Top Plays and Best Goals in NHL for Week 2

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There are times on my daily travels around the Internet that I think too myself, Boy, I could really go for some NHL highlights right about now. In fact, I would love a quick slideshow with the five best plays from the week.

So you know what I did, fellow NHL fans? I stopped thinking about it and made it so we could all share in a few of the biggest hits, sickest goals and awe-inspiring saves from the week that was.

It wasn't easy to leave some of the top plays out—and I even had to include an "honorable mention," just because—so be sure to leave your favorites in the comments if I didn't include them here.

To the highlights!

Honorable Mention: Daniel Paille Brings the Pain

Because every slideshow should have a bone-crunching hit, we start with Daniel Paille's vicious and clean check on Brian Strait.

Ouch.

That hit had everything. Huge collision. Clean execution. He nearly wins the puck back, though at least Strait did just enough to keep slide the puck to a teammate. Nobody should get rocked that hard and lose possession—that's just insult to injury. 

Now that you're juiced up, let's get to some of this week's best finesse plays.

Thomas Vanek's Brilliant Pass Sets Up Tyler Ennis Finish

This ended up being a pretty wild affair, as Buffalo would go on to win 7-4. The effort by Thomas Vanek was just spectacular on this play, though why was nobody marking Ennis?

Vanek has been pretty spectacular in general of late and was named the NHL's First Star of the Week after finishing with 10 points last week.

Well done, sir.

Jacob Josefson and Stephen Gionta Finish in Style

First of all, what an incredible play by Jacob Josefson. He dekes one defencemen, manages to get a pass off while being taken down and hits Stephen Gionta in stride. 

And Gionta doesn't mess around, clinically sending this one into the back of the net. Beautiful stuff.

And seeing as the New Jersey Devils would go on to win 3-2, this turned out to be a very important goal as well.

Michal Neuvirth Hasn't Lost That Gloving Feeling

And to think that this isn't even the most impressive glove save on this slideshow...

We have another entry from this week's game from the Washington Capitals and Devils, though this time it's the Capitals that were the beneficiary of a brilliant play.

The fact that Michal Neuvirth even managed to slide into good positioning is impressive enough, but then the stretch for the save...oh, what a stretch for the save. That's goaltending at its finest, folks.

Nathan Horton Does It Himself

Who needs teammates?

Not Nathan Horton—at least not on this play.

Horton burns two Carolina Hurricanes, goes top shelf and finishes what he started in style. 

The Boston Bruins would win the game, 5-3.

Kari Lehtonen Has Eyes (and a Glove) in the Back of His Head

This is just magnificent. You won't see many saves like this one from Kari Lehtonen of the Dallas Stars, who left Jack Johnson of the Columbus Blue Jackets with the F-Stop Blues after that save.

Unfortunately, Lehtonen's goal wouldn't be enough to preserve a win, as the Blue Jackets would triumph in the end, 2-1.