NHL best and worst: Lucic and MacDermid renew rivalry with heavyweight fight

It was another week of exciting NHL action as the trade deadline inches ever closer. While all the attention has been focused off the ice, there were lots of eye-popping moments worth taking a second look at.

Goal of the week

Folks, we’ve got a goalie goal! Linus Ullmark, already the presumptive Vezina Trophy favourite, has added another feather in his cap in his bid for hockey’s most prestigious goaltending award. With the net empty for the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night, the Swedish goaltender went for it all, sending the puck hurtling through the air and into the yawning cage, much to the delight of his teammates and fans across the NHL.

Save of the week

Nevermind save of the week, this one might just be the save of the season. Take a closer look at this one, as Vegas Golden Knights netminder Laurent Brossoit, playing in just his third game of the season, does the unthinkable by absolutely robbing Tyler Seguin of a sure goal. Despite Brossoit’s valiant effort, making 41 saves in the affair and raising his save percentage to a pristine .936, the Knights just couldn’t help their goalie out, dropping the game in the shootout and further losing their grasp on the Pacific Division.

Scrap of the week

This was a big-time heavyweight bout, as Milan Lucic and Kurtis MacDermid went toe-to-toe on Saturday night in an epic brawl. Lucic got the better of this one, landing a big right hand to send MacDermid to the ice, but there’s no doubt this rivalry is far from over.

The duo has already scrapped four times, dating back to MacDermid's time in Los Angeles. This one, however, was particularly epic.

Player of the week: Linus Ullmark

When you score a goalie goal, the first since 2020 and just the ninth to do so with a shot on goal, you’ve earned yourself Player of the Week honours. Even more impressive, however, was the actual goaltending that Ullmark mustered throughout this past week. With a pair of exceptional showings against the New York Islanders and Canucks, Ullmark raised his season-long save percentage to a jaw-dropping .938, thanks in large part to his .966 save percentage this past week.

Ullmark also became the first goalie to crack 30 wins this year, and the fastest to do so since Tiny Thompson nearly a century ago. Suffice it to say, this was a week to remember for the Bruins' undisputed No. 1 netminder.

Dish of the week

All Jack Hughes does is amaze, as the Devils phenom has once again put the moves on a poor, unsuspecting defender. This time, it's the division-rival Philadelphia Flyers that can’t contain the 2019 first-overall selection, as Hughes skates into the slot, surveys his options, then puts the Flyers defence through the spin cycle to set up Jesper Bratt.

The 21-year-old’s breakout season has been nothing short of magical, with an astounding 74 points in 55 games.

Hands of the week

The spin-o-rama was clearly in vogue this week, as Connor McDavid had his own dipsy-doodle moment on Tuesday against those very same Flyers. Check out the hands as McDavid deftly splits the Flyers forwards at the top of the slot and nearly does it himself in what would’ve been a surefire Goal of the Year candidate.

Stat of the week

With a pair of assists against the New York Rangers on Monday night, Josh Morrisey became the Winnipeg Jets' single-season scoring leader among defensemen. Well, kind of. With his 57th point, the Calgary, Alta. native passed Dustin Byfuglien for the most points in a season in Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets history for blueliners.

When considering the original Jets, however, Morrisey remains well shy of the 97-point benchmark set in 1993 by Phil Housley. So, is Morrisey the Jets' all-time leader in defensive point scoring? I suppose that’s up to you to decide.

Kraken curse the reverse retros

The reverse retro program had its share of highlights and lowlights, but with Adidas not renewing its deal with the NHL last summer, this is seemingly the end of the road for the creative alternate sweaters. While plenty of fans surely hope their team’s gear sticks around for years to come, one team that no doubt is happy to let these things burn is the Seattle Kraken, who went winless in four games while wearing the Seattle Ironmen-inspired garb.

The old guy’s still got it

Who says the old guys don’t have it anymore? Craig Anderson was at the top of his game earlier this week, as he became the oldest goalie in NHL history to make 50 saves in a game during the Sabres' 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers. This year has been a revelation for Anderson, who nearly retired over the offseason. He’s been instrumental in providing the Sabres with solid netminding that has them in the thick of the wild-card race.