SUNDAY’S RESULTS
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
FLORIDA 6,
Detroit 1
WASHINGTON 3,
Winnipeg 1
PITTSBURGH 4,
Boston 2
CALGARY 6, Vegas
3
Los Angeles 3, ANAHEIM
2
THREE HARD LAPS: QUICK HITS FROM SUNDAY
* Matthew Tkachuk scored his first career hat trick to power
the Flames back into top spot in the Western Conference standings.
* Aleksander Barkov’s 30th tally of the season capped
another six-goal outburst by the Panthers.
* The Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals edged out the Central
Division-leading Jets to extend the League’s longest active win streak to seven
contests.
TKACHUK’S FIRST CAREER HAT TRICK IGNITES FLAMES PAST GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Matthew Tkachuk (3-1—4) collected his first career hat trick
to help the Flames (42-20-7, 91 points) eclipse the 90-point benchmark and
reclaim top spot in the Western Conference standings.
* Tkachuk (21 years, 89 days) required 120 fewer days than
his father Keith (21 years, 209 days) to score his first career hat trick. His
three-goal outing was the 80th such performance of the season, 11 of which have
been scored by players aged 21 or younger.
* The 2018-19 (69 GP) campaign marks the second season in
franchise history that the Flames have recorded at least 90 points prior to
their 70th game. The other: 1988-89 (60 GP), en route to capturing the Stanley
Cup.
* The Flames improved to 3-5-0 in eight all-time games
against the Golden Knights (VGK: 5-3- 0). Calgary and Vegas have combined for
51 goals over those contests (CGY: 26, VGK: 25), an average of 6.4 per game.
BARKOV SCORES 30TH TALLY IN ANOTHER PANTHERS SIX-GOAL OUTING
Captain Aleksander Barkov (1-1—2) netted his 30th goal of
the season as the Panthers (30-27-12, 72 points) scored six goals in a game for
the second time in as many contests (also vs. MIN on March 8). Barkov
(30-47—77) joined Mike Hoffman (31-30—61) as the second Panthers player to
score 30 goals in 2018-19.
* Barkov joined Mikko Rantanen (30-56—86) and Sebastian Aho
(30-47—77) as the third Finnish-born player to score 30 goals this season. Only
five seasons in NHL history have concluded with three Finnish-born 30-goal
scorers, most recently in 2005-06 when Teemu Selanne (40-50—90 in 80 GP), Olli
Jokinen (38-51—89 in 82 GP) and Jere Lehtinen (33-19— 52 in 80 GP) combined for
the feat.
* Additionally, rookies Dryden Hunt and Josh Brown each
found the back of the net in Sunday’s six-goal performance. The duo became just
the third set of Panthers teammates to each score their first NHL goals in the
same game. The others: Stephen Weiss, Eric Beaudoin (April 3, 2002) and Janis
Sprukts, Kamil Kreps (April 6, 2007).
METROPOLITAN CLUBS SECURE HOME VICTORIES AS PLAYOFF PUSH INTENSIFIES
The Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals (41-21-7, 89
points) and third-seeded Penguins (37-23-9, 83 points) each survived
tightly-contested games to benefit their respective playoff pushes. Since the
beginning of the 2015-16 season, Washington (110) and Pittsburgh (107) rank
first and second in home wins, respectively.
* Washington, which owns the League’s longest active win
streak (7-0-0 dating to Feb. 24), also posted a seven-game run earlier this
season (Nov. 16-30). The Capitals have recorded multiple win streaks of at
least seven games in a single season for the second time in franchise history.
The other: 7-0-0 from Nov. 30 - Dec. 12, 1992 and Feb. 9-23, 1993.
* John Carlson (0-1—1) recorded his second 50-assist and
60-point campaigns in as many seasons to boost his totals to 10-50—60 in 68 GP.
Carlson became only the fourth defenseman in Capitals franchise history to
record consecutive 60-point seasons, joining Scott Stevens (3 from 1986-89),
Larry Murphy (3 from 1985-88) and Mike Green (2 from 2008-10). Additionally,
only four other active blueliners have accomplished the feat.
* Jake Guentzel (1-1—2) netted his team-leading 34th goal
and Jared McCann scored twice to help the Penguins halt the Bruins’ 19-game
point streak. Pittsburgh, which improved to 5-0-0 in its last five home games
against Boston, overtook idle Carolina (37-24-7, 81 points) for third place in
the Metropolitan Division.
QUICK CLICKS
* Stanley Cup Playoffs countdown: Lightning chasing history
* Harry Howell, Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman, dies at 86
* Jakub Voracek suspended two games for actions against
Islanders
* Jack Eichel suspended two games for actions against
Avalanche
SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY’S ACTION
ATLANTIC DIVISION FOES FACE OFF IN TORONTO
Fresh off establishing a single-season franchise record for
points, Nikita Kucherov (33-77—110) and the League-leading Lightning (52-13-4,
108 points) travel to Toronto to face off against John Tavares (38-38—76) and
the Maple Leafs (42-21-5, 89 points).
* The Lightning looks to add another chapter to their
historic 2018-19 campaign Monday with their sights set on their 110th point.
Only three different teams in NHL history have collected at least 110 points
through 70 games: Montreal (67 GP in 1976-77, 69 GP in 1977-78 and 69 GP in
1975-76), Boston (69 GP in 1970-71 and 70 GP in 1971-72) and Detroit (69 GP in
1995-96).
* Tavares netted his 38th goal of the season Saturday in
Edmonton to match his career high set during the 2014-15 campaign (38-48—86 in
82 GP w/ NYI). Tavares, who is on pace to record 46 goals, can become just the
third player in Maple Leafs franchise history to score 40 goals in his first
season with the franchise. The only players to do so: Eddie Olczyk (42 in
1987-88) and Auston Matthews (40 in 2016-17).
* The Maple Leafs, who sit four points behind the Bruins
(42-18-9, 93 points) for second in the Atlantic Division, are one point shy of
becoming the third Eastern Conference club to reach the 90-point mark. Toronto
(68 GP) has recorded 90 points in 70 GP or fewer on only two occasions in
franchise history: 1950-51 (68 GP) and 1960-61 (70 GP).
COYOTES LOOK TO CONTINUE UNPRECEDENTED PUSH TO THE POSTSEASON
The Coyotes (34-29-5, 73 points) enter tonight’s contest
against the Blackhawks (29-30-9, 67 points) within one point of the Wild
(33-28-8, 74 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference
who are also in action Monday.
* With wins in eight of the it’s last nine contests, Arizona
sits tied with St. Louis for the fewest goals allowed (188, including
shootout-deciding markers) among Western Conference clubs this season. Only the
Islanders (168), Bruins (173) and Lightning (181) have allowed fewer goals
against this season.
* Thirty-four year-old Brad Richardson has netted a
team-best 16 tallies through 52 GP in 2018-19 and is on pace to score 20 goals.
While participating in a full season schedule, a team who possessed a goal
scorer with fewer than 20 markers has never qualified for the Stanley Cup
Playoffs. The lowest such total by a team who clinched a postseason berth was
also the Coyotes, who captured the sixth seed in the Western Conference in 2011
after Shane Doan collected 20-40—60 in 72 GP.
DRAISAITL AIMS TO EXTEND POINT STREAK
Leon Draisaitl (41-45—86) puts the NHL’s longest active
point streak on the line when the Oilers matchup against the Rangers at Rogers
Place. Draisaitl, who has collected a point in each of his last 13 contests,
can become the second Oilers player in three seasons to record a 14-game point
streak. The other: Connor McDavid in 2016-17 (7-18—25 in 14 GP).
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