NHL Recap December 23, 2023 – STARS STUN PREDATORS WITH FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND WIN

Entering the third period trailing by two goals, Evgenii Dadonov got the Stars within one near the mid-point of the frame to set the stage for a dramatic, first-of-its kind victory. Craig Smith tied the game with 15 seconds remaining in regulation, followed by Jani Hakanpää’s stunning game winner just 11 seconds later.

• Smith (59:45) became the 13th player in franchise history to score a tying goal in the final 15 seconds of regulation in a regular-season game, while Hakanpää (59:56) scored the fifth-latest regulation go-ahead goal in franchise history behind Brian MacLellan (59:59 on Jan. 27, 1988), Tyler Seguin (59:57 on Oct. 16, 2014), Shawn Chambers (59:57 on Jan. 6, 1990) and Dave Gagner (59:57 on Nov. 14, 1988).
• The Stars earned their League-leading fifth multi-goal comeback win of the season and first in 2023-24 when trailing by two or more in the third period.

FANS GIFTED WITH TWO LACROSSE-STYLE GOALS BEFORE HOLIDAY BREAK
Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard and Ducks forward Trevor Zegras both hit “The Michigan” on Saturday. The No. 1 pick from the 2023 NHL Draft did so with Wayne Gretzky watching in-person, while Zegras scored his after returning to the Anaheim lineup.

• Bedard’s highlight-reel goal marked his 30th point of the 2023-24 season (13-17—30 in 33 GP). He became the ninth 18-year-old rookie in NHL history and third active player among that group (also Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: 28 GP & Sidney Crosby: 29 GP) to require 33 or fewer games to collect 30 career points.
• Zegras and Bedard scored the second and third lacrosse-style goals since the League began tracking the “cradle” shot type in 2022-23, following Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson (March 24). Zegras had two in the NHL before they were officially tracked (April 1, 2022 & Jan. 27, 2022).

MORE HIGHLIGHTS FROM SATURDAY

More notes from the 14-game slate. Some highlights include:

• Marc-Andre Fleury (19 saves) backstopped the Wild to their sixth straight home victory and earned the 550th win of his NHL career to move within one of tying Patrick Roy (551) for second place on the League’s all-time list. Fleury also made his 998th career appearance to climb within two of becoming the fourth goaltender in NHL history with 1,000.
• Quinn Hughes (10-34—44 in 35 GP) recorded the 68th multi-point game of his career to tie Alexander Edler for the most by a defenseman in franchise history and help the Canucks (23-9-3, 49 points) open a two-point lead atop the NHL standings, while Trevor Moore scored the game-winning goal as the Kings (19-7-4, 42 points) kept pace.
• Nathan MacKinnon (0-1—1) collected an assist to extend both his overall and season-opening home point streak to 18 contests. MacKinnon tied Peter Stastny (18 GP in 1981-82) for the fourth-longest point streak in Avalanche/Nordiques history and established a franchise record for longest season-opening home point streak, surpassing Mats Sundin (17 GP in 1992-93) and Stastny (17 GP in 1980-81).
• Artemi Panarin (1-0—1) found the score sheet in his 300th game with the Rangers and Chris Kreider (1-1—2) scored his 41st career game-winning goal in overtime to help New York (23-8-1, 47 points) build on its lead atop the Metropolitan Division. Panarin (118-267—385 in 300 GP) owns the most points by a player through their first 300 contests with the franchise and 24 more than the next closest (Mark Messier: 113-248—361 in 300 GP).
• Sebastian Aho and Sebastian Aho each scored a goal in the Islanders’ 5-4 win against the Hurricanes. Another notable pair of NHL players with the same first and last name that both scored a goal in the same game were Greg Adams and Greg Adams (April 1, 1989, April 5, 1987, Feb. 1, 1986 & Nov. 30, 1985).
• Jordan Kyrou (2-0—2) scored two of five consecutive Blues goals in the third period as St. Louis rallied to produce a three-goal, third-period comeback win for the fourth time in franchise history and second against Chicago (also Dec. 14, 2019). Every season but one in the past decade has seen at least one team overcome a three-goal, third-period deficit and win in regulation; 2020-21 stands as the only exception. Edmonton (Nov. 26, 2022: 4-3 W at NYR) and Dallas (Nov. 23, 2022: 6-4 W vs. CHI) both did so in 2022-23.
• Auston Matthews (2-1—3) continued his red-hot goal-scoring stretch, notching his 13th and 14th goals since Dec. 1 to become just the fifth different player in franchise history to score as many in a single calendar month alongside Rick Vaive (4x; most: 17 in Jan. 1983), Babe Dye (4x; most: 15 in Feb. 1921). Frank Mahovlich (15 in Dec. 1960) and Wendel Clark (14 in Nov. 1993).

NHL RETURNS WEDNESDAY WITH ANOTHER 14-GAME SLATE
The NHL will now take a three-day holiday break before returning with another 14-game day on Wednesday, Dec. 27, including national broadcasts in Canada (Senators at Maple Leafs on Sportsnet & TVA Sports) and in the U.S. (Bruins at Sabres on TNT & Max).

Kaprizov, Zibanejad and Kane Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov, New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Dec. 24, 2023.

FIRST STAR – KIRILL KAPRIZOV, LW, MINNESOTA WILD

Kaprizov registered 4-3—7 and a +5 rating in four outings, highlighted by overtime winners in consecutive contests, to power the Wild (15-13-4, 34 points) to a 3-1-0 week and a League-best 10-3-0 record since John Hynes’ first game as head coach on Nov. 28. He posted one assist in a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins Dec. 18. Kaprizov then became the second player in franchise history to score an overtime goal in consecutive games (also Brent Burns: March 11-13, 2007), potting two tallies in a 4-3 triumph over the Boston Bruins Dec. 19 and collecting 1-2—3 in a 4-3 victory against the Montreal Canadiens Dec. 21. It marked the seventh and eighth overtime goals of Kaprizov’s career, a total topped by only two players since he joined the NHL in 2020-21: Alex DeBrincat and Martin Necas (both w/ 9). Kaprizov finished the week with another goal, the go-ahead tally, in a 3-2 comeback triumph over the Bruins Dec. 23. The 26-year-old Kaprizov, who won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2020-21, leads Minnesota with 12-19—31 and three game-winning goals through 32 total appearances this season. His 265 career points (126-139—265 in 235 GP) are the 12th-most in the League since 2020-21.

SECOND STAR – MIKA ZIBANEJAD, C, NEW YORK RANGERS

Zibanejad recorded goals and multiple points in all three of his contests, totaling 4-3—7 to lift the Eastern Conference-leading Rangers (23-8-1, 47 points) to a pair of victories. He scored twice, his second multi-goal effort of the season (also Nov. 24 at PHI: 2-0—2), in a 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs Dec. 19. Zibanejad then produced 1-1—2, including a highlight-reel assist, in a 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers Dec. 22. He closed the week with 1-2—3, capped by the primary helper on Chris Kreider’s overtime goal, in a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres Dec. 23. The 30-year-old Zibanejad, who has 7-6—13 during an active seven-game point streak dating to Dec. 10, ranks second on the Rangers with 13-20—33 through 32 total appearances this season. His 488 career points with the franchise (217‑271—488 in 518 GP) are the most by any player since he was acquired by New York prior to the 2016-17 campaign.

THIRD STAR – PATRICK KANE, RW, DETROIT RED WINGS

Kane, who signed with Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 28 following offseason hip surgery, topped the NHL with 4‑4—8 in four games to guide the Red Wings (16-14-4, 36 points) to a 1-3-0 week. He produced two points in each of his first two outings, notching a pair of assists in a 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks Dec. 18 and recording 1-1—2 in a 5-2 defeat versus the Winnipeg Jets Dec. 20. Kane then potted 2-1—3, as well as the clinching shootout tally, in a 7-6 win over the Philadelphia Flyers Dec. 22. He added another goal in a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils Dec. 23. The 35-year-old Kane, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and the 2015-16 Hart Memorial Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award and Art Ross Trophy winner, has 5-5—10 in 10 total games this season and 456-791—1,247 in 1,190 career appearances – the second-most points by any U.S.-born player in NHL history (behind Mike Modano: 561-813—1,374 in 1,499 GP).

RED WINGS ASSIGN AUSTIN CZARNIK AND SIMON EDVINSSON TO GRAND RAPIDS

The Detroit Red Wings today assigned center Austin Czarnik and defenseman Simon Edvinsson to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.