SURGING BLUE JACKETS TIE FRANCHISE RECORD WITH NINTH STRAIGHT WIN
Columbus surrendered 2-0 and 3-2 leads in the third period, but Seth Jones scored 46 seconds into overtime to lead the Blue Jackets to their ninth consecutive victory, equaling their longest win streak in franchise history from March 18 – April 4, 2015.

* At 20-5-4 (44 points), the Blue Jackets climbed within a point of the idle Penguins (20-7-5, 45 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Columbus holds three games in hand.

* Jones scored his second overtime goal in a Blue Jackets uniform (also Nov. 1 vs. DAL) and joined Jaroslav Spacek (3) as the only defensemen in franchise history to score multiple overtime goals with the club.

* Sergei Bobrovsky (14 saves) picked up his eighth consecutive win and improved to 19-5-2 overall (1.94 GAA, .932 SV%, 3 SO). His 19 victories this season pace all goaltenders.

* Bobrovsky needs one victory to equal the franchise record for most consecutive wins by a goaltender, a mark he set from Nov. 29, 2013 – Jan. 23, 2014 (9-0-0).

TOP TWO CLUBS IN THE NHL PICK UP WINS
The Blackhawks and Rangers – who rank first and second in the NHL standings, respectively – each secured victories:

* Tied 1-1, the Blackhawks scored three unanswered goals in the third period to pick up their fifth consecutive victory and improve to 13-2-3 at United Center. At 22-8-4 (48 points), the Blackhawks own the best record in the NHL and remain a point ahead of the Rangers. Scott Darling (33 saves) earned his fifth straight win and improved to 10-2-2 overall (2.22 GAA, .927 SV%, 1 SO).

* Derek Stepan tied the game with 1:14 left in regulation and Kevin Hayes scored the decisive goal in the shootout as the Rangers picked up their sixth win in their last seven outings. At 23-10-1 (47 points), the Rangers own the best record in the Eastern Conference and kept pace with the Blackhawks for the top spot in the NHL. Henrik Lundqvist (29 saves) denied three of four shootout attempts to earn his 389th career win and tie Dominik Hasek for 12th on the NHL’s all-time list among goaltenders.

LAINE CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY AMONG ROOKIES
Patrik Laine (1-2—3) and Nikolaj Ehlers (2-0—2) combined for 3-2—5 to help the Jets improve to 4-0-1 in their last five games vs. COL dating to Feb. 6 (COL: 1-4-0). Laine, the second overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft, paces all rookies in goals and points with 18-11—29 this season (34 GP).

* Elias notes that Laine, who will celebrate his 19th birthday on April 19, has the remainder of the 2016-17 season to attempt to reach the NHL record for most goals by an 18-year-old (45), a mark set by Dale Hawerchuk in 1981-82 with the original Winnipeg Jets.

LOOSE PUCKS
Zack Smith (2-1—3) and Mark Stone (1-2—3) each collected three points to lead the Senators to a 6-2 win . . . Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (18 saves) recorded his fourth shutout of the season to move into a tie with Devan Dubnyk for the League lead . . . Sharks defenseman Brent Burns (0-1—1) extended his point streak to eight games (4-5—9), matching his career high from Dec. 12, 2015 – Jan. 12, 2016 (6-6—12). Burns (13-17—30) is tied with Senators captain Erik Karlsson (7-23—30) for the most points among defensemen this season . . . Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson (1-1—2) extended his point streak to a career-high six games (4-6—10) . . . Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin (0-2—2) extended his point streak to five games (4-7—11) . . . Islanders forward Andrew Ladd skated in the 800th game of his NHL career . . . Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella became the 24th head coach in NHL history to record 500 career regular season wins. Elias adds that Tortorella (Boston, Mass.) is the first American-born head coach to reach the milestone.

SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Nashville @ Philadelphia, 7 p.m., TVAS, CSN-PH, FS-TN
Detroit @ Carolina, 7 p.m., FS-CR, FS-D+
Anaheim @ Toronto, 7:30 p.m., SNO, PRIME
Edmonton @ St. Louis, 8 p.m., FS-MW, SNW
Calgary @ Arizona, 9 p.m., FS-A, SNF
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ANDERSEN, CARLYLE FACE FORMER CLUBS WHEN DUCKS VISIT MAPLE LEAFS
Former Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen faces Anaheim for the first time as a member of the Maple Leafs, while former Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle returns to Toronto for the first time as bench boss of the Ducks. The Maple Leafs own a record of 8-0-1 in their last nine home games against the Ducks dating to March 14, 2001 (ANA: 1-7-1), including four consecutive wins.

NHL CELEBRATES 99TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST GAMES
Monday marks the 99th anniversary of the first games in National Hockey League history. On Dec. 19, 1917, the Montreal Wanderers defeated the Toronto Arenas 10-9 at Westmount Arena in Montreal and the Montreal Canadiens skated to a 7-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Dey’s Arena in Ottawa.

Wanderers defenseman DaveRitchie scored the first goal in League history one minute into the first contest, displayed in the replica score sheets below:

the above information was supplied by the NHL PR department