NHL REAP JANUARY 26, 2025 – LEHKONEN’S LATE-GAME HERIOCS LIFT AVALANCHE PAST RANGERS, AGAIN

Cale Makar (2-1—3) played a part in helping the Avalanche (29-20-2, 60 points) build multiple two-goal leads only to have the Rangers draw even on each occasion, but Artturi Lehkonen (1-0—1) provided late-game heroics against New York for the second time in as many meetings and scored the game winner with 15 seconds remaining in regulation to help Colorado strengthen their grip on the Western Conference’s first Wild Card spot.

• Lehkonen, who netted a game-tying goal with 1:13 remaining in regulation against the Rangers earlier this month on Jan. 14 en route to an Avalanche overtime victory, logged the franchise’s fifth-latest go-ahead goal in regulation behind Daniel Briere (59:59 on Oct. 13, 2014), Jan Hejda (59:52 on April 13, 2013), Dan Hinote (59:48 on April 3, 2006) and Theo Fleury (59:47 on April 18, 1999).
• Lehkonen, set to represent Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off in 16 days, became the 12th different player in franchise history to score within the final 90 seconds of regulation against the same opponent multiple times in one season. Nathan MacKinnon (Jan. 6, 2016 & Jan. 22, 2016 vs. STL) is the only other player to have each goal scored as a game-tying and/or go-ahead goal.
• Makar (18-38—56 in 51 GP), representing Canada at the NHL’s best-on-best tournament next month, overtook the goals and points lead among defensemen this season and moved within two tallies of his third career 20-goal campaign (28 in 2021-22 & 21 in 2023-24). Sunday marked his 35th career three-point outing since making his regular-season debut in 2019-20 – the most among all blueliners during that span and four more than the next closest (Quinn Hughes: 31).

SENATORS CLIMB INTO THIRD PLACE IN THE ATLANTIC

Claude Giroux (1-1—2) and Brady Tkachuk (1-0—1) scored two of Ottawa’s three goals as the Senators (26-20-4, 56 points) earned back-to-back wins on Saturday and Sunday for the third consecutive weekend and leapfrogged the idle Bruins (25-20-6, 56 points) into third place in the Atlantic Division. The 2024-25 campaign marks the latest into a season Ottawa has occupied a top-three spot in the division since the conclusion of the 2016-17 season (April 9, 2017).

• Tkachuk’s 19th goal of the season also marked the 181st of his career, which passed Dany Heatley (180) for the fifth most in franchise history. The Senators captain now sits within striking distance of his sixth career 20-goal campaign, which would tie Alexei Yashin for the third most by an Ottawa skater.
• DID YOU KNOW? The Senators, who also defeated the Maple Leafs on Saturday, became the third franchise in the past 46 years to sweep a back-to-back set on at least three consecutive weekends. The others: Boston (4 in 2022-23) and Pittsburgh (3 in 2015-16 & 1992-93).

WILD EXTEND STREAK AGAINST BLACKHAWKS
While Connor Bedard hit the 30-assist mark during an attempted third-period Blackhawks rally, Matt Boldy (0-3—3) factored on three of four goals to help the Wild (29-17-4, 62 points) skate to victory and extend their point streak against the Blackhawks to 16 games. Boldy, also set to join the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off next month, notched his 15th career three-point game and tied Marian Gaborik for the most by a Wild skater before age 24.

Prime Monday Night Hockey GAME has plenty OF 4 Nations FACE-OFF players

Monday’s five-game slate is highlighted by Elias Pettersson and the Canucks (21-17-10, 52 points) battling Brayden Schenn and the Blues (23-23-4, 50 points) during the latest edition of Prime Monday Night Hockey on Prime Video Canada. Vancouver and St. Louis are separated by just two points and both trail Calgary (24-17-7, 55 points) for the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot.

• Pettersson is set to skate for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off and is one of six tournament-bound players who could dress at Enterprise Center, with each country represented across the Canucks’ and Blues’ rosters. The others are Jordan Binnington and Colton Parayko (Canada), Kevin Lankinen (Finland) as well as Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller (United States).
• Hughes had both of Vancouver’s tallies in its victory versus Washington on Saturday and can tie the franchise mark for most consecutive team goals scored by a defenseman, set by Dale Tallon (3 from Dec. 11-14, 1971) and matched by Hughes (3 from April 2-3, 2024). Hughes (5-2—7 in 8 GP) has scored five career goals against Binnington, his highest total versus one goaltender.
• Binnington, Parayko and Canada contest their tournament opener against Pettersson and Sweden at Bell Centre on Feb. 12 (8 p.m. ET on TNT, Max, truTV, SN, TVAS), while Hughes, Miller and the United States do so versus Lankinen and Finland the next day (8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).
• Monday’s schedule features more tournament-bound players with Adrian Kempe and the Kings (26-14-6, 58 points) facing Lucas Raymond and the Red Wings (23-21-5, 51 points); Jack Hughes and the Devils (28-17-6, 62 points) dueling Travis Konecny and the Flyers (22-22-6, 50 points); Kaapo Kakko and the Kraken (22-25-3, 47 points) visiting Connor McDavid and the Oilers (31-15-3, 65 points); as well as Sidney Crosby and the Penguins (20-23-8, 48 points) playing Mikael Granlund and the Sharks (14-32-6, 34 points).

WEEK AHEAD FEATURES MORE NATIONAL GAMES, NHL COAST TO COAST

Other national broadcasts to look forward to during the week ahead:

Tuesday, Jan. 28 – The Gr8 Chase continues with Capitals-Flames on TVA Sports

• Alex Ovechkin and the League-leading Capitals joust Jonathan Huberdeau and the Flames, with Ovechkin entering the week needing 20 goals to complete The Gr8 Chase and pass Wayne Gretzky (894) for the most in NHL history.

Wednesday, Jan. 29 – NHL on TNT doubleheader and Wild-Maple Leafs on Sportsnet

• Jack Hughes and the Devils conclude their home-and-home set versus Travis Konecny and the Flyers during an NHL on TNT doubleheader, which closes with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins pitted against Clayton Keller and Utah Hockey Club. Kirill Kaprizov and the Wild also visit Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs on Sportsnet programming during the five-game slate.

Thursday, Jan. 30 – Sharks-Kraken on ESPN and NHL Coast to Coast on Prime Video Canada

• Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks square off with Jared McCann and the Kraken on ESPN to close out a 10-game night which also features the return of NHL Coast to Coast, the live whip-around studio show available to viewers on Prime Video Canada starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Saturday, Feb. 1 – ABC Hockey Saturday doubleheader followed by Hockey Night in Canada

• Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks battle Sam Reinhart and the Panthers to open an ABC Hockey Saturday doubleheader, which closes with Artemi Panarin and the Rangers dueling David Pastrnak and the Bruins. That’s followed by a four-game Hockey Night in Canada highlighted by Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs visiting Connor McDavid and the Oilers as well as Nazem Kadri and the Flames hosting Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings.

RED WINGS SIGN DOMINIK SHINE TO TWO-YEAR CONTRACT

The Detroit Red Wings have signed right wing Dominik Shine to a two-year contract for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. Shine will report to the Red Wings. Additionally, the Red Wings have placed right wing Patrick Kane on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 21.

Shine, 31, has played in 40 games with the Griffins during the 2024-25 season and ranks among the team leaders with 11 goals (T3rd), 21 assists (1st), 32 points (1st), 36 penalty minutes (3rd), four power play goals (3rd), nine power play points (T1st), one shorthanded goal (T3rd), three game-winning goals (3rd) and 89 shots (T1st). The 5-foot-11, 180-pound forward spent the entire 2023-24 campaign with the Griffins, recording 33 points (10-23-33), a plus-eight rating and 73 penalty minutes in 65 regular-season games. Shine also tallied five points (2-3-5) and eight penalty minutes in nine Calder Cup Playoff games, helping the Griffins reach the Central Division Finals. Originally signed by Grand Rapids as an undrafted free agent on March 14, 2017, Shine has compiled 170 points (72-98-170) and 513 penalty minutes in 462 AHL games with the Griffins since 2016-17.

Pastrnak, McTavish and Hayton Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish and Utah Hockey Club center Barrett Hayton have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 26.

FIRST STAR – DAVID PASTRNAK, RW, BOSTON BRUINS

Pastrnak, who was named the “Third Star” for the week ending Jan. 19, led the NHL with 3-5—8 in four contests to lift the Bruins (25-20-6, 56 points) into the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference via a 3-1-0 week. He registered 1-1—2 as Boston rallied for a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks Jan. 20. Pastrnak then factored on the Bruins’ final six goals of the week, collecting an assist in a 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils Jan. 22, posting 1-1—2 in a 2-0 triumph against the Ottawa Senators Jan. 23 and recording 1-2—3 (his sixth three-point game of the campaign) in a 3-1 win versus the Colorado Avalanche Jan. 25. The last Boston player to factor on at least six consecutive team goals: also Pastrnak, from April 9-11, 2023 (6). The 28-year-old Pastrnak, who has assists/points in seven straight games dating to Jan. 11 (7-10—17), paces the Bruins in goals (24), assists (35) and points (59) through 51 total appearances this season. He also ranks among the 2024-25 League leaders in shots on goal (1st; 211), points (9th; 59) and goals (t-10th; 24).

SECOND STAR – MASON McTAVISH, C, ANAHEIM DUCKS

McTavish topped the NHL with five goals in three games (5-0—5) to propel the Ducks (20-23-6, 46 points) to a 2-1-0 week. He scored once in a 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers Jan. 21. McTavish then notched back-to-back two-goal performances, in a 5-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins Jan. 23 and a 5-2 triumph over the Nashville Predators Jan. 25. The last Anaheim player to produce consecutive multi-goal games: Trevor Zegras, on Nov. 14 (2-1—3 vs. VAN) and Nov. 16, 2021 (2-0—2 vs. WSH). The 21-year-old McTavish, the third overall pick from the 2021 NHL Draft, sits fourth on the Ducks with 11-13—24 through 43 total contests this season and owns 49-63—112 in 196 career NHL appearances since making his debut in 2021-22.

THIRD STAR – BARRETT HAYTON, C, UTAH HOCKEY CLUB

Hayton compiled 4-2—6, highlighted by two game-winning goals, in four contests to guide Utah (21-21-7, 49 points) to a pair of victories. He opened the week with consecutive decisive goals, potting 1‑2—3 in a 5-2 triumph against the Winnipeg Jets Jan. 20 and 2-0—2 in a 4-0 win versus the Minnesota Wild Jan. 23. Hayton then scored once in a 5-2 loss to the Jets Jan. 24 before being held off the score sheet in a 3-1 defeat versus the Ottawa Senators Jan. 26. The 24-year-old Hayton, the fifth overall pick from the 2018 NHL Draft, leads Utah with five game-winning goals and ranks sixth on the team with 12‑14—26 through 49 total games this season.