NHL Recap February 18 2020

PENGUINS, FLYERS CLIMB METROPOLITAN DIVISION STANDINGS

The Penguins (37-15-6, 80 points) and Flyers (33-20-7, 73 points) each earned wins to climb the Metropolitan Division standings:

Pittsburgh raced to a 5-0 lead – with Sidney Crosby (1-3—4) factoring on four goals – en route to defeating Toronto and leapfrogging idle Washington (37-17-5, 79 points) for first place in the Metropolitan Division standings.

Crosby has collected 7-16—23 in 13 games since returning to the Penguins lineup on Jan. 14 – equating to nearly two points per game (1.77 P/GP). His 23 points over that span trail only Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (9-16—25 in 12 GP) and Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (12-12—24 in 14 GP) for the most in the NHL.

Pittsburgh, which has earned at least one point in each of its last seven games at PPG Paints Arena (6-0-1), recorded their 22nd home win of the season overall (22-5-4, 48 points) – passing League-leading Boston (21-2-9, 51 points) for the most in the NHL.

After being inserted into the lineup less than an hour before puck drop, Anthony Angello scored the first goal of his NHL career. Angello, a fifth-round pick (145th overall) by the Penguins in the 2014 NHL Draft, played three seasons with Cornell University from 2015-16 to 2017-18 – earning ECAC Second All-Star Team and All-Ivy League Second Team honors in his final season with the Big Red.

Travis Konecny (1-2—3) led all players with three points to help the Flyers, who entered Tuesday occupying the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference standings, leapfrog the Blue Jackets (30-19-12, 72 points) and idle Islanders (33-19-6, 72 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division standings.

Konecny, who became the first Philadelphia player to reach the 20-goal mark in 2019-20 (20-31—51 in 57 GP), boosted his career totals to 79-96—175 (290 GP). He passed Ron Sutter (60-114—174 in 257 GP) for sole possession of the seventh-most regular-season points in franchise history by a player age 22 or younger.

Carter Hart (28 saves) improved to 15-2-2 in 19 appearances at Wells Fargo Center this season, posting a 1.62 goals-against average, .943 save percentage and one shutout in those contests. He owns the best goals-against average and save percentage at home among all goaltenders in 2019-20 (min. 15 GP).

BLUES SNAP FIVE-GAME SLIDE AFTER VISIT FROM BOUWMEESTER
After St. Louis defenseman Jay Bouwmeester visited with his teammates and coaches on Tuesday, the Blues (33-17-10, 76 points) blanked the Devils to snap a five-game slide (0-3-2) and open a two-point lead atop the Western Conference standings. It marked St. Louis’ first win since the medical emergency on Feb. 11.

Bouwmeester, a stalwart during the Blues’ historic run to the Stanley Cup in 2019, also thanked trainers, first responders, medical staff and the team at the UCI Medical Center for their quick actions in Anaheim. Several teammates and staff – including head coach Craig Berube – expressed their support for the veteran of 17 NHL seasons on Tuesday.

The Blues improved to 12-0-0 in their last 12 games against the Devils dating to Jan. 28, 2014 (NJD: 0-10-2). That equaled their franchise record for longest regular-season win streak versus one opponent, a mark set against the Canucks from Jan. 23, 1997 – Feb. 3, 2000 and matched against the Coyotes from Jan. 14, 2014 – Nov. 9, 2017.

HURRICANES, JETS SECURE KEY WINS IN PUSH FOR WILD CARD SPOTS
The Hurricanes (34-21-4, 72 points) and Jets (31-25-5, 67 points) secured keys wins as both teams make a push for the final Wild Card spots in their respective conference:

Sebastian Aho scored to extend his point streak to double digits (10-6—16 in 10 GP) and help Carolina pass Columbus (30-19-12, 72 points) for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

Aho registered a double-digit point streak for the second time in his NHL career, following a 12-game run achieved in season-opening fashion from Oct. 4-30, 2018 (4-13—17). He became the fifth player in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to record multiple point streaks of at least 10 games, joining Blaine Stoughton (5x), Ron Francis (4x), Eric Staal (4x) and Mike Rogers (2x).

Blake Wheeler collected 2-1—3 to reach the 20-goal mark for a seventh straight season (20-34—54 in 61 GP) and help the Jets move within one point of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference standings.

Wheeler, who skated his 700th career regular-season game with the Jets/Thrashers, trails only Ilya Kovalchuk (8x) for the most 20-goal seasons in franchise history. He recorded his 25th career multi-goal game in the regular season with the Jets/Thrashers, which is the third-highest total in club history behind Kovalchuk (46x) and Bryan Little (27x).

DAHLIN PASSES BOURQUE FOR SECOND-MOST POINTS BY A TEENAGE BLUELINER
Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (0-1—1) recorded his 80th career point (13-67—80 in 132 GP) and passed NHL legend Ray Bourque (23-56—79 in 101 GP) for sole possession of the second-most in League history by a teenage defenseman. Dahlin, who is set to turn 20 on April 13, now trails only Sabres icon Phil Housley (46-86—132 in 141 GP).

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION – DRAISAITL, PASTRNAK SET TO SQUARE OFF AT ROGERS PLACE
Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (34-61—95 in 59 GP) and Bruins forward David Pastrnak (42-40—82 in 60 GP), who rank first and tied for second in the 2019-20 Art Ross Trophy race, respectively, are set to square off at Rogers Place.

Draisaitl (Cologne, Germany) and Pastrnak (Havirov, Czech Republic) are the most recent examples of players born outside North America scoring at a significant pace in the NHL. In fact, for each season since Draisaitl and Pastrnak simultaneously entered the League in 2014-15, at least one skater born overseas has ranked among the top five in scoring – including an Art Ross Trophy winner.

Draisaitl, who made history in 2018-19 when he became the first NHL player of German nationality to reach the 100-point mark in a season (50-55—105 in 82 GP), sits within five of another triple-digit campaign. He can become the first Oilers player to reach 100 points in 61 games or fewer since Wayne Gretzky in 1987-88 (34-67—101 in 43 GP).

Pastrnak, meanwhile, is currently one goal back of Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (43-29—72 in 61 GP) for first place in the 2019-20 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race. He sits three tallies shy of becoming the first Bruins player to score 45 or more in a season since 1993-94, when Cam Neely had 50 in 49 games (50-24—74).

BLACKHAWKS TO HONOR O’CALLAHAN, 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF “MIRACLE ON ICE”
The Blackhawks are set to honor former defenseman Jack O’Callahan in a pre-game ceremony at United Center as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations for the “Miracle on Ice” team, which captured the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y.

O’Callahan returned from a knee injury just in time for the famous medal-round game against the Soviet Union on Feb. 22, 1980, helping the United States pull off one of the greatest upsets in sports history. He went on to skate seven seasons in the NHL from 1982-83 to 1988-89, including five with Chicago.