MARCHESSAULT, GOLDEN KNIGHTS WITHSTAND SANFORD’S FOUR-GOAL OUTING
After Zach Sanford’s fourth goal of the contest gave the Blues a third-period lead, Alex Tuch (1-1—2) scored the Golden Knights’ third game-tying goal to set the stage for Jonathan Marchessault (2-0—2) in overtime.



* Thursday’s contest marked the second time in as many games at T-Mobile Arena that Vegas (29-22-8, 66 points) has competed in an 11-goal, back-and-forth affair (including shootout-deciding goals) after falling just short to Carolina on Feb. 8 (6-5 SO). The Golden Knights are the second team in 2019-20 to skate in consecutive home games with as many tallies, joining the Islanders on Dec. 17, 2019 (8-3 L vs. NSH) and Dec. 21, 2019 (6-5 SO vs. ANA).

* The Golden Knights collected their 15th home win of the season to maintain their third-place seeding in the Pacific Division. They sit tied with the Flames (30-23-6, 66 points) in terms of standings points, but have earned 22 regulation wins to Calgary’s 20.

* Mark Stone (0-4—4) collected an assist on Marchessault’s game-winning goal to register his second performance with four-plus points in four games (2-3—5 at FLA on Feb. 6). Stone, the 20th skater with multiple such performances in 2019-20, became the first Golden Knights player to accomplish the feat with the franchise.

* Conversely, Sanford - who netted his first career hat trick - became the sixth differentplayer in Blues history to tally four goals in a regular-season game and the first since David Backes on Jan. 6, 2015 (at ARI).

* Sanford also became the fifth player to score four goals in a game this season, joining Anthony Mantha (Oct. 6, 2019, w/ DET), James Neal (Oct. 8, 2019 w/ EDM), David Pastrnak (Oct. 14, 2019 w/ BOS) and Jack Eichel (Nov. 16, 2019 w/ BUF). Only four campaigns in the last 20 years have featured more players accomplish the feat: 2002-03 (8), 2000-01 (8), 2017-18 (7) and 2005-06 (6).



CAPITALS RALLY PAST FORMER TEAMMATES TO HALT STREAKING AVALANCHE . . .
The Avalanche benefited from strong performances by former Capitals players Andre Burakovsky (1-1—2) and Philipp Grubauer (35 saves), but Washington forward T.J. Oshie scored the third of his team’s three consecutive goals as the Capitals (37-15-5, 79 points) collected their League-leading eighth multi-goal comeback win of the season.



* Washington’s eight multi-goal comeback wins are the second-most in a single season in franchise history, behind the 2009-10 campaign (9). There have only been 11 instances of a team recording double-digit multi-goal comeback wins in a single season, with Hartford (12 in 1985-86) and Edmonton (12 in 1983-84) pacing the group.

* Oshie, with goals in three straight games and points in each of his last four, has collected at least one point in 10 consecutive contests against the Avalanche dating to Dec. 29, 2014 (6-5—11 in 10 GP). He is one of 15 players with an active point streak of 10-plus games against one opponent. David Pastrnak (13 GP vs. PIT from March 14, 2015 - present) and Nikita Kucherov (13 GP vs. WSH from Dec. 12, 2015 - present) hold the longest active runs.

. . . MacKINNON REACHES 80 POINTS AHEAD OF STADIUM SERIES
Nathan MacKinnon (0-2—2) collected multiple points for the second time in as many contests to reach the 80 point-mark (32-48—80) ahead of the 2020 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo.

* MacKinnon (24 years, 165 days) joined Leon Draisaitl (24; 32-58—90), Connor McDavid (23; 30-51—81) and David Pastrnak (23; 41-40—81) as the fourth player to do so this season - all of which who have yet to celebrate their 25th birthday.

* The 2019-20 season can become the first NHL campaign to end with the top four scorers all under the age of 25.

* The first-overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, who has led Colorado in scoring each of the last three seasons, became the fifth different player in franchise history to reach the 80-point mark within his first 56 games of a season. He joined Joe Sakic as just the second player to do so in an Avalanche uniform.



25-YEAR-OLD VASILEVSKIY BACKSTOPS LIGHTNING TO ANOTHER HOME WIN
Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 29 shots, including all 13 he faced in the third period to backstop the Lightning (38-15-5, 81 points) to their ninth straight win and 10th consecutive victory at AMALIE Arena. Tampa Bay, which leads the NHL in wins since Jan. 1, moved within one point of Boston (35-11-12, 82 points) in the Atlantic Division and overall League standings.

* Vasilevskiy allowed two or fewer goals for the fifth straight game to earn his League-leading 31st win of 2019-20. Vasilevskiy (25 years, 203 days), the sixth goaltender in NHL history to collect at least one point in 20 straight appearances, looks to complete the season leading the NHL in wins (or tied) for the third time (also 2017-18: 44 and 2018-19: 39). Only one netminder in League history has accomplished the feat on more occasions prior to their 26th birthday^: Terry Sawchuk (5 from 1950-51 to 1954-55).
^ Age based at end of season

* Head coach Jon Cooper has been behind the Tampa Bay bench for each of its four win streaks of nine-plus games in franchise history. In the process, Cooper became the first head coach in NHL history to record four such runs with a single franchise and just the fourth with at least that same amount in their career.



ONTARIO-BORN SEGUIN LIFTS STARS PAST MAPLE LEAFS. . .
Brampton, Ont. native Tyler Seguin, who scored for the first time since Dec. 28, 2019, netted the game-winning goal as the Stars (33-19-5, 71 points) captured their fifth win in seven contests (5-1-1) and gained ground on the Blues (32-15-10, 74 points) and Avalanche (33-17-6, 72 points) in the Central Division standings.

* Seguin, with at least one point in each of his last five visits to Toronto (3-5—8), has collected eight goals and 15 points in 15 career regular-season appearances in his hometown. He is one of four active Ontario-born players to average at least one point-per-game in Toronto while skating for the opposition (min. 10 GP): John Tavares (1.25 P/GP w/ NYI), Steven Stamkos (1.16 P/GP w/ TBL) and Claude Giroux (1.00 P/GP w/ PHI).

…WHILE MATTHEWS NETS 30TH HOME GOAL OF 2019-20
Auston Matthews scored his 41st goal of the season, and 30th at Scotiabank Arena, to move into a tie with Boston’s David Pastrnak (41) for the NHL’s lead in goals this season. Matthews, who became the first Maple Leafs player to score 30 goals through his first 30 home games of the season, became the fifth different player in the last 30 years to accomplish the feat.



PLAYOFF HOPEFULS BENEFIT FROM HIGH-SCORING AFFAIRS
The Flyers (32-19-7, 71 points) and Flames (30-23-6, 66 points) each scored six times Thursday to collect two crucial points in their current playoff pushes.

* James van Riemsdyk (1-2—3) extended his point streak to four games as Philadelphia captured its second regulation win over Florida in three days (4-1 W on Feb. 10). The Flyers opened up a four- and five-point cushion on the Hurricanes (32-21-3, 67 points) and Panthers (30-21-6, 66 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, respectively.

* Elias Lindholm scored the first of six Calgary goals as the Flames (30-23-6, 66 points) maintained their position in the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Lindholm extended his point streak to nine games dating to Jan. 28 (5-5—10) - one shy of his career high achieved twice (10 GP in 2018-19 and 2016-17).

QUICK CLICKS

* Zdeno Chara fined for actions in Bruins game against Canadiens
* Hockey Day in America celebrates 'everything that is good,' Brian Boucher says
* Black former NHL players becoming broadcasters in growing numbers
* Stadium Series is big deal to people from Colorado Springs
* Justin Bieber teaches Jimmy Fallon how to play hockey, destroys him in shootout

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.