NHL RECAP MARCH 2, 2025 – MAPLE LEAFS, CROSBY CLIMB ALL-TIME LISTS IN WILD MATINEE

A back-and-forth matinee to start Sunday’s schedule saw the teams combine for 11 goals (including four game-tying markers), a buzzer-beating go-ahead goal in the final second of the middle frame, a tying goal in the first 10 seconds of the third period and an overtime winner from William Nylander to give the Maple Leafs (38-20-2, 78 points) a five-game win streak and help them leapfrog the Panthers (37-21-3, 77 points) into first place in the Atlantic Division. Toronto and Florida have alternated the top seed in the Atlantic Division for each of the past five days, while the third-place Lightning (35-20-4, 74 points) have won eight straight.

• Auston Matthews (1-1—2), Nylander (1-1—2) and Mitch Marner (0-1—1) all contributed in the victory to climb all-time franchise lists. Matthews (390) surpassed Darryl Sittler (389) for second on the Maple Leafs all-time goals list, while Nylander (252) did the same to Bob Pulford (251) for sole possession of 10th. Marner, meanwhile, recorded his 714th career point to pass George Armstrong (713) for fifth in franchise history.
• Sidney Crosby (611-1,050—1,661 in 1,333 GP) notched three points and overtook a pair of legends on all-time NHL lists, surpassing Gordie Howe (1,049) for sole possession of 10th on the NHL’s all-time assists list and Bobby Hull (610) for 18th on the all-time goals list. Crosby is the only active player to rank among the top 10 on the NHL’s all-time points list (9th).

JOHNSTON, HINTZ AND STARS SHINE TO WRAP UP TRIPLEHEADER

The Blues tied the game twice in the first period, but former Windsor Spitfire, Wyatt Johnston (3-0—3) scored his third career hat trick and Roope Hintz (1-3—4) collected four points for the second time in as many contests to propel the Stars (39-19-2, 80 points) to a fourth straight home game with five or more goals and a fifth straight win at American Airlines Center overall.

• Hintz, with 0-4—4 in his last outing, became the third player in 2024-25 to record consecutive four-point games (also Brayden Point: 2 GP from Dec. 5-8, 2024 & Matthew Tkachuk: 2 GP from Dec. 3-5, 2024). Only three other players in franchise history have recorded seven assists in a two-game span: Dino Ciccarelli (0-7—7; Feb. 6-13, 1988), Neal Broten (3-7—10; Dec. 4-9, 1982) and Craig Hartsburg (2-7—9; Jan. 25-27, 1982).
• Johnston’s third career hat trick boosted his 2024-25 totals to 21-34—55 (60 GP) as he joined Brian Bellows (4) and Mike Modano (3) as the third player in Stars/North Stars history with three 20-goal seasons before age 22. Overall, he became the ninth active player with at least three career hat tricks at age 21 or younger. The others: Patrik Laine (8), Steven Stamkos (5), Alex DeBrincat (4), Connor McDavid (4) Matt Boldy (3), Tyler Seguin (3), Taylor Hall (3) and John Tavares (3).
• Dallas, which scored five or more goals in four straight home games for the first time in team history, became the fifth club to accomplish the feat in 2024-25: Colorado (Dec. 14, 2024 – Jan. 2), Pittsburgh (Nov. 27 – Dec. 7, 2024), Washington (Oct. 23 – Nov. 2, 2024) and Vegas (Oct. 22-28, 2024).

QUICK AND AHO MAKE THEIR MARK

Notes and storylines were aplenty during a six-game Sunday.

• Artemi Panarin (1-1—2) factored on two of four Rangers goals and 39-year-old Jonathan Quick turned aside all 34 shots he faced – including one highlight-reel save – to earn his third shutout of the season, backstop the club to victory in his 800th career game and help New York (30-26-4, 64 points) move within two points of idle Detroit (30-24-6, 66 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Quick became the 17th goaltender in NHL history to appear in 800 career games and the second U.S.-born netminder to do so following John Vanbiesbrouck (882 GP).
• Sebastian Aho put an exclamation mark on the Hurricanes’ dads and mentors trip as he scored the overtime winner in front of his father, Harri, and lifted his team to victory. Aho netted his League-leading fifth overtime tally of 2024-25 and tied the NHL mark for most in a season (also Brad Marchand: 2017-18, Alex Galchenyuk: 2016-17, Jonathan Toews: 2015-16 & Steven Stamkos: 2011-12).

WEEK STARTS WITH PRIME MONDAY NIGHT HOCKEY, THE GR8 CHASE, RIVALRIES

Monday’s six-game offering begins a little earlier than usual, with Alex Ovechkin continuing The Gr8 Chase at home against the Senators just 11 tallies from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record at 6:30 p.m. ET. The week also starts with Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks visiting Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs on Prime Monday Night Hockey plus a slew of rivalry games with playoff implications, including the Lightning visiting the Panthers with the teams jockeying for position in the top three of the Atlantic Division and the Rangers hosting the Islanders with both teams hoping to climb closer to a Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference.

• At age 39, Ovechkin (31-17—48 in 44 GP) has scored in three of his last four games (5-0—5 in 4 GP), sits tied for fifth with 31 goals in 2024-25 and ranks second in the League with a 0.70 goals per game rate (min. 10 GP), trailing only Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race leader Leon Draisaitl (0.73).
• Ovechkin (884-714—1,598 in 1,470 GP) also enters play two points shy of becoming the 11th player in NHL history to reach the 1,600-point milestone – Ovechkin’s longtime competitor Sidney Crosby is the only active player who has reached that benchmark.
• The Sharks contest their fifth consecutive road game in Canada (and fifth contest of a seven-game road trip overall) when they visit the Maple Leafs on Prime Monday Night Hockey. With Mikael Granlund’s trade to Dallas on Feb. 1, Celebrini (18 years, 262 days) leads all Sharks skaters in points with 18-26—44 in 49 GP. Celebrini, the Sharks’ first-ever No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft (2024), is tracking towards becoming the youngest player to lead the Sharks in points at season’s end and the second teenager to do so after Pat Falloon (19 years, 207 days) in the franchise’s inaugural season of 1991-92.

WEEK AHEAD FEATURES TRADE DEADLINE, MORE NATIONAL GAMES
Other national broadcasts to look forward to during the week ahead:

Wednesday, March 5 – The Gr8 Chase continues on TNT

An NHL on TNT doubleheader opens with two chases: Alex Ovechkin tracking down Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record and the Rangers looking to catch the teams occupying Wild Card positions in the Eastern Conference. The broadcast closes with Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs opening a three-game road trip in Vegas against Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights.

Wednesday, March 5 – Tkachuk faces Bedard on Sportsnet

Sportsnet’s exclusive Wednesday night broadcast will see 4 Nations Face-Off standout Brady Tkachuk and the Senators, who enter the week two points back of the final Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference, continue their push for a playoff spot against Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks.

Thursday, March 6 – ESPN doubleheader on eve of Trade Deadline

Less than 24 hours before the Trade Deadline, ESPN will air a doubleheader including two teams in the thick of playoff races who have a history of being active on the trade front. The broadcast opens with the Lightning hosting the Sabres – Tampa Bay already made a splash entering the 2024-25 season acquiring defenseman Ryan McDonagh (May 21, 2024) and forward Jake Guentzel (June 30, 2024) via trade and find themselves pushing for an eighth consecutive playoff appearance. The Avalanche host the Sharks in the second half of the broadcast. Colorado has already been busy on the trade front, gearing up for the postseason by trading for Jimmy Vesey and Ryan Lindgren (March 1), Martin Necas and Jack Drury (Jan. 24) as well as goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (Dec. 9, 2024).

Friday, March 7 – NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m.)

With trade winds already swirling, including the Panthers acquiring Seth Jones on Saturday as they prepare for a run at back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, Sportsnet in Canada and NHL Network in the U.S. will carry extensive coverage of the 2024-25 NHL Trade Deadline on Friday.

Saturday, March 8 – ABC Hockey Saturday Doubleheader

A Saturday two-pack on ABC and ESPN+ opens with a pair of young stars having breakout seasons going head-to-head with Shane Wright (13-23—36 in 58 GP) and the Kraken visiting Matvei Michkov (19-25—44 in 59 GP) and the Flyers and closes with a pair of longtime Atlantic Division rivals facing off when David Pastrnak and the Bruins visit Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning. Boston is in a close race looking to get back into the postseason – the Bruins entered the 2024-25 campaign tied with Toronto for the longest active streak of consecutive postseason appearances (8).

Saturday, March 8 – Three Games on Hockey Night in Canada

Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada features three games, including Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs visiting Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Devon Toews in a showdown between former 4 Nations Face-Off championship teammates. The slate also includes the Canadiens visiting the Flames and the Stars visiting the Oilers – the second time the teams will meet since Edmonton ousted Dallas in the 2024 Conference Finals (DAL: 4-1 W on Oct. 19).

Sunday, March 9 – TNT Doubleheader

Jack Hughes and the Devils visit Travis Konecny and the Flyers to open a Sunday doubleheader on TNT and MAX, followed by Sidney Crosby and the Penguins visiting an old friend in Marc-Andre Fleury and the Wild. New Jersey and Minnesota currently hold a postseason position as they aim to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after missing in 2023-24.

Vasilevskiy, Hintz and Suzuki Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz and Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 2.

FIRST STAR – ANDREI VASILEVSKIY, G, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Vasilevskiy stopped 71 of the 73 shots he faced, going 3-0-0 with a 0.67 goals-against average, .973 save percentage and one shutout as he and the Lightning (35-20-4, 74 points) both extended their winning streaks to eight games dating to Feb. 4 (1.63 GAA, .945 SV%, 1 SO). Vasilevskiy turned aside 23 of 24 shots, including each of the last 17, in a 4-1 victory against the Edmonton Oilers Feb. 25. He then made 24 saves for his 38th career shutout – tied for the third-most in the NHL since his debut in 2014-15 – in a 3-0 win over the Calgary Flames Feb. 27. Vasilevskiy finished the week with 20 stops, yielding his lone goal with 3:59 remaining in regulation, in a 3-1 triumph versus the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals March 1. The 30-year-old Vasilevskiy, who additionally owns a 10-game point streak dating to Jan. 30 (9-0-1, 1.61 GAA, .947 SV%, 2 SO), shares second place in the NHL with 29 wins through 47 total appearances this season (29-15-3). The Vezina Trophy (2018-19) and Conn Smythe Trophy (2020-21) winner also places among the 2024-25 League leaders (minimum: 21 GP) in goals-against average (2nd; 2.18), shutouts (t-2nd; 4) and save percentage (3rd; .923).

SECOND STAR – ROOPE HINTZ, C, DALLAS STARS

Hintz topped the NHL with seven assists and nine points overall (2-7—9) – as well as five power-play assists/points – in three contests to propel the Stars (39-19-2, 80 points) to a pair of wins. He scored once in a 6-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Feb. 25. Hintz then compiled 1-7—8 over his next two outings, establishing a career high with four assists in a 6-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings Feb. 28 before adding his sixth career four-point performance with 1-3—4 (including his 33rd career game-winning goal) in a 6-3 triumph versus the St. Louis Blues March 2. He became the second Stars/North Stars player in the past 40 years to register consecutive four-point games, following Tyler Seguin from Oct. 6-9, 2018 (3-5—8), as well as the fourth player in franchise history with at least seven assists over two contests. The 28-year-old Hintz has played in 56 total games this season (24-23—47), ranking among the top five on Dallas in game-winning goals (t-1st; 6), goals (3rd; 24), power-play assists (3rd; 9), points (4th; 47), power-play goals (4th; 5), power-play points (4th; 14) and assists (t-5th; 23).

THIRD STAR – NICK SUZUKI, C, MONTREAL CANADIENS

Suzuki placed second in the NHL with 3-4—7 across three games as the Canadiens (29-26-5, 63 points) completed a perfect week to move within three points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Suzuki collected three points in each of his first two outings, notching 1-2—3 in a 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes Feb. 25 before picking up 2-1—3 (including the primary assist on Cole Caufield’s overtime winner) in a 4-3 victory against the San Jose Sharks Feb. 27. He then added one helper in a 4-2 triumph versus the Buffalo Sabres March 1 as Montreal extended its winning streak to four games (its longest of the season) dating to Feb. 22. The 25-year-old Canadiens captain paces the team with 18‑43—61 through 60 total appearances in 2024-25. He also sits among the Montreal leaders in assists (1st; 43), power-play points (1st; 20), overtime goals (1st; 4), game-winning goals (t-1st; 5), plus/minus (t-1st; +7), goals (2nd; 18), power-play assists (2nd; 17) and power-play goals (t-4th; 3).

GEICO and the NHL are bringing you the “NHL Fourth Star presented by GEICO,” a fan appreciation program that recognizes one dedicated hockey fan alongside the NHL’s monthly “Three Stars” players. February’s “Fourth Star” is longtime Detroit Red Wings fan Hank Stawasz, known for bringing custom signs to games to distract opposing teams and create a “Fan Advantage” for Detroit. Click here to see the passion and energy Hank brings to every game.