NHL Review Feb 26 2018

OVECHKIN CLIMBS YET ANOTHER CAPITALS FRANCHISE LIST
Alex Ovechkin scored to move within one tally of his ninth 40-goal season and within three goals of 600 for his career, doing so in his 984th NHL game (all w/ WSH) – an appearance that propelled him past Calle Johansson (983 GP) into sole possession of first place in franchise history.

Ovechkin – who has scored six times in his past seven games – became the 10th player in NHL history to lead a franchise in games played, goals, points, overtime goals, game-winning goals and power-play goals. Rick Nash is the only other active player to hold that distinction (w/ CBJ).

MONDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
COLUMBUS 5, Washington 1
Philadelphia 1, MONTREAL 0 (SO)
TAMPA BAY 4, Toronto 3 (SO)
COLORADO 3, Vancouver 1
LOS ANGELES 3, Vegas 2 (OT)

MRAZEK’S SHUTOUT LIFTS FLYERS INTO FIRST IN METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Petr Mrazek turned aside all 28 shots he faced and Sean Couturier scored the decisive marker in the shootout as the Flyers (34-19-10, 78 points) picked up their sixth consecutive victory to leapfrog the Capitals(35-21-7, 77 points) into first place in the Metropolitan Division. Philadelphia improved to 10-0-2 since Feb. 3, their longest point streak since a 12-game run from 2003-04.

Mrazek, who was acquired by Philadelphia from the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 19, improved to 3-0-0 with the Flyers (1.30 GAA, .947 SV% and one shutout) to become just the ninth goaltender to win each of his first three appearances with the club (and first since Ilya Bryzgalov in 2011-12: 3-0-0). Mrazek is the only goaltender in franchise history to accomplish the feat following a mid-season trade.

Philadelphia extended its road win streak to seven games, tied for the second-longest such stretch in franchise history. The Flyers’ other road win streaks of at least seven games: Dec. 22 – Jan. 16, 1983 (8-0-0) and Oct. 12 – Nov. 16, 1985 (7-0-0). Boston is the only other club to win seven consecutive road games this season (7-0-0 from Jan. 13 – Feb. 11).

The Flyers posted a 10-1-2 record in February, marking the second time in franchise history that the club has posted 10 wins in the month (10-0-4 in February 1976).

LIGHTNING HOLD OFF MAPLE LEAFS IN ATLANTIC-DIVISION AFFAIR 
Brayden Point netted the only goal in the shootout to guide the Lightning (43-17-3, 89 points) past the Maple Leafs (39-20-6, 84 points) – who hold second place in the Atlantic Division – and to their fourth straight victory. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves to earn his NHL-best 37th win of the season, three shy of the single-season Lightning franchise record.

STREAKS ON THE LINE AS DEVILS VISIT PENGUINS

The Penguins (36-23-4, 76 point) put their 11-game home winning streak on the line when they host the Devils (32-22-8, 72 points) at PPG Paints Arena.

Pittsburgh’s current 11-game run on home ice is the longest in the NHL this season and two short of the franchise record (13-0-0 from Nov. 15, 2013 – Jan. 15, 2014). Last season, the Capitals led all teams with a 15-game home winning streak (15-0-0 from Jan 1 – Mar 4, 2017).

Devils forward and former Windsor Spitfire Taylor Hall enters the contest on a 14-game point streak (9-9—18) which began on Jan. 30 when he returned from a three-game absence. In addition, Hall has collected at least one point in 21 consecutive appearances dating to Jan. 2 (14-16—30).

Hall’s 14-game point streak is one shy of matching the franchise record of 15 games set by Patrik Elias in 1999-00 and matched by Brian Gionta in 2005-06. He could also become just the fifth player in the last 25 years to record a point in 22 consecutive appearances.

NHL THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

Minnesota Wild center Eric Staal, Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinneand Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Feb. 25.

FIRST STAR – ERIC STAAL, C, MINNESOTA WILD

Staal paced the NHL with 4-3—7 in four games to propel the Wild (35-20-7, 77 points) to a perfect week and into third place in the Central Division. He collected one assist in a 5‑3 win over the New York Islanders Feb. 19, followed by one goal in a 4-2 victory against the New Jersey Devils Feb. 22. Staal then registered 2-2—4, his 13th career four-point performance and first since March 8, 2015 (0-4—4 w/ CAR), in a 4-1 triumph over the New York Rangers Feb. 23. He capped the week with his 30th goal of the season, reaching the milestone for the first time since 2010-11 and sixth time overall, in a 3-2 overtime victory against the San Jose Sharks Feb. 25. The 33-year-old Thunder Bay, Ont., native shares seventh place in the NHL with 30 goals and ranks 20th overall with 59 points in 62 contests this season (30-29—59).

SECOND STAR – PEKKA RINNE, G, NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Rinne went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, .970 save percentage and one shutout to lift the Predators(38-14-9, 85 points) back atop the Central Division standings. He made 36 saves in a 5-2 triumph over the Ottawa Senators Feb. 19. Rinne then turned aside 33 shots in a 7-1 victory against the San Jose Sharks Feb. 22, becoming the third Finnish-born goaltender in NHL history to record 300 wins. He closed the week by making 27 saves for his 49th career shutout in a 4-0 triumph over the St. Louis Blues Feb. 25. The 35-year-old Kempele, Finland, native has appeared in 45 games this season, ranking in the top five among goaltenders in wins (t-2nd; 32), shutouts (t-2nd; 6), goals-against average (5th; 2.27) and save percentage (5th; .929).

THIRD STAR – RYAN GETZLAF, C, ANAHEIM DUCKS

Getzlaf placed second in the NHL with 2-5—7 in four outings as the Ducks (31‑21-12, 74 points) earned five of a possible eight standings points to maintain third place in the Pacific Division. He posted one assist in a 2-0 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights Feb. 19, followed by 1-1—2 in a 2-0 win over the Dallas Stars Feb. 21. After being held off the scoresheet in a 2-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes Feb. 24, Getzlaf bounced back with 1-3—4 (his 18th career four-point effort) in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers Feb. 25. The 32-year-old Regina, Sask., native sits second on the Ducks with 9-33—42 this season (40 GP) despite missing 24 games due to injury.

NHL Schedule for Tuesday Feb 27

Matchup	Time
Carolina@ Boston	7:00 PM ET
New Jersey@ Pittsburgh	7:00 PM ET
Ottawa@ Washington	7:00 PM ET
Toronto@ Florida	7:30 PM ET
St. Louis@ Minnesota	8:00 PM ET
Nashville@ Winnipeg	8:00 PM ET
Calgary@ Dallas	8:30 PM ET
Los Angeles@ Vegas	10:30 PM ET
Edmonton@ San Jose	10:30 PM ET