, who tallied his first two goals within the opening 1:21 of the final frame, became the seventh Canadiens player in nearly 30 years to register a three-goal period. The others: Max Pacioretty (Nov. 19, 2013; P2), Erik Cole (March 23, 2012; P1), Lars Eller (Jan. 4, 2012; P3), Michael Cammalleri (Dec. 4, 2009; P2), Robert Lang (Jan. 7, 2009; P3) and Michael Ryder (April 7, 2007; P2).
KUCHEROV, BURNS LIFT THEIR TEAMS TO VICTORY WITH LAST-MINUTE WINNERS The Lightning (5-4-0, 10 points) and Hurricanes (5-2-1, 11 points) each earned two points Saturday on the strength of some late-game heroics from Nikita Kucherov (1-0—1) and Brent Burns (1-0—1), respectively:
* Kucherov put Tampa Bay ahead with 57 seconds remaining in the third period and joined Leon Draisaitl (59:22 on Oct. 27), Josh Anderson (59:41 on Oct. 12) and Mark Stone (59:34 on Oct. 11) as the fourth player to score a go-ahead goal in the final minute of regulation this season. His two career go-ahead goals in that scenario trail only Patrick Kane (3) for the most among active skaters.
* After scoring his first goal in a Hurricanes uniform Friday, Burns found the back of the net again Saturday – this time netting his NHL-best 16th career overtime tally among defensemen with just 54 seconds on the clock. Of his 41 career game-winning goals in the regular season, three prior have also come within the final 60 seconds of overtime (none during regulation).
BENIERS TAKES ROOKIE SCORING LEAD AS KRAKEN PREVAIL OVER PENGUINS AfterPenguins forward Jake Guentzel broke the ice midway through the second period, the Kraken responded just 1:15 later as Matty Beniers (0-1—1) set up Jordan Eberle (1-0—1) to tie the game and spark Seattle’s first comeback win of the season. Beniers (4-4—8 in 10 GP) overtook Senators forward Shane Pinto (6-1—7 in 8 GP) and Wild defenseman Calen Addison (0-7—7 in 8 GP) for the NHL’s rookie scoring lead.
* Beniers, who posted nearly a point per game with the Kraken last season (3-6—9 in 10 GP), boosted his career totals to 7-10—17 through his first 20 contests. The No. 2 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft established a franchise mark for most points through a skater’s first 20 games with the Kraken, besting the pace set by Yanni Gourde (6-10—16 in 20 GP) and Jaden Schwartz (4-12—16 in 20 GP) in 2021-22.
PANTHERS PEPPER SENATORS WITH FIVE GOALS ON 58 SHOTS Carter Verhaghe (2-1—3), Aleksander Barkov (1-2—3), Matthew Tkachuk (1-2—3) and Brandon Montour (1-2—3) each collected three points on the day the Panthers scored five goals on 58 shots – the most by any team in a game this season and the most in a game in franchise history.
* Tkachuk posted his first three-point game in a Panthers uniform and his fourth with two or more in 2022-23 (5-8—13 in 9 GP). After posting a career year in 2021-22 (42-62—104 in 82 GP), which witnessed the 24-year-old forward produce 1.27 points per game, Tkachuk is currently collecting points at a 1.44 points-per-game clip to start his tenure with his new club.
* After a 51-shot outing in its previous game against Philadelphia on Oct. 27, Florida has accumulated 100-plus shots through a two-game span for the second time in franchise history (105 in 2 GP from Nov. 3-5, 2010).
SABRES, ISLANDERS RALLY IN FINAL FRAME EN ROUTE TO VICTORIES
The Sabres and Islanders were both facing a multi-goal deficit entering the third period down, but clawed their way back to collect two points in the standings:
* Tage Thompson (2-1—3) scored twice in the third period to help the Sabres force overtime and assisted on Victor Olofsson’s goal 36 seconds into overtime. Saturday marked the first time Buffalo has recorded a multi-goal, third-period comeback win since Dec. 11, 2018 (4-3 OT W vs. LAK).
* Noah Dobson scored one of the Islanders five goals, four of which came in the final frame, as New York erased a three-goal deficit and won in regulation for the first time since March 10, 2014 (7-4 W at VAN). New York become just the second team this season to stage a three-goal comeback victory in regulation and just the fourth team this calendar year (EDM: 5-3 W vs. VAN on Oct. 12, MIN: 6-3 W vs. LAK on April 10 & BUF: 6-5 W at CHI on March 28).
KARLSSON’S STRONG START TO 2022-23 HIGHLIGHTS #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES Thirty-two-year-old Erik Karlsson (2-0—2)scored two of San Jose’s three goals to boost his 2022-23 totals among defensemen to an NHL-best 11 points (6-5—11 in 11 GP). After a three-point performance in his last outing, it marks the first time in his 14-season career – which includes two Norris Trophies (2011-12, 2014-15) – that Karlsson is the first defenseman to 10 points in a season by date (outright or tied).
* Follow our #NHLStats: Live Updates for more nightly notes and storylines like this one throughout the 2022-23 regular season.
BRATT LOOKS TO CONTINUE STREAK IN SUNDAY MATINEE Sunday’s five-game slate will open with Devils forward Jesper Bratt (3-10—13 in 8 GP) looking to push his season-opening point streak to nine games when New Jersey hosts Columbus. Only one player in franchise history has posted a longer season-opening point streak than Bratt: Tim Higgins (10 GP in 1984-85).
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