Recent NHL action saw continued strong performances from several Czech players, including Martin Nečas of the Colorado Avalanche, who bolstered his position among the league’s top goal scorers.[1] Alongside Nečas’s success, Vancouver’s Filip hronek and Vegas’s Tomáš Hertl also made significant contributions to their respective teams’ games on November 17th. [2] These performances highlight the growing impact of Czech athletes in the league this season. [3]
Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Nečas scored an empty-net goal to help his team defeat the New York Islanders 4-1, becoming the second-leading goal scorer in the NHL with 13 on the season.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek contributed with two assists in a 6-2 road win against the Tampa Bay Lightning, while Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomáš Hertl also recorded an assist, though his team fell to the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in overtime.
Hronek tallied both points in the third period, as Vancouver exploded for five goals to overturn a 2-1 deficit and secure the victory. It was the Czech blueliner’s first multi-point game in two contests, and he now ranks among the league’s top 20 defensemen with 11 assists.
The 25-year-old from Hradec Králové set up Drew O’Connor for a goal at 45:51, extending Vancouver’s lead to 4-2 during a stunning offensive surge. The Canucks scored three goals in just 100 seconds to completely swing the momentum.
Tampa Bay struggled to respond, conceding two more goals as the game wound down. Hronek was involved again in the scoring, his shot from the point deflected in by Mackenzie MacEachern to make it 5-2.
MacEachern’s goal marked his first in the NHL since February 2021, when he was playing for the St. Louis Blues in a high-scoring 7-6 win over the San Jose Sharks.
The Canucks, still without newly signed Czech center David Kämpf, snapped a three-game losing streak. Tampa Bay suffered only their third loss in the last 11 games.
The Vegas Golden Knights continue to struggle for consistency, falling 3-2 to Minnesota in overtime and winning just one of their last six games. Despite the team’s overall form, forward Tomáš Hertl has remained a consistent offensive threat.
Hertl assisted on a power-play goal, extending his point streak to four games. The product of Slavia Prague now has 15 points this season – eight goals and seven assists – making him the fourth-highest scoring Czech player in the NHL.
Martin Nečas currently holds the second spot among Czech players, ten points ahead of Hertl. He reached his 25th point of the season with his late goal against the New York Islanders, sealing a 4-1 victory and Colorado’s sixth consecutive win.
Nečas has now scored 13 goals this season, tying Leon Draisaitl and Cole Caufield for second-most in the league. He trails only teammate Nathan MacKinnon by a single goal in the race for the league lead.
NHL Results:
Minnesota – Vegas 3:2 in OT (1:1, 1:0, 0:1 – 1:0)
Branky: 5. Eriksson Ek, 30. Trenin, 65. Kaprizov – 16. Dorofejev (Hertl), 47. R. Smith. Střely na branku: 27:25. Diváci: 17.439. Hvězdy zápasu: 1. Eriksson Ek, 2. Kaprizov, 3: Foligno (všichni Minnesota).
NY Rangers – Detroit 1:2 (0:0, 1:1, 0:1)
Branky: 32. Zibanejad – 30. DeBrincat, 57. Raymond. Střely na branku: 19:42. Diváci: 18.006. Hvězdy zápasu: 1. Raymond (Detroit), 2. Quick (NY Rangers), 3. Talbot (Detroit).
Colorado – NY Islanders 4:1 (0:1, 2:0, 2:0)
Branky: 25. Colton, 26. Olofsson, 60. Nečas, 60. Nelson – 3. Heineman. Střely na branku: 29:29. Diváci: 18.109. Hvězdy zápasu: 1. Wedgewood, 2. Nelson, 3. Olofsson (všichni Colorado).
Tampa Bay – Vancouver 2:6 (1:0, 1:1, 0:5)
Branky: 20. Kučerov, 25. Guentzel – 30. DeBrusk, 45. Sherwood, 45. L. Karlsson, 46. O’Connor (Hronek), 54. MacEachern (Hronek), 57. M. Pettersson. Střely na branku: 30:18. Diváci: 19.092. Hvězdy zápasu: 1. Q. Hughes, 2. MacEachern (oba Vancouver), 3. Guentzel (Tamby Bay).
