NHL NEWS JAN 7  – MAPLE LEAFS, MATTHEWS EXTEND STREAKS

Toronto raced to a 4-0 lead in the first period and held off a late push to extend their overall point streak to seven games (6-0-1) and their road point streak to eight contests (6-0-2). At 18-12-8 (44 points) overall, the Maple Leafs moved into third place in the Atlantic Division standings.

Auston Matthews scored the game-winning goal to extend his point streak to eight games (7-5—12) and ranks tied for first among rookies with 21 goals this season (38 GP). Since ending a 13-game drought on Nov. 23, 2016, Matthews paces the entire NHL with 15 goals (19 GP).

NHL NEWS AND MUSINGS

• Scott Darling turned aside 39 of 40 shots and Artemi Panarin scored the game-winning goal in the second period to guide the Western Conference-leading Blackhawks (25-12-5, 55 points) to victory
• Jonathan Marchessault scored the go-ahead goal with 9:53 remaining in regulation to lead the Panthers to a 2-1 win
• Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk (0-1—1) extended his point streak to eight games (1-8—9). Elias notes that Tkachuk became the first Flames rookie to record at least one point in eight or more consecutive team games since Joe Nieuwendyk registered a 14-game point streak from Dec. 20, 1987 – Jan. 21, 1988 (15-14—29), the longest such run by a rookie in franchise history
• Flames forward Mikael Backlund (6-5—11), Canucks forward Bo Horvat (2-5—7) and Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman (0-7—7) each extended their point streak to six games
• Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (0-1—1) skated in the 700th game of his NHL career
• Devils goaltender Cory Schneider made his 300th career NHL appearance
• Predators forward Vladislav Kamenev made his NHL debut
• The Predators signed defenseman Matt Irwin to a one-year contract
• The Panthers observed a moment of silence at BB&T Center to honor the victims of the shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
• The Devils honored the late Dr. John J. McMullen by making him the first inductee into their Ring of Honor.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
Toronto 4, NEW JERSEY 2
FLORIDA 2, Nashville 1
CHICAGO 2, Carolina 1
COLORADO 2, NY Islanders 1 (OT)
VANCOUVER 4, Calgary 2
ANAHEIM 3, Arizona 2 (OT)

SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Tampa Bay @ Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Winnipeg @ Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Minnesota @ Los Angeles, 4 p.m.
NY Rangers @ Columbus, 7 p.m.
Boston @ Florida, 7 p.m.
Montreal @ Toronto, 7 p.m.
Washington @ Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Edmonton @ New Jersey, 7 p.m.
NY Islanders @ Arizona, 8 p.m.
Dallas @ St. Louis, 8 p.m.
Vancouver @ Calgary, 10 p.m.
Detroit @ San Jose, 10:30 p.m.