The Daily: Bertuzzi ‘Best Game’ As Leaf; Sharks Really This Bad?

Former Detroit Red Wings player Tyler Bertuzzi played an ornery game and scored a power play goal to help the Toronto Maple Leafs down the Dallas Stars 4-1 Thursday night. In other words, Bertuzzi played like Tyler Bertuzzi.

Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said it was Bertuzzi’s best game as a Maple Leafs player.

Bertuzzi won puck battles, kept pucks alive, going hard to the net and he always seemed dangerous in front of the net. It was the kind of Bertuzzi performance that the Maple Leafs have been awaiting. Bertuzzi only has two goals and three points in seven games.

The Maple Leafs gave Bertuzzi a one year contract for $5.25 million. They want to see this kind of performance more often.

Red Wings Next Game

Detroit (5-2-1) is in Boston Saturday to face the Bruins (6-0-1). The Bruins squandered a two-goal in the final two minutes of regulation to lose to the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night.

Red Wings In Case You Missed it

• Dylan Larkin takes an eight-game points streak into Saturday’s game in Boston,
• Facing an elite goalie was too much for the Red Wings Thursday night.
• Detroit fans will get to watch defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka play for Sweden in the World Junior Championships this season.

Hockey Now Network

Chicago: Nate Brown’s take is the Chicago Blackhawks have hit the wall, and Kevin Korchinski’s stock is rising and Lukas Reichel’s stock is falling.

Florida: Rookie Mackie Samoskevich, a former University of Michigan player, played well in his return to the Florida Panthers.

Colorado: Sloppy first period dooms the Colorado Avalanche to losing their first game of the season. ‘

Pittsburgh: The Pittsburgh Penguins finally showed how capable they are of playing at a high level.  They posted a much-needed win against Colorado.

San Jose: Sheng Peng looks at the San Jose Sharks’ seventh consecutive loss. They have been outscored by 21 goals in those seven losses.

Vegas: Chris Gawlik writes about the Vegas Golden Knights setting a record for most wins by a row to start a season by a defending Stanley Cup champion.