Glenn Gawdin's First Two NHL Goals Power Rangers Past Canucks as Predators Win Seventh Straight

Friday's two-game NHL slate on Nov. 13 gave fantasy managers one feel-good story and one streak worth taking seriously. Glenn Gawdin scored his first two NHL goals as the New York Rangers beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 at Rogers Arena, and Roman Josi won it in the fourth round of a shootout as the Nashville Predators edged the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 at T-Mobile Arena for their seventh consecutive win.

Neither game reshapes the top of fantasy draft boards, but both carry signals. The Rangers got real goaltending from a young netminder, the Canucks extended a skid that is starting to drag on their skaters' value, and Nashville's veteran core is producing like it did in its best seasons. Here is what mattered.

Friday's results

That was the full Friday schedule. Saturday brings a 14-game slate, which makes the waiver decisions below more pressing than usual.

Rangers 5, Canucks 1: Gawdin's long road ends at home

Gawdin, a 29-year-old forward from nearby Richmond, B.C., was playing just his second NHL game of the season and the 15th of his career. He signed a two-year, two-way contract with New York in July after two years in the Kings organization without an NHL appearance. His first goal came at 13:00 of the second period and put the Rangers ahead 3-1. His second, a tip of a Vladislav Gavrikov point shot at 16:10, capped a four-goal second period that turned a 1-1 game into a rout.

Gabe Perreault tied the game in the first period after Elias Pettersson opened the scoring, and Alexis Lafreniere added a goal during the second-period surge. In net, Dylan Garand stopped 27 of 28 shots in front of a crowd that, per reports, included roughly 50 friends and family from his hometown of Victoria. New York outshot Vancouver 30-28, so this was not a goalie-steal result; the Rangers controlled the middle 20 minutes.

For fantasy, Gawdin is a story rather than a pickup. A two-way depth forward with limited power-play exposure does not justify a roster spot in standard leagues, even after a two-goal night. Garand is the more interesting name. A 27-save performance on the road gives him a résumé to point to, and managers in deep leagues or those who stream goalies should track how New York splits the crease over the next week.

The Canucks' slide is now a fantasy problem

Vancouver has lost seven straight. There were individual bright spots: Pettersson's tip at 12:13 of the first period was his fifth goal of the season and, per reports, his first even-strength goal since January. Brock Boeser picked up the secondary assist for the 500th point of his NHL career, reaching the mark in his 650th game and becoming the eighth player in franchise history to get there. Defenseman Zeev Buium had the primary assist.

The problem is everything after the first period. Seven straight losses means fewer power-play goals, fewer multi-point nights and a steady drain on plus-minus for managers in leagues that count it. Pettersson's even-strength goal is encouraging after a long drought, but one tip does not end a slump. Boeser and Buium remain hold-worthy in most formats, though managers chasing short-term category wins should not hesitate to bench Canucks skaters in tough matchups until the team stabilizes.

Predators 3, Golden Knights 2 (SO): Saros carries Nashville

Vegas held a third-period lead and let it slip. Ryan O'Reilly scored both Nashville goals in regulation, and Juuse Saros made 40 saves to drag the game to a shootout, where Josi delivered the winner in the fourth round. Victor Olofsson and Rasmus Andersson scored for Vegas, and Adin Hill stopped 30 shots.

The loss snapped a four-game Vegas winning streak, though the Golden Knights still extended their point streak to six games. Nashville, meanwhile, has won seven in a row.

The fantasy headline is Saros. A 40-save night on the road is a massive fantasy line in points leagues that reward saves, and it fits the pattern of a goalie seeing heavy volume while still winning. O'Reilly's two-goal game keeps him firmly in the every-week lineup conversation at center, and Josi remains the engine on the back end. For Vegas, Olofsson and Andersson both cashed, and Hill's 30 saves were solid even in a loss. The Golden Knights' process stays strong, which keeps their skaters in lineups.

What to do in your league

Add or stream: Dylan Garand is worth a speculative look in deep leagues and two-goalie formats, provided he keeps earning starts. Gawdin is a watch-list name only.

Hold firm: Juuse Saros is a must-start while Nashville rolls. Ryan O'Reilly is producing like a top-line center and should not be benched. Vegas' skaters stay in lineups despite the shootout loss.

Proceed with caution: Vancouver skaters other than the core names are bench candidates during the skid. Pettersson's goal is a positive sign, but managers should wait for a sustained stretch before treating him as a reliable starter again.

For bettors weighing Saturday's 14-game card, a seven-game Nashville winning streak and a seven-game Vancouver losing streak are the two trends worth noting, but streaks alone are not a pricing edge. Readers can find Verdexed's game-by-game outlook on the NHL predictions page at /nhl/predictions.

What's next

Saturday's slate is one of the biggest of the young season, headlined by the Global Series finale in Helsinki and the Colorado Avalanche's visit to Montreal amid uncertainty over Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Goalie confirmations will drive most fantasy decisions, so set lineups after morning skates.

The takeaway: start Saros with confidence, monitor Garand's next assignment, and do not chase Gawdin's two-goal night on the waiver wire.