THREE HARD LAPS: QUICK HITS FROM SUNDAY

* The Capitals maintained their position atop the Metropolitan Division after sweeping their second season series against a divisional opponent (4-0-0 vs. NYR and 4-0-0 vs. PHI).

* Robin Lehner’s fifth shutout of 2018-19 helped the Islanders keep pace with the Capitals as the hunt for the Metropolitan Division crown intensifies.

* Eighteen-year-old Andrei Svechnikov and 35-year-old Duncan Keith each tallied overtime goals to help their clubs collect crucial points in their respective Wild Card races.

CAPITALS CONTINUE SUCCESS AGAINST DIVISIONAL OPPONENTS . . .
Three different players scored as the Capitals (44-24-8, 96 points) swept their season series with the Flyers (36-32-8, 80 points) and maintained their one-point lead over the Islanders (44-35-7, 95 points) for first place in the Metropolitan Division, where three teams are separated by three points.

* The Capitals, who also swept their season series with the Rangers earlier in 2018-19, accomplished the feat against the Flyers for the second time in franchise history (also 4-0-0 in 2006-07). Furthermore, Washington has swept multiple season series against a divisional opponent in a single campaign for the second time in franchise history (6-0-0 vs. ATL and FLA in 2009-10).

* Additionally, they improved to 17-6-2 (36 points) against divisional foes this season, tied with the Islanders (17-8-1, 35 points) for the most such wins among Metropolitan Division clubs. Washington’s points percentage in those contests paces all clubs in the division (0.720).

* The reigning Stanley Cup champions also sit one victory shy of their fifth consecutive campaign with at least 45 wins. Only four teams in NHL history have posted stretches longer than five straight seasons: Montreal (11 from 1971-72 to 1981-82), Detroit (nine from 1999-00 to 2008-09), Pittsburgh (six from 2006-07 to 2011-12) and Edmonton (six from 1981-82 to 1986-87).

. . . AS ISLANDERS KEEP PACE IN TROTZ’S 1,600TH GAME
Robin Lehner made 31 saves to record his fifth shutout of the season and help the Islanders (44-25-7, 95 points) keep pace with the Capitals (44-24-8, 96 points) in the Metropolitan Division. Lehner’s five such performances in 2018-19 only trails Jaroslav Halak (six in 2014-15) for the most by a netminder in his first season with the Islanders.

* The Islanders have allowed the fewest goals against in 2018-19 (184 GA)^, after allowing the most in 2017-18 (296 GA)^. Only one instance in NHL history has witnessed a team finish with the most goals allowed one season and the fewest in the campaign to follow: the Ottawa Senators in 1917-18 (114 GA) and 1918-19 (53 GA).
^ includes shootout-deciding goals

* Head coach Barry Trotz (806-593-201) joined Scotty Bowman (1,244-573-324), Joel Quenneville (890-532-214) and Al Arbour (782-577-248) as the fourth head coach in NHL history to coach 1,600 career regular-season games.

18-YEAR-OLD SVECHNIKOV LIFTS HURRICANES IN CRUCIAL CONTEST. . .
Two days prior to his 19th birthday, Andrei Svechnikov (18 years 363 days) scored with 1:45 remaining in overtime to help the Hurricanes (42-26-7, 91 points) collect their fourth win in five contests. Carolina, which occupies the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, gained a crucial point against Montreal, which currently holds the second and final Wild Card position.

* Svechnikov, the second-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, became the 12th different 18-year-old skater to score a regular-season overtime goal - and first to do so in a Hurricanes/Whalers uniform.

. . . WHILE 35-YEAR-OLD KEITH ALSO DOES SO FOR BLACKHAWKS
After the Blackhawks (33-32-10, 76 points) tied the game in the third period, Duncan Keith (35 years 251 days) netted the game-winning goal 1:23 into overtime to help his club move within five points of the Avalanche (34-29-13, 81 points) - who currently possess the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

* Meanwhile, Keith recorded the 48th instance of a defenseman aged 35 or older scoring a regular-season overtime goal. Phil Housley (38 years, 236 days) is the only other Blackhawks blueliner to also accomplish the feat (Oct. 31, 2002 vs. LAK).

BOBROVSKY BACKSTOPS BLUE JACKETS IN B.C.
Four different players scored and Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside all 21 shots he faced to help the Blue Jackets (41-30-4, 86 points) move within two points of the Canadiens (40-28-8, 88 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

* Sunday’s contest marked the second time in as many seasons that Columbus has registered at least five goals in a shutout performance (5-0 W on Oct. 6, 2017 vs. NYI). The club’s largest margin of victory in such an outing is 10, established on Nov. 4, 2016 vs. MTL.

* Bobrovsky recorded his seventh shutout of the season and 31st of his career to match a single-season career high set in 2016-17. Only two goaltenders in Blue Jackets franchise history posted more such outings in a single season: Steve Mason (10 in 2008-09) and Pascal Leclaire (nine in 2007-08).

QUICK CLICKS

* Jakub Vrana helps young Capitals fan complete checklist

* Kraft Hockeyville USA announces finalists; voting to begin March 30

* Determined Devils fan, 12, tops Damon Severson in Rock-Paper-Scissors for stick

SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY’S ACTION

STAMKOS LOOKS TO HELP LIGHTNING CONTINUE WINNING WAYS
Steven Stamkos (39-50—89) and the League-leading Lightning (58-14-4, 120 points) continue their journey toward rewriting NHL history when they welcome Brad Marchand (32-60—92) and the Bruins (46-20-9, 101 points) to Amalie Arena Monday.

* With at least five wins in their remaining six games, the Lightning’s 2018-19 season would mark the second time in the last three years that a major North American professional sports team set a single-season wins record in their respective league. The Golden State Warriors went 73-9 in 2015-16 to establish an NBA record for most wins in a season, eclipsing the previous high of 72 set by the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in 1995-96 (72-10).

* Stamkos sits one goal shy of joining Brayden Point (40-50—90) as the second Tampa Bay skater to reach the 40-goal mark. Only one campaign has featured two Lightning teammates each reach the benchmark: 2006-07, when Vincent Lecavalier (52-56—108) and Martin St. Louis (43-59—102) each did so.

* Meanwhile, the Lightning captain can join Point and the League’s leading scorer, Nikita Kucherov (37-83—120), among players to accumulate at least 90 points in 2018-19. It would mark the first season in franchise history in which three Lightning teammates have recorded 90 or more points in the same campaign.

* Meanwhile, the trios of Daniel Alfredsson (43-60—103), Dany Heatley (50-53—103) and Jason Spezza (19-71—90) with the Senators and Ilya Kovalchuk (52-46—98), Marc Savard (28-69—97) and Marian Hossa (39-53—92) with the Thrashers were the last to accomplish the feat in 2005-06.

BATTLE FOR HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE IN THE CENTRAL CARRIES ON TO MONDAY
The Predators (42-28-6, 90 points) and Blues (40-27-8, 88 points), who sit second and third in the Central Division respectively, both take to the ice Monday in hopes of securing home-ice advantage in the First Round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* The Predators travel to Minnesota to face off against the Wild (35-32-9, 79 points), who find themselves two point shy of the Avalanche (34-29-13, 81 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Nashville enters the contests with victories in each of its last four outings against Minnesota (MIN: 0-1-3).

* Meanwhile the Blues host a Golden Knights team (42-27-6, 90 points) that travels to Enterprise Center with a 10-1-1 record since the NHL’s Trade Deadline on Feb. 25. Only Tampa Bay (11-3-0) has recorded more wins in that span.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the above information.