NHL Recap February 21 2019

THURSDAY’S RESULTS – Home Team in Caps

• Washington 3, TORONTO 2
• Carolina 4, FLORIDA 3
• NEW JERSEY 4, Ottawa 0
• Minnesota 4, NY RANGERS 1
• San Jose 4, PITTSBURGH 0
• MONTREAL 5, Philadelphia 1
• TAMPA BAY 2, Buffalo 1 (SO)
• NASHVILLE 2, Los Angeles 1
• DALLAS 5, St. Louis 2
• EDMONTON 4, NY Islanders 3 (OT)
• Arizona 3 , VANCOUVER 2 (OT)

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THURSDAY
Alex Ovechkin (43-27—70) opened the scoring for the Capitals on the power play with his 650th career goal and now sits six shy of tying Brendan Shanahan (656) for 13th place all-time in the Caps 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. His 243rd regular-season power-play tally also moved the League’s leading goal scorer within three of tying Phil Esposito (246) for fifth on the NHL’s all-time list.

KUCHEROV’S HISTORIC SEASON CONTINUES WITH 100TH POINT
With just under nine minutes remaining in the second period, Nikita Kucherov (1-0—1) converted a two-on-one to become the first player to reach the 100-point plateau this season (30-70—100 in 62 GP) – requiring the fewest games to hit the mark since Mario Lemieux in 1996-97 (61 GP). In the process, Kucherov also became the first player in Lightning franchise history to record 100 points on multiple occasions (also 39-61—100 in 2017-18).

* Ten percent of the League had not yet been born when Lemieux reached the 100-point mark on March 8, 1997 – the last time a player reached 100 points in fewer than 65 games before Kucherov achieved the feat Thursday.

* Only two players in NHL history have reached the 100-point mark in 40 or fewer games: Wayne Gretzky (34 GP in 1983-84, 35 GP in 1984-85, 38 GP in 1981-82 and 39 GP in 1985-86) and Lemieux (36 GP in 1988-89, 38 GP in 1995-96 and 38 GP in 1992-93).

* Kucherov (3 years, 264 days) hadn’t yet celebrated his fourth birthday when Lemieux became the first player to 100 points in 1996-97 (44-56—100 in 61 GP), reaching the milestone with the primary assist on Glen Murray’s tying goal on March 8, 1997 in a 3-2 overtime victory against the Flyers. That happened to be Murray’s last goal in a Penguins uniform – he was traded to the Kings 10 days later for Eddie Olczyk.

* Lemieux went on to claim his sixth and final Art Ross Trophy, leading all scorers with 50-72—122 (76 GP) in his final campaign before a three-season hiatus from the NHL. Kucherov currently is on pace for 40-93—132.

* Only two current NHL players had been drafted at the time Lemieux hit the mark, with Matt Cullen (35th overall) and Zdeno Chara (56th overall) selected by the Mighty Ducks and Islanders in the second and third rounds of the 1996 NHL Draft, respectively. Neither had made his NHL debut.

* A closer look at some of the other happenings over the nearly 22 years since Lemieux hit the century mark in 1996-97.

GALLAGHER’S FIRST HAT TRICK POWERS CANADIENS OVER FLYERS
Brendan Gallagher netted his first career hat trick and Carey Price recorded 29 saves to lead the Canadiens (33-21-7, 71 points) to their second victory in as many contests. Montreal moved within three points of Toronto (36-20-4, 76 points), its opponent Saturday, for third place in the Atlantic Division.

* Gallagher recorded the 69th hat trick of 2018-19 (939 GP), the highest such total at this stage of a season since 1995-96 (86). Pittsburgh and Winnipeg account for the most such performances (6), while four teams have yet to record such an outing: Dallas, Edmonton, Minnesota and Ottawa.

* Price improved to 7-0-1 (1.74 GAA, .941 SV%) in his last eight decisions at Bell Centre dating to Jan. 12. In the last 20 years, there have been five instances of a netminder recording a point streak of eight or more home games, with Price recording two others (11 GP in 2016-17 and 10 GP in 2008-09).

* Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored his 11th goal of the season, all of which have occurred at the Bell Centre. The third-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft became only the third player in NHL history to score his first 11 career goals in a home game. The two others to do so: Bobby Sheehan (13 – 8 w/ MTL, 5 w/ CGS) and Sheldon Souray (11 – 4 w/ NJD, 7 w/ MTL).

* Meanwhile, veteran Tomas Tatar scored to join Max Domi as the second Canadiens player to reach the 20-goal mark in 2018-19. This marks only the sixth time in Canadiens NHL history in which two players in their first year with the club recorded at least 20 goals. Brian Gionta and Michael Cammalleri were the last to do so in 2009-10, while Joe Malone and Newsy Lalonde first accomplished the feat over 100 years ago in 1917-18, the League’s inaugural season.

BURNS, JONES PROPEL SHARKS TO SIXTH STRAIGHT ROAD WIN
Brent Burns collected three points (1-2—3) and Martin Jones turned aside 26 shots to collect his second shutout of the season (21st career) to propel the Sharks (36-17-8, 80 points) to their sixth straight road win, including an 8-1-1 run in their last 10 contests.

* Burns, who leads all blueliners with 12-56—68 in 61 GP this season, collected his fifth shorthanded point of the season. Only three defensemen in the last 20 years have collected more in a single season: Victor Hedman (6 in 2013-14), Steve Staios (6 in 2002-03) and Chris Phillips (6 in 2005-06).

* The Sharks leading scorer also finished atop scoring among defensemen in 2016-17 (29-47—76 in 82 GP) and now sits two points shy of his third 70-point season (also 2015-16). The last blueliner to record his 70th point prior to his 65th team game was Ray Bourque, during the 1993-94 campaign (16-55—71 in 61 GP).

* Jones (15-3-1) sits tied with Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy for wins since Christmas and improved to 29-11-5 this season (2.89 GAA, .898 SV%, 2 SO) to move into a tie with Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury for most victories in 2018-19. Only two seasons in franchise history have featured a Sharks netminder either finishing tied or in sole possession of the League-lead in wins: 2007-08 (Evgeni Nabokov, 46) and 2012-13 (Antti Niemi, tied w/ 24).

* Additionally, the North Vancouver, B.C. native is one win shy of his fourth career and consecutive 30-victory season. No goaltender in Sharks franchise history has ever posted four straight campaigns with at least 30 wins.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Columbus@ Ottawa	7:00 PM ET
Colorado@ Chicago	7:30 PM ET
Minnesota@ Detroit	7:30 PM ET
Anaheim@ Calgary	9:00 PM ET
Winnipeg@ Vegas	10:00 PM ET