NHL NEWS FEBRUARY 21 – LAINE, JETS FACE MATTHEWS, MAPLE LEAFS FOR SECOND TIME

The top two picks from the 2016 NHL Draft go head-to-head for the second and final time this season when Patrik Laine (28-24—52) and the Jets visit Auston Matthews (28-21—49) and the Maple Leafs. Winnipeg rallied from a 4-0 deficit led by Laine’s first career hat trick to defeat Toronto in their first meeting this season and own an 8-0-1 record in their last nine games against the Maple Leafs dating to March 13, 2013 (TOR: 1-5-3). Laine sits one goal shy of tying the Jets/Thrashers record for most in a season by a rookie (Ilya Kovalchuk: 29 in 2001-02), while Matthews needs six to match the Maple Leafs single-season benchmark (Wendel Clark: 34 in 1985-86).

NHL NEWS AND MUSINGS

• Coyotes captain Shane Doan skated in the 1,524th game of his NHL career to tie Brendan Shanahan for 15th on the all-time list
• Blues forward Alexander Steen skated in the 800th game of his NHL career
• The Coyotes hosted Women’s Hockey Night at Gila River Arena
• The Avalanche, Flames, Maple Leafs and Penguins each hosted events in support of Hockey Is For Everyone month
• The starting time of the Predators-Blues game on April 2 at Scottrade Center was changed to 3 p.m. CT (originally scheduled for 5 p.m. CT)
• The Coyotes traded defenseman Michael Stone to the Flames for a third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2018
• Jets forward Patrik Laine, Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri and Oilers captain Connor McDavid were named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Feb. 19
• Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba was suspended for two games for an illegal check to the head of Senators forward Mark Stone
• Renowned Canadian artist Tony Harris unveiled portraits of legends Red Kelly and Alex Delvecchio as part of the NHL Centennial Celebration.

MONDAY’S NHL RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
Florida 2, ST. LOUIS 1
ARIZONA 3, Anaheim 2

TUESDAY’S NHL ACTION
All Times Eastern
Pittsburgh @ Carolina, 7 p.m.
Montreal @ NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
Ottawa @ New Jersey, 7 p.m.
NY Islanders @ Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Edmonton @ Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.
Winnipeg @ Toronto, 7:30 p.m.,
Chicago @ Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Calgary @ Nashville, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles @ Colorado, 9 p.m.