NHL Notebook: Panarin, Fleury reach milestones

Let’s recap some of the major NHL headlines from on and off the ice over the last week.

The 500 club

New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin tallied his 500th career point – as well as his 501st, 502nd, and 503rd career point – against Marc-Andre Fleury and the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night. The marker came off a primary assist on Jacob Trouba’s goal just 1:01 into the first period.

He also had a three-point night against his former club in the first leg of the Original Six home-and-home series the previous Saturday. Panarin is now tied for fifth place in the Art Ross Trophy race.

Fleury would be in net two nights later for the Blackhawks, and this time he would secure his 500th career victory in a 30-save shutout over the Montreal Canadiens. Only Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur (691) and Patrick Roy (551) have more goaltending wins than Fleury, though he was the fastest to reach the 500-win plateau (901 games).

Ducks fly into first in Pacific

The Anaheim Ducks have won three of their last four, while the Calgary Flames have lost four straight, and the Edmonton Oilers have lost five in a row. Now the Ducks find themselves on top by a point in the Pacific Division, albeit the Flames have two games in hand.

The goaltending has been incredible for Anaheim in this stretch, with John Gibson and Anthony Stolarz combining to allow just four goals.

NHL admits botched call in Sabres-Rangers game

Victor Olofsson scored the game-tying goal for the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night…or did he?

Not long after Buffalo “tied” the New York Rangers at 2-2, on-ice officials went to video review and determined that Rasmus Dahlin was offside, and the goal was disallowed. The Rangers went on to win 2-1, but the NHL admitted the next day that the referees should not have reversed the call.

Though Dahlin was clearly offside as the puck crossed the blueline, it was not evident to the league that puck possession was established before Dahlin went to get onside, therefore the goal should have stood.

It was just another heartbreaker for the Sabres, who have now lost 11 of their last 12 games. The Rangers have won 12 of their last 15 contests.

Ben Bishop’s career is over

Dallas Stars netminder Ben Bishop was placed on long-term injured reserve with a degenerative knee injury that general manager Jim Nill told reporters marked “the end of his career.”

Bishop was in net for the AHL’s Texas Stars on a rehab assignment last Thursday, but surrendered eight goals on 34 shots. It was his first game action since undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus – he hadn’t seen the ice since August of 2020.

The three-time Vezina Trophy finalist is in the fifth year of a six-year, $29.5 million contract.