NHL NEWS DECEMBER 12, 2022 – ROSLOVIC RECORDS FOUR POINTS AS GAUDREAU NETS OVERTIME WINNER

After Jack Roslovic (2-2—4) factored on all three of Columbus’ tallies during a back-and-forth, six-goal second period and the Blue Jackets withstood two multi-goal comeback rallies by the Kings, Johnny Gaudreau (1-1—2) netted the 6-5 overtime winner en route to reaching the 30-point mark in 2022-23. Columbus matched its season-high output with six goals (also Nov 17: 6-4 W vs. MTL) and outdueled a high-flying Los Angeles team which ranks tied for second in goals this season (105 GF) behind only Buffalo (108 GF).

• With 1-2—3 in the middle frame, Roslovic matched the Blue Jackets benchmark for most points in a period and became the first Columbus skater to record a four-point outing this season. Roslovic was also the club’s last player to post four points in a game (3-1—4 on April 9 at DET).
• Gaudreau boosted his season totals to 10-21—31 (27 GP) and joined Cam Atkinson (26 GP in 2018-19) as well as Artemi Panarin (27 GP in 2018-19) as just the third skater in franchise history to tally 30 points in 27 or fewer contests.

RANTANEN COMPLETES HAT TRICK IN OT TO CAP THRILLING FINISH ON ESPN

Former Avalanche forward Brandon Saad scored a shorthanded goal with less than two minutes remaining in regulation to put the Blues ahead, but Colorado stormed its way to victory thanks to goals by Mikko Rantanen in the final 10 seconds of the third period and first 30 seconds of overtime. Colorado’s win marked the fifth time the club has won a game after trailing in the final 10 seconds of regulation and first in more than a decade.

• Sunday marked the first game this season to feature a go-ahead goal in the final two minutes of regulation and then a tying goal. The last such contest also featured the Blues: Feb. 17, 2022, Pavel Buchnevich gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead at 18:41 of the third period before Cole Caufield evened the score with 10 seconds remaining in an eventual 3-2 Montreal victory.
• Rantanen netted all three Avalanche goals to become the fourth player in franchise history – and first in nearly 25 years – to complete a regular-season hat trick in overtime.
• Rantanen’s tying goal was the fifth such tally this season in the final 10 seconds of regulation, following equalizers by Blake Wheeler (Nov. 13), Cole Caufield (Nov. 19), Evan Bouchard (Nov. 28) and Mikael Granlund (Dec. 1).

KELLER COMPLETES HAT TRICK IN OVERTIME

Clayton Keller completed his first-ever hat trick by scoring in overtime, just hours after Mikko Rantanen became the first player this season to achieve the feat. Arizona was one of three teams to earn a comeback win Sunday (also COL & BOS) – there have now been 586 comeback victories in 2022 (regular season & playoffs combined), one shy of the most in NHL history in a calendar year behind 2018 (587).

SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON JOHANSSON’S SHORTY

On the night that Alex Ovechkin recorded his 797th career goal to move one step closer to 800, it was his teammate, Marcus Johansson, who took the spotlight. Johansson, who scored on a penalty shot to record his first shorthanded goal in nearly 12 years, joined a unique all-time list that coincidentally also features the Capitals captain.

STARTING THE WEEK WITH A SIX-GAME MONDAY

An all-Canadian matchup will be broadcast nationally on Rogers Monday Night Hockey as the Flames (13-11-4, 30 points) and Montreal Canadiens (13-12-2, 28 points) face off on Sportsnet to help open the 11th week of the season. Both clubs have been among a group of 15 teams that have sat in a Wild Card position over the past month (7 in West, 8 in East).

• The Devils will look to tie an NHL record for the longest road winning streak in a season when they head across the Hudson River for a showdown with the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The Devils/Rockies/Scouts franchise owns a record of 40-64-26 (including 20 ties) in 130 regular-season games at MSG, including a 37-53-23 mark as the Devils (including 17 ties).
• After extending his goal streak to a career-high seven contests against the Wild on Friday (in the first contest in nearly 40 years between players on six-plus game goal streaks), Connor McDavid (9-9—18 in 7 GP) will look to match the longest goal streak by any active player when Edmonton again faces Minnesota. The only active players who have scored in eight straight games are Nikita Kucherov (2021-22), Elias Lindholm (2021-22), Mitchell Marner (2021-22) and Connor Brown (2020-21). Only three players in Oilers history have achieved the feat, with last run of at least that length coming more than 36 years ago.

Lindgren, Thompson and Nylander Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson and Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Dec. 11. 2022.

FIRST STAR – CHARLIE LINDGREN, G, WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Lindgren led the NHL in both wins (4) and saves (111), going 4-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .949 save percentage to help the Capitals (14-12-4, 32 points) move within one point of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. He stopped 28 shots, including all 11 he faced in the third period, in a 3-2 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers Dec. 5. Lindgren then yielded one goal in each of his next two starts, making 29 saves in a 4-1 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers Dec. 7 and 25 stops in a 4-1 win versus the Seattle Kraken Dec. 9. He finished the week with 29 saves in a 5-2 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets Dec. 11. The 28-year-old Lindgren, who signed with Washington during the offseason, has appeared in 12 total games in 2022-23, compiling a 6-3-2 record, 2.79 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.

SECOND STAR – TAGE THOMPSON, C, BUFFALO SABRES

Thompson shared the League lead in both goals (5) and points (7) across three outings to guide the Sabres (12-14-2, 26 points) to a 1-1-1 week. He posted 5-1—6, including 4-1—5 in the first period, in a 9-4 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets Dec. 7. In doing so, Thompson matched the NHL record for goals in one period, set franchise marks for goals and points in any period, and tied the Buffalo record for goals in a game. He then added one assist in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins Dec. 9 before being held off the scoresheet in a 3-1 defeat versus the Penguins Dec. 10. The 25-year-old Thompson has played in 28 total contests this season, ranking among the NHL leaders in goals (3rd; 21), shots on goal (3rd; 130), points (4th; 41), power-play goals (t-4th; 9) and power-play points (t-8th; 16).

THIRD STAR – WILLIAM NYLANDER, RW, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Nylander registered 3-4—7 in three games to power the Maple Leafs (18-5-6, 42 points) to a perfect week as they extended their point streak to 14 contests dating to Nov. 12 (11-0-3). He failed to record a point in a 4-0 win against the Dallas Stars Dec. 6, but rebounded with 1-1—2 in a 5-0 triumph over the Los Angeles Kings Dec. 8. Nylander then factored on all five Toronto goals in a 5-4 overtime victory against the Calgary Flames Dec. 10, producing 2-3—5 (including assists on both the tying and winning tallies) as part of his first career five-point performance. The 26-year-old Nylander, the eighth overall pick from the 2014 NHL Draft, has collected 17-16—33 in 29 total appearances this season to share eighth place in the League in goals and rank 17th in points.