HURRICANES HALT SKID AT MSG, CONTINUE IMPRESSIVE RUN TO BEGIN 2019
Three different players scored and Petr Mrazek turned aside all 27 shots he faced to help the Hurricanes (28-21-6, 62 points) snap their 16-game winless skid vs. the Rangers at Madison Square Garden dating to Jan. 5, 2011 (CAR: 0-13-3).

* Carolina, who earned its third straight win, improved to 12-4-1 since the turn of the calendar and moved within one point of idle Pittsburgh (28-19-7, 63 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Its 12 wins and 25 points over that span pace all other clubs.

* The Hurricanes, who posted a 4-0 victory over the aforementioned Penguins Tuesday, have collected two shutout wins in a three-game span for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign; between Nov. 5-11, 2005, when Martin Gerber posted 27 and 26-save performances against the Panthers.

* Mrazek became the fifth Hurricanes goaltender in the last 20 years to post multiple shutouts while appearing in his first season with the club. The others: Eddie Lack (2 in 2015-16), Gerber (3 in 2005-06), Tom Barrasso (2 in 2001-02) and Arturs Irbe (6 in 1998-99).

RANGERS HONOR 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 1994 STANLEY CUP
The Rangers held a pre-game ceremony to honor the 25th anniversary of the 1994 Stanley Cup-winning team. It included a speech from former captain Mark Messier, who scored three goals in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final after famously guaranteeing a victory ahead of the contest.

QUICK CLICKS

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* Mike Keenan cleared to resume activities nine months after cancer diagnosis
* James Van Riemsdyk fined $5,000 for actions in Flyers game against Kings
* Connor Murphy joins Blackhawks sled forward at USA Hockey Classic
* Black History Month spotlight: Anson Carter perfect fit for Sedins

SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY’S ACTION

ALL SEVEN CANADIAN CLUBS IN ACTION FOR SCOTIABANK HOCKEY DAY IN CANADA

With two Canadian clubs atop their division this late in a season for just the second time in the last seven years (also 2016-17: MTL & EDM on April 1), all seven Canadian clubs will take the ice Saturday to celebrate the 19th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada.

A few things to watch for during Sportsnet’s live national broadcast from Riverdene Park in Swift Current, Sask., which will include a trio of all-Canadian matchups:

* Joe Thornton (London, Ont.), Canada’s highest-scoring active player, is two regular-season assists shy of tying Gordie Howe (1,049) for ninth place on the NHL’s all-time list and three points from matching Teemu Selanne (1,457) for 15th place in League history. Howe hails from Floral, Saskatchewan, less than 150 kilometres from Swift Current.

* Jets captain Blake Wheeler enters Saturday’s action ranked second in the NHL with 54 assists, trailing Nikita Kucherov (59). Through only 54 games, Wheeler already holds the fourth-highest single-season assists total in Jets/Thrashers franchise history. In 2017-18, he posted 68 assists to finish one shy of tying the club record set by Marc Savard (69 in 2005-06); Marian Hossa is the only other player with at least 54 helpers in a season for Winnipeg/Atlanta (57 in 2006-07).

* Sharks forward Evander Kane ranks second in the NHL with 12 goals since Jan. 1 (12-7—19 in 14 GP), trailing only Viktor Arvidsson (13-2—15 in 16 GP). Meanwhile, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl has found the back of the net at least once in three consecutive games (5-0—5) and shares third in the NHL with 11 goals in the 2019 calendar year (11-6—17 in 15 GP).

* Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (Anahim Lake, B.C.) sits one game shy of 600 for his NHL career (as does Ottawa’s Craig Anderson). Price owns the second-most career regular-season wins in League history among British Columbia-born goaltenders, trailing only Andy Moog(372; Penticton, B.C.). Price will become the 13th netminder to skate at least 600 games with one franchise.

* Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi (18 years, 218 days as of Feb. 9) can become the seventh different 18-year-old in NHL history to record a goal in five or more consecutive games. The only players to do so: Jordan Staal (5 GP in 2006-07), Sidney Crosby (5 GP in 2005-06), Jeff Friesen (5 GP in 1994-95), Jimmy Carson (7 GP in 1986-87), Steve Yzerman (2x; 6 GP and 5 GP in 1983-84) and Dale Hawerchuk(2x; 6 GP and 5 GP in 1981-82).

* Saturday’s game marks the finale of Montreal’s franchise record-tying seven-game homestand (4-1-1). The only other time the Canadiensplayed seven consecutive games at home within a regular-season was from Nov. 29 - Dec. 13, 2008 (4-2-1).

* Flames captaincy Mark Giordano (11-43—54 in 52 GP) sits three points shy of establishing a single-season career high. The 35-year-old also needs only one point to become the 11th different defenseman in NHL history to record at least 55 points in a season at age 35 or older.