What happened last night that you need to know about? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best performances. This is where we say, "Morning, Joe."
Jagr just might catch Howe: The gray beard with the mullet, Jaromir Jagr, 44, has scored his 750th career goal. The milestone came Thursday night against the Washington Capitals, and Jagr is the third player in NHL history to accomplish the feat. The Florida Panthers' winger has 1,870 career points in 1,633 games with Florida, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils. He is third in all-time goal scoring, behind Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801). There's no stopping Jagr. He's a man on a mission and will play until the skates are practically ripped from his feet. Because he keeps himself in ridiculous shape and has said he wants to play well into his 40s, and even though he has to score 51 more goals, you've got to think he has a shot at catching Mr. Hockey. Really.
Calder clash continues: The Calder Trophy race is no joke. It's only a week into the season, but there's already a serious push to be the NHL's best rookie. In a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday at Xcel Energy Center, the Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews scored his fifth goal of the season. It was the 19-year-old forward's first goal since he scored four in his debut against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 12. Let it be said that this rookie race between Matthews and the Winnipeg Jets' Patrik Laine (No. 2 overall) is going to be an epic battle for the entire season. It will be a case of "what you can do, I can do better." Laine answered Matthews' four goals with his first NHL hat trick in a 5-4 overtime win against Matthews and the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, giving Laine four goals this season. There are so many story lines to focus on this season (including that old guy Jagr), but the head-to-head matchup between Laine and Matthews will be one to watch. And when the dust settles, my money's on Laine.
Avs impressive again: The Colorado Avalanche are for real -- for real. The boys from the Rockies improved to 3-1-0 with a convincing 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday night. For many, the Lightning are the odds-on favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Sure, it's only four games into the season, but the Avalanche seem poised to make a serious run at a Stanley Cup playoff berth in the Central Division. It was a huge win for Colorado, and Matt Duchene led the way with a pair of goals. The 25-year-old forward is highly skilled: He has great hands and can flat-out fly. He's a dangerous player when he's effective, and this season is his chance to become an elite player.