NHL Recap January 23 2019

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS – Home Team in Caps 

TORONTO 6, Washington 3
MONTREAL 2, Arizona 1
Minnesota 5, COLORADO 2
Nashville 2, VEGAS 1
St. Louis 5, ANAHEIM 1
Carolina 5, VANCOUVER 2

KADRI (HAT TRICK) HELPS MAPLE LEAFS REACH 30-WIN MARK

Nazem Kadri (3-1—4) scored the fifth hat trick of his NHL career and first since Feb. 14, 2018 (3-2—5 vs. CBJ) to lead the Maple Leafs past the Capitals. Toronto (30-17-2, 62 points), which occupies second place in the Atlantic Division standings, reached the 30-win mark in a season in 49 or fewer games for the second time in franchise history and first since 1934-35 (48 GP; 30-14-4, 64 points).

* Morgan Rielly (0-2—2) ranks third among NHL defensemen with 50 points in 2018-19 (13-37—50 in 49 GP). Only three defensemen in franchise history have required fewer personal games to reach the 50-point mark in a season: Borje Salming in 1976-77 (42 GP), Babe Pratt in 1943-44 (44 GP) and Bryan McCabe in 2005-06 (45 GP).

* Rielly, who established a career high with 6-46—52 in 2017-18 (76 GP), became the fifth defenseman in franchise history to reach the 50-point mark in consecutive seasons and first since Tomas Kaberle (3 straight; 2005-06 to 2007-08).

PRICE HELPS CANADIENS CLIMB ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS

Carey Price turned aside 30 of 31 shots to help the Canadiens improve to 5-1-0 in their last six games. Montreal moved to 28-18-5 (61 points) overall this season and leapfrogged idle Boston (27-17-5, 59 points) for third place in the Atlantic Division standings.

* Price improved to 20-13-4 this season (2.56 GAA, .915 SV%, 3 SO), including a 4-0-0 mark in his last four appearances dating to Jan. 12 (1.00 GAA, .971 SV%, 1 SO). He recorded 20 or more wins in a season for the ninth time in his NHL career (all w/ MTL) and moved into a tie with Jacques Plante and Patrick Roy for the most 20-win campaigns in franchise history.

AROUND THE RINKS

Other highlights from the final games before the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend:

* Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (1-0—1) recorded the 1,179th regular-season point of his NHL career (644-535—1,179 in 1,053) to move into a tie with Sergei Fedorov (483-696—1,179 in 1,248 GP) for the most in League history by a Russian player. Ovechkin leads the NHL with 37 goals this season (37-20—57 in 50 GP).

* Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves in the first start of his NHL career to help the Hurricanes earn their first road win against the Canucks since Oct. 15, 1999 (4-1 W), snapping a 10-game slide (0-7-3). Nedeljkovic became the fifth goaltender in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to earn a win in his first career NHL start, joining Kay Whitmore on March 22, 1989 (4-2 W vs. BOS), Mike Lenarduzzi on April 14, 1993 (5-4 OT W vs. NYI), Cam Ward on Oct. 7, 2005 (3-2 SO W vs. PIT) and Justin Peters on Feb. 6, 2010 (3-1 W at NYI).

* Ryan O’Reilly collected an assist to become the first St. Louis player to reach the 50-point mark this season (18-32—50 in 49 GP) and help the Blues defeat the Ducks. O’Reilly, who was acquired by the Blues on July 1, 2018, became the first player to record his first 50 points with the franchise in 49 or fewer personal games (NHL debut or otherwise) since Craig Janney on Oct. 29, 1992 (9-41—50 in 36 GP).

* Nick Bonino (1-0—1) became the 17th different Predators player to score at least one game-winning goal this season, tied for the highest such total among all 31 NHL teams (w/ CGY). The only other season in franchise history to feature as many different Predators players each with at least one game winner was 2010-11 (20).

ALL-STAR BREAK QUICK HITS

A collection of quick hit notes and statistics as the season enters the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend:

* A total of 4,713 goals have been scored this season (including 43 shootout-deciding goals), the most through 770 games in a campaign since 2005-06 (4,787). That season finished with the most goals in NHL history (7,588).

* Sixty-four games have featured 10 or more combined goals this season (including shootout-deciding goals), the highest such total at the All-Star break since 1995-96 (75). There have been 55 instances in 2018-19 of a team scoring seven or more goals in a game (including shootout-deciding goals); the last NHL campaign to feature as many at the All-Star break was also 1995-96 (65).

^Any reference to the All-Star break includes schedule breaks for the Winter Olympics in 1997-98, 2001-02, 2005-06, 2009-10 and 2013-14.

* Four players have scored at least 30 goals this season, the highest such total at the All-Star break since 2009-10 (8). Forty skaters have hit the 20-goal mark in 2018-19, the most through 770 games in a season since 2006-07 (40).

* Thirty-three players have collected at least 50 points this season. The last campaign to feature as many 50-point getters through 770 games was 1996-97, when 36 skaters had reached the plateau.

* Forty-one players are averaging at least one point per game this season (min. 25 GP), including 19 age 25 or younger (46.3%). The last NHL campaign to enter the All-Star break with as many players averaging at least one point per game (min. 25 GP) was 1995-96 (41).

* Sixty-one hat tricks have been scored this season, including at least one in 10 of the past 13 days dating to Jan. 11. The last campaign to feature as many three-goal performances through 770 games was 1995-96 (62).

* A total of 664 players have scored at least one goal in 2018-19, by far the most-ever in an NHL season entering the All-Star break.