NHL Review April 11, 2022

STAAL NETS FIRST REGULAR-SEASON HAT TRICK SINCE 2008
Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal (3-0—3) led the way offensively by netting his first regular-season hat trick in nearly 14 years and Frederik Andersen (23 saves) earned a win in his 50th game with the club to help Carolina (47-18-8, 102 points) move two points clear of idle NY Rangers (47-20-6, 100 points) atop the Metropolitan Division. The two clubs have two more head-to-head meetings this season: April 12 and April 26.

• Staal, who scored three times during Game 4 of the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals with the Penguins, last registered a regular-season hat trick on Nov. 11, 2008 – marking the largest span between three-goal performances in NHL history.

CROSBY, OVECHKIN CONTINUE SUCCESS AS PENGUINS, CAPITALS EARN WINS
Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (2-1—3) and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (1-0—1) each found the score sheet in their teams’ respective wins Sunday, with the former climbing multiple NHL all-time lists. The Penguins (42-22-10, 94 points) maintained a four-point edge over the Capitals (40-22-10, 90 points) in the Metropolitan Division, but Washington holds two games in hand.

• Crosby factored on three of four goals, which included scoring in overtime, to record his 1,400th career point in his 1,100th game. He became the 22nd player in NHL history to reach the point milestone and just the third active skater, joining Joe Thornton (1,538) and Ovechkin (1,403).
• Crosby registered his 38th career overtime point and established the record for the most in League history. He also collected his 158th career three-point game, tying Joe Sakic and Guy Lafleur for the 11th most in NHL history – Wayne Gretzky paces the list with 459.
• Ovechkin scored one of his team’s four goals as the Capitals defeated the Bruins (45-22-5, 95 points) to earn their third straight win against a team that ranks higher than them in the Eastern Conference standings. It marked Ovechkin’s 45th goal of 2021-22, moving him past Gordie Howe (44 in 1968-69 w/ DET) for the second most in a season in NHL history at age 36 or older – Teemu Selanne (48 in 2006-07 w/ ANA) is the only player with more.

SKATERS MATCH FRANCHISE MARKS AS WILD COMPLETE THREE-GOAL COMEBACK
Los Angeles built a three-goal lead midway through the first period, but Kirill Kaprizov (1-0—1) and captain Jared Spurgeon (1-1—2) scored two of six unanswered Minnesota goals as the Wild improved to 8-0-1 in their past nine games at Xcel Energy Center and posted their ninth three-goal comeback win in franchise history.

• Kaprizov kickstarted the comeback with his 42nd goal of 2021-22 (42-47—89) and matched the franchise record for goals in a single season, a mark Marian Gaborik first set in 2007-08 and Eric Staal matched in 2017-18.
• Spurgeon assisted on Kaprizov’s record-tying tally to extend his assist and point streaks to seven games dating to March 29. He matched the longest assist streak by a defenseman in franchise history (Ryan Suter: 7 GP in 2013-14) and the longest point streak by a blueliner in franchise history (last: Matt Dumba, 7 GP in 2018-19).

ELLIOTT HAS FIRST SHUTOUT WITH LIGHTNING

Brian Elliott (28 saves) posted his first shutout in a Lightning uniform to help Tampa Bay (44-20-8, 96 points) bring an end to a four-game winless stretch and overtake Boston (45-22-5, 95 points) for third place in the Atlantic Division.

LONE ALL-CANADIAN MATCHUP SPOTLIGHTS MONDAY
Lengthy streaks will be put on the line when Kyle Connor and the Jets (34-28-11, 79 points) travel to Montreal to clash with Cole Caufield and the Canadiens (20-41-11, 51 points) in a contest broadcast nationally in Canada on Sportsnet.

• Connor (42-42—84 in 70 GP) is amid the second 40-goal season in Jets team history and has accumulated the total thanks in part to 24 goals on the road. Connor can become just the second player in franchise history to score in eight consecutive games as the visitor, joining Patrik Laine who first accomplished the feat in 2017-18 (8 GP from Jan. 25 – March 12, 2018).
• Caufield amassed 1-7—8 in 30 contests prior to Martin St. Louis’ tenure as interim head coach of the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 10 and has accumulated 17-13—30 (27 GP) since, including goals in each of his past four outings (4-1—5 in 5 GP since April 2). He can become the seventh rookie in Canadiens history to post a five-game goal streak and just the second in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44): Bernie Geoffrion (5 GP in 1951-52).

MATTHEWS, CARLSON AND HUBERDEAU NAMED NHL ‘THREE STARS’ OF THE WEEK

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson and Florida Panthers left wing Jonathan Huberdeau have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending April 10.

FIRST STAR – AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Matthews collected multiple points in all four of his outings, topping the League in goals (7), points (11), game-winning goals (t-2) and shots on goal (33) to help the Toronto Maple Leafs (47-19-6, 100 points) clinch their sixth consecutive playoff berth via a 3-0-1 week. He posted 3-1—4, highlighted by his fourth hat trick and eighth game-winning goal of the season, in a 6-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning April 4. Matthews then registered his seventh career three-assist performance – and second of 2021-22 (also Feb. 26 at DET: 1-3—4) – in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers April 5. Playing in his 400th NHL game, the San Ramon, Calif., native scored twice – including his ninth career overtime winner – in a 4-3 triumph over the Dallas Stars April 7 to break Rick Vaive’s franchise record for goals in a season as well as surpass Jimmy Carson and Kevin Stevens for the most goals by a U.S.-born player in a single campaign. Matthews added two more goals in a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens April 9, making him the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96 (w/ PIT) to score 50 or more goals within a span of 50 personal games. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2016 NHL Draft – who has points in each of his last 16 appearances dating to March 5 (21-10—31) – has skated in 67 total contests this season, leading the League with 58 goals (eight more than the next-closest player) while also ranking among the top performers in shots on goal (1st; 320), points (4th; 99), power-play goals (t-4th; 15) and game-winning goals (t-4th; 9).

SECOND STAR – JOHN CARLSON, D, WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Carlson paced defensemen and ranked third in the entire NHL with 3-5—8 in three contests to propel the Capitals (40-22-10, 90 points) – who hold the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference – to a perfect week. He recorded his third career four-point performance (2-2—4), including his 27th career game-winning goal, in a 4-3 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning April 6. Carlson then assisted on two of four unanswered Washington goals in a 6-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins April 9. He closed the week with 1-1—2, his 15th multi-point outing of the season, in a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins April 10. The 32-year-old veteran of 13 NHL seasons has played in 68 total games in 2021-22, placing among the top defensemen in goals (5th; 14), assists (t-6th; 49) and points (5th; 63) as well as power-play goals (t-3rd; 6) and power-play points (6th; 22).

THIRD STAR – JONATHAN HUBERDEAU, LW, FLORIDA PANTHERS

Huberdeau notched 3-4—7 and a +7 rating in three appearances as the Panthers (51-15-6, 108 points) stretched their cushion atop the Eastern Conference to six points via a perfect week. He registered his fifth career five-point outing (2-3—5), including the overtime winner, to become the first player in franchise history to record a 100-point season as Florida rallied from a four-goal deficit for a 7-6 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs April 5. Huberdeau then collected one assist as the Panthers again overcame a multi-goal deficit, this time for a 4-3 triumph against the Buffalo Sabres April 8, before adding one goal in a 4-1 win over the Nashville Predators April 9. The 2012-13 Calder Memorial Trophy winner has skated in 72 total contests this season, ranking among the League leaders in assists (1st; 77), points (2nd; 104), power-play assists (4th; 28), power-play points (7th; 33) and plus/minus (t-10th; +34).