NHL scores 2016: Pond hockey in Pittsburgh is league’s highest-scoring game this year

A day removed from the Flames lighting up the Ducks for eight goals, we got the NHL’s highest scoring game of the year between the Penguins and Senators!

A total of 13 goals were scored through 60 minutes of pond hockey in Pittsburgh. If the box score doesn’t do it for you, maybe the fact that 80 shots on net were counted between the two teams will. By night’s end, the game became a low-scoring football tilt instead of a hockey match that turned in the Penguins’ favor, 8-5.

Between the four games going on Monday, 30 goals were scored. Almost half of that came from the Penguins and Senators. And boy, did the game have a lot going for it!

Bryan Rust notched his first career hat trick. Four goaltenders made an appearance as both sides went to the backups over the course of the game. Marc-Andre Fleury in particular is an interesting case, as the swan song is clearly in sight for the Penguins’ netminder.

Eleven different players got on the scoresheet. Sidney Crosby continued his goal-scoring dominance with NHL-leading goal No. 17. And the Senators scored three times out of five on the power play.

Just another Monday night in the NHL.

Capitals 3, Sabres 2 (OT)
Bruins 4, Panthers 3 (OT)
Penguins 8, Senators 5
Blue Jackets 4, Coyotes 1

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1. David Pastrnak is something else

Boston has something great cooking in third-year forward David Pastrnak. The 20-year-old potted two goals in the Bruins’ 4-3 victory over the Panthers in overtime. The Bruins are surging now, as a three-game win streak has them third in the Atlantic Division.

2. Barry Trotz has had enough of Ovechkin’s penalties

Alex Ovechkin is having trouble staying out of the penalty box as of late. In his last five games, the Capitals’ captain has 12 penalty minutes, more than half of his 22 notched on the year so far. It’s gotten so bad that his head coach, Barry Trotz, is quite displeased.

Could we see as harsh of a punishment as a healthy scratch?

3. Sam Gagner is having a year in Columbus

From being healthy scratched as a Flyer to being tied for the Blue Jackets’ leader in goals, Sam Gagner is experiencing a renaissance as a fourth liner in Columbus. Gagner had four points, two goals and two assists, in the Blue Jackets’ win over the Coyotes. The 27-year-old had a hand in every goal scored by Columbus in the 4-1 victory, and he’s already surpassed his 16-point total in 53 games last year after just 23 this season.

The Capitals stopped a three-game losing streak thanks to this overtime winner from Marcus Johansson, his second of the game.