NHL Recap March 24, 2024 – OVECHKIN ECLIPSES 25 GOALS AS CAPITALS OVERTAKE RED WINGS FOR PLAYOFF SPOT

Alex Ovechkin (26-32—58 in 67 GP) tallied twice to become the third player in NHL history with 18 career 25-goal seasons (also Gordie Howe & Jaromir Jagr) and Charlie Lindgren turned aside all 27 shots he faced as the Capitals (35-26-9, 79 points) leapfrogged the idle Detroit Red Wings (36-29-6, 78 points) for the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot.

• Ovechkin (848-695—1,543 in 1,414 GP), whose two-tally afternoon came one day after the 30-year anniversary of “The Great One” getting his League record-setting 802nd career goal, has 8-1—9 over his last five games and sits just 46 back of Wayne Gretzky (894-1,963—2,857 in 1,487 GP) on the NHL’s all-time list. Ovechkin’s latest multi-goal game was witnessed first-hand by his sons, Sergei and Ilya.

HYMAN, REINHART HIT 50-GOAL MARK SUNDAY
Zach Hyman (1-0—1) and Sam Reinhart (2-0—2) joined Auston Matthews as the second and third 50-goal scorers this season and became the first pair of players to reach the plateau on the same day since April 4, 2001, when Jaromir Jagr and Joe Sakic did so.

• Hyman (50-19—69 in 68 GP) became the seventh player in Oilers history to score 50 goals in a season. Hyman, who was selected by the Panthers in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL Draft, also became the second player in the past 20 years to net as many in a campaign after being taken in the second round or later. He joined Brayden Point (51 in 2022-23; 3rd round in 2014) and Jonathan Cheechoo (56 in 2005-06; 2nd round in 1998).
• Reinhart (50-33—83 in 71 GP) joined Pavel Bure (59 in 2000-01 & 58 in 1999-00) as the second player in Panthers history to record 50 goals in a single season and helped Florida (46-20-5, 97 points) move past idle Boston (41-16-15, 97 points) for top spot in the Atlantic Division. Reinhart hit the 50-goal mark via his 11th multi-goal game of the season – just one shy of Bure’s franchise record (12 in 2000-01 & 1999-00).

COLORADO COMPLETES FOUR-GOAL COMEBACK VICTORY TO EXTEND WINNING STREAK

Jonathan Drouin (2-1—3) scored the overtime winner as the Central Division-leading Avalanche (46-20-5, 97 points) completed their third four-goal comeback victory in franchise history (also March 3, 1999 & Oct. 16, 2007) and extended their winning streak to nine games.

• Drouin was one of two Colorado players to record three points Sunday, with the other being Nathan MacKinnon (1-2—3), who extended his overall and historic home point streak to 18 and 34 games, respectively. MacKinnon (44-78—122 in 71 GP), who won a QMJHL and Memorial Cup championship alongside Drouin with the Halifax Mooseheads in 2013, reached 122 points to surpass Joe Sakic (120 in 1995-96) for sole possession of the highest single-season total in Avalanche team history.

OTHER NOTES FROM AROUND THE RINKS
Several noteworthy performances from across Sunday’s busy 10-game slate, include Matt Duchene posting a three-point outing, Jack Hughes putting up multiple points in his 300th NHL game, Sebastian Aho hitting the 80-point mark and Frederik Andersen extending his winning streak.

• Duchene (1-2—3) factored on three of his team’s five goals to help the Stars (44-19-9, 97 points) keep pace with the Avalanche (46-20-5, 97 points) in the race for first place in the Central Division standings. Duchene boosted his 2023-24 totals to 24-38—62 – his 62 points trail only Gustav Nyquist (19-44—63) for the most among skaters in their first season with a new franchise in 2023-24.
• Hughes (111-165—276 in 300 GP) had 1-1—2 while skating in the 300th game of his NHL career and Kaapo Kahkonen (36 saves) blanked the Islanders to record his first win for the Devils (35-33-4, 74 points), who kept pace with the Capitals in the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card race. Hughes’ 276 points marked the most by a player through 300 career NHL games in franchise history, besting Kirk Muller (96-167—263 in 300 GP).
• With the help of Andersen’s 32-save performance and Aho’s game-winning goal, the Hurricanes (45-20-7, 97 points) came out victorious and moved within one point of the idle Rangers (47-20-4, 98 points) for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Andersen extended his winning streak to six games – tied for the fifth longest in franchise history – while Aho boosted his 2023-24 totals to 31-49—80 (69 GP) with his 60th career power-play goal and tied Rod Brind’Amour for the eighth most in Hurricanes/Whalers history.

CANUCKS CAN CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH WITH HELP FROM GOLDEN KNIGHTS ON MONDAY

The League-leading Canucks (45-18-8, 98 points) will clinch a berth in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs if they defeat the Kings (37-22-11, 85 points) in any fashion AND the Blues (38-30-3, 79 points) lose to the Golden Knights (38-25-7, 83 points) in any fashion OR if Vancouver gets one point against Los Angeles AND St. Louis loses to Vegas in regulation. The Kings-Canucks game is available on Sportsnet, while the Golden Knights-Blues contest is carried on NHL Network and TVA Sports.

WEEK AHEAD FEATURES MORE NOTEWORTHY NATIONAL TELECASTS
More notable national broadcasts to keep an eye out for this week as the Rush to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs continues:

Tuesday, March 26: Devils at Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Hulu)

• Auston Matthews (58-34—92 in 69 GP) can record the second 60-goal season of his NHL career after scoring exactly 60 in 73 games en route to winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2021-22. Click here to read more as Matthews approaches the milestone.

Wednesday, March 27: Bruins at Lightning (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, Max, TVA Sports)

• David Pastrnak and the Bruins will conclude their four-game season series against Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning in a potential 2024 First Round matchup. Boston and Tampa Bay have met in three all-time playoff series, with the Bruins earning a seven-game win in the 2011 Eastern Conference Final and the Lightning logging five-game victories in both the 2018 and 2020 Second Round.

Saturday, March 30: Golden Knights at Wild (3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Hulu)

• Kirill Kaprizov and the Wild face the reigning Stanley Cup champions twice during their final 10 games (also April 12) as Minnesota vies for the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot, which is currently occupied by Vegas. Wild Card teams have combined for 17 series wins since the current playoff format was introduced in 2013-14, while three have reached the Conference Finals or further (2023 FLA, 2019 CAR & 2017 NSH).

Saturday, March 30: Maple Leafs at Sabres (7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Hulu, Sportsnet)

• Tage Thompson and the Sabres (34-33-5, 73) sit six points back of the “playoff line” in the Eastern Conference as Buffalo looks to reach the postseason for the first time since 2011.

Ovechkin, Matthews and McDavid Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 24.

FIRST STAR – ALEX OVECHKIN, LW, WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Ovechkin scored in all four of his outings, leading the NHL with seven total goals (7-1—8) to lift the Capitals (35-26-9, 79 points) into the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference via a 3-1-0 week. Ovechkin, who also paced the NHL with four power-play goals and shared the League lead with five power-play points (4-1—5), potted two tallies (including his 128th career game-winning goal) in a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames March 18 to become the sixth player in League history with at least 19 20-goal seasons (and the first to reach the milestone in each of his first 19 NHL campaigns). Ovechkin again scored twice in a 7-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs March 20 before posting 1-1—2 in a 7-6 shootout win against the Carolina Hurricanes March 22 to surpass Joe Thornton for 13th place on the League’s all-time points list. He finished the week with another two tallies (his 172nd career multi-goal game) in a 3-0 triumph versus the Winnipeg Jets March 24 to become the third player in NHL history with at least 18 25-goal seasons, joining Gordie Howe (20x) and Jaromir Jagr (18x). The Washington captain has scored in each of his past five contests dating to March 16 (8-1—9), making him – at 38 years, 189 days – the fourth-oldest player in League history to record a five-game goal streak, behind only Brett Hull (7 GP: 39 years, 121 days in 2003-04 w/ DET), Johnny Bucyk (6 GP: 39 years, 221 days in 1974-75 w/ BOS) and Joe Pavelski (5 GP: 38 years, 269 days in 2022-23 w/ DAL). Ovechkin, who has 18 goals in his past 24 appearances dating to Jan. 27 (tied for third in the NHL) after scoring just eight times in his first 43 games of the season, tops Washington with 26-32—58 through 67 total outings in 2023-24.

SECOND STAR – AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Matthews ranked second in the NHL with 3-7—10 in four contests to help the Maple Leafs (40‑21-9, 89 points) earn a pair of wins to maintain third place in the Atlantic Division. He collected two assists in a 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers March 19. Matthews then registered his second career five-point performance (also Feb. 17 vs. ANA: 3-2—5), compiling 2-3—5 in a 7-3 triumph over the Washington Capitals March 20. He became the sixth different player in franchise history with multiple five-point efforts in a single season (and first since Rick Vaive in 1981-82) as well as the first player on any team with at least 16 multi-goal efforts in a campaign since 1992-93 (Alexander Mogilny: 24 in 77 GP w/ BUF, Mario Lemieux: 17 in 60 GP w/ PIT, Pavel Bure: 17 in 83 GP w/ VAN and Teemu Selanne: 17 in 84 GP w/ WIN). Matthews added 1‑1—2 in a 6-3 victory against the Edmonton Oilers March 23 to reach the 90-point milestone for the second time (also 2021-22: 60-46—106 in 73 GP) before closing the week with an assist on Toronto’s lone goal in a 2-1 defeat versus the Carolina Hurricanes March 24. The 26-year-old Matthews, who already owns two Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies (2021-22 and 2020-21), tops the NHL with 58 goals – eight more than the next-closest players – through 69 total appearances this season (58-34—92). He also places among the 2023-24 leaders in takeaways (3rd; 73), power-play goals (t-3rd; 15), shots on goal (4th; 296), points (8th; 92), game-winning goals (t-8th; 8), shooting percentage (9th; 19.6% – minimum: 1 SOG/GP) and plus/minus (t-10th; +28).

THIRD STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS

McDavid led the NHL with 10 assists and 11 points (1-10—11) as the Oilers (42-23-4, 88 points) split their four games. He notched 1-1—2, including the primary assist on Leon Draisaitl’s overtime winner, in a 3-2 victory against the Montreal Canadiens March 19. McDavid then registered four helpers in an 8-3 triumph over the Buffalo Sabres March 21 to become the fourth player in League history with at least five four-assist performances in a single campaign, following Wayne Gretzky (8x), Mario Lemieux (2x) and Paul Coffey (1x). McDavid assisted on all three Edmonton goals in a 6-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs March 23 before recording two more helpers in a 5-3 defeat versus the Ottawa Senators March 24 as he became the first NHL player to reach the 90-assist milestone in a season since Joe Thornton in 2006-07 (92 in 82 GP w/ SJS). The 27-year-old McDavid, who is on pace to become the fourth different player with 100 assists in a campaign and first since Gretzky in 1990-91 (122 in 78 GP w/ LAK), sits third in the League with 26-91—117 through 67 total contests in 2023-24. He also ranks among this season’s top performers in power-play assists (t-1st; 33), power-play points (t-3rd; 39) and plus/minus (9th; +29).

RED WINGS ASSIGN JONATAN BERGGREN TO GRAND RAPIDS

The Detroit Red Wings have assigned right wing Jonatan Berggren to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Berggren, 23, has skated in 12 games with the Red Wings this season, recording six points (2-4-6) and two penalty minutes. The 5-foot-11, 194-pound forward also leads the Griffins in goals (19), assists (27), points (46) and shots (129) through 43 games and represented the club at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic.