By Canadian Press

Oilers jump tied to Talbot, Crosby back with a bang and Habs are flying

Oct 31, 2016 | 8:00 AM

Perhaps no player, not even Connor McDavid, is more responsible for the Oilers’ hottest start in 30 years than goaltender Cam Talbot.

The Oilers were one of the worst defensive outfits in hockey last year, yielding 170 five-on-five goals (2.07 per-game), more than any team in the league. So far this season they rank as one of the NHL’s best, surrendering just 13 five-on-five goals through nine games with Talbot in goal (1.5 per game).

But Edmonton is giving up about the same number of shots as last season, both five-on-five and overall. The difference is Talbot, who owns a sharp .938 even-strength save percentage this season (up from .920 last year) and .951 save percentage when the Oilers are short-handed.

The 26-year-old from Caledonia, Ont., has given up one goal or less in five consecutive starts. Edmonton, meanwhile, won seven of their first eight games for the first time since 1985-86, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

CROSBY’S BACK

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The hockey world held its collective breath when Sidney Crosby was diagnosed with another concussion days before the start of the regular season. The Penguins captain returned with a bang this week, collecting four goals and five points in three games. Pittsburgh scored only 12 goals in six games without him (3-2-1 record), bursting out for 12 goals and a perfect 3-0-0 mark with him back in the lineup.

FIRST MONTH IN MONTREAL

The Canadiens probably couldn’t have dreamed for a better start for Shea Weber.

Acquired from Nashville in a highly controversial trade for fan favourite P.K. Subban, Weber has already scored four goals (including three game-winners) and posted 10 points in his first nine games with Montreal, tied for first (Ryan Suter) among all NHL defenders in scoring. Underlying numbers, which have hinted at decline for the now-31-year-old, also look steady given the difficulty of his 26 nightly minutes, competition and partner on defence, 30-year-old Alexei Emelin.

Subban, meanwhile, has two goals and five points in eight games for the struggling Predators, currently last in the Central division (2-5-1).

FIRST MONTH IN MONTREAL II

Montreal’s first nine games this year look remarkably similar to those of last season:

Goals for per-game: 3.45 (3.89 last season)

Goals against per-game: 1.44 (1.33)

Power-play goals: 7 (8)

Power-play goals against: 4 (3) 

Shooting percentage: 11.4 per cent (11.9)

Team save percentage: .954  (.958)

Record: 8-0-1 (9-0-0)

SHAKY HURRICANES GOALTENDING

Much like last season, the Hurricanes have been hurt early by below-average goaltending from Cam Ward and Eddie Lack. The tandem has allowed 30 goals in eight games with a woeful .864 save percentage.

Carolina doesn’t give up much either, just 27.6 shots per game, the seventh-best mark in hockey. The Hurricanes also have the fifth-ranked power play, 10th-ranked penalty kill, top-10 puck possession and a much improved top-10 offence (three goals-per-game). Yet, primarily because of poor goaltending, the club has dropped six of their first eight games (2-4-2) and sit last in the Atlantic division.

SOPHOMORE SEASONS

Crosby made his big leap as a second-year NHL player (2006-07), winning both the Art Ross and Hart trophies as a 19-year-old for an immensely improved Penguins squad. Similar expectations follow McDavid this season. How does the Oilers captain stack up after the first month with Crosby of a decade ago? 

Crosby’s October as an NHL sophomore (2006): six goals, 15 points in nine games

McDavid’s October as an NHL sophomore (2016): five goals, 12 points in nine games

NEW NETMINDERS IN CANADA

After rough early starts, Brian Elliott and Frederik Andersen both look to be getting on track.

Dropping his first three starts with the Flames, while allowing 14 goals, Elliott has gone on to win three of his last four, yielding two goals or less in each (.941 save percentage). Andersen rebounded from a career-worst seven-goal shelling against Tampa to stop 29-of-31 shots against Florida and 29-of-31 against Montreal.

WILD’S HOT START

A near-perfect penalty kill, strong goaltending from Devan Dubnyk and a potent offence are all behind Minnesota’s hot start (6-2-1).

Most surprising is the degree of firepower under Bruce Boudreau so far and just how balanced it’s been. Eric Staal leads the Wild with four goals, Ryan Suter and Charlie Coyle have three goals apiece and seven players have scored two goals and eight players have one.

That’s 18 players in all with at least a goal for the current leader of the Central division. 

SCORING WOES IN L.A.

Most wondered how the Kings would survive without goaltender Jonathan Quick (sidelined for months with a groin injury), but L.A. has not stumbled out of the gate (4-5-0) due to goaltending issues. Rather, it’s been the offence, which is second from the bottom league-wide (2.11 goals per-game) after a pair of shutout losses over the weekend. Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli, who accounted for 80 goals combined last year, have mustered six in October.

YOUNG AND OLD

Zdeno Chara was drafted five months before his current Bruins defence partner, Brandon Carlo, was even born. A fun combination of very young and very old (in NHL terms at least), the two are separated by more than 19 years: Chara is 39 while Carlo, a Colorado Springs, Colo., native, turns 20 next month.

Jonas Siegel, The Canadian Press