NHL MORNING SKATE FOR SUNDAY

BRACKET SET FOR 2019 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

The Central Division title, six of eight First Round matchups and nine of 16 playoff seeds were confirmed on the final day of the 2018-19 regular season which featured 30 of 31 teams in action across 15 games.

* NHL fans worldwide can begin to share their predictions in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge presented by Jägermeister. Registration now is open at NHL.com/Bracket for fans worldwide to share their predictions and face off against friends, family, colleagues, hockey experts and fellow hockey fans for the chance to win the grand prize of $100,000 USD.

* The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round schedule will be unveiled live on NHL Network this morning at 10 a.m. ET and simulcast on NHL.com.

CENTRAL, METROPOLITAN DIVISION RACES HEADLINE FINAL DAY OF 2018-19

On the third and final 15-game day of 2018-19, the two tightest divisional races this season were resolved to finalize the playoff picture.

* Each of the Predators (47-29-6, 100 points), Jets (47-30-5, 99 points) and Blues (45-28-9, 99 points) collected wins Saturday en route to finishing first, second and third in the Central Division, respectively. It was the third season in NHL history to conclude with three teams vying for the same division title on the final day.

* Meanwhile, the Islanders (48-27-7, 103 points), Penguins (44-26-12, 100 points), Hurricanes (46-29-7, 99 points) and Blue Jackets (47-31-4, 98 points) each earned at least one point to maintain their positions as seeds 2-5 in the Metropolitan Division.

* Three of four matchups in each conference were decided Saturday, rounding out the playoff bracket which already had locked-in series between the Bruins (No. 2 Atlantic) and Maple Leafs (No. 3 Atlantic) in the East and Sharks (No. 2 Pacific) and Golden Knights (No. 3 Pacific) in the West.

* The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning will host the Blue Jackets (Wild Card 2) in Game 1 of their first-ever playoff meeting. Tampa Bay has won each of its last six meetings with Columbus dating to Oct. 19, 2017 (CBJ: 0-5-1) - including a sweep of their three-game series in 2018-19 - outscoring them 17-3 in the process.

* The Metropolitan Division-champion Capitals will host the Hurricanes (Wild Card 1) in Game 1 of their first-ever playoff meeting. Washington is looking to become only the fourth repeat Stanley Cup champion in the last 30 years, while Carolina is aiming to win its first playoff series in a decade.

* The Islanders (No. 2 Metropolitan) will host the Penguins (No. 3 Metropolitan) in Game 1 of their fifth all-time playoff series. New York owns home-ice advantage for the first time in 31 years (1988 DSF vs. NJD) as it looks to avenge a six-game defeat at the hands of Pittsburgh in the 2013 Conference Quarterfinals, their last postseason meeting.

* As the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Flames will host the Avalanche (Wild Card 2) in Game 1 of their first-ever playoff meeting. Calgary and Colorado each had a player finish  among the top 10 in points in 2018-19, with Johnny Gaudreau (36-63—99) and Nathan MacKinnon (41-58—99) each coming within one point of their first 100-point season.

* The Central Division-champion Predators will host the Stars (Wild Card 1) in Game 1 of their first-ever playoff meeting. Dallas boasted two 70-point players in 2018-19, including former Nashville forward Alexander Radulov who matched a career high with 72 points (29-43--72).

* The Jets (No. 2 Central) will host the Blues (No. 3 Central) in Game 1 of their first-ever playoff meeting. Both clubs have reached the Western Conference Final in the past three years, with Winnipeg advancing in 2018 (4-1 L vs. VGK) and St. Louis doing so in 2016 (4-2 L vs. SJS).

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Tampa Bay 6, BOSTON 3

ST. LOUIS 3, Vancouver 2 (SO)

MONTREAL 6, Toronto 5 (SO)

Columbus 6, OTTAWA 2

Buffalo 7, DETROIT 1

New Jersey 4, FLORIDA 3 (OT)

Carolina 4, PHILADELPHIA 3

NY Rangers 4, PITTSBURGH 3 (OT)

NY Islanders 3, WASHINGTON 0

NASHVILLE 5, Chicago 2

DALLAS 3, Minnesota 0

Edmonton 3, CALGARY 1

Winnipeg 4, ARIZONA 2

LOS ANGELES 5, Vegas 2

SAN JOSE 5, Colorado 2

LIGHTNING RALLY TO MATCH NHL RECORD FOR MOST WINS IN A SEASON

The Lightning scored four consecutive goals to overcome a 2-0 deficit and earn their 62nd win of 2018-19 (62-16-4, 128 points), matching the NHL record for most in a season set by the Red Wings in 1995-96 (62-13-7, 131 points). Tampa Bay’s 128 standings points are the fourth highest single-season total in NHL history.

* The Lightning became the first team in NHL history to record at least 30 home wins (32-7-2, 66 points) and 30 road wins (30-9-2, 62 points) in a season. Their 16 regulation losses are the fewest by a team in an 82-game season since 2009-10, when the Capitals concluded the campaign with 15 (54-15-13, 121 points).

* Tampa Bay scored 325 goals in 2018-19, the most by any team in 23 years. The Penguins (362), Avalanche (326) and Red Wings (325) each eclipsed the 300-goal mark in 1995-96, with all three clubs reaching the Conference Finals and Colorado eventually winning the Stanley Cup. Their +103 goal differential in 2018-19 was the highest by a team in a season since 2005- 06, when the Senators had an equal amount.

BOB COLE CALLS ORIGINAL SIX THRILLER TO END 50-YEAR CAREER

With Bob Cole calling the final play-by-play of his half-century career, Ryan Poehling (3-0—3) scored a hat trick in his League debut and netted the decisive goal in the shootout to power the Canadiens past the Maple Leafs in a back-and-forth affair that saw the teams combine for 98 shots on goals (MTL 49, TOR: 49).

* Poehling, the 25th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, became the third player in franchise history to score three or more goals in his League debut, joining Joe Malone on the first day of games in NHL history (Dec. 19, 1917: 5-0—5 at SEN) and Alex Smart (Jan. 14, 1943: 3-1—4 vs. CHI).

* The Canadiens and Maple Leafs each recorded 45 or more shots on goal in a head-to-head meeting for the second time and first since Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on April 25, 1967 (MTL: 63, TOR: 54). Just under two years later, Cole called his first NHL game in Game 6 of the 1969 Semifinals on April 24, 1969; when Jean Beliveau scored his only career overtime goal to put Montreal into the Final.

2018-19 HAS THE MOST GOALS IN NHL HISTORY

Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner scored the League's 7,589th goal of 2018-19 – surpassing the previous high for most in a single season (7,588 in 2005-06). Overall, 7,664 goals were scored this season (including 87 shootout-deciding goals).

* With an average of 6.0 goals per game, 2018-19 ended as the second-highest-scoring season over the past 22 years behind a 6.2 mark in 2005-06 that came on the heels of a comprehensive package of rule changes.

* Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (35-65—100) collected two points Saturday to become the sixth player to reach the 100-point mark this season, with four players finishing within four points of the benchmark. The 2018-19 campaign is just the third in the last 22 years to feature at least six 100-point players (7 each in 2005-06 and 2006-07).

* Crosby reached the 100-point mark for the sixth time in his NHL career, trailing only Mario Lemieux (10x) for the most such campaigns by a Penguins player. Additionally, only five players in NHL history have recorded more 100-point seasons than Crosby: Wayne Gretzky (15 xs), Lemieux (10 xs), Marcel Dionne (8 xs), Mike Bossy (7x) and Peter Stastny (7x).

* Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (50-55—105) found the back of the net in the opening frame to join Alex Ovechkin (51-38—89) among the only players to score 50 goals this season. The 2018-19 campaign marked the third in the last 10 years to feature at least two 50-goal scorers. The others: 2011-12 (Steven Stamkos and Evgeni Malkin) and 2009-10 (Stamkos, Crosby and Ovechkin).

THREE MULTI-GOAL COMEBACK WINS ON FINAL DAY SETS NHL RECORD

The 2018-19 regular-season featured an all-time high of 138 multi-goal comeback wins, with three teams achieving the feat on the final day: the Lightning en route to their NHL record-tying 62nd win, the Predators to clinch the Central Division and the Canadiens to cap a 6-5 thriller in the final call of Bob Cole’s legendary career.

* Overall, 41% of games contested during the 2018-19 regular-season saw a team overcome a deficit of at least one goal to win (525 of 1,271 GP) - the second-most comeback wins in NHL history (537 in 2005-06).

* Tampa Bay led the League in both comeback wins (29) and multi-goal comeback wins (10). They became the 11th team in NHL history to post at least 10 multi-goal comeback victories in a season, with only three teams finishing with more: the 1983-84 Oilers (12), 1985-86 Whalers (12) and 1979-80 Flyers (11).

KUCHEROV CAPTURES ART ROSS TROPHY

Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (1-1—2) concluded the season with a League-leading 128 points (41-87—128 in 82 GP) and became the second player in franchise history to win the Art Ross Trophy; he joined Martin St. Louis, who did so in 2003-04 (38-56—94 in 82 GP) and again in 2012-13 (17-43—60 in 48 GP).

* Kucherov collected two points on Saturday to establish an NHL record for most in a season by a Russian player, eclipsing the previous mark of 127 set by Buffalo’s Alexander Mogilny in 1992-93 (76-51—127 in 77 GP). His 128 points were the most by any player in a season since 1995-96, when Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux had 161 (69-92—161 in 70 GP) and teammate Jaromir Jagr had 149 (62-87—149 in 82 GP).

* Steven Stamkos (1-0—1), who along with Kucherov played in all 82 games in 2018-19, finished the season with a goal in each of the Lightning’s last eight road contests (8-6—14). He established a single-season career high with 98 points in 2018-19 (45-53—98 in 82 GP), eclipsing his previous high of 97 set in 2011-12 (60-37—97 in 82 GP).

OVECHKIN WINS EIGHTH CAREER MAURICE “ROCKET” RICHARD TROPHY

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (51-38—89) edged Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (50-55—105) to win his eighth career Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. Ovechkin broke a tie with Bobby Hull (7x) and became the first player in NHL history to finish atop the League’s goal-scoring race eight times.

* Ovechkin (33 years, 201 days) became the sixth player in NHL history to lead the League in goals at age 33 or older, joining Bill Cook in 1932-33 (36 years, 165 days), Gordie Howe in 1962-63 (34 years, 358 days), Nels Stewart in 1936-37 (34 years, 82 days), Maurice Richard in 1954-55 (33 years, 228 days) and Phil Esposito in 1974-75 (33 years, 45 days).

DID YOU KNOW?

Only one other season in NHL history has concluded with Russian-born players leading the League outright in goals, assists and points; this occurred in 2008-09, when Alex Ovechkin paced all skaters with 56 goals (56-54—110 in 79 GP) and Evgeni Malkin led the NHL with 78 assists and 113 points (35-78—113 in 82 GP).

* Aside from 2018-19 and 2008-09, only two other seasons in NHL history have concluded with players born outside of North America leading the League outright in goals, assists and points: 1998-99 (Teemu Selanne: 47 G; Jaromir Jagr: 83 A, 127 PTS) and 2002-03 (Milan Hejduk: 50 G; Peter Forsberg: 77 A, 106 PTS).

ISLANDERS DUO EDGE STARS TANDEM TO WIN WILLIAM M. JENNINGS TROPHY

The Islanders duo of Robin Lehner (46 GP) and Thomas Greiss (43 GP) edged the Stars tandem of Ben Bishop (46 GP) and Anton Khudobin (41 GP) to capture the William M. Jennings Trophy (NYI: 196 GA, DAL: 202 GA). Lehner and Greiss became the third and fourth goaltenders in franchise history to win the honor; the Islanders were runners up in the first year of the award’s existence (1981-82) and won it the next season en route to capturing their last Stanley Cup, with Rollie Melanson and Billy Smith sharing the honor in 1982-83.

* New York, which finished 2017-18 with the most goals allowed in the NHL (296 GA), became the second team in League history to conclude a season with the most goals allowed and finished the following campaign with the fewest goals allowed; they joined the original Ottawa Senators in 1917-18 (114 GA) and 1918-19 (53 GA).

* Lehner completed his career season with his sixth shutout, matching Jaroslav Halak (6 in 2014-15) for the most such performances by a netminder in their first season with the Islanders. In fact, only one goaltender in franchise history completed a campaign with more shutouts: Glenn Resch (7 in 1975-76).

* Additionally, Lehner and Greiss combined to record a League-best 11 shutouts for the Islanders in 2018-19. Their 11 such performances established a single-season franchise record for the most team shutouts, besting the previous mark of 10, set in 1975-76.