NHL Review December 18, 2021
OVECHKIN TIES NHL LEAD IN POINTS, CAPITALS OVERTAKE FIRST PLACE
Alex Ovechkin scored one of Washington’s five goals to extend his point streak to seven games (3-7—10) and record his 47th point on the season overall (22-25—47 in 30 GP), tying Edmonton captain Connor McDavid (16-31—47 in 28 GP) for the most in the League. Only one player in franchise history recorded more points than Ovechkin through their first 30 games in a season: Denis Maruk in 1981-82 (25-23—48 in 30 GP).
- The Capitals (18-5-7, 43 points), who fended off a Jets comeback attempt Friday, overtook first place in the NHL standings. Washington has a one-point edge on Tampa Bay (19-6-4, 42 points), Toronto (20-8-2, 42 points) and NY Rangers (19-7-4, 42 points).
PREDATORS, PENGUINS AND LINDGREN EXTEND WINNING STREAKS
- Thomas Novak scored on Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to record the first goal of his NHL career and Tanner Jeannot tallied the overtime winner as the Predators improved to 7-0-0 in their last seven games dating to Dec. 4. The last player to score his first NHL goal on a goaltender with 500 or more career wins was Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who beat Martin Brodeur on April 12, 2013.
- Kris Letang (0-2—2) assisted on the overtime winner by Jeff Carter as the Penguins extended their winning streak of six games. Carter scored the 15th overtime goal of his NHL career, while Letang recorded his 21st career assist in extra time – the only defensemen in League history with more are Duncan Keith and Nicklas Lidstrom (both w/ 22).
- Blues goaltender Charlie Lindgren (26 saves) improved to 5-0-0 in five appearances since making his team debut Dec. 7 (1.22 GAA, .958 SV%). Lindgren became the first goaltender with wins in each of his first five appearances from the start of his tenure with St. Louis and third with victories in his first five decisions, following Reinhard Divis (5-0-0 from Oct. 15, 2002–Jan. 15, 2004) and Curtis Sanford (5-0-0 from Oct. 19, 2002–March 6, 2003).
MAPLE LEAFS, CANUCKS SET TO CLASH ON HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA
Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs (20-8-2, 42 points) travel to Rogers Arena to take on J.T. Miller and the streaking Canucks (14-15-2, 30 points), winners of their last six games dating to Dec. 6.
- Matthews, fresh off recording his sixth consecutive 20-goal season to start his career, enters Saturday with the NHL’s longest active point streak (10 GP since Nov. 24) and an NHL-best 61 goals since Jan. 1. Only four players in the past 25 years have concluded a calendar year with more than the Maple Leafs forward’s current total: Alex Ovechkin (62 in 2013 w/ WSH), Jaromir Jagr (62 in 1999 w/ PIT & 62 in 1996 w/ PIT), Teemu Selanne (62 in 19997 w/ ANA) and Mario Lemieux (62 in 1996 w/ PIT).
- While Bruce Boudreau looks to become the third head coach in NHL history to win each of his first seven games with a new team, Miller has produced a team-leading 2-7—9 (5 GP) since Boudreau’s arrival on Dec. 6. Only two players have recorded more points than the Canucks forward over that span: Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen (4-7—11 in 6 GP) and Ottawa’s Drake Batherson (2-8—10 in 5 GP).
RED WINGS RECALL RILEY BARBER AND CALVIN PICKARD
The Detroit Red Wings today recalled right wing Riley Barber and goaltender Calvin Pickard from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
2022 DISCOVER NHL WINTER CLASSIC ON HORIZON IN MINNESOTA
On-site preparations for the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic are officially underway after the ice plant arrived at Target Field in Minneapolis on Friday. Wild captain Jared Spurgeon and forward Nick Bjugstad joined Mike Craig, NHL Senior Manager of Facilities Operations & Hockey Operations, at the baseball field to mark the arrival of the world’s largest mobile refrigeration unit.
- The League also released a rendering of Target Field for the New Year’s Day event, with a “Lake Winter Classic” theme inspired by Minnesota’s lakes, forests and longstanding history of hockey outdoors. The sold-out matchup, which will take place in primetime on TNT in two weeks, will also feature the unveiling of the final 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team.
- The NHL Stats & Information team marked the occasion by releasing the latest #NHLStats Pack, which includes outdoor game notes and a look at what makes Minnesota “The State of Hockey.”
National Hockey League Players’ Association, National Hockey League Announce Enhanced COVID-19 Measures
The National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced today the immediate adoption of enhanced COVID-19 measures given the emergence of the Omicron variant and recent increase in positive test results. These enhanced measures will remain in effect through the Holiday season and the New Year, and will be re-evaluated no later than Jan. 7, 2022, by the NHL and the NHLPA.
Full list of measures can be found here.
Bruins, Predators Shut Down Through Holiday Break; Three Additional Games Also Postponed
The National Hockey League announced today that, due to concern for a rising number of positive cases as well as the potential for continued COVID spread in the coming days, the Boston Bruins’ and Nashville Predators’ games will be postponed at least through the scheduled completion of the League’s Holiday Break in the schedule on Dec. 26.
Additionally, due to a number of Toronto and Vancouver Players entering COVID protocol over the past two days, tonight’s Toronto-Vancouver game and tomorrow’s Arizona-Vancouver and Toronto-Seattle games have been postponed.
The decision was made by the NHL’s, the NHLPA’s and the Clubs’ medical groups.
The League is in the process of reviewing and revising its regular season schedule.
The Bruins’ postponed games to date include: Dec. 18 @ Montreal; Dec. 19 @ Ottawa; Dec. 21 vs. Carolina; Dec. 23 vs. Colorado.
The Predators’ postponed games include: Dec. 19 @ Carolina; Dec. 21 vs. Winnipeg; Dec. 23 @ Florida.
The Bruins, Predators, Maple Leafs and Canucks organizations have followed, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of their Players, staff and communities at large as set by the NHL, local, state/provincial and federal agencies.