NHL Roundup: Jake DeBrusk nets natural hat trick, Leafs outlast Capitals, and Devils rout Canucks
Anthony Scultore
|
Today’s NHL Roundup recaps all three games from Monday, February 28, 2022.
We begin in Los Angeles, where Jake DeBrusk scored his first career hat trick in style as the Bruins obliterated the Kings. Boston has been showing signs lately of being a serious playoff threat as they moved up in our latest NHL Power Rankings.
From there we head to Washington as the Maple Leafs scored late to get by the Caps. Then we wrap things up in New Jersey, where the Devils dominated the Canucks.
NHL Roundup: Bruins 7, Kings 0
Jake DeBrusk finished off a natural hat trick less than a minute into the second period and the visiting Boston Bruins extended their winning streak to five games with a 7-0 rout over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.
“This is the best league in the world, and it’s hard to do that every night,” DeBrusk said. “Even top guys on each team have off nights or off swings, or things like that. But I sure like it when things are going like this.”
Erik Haula scored two goals, Patrice Bergeron had a goal with two assists, Taylor Hall added a goal and DeBrusk also notched an assist for Boston, which improved to 3-0-0 to start a six-game road swing. Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves in his third shutout of the season.
DeBrusk’s first career hat trick, in his 10th career multi-goal game, came in his first 5:25 of ice time. It gave the Bruins forward seven goals in his past five games and two multi-goal games in his past three contests.
The Kings’ Jonathan Quick made 14 saves on 19 shots before he was pulled in the second period. Los Angeles saw its five-game winning streak end while losing by seven goals for the first time since Nov. 13, 2009, when it also fell 7-0 to the Atlanta Thrashers.
Maple Leafs 5, Capitals 3
Rasmus Sandin scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period as Toronto won at Washington for the Leafs’ third straight win.
Sandin and Justin Holl each had a goal and an assist for Toronto. Michael Bunting, William Nylander and Pierre Engvall also scored for the Maple Leafs, while Mitchell Marner and John Tavares each added two assists for Toronto.
“I liked the game,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. ‘I thought we were good in a lot of areas, except the power play (0-for-4). Otherwise, I thought the guys did a good job.”
NHL.com
Tom Wilson scored two goals and Conor Sheary added one for the Capitals, who have lost three straight. John Carlson added three assists.
“There’s frustration. I think you’re probably angry more than anything else,” Laviolette said. “It’s our building and we’re not getting it done. Something’s got to be better.”
Read: NHL condemns Russia for military action
Devils 7, Canucks 2
Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt were among six players with a goal and an assist, as New Jersey snapped a five-game home losing streak by cooling off Vancouver in Newark, N.J.
Ryan Graves, Dawson Mercer, Yegor Sharangovich and Jesper Boqvist also had a goal with an assist, Dougie Hamilton scored and Nico Daws made 36 saves for the Devils, who matched their highest-scoring game of the season and have totaled 18 goals while winning two of the last three.
“We’ve found a little momentum with the lines we’ve been using, and guys are feeding off each other,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “Our ability to finish on our real good chances has been better. I think we’re finishing more of our better opportunities and that’s been a difference.”
Hughes, playing against brother Quinn for the third time in their NHL careers, opened the scoring with his fifth goal in six contests to extend his point streak to seven games (five goals, eight assists). Vasily Podkolzin and Tanner Pearson scored for Vancouver, which had won three straight and five of six.
–Field Level Media contributed to this report