* Celebrating his 27th birthday, Giroux kept pace with his 34th assist and 48th point of the season (42 GP) – both second in the NHL to linemate Voracek.

* VandeVelde notched his first career multi-point game (79 GP).

* Making his second NHL start and first since Dec. 21, 33-year-old goaltender Rob Zepp denied 21 shots to earn his second victory.

* Seven different Flyers found the back of the net (also Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Michael Raffl and R.J. Umberger). Elias says that is their most scorers in one game since Nov. 5, 2011, when eight players tallied in a 9-2 win vs. CBJ: Sean Couturier (2), Matt Carle, Giroux, Jaromir Jagr, Simmonds, Maxime Talbot, James van Riemsdyk and Voracek.

* The Flyers registered five goals in one period for the first time since Dec. 19, 2013, when they scored five times in the third period of a 5-4 victory vs. CBJ, capped by Giroux’s no-look, game-winning goal with 1:38 remaining in regulation.

* The Flyers picked up their first win over the Lightning since Feb. 5, 2013, snapping a six-game skid in the head-to-head series.

OVECHKIN, HOLTBY (AGAIN) LEAD CAPITALS
Alex Ovechkin scored the tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period and Braden Holtby made 31 saves, including 18 in the final frame, to help the Capitals extend their point streak to eight contests (6-0-2).

* At 23-11-8 (54 points), the Capitals again leapfrogged the idle Rangers (24-11-4, 52 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division. New York, however, holds three games in hand.

* Ovechkin found the back of the net for the sixth time in his past seven contests, totaling 6-3—9 in that span. He also recorded his 22nd goal of the season (42 GP), taking over sole possession of fifth place in the NHL.

* Ovechkin notched his 74th career game-winning goal (all w/ WSH), moving past Peter Bondra (73) for the most in Capitals history. It also marked Ovechkin’s fifth such goal of the season, which shares second in the NHL.

* Ovechkin now has connected on the man-advantage 10 times this season, tying Joe Pavelski for the most such goals in the NHL. Ovechkin has recorded at least 10 power-play markers in nine of his 10 NHL seasons – Elias says only two other active players have as many seasons with at least 10 power-play goals: Jarome Iginla (10) and Jaromir Jagr (10).

* Making his franchise-record 25th consecutive appearance and career-high 19th straight start, Holtby improved to 21-8-7 with a 2.23 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and three shutouts this season (37 GP). That includes a 13-2-4 record during his current string of starts.

* Jay Beagle extended career highs with his sixth goal and 12th point of the season (37 GP). The Capitals are 15-0-3 all-time when Beagle scores and 11-0-0 this season when he posts at least one point.

* The Capitals swept their two-game season series with the Avalanche and picked up their first head-to-head win at Verizon Center since Jan. 9, 2008, halting a three-game skid.

DID YOU KNOW?
The Capitals have earned at least one point in 17 of their last 18 contests dating to Dec. 4 (13-1-4, 30 points). They had 24 points in their first 24 outings of the season (10-10-4).

JONES BACKSTOPS KINGS PAST MAPLE LEAFS
Making his first start since Dec. 12, Martin Jones denied all 19 shots he faced to record his seventh career shutout (third this season) and help the Kings end their three-game skid (0-1-2).

* At 20-13-10 (50 points), the Kings leapfrogged the idle Canucks (23-14-3, 49 points) and Sharks (22-16-5, 49 points) for second place in the Pacific Division. They also picked up points for the ninth time in their past 11 outings dating to Dec. 18 (5-2-4).

* Jones improved to 16-9-2 with a 1.90 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in his first 29 NHL appearances. Elias says Jones is the fastest goaltender to register seven career shutouts since Frank Brimsek earned his seventh in his 22nd game with the Bruins in January 1939. Steve Mason previously held the modern-day NHL record (since 1967-68), picking up his seventh shutout in his 32nd career appearance with the Blue Jackets in January 2009.

* Anze Kopitar posted 1-1—2 for the second consecutive game, including the winning goal just 37 seconds after the opening face-off. He has 2-6—8 during a four-game assist/point streak.

* Jeff Carter (0-2—2) added his ninth multi-point performance of the season and has 5-8—13 in his past 12 appearances.

* The Kings shut out the Maple Leafs for the first time since Feb. 20, 1988, when Roland Melanson made 21 saves in a 3-0 win vs. TOR.

LOOSE PUCKS
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored his 23rd goal of the season, moving within three of League leaders Rick Nash and Tyler Seguin . . . Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier stopped 18-of-19 shots against his former club. Bernier, the 11th overall selection by Los Angeles in the 2006 NHL Draft, played the first 62 games of his career for the Kings, compiling a 29-20-6 record with a 2.36 goals-against average, .912 save percentage and six shutouts . . . Avalanche forward Alex Tanguay posted his 60th career power-play goal and first since March 13, 2013 vs. DET (w/ CGY) . . . Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman (0-2—2) registered his fourth multi-point game of the season . . . Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves, marking his fourth straight performance of at least 35 saves and eighth such game of the season . . . Kings forward Mike Richards (700), Maple Leafs forward Mike Santorelli (300) and Avalanche defenseman Nick Holden (100) all played in milestone games . . . Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla skated in his 1,353rd career game, tying Ron Stewart for 45th place in NHL history . . . The Kings recorded their 900th home win in franchise history (900-681-261) . . . ICYMI: Blues captain David Backes, Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov and Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau were named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 11.

All Times Eastern
Tampa Bay @ Boston, 7:00 p.m., TVA, SNE, SNO, SUN, NESN
Detroit @ Buffalo, 7:00 p.m., SN1, FS-D, MSG-B
NY Islanders @ NY Rangers, 7:00 p.m., MSG+, MSG
Minnesota @ Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m., NBCSN, ROOT
Colorado @ Carolina, 7:00 p.m., ALT, SPSO
Edmonton @ St. Louis, 8:00 p.m., SNW, FS-MW
Vancouver @ Nashville, 8:00 p.m., SNP
Florida @ Winnipeg, 8:00 p.m., FS-F, TSN3
Ottawa @ Dallas, 8:30 p.m., RDS, TSN5, FS-SW+
San Jose @ Arizona, 9:00 p.m., CSN-CA, FS-A+
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SABRES SET TO RETIRE HASEK’S JERSEY
The Sabres will retire Dominik Hasek’s No. 39 jersey prior to their game against the Red Wings at First Niagara Center. Hasek, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2014, will become the seventh player in Sabres history to have his number raised to the rafters, joining Danny Gare (#18), Tim Horton (#2), Pat LaFontaine (#16), Rick Martin (#7), Gilbert Perreault (#11) and Rene Robert (#14). A two-time Hart Trophy winner and six-time Vezina Trophy winner, Hasek compiled a 234-170-70 record with a 2.22 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and 55 shutouts in 491 appearances with the Sabres from 1992-01. He then spent four seasons with the Red Wings, capturing the Stanley Cup in 2001-02 and 2007-08.

“To have a retired jersey in Buffalo, it’s more about this community, this city, what you’ve done for this area. It’s most about the Sabres,” Hasek told WGR-AM 550. “It’s about the people, about your teammates, about the big Sabres family, about the fans.”

SPEZZA FACES SENATORS FOR FIRST TIME
Former Ottawa captain Jason Spezza faces his old club for the first time when the Stars play host to the Senators at American Airlines Center. The No. 2 overall selection by Ottawa in the 2001 NHL Draft, Spezza played his first 11 seasons for the Senators, collecting 251-436—687 in 686 games prior to an offseason trade. He also recorded 17-35—52 in 56 playoff games with the Senators, leading the team to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007 (7-15—22 in 20 GP).

“I don’t think it’s that bad with them coming here because it is on your turf,” Spezza told the Ottawa Sun. “Going to Ottawa [on Jan. 29] is going to be strange for sure, to walk into the building and into the visitors room. I’m going to be nervous.”

ISLANDERS, RANGERS FACE OFF IN ‘CLASSIC’ BATTLE
The Islanders and Rangers stage the second edition of the Battle of New York when they face off at Madison Square Garden. The Islanders took the first of their five meetings this season, earning a 6-3 win on Oct. 14 in Manhattan. The Rangers, however, have won 10 of their past 15 head-to-head matchups dating to Nov. 15, 2011 (10-3-2). This game pits two of the top teams in the Metropolitan Division – the Islanders (28-13-1) lead the division with 57 points, while the Rangers (24-11-4) sit in fourth with 52 points. Overall, the Islanders are 5-2-0 in their last seven outings, while the Rangers have won five straight and 13 of their past 14 contests.

“We’re playing against a team that is first in our [division] right now, a team that is playing extremely well at both ends of the rink, a team that has been basically red hot since the start of the season,” Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault told the New York Daily News. “It’s going to be a New York classic.”

REMINDER: 2015 USHL/NHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME
Youngstown Phantoms forward Kyle Connor and Waterloo Black Hawks teammates Brock Boeser and Tom Novak headline the list of draft-eligible players who will compete in the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, which will be held at Mystique Community Ice Center in Dubuque, Iowa.

Click here for the complete roster as well as a game preview.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.