NHL NEWS MARCH 13, 2023 – DEVILS DEFEAT HURRICANES, MOVE INTO TIE IN STANDING POINTS ATOP DIVISION

Jack Hughes (1-2—3) factored on all three of his team’s goals as the Devils (44-16-6, 94 points) blanked the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes (43-14-8, 94 points) and moved into a tie with the club in standing points – Carolina, which has now occupied first place in the division for 84 straight days since Dec. 20, holds a game in hand.

• Hughes recorded his 27th multi-point outing of 2022-23 and matched Taylor Hall (27 GP in 2017-18) for the most by a Devils/Rockies/Scouts skater in a single season. He also posted his 26th career multi-assist game – only four U.S.-born skaters had more before age 22: Phil Housley (39 GP), Jimmy Carson (34 GP), Patrick Kane (33 GP) and Jeremy Roenick (33 GP).

CROSBY, LETANG HELP PENGUINS PREVAIL IN OVERTIME

Sidney Crosby (0-2—2) collected an assist on two of Pittsburgh’s three goals, including Kris Letang’s third overtime winner of 2022-23, to record his 12th career 80-point season as the Penguins (34-22-10, 78 points) prevailed at PPG Paints Arena and gained a two-point lead over the idle Islanders (34-26-8, 76 points) for the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Pittsburgh has two games in hand against New York.

• Crosby (29-51—80), who also hit the 50-assist mark, surpassed Mario Lemieux (11x) for sole possession of the most 80-point seasons in Penguins history. The only other active skater with 10-plus such campaigns is Alex Ovechkin (10x).
• Letang’s three overtime goals are the most among all defensemen this season. Only two blueliners in NHL history have had more in a single campaign: Shayne Gostisbehere (4 in 2015-16 w/ PHI) and Scott Niedermayer (4 in 2001-02 w/ NJD).

RED WINGS TAKE DOWN BRUINS SPLIT HOME AT HOME SERIES

WESTERN CONFERENCE’S WILD CARD RACE

The Jets (38-26-3, 79 points), Flames (30-24-13, 73 points) and Predators (33-24-7, 73 points), are all a part of the Western Conference’s tightly-contested playoff race.

• Mark Scheifele factored on one of his team’s three goals to hit the 60-point mark (38-22—60 in 67 GP) and helped Winnipeg leapfrog idle Colorado (36-22-6, 78 points), which is in action tonight, for third place in the Central Division standings. It marked Scheifele’s eighth consecutive 60-point season dating to 2015-16, surpassing Blake Wheeler (7x from 2013-14 to 2019-20) for the most in Jets/Thrashers history.
• Roman Josi (0-2—2) collected two assists and became the fifth active defenseman to record at least six 40-assist seasons, alongside Erik Karlsson (8x), Brent Burns (6x), Kris Letang (6x) and Victor Hedman (6x), as the Predators defeated the Ducks in overtime and moved within five points of the idle Avalanche for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
• Elias Lindholm (1-1—2) factored on two of his team’s five goals, including scoring the 200th of his career, as the Flames kept pace in the race for the final Wild Card position. It marked Lindholm’s 27th game-winning goal with Calgary, tied with Gary Roberts for ninth place on the franchise’s all-time list.

SABRES, MAPLE LEAFS SET TO CLASH ON THREE-GAME MONDAY

A three-game Monday features an Atlantic-Division showdown broadcast nationally in Canada (TVAS, SNO, SNW & SNP) as the Sabres (32-28-5, 69 points) visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (40-17-8, 88 points) at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto can require the fewest games in franchise history to reach 90 points in a season (65 GP entering play) – its current best is 67 outings, accomplished in 2021-22 (43-19-5).

• Rasmus Dahlin (14-49—63 in 61 GP) can become just the third different defenseman to record 50 assists in a single season with Buffalo – Phil Housley (60 in 1989-90 & 53 in 1984-85) and John Van Boxmeer (54 in 1981-82 & 51 in 1980-81) both achieved the feat twice.
• Toronto’s 24 home wins are tied with Tampa Bay for the second most among all teams this season, behind only Boston (27). William Nylander (23-26—49 in 34 GP) leads all Maple Leafs skaters in points at Scotiabank Arena and can become just the third player in franchise history to reach 50 at home in 35 contests or fewer. He would join Doug Gilmour (33 GP in 1992-93) and Darryl Sittler (34 GP in 1977-78).

Keller, Crosby and Marner Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller, Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 12, 2023.

FIRST STAR – CLAYTON KELLER, RW, ARIZONA COYOTES

Keller led the NHL with 4-5—9 in four contests to power the Coyotes (24-32-11, 59 points) to a 3‑0-1 week, helping the team to points in 13 of their 17 games since the All-Star break (8-4-5). He registered 1-2—3, his sixth three-point performance of the season, in a 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues March 7. Keller then collected two assists, including the primary helper on Barrett Hayton’s decisive goal, in a 4-1 win versus the Nashville Predators March 9. He scored one of Arizona’s two goals in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche March 11 before capping the week with 2-1—3, highlighted by his sixth career overtime goal, in a 5-4 triumph against the Minnesota Wild March 12. The 24-year-old Keller, who has points in five straight games dating to March 5 (4-6—10), paces the Coyotes in goals (29), assists (40) and points (69) through 67 overall appearances this season. His goal and point totals already are career highs, while his 40 assists are two shy of his personal best set during his rookie campaign of 2017-18 (42 A in 82 GP).

SECOND STAR – SIDNEY CROSBY, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Crosby recorded 2-5—7, including a pair of game-winning goals, in four outings to lift the Penguins (34-22-10, 78 points) back into the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference via a 3-0-1 week. He posted 1-2—3, including his 20th career overtime goal (second in NHL history), as Pittsburgh rallied from a 4-0 deficit for a 5-4 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets March 7. Crosby then picked up one assist in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders March 9 before scoring his eighth game-winning goal of the season (and eighth of his career vs. PHI) in a 5-1 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers March 11. He finished the week with two helpers to reach the 50-assist and 80-point milestones for the 10th and 12th times in his career, respectively, in a 3-2 overtime victory against the New York Rangers March 12. The 35-year-old Crosby, who also leads his team in goals, assists and points this season, ranks 12th in the NHL with 29-51—80 through 66 total games in 2022-23.

THIRD STAR – MITCHELL MARNER, RW, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Marner compiled 2-4—6 in two contests to propel the Maple Leafs (40-17-8, 88 points) to a pair of victories. He notched 1-1—2, including an assist on Auston Matthews’ tiebreaking goal with 2:53 remaining in regulation, in a 4-3 win against the New Jersey Devils March 7. Marner then posted 1-3—4, his 13th career four-point performance and second of the season (also Feb. 21 at BUF: 0-5—5), in a 7-4 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers March 11. The 25-year-old Marner – who leads Toronto in assists and points – has skated in 65 total games this season, placing among the League leaders in takeaways (1st; 88), assists (4th; 59), power-play assists (t-5th; 25), power-play points (5th; 32), shorthanded goals (t-7th; 3) and points (9th; 83).

RED WINGS RECALL MATT LUFF FROM GRAND RAPIDS UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS

The Detroit Red Wings have recalled right wing Matt Luff from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.

Luff, 25, has appeared in seven games with the Red Wings this season, recording his first goal and point on Nov. 6 against the New York Rangers. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound forward has also notched 23 points (7-16-23) and six penalty minutes in 25 games with the Griffins. Luff was signed as a free agent by the Red Wings on July 13, 2022 after splitting the 2021-22 season between the Nashville Predators and AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, logging six points (3-3-6) and four penalty minutes in 23 games with the Predators while totaling 31 points (14-17-31) and 16 penalty minutes in 30 appearances for the Admirals. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 22, 2016, Luff has registered 24 points (14-10-24) and 20 penalty minutes in 94 games with the Kings, Predators and Red Wings since 2018-19. He has also compiled 143 points (56-87-143), a plus-10 rating and 116 penalty minutes in 194 AHL games with the Ontario Reign, Admirals and Griffins since making his professional debut in 2016-17.

A native of Oakville, Ont., Luff played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Belleville Bulls and Hamilton Bulldogs from 2014-17 prior to turning professional, tallying 137 points (61-76-137) and 96 penalty minutes in 170 games, in addition to 11 points (5-6-11) in 11 postseason contests. Before starting his major junior career, Luff collected six points (3-3-6) in 10 games with the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. Luff also recorded 103 points (58-45-103) in 72 games with the Oakville Rangers Midget AAA squad from 2012-14. He won an OHL Cup championship with the Rangers’ under-16 squad in 2013, chipping in three points (2-1-3) in seven contests.