OVECHKIN JOINS GRETZKY, LEMIEUX AND DIONNE WITH 40TH GOAL

Alex Ovechkin reached the 40-goal mark for the 10th time in his career, joining Wayne Gretzky (12), Mario Lemieux (10) and MarcelDionne (10) as the only players to do so. Only two other active players have at least four such campaigns: Ilya Kovalchuk (6) and Steven Stamkos (4).

* Ovechkin, who shares the League lead with 28 even strength goals in 2018-19, is the first to 40 goals in a season for the eighth time in his career (in terms of date), the most first-to-40 seasons in NHL history. He hit the 40-goal mark two weeks (7 GP) before he did last season, when he tallied No. 40 during the 2018 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series on March 3.

* With 23 Capitals games remaining in 2018-19, Ovechkin (0.69 G/GP) sets out to become the third player in League history to record 50 goals in a season at least eight times – Gretzky and Mike Bossy each retired with nine such campaigns.

* Ovechkin is the only player with at least 200 goals since the end of the 2012-13 campaign, in which the Capitals captain led the NHL with 32 goals over a 48-game schedule (matching the lowest goal total of his career). He has scored 43% of his career goals over the course of the five (nearly six) seasons since (276 of 647), hitting the 50-goal mark three times, winning four of five Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies, climbing from 110th to 14th on the NHL’s all-time goals list and capturing the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy – all after celebrating his 28th birthday.

* Ovechkin’s average of 0.60 goals per game since the start of 2013-14 (276 G in 460 GP) is just shy of his career average prior to that season (0.62 from 2005-06 to 2012-13: 371 G in 601 GP). Of the 19 other players with at least 600 NHL regular-season goals, only three had a goals-per-game average better than 0.55 after age 28: Bobby Hull (0.65), Mario Lemieux (0.63) and Phil Esposito (0.63).

BINNINGTON, TARASENKO LEAD BLUES TO 10TH STRAIGHT VICTORY

St. Louis posted its third consecutive shutout - and second straight by Jordan Binnington (31 saves) - as Vladimir Tarasenko (1-2—3) extended his point streak to 12 games (11-11—22) and surpassed 400 career points in the Blues’ 10th straight win - equaling the longest win streak in the NHL this season and in franchise history.

* Binnington (2) and Jake Allen (1) have combined for three consecutive shutouts, the fifth time in franchise history that the club has posted such a streak in the regular-season. With the victory, Binnington set and matched franchise rookie records for longest win streak (8-0-0) and most shutouts in a season (4), respectively.

* Binnington joined Antti Niemi as the only goaltenders to post four shutouts through 14 career starts in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44 when the red line was introduced to speed up the game and reduce offside calls). Five other netminders have achieved the feat in NHL history, including three who did so before forward passing was permitted inside all three zones in 1929-30.

* Binnington, who has recorded 11 of his 12 NHL victories in regulation, became the sixth goaltender in League history to win at least 12 of his first 14 career starts. The others: Andrew Hammond (13-0-1), Patrick Lalime (13-0-1), FrederikAndersen (12-2-0), Bob Froese (12-1-1) and Wayne Thomas (12-1-1).

* Binnington became the 20th different rookie goaltender in the expansion era (since 1967-68) to record a shutout in consecutive appearances. He is the third to do so for the Blues, joining Allen (2014-15) and Ernie Wakely (1969-70), and the second to do so in the NHL this season (alsoMackenzie Blackwood w/ NJD).

HART ALSO SHINES, MOVES INTO SHARE OF ROOKIE WINS LEAD

Carter Hart made 37 saves while making his second start in as many days to backstop the Flyers (28-24-7, 63 points) to their third straight victory and to a 12-1-1 record in their last 14 games. Philadelphia is tied with St. Louis for the most points in the NHL over that span (since Jan. 14).

* Hart, who registered his tenth victory in his past 11 appearances dating to Jan. 14, leads all netminders in wins during that stretch. At 13-6-1 overall this season (20 GP), Hart is tied with Sabres netminder Linus Ullmark (13-6-4 in 26 GP) for the most wins among rookie goaltenders this campaign, one ahead of Jordan Binnington (12-1-1 in 16 GP).

* Did You Know? With Hart (8-0-0 from Jan. 14 - Feb. 9) and Binnington, this marks the third season in NHL history that there have been multiple rookie winning streaks of eight or more games. Canadiens goaltender Bill Durnan did so twice in 1943-44 (9-0-0 and 10-0-0) and a pair of Flyersnetminders accomplished the feat in 1982-83 (Pelle Lindbergh: 9-0-0 and Bob Froese: 8-0-0).

CROSBY, LETANG, MALKIN LEAD PENGUINS’ SCORING SURGE

Sidney Crosby (0-3—3) posted his third three-point performance in four games while Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin each scored twice as thePenguins tallied three times during a five-goal third-period en route to victory. Pittsburgh earned two points to improve its record to 31-21-7 (69 points), moving back into a playoff position.

* Crosby improved his career totals to 436-752—1,188 (920 GP) to briefly match Alex Ovechkin in career points, but Ovechkin later pulled ahead again with his goal in Anaheim (647-542—1,189 in 1,061 GP). The last time Crosby finished a game day with more career points than Ovechkin wasJan. 5, 2011, a lead he held for three days until Ovechkin tallied two points on Jan. 8, 2011.

* Letang and Malkin each posted multiple goals in the same game for the first time (724 GP), including regular season (607 GP) and playoffs (117 GP).

DUCKS RETIRE NIEDERMAYER’S NUMBER AS FOWLER CLAIMS ONE OF HIS RECORDS

After watching the No. 27 of former Ducks captain Scott Niedermayerfind its place in the Honda Center rafters, Cam Fowler notched his 205th career assist to surpass him as the franchise leader among defensemen.

* Niedermayer, who ranked Ducks and helped the club capture its first Stanley Cup in 2007, remains Anaheim’s all-time leader in goals (60), points (264) and game-winning goals (13) by a defenseman - though Fowler is nearing him in each category.

QUICK CLICKS

* Black History Month spotlight: Wayne Simmonds is best of best

* VIDEO: Hockey Day In America Feature on the Hughes Family

* Aleksander BarkovPanthers

* Flyers

SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY’S ACTION

LIGHTNING VISIT BLUE JACKETS LOOKING TO BUILD ON FEBRUARY SUCCESS

The Lightning (44-11-4, 92 points) aim to extend their point streak to 10 games when they visit Nationwide Arena to face the Blue Jackets (33-21-3, 69 points). Tampa Bay has not lost in regulation this calendar month, posting a 7-0-2 record in February, while Columbus has recorded a win in five of its last six games.

* Artemi Panarin (24-43—67) enters the contest three points shy of reaching the 70-point mark in 2018-19, which would mark his fourth consecutive season with at least as many points. Only two undrafted players have started their NHL career with four or more consecutive 70-point seasons: Wayne Gretzky (13) and Peter Stastny (10). Additionally, only four active players have achieved the feat: Alex Ovechkin (6), Sidney Crosby (5), Patrick Kane (4) and Evgeni Malkin (4).

KANE AIMS TO MATCH GRETZKY, OATES AND COFFEY

Patrick Kane will look to join Wayne Gretzky (3x), Adam Oates and Paul Coffey as the only players in NHL history to record an assist in 17 or more consecutive team games when the Blackhawks host the Senators. Kane also aims to extend his point streak to 18 games (13-24—37 in 17 GP), which would be the longest such run in the NHL since last season when Taylor Hall posted an official point streak of 19 games from Jan. 30 - March 6, 2018 (part of a 26-game stretch in which he tallied a point, separated by a three-game absence in January).

* Kane already is one of eight active players with a point streak of at least 17 games, a list he tops with his 26-game point streak in 2015-16 (which stands as the 11th-longest in League history).