It was a rough night for goalies with one netminder having some potential equipment issues and another getting shelled early on in a game. Meanwhile, a Coyotes rookie is making an impression and the Flames now have some blue-line depth.
Here are three things we learned in the NHL on Monday night.
Goalie debate continues
The new goalie equipment regulations have captured another victim.
Broadcasters during the St. Louis Blues vs. Florida Panthers game believe that Jake Allen’s slimmer pants were a factor in allowing the first goal of the game.
There’s been mixed reviews on the new, tighter-fitting goalie pants since they were made mandatory on Feb. 4. The NHL is attempting to make the equipment more proportional to body size, which would in turn increase scoring. Scoring last season was 2.71 goals per game — the lowest since the 2003-04 season.
Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen took a look one week after the regulation was mandated as to whether more goals were actually being scored.
Florida won the game 2-1 on a goal by Vincent Trocheck with 4.6 seconds left — the Panthers’ fifth straight win.
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Flames boost blue line
The Calgary Flames boosted their blue line by acquiring defenceman Michael Stone from the Arizona Coyotes for a third-round draft pick in 2017 and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2018.
Stone, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, has one goal and eight assists in 45 games this season for Arizona. The 26-year-old ranked third on the Coyotes in ice time by averaging 20:13 per game.
Sportsnet’s Eric Francis wrote about how Calgary’s moves on the blue line are preparing them for a playoff push.
Dvorak quietly impressing
Christian Dvorak is quietly having himself a decent rookie season with the Coyotes.
Dvorak scored again for Arizona in a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks and now has six goals and three assists in his past nine games.
The former London Knights sniper, who won a Memorial Cup last season, displayed great speed on the play and finished with a slick backhand move.
“He’s special. Haven’t had too many young guys that I’ve enjoyed more than him over my career,” Arizona captain Shane Doan said during a first intermission interview. “He’s a guy that is going to be huge for our organization. He just does everything right.”
Despite only averaging 14:34 in ice time through 54 games this season, Dvorak has 10 goals and 12 assists while leading the Coyotes in plus/minus with a plus-nine rating.
The game also featured a not-so-great start by former Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who was replaced by John Gibson to start the second period.
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