Tag: Mark Lehtonen

Expert hockey insights and analysis from former coach Mark Lehtonen. Covering team strategies, player performance, and tactical breakdowns to give fans a deeper understanding of the game.

Flyers outlast Canadiens 5-4 in shootout after blowing 3-0 start | IceHockeyMan

Flyers outlast Canadiens 5-4 in shootout after blowing 3-0 start | IHM News

By IHM Team | IHM News | November 5, 2025

Flyers survive Montreal rally and win 5-4 in shootout

Brink scores twice, Zegras decides the tiebreaker, Suzuki point streak reaches 12

MONTREAL Philadelphia rode a blistering start, absorbed a furious response, and still left Bell Centre with two points. The Flyers built a 3-0 cushion on their first six shots, saw the Canadiens answer with four consecutive goals in a wild second period, and ultimately prevailed 5-4 in a shootout.

Bobby Brink provided two goals including a net-front redirection and a rebound put-back, Cam York added a 5-on-3 strike, and playmakers Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny each registered two assists. In the skills contest, Zegras delivered the only conversion to seal it. Dan Vladar made 16 saves for Philadelphia, steady in the third and in overtime after the game tilted.

Montreal clawed back behind Kirby Dach’s brace and a power-play surge driven by Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov. Suzuki’s second-period one-timer extended the longest point streak in the league this season to 12 games with 19 points over that span. Rookie winger Nikita Grebenkin added a composed third-period finish from the high slot for his first NHL goal, tying the game 4-4 at 10:51.

The opening frame belonged to the Flyers. At 1:56, Brink angled a Travis Sanheim point shot with his backhand for 1-0. On a two-man advantage at 7:07, York hammered Zegras’s backhand feed from the right circle. Just 43 seconds later, Brink jumped on a rebound for 3-0 and Philadelphia’s second straight power-play goal.

Montreal responded immediately in the second. Dach cut the deficit to 3-1 at 3:12 by slamming a lively carom off the end boards. Suzuki made it 3-2 at 4:15 with a clean one-timer into an open side after a cross-ice pass from Demidov. The building surged, and the Canadiens kept pressing. Dach knotted it 3-3 at 13:28 on a quick feed from Lane Hutson below the goal line. At 15:57, Demidov gave Montreal a 4-3 lead with a high-glove wrist shot from the right dot on the power play.

Philadelphia steadied in the third, tightened the neutral-zone gaps, and forced overtime where Zegras’s creativity mattered most. His lone tally in the tiebreaker, paired with Vladar’s stops, delivered the extra point.

Scoring summary

  • 1st, 1:56 PHI – Brink, backhand deflection of Sanheim shot, 1-0
  • 1st, 7:07 PHI 5-on-3 – York, one-timer from right circle (Zegras), 2-0
  • 1st, 7:50 PHI PP - Brink, rebound at the crease, 3-0
  • 2nd, 3:12 MTL – Dach, rebound from low right circle, 3-1
  • 2nd, 4:15 MTL PP – Suzuki, one-timer from left side (Demidov), 3-2
  • 2nd, 13:28 MTL – Dach, feed from Hutson below the line, 3-3
  • 2nd, 15:57 MTL PP – Demidov, wrist shot high glove from right dot, 4-3
  • SO PHI – Zegras, winner

Goaltenders

PHI: Vladar 16 saves on 20. MTL: Montembeault 38 saves on 42, resilient after early barrage.

Team notes

  • Zegras and Konecny drive pace with east-west touches and inside-lane entries.
  • Suzuki extends franchise best since Pierre Turgeon’s 13-game run in April 1995.
  • Grebenkin records first NHL goal in his 16th career game.

Coach Mark comment
Philadelphia responded to momentum loss with smarter puck management and shorter shifts. Montreal’s second-period push was elite with Hutson activating below the goal line and Suzuki commanding the weak side. The difference came from special teams execution and one extra play in the shootout.

IHM Rumors Insider: Top NHL Rumours of the Week
Jacob Markstrom

Markstrom Turns Away 43 as Devils Silence Kings 4-1 | IHM News

By IHM Team | IHM News | November 2, 2025

Markstrom Turns Away 43 as Devils Silence Kings 4-1

Mercer scores twice shorthanded, Halonen nets first NHL goal, New Jersey perfect on the kill

Jacob Markstrom

LOS ANGELES. Jacob Markstrom was the difference. The New Jersey goalie stopped 43 shots and iced a 4-1 road win over the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. The performance arrived one day after Markstrom signed a two-year, $12M extension that starts in 2026-27.

Dawson Mercer struck twice shorthanded in the third period, Nico Hischier opened the scoring on a Luke Hughes point shot, and Brian Halonen beat Darcy Kuemper glove side for his first NHL goal. New Jersey snapped a two-game skid and moved to 9-3-0. The Devils killed all four Kings power plays and turned the game with their penalty kill.

Los Angeles saw a seven-game point streak end. Andrei Kuzmenko scored their lone goal from the low slot off an Anze Kopitar feed. Kuemper finished with 18 saves. The Kings remain winless at home this season.

What decided it

  • Goaltending: Markstrom’s 43 saves included multiple high-danger stops in the second and a clean OT-kill stand late.
  • Special teams: New Jersey went 4-for-4 on the kill and scored twice shorthanded through Mercer.
  • Starts and answers: Hischier’s redirect at 1:22 set the tone. When LA pushed, Mercer’s second closed the door into an empty net.

Milestones and notes

  • Luke Hughes recorded his 100th NHL point on Hischier’s tip.
  • Brian Halonen scored his first NHL goal and point in his 12th career game.
  • The Kings fell to 0-3-2 at home.

Coach Mark: Markstrom owned the blue paint tonight. The kill was connected, sticks in lanes, quick exits, and Mercer read the ice like a veteran. That combination wins playoff games.

Brad Marchand Returns & Leads Panthers to Shootout Win vs Stars | IHM News
Brad Marchand Returns & Leads Panthers to Shootout Win vs Stars | IHM News

Brad Marchand Returns & Leads Panthers to Shootout Win vs Stars | IHM News

by IHM Team | IHM News | October 31, 2025

Marchand Returns With Emotion and Delivers the Win as Panthers Edge Stars in Shootout

Brad Marchand Returns & Leads Panthers to Shootout Win vs Stars | IHM News

Brad Marchand’s return to the lineup was more than a hockey story – it was personal, emotional, and powerful. After stepping away from the Florida Panthers to support longtime friend JP MacCallum following the tragic passing of his 10-year-old daughter, Selah, Marchand came back and immediately wrote a script Hollywood couldn’t improve.

He scored the opening goal, pointed to the sky in tribute, and put the game to bed with the lone shootout tally as Florida defeated Dallas 4-3 in Sunrise. The emotional weight was clear. Marchand wasn’t playing for points; he was playing for someone special. And the Panthers rallied around it.

Sam Reinhart also scored his 300th NHL goal, continuing his elite form and extending his goal streak to four games. Sam Bennett added one, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves in a night defined by structure, resolve, and heart.

Dallas wasn’t going away quietly. The Stars clawed back twice, including Mikko Rantanen’s equalizer with under three minutes left. But in the end, Marchand – steady, calm, driven – delivered the clincher and carried Florida to two points.

Florida’s win lifts them above .500 at 6-5-1, while Dallas earns a point to extend their streak to six games. But tonight was bigger than standings. It was about emotion, purpose, and honoring a life taken far too soon.

Coach Mark’s Take

Emotional nights like this test the composure of a team. Florida handled it with maturity and structure. Marchand stepped right back in and set the tone, physically and emotionally. Dallas had their pushback, but Florida maintained their discipline and finished. Moments like this build real room chemistry and belief.

Devils sign Jacob Markstrom to 2-year, $12M contract | IHM News
Tanev Leaves on Stretcher as Maple Leafs Beat Flyers 5-2 | IHM News

Tanev Leaves on Stretcher as Maple Leafs Beat Flyers 5-2 | IHM News

Tanev Leaves on Stretcher as Maple Leafs Beat Flyers 5-2

by IHM Team | IHM News | November 2, 2025

Veteran blueliner collided with Matvei Michkov in the third period. Toronto says he was moving and speaking and was taken to hospital for evaluation.

Tanev Leaves on Stretcher as Maple Leafs Beat Flyers 5-2 | IHM News

PHILADELPHIA - A scary moment overshadowed the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 5-2 win when Chris Tanev was taken off on a stretcher at 8:23 of the third period after a collision with Matvei Michkov near the Leafs’ blue line. Michkov received a minor penalty for interference.

Head coach Craig Berube said Tanev was moving and speaking and had been transported to a local hospital for tests. He added there is a chance Tanev could be released to travel with the team.

Captain Auston Matthews called it “a tough feeling,” noting the team is hoping for the best. The game was Tanev’s first after missing four with an upper-body injury. He assisted on Jake McCabe’s goal that made it 2-1 in the second period.

Tanev, 35, has two assists in eight games this season. He joined Toronto from Dallas in June 2024 and signed a six-year contract on July 1.

IHM Bench Notes

  • Incident time: 8:23 of the third.
  • Penalty: Interference on Michkov.
  • Next up: Leafs host Penguins on Monday.
  • Tanev career: 874 GP - 36 G - 173 A - 209 PTS.

Coach Mark: For Toronto, Chris Tanev is the backbone of their defensive identity - structure, poise, reliability. The important thing is that he was conscious and moving. In situations like this it’s pure protocol: stabilize, assess, clear.
Tonight wasn’t about systems or execution. It was about a human moment. The two points matter - but health always comes first.

Maple Leafs Working Two Tracks: Cap Relief on Kampf, Hockey Trade for Robertson | IHM News
Cinematic hockey banner of an east-west deceptive cycle with metallic IHM Academy Lesson #10 title

IHM Academy - Lesson #10 · By Coach Mark Lehtonen

Offensive Zone Cycle – Low Switch & Pop Support (East-West Deception Style)

A cycle is not “wasting time in the corner.” A real cycle stretches defenders east-west, forces coverage switches, and opens the middle. Bad teams skate in circles; smart teams change angles and attack seams. We don’t cycle to survive – we cycle to manipulate and strike.

Top-down coaching diagram showing low switch between F1/F2 and weak-side pop by F3 into soft ice above the dots.

Objective

Use low support, deceptive switching, and weak-side pop timing to pull defenders off structure and create a middle-lane attack with speed.

Core Principle

Switch low → Pull coverage → Hit the weak-side pop in stride. We don’t dump and chase the corner; we cut east-west, lean pressure, and pop into space.

Roles & Execution

  • F1: Drive below the dots, sell net drive, then inside cut across the dots to change the angle.
  • F2: Low support under F1 with tight spacing (2-3 stick lengths), stick available, eyes middle.
  • F1 ↔ F2 Low Switch: Quick shoulder fake → exchange lanes → force D to hand off coverage or over-commit.
  • F3: Stay outside the pile; pop into soft ice above the dots on the weak side; catch in stride for shot or downhill attack.
  • D1 / D2: Hold width up top; be patient. Join only if middle is secured and cycle control is established.

Key Cues

  • Tight cycle spacing: 2-3 stick lengths between F1/F2 – close enough to connect, far enough to pull a defender.
  • Stop-start cuts: No lazy circles. Sell one route, exit on another.
  • Sell the drive: Threaten the net before you pull east-west.
  • F3 waits, then pops: Don’t dive too early; arrive as the switch forces confusion.
  • Middle belongs to us: If there’s no middle threat, the cycle is cardio.

Why It Works

East-west deception stretches the defensive box, forces switches, and creates timing gaps. The weak-side pop becomes a free look because defenders are turning heads and handing off coverage. We create the shot, not just possession.

Coach Mark Lehtonen says:

“Don’t skate to skate – skate to move someone out of your lane. Fakes win cycles. Contact without deception is just cardio.”

Common Mistakes

  • Big circles: Easy to track; no deception or separation.
  • F3 too deep: Middle threat disappears; cycle dies on the wall.
  • D jumping early: Creates the wrong 3v2 the other way.
  • No shoulder fake: Defenders read the route; switch fails.
  • Puck released outside too early: Kills spacing and timing before the pop is open.

Micro-Drills

  • Low Switch Cut: F1 below dots under pressure → inside cut; F2 under-support → quick exchange; return pass to F1 or hit F3 pop for shot.
  • East-West Pressure Box: Cones at hashmarks; F1 drive-in → stop-cut → escape east; F2 under-support; F3 time the pop above dots for one-touch.

Summary

Cycle to attack, not to survive. Low support → deception → switch → weak-side pop → middle strike. We drag defenders out of structure and punish the gap they leave. Skill beats structure when structure creates the skill.

Explore more offensive zone concepts at IHM Academy.

IHM Academy – Lesson #9 · By Coach Mark Lehtonen
Cinematic hockey banner showing a neutral-zone turnover exploding into counter-attack, with metallic title IHM Academy - Lesson #9

IHM Academy – Lesson #9 · By Coach Mark Lehtonen

Neutral Zone Transition Triggers – Turn Defense Into Strike Force

In the neutral zone, the team that thinks faster wins. A turnover isn’t a pause – it’s a trigger. We don’t “start an attack”; we launch a structured strike while the opponent is still reorganizing.

Top-down coaching diagram of neutral-zone transition: F1 north-first touch, F2 under support, F3 weak-side slash through the middle, D1/D2 structure

Objective

Convert neutral-zone recoveries into immediate, structured offense by owning the middle lane, activating speed, and forcing defenders into late decisions.

Core Principle

FIRST TOUCH NORTH → SUPPORT SLASH → MIDDLE OWNERSHIP. If the first action after a recovery is lateral or backwards, the moment dies. If it’s north with layered support, the defense panics.

Roles & Timing

  • F1 (puck winner): One quick stride north, head up, sell middle. Do not drift east-west.
  • F2 (nearest support): Arrives on an angled lane under F1 – available for a quick pop or touch pass.
  • F3 (weak-side slash): Cuts through the middle with speed. This is the playmaker: it splits coverage and opens the outside lane by threatening the seam.
  • D1: Holds the blue line with a small north step; joins only if structure behind is stable.
  • D2: Anchors the middle; protects against immediate counter if play stalls.

Teaching Cues

  1. Head up early: Scan before you touch the puck; decide before you receive.
  2. Staggered depth: Do not stack lanes; create layers for quick-touch plays.
  3. Middle threat first: Show the seam to open the flank.
  4. Tempo shift: Half-second hesitation kills transition; explode on recovery.
  5. No parallel routes: Cross or slash; don’t skate side-by-side.

Why It Works

We attack while their structure collapses: the middle-lane slash forces the defense to guess; the north-first touch prevents regroup; layered support protects possession if pressure arrives. It’s controlled aggression – not chaos.

Coach Mark Lehtonen says:

“Bad teams race. Smart teams steer. Own the middle and you own the shift.”

Common Mistakes

  • Dragging the puck east-west after the recovery.
  • Stacking two forwards in the same lane (no depth).
  • F3 watching the play instead of slashing through the seam.
  • D jumping without middle security from the partner.

Quick Micro-Drills

  • 3v2 NZ Turnover Pop: Coach rims a loose puck; F1 recovers → F2 under pop → F3 seam slash; finish off the rush.
  • Seam Read Relay: On whistle, weak-side forward must cross the dots in three strides; coach passes only if slash is on time.

Summary

Neutral-zone transition is a mindset: recover → explode north → slash middle → support underneath. We don’t chase speed – we remove options and attack space. That’s how defense becomes strike force.

Study more transition and entry concepts at IHM Academy.

IHM Academy – Lesson #8 · By Coach Mark Lehtonen
Maple Leafs Working Two Tracks: Cap Relief on Kampf, Hockey Trade for Robertson | IHM News

Maple Leafs Working Two Tracks: Cap Relief on Kampf, Hockey Trade for Robertson | IHM News

By IHM Team | IHM News | November 1, 2025

Maple Leafs Working Two Tracks: Cap Relief on Kampf, Hockey Trade for Robertson

The Toronto Maple Leafs are running parallel trade paths. For David Kampf, management is focused on cap relief, targeting a move that clears his $2.4 million AAV and restores flexibility. For Nick Robertson, the preference is a like-for-like hockey trade with a similar-age player, which narrows the field and complicates timing.

Track 1: Getting off the money with Kampf

Kampf is a dependable depth centre and penalty killer, yet his ticket outweighs his current role in a crowded bottom six. The return is secondary to the cap space gained, which Toronto can reallocate when larger opportunities appear. Expect frameworks that include modest sweeteners or partial retention to accelerate talks.

Track 2: A tighter market for Robertson

Robertson’s case is different. Toronto wants a comparable piece back rather than a futures-only package. Usage dips and limited production reduce leverage, so the Leafs face a sequencing problem: play him to raise the value, or act now and accept a smaller return. A short run in a top-nine look could quickly reshape the conversation.

IHM analysis: leverage, timing, profiles

  • Leverage: Kampf can move first due to clearer valuation and cap utility. Robertson requires patience or a creative one-for-one swap.
  • Timing: Early November moves are rare. Activity typically increases as winter approaches and LTIR situations settle.
  • Potential profiles: Cap-flex teams needing PK help at centre, and rebuilders open to change-of-scenery winger swaps with ice-time runway.

Why this matters for Toronto

These files are clean levers to open space without touching core pieces. Freeing dollars now allows Brad Treliving to attack the market later rather than react to it.

Coach Mark comment

“Cap flexibility is oxygen. If you can turn a fourth-line cap hit into room by December, you set the table for the real move later. With Robertson, I would play him and let him build rhythm off the rush, then decide. Selling low is a tough habit to break.”

Oliver Kapanen is Emerging as a Key Two Way Piece for Montreal | IHM News
Oliver Kapanen is earning trust, minutes, and delivering results - 4 goals, 3 assists, and hard defensive work that coaches love.

Oliver Kapanen is Emerging as a Key Two Way Piece for Montreal | IHM News

IHM News Desk | November 01, 2025

Oliver Kapanen is Emerging as a Key Piece for Montreal

Oliver Kapanen is earning trust, minutes, and delivering results - 4 goals, 3 assists, and hard defensive work that coaches love.

Oliver Kapanen’s arrival in the NHL has not been loud or flashy, but it has been effective, disciplined and very Montreal. The 22 year old centre opened the season fighting for minutes and has quickly carved out a defined role in the Canadiens bottom six, delivering mature, structured hockey far beyond his age.

Kapanen’s foundation was built in Finland, where discipline and two way awareness is the core of development. Add in time in Sweden, strong NHL bloodlines and a calm decision making presence, and Montreal suddenly has a centre who looks tailor made for Martin St. Louis modern system.

A Patient Climb Built the Right Way

Kapanen’s journey was not instant. He bounced between Europe, Laval and Montreal last season, earning his ice time and learning the North American pace. Instead of trying to force offense, he built trust by winning small battles, supporting the puck and staying reliable without it.

Now, that patience is paying dividends. Through seven games he has already produced four goals and three assists, complimenting that with strong penalty killing work and physical engagement. His scoring has not come from highlight plays, but from reading situations early and getting to the right pockets of ice.

A Third Line Centre Growing Fast

The Canadiens continue to construct a competitive identity and Kapanen fits it perfectly: calm, efficient, responsible. His decision making under pressure has impressed the coaching staff, and his ability to quietly tilt shifts in Montreal’s favour is becoming noticeable.

Against Nashville, he delivered a composed late equalizer. Against Buffalo, he opened the scoring. And versus Edmonton he distributed well, picking up two assists. For a player many expected to simply compete for depth minutes, he is performing like a long term middle six solution.

A Feel Good Development Story in Montreal

Kapanen is not here to place himself on highlight reels. He is here to play winning hockey. Montreal fans have seen many prospects arrive with hype and fade. Kapanen has arrived with calm, substance and steadily rising influence.

He is proving that not every breakout needs hype. Some players grow shift by shift, building trust and then adding production. That is Kapanen – and his blend of Finnish detail and quiet confidence is turning into something real.

IHM Team Verdict

The Canadiens are not complete yet, but pieces like Kapanen accelerate the build. If he continues at this pace, he becomes a long term stabilizing centre with penalty kill value, secondary scoring threat and playoff style habits.

He might never be a superstar, and that is perfectly fine. Montreal needs players who do the right things consistently – and Kapanen looks like that player.

For Canadiens fans: enjoy this one. A quietly emerging two way centre with real hockey intelligence does not come along often.

Coach Mark Reaction

“I like the kid’s habits. Nothing forced, nothing rushed. He supports plays the right way, makes smart reads off the puck and understands spacing. That is coaching gold. If he keeps maturing like this, Montreal has a very reliable piece down the middle for years.”

Devils sign Jacob Markstrom to 2-year, $12M contract | IHM News
Jacob Markstrom, Devils news, New Jersey Devils, NHL contracts, NHL signings, NHL extensions, Markstrom contract, Devils goalie, NHL goalie news, hockey news today

Devils sign Jacob Markstrom to 2-year, $12M contract | IHM News

Markstrom signs 2-year, $12 million contract with Devils

By IHM Team · IHM News | November 01, 2025

Jacob Markstrom, Devils news, New Jersey Devils, NHL contracts, NHL signings, NHL extensions, Markstrom contract, Devils goalie, NHL goalie news, hockey news today

Goaltender in 2nd season with New Jersey, could have become unrestricted free agent after season

Jacob Markstrom has signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the New Jersey Devils.

It has an average annual value of $6 million and begins with the 2026-27 season.

The 35-year-old goalie is 2-2-0 with a 5.13 goals-against average and .830 save percentage in four games this season. After being injured in a 3-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 13, Markstrom returned for Tuesday’s 8-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, making 34 saves on 42 shots.

Markstrom was 26-16-6 with a 2.50 goals-against average, .900 save percentage and four shutouts in 49 games for the Devils last season, his first with the team after being acquired in a trade on June 19, 2024.

He is in the final year of a six-year, $36 million contract ($6 million AAV) he signed with the Calgary Flames on Oct. 9, 2020, and could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

A second-round pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2008 NHL Draft (No. 31), Markstrom is 243-214-63 with a 2.72 GAA, .908 save percentage and 24 shutouts in 538 regular-season games (520 starts) for the Panthers, Vancouver Canucks, Flames and Devils and 14-17 with a 2.88 GAA, .911 save percentage and two shutouts in 31 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Coach Mark comment

For New Jersey this is about floor and predictability. Markstrom’s technique and size still give you NHL-level starts, and a 2-year horizon at $6M AAV is a controllable bridge while the pipeline matures. Usage and load management will decide the value.

Sharks Blitz Early, Handle Devils 5-2 | IHM News
Necas locked for 8 years. First game after the deal: 1+2 and a statement win in Vegas

Martin Necas Signs Contract with Avalanche; 3-Point Night vs Golden Knights | IHM News

Necas signs 8-year contract with Avalanche; 3-point night vs Golden Knights

By IHM Team · IHM News

Necas signs 8-year contract with Avalanche

Forward could have been UFA after season, was acquired in 3-team trade that sent Rantanen to Hurricanes

Martin Necas signed an eight-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“Super excited and happy to get this done,” Necas said after practice on Thursday. “I’m excited for the times ahead now. Now I can just focus on playing hockey, winning hockey games, and do whatever it takes to bring a Cup back here to Colorado.”

The 26-year-old forward could have been an unrestricted free agent after this season. He began his first full season for the Avalanche with an eight-game point streak (six goals, six assists) and has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 11 games this season. He got his 40th point in his 38th game since joining the Avalanche, the fastest since the franchise relocated to Denver from Quebec to begin the 1995-96 season.

“I feel like coming into this season, having the whole camp, being with the guys, feel like a real player on the Colorado Avalanche,” he said. “I’ve seen the things we can do on the ice, and I was like, ‘Sign me up.’ The core group here is amazing. I’ve been on a great team in Carolina, and being here, seeing how good the guys are here and how special this group is, it was a big part of why I signed here.”

Necas was acquired by the Avalanche on Jan. 24, 2025, in a three-team trade involving the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks that sent Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall to Carolina. He was among the first six players named to Team Czechia’s preliminary roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“It’s going to be nice to finally settle in somewhere and have a long-term contract and just focus on winning and nothing else,” Necas said. “I’m super excited, happy I can call this place home now.”

The No. 12 pick by Carolina in the 2017 NHL Draft, Necas has 339 points (131 goals, 208 assists) in 452 regular-season games with the Hurricanes and Avalanche and 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 66 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

“I think he’s an electric top-line winger at 26, turning 27 years old (in January),” Avalanche general manager Chris McFarland said. “They’re hard to find. They’re hard to acquire. You’ve got to draft them, or it’s a steep price to get [one], whether it’s in free agency or trade. But I think the fit has been really good. And his speed, his skill, his talent blends in really well here, but it would blend in anywhere, to be honest. He’s a very good hockey player, and we’re lucky to have him.”

Necas has 3 points, helps Avalanche hold off Golden Knights

Makar gets goal, assist; Vegas has lost 3 of 4

LAS VEGAS – Martin Necas had a goal and two assists, and the Colorado Avalanche held off the Vegas Golden Knights for a 4-2 victory at T-Mobile Arena on Friday.

It was Necas’ first game since signing an eight-year contract with Colorado on Thursday.

“He was feeling it tonight,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said.

Cale Makar had a goal and an assist, and Brock Nelson and Brent Burns also scored for the Avalanche (7-1-4), who have won two in a row after losing four straight. Scott Wedgewood made 21 saves.

“It seems like every night is another big game against another good team,” Burns said. “Obviously, they’re a top team. It’s important to have that kind of mindset every night. But it’s a good way to start the week.”

Tomas Hertl and Mitch Marner each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights (6-2-3), who have lost three of four. Carl Lindbom made 22 saves in his second NHL game.

“We obviously had a slower start. They scored on the first shift, but we had some good looks,” Hertl said. “Obviously, in the second, we have a lot of power plays. And sometimes it’s not just about scoring goals but getting the momentum. We got the momentum turned against us because we’ve been just chasing the puck. We actually gave up chances on our power play.”

Necas gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead 41 seconds into the first period with a one-timer off a Makar cross-ice pass.

“The play they made [at the start]. We went over it nine minutes before the game started,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “The coach has to prepare his team to play, right? But as players, you have to start on time. We’re getting to the point here, it’s almost November, and this is a recurring thing.”

Nelson extended it to 2-0 at 4:32 of the second period. Jack Drury took the puck off the bounce after a miscommunication between Ben Hutton and William Karlsson, then fed it to Nelson on the breakaway.

“Karlsson was pulling out when I was sliding it over, and then I was trying to back check,” Hutton said. “It was a tough play by me. Obviously, looking back, it’s easy to say I should have done it. Got to own that one.”

Hertl cut it to 2-1 during a 4-on-3 power play at 2:51 of the third period, sliding the puck underneath Wedgewood’s right pad after cutting across the crease.

“We know they’ve been aggressive, like a lot of teams, and I try to take it to the net,” Hertl said. “Sometimes, we have to keep it simple, get the pucks, shoot. When we get rebounds and stuff, it eventually opens up.”

Burns made it 3-1 at 10:11, finishing a wrist shot while trailing the play. It was the defenseman’s first goal since signing a one-year contract with Colorado on July 2.

“It’s funny how it worked out because in the first period, Necas and I had a similar play, and I didn’t jump in,” Burns said. “He let me know about it, so it was good. I said, ‘You know, big dummy needs to learn the lesson.’ So, it was a great play by him, and it’s nice to see.”

Marner made it 3-2 at 12:01 after he sent the puck toward the goal from the right side before it bounced off Burns into the roof of the net.

Makar then scored an empty-net goal at 18:22 for the 4-2 final.

“It’s another good game to measure ourselves against the other top teams in the League,” Bednar said. “We handled ourselves pretty good. We got an early lead. Obviously, it’s a big start to the game, and we’re able to play with the lead most of the game.

The second period got a little hairy with all the penalties, but 5-on-5, we did a nice job. They obviously pushed in the third period, but then we capitalized at the end. Good, hard-fought game by both teams. It’s good to get the two points.

Coach Mark Comment

Perfect response from a player who just signed long-term. Necas impacts the game with speed and decisions, not just highlights. Colorado secured a core driver and he delivered immediately. That is how you set the tone for a locker room.

Red Wings Survive Late Push, Beat Kings 4-3 in Shootout | IHM News