GOLDEN KNIGHTS BLANK OILERS IN PIVOTAL GAME, EXTEND WIN STREAK . . .
Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside all 29 shots he faced to help the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights blank the Oilers and extend their win streak to seven games – the longest active run in the NHL. Vegas improved to 35-22-8 (78 points) overall this season and moved four points ahead of Vancouver (34-22-6, 74 points) and Edmonton (33-23-8, 74 points), which occupy second and third place in the division, respectively.

* Fleury posted his 61st career regular-season shutout and matched Turk Broda for 17th place on the NHL’s all-time list. He has recorded five of his 61 career shutouts in 2019-20, tied for the most among all goaltenders this season with Blue Jackets rookie Elvis Merzlikins.



. . . AVALANCHE ALSO PUSH WIN STREAK, RECLAIM SECOND PLACE IN CENTRAL
The Avalanche surrendered two tying goals, but J.T. Compher (1-1—2) scored the go-ahead marker with 8:06 remaining in regulation as Colorado extended its win streak to four games and improved to 37-18-7 (81 points) overall this season – leapfrogging idle Dallas (37-20-6, 80 points) for second place in the Central Division standings.

* Pavel Francouz (31 saves) improved to 4-0-0 in his last four appearances dating to Feb. 19 (0.98 GAA, .963 SV%, 1 SO), while fellow countryman Martin Kaut scored the first goal of his NHL career (1-1—2 in 4 GP). The teammates each recorded milestones on Feb. 21 (1-0 W at ANA), with Francouz posting his first career shutout and Kaut collecting his first NHL point via an assist on the game-winning goal.



DID YOU KNOW?
Samuel Girard (3-27—30 in 62 GP) collected an assist and became the second Avalanche defenseman to reach the 30-point mark this season, joining fellow 21-year-old Cale Makar (12-33—45 in 54 GP). Colorado will become the first team to feature multiple blueliners under age 22 each with 30-plus points at the conclusion of a campaign since 1993-94, when Alexei Zhitnik (12-40—52 in 81 GP) and Darryl Sydor (8-27—35 in 84 GP) combined for the feat with Los Angeles.



QUICK CLICKS

* NHL says coronavirus could impact plans to have preseason games in China
* John Hayden fined for actions in Devils game against Red Wings
* Peter Laviolette to coach United States at World Championship
* Mike Grier drew inspiration as Devils assistant from father
* Tyler Seguin takes GQ Magazine on a tour of his tattoos

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION

PANTHERS HOST MAPLE LEAFS WITH THIRD PLACE IN ATLANTIC ON THE LINE
Twenty teams are in action Thursday, including the Panthers (33-24-6, 72 points) hosting the Maple Leafs (33-23-8, 74 points) with third place in the Atlantic Division standings on the line. Toronto, which currently occupies third, owns a two-point edge on Florida; the Panthers, however, hold one game in hand.

* Florida is 2-0-0 through the first two contests of its four-game season series with Toronto (TOR: 0-2-0), earning an 8-4 win at BB&T Center on Jan. 12 and a 5-3 victory at Scotiabank Arena on Feb. 3. After Thursday, the final head-to-head meeting between the Panthers and Maple Leafs this season will take place in Toronto on March 23.

* The Panthers have swept a season series with the Maple Leafs on three occasions in franchise history (min. 2 GP), doing so in 1995-96 (2-0-0), 2008-09 (4-0-0) and 2011-12 (4-0-0).

Panthers defenseman Mark Pysyk (left) scored a hat trick at Scotiabank Arena on Feb. 3

SURGING RANGERS VISIT CANADIENS AT BELL CENTRE
The Rangers (34-24-4, 72 points), who enter Thursday with a franchise-record eight-game road win streak, look to extend the run and continue their surge up the NHL standings when they visit the Canadiens (29-27-9, 67 points) at Bell Centre. New York, which owns the longest road win streak by any team in 2019-20, can become the first club to earn victories in nine-plus consecutive games as visitors within a regular season since Nashville from Feb. 10 – March 19, 2018 (9-0-0).

* Mika Zibanejad has tallied in each of the Rangers’ last five outings (5-5—10) and can become the third New York player over the last 26 years (since 1993-94) to record a goal streak of six-plus games, joining Petr Prucha from Dec. 3-13, 2005 (9-0—9 in 6 GP) and Jaromir Jagr from Feb. 2 – March 2, 2006 (9-6—15 in 6 GP).

* Zibanejad (29-32—61 in 49 GP), who reached the 30-goal mark for the first time in 2018-19 (30-44—74 in 82 GP), can also become the first Rangers player to hit the plateau in consecutive seasons since Jagr from 2005-06 (54-69—123 in 82 GP) to 2006-07 (30-66—96 in 82 GP).

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.