NHL April 4, 2019 – Capitals Clinch Fourth Consecutive Metropolitan Division Title
THURSDAY’S RESULTS – Home Team in Caps
- BUFFALO 5, Ottawa 2
- Tampa Bay 3, TORONTO 1
- NY Islanders 2, FLORIDA 1 (SO)
- PITTSBURGH 4, Detroit 1
- WASHINGTON 2, Montreal 1
- CAROLINA 3, New Jersey 1
- ST. LOUIS 7, Philadelphia 3
- NASHVILLE 3, Vancouver 2
- Boston 3, MINNESOTA 0
- COLORADO 3, Winnipeg 2 (OT)
- San Jose 3, EDMONTON 2
- Arizona 4, VEGAS 1
CAPITALS CLINCH FOURTH CONSECUTIVE METROPOLITAN DIVISION TITLE
Nic Dowd scored the go-ahead goal at 2:58 of the second period to help the Capitals (48-25-8, 104 points) triumph over the Canadiens and clinch first place in the Metropolitan Division standings for a fourth consecutive season.
* The Capitals have won four straight division titles once before, claiming the No. 1 seed in the Southeast Division each year from 2007-08 to 2010-11. Since divisions were introduced in 1926-27, only one other franchise has won at least four straight division titles on multiple occasions – the Bruins from 1927-28 to 1930-31 (4) and again from 1975-76 to 1978-79 (4).
* Dowd scored his third game-winning goal of the season and second in clutch fashion; he also recorded the go-ahead goal with 4:56 remaining in regulation on March 28 to power the defending champions to a berth in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
HURRICANES, AVALANCHE, PENGUINS CLINCH BERTHS IN STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
The Hurricanes (45-29-7, 97 points) scored three unanswered goals to overcome a 1-0 deficit and clinch a berth in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The Hurricanes return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in a decade after advancing to the 2009 Eastern Conference Final, ending the second-longest absence in NHL history. The Oilers (2006-07 to 2015-16) and Panthers (2000-01 to 2010-11) went 10 seasons between playoff trips, while the Devils (1978-79 to 1986-87) also went nine campaigns.
* Contributing to the Hurricanes’ push to their first postseason berth in 10 years has been their play in the 2019 calendar year. Carolina has recorded 29 wins since Jan. 1 (29-12-2, 60 points), trailing only Tampa Bay (30-9-2, 62 points) for the most among all teams in that span.
Colorado overcame a 2-0 deficit in regulation – the third straight game they have done so – and Erik Johnson scored in overtime as the Avalanche (38-29-14, 90 points) extended their point streak to 10 games (7-0-3) to clinch the final postseason berth in the Western Conference. Nathan MacKinnon (40-58—98 in 81 GP) assisted on the winning goal to move within two points of his first 100-point season.
* The Avalanche have made the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since an 11-year run that began in 1994-95, the franchise’s last campaign in Quebec, through 2005-06. Ten of those 11 playoff appearances came with the club based in Colorado, twice ending with a Cup (1996 and 2001).
Phil Kessel (2-1—3) and Sidney Crosby (1-2—3) each collected three points to help the Penguins (44-26-11, 99 points) defeat the Red Wings and clinch a berth in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Crosby (34-64—98 in 78 GP) moved within two points of reaching 100 for the sixth time in his NHL career (all w/ PIT); only Mario Lemieux (10x) has recorded more 100-point seasons with the Penguins.
* The Penguins return to the postseason for the 13th consecutive season since 2006-07, the longest active streak ahead of the Capitals (5; 2014-15 to 2018-19) and Predators (5; 2014-15 to 2018-19). Pittsburgh owns a 97-72 playoff record in that span.
BLUES KEEP PACE IN CENTRAL DIVISION AS BINNINGTON SETS FRANCHISE RECORD
The Blues scored five of their seven goals in the opening 9:41 of the first period to defeat the Flyers and extend their home win streak to six games. St. Louis (44-28-9, 97 points) occupies the No. 3 seed in the Central Division behind Nashville (46-29-6, 98 points) and Winnipeg (46-30-5, 97 points) as the three clubs enter their final game on Saturday. The Jets hold the advantage in the ROW tiebreaker (WPG: 44, NSH: 42, STL: 42).
* The Blues have surged up the standings since Jan. 1, sitting as much as 19 points back of first place in the 2019 calendar (most recently on Feb. 4).
* Jordan Binnington (26 saves) improved to 23-5-1 through 31 appearances in 2018-19 (1.89 GAA, .927 SV%, 5 SO) and established a franchise record for most wins in a season by a rookie goaltender, eclipsing the previous mark of 22 set by teammate Jake Allen in 2014-15 (22-7-4; 2.28 GAA, .913 SV%, 4 SO).
* Binnington can become the first rookie goaltender in nearly 70 years to conclude a season with a goals-against average of 1.89 or lower (min. 20 GP) and the only one to do so in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68).
LIGHTNING PICK UP WIN No. 61, ROAD WIN No. 29
Steven Stamkos (1-1—2), Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn each scored to help the Lightning (61-16-4, 126 points) earn their 61st win of 2018-19 and move within one of matching the NHL record for most in a season, a mark set by the Red Wings in 1995-96 (62-13-7, 131 points). Tampa Bay’s 126 standings points are the fifth-most in a season in League history.
* The Lightning earned their 29th road win of 2018-19 (29-9-2, 60 points), the second-highest single-season total in NHL history behind only the Red Wings in 2005-06 (31-7-3, 65 points). Tampa Bay has one game remaining in the 2018-19 regular season – a Saturday afternoon showdown with Boston (49-23-9, 107 points) at TD Garden.
* Tampa Bay leads the League with 319 goals (including shootout-deciding goals), the most by any team in 23 years. The Penguins (362), Avalanche (326) and Red Wings (325) all eclipsed the 300-goal mark in 1995-96, with all three clubs reaching the Conference Finals and Colorado eventually winning the Stanley Cup.
KUCHEROV HITS 40-GOAL MARK AS HIS TOTALS CONTINUE TO CLIMB
Nikita Kucherov scored his 40th goal of the season to boost his League-leading point total to 126 (40-86—126 in 81 GP). His 126 points are equal to Tampa Bay’s point total in the standings and are one shy of the NHL record for most in a season by a Russian player, a mark set by Buffalo’s Alexander Mogilny in 1992-93 (76-51—127 in 77 GP).
* Kucherov became the third Lightning player to reach the 40-goal mark this season, joining Steven Stamkos (44-53—97 in 81 GP) and Brayden Point (41-51—92 in 79 GP). Tampa Bay became the first team to feature three 40-goal scorers in a season since Pittsburgh in 1995-96 (Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Petr Nedved).
* There has been only one instance of a leading scorer on a Presidents’ Trophy-winning team concluding a season with the exact same amount of points as his club. This occurred in 2000-01, when Joe Sakic had 118 points (54-64—118 in 82 GP) and the Avalanche had 118 standings points (52-16-14, 118 points).
^Since the Presidents’ Trophy was first awarded in 1985-86
THORNTON, BURNS REACH MILESTONES IN SHARKS WIN
Joe Thornton (0-1—1) and Brent Burns (1-1—2) each found the score sheet to help the Sharks (45-27-9, 99 points) defeat the Oilers (despite Leon Draisaitl pulling within one of the 50-goal mark). Thornton collected the 1,064th regular-season assist of his NHL career to pass Steve Yzerman (1,063) for sole possession of eighth place on the League’s all-time list.
* Burns, 34, reached the 80-point mark for the first time in his NHL career (15-66—81 in 81 GP). He became the sixth player in NHL history to record his first 80-point season at age 34 or older.
SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION
| Columbus@ NY Rangers | 7:00 PM ET |
| Dallas@ Chicago | 8:30 PM ET |
| Los Angeles@ Anaheim | 10:00 PM ET |
BLUE JACKETS BEGIN BACK-TO-BACK WITH PLAYOFFS WITHIN REACH
With only 18 games remaining on the NHL’s 2018-19 schedule, the Blue Jackets (45-31-4, 94 points) begin a back-to-back road set in search of their third consecutive playoff berth. Friday’s action will be followed by a 15-game Saturday with 30 of 31 clubs in action, as Anaheim closes its campaign tonight against Los Angeles.
* Having already matched the franchise record for road wins in a season (23), Columbus will put its playoff hopes on the line in New York and Ottawa as they look to clinch the final berth in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They can do so by winning in any fashion Friday or by accumulating at least two points over their remaining games.
* The Blue Jackets are a combined 4-0-1 against those clubs in 2018-19 (2-0-1 vs. NYR and 2-0-0 vs. OTT), matching a season-high with seven goals in their last game against the Rangers and shutting out the Senators hours after acquiring Matt Duchene on Feb. 22 (one day before also trading for Ryan Dzingel).
* Cam Atkinson (41-28—69 in 78 GP) has set career highs in goals, assists and points so far this season and needs one goal to best Rick Nash (41 G in 2003-04) for the single-season franchise record. Atkinson has 10 career goals against both the Rangers (10-5—15 in 23 GP) and Senators (10-7—17 in 16 GP), scoring more goals against only three other clubs (14 vs. NYI, 13 vs. DET and 13 vs. PHI).
Golden Knights’ Miller Fined for Diving/Embellishment
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Colin Miller has been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment).
NHL Rule 64 is designed to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties. Fines are assessed to players and head coaches on a graduated scale outlined below:
Citation # Player Fine(s) * Head Coach Fine(s)
- Warning N/A
- $2,000 N/A
- $3,000 N/A
- $4,000 N/A
- $5,000 $2,000
- $5,000 $3,000
- $5,000 $4,000
- $5,000 $5,000
* For head coaches, each FINE issued to a player on his club counts toward his total. Four FINES issued to one player or a club collectively results in the head coach receiving his first fine.
Citations are issued by the National Hockey League Hockey Operations Department, which tracks all games, logs all penalties for diving or embellishment, and flags all plays not called on the ice that in its opinion were deserving of such a penalty. A Citation is issued once Hockey Operations, through its internal deliberations, is convinced that a player warrants sanction.
Miller was issued a Warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during NHL Game No. 338 against the Calgary Flames on Nov. 23. His second Citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 5:35 of the first period during NHL Game No. 1211 against the San Jose Sharks on March 30. Miller (embellishment) and San Jose forward Marcus Sorensen (interference) received offsetting minor penalties on the play.
The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.