By Myrtle Davies
NHL Public Relations
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* Just as Paul Bissonnette correctly predicted during NHL Coast to Coast on Prime Video Canada, Evgeni Malkin scored in overtime to cap a Penguins three-goal comeback win and Cole Caufield did the same for the Canadiens with a goal-of-the-year candidate.
* Nine of 12 games featured teams combine for seven or more goals as the NHL’s goals-per-game average has climbed to 6.3 following the 4 Nations Face-Off – an increase from 6.0 entering the break.
* One Week to Trade Deadline: We are now officially one week from the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline (Friday, March 7 at 3 p.m. ET). NHL.com’s 2024-25 Trade Tracker will keep you up to date on all the movement and #NHLStats has provided a Stats Pack with everything you need to know leading up to deadline day.
* There are plenty of playoff implications on the line during Friday’s three-game slate, which begins with an Original Six matchup between the Maple Leafs, who aim to reclaim top spot in the Atlantic, and the Rangers, who sit two points out of a Wild Card spot in the East.
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BLUE JACKETS EARN WIN IN STADIUM SERIES PRIMER AGAINST RED WINGS
James van Riemsdyk (2-0—2) and Sean Kuraly (1-0—1) accounted for three of the Blue Jackets’ five goals as their club bested the Red Wings before both teams head to Ohio for the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series (March 1 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+, Sportsnet+, TVA Sports, FX-Canada). Columbus improved to 29-22-8 (66 points) and matched Detroit (30-23-6, 66 points) in terms of standings points, setting up an NHL outdoor game with crucial points on the line as the Red Wings and Blue Jackets occupy the first and second Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference, respectively.
* Columbus will enter Ohio Stadium after scoring at least five goals in each of its past three games – tied for its longest run in franchise history (3 GP from Feb. 25 – March 1, 2001).
* van Riemsdyk, who has three goals over his past two outings after scoring twice Thursday, will enter the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series with the most outdoor game experience in League history (7 GP) and tied for the most goals among both rosters in action Saturday with Detroit’s Vladimir Tarasenko (3).
* Kuraly, who scored his fifth goal of the season to give the Blue Jackets their first lead of the game Thursday, was born in Niagara Falls, N.Y., but grew up in the Columbus suburb of Dublin and would attend Ohio State football games in Ohio Stadium. Kuraly played minor hockey for the Ohio Blue Jackets as well as four seasons with the Miami RedHawks program (2012-13 – 2015-16), located 100 miles from Columbus.
* Alex DeBrincat (1-0—1) extended his point streak to eight games – now one shy of his career high (9 GP in 2018-19) – and matched the longest by a player entering an NHL outdoor game, first accomplished by another Red Wings forward, Pavel Datsyuk (8 GP in 2008-09), ahead of the 2009 Winter Classic.
* The countdown continues to tick away until Columbus and Detroit march into Ohio Stadium. The number of days remaining until the Blue Jackets’ outdoor game debut is one, and one season with the Michigan Wolverines was all Columbus forward Adam Fantilli needed before being selected by the Blue Jackets with the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Fantilli and the Blue Jackets are set to skate at Ohio Stadium today (4:30 to 6 p.m. ET) followed by the Red Wings (6:30 to 8 p.m. ET) and both open-air practices will be streamed live on the NHL’s YouTube channel.
MALKIN CAPS A PENGUINS THREE-GOAL COMEBACK WIN IN OT. . .
Evgeni Malkin (2-2—4) capped the Penguins’ three-goal comeback victory with his 14th career overtime winner in a contest that saw him combine with Sidney Crosby (0-1—1) and Kris Letang (0-1—1) as the 11th trio of teammates in NHL history to play 950 games together (816 regular season, 134 playoffs). The Penguins captured their first three-goal comeback victory since March 7, 2023 (5-4 OT W vs. CBJ) and their fourth-ever against the intrastate-rival Flyers (also March 7, 2013, April 1, 1973 & Nov. 22, 1969).
* Malkin recorded his second four-point game of the season (also 1-3—4 on Oct. 16, 2024) and the 31st of his career, which tied Nikita Kucherov for the fourth most among active players behind Crosby (42), Connor McDavid (40) and Alex Ovechkin (32).
WHILE CAUFIELD CALLS GAME, DAZZLES WIITH HIS OWN OT WINNER
Cole Caufield (1-1—2) and Lane Huston (0-1—1) propelled Montreal past three separate deficits in regulation and set the stage for overtime at Bell Centre where Caufield produced a highlight-reel, between-the-legs play to lift the Canadiens (28-26-5, 61 points) to their seventh third-period comeback win of the season – tied for the second most among all teams.
* Caufield, whose eighth career overtime goal tied Johnny Gagnon for the fourth most in franchise history, became the fifth Canadiens player with 20 career game-winning goals at age 24 or younger. The others: Guy Lafleur (37), Stephane Richer (34), Bernie Geoffrion (32), and Steve Shutt (24).
* Hutson (4-40—44 in 59 GP) became the third Canadiens rookie to record 40 assists in a single campaign and first since Chris Chelios (55 in 1984-85). The second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft (No. 62) required the fewest games by a rookie defenseman to hit the mark in a season since Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom (56 GP in 1991-92).
VEGAS, UTAH POST HIGHEST-SCORING OUTPUTS BY A TEAM THURSDAY
The Golden Knights (34-18-6, 74 points) and Utah Hockey Club (27-24-9, 63 points) put up seven and six goals, respectively – the most by any team Thursday – as Vegas padded its lead for first in the Pacific while Utah moved within two points of Vancouver (27-21-11, 65 points) for the final Wild Card spot in the West.
* Jack Eichel (0-1—1) factored on one of Vegas’ five first-period goals – which matched a franchise record for most in a single frame – and became just the third player in Golden Knights history to post a 70-point campaign following William Karlsson (43-35—78 in 2017-18) and Jonathan Marchessault (27-48—75 in 2017-18). Eichel (19-51—70 in 58 GP) also passed David Perron (50 in 2017-18) for the most assists in a season in Golden Knights history.
* Clayton Keller (1-4—5) enhanced his 2024-25 totals to 22-47—69 and tied Real Cloutier (47 w/ QUE) for the eighth-most assists in a franchise’s inaugural season. The list is topped by Wayne Gretzky (86 w/ EDM), Mike Rogers (61 w/ HFD), Mark Howe (56 w/ HFD), Dave Keon (52 w/ HFD), David Perron (50 w/ VGK), Jonathan Marchessault (48 w/ VGK) and Blair MacDonald (48 w/ EDM).
STRINGS OF SUCCESS CONTINUE FOR BLUES, LIGHTNING
Brandon Hagel (1-1—2) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (27 saves) played parts in helping the Lightning capture their seventh straight win, while Robert Thomas (0-1—1) extended his assist streak to eight games on the night his captain, Brayden Schenn (0-2—2), celebrated his 1,000th career contest with two points.
* The Lightning (34-20-4, 72 points) now own the NHL’s longest active win streak and have outscored their opponents 31-12 through the seven-game stretch that dates to Feb. 4. Tampa Bay sat one point outside the playoff picture and nine points back of Atlantic Division-leading Florida before its streak began, but have now climbed into a top-three position in their division – two points behind the second-place Maple Leafs (36-20-2, 74 points) and three points behind the Panthers (36-21-3, 75 points).
* The Blues captain joined his brother, Luke Schenn, in reaching 1,000 career games – the first set of siblings in NHL history to reach the milestone in the same campaign – and joined rare company in franchise history at the time of the celebratory contest. Schenn became the third Blues player to collect multiple points while skating in his 1,000th NHL game, joining Cam Fowler (2-0—2 on Dec. 31, 2024) and Geoff Courtnall (0-2—2 on March 3, 1998).
* Thomas, with 4-8—12 in February, has found the score sheet in every contest for the Blues this month – a span that includes three straight victories and an eight-game assist streak. His eight consecutive contests with at least one helper is the NHL’s second-longest active stretch behind Ottawa’s Tim Stützle (9 GP).
PASTRNAK CELEBRATES 800-POINT MILESTONE IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
A busy night in the NHL made for a jam-packed #NHLStats: Live Updates, with highlights including David Pastrnak becoming the eighth player in Bruins history to reach the 800-point mark as he extended the NHL’s longest active point streak to 16 contests. He tied Robert Lang (16 GP in 2003-04) and Jaromir Jagr (16 GP in 2000-01) for the longest run by a Czechia-born player in NHL history.
QUICK CLICKS
* Blue Jackets continue to defy odds entering Stadium Series against Red Wings
* Blue Jackets ‘creating a legacy’ with new outdoor rink
* Capitals GM says ‘anything is on the table’ before NHL Trade Deadline
* Canada projected roster for 2026 Winter Olympics by NHL.com
* Blues captain Brayden Schenn reaches 1,000 NHL games, celebrates with dad
FRIDAY’S ACTION FULL OF PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS
A three-game Friday includes six teams in the midst of playoff races, opening with an Original Six showdown on NHL Network and TVA Sports between the Maple Leafs (36-20-2, 74 points), who look to regain the top position in the Atlantic Division, and the Rangers (29-25-4, 62 points), who have recorded the sixth-best points percentage since Jan. 1 and sit four points back of the final Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference.
* The Central Division’s second, third and fourth-place teams are all in action with the third-place Wild (34-21-4, 72 points) looking to maintain their position when they visit the Avalanche (34-24-2, 70 points), who hold down the first Wild Card seed in the Western Conference. The Central Division’s No. 2-ranked Stars (37-19-2, 76 points) also host the Pacific Division’s third-seeded Kings (31-17-8, 70 points) with both teams tracking towards a fourth consecutive postseason appearance.
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