NHL NEWS JAN 8 – HOLTBY, RASK MOVE INTO SHARE OF SHUTOUT LEAD

Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (30 saves) and Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (25 saves) each posted their fifth shutout of the season to move into a tie for the League lead.

Holtby registered consecutive shutouts for the first time in his NHL career (also Jan. 5 vs. CBJ) to backstop the Capitals to their fifth consecutive win. Nicklas Backstrom registered the 500th assist of his NHL career (all w/ WSH) to become the first player in franchise history and the first member of the 2006 NHL Draft class to reach the milestone.

Rask earned his 35th career shutout (all w/ BOS) to tie Frank Brimsek for second on the franchise’s all-time list. Brad Marchand (2-0—2) scored his first shorthanded goal of the season and NHL-best 20th such goal since beginning his career in 2009-10.

NHL NEWS AND MUSINGS

• Joe Pavelski (2-0—2) recorded his 600th NHL point as the Sharks halted a three-game slide (0-2-1)
• Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko (1-0—1) moved into a tie for second in the NHL with 20-23—43 this season (40 GP)
• Five different skaters found the back of the net to help the Canadiens conclude their season-long seven-game road trip with a 4-1-2 record
• The Flyers improved to 8-1-1 in their last 10 contests at Wells Fargo Center
• Coyotes forward Radim Vrbata scored his 44th career shootout goal to move into sole possession of first in NHL history
• Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk (1-9—10, 9 GP), Canucks forward Bo Horvat (3-5—8, 7 GP) and Canadiens forward Alexander Radulov (4-4—8, 6 GP) each extended point streaks
• Canadiens forward Nikita Scherbak, the 26th overall selection in the 2014 NHL Draft, scored in his League debut
• Oilers defenseman Matthew Benning also scored the first goal of his NHL career (29 GP)
• Linesman David Brisebois was honored in a pre-game ceremony at KeyBank Center ahead of his 1,000th career NHL game
• The Coyotes honored captain Shane Doan in a pre-game ceremony for recently reaching the 1,500-game and 400-goal milestones.

SATURDAY’S NHL RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
PHILADELPHIA 4, Tampa Bay 2
BUFFALO 4, Winnipeg 3
LOS ANGELES 4, Minnesota 3 (OT)
NY Rangers 5, COLUMBUS 4
Boston 4, FLORIDA 0
Montreal 5, TORONTO 3
Washington 1, OTTAWA 0
Edmonton 2, NEW JERSEY 1 (OT)
ARIZONA 2, NY Islanders 1 (SO)
ST. LOUIS 4, Dallas 3
CALGARY 3, Vancouver 1
SAN JOSE 6, Detroit 3

SUNDAY’S NHL ACTION
All Times Eastern
Boston @ Carolina, 5 p.m.
Tampa Bay @ Pittsburgh, 5 p.m.
Philadelphia @ Columbus, 6 p.m.
Nashville @ Chicago, 7 p.m.
Edmonton @ Ottawa, 7 p.m.
Minnesota @ Anaheim, 8 p.m.