Jets’ Laine scores five goals
Patrik Laine never envisioned challenging the NHL’s single-game scoring record.
Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice did not share in his young winger’s modesty.
Laine recorded the 61st five-goal game in NHL history Saturday night as the Jets’ defeated the St. Louis Blues 8-4.
“I’m surprised that it hasn’t happened sooner,” Maurice said. “On the nights that he’s scored his three, he’s had his chances to get so much more.”
Laine didn’t share his coach’s confidence.
“If somebody thinks that it’s going to come easily, it doesn’t,” Laine said. “Every goal you’re going to score in this league, it’s hard. It’s the best league in the world. Obviously scoring five, it’s pretty unreal, but for those who think it’s easy, it’s not.”
The last player to score five goals in a game was Johan Franzen of the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 2, 2011. Darryl Sittler of the Toronto Maple Leafs was the last player to score six goals in a game, on April 22, 1976, against Boston.
Joe Malone, who played in the early days of the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens, scored seven goals in a game with the Quebec Bulldogs in January 1920. He also had a six-goal game and three five-goal games.
Brandon Tanev, Blake Wheeler, and Brandon Lemieux also scored for the Jets who snapped their first two-game losing streak of the season.
Laurent Brossoit allowed four goals on 27 shots for his first career win against St. Louis. He improved to 4-1-1.
Chad Johnson allowed six goals on 25 shots and fell to 2-5-0. He was pulled in favor of Jake Allen after allowing his sixth, and Laine’s fourth goal of the game. Allen stopped nine of the 11 shots he faced in relief.
Laine’s five goal outburst gives him a leagueleading 16 goals in 10 November games and 11 in his past four contests.
“I felt like every time I touched the puck it kind of went in somehow,” Laine said. “It was one of those nights. It’s probably not going to happen in a while, but we’ll hope it happens. It was a great night overall for myself and my line mates.”
Laine’s line mates, Bryan Little and Kyle Conner, combined to assist on four of Laine’s five goals. AVALANCHE 3, STARS 2 >> J.T. Compher and Mikko Rantanen scored 45 seconds apart late in the third period to lift Colorado. CAPITALS 5, RANGERS 3 >> Brett Connolly scored the tiebreaking goal with 6:24 left in the third period, and visiting Washington won its season-high fifth straight game. BLACKHAWKS 5, PANTHERS 4>> Erik Gustafsson scored 2:32 into overtime to give Chicago the win. Gustafsson wristed in his third goal of the season to beat Florida goalie James Reimer, snapping Chicago’s two-game overall losing streak and eight-game road skid.
SABRES 3, RED WINGS 2 >> Sam Reinhart and Tage Thompson scored in a seven-round shootout to give Buffalo its ninth consecutive victory.
MAPLE LEAFS 6, FLYERS 0 >> Andreas Johnsson had a hat trick midway through the first period, and Toronto routed Philadelphia.