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Rookie scoring race weekly recap--Eichel, Larkin, Domi all gain on Panarin |
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Chicago Blackhawks rookie scoring leader Artemi Panarin was out two games this week because of an illness and was shut down in his return to the ice Saturday night vs. the Anaheim Ducks and in the process those trailing him in the scoring race all creeped up on him a bit.
Panarin sits at 52 points on 18 goals and 34 assists and leads, or is tied for the lead, in all three categories.
Buffalo Sabres rookie Jack Eichel is now tied for second in points with Detroit's Dylan Larkin at 38 as he was able to add a goal and two assists in four games while Larkin was held to a single point (an assist) and is on a three-game pointless streak.
Rounding out the top five in scoring are Arizona's Max Domi at 35 points as he added one assist in three games (pointless in his last two) and Philadelphia's Shane Gostisbehere.
A big nod goes to 22 yr. old Gostisbehere as he broke an NHL record with a third period goal on Saturday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. It was his 11th consecutive game with at least one point breaking the previous record of 10 for rookie defensemen that was held by Barry Beck of the Colorado Rockies during the 1977-78 season.
Gostisbehere extended that streak to 12 games with an assist tonight and during the past week he had a goal and two assists in three games to place him fifth in the scoring race with 30 points. His streak began on January 19 and in that time he's scored three goals and added 12 assists
The closest competitors to Panarin are in the goal-scoring department as he remained tied atop the leaderboard with Larkin at 18 goals apiece. Nipping at their heels are Buffalo's Eichel and Sam Reinhart, both with 17.
Reinhart, who doesn't get the attention of the others, had a pretty good week with three goals and an assist in four games and all of a sudden he's within one goal of tying the rookie leaders. Calgary's Sam Bennett upped his goal-total to 15 with one goal in three games and also added three assists to give him 13 on the season. Bennett sits just outside the top-five in points with 28.
Anthony Duclair was fourth in goals last week, but Reinhart bumped him down a notch and into a tie with Bennett at 15 each.
Panarin remains well in front of the pace in assists with 34 as Domi (22,) Eichel and Gostisbehere (21) and Larkin (20) are all bunched together behind him.
We'd be remiss if we failed to mention Edmonton's Connor McDavid.
McDavid, of course, was felled by a broken collar bone earlier in the season and missed 37 games but he seems intent upon making up for lost time. He had two goals and four assists in three games to bring his season point totals to nine goals and 15 assists. He now sits 12th in points, 14th in goals and 7th in assists, but has played in only 20 games, some 35 or so games less than the others.
Rookie Leaders (via NHL.com):
Points:
Panarin--52
Larkin--38
Eichel--38
Domi--35
Gostisbehere--31
Goals:
Panarin--18
Larkin--18
Eichel--17
Reinhart--17
Bennett--15
Assists:
Panarin--34
Domi--22
Eichel--21
Gostisbehere--21
Larkin--20
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