NHL REVIEW APRIL 1 2018 – PREDATORS CHASE PRESIDENTS TROPHY

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps
PHILADELPHIA 4, Boston 3 (OT)
Nashville 4, TAMPA BAY 1
New Jersey 2, MONTREAL 1
Washington 3, PITTSBURGH 1
ANAHEIM 4, Colorado 3 (OT)

PREDATORS CHASE PRESIDENTS’ TROPHY WITH ANOTHER WIN
Filip Forsberg (2-1—3) posted his second three-point game in as many appearances to help the League-leading Predators (51-17-11, 113 points) match a single-season franchise record for wins (51 in 2006-07). Nashville has already established a new franchise mark for points in 2017-18.

With three games remaining, the Predators look to claim the first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history – the highest they’ve ever finished in the overall League standings is third overall (2006-07). Nashville currently holds a three-point advantage over second-place Boston (41-17-12, 110 points) in the overall standings.

The Predators, who sit idle on Monday, can clinch the Central Division crown if the Senators defeat the second-place Jets (48-20-10, 106 points) in regulation. It would mark the first division title in franchise history.

CAPITALS CLINCH METROPOLITAN DIVISION TITLE. . .

Three different players scored and Philipp Grubauer made 36 saves to guide the Capitals (47-25-7, 101 points) over the Penguins and clinch the club’s third consecutive Metropolitan Division title.

The Capitals reached the 100-point mark for the fourth consecutive season and seventh time in the last 10 campaigns, tying the Blackhawks (7) for most 100-point seasons since 2008-09. The Red Wings hold the NHL record for consecutive 100-point seasons, hitting the mark for 12 straight campaigns from 1999-00 to 2011-12.

. . . OVECHKIN PLAYS IN 1,000TH CAREER NHL GAME
Alex Ovechkin became the first player in Capitals franchise history to skate in 1,000 career regular-season games and the 54th to do so with one franchise from the start of a career.

Ovechkin has been a consistently durable member of the Capitals, suiting up for all but 29 contests in 13 seasons on his way to 1,000 career games. He has played in every regular-season game on four occasions and has never appeared in fewer than 72 contests in an 82-game schedule.

Since entering the League at the beginning of the 2005-06 season, Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals (603), points (1,118), power-play goals (227), power-play points (434) and game-winning goals (101). Ovechkin ranks third all-time in goals by a player at the 1,000-game mark, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (749) and Brett Hull(639). Also of note: Mario Lemieux scored 690 goals in 915 career games.

Only five skaters have appeared in more regular-season games than Ovechkin since he entered the League in 2005-06: Patrick Marleau (1,014), Dustin Brown (1,011), Henrik Sedin (1,009), Eric Staal (1,008) and Brent Seabrook (1,001).

Ovechkin holds many prestigious “Franchise Firsts” including first to skate in 1,000 games with the Capitals, first to 500 and 600 goals with Washington and first to record 1,000 points with the club.

GIROUX’S HEROICS LIFT FLYERS IN OT…
Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron’s 30th goal of the season tied the game with 3.8 seconds remaining in regulation before Claude Giroux (2-0—2) tallied his second goal of the game in overtime to help the Flyers(40-25-14, 94 points) – who own the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference – extend their point streak to eight contests (5-0-3).

Giroux, who added to his franchise record with the 10th overtime goal of his career, extended his point streak to seven contests (3-9—12). In doing so, he pushed his season totals to 29-66—95 to establish single-season career highs in both goals and points. His 95 points are the most in one campaign by a Flyers player sinceJohn LeClair in 1996-97 (50-47—97).

With three games remaining, Giroux moved within one point of Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (42-54—96) – who recorded an assist on Sunday – for third in NHL scoring.  

…HALL SCORES LATE AS DEVILS KEEP PACE
Former Windsor Spitfire Taylor Hall broke a third period tie with 4:07 remaining in regulation to help the Devils (42-28-9, 93 points) extend their point streak to six contests (5-0-1), keep pace with the Flyers and open a seven-point cushion over the Panthers (39-30-8, 86 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. New Jersey has three games remaining this season and Florida has five contests still to play in 2017-18.

Hall (37-52—89) extended the NHL’s longest active point streak to eight games (6-7—13) and sits one point shy of reaching the 90-point mark for the first time in his career. Zach Parise (2008-09), Patrik Elias (2000-01) and Kirk Muller (1987-88) are the only players in Devils franchise history to record at least 90 points in a season.

KASE SCORES IN OT, DUCKS CLIMB PACIFIC

After overcoming a 3-1 deficit with a pair of goals 1:36 apart in the third period, Ondrej Kase scored his second career overtime goal to propel the Ducks (41-25-13, 95 points) to victory and past the idle Kings (43-28-8, 94 points) for third place in the Pacific Division. 

The Ducks overcame a multi-goal deficit in the third period to win for the second time this season (also March 25 vs. EDM) – Toronto paces the NHL with four such victories in 2017-18.

With the overtime loss, the Avalanche (42-28-9, 93 points) moved past the idle Blues (43-29-6, 92 points) – who hold one game in hand – for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Colorado travels to STAPLES Center Monday to face off against Los Angeles, who currently holds the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

PRICE MATCHES PLANTE IN CANADIENS HISTORY

Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (30 saves) appeared in his 556th career NHL game to tie franchise iconJacques Plante for most games by a goaltender in Canadiens franchise history.

PANTHERS CONTINUE PLAYOFF PUSH IN FINAL DAYS OF SEASON
Sitting seven points outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Panthers (39-30-8, 86 points) return home to begin a stretch of five games in seven days.

Florida has lost three straight overall (0-2-1) but owns a 10-2-0 record in its past 12 contests at BB&T Arena, where they will play four of their remaining five games. In addition to tonight’s matchup against the Hurricanes, the Panthers host the Predators and Bruins – the top two teams in the entire NHL – and the Sabres before another meeting with the Bruins to close the season on Sunday in Boston.

The Panthers hold two games in hand on each of the three teams they are chasing in the battle for the final three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference: The Blue Jackets (44-29-6, 94 points), Flyers (40-25-14, 94 points) and Devils (42-28-9, 93 points).

Of the four teams still in playoff contention, Columbus and Philadelphia share the ROW tiebreaker (CBJ: 38, PHI: 38, NJD: 37, FLA: 36).

Florida owns the head-to-head tiebreaker against New Jersey, would go to a goals-for differential tiebreaker with Philadelphia and would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with Columbus.

BLUES CONTINUE QUEST FOR WEST’S FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT 
Sitting one point out of the Western Conference playoff picture, the Blues (43-29-6, 92 points) welcome the Metropolitan Division-champion Capitals (47-25-7, 101 points) to Scottrade Center.

St. Louis owns a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 contests and conclude their 2017-18 campaign with three of four games against Central Division-foes – including a season finale against the Avalanche (42-28-9, 93 points), who currently hold the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

BRUIN’S MARCHAND FINED FOR CROSS CHECKING

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for cross-checking Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald during NHL Game No. 1218 in Philadelphia on Sunday, April 1. The incident occurred at 18:55 of the second period. Marchand was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking.

KARLSSON, RAANTA, EICHEL NAMED NHL THREE STARS WEEK ENDING APRIL 1

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson, Arizona Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta and Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending April 1.

FIRST STAR – WILLIAM KARLSSON, C, VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Karlsson led the NHL with 3-6—9, including a pair of shorthanded goals, in four games as the Pacific Division champion Golden Knights (50-22-7, 107 points) became the first modern-era expansion team from any of the four North American professional sports leagues to start from scratch and finish first in its division (excluding mergers and all-expansion divisions). He posted 1-2—3 in a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche March 26, becoming the eighth player in NHL history to reach the 40-goal milestone for a club in its inaugural season (and first since Brian Bradley in 1992-93 w/ TBL). Karlsson added one assist in a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes March 28 before again collecting 1-2—3, including a helper on the overtime winner, in a 4-3 triumph over the St. Louis Blues March 30. He capped the week with 1-1—2, including a highlight-reel game-winning goal (while shorthanded), in a 3‑2 division-clinching victory against the San Jose Sharks March 31. The 25-year-old Marsta, Sweden, native shares third place in the League with 42 goals in 79 contests this season (42-33—75) after scoring 18 times in his first 183 career NHL games prior to 2017-18 (18-32—50).

SECOND STAR – ANTTI RAANTA, G, ARIZONA COYOTES

Raanta went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, .964 save percentage and one shutout as the Coyotes(28-40-11, 67 points) won three of their four games for the week to improve to 16-8-2 dating to Feb. 8. He made 19 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning March 26, followed by 27 stops in a 3-2 triumph against the Vegas Golden Knights March 28. Raanta then denied all 34 shots he faced to earn his 11th career shutout (and third of 2017-18) in a 6-0 win over the St. Louis Blues March 31. The 28-year-old Rauma, Finland, native has appeared in 45 contests this season, going 20‑16-6 while ranking third in the NHL with a 2.27 goals-against average and fourth with a .929 save percentage. That includes a League-best 1.87 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in 25 outings since Jan. 1 (minimum 15 GP).

THIRD STAR – JACK EICHEL, C, BUFFALO SABRES

Eichel placed second in the NHL with 3-5—8 in three games to help the Sabres (25-41-12, 62 points) pick up a pair of victories. He scored twice, including the winning goal, in a 3-2 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs March 26 before adding another goal in a 6-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings March 29. Eichel then collected five assists in a 7-4 victory against the Nashville Predators March 31. In doing so, he became the first Sabresplayer to register five points in a game since Jan. 31, 2013 (Thomas Vanek) and the first with five assists in a game since Feb. 10, 1993 (Pat LaFontaine). The 21-year-old North Chelmsford, Mass., native paces Buffalo with 25-37—62 this season (63 GP) despite missing 15 games due to injury.

NHL Schedule for Monday, Apr 2 2018

Matchup	Time
Buffalo@ Toronto	7:00 PM ET
Winnipeg@ Ottawa	7:30 PM ET
Carolina@ Florida	7:30 PM ET
Washington@ St. Louis	8:00 PM ET
Edmonton@ Minnesota	8:00 PM ET
Colorado@ Los Angeles	10:30 PM ET