NHL NEWS DECEMBER 13, 2022 – PENGUINS SCORE LATE, RANGERS SCORE QUICK AS BOTH COMPLETE COMEBACKS

The Penguins benefitted from a go-ahead goal in the final 35 seconds of regulation and the Rangers scored twice in seven seconds as the two clubs accounted for two of the three instances of a team recording a comeback win Monday (also MTL) – 2022 has now featured 589 comeback victories which established a new benchmark for the most in a calendar year (previously 2018: 587).

• Evgeni Malkin scored the go-ahead goal at 59:25, which stood as the winner, and Tristan Jarry extended his point streak to 11 games (9-0-2) – the longest run by a Penguins goaltender since Marc-Andre Fleury in 2011-12 (12 GP; 11-0-1) – as Pittsburgh extended its win streak to six contests. It marked Malkin’s 79th career game-winning goal which allowed him to surpass Jaromir Jagr for sole possession of the second most in Penguins history. Sidney Crosby tops the list with 83.
• With New York facing a two-goal deficit in the second period, Vincent Trocheck and Kaapo Kakko spurred a Rangers rally by scoring two goals in seven seconds – tied for the fastest two by a team in a game this season (also MTL & NJD) – before Filip Chytil completed the comeback with his first career overtime winner to halt New Jersey’s road winning streak at 11 games.

GOALTENDERS HIT MILESTONES MONDAY

A pair of goaltenders helped guide their team to victory Monday while reaching career milestones in the process:

• Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced to snap Connor McDavid’s seven-game goal streak and hold the Oilers to one goal or fewer for just the fourth time this season. Fleury, who improved to 10-7-1, recorded his 18th season with at least 10 wins and joined Martin Brodeur (20x), Patrick Roy (18x) and Terry Sawchuk (18x) as just the fourth goaltender in NHL history to do so.
• Jordan Binnington (184 GP) made 25 saves in his 12th NHL shutout for win No. 100 in his career. He required the third-fewest games to reach the century mark among goaltenders to debut with St. Louis, behind Brian Elliott (175 GP) and Jake Allen (176 GP). Meanwhile, his 12 career shutouts are the third most by a Blues netminder through their milestone victory, behind Elliott (24) and Allen (15).

HYMAN SCORES

Zach Hyman’s 10th goal of the season and became the fourth Oilers player to score 10 in 2022-23. Hyman recently released a reading of the third children’s book he’s authored, ‘The Magician’s Secret.’ The eight-year NHL veteran is passionate about creative writing and uses it as an escape from the pressures of being a professional athlete – his entry into the world of authorship began when he won a creative writing contest in seventh grade which turned into the basis of his first book. Hyman, who believes hobbies outside of hockey are an important way for players to stay refreshed, always keeps a notepad close to write down ideas – his fourth book is in the works.

OVECHKIN ENTERS TUESDAY’S GAME A HAT TRICK FROM 800

Alex Ovechkin (17-13—30 in 30 GP), who has scored four goals across his last three games, enters Tuesday’s nationally televised contest against the Blackhawks on ESPN in the U.S. and Sportsnet ONE in Canada a hat trick away from becoming the third member of the NHL’s 800-goal club.

• Ovechkin, whose 28 regular-season hat tricks sit tied for sixth in NHL history, has netted a three-goal game against 17 different franchises – fifth most in NHL history. However, he has never scored a hat trick against the Blackhawks and has just one multi-goal appearance against Chicago in 21 games versus the franchise.
• Among the two current members of the 800-goal club, Wayne Gretzky managed just one hat trick against the Blackhawks (60 GP) while Gordie Howe potted seven three-goal games versus Chicago (316 GP) – only Maurice Richard (10) netted more against the franchise.

RED WINGS RECALL DEFENSEMAN STEVEN KAMPFER FROM GRIFFINS

The Detroit Red Wings today recalled defenseman Steven Kampfer from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins and placed defenseman Robert Hagg on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 8.

Kampfer, 34, has recorded 10 points (3-7-10) and 12 penalty minutes in 19 games with Grand Rapids to begin the 2022-23 season. The 5-foot-11, 198-pound defenseman signed a one-year contract with Detroit on May 22 after tallying 30 points (11-19-30) and 49 penalty minutes in 46 games with Ak Bars Kazan in the Kontinental Hockey League during the 2021-22 campaign, in addition to four points (2-2-4) in six postseason contests. Kampfer has skated in 231 NHL games with the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins since 2010-11, compiling 39 points (15-24-39) and 110 penalty minutes. Originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth round (93rd overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Kampfer was a Black Ace on Boston’s Stanley Cup-winning team in 2011 as a first-year professional. He has also appeared in 293 AHL games between the Providence Bruins, Houston Aeros, Iowa Wild, San Antonio Rampage, Hartford Wolf Pack, Providence Bruins and Griffins, totaling 129 points (34-95-129) and 223 penalty minutes.