NHL REVIEW MARCH 31 2018 – VEGAS CLINCHES 1ST WITH SWEET GOAL

SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
BOSTON 5, Florida 1
DETROIT 2, Ottawa 0
VANCOUVER 5, Columbus 4 (OT)
Winnipeg 3, TORONTO 1
NEW JERSEY 4, NY Islanders 3
PITTSBURGH 5, Montreal 2
NY Rangers 2, CAROLINA 1
Buffalo 7, NASHVILLE 4
DALLAS 4, Minnesota 1
ARIZONA 6, St. Louis 0
CALGARY 3, Edmonton 2
VEGAS 3, San Jose 2

GOLDEN KNIGHTS CLINCH FIRST PLACE IN PACIFIC DIVISION

William Karlsson (1-1—2) scored the game winner – a highlight-reel between-the-legs goal in the third period – as the Golden Knights (50-22-7, 107 points) clinched first place in the Pacific Division.

Karlsson scored his 42nd goal of the season to move into a tie for third place in the tightly-contested Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race. Only five players have scored more goals while playing on a team in its inaugural season: Blaine Stoughton in 1979-80 (56 w/ HFD), Wayne Gretzky in 1979-80 (51 w/ EDM), Blair MacDonald in 1979-80 (46 w/ EDM), Mike Rogers in 1979-80 (44 w/ HFD) and Joe Malone in 1917-18 (44 w/ MTL).

Marc-Andre Fleury (29 saves) earned his 404th career win to pass Grant Fuhr (403) for sole possession of 11th place on the NHL’s all-time list among goaltenders.

The Golden Knights hosted their final home game of the season and retired the No. 58 to remember the events of Oct. 1 and the 58 victims of the tragedy. Vegas posted a 29-10-2 (60 points) mark at T-Mobile Arena in 2017-18, setting an NHL record for most home wins by a team in its inaugural season.

PENGUINS CLINCH 12TH CONSECUTIVE POSTSEASON APPEARANCE

Five different skaters found the back of the net to help the Penguins (45-28-6, 96 points) clinch a berth in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pittsburgh will make its 12th consecutive postseason appearance, the longest active run in the NHL.

The Penguins became the fourth different defending Stanley Cup champion in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to clinch a postseason berth after sitting outside the playoff picture at the midseason mark (Jan. 6), joining the Maple Leafs (1945-46 and 1949-50), Devils (1995-96) and Blackhawks (2010-11).

The Penguins can become just the fourth different franchise in NHL history to capture the Stanley Cup in at least three consecutive seasons, joining the Canadiens (five from 1956-60 and four from 1976-79), Islanders (four from 1980-83) and Maple Leafs (three from 1947-49 and 1962-64).

EICHEL’S FIVE ASSISTS POWER SABRES’ SEVEN-GOAL OUTBURST

Jack Eichel (0-5—5) assisted on five of Buffalo’s season-high seven goals to help the Sabres defeat the League-leading Predators. Buffalo scored at least seven goals in a game for the first time since Jan. 31, 2013 at BOS (7-4 W).

Eichel became the first Sabres player to record five points in a game since Thomas Vanek on Jan. 31, 2013 at BOS (3-2—5) and first with five assists since Pat LaFontaine on Feb. 10, 1993 at WIN (1-5—6).

Furthermore, Eichel (21 years, 154 days) became the youngest Sabres player to record at least five points in a game since Pierre Turgeon (21 years, 139 days) on Jan. 14, 1991 at TOR (2-3—5).

Sam Reinhart (3-0—3) scored the second hat trick of his NHL career and first since Jan. 10, 2016 at WPG (3-0—3).

HELLEBUYCK JOINS ELITE COMPANY WITH 41ST WIN

Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves and the Jets (48-20-10, 106 points) scored all three goals in the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit and improve to 7-1-0 in their last eight games. Winnipeg, which has four games remaining in 2017-18, is second in the Central Division.

Hellebuyck (Commerce, Mich.) extended his personal win streak to six games and improved to 41-11-9 overall this season (2.36 GAA, .924 SV%, 6 SO). Only two U.S.-born goaltenders in NHL history have recorded more wins in a season: Tom Barrasso in 1992-93 (43 w/ PIT) and Mike Richter in 1993-94 (42 w/ NYR).

BRUINS RECLAIM FIRST PLACE IN EASTERN CONFERENCE
Jake DeBrusk (2-1—3) and David Krejci (0-3—3) combined for 2-4—6 to help the Bruins (49-17-11, 109 points) extend their point streak to eight games (5-0-3) and reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference. Boston needs one victory to become the first franchise in NHL history to record 10 50-win seasons, three more than the next-closest club (MTL: 7).

DEVILS, HALL EXTEND STREAKS IN PUSH FOR PLAYOFF BERTH

Former Windsor Spitfire Taylor Hall scored twice to help the Devils (41-28-9, 91 points) extend their point streak to five games (4-0-1). New Jersey occupies the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and moved five points ahead of Florida (39-30-8, 86 points).  

Hall extended his point streak to seven games (5-7—12) and boosted his totals to 26-52—88 overall this season. His 52 assists are the most by a Devils player in a season since Patrik Elias in 2011-12 (52), while his 88 points are the most since Zach Parise in 2008-09 (45-49—94).

SEGUIN REACHES 40-GOAL MARK IN STARS’ WIN

Tyler Seguin (40-36—76) collected 1-1—2 to reach the 40-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career and help the Stars (40-31-8, 88 points) defeat the Wild. Dallas moved within four points of St. Louis (43-29-6, 92 points), which occupies the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Seguin became the 11th different player in Stars/North Stars history to reach the 40-goal mark in a season and third since the franchise began play in Dallas.

KELLER NAMED NHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH 2018

Arizona Coyotes center Clayton Keller, who led all rookies with 13 assists and 19 points in 17 games (6-13—19), has been named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for March. Keller edged Columbus Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (5-9—14 in 16 GP), Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (2-10—12 in 14 GP), New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (2-10—12 in 15 GP) and New Jersey Devils defenseman Will Butcher (1-11—12 in 15 GP) for the honor. Keller registered at least one point in 14 of his 17 March appearances. That included a 10-game streak March 11-28 (5-9—14), the longest by any rookie this season and tied for the third-longest by a rookie in Coyotes/Jets history (behind only Teemu Selanne: 17 GP and Keith Tkachuk: 12 GP, both in 1992-93). The 19-year-old Chesterfield, Mo., native – who also earned the honor for October (9-6—15 in 13 GP) – joins Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (November and December) as a two-time Rookie of the Month winner in 2017-18.

McDAVID, MARCHAND AND GIBSON NAMED THREE STARS OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH 2018

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand and Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of March.

FIRST STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS

McDavid led the NHL with 13 goals and 28 points in 16 games (13-15—28) to move into first place in the Art Ross Trophy race and propel the Oilers (34-39-6, 74 points) to a 7-7-2 March. He registered at least one point in 13 of his 16 appearances, highlighted by five three-point performances as well as his fourth career four-point effort (March 22 at OTT: 2-2—4). McDavid also scored in 10 of his 16 outings, including a career-high five-game streak March 22-29 (7-6—13), and potted a pair of winning goals (March 10 vs. MIN and March 24 vs. LAK). The 21-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., native and reigning Art Ross Trophy winner overtook Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov – who had held the outright lead since Dec. 12 – in the NHL scoring race March 24. He then eclipsed the 100-point milestone March 27, becoming the seventh player in League history to record multiple 100-point campaigns prior to his 22nd birthday. With 41-62—103 in 79 total contests this season, McDavid is aiming to become the first repeat Art Ross Trophy winner since Jaromir Jagr won four straight from 1997-98 through 2000-01.

SECOND STAR – BRAD MARCHAND, LW, BOSTON BRUINS

Marchand ranked second in the NHL with 10-16—26 in 15 games to power the Bruins (49‑17‑11, 109 points) to an 11-2-3 March and into first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. He collected at least one point in 12 of his 15 contests, highlighted by 3-2—5 March 6 vs. DET. That included his third career hat trick, fourth career five-point performance and franchise-record 11th career overtime goal. Marchand potted two other overtime goals (March 3 vs. MTL and March 25 at MIN) to match a single-season League record with five in 2017-18. He also scored the winning goal in three straight games (March 3-8), becoming the seventh player in Bruins history to accomplish the feat and first since Tyler Seguin (Nov. 5-10, 2011). The 29-year-old Halifax, N.S., native paces the NHL with 1.33 points per game this season, totaling 34‑50—84 in 63 outings.

THIRD STAR – JOHN GIBSON, G, ANAHEIM DUCKS

Gibson went 9-3-1 with a 2.15 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and three shutouts in 13 appearances to guide the Ducks (40-25-13, 93 points) to a 9-4-1 March and into the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. He yielded two or fewer goals in seven of his 13 starts, highlighted by shutout victories March 6 vs. WSH (36 SV), March 14 vs. VAN (32 SV) and March 21 at CGY (29 SV). The 24-year-old Pittsburgh native has played in 59 games this season, sharing ninth place in the NHL with a career-high 31 wins (31-18-7, 2.43 GAA, .926 SV%, 4 SO). That includes a 14‑4-2 record with a 1.93 goals-against average, .938 save percentage and three shutouts in 20 contests since returning from the All-Star break.

NHL Schedule for Sunday Apr 1 2018

Matchup	Time
Boston@ Philadelphia	12:30 PM ET
Nashville@ Tampa Bay	6:00 PM ET
New Jersey@ Montréal	7:00 PM ET
Washington@ Pittsburgh	7:30 PM ET
Colorado@ Anaheim	9:00 PM ET