NHL Review April 12, 2021

MacKINNON, LANDESKOG HELP AVALANCHE REACH 60-POINT MARK

Nathan MacKinnon (1-1—2) extended the NHL’s longest active point streak to nine games and captain Gabriel Landeskog (1-2—3) collected his 500th career point as the Avalanche (28-9-4, 60 points) became the first team to collect 60 standings points in 2020-21.

MacKinnon has collected 6-9—15 over his nine-game point streak dating to March 27, with his 15 points over that span tied with Toronto’s Auston Matthews (10-5—15 in 8 GP) for the most among all players. The Avalanche forward is averaging 1.35 points per game in 2020-21 (16-34—50 in 37 GP) – tied for the highest average of his career first accomplished in 2019-20 (35-58—93 in 69 GP; 1.35).

Landeskog (214-286—500) became the eighth player to collect 500 points with the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise and just the second from the 2011 NHL Draft, joining Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (221-326—547).

Colorado, which matched the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise mark for fewest games to reach 60 points in a single season (also 41 GP in 1994-95), required the fewest by any team since Tampa Bay in 2018-19 (38 GP) – en route to its 62-win campaign.

CAPITALS ERUPT FOR EIGHT GOALS AT TD GARDEN

T.J. Oshie (2-1—3), Conor Sheary (2-0—2) and Lars Eller (2-0—2) each posted multi-goal games as the Capitals (27-11-4, 58 points) scored eight goals in a game for the first time this season and maintained their lead in the MassMutual East Division standings.

The Capitals became the seventh team to score eight or more goals in a game this season and fifth in the month of April – only the Avalanche and Rangers have accomplished the feat multiple times in 2020-21 (both w/ 3). Sunday’s outing also marked the first time Washington scored at least eight goals in a game since Jan. 9, 2010 (8-1 W at ATL).

Washington, who moved into a tie with Toronto and Winnipeg (all w/ 14) for the most road wins this season, is averaging an NHL-best 3.50 goals for per game played as the visitors. Only one season in the last 25 years has concluded with the Capitals scoring at this rate or better on the road: 2009-10 (3.83 GF/GP).

Rookie Vitek Vanecek made 34 saves to improve to 17-7-3 in 2020-21 (2.60 GAA, .913 SV%, 1 SO) and sits tied for fifth in wins this season. Only three rookie netminders in Capitals history have recorded more than 16 victories in a single season.

ISLANDERS, PENGUINS KEEP PACE IN TIGHTLY-CONTESTED MASSMUTUAL EAST

The Islanders (27-11-4, 58 points) and Penguins (27-13-2, 56 points) each earned two points on Sunday to maintain second and third place in the MassMutual East Division standings.

Jake Guentzel (3-0—3) scored his third career hat trick as the Penguins netted at least five goals for the fourth time in five games. Guentzel, who also has two playoff hat tricks on his resume, reached the 20-goal mark for the fourth straight season and extended his point streak against the Devils to six games (6-4—10 in 6 GP). His career numbers against New Jersey (10-10—20 in 18 GP) are his highest total against any team.

After Kyle Palmieri scored his first goal with the Islanders in regulation and Ryan Pulock netted his third career overtime winner, Ilya Sorokin (24 saves) improved to 8-0-0 in his first eight appearances at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in 2020-21. Only five rookie goaltenders in NHL history have recorded a longer home win streak.

FLEURY TIES BELFOUR ON ALL-TIME WINS LIST

Marc-Andre Fleury earned his 484th career win and moved into a tie with Ed Belfour (963 GP) for fourth place on the NHL’s all-time list as Vegas (27-11-2, 56 points) kept pace with Colorado (28-9-4, 60 points) in the Honda West Division. Fleury, the active leader in shutouts, also recorded the 66th of his career and moved into a tie with Patrick Roy for 15th place on the League’s all-time list.

MAPLE LEAFS ENTER MONDAY 9-0-1 IN THEIR LAST 10 GAMES

The Toronto Maple Leafs (28-10-3, 59 points), with points in each of their last 10 games dating to March 20, eye their seventh consecutive win when they take to the ice against the Canadiens (17-12-9, 43 points) at Bell Centre tonight.

Auston Matthews (31 in 38 GP) scored his third career hat trick in Saturday’s victory over the Senators and now holds an eight-goal edge over Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen (23 in 41 GP) and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (23 in 42 GP) in the 2020-21 Maurice “Rocket” Richard race. The last player to win the “Rocket” with as high a margin as Matthews currently holds was Alex Ovechkin (53) over Steven Stamkos (43) in 2014-15.

Toronto is one of four teams to record a point streak of at least 10 games this season, joining Colorado (15 GP from March 10 – April 5), NY Islanders (Feb. 22 – March 14) and Boston (Jan. 21 – Feb. 12).

TROCHEK, BROWN LOOK TO EXTEND STRINGS OF SUCCESS

Carolina’s Vincent Trocheck and Ottawa’s Connor Brown each enter tonight’s action against the Red Wings and Jets, respectively, with streaks of seven games.

Trocheck, whose seven-game point streak is the longest of his career, has also collected at least one point in each of his last 13 appearances dating to Feb. 27 and can join Dougie Hamilton as the second Hurricanes player to post 14 consecutive appearances with a point this season.

The 2020-21 campaign can be the fourth season in 15 years to feature two teammates each post a run of at least that length: 2019-20 (Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov: 19 GP & Steven Stamkos: 15 GP), 2007-08 (Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby: 19 GP & Evgeni Malkin: 15 GP) and 2006-07 (Ottawa’s Dany Heatley: 16 GP & Jason Spezza: 15 GP).

Brown established the longest goal streak in Senators history when he scored against his former club on Saturday. Should he find the back of the net again tonight, it would mark the NHL’s longest such run since Washington’s Mike Green recorded the longest goal streak by a defenseman in League history (8 GP in 2008-09).

Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, Frontline Healthcare Hero Melanie MacKinnon and Manitoba’s First Nations Pandemic Rapid Response Teams Named NHL ‘First Stars’ of the Week Maple Leafs’ Matthews, Stars’ Hintz Round Out ‘Three Stars’

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Melanie MacKinnon as well as members of Manitoba’s First Nations Pandemic Rapid Response Teams have been named the NHL’s “First Stars” for the week ending April 11.

Throughout the 2020-21 season the NHL is celebrating the remarkable efforts of the off-ice stars who make it possible for us to play our games amid a pandemic by honoring frontline healthcare heroes from the regions represented by the League’s weekly and monthly “Stars.”

MacKinnon serves as the executive director of the University of Manitoba’s Ongomiizwin – Health Services (OHS) team. In response to the pandemic, she has been coordinating Manitoba’s First Nations Pandemic Rapid Response Teams, a network of skilled healthcare professionals – including doctors, nurses and rehabilitation specialists – who quickly respond to urgent situations in remote and isolated communities across the province. When these communities experience COVID-19 cases and outbreaks, the First Nations Pandemic Rapid Response Teams are deployed, often within 48 hours, to tend to pressing needs.

These teams are comprised of many Indigenous healthcare professionals as well as others who have committed their careers to serving Manitoba’s Indigenous and First Nations communities. They assist with contact tracing and isolation planning, bring rapid point-of-care testing equipment, establish testing sites, and schedule community members for testing – which helps contain clusters. They also collaborate with various levels of government and healthcare organizations to arrange transportation, food delivery and additional healthcare professionals to contribute to relief efforts.

Rounding out the “Three Stars” of the week are Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Dallas Stars left wing Roope Hintz. More on each NHL player’s performance can be found below:

FIRST STAR – CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, G, WINNIPEG JETS

Hellebuyck went 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average, .938 save percentage and one shutout to propel the Jets (25-13-3, 53 points) to a perfect week and into second place in the Scotia NHL North Division. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner made 20 saves in a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators April 5. He then turned aside 36 shots, including 17 in the first period, in a 4-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens April 8. Hellebuyck capped the week with 19 saves for his 22nd career shutout in a 5‑0 triumph over the Canadiens April 10. The 27-year-old Commerce, Mich., native ranks third in the NHL with 20 victories this season (20-10-3), marking his fifth consecutive 20-win campaign. He also has compiled a 2.45 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and two shutouts through 33 appearances in 2020-21.

SECOND STAR – AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Matthews topped the NHL with 6-2—8 in three contests to also power the Maple Leafs (28-10-3, 59 points) to a perfect week, helping them maintain their six-point cushion atop the division. He scored twice – including his League-leading ninth game-winning goal of the season – in a 5-3 triumph over the Calgary Flames April 5, then added 1-1—2 in a 3-2 victory against the Montreal Canadiens April 7. Matthews closed the week with 3-1—4, highlighted by his third career hat trick, in a 6-5 win over the Ottawa Senators April 10. The 23-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz., native – who became the first U.S.-born player in NHL history to score 30 or more goals in each of his first five seasons – paces the League with 31 goals, eight more than the next-closest players, through 38 games in 2020-21 (31-21—52).

THIRD STAR – ROOPE HINTZ, LW, DALLAS STARS

Hintz ranked second in the NHL with 2-6—8 in four outings to guide the Stars (15-14-11, 41 points) to a 2-1-1 week. He was held off the scoresheet in a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks April 6, but rebounded with three consecutive multi-point performances. Hintz first set career highs with three assists and four points (1-3—4) in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks April 8. He then added two helpers in a 4-1 win against the Florida Panthers April 10, followed by 1-1—2 in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators April 11. The 24-year-old Tampere, Finland, native places second on Dallas with 13-19—32 in 29 games this season, one point shy of his career high established in 60 contests in 2019-20 (19-14—33).

Predators’ McCarron Suspended Two Games for Illegal Check to the Head

Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron has been suspended for two games, without pay, for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde during NHL Game No. 644 in Nashville on Saturday, April 10, 2021. The incident occurred at 19:34 of the third period. McCarron was assessed a match penalty for illegal check to the head.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, McCarron will forfeit $12,068.96. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Watch video for a full explanation of the decision.