NHL Friday: Mats Zuccarello’s hat trick propels Rangers to Metro lead

And falter they did. Through the first week and a half of the season, the Bruins allowed goals at an alarming rate, seemingly confirming suspicions the step back for the defense would force the team to step back, as well.

But three games don’t make a season, and we all ignored the good things happening in Boston amidst the losses. Their power play has been the best in the NHL, they score more goals per game (4.13) than any other team and they actually have the fourth-least shot attempts against in the league. The elements for success were there all along.

A quartet of Imperial Stormtroopers threw a new twist into the tradition of tossing hats after a hat trick on Friday. Literally.

Unfortunately, that’s against Imperial regulations. The Stormtrooper has since been discharged and banished to moisture farming on the outskirts of Anchorhead.

The opening minutes of the second period between Chicago and Minnesota was marred by the incident on Friday. Fontaine was handling the puck at the top of the offensive zone when Desjardins came in for a hit. Fontaine shifted out of the way of Desjardins’ shoulder, but the Blackhawks winger leaned in and connected with a knee-on-knee hit.

Helped by a trainer and a teammate, Fontaine left the ice without putting any weight on his left leg. He did not return for the second period. Desjardins was assessed a two-minute minor for tripping, but one imagines the Department of Player Safety taking a second look at this one over the next few days.

Babcock immediately challenged, and you can understand why. It’s hard to get any goals past Lundqvist in the first place, and it didn’t look like Lupul’s skate interfered with the goalie’s skate enough to interfere with him.

The referees disagreed, however, and the Leafs lost the challenge. Mike Babcock’s reaction was terrifying.

What an innovator. The SMHWTF. Catch it in a text near you.

Just look at the hole it left!

This is probably an elaborate form of protest by Columbus against the awful movie Pixels. Good for them. But the Capitals will probably be billing them for the maintenance work.