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Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals - In Play! magazine
The final month of the regular season opened with Alex Ovechkin moving within four goals of passing Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history as well as Vegas clinching a berth in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs by virtue of Calgary’s regulation loss to Utah Hockey Club. File photo: Tim Jarrold - In Play! magazine
02
Apr

NHL RECAP APRIL 1, 2025 – THE FINAL FOUR OF THE GR8 CHASE

Ryan Leonard was born eight months before Alex Ovechkin’s NHL debut in 2005 and on Tuesday got a first-hand look at The Gr8 Chase, which saw the countdown clocks across D.C. and in New York tick down to four goals for a new all-time NHL record after Ovechkin tallied No. 891 in Boston. The 39-year-old Ovechkin will get right back to it tonight at Lenovo Center in Carolina, where he was drafted first overall in 2004 and has the most goals of any visiting player (7 p.m. ET).

  • Among the feats achieved when The Great Eight tallied his team-best 38th goal of the season: Ovechkin (416) overtook Gordie Howe (415) for the most goals after age 30 in NHL history; he surpassed Phil Esposito (240) and tied Wayne Gretzky (241) for the most first-period goals all-time; he tallied his 225th career goal versus an Original Six franchise to pass Gretzky and Brian Bellows (both 224) for the second most in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) behind Brett Hull (260); and he added another donation to the V Foundation and Hockey Fights Cancer (which will be matched by Monumental Sports & Entertainment).
  • Ovechkin owns goals-per-game rates of 0.66 this season and 0.60 in his career, with both putting him on pace to pass Gretzky (894) and complete The Gr8 Chase against the Islanders at UBS Arena on April 15 (8 p.m. ET).
  • NHLStats has been tracking The Gr8 Chase with more than a dozen Stats Packs since 2019-20 focused on Ovechkin, with the latest one – THE GR8 CHASE: The Final Four – released shortly after goal 891 on Tuesday. Look for one after each game in which Ovi scores a goal through the record-breaking No. 895.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS CLINCH BERTH INTO STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
Despite falling to the Oilers, the Golden Knights became the third Western Conference club to clinch a berth into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs by virtue of Utah Hockey Club defeating the Flames in regulation.

  • The Golden Knights, who are seeking their second Stanley Cup in three years, have secured a playoff appearance in seven of their first eight seasons – a feat only four other franchises have achieved: the Rangers (8), Oilers (8), Blues (7) and Nordiques (7).
  • Vegas enters the postseason with the highest playoff game winning percentage in NHL history (.600) and the second-highest series winning percentage (.647).

BLUES RALLY LATE FOR 10TH STRAIGHT WIN, CLIMB TO HIGHEST RANK SINCE OCTOBER
Cam Fowler assisted on Jordan Kyrou’s tying goal with 29 seconds remaining in regulation and scored his first overtime goal in nearly six and a half years to cap the rally and extend the Blues’ winning streak to 10 games. St. Louis has surged up the standings since the 4 Nations Face-Off, climbing from eight points outside the bracket into Wild Card 1 – its highest rank since late October.

  • St. Louis matched the second-longest win streak in franchise history and staged its longest since a club-record 11-game run in 2018-19 helped them surge up the standings late in the season en route to a Stanley Cup. Jordan Binnington captured nine of those 11 wins as a rookie during the run in 2018-19 and has six during the stretch this season – part of a League-best 11-2-0 record since claiming the championship at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Montreal, Columbus collect crucial wins in Wild Card race

Nick Suzuki and the Canadiens (35-30-9, 79 points) stunned the reigning Stanley Cup champions to maintain their hold on the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot, while Kirill Marchenko scored a hat trick as the Blue Jackets (34-30-9, 77 points) kept pace:

  • Suzuki pulled Montreal even at 19:51 of the third period and scored the winner just 29 seconds into extra time to record his fifth overtime goal of the season and tie the franchise record for most in a campaign, a mark set by Alex Galchenyuk (5 in 2016-17). Suzuki and other members of the Canadiens’ run to the 2021 Final look to clinch a postseason berth and help Montreal capture its NHL-record 24th Stanley Cup alongside several recent additions such as Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovský and Patrik Laine.
  • Hutson had three assists to reach 57 on the campaign and pass Chris Chelios (55 in 1984-85) for the highest single-season total by a rookie defenseman in franchise history as well as the second most in NHL history behind Larry Murphy (60 in 1980-81). Hutson’s 62 points are the seventh most by a rookie blueliner in League history and the highest single-season total since Brian Leetch (71 in 1988-89).
  • Marchenko (3-1—4) and Sean Monahan (2-2—4) both posted four-point games, with the former also scoring a hat trick, as the Blue Jackets netted eight goals – their highest-scoring contest of the season. With every hat trick this season, AstraZeneca will donate $3,000 to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation up to $300,000.
  • Monahan recorded his eighth game with three-plus points in 2024-25 and tied Rick Nash (2x: 2007-08 & 2008-09) for the fourth most in a season by a Blue Jackets player. Monahan and Marchenko were two of four Columbus skaters with at least three points Tuesday (also Adam Fantilli & Kent Johnson), marking the third time in franchise history the club has had four or more players with at least that many in the same contest (also March 12, 2019 & Dec. 23, 2000).
  • Zach Werenski (0-2—2) recorded his 20th multi-point game of 2024-25 and became just the fourth player in Blue Jackets history to record that many in a single season. In the process, Werenski (20-54—74 in 2024-25) surpassed Johnny Gaudreau (53 in 2022-23) for the fourth-most assists in a single season by a Blue Jackets player and matched Gaudreau (74 in 2022-23) for the fifth-most points in a single campaign.

KUCHEROV TAKES THE ART ROSS TROPHY RACE LEAD
Tuesday saw Nikita Kucherov collect a pair of assists and boost his season totals to 33-78—111 (70 GP) as he overtook Nathan MacKinnon (30-80—110 in 75 GP) for the lead in the Art Ross Trophy race. The Lightning forward also passed MacKinnon (13) for the third-most nine-game point streaks among active players, behind Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid (both w/ 17).

DOUBLEHEADER ON TNT, ATLANTIC DIVISION CLASH HIGHLIGHT FIVE-GAME SLATE

A five-game Wednesday features a doubleheader on TNT (truTV), Max and TVA Sports involving the Capitals and Hurricanes as well as the Avalanche and Blackhawks, while the Panthers and Maple Leafs battle for supremacy in the Atlantic Division on Sportsnet.

  • The Maple Leafs (45-25-4, 94 points) and Panthers (44-26-4, 92 points) face off tonight in the first of two meetings over an eight-day span that carries significant influence on postseason seeding in the Atlantic Division. Toronto can win the Atlantic Division for the first time since the current format was introduced in 2013-14 – the Maple Leafs have finished atop their division twice in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68), following 2020-21 (North Division) and 1999-00 (Northeast Division). Meanwhile, Florida will aim to win its division in two consecutive seasons for the first time.
  • Cale Makar (28-57—85 in 75 GP) tied his career high for goals in a season Monday (also 28 in 2021-22) and now has his sights set on reaching the 30-goal mark. Makar can become the first defenseman since Mike Green (31 in 2008-09 w/ WSH) to score 30 goals in a campaign and just the ninth different blueliner in NHL history to accomplish the feat.
  • The top two teams in the Metropolitan Division will battle when The Gr8 Chase continues Wednesday, the 10th anniversary of when Alex Ovechkin became the Capitals all-time goals leader (April 2, 2015). Ovechkin was drafted at the RBC Center in Raleigh, now Lenovo Center, on June 26, 2004, and scored his first career road goal (third career goal overall) against Rod Brind’Amour and the Hurricanes on Oct. 12, 2005.
  • The Capitals captain has scored 31 road goals against Carolina – his most against a single franchise and the most by any player versus the Hurricanes/Whalers. Only two players have more goals at a road venue during the expansion era than Ovechkin has at Lenovo Center: Gretzky at Winnipeg Arena and Mario Lemieux at Madison Square Garden.

Eichel, Tavares and Binnington Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ for March 2025

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares and St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of March 2025.

FIRST STAR – JACK EICHEL, C, VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Eichel paced the League with 8-15—23 in 14 contests to propel the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights (45-20-8, 98 points) to a 10-2-2 month as they seek their seventh playoff berth in eight NHL seasons. Eichel, who additionally finished among the March leaders in power-play assists (t-1st; 8), power-play points (2nd; 10), assists (t-4th; 15), even-strength points (t-9th; 13) and goals (t-12th; 8), found the score sheet in 13 of his 14 appearances – capped by a six-game run to close the month that featured four multi-point performances (March 20-29: 6-7—13). The No. 2 overall pick from the 2015 NHL Draft also collected his 600th career point in his 607th game, part of a four-point effort March 22 vs. DET (1-3—4); scored his fifth career hat trick and third with Vegas March 25 at MIN (3-0—3); and notched a pair of game-winning goals: March 5 vs. TOR (1-1—2) and March 23 vs. TBL (1-0—1). The 28-year-old Eichel ranks fourth in the NHL with 27-66—93 through 72 total appearances this season, already career highs for assists and points in a single campaign (ahead of 2018-19: 28-54—82 in 77 GP w/ BUF). He also sits among the 2024-25 leaders in power-play assists (3rd; 29), assists (t-4th; 66), plus/minus (5th; +35) and power-play points (t-5th; 34).

SECOND STAR – JOHN TAVARES, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Tavares posted a League-high 13 goals in 15 games (13-7—20) – the most by an NHL player in any calendar month this season – to guide the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs (45-25-4, 94 points) to an 8-5-2 March as they near their ninth consecutive playoff berth. He scored in nine of his 15 contests, matching a career high with goals in five straight outings from March 20-29 (8-4—12) to become the second player in franchise history with a five-game goal streak at age 34 or older (following Mats Sundin at age 35 from April 6-15, 2006: 8-4—12 in 5 GP). Tavares also ranked among the monthly NHL leaders in even-strength goals (2nd; 9), face-offs won (4th; 171), points (t-4th; 20), power-play goals (t-4th; 4), power-play points (t-5th; 8) and face-offs taken (t-6th; 278). The No. 1 overall pick from the 2009 NHL Draft (by NYI), who recorded his 1,100th career point in his 1,171st game (March 20 at NYR: 2-1—3), shares 10th place in the League with 35 goals through 67 total appearances this season (35-34—69) and additionally is tied for seventh place with eight game-winning tallies.

THIRD STAR – JORDAN BINNINGTON, G, ST. LOUIS BLUES

Binnington won eight of his nine starts (8-2-0, 2.21 GAA, .910 SV%) to help the Blues (40-28-7, 87 points) climb into the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference on the strength of a League-best 12-2-1 March, highlighted by a nine-game winning streak to close the month. Binnington allowed two or fewer goals in six of his 10 total appearances, making at least 20 saves seven times. He ended the month on a five-game winning streak (March 16-29: 1.58 GAA, .938 SV%), improving to an NHL-leading 10-2-0 (2.09 GAA, .917 SV%) in 12 contests since backstopping Canada to a championship at February’s 4 Nations Face-Off. The 31-year-old Binnington owns a 25-21-4 record (2.70 GAA, .901 SV%, 3 SO) through 51 total games in 2024-25, his third straight (and fourth career) season with at least 25 wins.

Canadiens’ Hutson Named NHL ‘Rookie of the Month’ for March

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, who paced all rookies with 14 assists and 15 points in 14 games (1-14—15) to lift the Canadiens (34-30-9, 77 points) into the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for March.

Hutson edged Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (5-9—14 in 16 GP), Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (3-10—13 in 15 GP), St. Louis Blues center Zack Bolduc (8-3—11 in 15 GP), and San Jose Sharks teammates Will Smith (4-7—11 in 13 GP) and Macklin Celebrini (3-8—11 in 13 GP) for the honor.

Hutson, who previously was named “Rookie of the Month” for December, joins Michkov (October and February) as a repeat winner this season. He is the first defenseman to earn the honor multiple times within the same campaign since Nicklas Lidstrom in 1991-92 (November and December w/ DET) and the first Canadiens player at any position with multiple “Rookie of the Month” recognitions in the same season since center Kjell Dahlin in 1985-86 (October and December).

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Guest Writer