Only four games on Wednesday, but plenty for poolers to chew on. Adrian Kempe scored a hat trick, Artemi Panarin piled up four assists, Sandis Vilmanis broke out in Florida and Ottawa found its legs in the third to win in Buffalo. Here's the rundown.
Senators 2, Sabres 1: Ersson holds the fort
Peyton Krebs opened the scoring for Buffalo in the second, set up by Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. Ottawa answered twice in the third: Shane Pinto from Thomas Chabot, then Michael Amadio from Tim Stützle. Samuel Ersson stopped 23 of 24, and Colten Ellis made 28 saves in the loss. Ottawa outshot Buffalo 30 to 24.
For your pool: Pinto is up to 6 goals and 12 points in 17 games, and he logged more than 21 minutes on Wednesday. Ersson (2-3-1) played well, but his .880 save percentage this season still calls for caution.
Panthers 5, Blackhawks 3: Vilmanis takes over
Sandis Vilmanis had a four point night (two goals, two assists) in just over 13 minutes. Sam Reinhart added an empty netter and two assists, Carter Verhaeghe a power play goal and an assist, and Seth Jones scored too. For Chicago, Frank Nazar scored twice, one shorthanded, and Roman Kantserov once. Connor Bedard picked up two assists. Jacob Markstrom made 17 saves, and Spencer Knight 25.
For your pool: Reinhart has 9 goals and 16 points in 16 games, 8 of them on the power play, about as safe as it gets. Vilmanis went from 3 to 7 points in two games, so he's worth watching in deep leagues before you jump. Bedard has 12 points in 10 games, and Kantserov (7 goals) deserves a look on the waiver wire.
Kings 7, Sharks 2: Kempe and Panarin go off
Adrian Kempe scored three times, once on the power play, and added an assist. Artemi Panarin had four assists. Quinton Byfield scored twice on the power play, Erik Haula had a goal and an assist, Joel Armia scored, and Erik Gustafsson had two helpers. Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves. For San Jose, Macklin Celebrini and Ivar Stenberg scored on the power play, and Michael Misa and Dmitry Orlov each had two assists. Yaroslav Askarov allowed seven goals on 27 shots.
For your pool: Kempe had just 3 goals coming in and now has 6. Panarin is up to 17 points in 14 games. Byfield, with two power play goals, is a name to keep an eye on. Celebrini now has 17 points, and Stenberg keeps producing with the extra man. A rough night for Askarov.
Kraken 2, Flames 1 (OT): Beniers ends it
Yegor Sharangovich gave Calgary the lead in the first. Berkly Catton tied it in the second, from Matthew Samoskevich and Kaapo Kakko, and Matty Beniers won it 55 seconds into overtime on a feed from Brandon Montour. Joey Daccord made 25 saves, and Dustin Wolf 27.
For your pool: Catton is up to 5 goals and 12 points in 15 games, a youngster earning his spot in plenty of lineups. Wolf got a point, but he's still under .870 this season. Daccord picked up his fourth win.
Takeaways
Hot right now: Adrian Kempe, Artemi Panarin, Sam Reinhart and Shane Pinto. Goalie to watch: Darcy Kuemper, who cruised. On the waiver wire: Sandis Vilmanis, Roman Kantserov and Berkly Catton.
