NHL Review April 16, 2021
PANARIN AND SHESTERKIN GUIDE RANGERS PAST DEVILS
Artemi Panarin (2-1—3) recorded his seventh game with three-plus points this season and Igor Shesterkin (16 saves) posted his second shutout in a 4-0 win over the Devils in as many appearances as New York (21-16-6, 48 points) kept pace with fourth-place Boston (23-12-6, 52 points) in the race for the final playoff spot in the MassMutual East Division.
After posting his first career shutout on April 13 (27 saves), Shesterkin became the second rookie goaltender to record a shutout in consecutive Rangers games, joining Lorne Chabot who did so twice in the 1926-27 campaign (Jan. 1-6 and March 15-17).
Panarin has registered 16 games with three-plus points since joining the Rangers in 2019-20, behind only Connor McDavid (24) and Leon Draisaitl (21) for the most among all players over that span.
MARCHAND, CONNOR, EHLERS ALL REACH 20-GOAL MARK IN WINS
Bruins forward Brad Marchand (21-29—50 in 39 GP) and Jets teammates Kyle Connor (21-22—43 in 44 GP) and Nikolaj Ehlers (20-25—45 in 44 GP) each reached the 20-goal mark in wins on Thursday. Eleven players have achieved the feat in 2020-21.
Marchand became the fourth player in Bruins history to record 10 or more 20-goal seasons with the club, joining Johnny Bucyk (16), Patrice Bergeron (11) and Rick Middleton (10). It was his eighth straight 20-goal campaign since 2013-14.
Connor and Ehlers extended their streaks of consecutive 20-goal seasons to four and five, respectively. Winnipeg joined Edmonton (Connor McDavid: 23 & Leon Draisaitl: 22) as the second team to feature multiple players with at least 20 tallies in 2020-21.
BACKSTROM, RASK EACH RECORD MILESTONE NIGHTS
Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom and Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask each reached milestones with their respective teams on Thursday:
Backstrom recorded an assist while skating in his 1,000th career game and joined Alex Ovechkin (1,192 GP) as just the second player to reach the milestone with the franchise. The Capitals veteran has 715 career assists through 1,000 games and trails only Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (810 in 1,000 GP) for the most among active players through their milestone contest.
Prior to the game, Washington honored Backstrom with a video tribute in front of his family at Capital One Arena.
Rask made 22 saves in his return to the lineup and became the first goaltender in Bruins history to earn 300 career wins with the franchise (552 GP). The only active netminder to accomplish the feat in fewer contests is Marc-Andre Fleury (547 GP), who took sole possession of fourth place on the all-time wins list on Wednesday.
HURRICANES, LIGHTNING EARN WINS TO STAY ATOP DISCOVER CENTRAL DIVISION
The Hurricanes (28-10-4, 60 points) earned their sixth straight win over the Predators to maintain top spot in the Discover Central Division, while the second-place Lightning (29-12-2, 60 points) outlasted the third-place Panthers (27-12-5, 59 points) to also preserve their positioning.
Ross Colton tied the game midway through the third period and Victor Hedman scored his sixth career overtime goal to improve his team-leading totals to 8-31—39 (43 GP). Colton netted his sixth goal since April 1 (6-0—6 in 8 GP) after posting 2-3—5 through his first nine career contests. Only four players have more goals than the Lightning rookie this month: Auston Matthews (8), Brad Marchand (8), Connor Brown (7) and Nathan MacKinnon (7).
Andrei Svechnikov (1-1—2) scored his ninth career game-winning goal and reached the 30-point mark for his third consecutive season (11-19—30 in 42 GP). The second-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft leads his draft class in game winners and sits one ahead of Senators forward and fourth-overall pick Brady Tkachuk (8).
MARLEAU EXPECTED TO INCH CLOSER TO HOWE ON FIVE-GAME FRIDAY
Patrick Marleau is expected to continue his journey toward the top of the NHL’s all-time games played list when the Sharks open a back-to-back set with the Wild, who own a 15-4-0 record on home ice this season (including a 13-1-0 mark since Jan. 31).
Marleau made his NHL debut three years before the Wild entered the League and has played 213 more regular-season games than that franchise has contested. He scored in the first-ever meeting between the Sharks and Wild on Oct. 20, 2000 – his 241st NHL game – and now has 24-20—44 against the club (70 GP), including 12-8—20 at Xcel Energy Center (34 GP).
LEAGUE-LEADING AVALANCHE TAKE 13-GAME HOME POINT STREAK INTO FRIDAY
The Avalanche (30-9-4, 64 points) will look to inch closer to clinching a playoff berth when they put their 13-game home point streak on the line against the Kings. Colorado is 12-0-1 at Ball Arena since March 10, marking the longest active home point streak in the NHL and second longest of the 2020-21 campaign (NYI: 12-0-2 in 14 GP from Jan. 18 – March 11).
Maple Leafs’ Hyman Fined for High-Sticking
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for high-sticking Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk during NHL Game No. 682 in Toronto on Thursday, April 15, 2021. The incident occurred at 18:14 of the third period. Hyman was assessed a minor penalty for high-sticking. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.