Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

02/24/2018 at 6:02am EST

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NHL Morning Skate


FRIDAY’S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

Minnesota 4, NY RANGERS 1

Pittsburgh 6, CAROLINA 1

Winnipeg 4, ST. LOUIS 0

CHICAGO 3, San Jose 1

KARLSSON, SMITH PROPEL GOLDEN KNIGHTS BACK INTO FIRST PLACE

William Karlsson (2-1—3) and Reilly Smith (0-3—3) each collected three points to help the Golden Knights (41-16-4, 86 points) reclaim first place in the NHL standings. Vegas concluded its seven-game homestand with a 5-2-0 record and moved to 24-5-2 (50 points) at T-Mobile Arena overall, the most home wins in the NHL this season.

* Karlsson ranks third in the NHL with 33 goals this season behind Alex Ovechkin (36) and Evgeni Malkin (34). Only 13 players have scored more goals for a team in its inaugural NHL season, including only one who achieved the feat after the 1979-80 campaign: Brian Bradley paced the Lightning with 42 goals in 1992-93.

* The Golden Knights have scored at least six times in three of their last four games and rank second in the NHL with 215 goals this season, trailing only the Lightning (219).

* Only nine teams finished their first NHL campaign with more than 215 goals, including only two clubs that reached the 250-goal mark – the Whalers (303) and Oilers (301) both eclipsed 300 goals in 1979-80, teams that featured the top two goal-scorers in NHL history in Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky.

PENGUINS EXTEND STREAKS, MOVE INTO FIRST IN METROPOLITAN

Evgeni Malkin (1-2—3), Phil Kessel (2-1—3) and Sidney Crosby (1-0—1) – who rank 2nd (tied), 7th (tied) and 11th in League scoring, respectively – each found the score sheet to help the Penguins (36-22-4, 76 points) extend their point streak to eight games (7-0-1). That includes six straight victories, the longest active win streak in the NHL.

* The victory propelled Pittsburgh ahead of Washington (34-20-7, 75 points) into first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins lead the season series with a 2-1-0 record (WSH: 1-2-0) with the finale slated for April 1 at PPG Paints Arena.

* Malkin continues to lead the NHL with 20-17—37 in the calendar year (22 GP) – five points ahead of Crosby (6-26—32 in 22 GP) – as he pursues his third career Art Ross Trophy. The 31-year-old forward led the League in points in 2008-09 and 2011-12.

* Crosby reached the 20-goal mark for fifth consecutive season and 11th time in his NHL career (all w/ PIT). Only Mario Lemieux (12) has recorded more 20-goal seasons in franchise history.

HELLEBUYCK SETS FRANCHISE RECORD WITH SIXTH SHUTOUT OF 2017-18

Connor Hellebuyck turned aside all 34 shots he faced to help the Jets (36-16-9, 81 points) improve to 4-1-0 in their last five games. Winnipeg ranks second in the Central Division standings, two points back of Nashville (37-14-9, 83 points).

* Hellebuyck posted his sixth shutout of 2017-18 – one shy of the League lead – to establish a franchise record for most in a season by a Jets/Thrashers goaltender, eclipsing the previous mark of five set by Ondrej Pavelec in 2014-15.

* Hellebuyck earned his 32nd win of the campaign – also second-most in the NHL – to move within two of tying the single-season franchise record.

FOUR-POINT OUTINGS BY GRANLUND, STAAL POWER WILD

Mikael Granlund and Eric Staal each collected 2-2—4 to help the Wild (34-20-7, 75 points) sweep their three-game road trip. Minnesota leapfrogged Dallas (35-22-4, 74 points) for third place in the Central Division standings.

* Friday’s contest marked the fourth time in franchise history where two Wild players each recorded four points in a game. It was the first such instance since Dec. 15, 2015 when Mikko Koivu and Thomas Vanek each posted 1-3—4 vs. VAN.

PENGUINS, SENATORS, GOLDEN KNIGHTS COMPLETE THREE-TEAM TRADE

A three-team trade ahead of Monday’s NHL Trade Deadline saw the Penguins acquire forwardDerick Brassard, the Senators acquire defenseman Ian Cole and the Golden Knights acquire forward Ryan Reaves. Click the image below for details.

* The deal marked the ninth trade in the past five days as the hours count down to the NHL Trade Deadline on Monday at 3 p.m. ET. Click here to view the 2017-18 NHL Trade Tracker, the official list of completed deals since June 14.

QUICK CLICKS

· Gary Bettman says NHL getting closer to player- and puck-tracking (via Amalie Benjamin)

· Josh Bailey agrees to six-year contract with Islanders

· ICYMI: U.S. Olympic women's team to be honored at Stadium Series

SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY’S ACTION

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

STORYLINES APLENTY AS DEVILS HOST ISLANDERS

Many storylines are on the table when the Devils (31-22-8, 70 points) host the Islanders (29-26-7, 65 points) in a contest that features two clubs in the thick of the Metropolitan Division/Eastern Conference playoff race:

* Before the game, New Jersey will retire sweater No. 26 of former captain and two-time Stanley Cup champion Patrik Elias, who spent his entire 20-year career with the club. Elias, the franchise’s all-time leader in goals, assists and points (408-617—1,025), will become the fifth player to have his number retired by the Devils franchise, joining his former teammates Ken Daneyko (No. 3), Scott Stevens (No. 4), Scott Niedermayer (No. 27) and Martin Brodeur (No. 30).

* Once the puck drops, Devils forward Taylor Hall will look to extend his official point streak to 14 games (9-7—16 in 13 GP) and record a point for a 21st consecutive game overall (14-14—28 in 20 GP). Hall’s current 13-game point streak is the longest in the NHL this season and just two shy of matching the franchise record – a mark shared by Elias and Brian Gionta. His current stretch of 20 consecutive appearances with a point is the longest such run in franchise history.

* The contest is also expected to mark the Devils debut of forward Michael Grabner, who was acquired from the Rangers on Thursday in the first-ever trade between the two rivals (since New Jersey debuted in 1982-83). Grabner, who played with the Islanders from 2010-15, would become just the 11th player in NHL history to play at least one game for the Devils, Islanders and Rangers.

* The Islanders, meanwhile, are tied – in terms of points – with the Blue Jackets (30-26-5, 65 points) for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference but sit just outside the playoff picture by virtue of the games played tiebreaker. They are led in assists and points by rookie Mathew Barzal (17-48—65 in 62 GP) who is coming off his eighth performance of 3+ points this season. Barzal needs four points to match Auston Matthews’ rookie-leading total from 2016-17, when he won the Calder Trophy.

MAPLE LEAFS, FLYERS PUT STREAKS ON THE LINE

* The Maple Leafs (38-20-5, 81 points) look to push their home win streak to nine games when they host the Bruins (37-13-8, 82 points) at Air Canada Centre in a matchup between two of the top three teams in the Atlantic Division. Toronto can match its longest home win streak in franchise history (9-0-0), a mark set by the St. Patricks in 1924-25 and equaled by the Maple Leafs in 1953-54 and again in 2006-07.

* The Flyers (32-19-10, 74 points) put their 10-game overall point streak (8-0-2) and five-game road win streak on the line when they visit the Senators (21-29-10, 52 points) at Canadian Tire Centre. Only two teams have posted a road win streak of at least six games this season: Boston (7-0-0 from Jan. 13 – Feb. 11) and Tampa Bay (6-0-0 from Oct. 19 – Nov. 12).

the above information was supplied by the NHL PR department

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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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