Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

02/22/2018 at 4:30am EST

NHL Morning Skate


WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

CHICAGO 3, Ottawa 2 (SO)

ANAHEIM 2, Dallas 0

VEGAS 7, Calgary 3

GOLDEN KNIGHTS ESTABLISH TWO MORE NHL RECORDS IN WIN

The Golden Knights matched a season high with seven goals to improve to 4-2-0 on their seven-game homestand. Vegas improved to 40-16-4 (84 points) overall to reclaim first place in the League standings and establish an NHL record for most points by a team in its inaugural season – with 22 games remaining in its 2017-18 campaign.

* The Golden Knights also improved to 23-5-2 (48 points) at T-Mobile Arena to establish an NHL record for most home wins by a team in its inaugural season. Only two teams have recorded as many home wins in 2017-18: Winnipeg (23-6-2, 48 points) and Pittsburgh (23-7-1, 47 points).

* Marc-Andre Fleury (28 saves) improved to 20-7-2 this season (2.10 GAA, .930 SV%, 2 SO) and reached the 20-win mark for the 10th time in his NHL career. Only two other active goaltenders have recorded as many 20-win seasons: Henrik Lundqvist (13) and Roberto Luongo (12).

DID YOU KNOW?

Reilly Smith (1-1—2) reached the 20-goal mark for the third time in his NHL career and became the fifth Golden Knights player to score at least 20 goals this season, joining William Karlsson (31), James Neal (24), Erik Haula (23) and Jonathan Marchessault (21). Vegas became the fourth team in NHL history with at least five 20-goal scorers in its inaugural season.

MILLER POSTS 41-SAVE SHUTOUT AS DUCKS EXTEND WIN STREAK

Ryan Miller turned aside all 41 shots he faced to help the Ducks (31-20-11, 73 points) extend their win streak to a season-high four games. Anaheim moved into third place in the Pacific Division standings, one point behind San Jose (33-19-8, 74 points) for second.

* Miller made at least 40 saves in a shutout for the third time in his NHL career. The two other instances occurred when he was a member of the Sabres: Feb. 29, 2012 at ANA (43 saves) and Dec. 19, 2008 vs. LAK (40 saves).

BLACKHAWKS DEFEAT SENATORS IN MILESTONE GAME FOR QUENNEVILLE

Nick Schmaltz scored the decisive marker in the seventh round of the shootout to lift the Blackhawkspast the Senators in Joel Quenneville’s 1,600th career regular-season game as an NHL head coach. Quenneville became the third head coach in NHL history to reach the milestone, joining Scotty Bowman (2,141) and Al Arbour (1,607).


QUICK CLICKS

· Taylor Hall driving force behind Devils run for a playoff spot (via Dan Rosen)

· VIDEO: Time lapse of rink build at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

· Growing disabled hockey a family affair for Wild's Darby Hendrickson

· NHL Network’s Ryan Whitney shares personal stories of being traded

SNEAK PEEK AT THURSDAY’S ACTION

NBC Sports Channel Finder | Sportsnet Channel Finder | NHL Network Channel Finder

STREAKING PLAYERS TO WATCH

Several players will look to extend point streaks when they take to the ice on Thursday:

* Devils forward Taylor Hall looks to extend his point streak to 13 games. Hall’s current 12-game run (8-7—15 in 12 GP) is tied with Bruins forward David Pastrnak (5-9—14 in 12 GP from Nov. 22 – Dec. 18, 2017) for the longest this season. Only four players in the last four seasons (since 2014-15) have recorded a point streak of more than 12 games: Connor McDavid (7-18—25 in 14 GP) in 2016-17, Patrick Kane (16-24—40 in 26 GP) and Shayne Gostisbehere (5-13—18 in 15 GP) in 2015-16 and Ryan Johansen (8-8—16 in 13 GP) in 2014-15.

* Hall’s Devils teammate, rookie Nico Hischier, enters Thursday’s contest on a six-game point streak (4-5—9 in 6 GP). Coyotes forward Clayton Keller (3-6—9 in 8 GP from Dec. 14-31, 2017) has recorded the longest point streak by a rookie this season.

* The League’s leading scorer, Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (32-46—78 in 60 GP) looks to extend his point streak to eight contests (5-7—12 in 7 GP). This marks Kucherov’s third point streak of at least seven games in 2017-18, joining Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau as the only players to record three separate point streaks of seven games or more this season.

* Kucherov’s Lightning teammate, Brayden Point, can extend his point streak to six games (3-3—6 in 5 GP). Point leads all Lightning skaters with eight game-winning goals this season and ranks third on the club with 23-29—52 in 60 GP.

* Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic looks to extend his assist/point streak to six contests (0-6—6 in 5 GP). The longest point streak registered by a blueliner this season was an eight-game run by Stars defenseman John Klingberg (2-10—12 in 8 GP) from Dec. 29 – Jan. 16.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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