NHL Review February 24 2020
BEMSTROM, KORPISALO LEAD BLUE JACKETS BACK IN PLAYOFF POSITION
Emil Bemstrom scored the overtime winner and Joonas Korpisalo (14 saves) came on in relief of Elvis Merzlikins to earn a win in his return to the lineup from injury as Columbus earned its fifth straight win against Ottawa at Nationwide Arena (dating to Nov. 24, 2017). The Blue Jackets (31-19-14, 76 points) collected two crucial points to move past the idle Hurricanes (35-22-4, 74 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
Prior to the game he left with an injury on Dec. 29, 2019, Korpisalo had posted a career-high nine-game point streak (6-0-3) dating from Dec. 9-27, 2019 – a run which was highlighted by a five-game win streak. He was selected to represent Columbus at the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game, but had to withdraw because of the aforementioned injury.
Bemstrom (7-10—17 in 50 GP) became the eighth rookie in Blue Jackets history to net a regular-season overtime goal and the second this season joining Alexandre Texier on Oct. 7, 2019. It marked his third game-winning goal of 2019-20 to sit two shy of the single-season franchise mark for a rookie set by Boone Jenner in 2013-14 (5 GWG).
PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION – DRAISAITL CLOSING IN ON SECOND STRAIGHT 100-POINT SEASON
Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (36-62—98 in 62 GP) sits two points shy of his second consecutive 100-point season as the Oilers (33-22-7, 73 points) visit the Ducks (24-30-8, 56 points). Draisaitl, who holds a 10-point edge over Boston’s David Pastrnak (45-43—88) in the Art Ross Trophy race, has registered a League-leading 30 multi-point performances in 2019-20.
There have only been seven instances in the last 20 years of a player reaching 100 points in a season in fewer than 70 games – Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov accomplished the feat in 62 games in 2018-19.
AHO, SVECHNIKOV LOOK TO KEEP STREAKS ALIVE FOR HURRICANES
The Hurricanes duo of Sebastian Aho (11-7—18 in 12 GP) and Andrei Svechnikov (5-7—12 in 10 GP) look to extend their respective point streaks when the Hurricanes (35-22-4, 74 points), who sit two points back of a Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference, host the Stars (36-20-6, 78 points).
Aho has matched the longest point streak of his career (also 4-13—17 in 12 GP from Oct. 4-30, 2018) and can become the first player in Hurricanes/Whalers history to record a 13-game point steak since Blaine Stoughton in 1981-82 (6-13—19 in 13 GP).
In addition to Stoughton, Mike Rogers is the only other player in franchise history to post a point streak of 13 or more games – a feat he accomplished twice with Hartford (18 GP in 1980-81 and 17 GP in 1979-80).
At 19 years of age, Svechnikov is just the second teenager in Hurricanes/Whalers history to post a 10-game point streak, joining franchise icon Ron Francis who posted a 10-game stretch with Hartford at age 19 (7-9—16 in 10 GP from Oct. 30 – Nov. 20, 1982).
This is the first time in 10 years that multiple Hurricanes players have registered a point streak of 10 or more games in the same season – Eric Staal (10-7—17 in 11 GP) and Jussi Jokinen (9-4—13 in 10 GP) both did so in 2009-10.
ISLANDERS, RANGERS FACE OFF IN HEAT OF PLAYOFF BATTLE
The Islanders (35-20-6, 76 points) will welcome the Rangers (33-24-4, 70 points) to NYCB Live / Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with both teams in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Islanders are coming off back-to-back wins and hold down the first Wild Card position. The Rangers, meanwhile, are 8-2-0 in their last 10 contests including three consecutive victories to move from 11 points out of a playoff position on Feb. 4 to within six points of one entering play on Tuesday.
The Islanders will be buoyed by the deadline day addition of Jean-Gabriel Pageau (24-16—40 in 60 GP) – his 24 goals in 2019-20 are more than any other Islanders skater and two more than the next closest (Brock Nelson: 22). Pageau will also look to boost the League’s 15th (tied) ranked penalty kill (80.6%) – he is tied for the NHL lead in shorthanded points this season with six (3-3—6).
The Rangers are led by the streaking trio of Artemi Panarin (4-8—12 in 9 GP), Ryan Strome (4-7—11 in 8 GP) and Mika Zibanejad (6-7—13 in 7 GP). After also recording a 12-game point streak earlier this season, Panarin can become the fifth Rangers skater in the last 30 years to post multiple 10-game point streaks in the same season joining Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06 (12 GP and 12 GP), Wayne Gretzky in 1996-97 (15 GP and 12 GP), Brian Leetch in 1991-92 (17 GP and 14 GP) and Mark Messier in 1991-92 (15 GP and 11 GP).
2020 NHL TRADE DEADLINE RECAP
Teams made 32 trades involving 55 players on Monday prior to the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline. The 32 transactions were the most on record for Trade Deadline Day (since 1979-80), just ahead of 2009-10 (31 trades). Click here for a full list of transactions.
The Hurricanes were busy on Monday adding forward Vincent Trocheck in a trade with the Panthers and a pair of defensemen: Sami Vatanen from the Devils and Brady Skjei from the Rangers.
The Senators traded forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who has scored a career-high 24 goals in 2019-20, to the Islanders for New York’s 1st-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft (conditional), 2nd-round pick in 2020 and a conditional pick in 2022. Pageau then agreed to a six-year contract with his new team.
The Golden Knights acquired goaltender Robin Lehner in a three-team trade involving the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs. Lehner was awarded the William M. Jennings Trophy and Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2018-19.
Forward Wayne Simmonds was on the move for the second straight deadline day when the Devils traded him to the Sabres for a conditional pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
The Sharks traded veteran forward Patrick Marleau to the Penguins for a conditional pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Marleau (1,715 GP) is one of four players in NHL history who have appeared in 1,500+ regular-season games without winning the Stanley Cup. The others: Joe Thornton (1,628 GP), Jarome Iginla (1,554 GP) and Shane Doan (1,540 GP).
Marleau’s wife, Christina, revealed on Twitter that Pittsburgh was his favorite team growing up.