NHL CELEBRATES 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDING
Today marks 100 years since the NHL was founded at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal, following three days of meetings involving owners from the National Hockey Association – which suspended operations after one of its six teams, the Toronto 228th Battalion, had been called to fight in World War I during the 1916-17 season. As noted in the meeting minutes, the owners decided “that the Canadiens, Wanderers, Ottawa and Quebec Hockey Clubs unite to comprise the National Hockey League.”
* Quebec’s entry into the NHL was delayed until 1919-20, but Toronto was granted a franchise and the League began with four clubs – the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Arenas.
* Frank Calder was elected president of the NHL, which set forth with a 24-game schedule, with the first contests slated for Dec. 19, 1917. The League champion would earn the right to play the winner of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association for the Stanley Cup.
* The Wanderers played only four games before a fire destroyed their arena, causing them to forfeit two contests and eventually withdraw from play, leaving the Canadiens, Senators and Arenas to compete for the League’s inaugural title. The Arenas emerged and defeated the PCHA’s Vancouver Millionaires to become the first NHL team to win the Stanley Cup.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
Washington 4, TORONTO 2
MONTREAL 3, Buffalo 0
NY Islanders 2, OTTAWA 1
New Jersey 4, DETROIT 3 (OT)
Chicago 4, FLORIDA 1
PITTSBURGH 5, Tampa Bay 2
Vegas 4, ARIZONA 2
ST. LOUIS 6, Minnesota 3
SAN JOSE 4, Winnipeg 0
Calgary 3, COLORADO 2
LOS ANGELES 2, Anaheim 1 (SO)
OVI FULFILLS PROMISE TO 13-YEAR-OLD CANCER SURVIVOR, SCORES HAT TRICK
After meeting one of his biggest fans, 13-year-old cancer survivor Alex Luey, and promising to score, Alex Ovechkin netted his League-leading third hat trick of the season (20th career) to power the Capitals to their third straight win.
* Ovechkin, who became the 16th player in NHL history to record at least 20 career hat tricks, scored career goal Nos. 574, 600 and 576 to pass Mike Bossy (573) into sole possession of 21st on the NHL’s all-time list and move within one of tying Mark Recchi (577).
* Ovechkin, who has 18-7—25 this season (25 GP), leapfrogged Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (17) for the League lead in goals. He has 36-27—63 in 44 regular-season games against the Maple Leafs (1.43 P/GP).
* MUST SEE: Luey chatted with Ovechkin on the Capitals bench during warmup before heading to the locker room toannounce the starting lineup. He returned after the game to receive the Player of the Game award.
OTHER POINT-PER-GAME PLAYERS LEAD TEAMS TO VICTORY
Several other players averaging at least a point per game this season helped their teams secure victories.
* Did You Know? Among players who have played at least 15 contests in 2017-18, 35 are averaging at least a point per game (358 GP), compared to only six such performances through 360 GP last season. Since 1996-97, only three campaigns have featured at least 30 players averaging at least a point per game through 360 league games: 2005-06 (41), 2006-07 (34) and 2007-08 (34).
* Jaden Schwartz scored twice and Vladimir Tarasenko collected two assists to power the Blues (17-6-1, 35 points) back into first place in the NHL standings. Schwartz ranks fourth in the NHL with 13-19—32 in 2017-18 (24 GP), while Tarasenko ranks tied for eighth with 12-16—28 (24 GP).
* Phil Kessel (2-2—4) and Sidney Crosby (2-1—3) combined for 4-3—7 to lead the Penguins past the Lightning. Kessel ranks fifth in the NHL with 11-20—31 this season (25 GP) while Crosby – who ranks sixth in NHL history with 1.30 points per game (min. 200 GP) – collected his first three-point game of the season; he has 18-32—50 in 37 career regular-season games against the Lightning (1.35 P/PG).
* Taylor Hall (1-1—2) recorded his seventh multi-point game of the season to help the Metropolitan Division-leadingDevils improve to 5-1-2 in their last eight contests. Hall leads the Devils with 8-18—26 this season (23 GP).
* Patrick Kane scored to extend his point streak to six games (4-4—8), helping the Blackhawks improve to 4-1-1 in their last six contests. Kane paces the Blackhawks with 9-13—22 this season (22 GP).
GOLDEN KNIGHTS EXTEND WIN STREAK TO FIVE GAMES (AGAIN)
Jonathan Marchessault (1-2—3) recorded three points for the third straight game (3-6—9) and William Karlsson(1-1—2) scored for a fifth consecutive contest to help the Golden Knights extend their win streak to five games and improve to 15-6-1 (31 points) overall.
* The Golden Knights, who rank second in the Western Conference and fourth in the League, recorded five consecutive wins for the second time, again matching an NHL record for the longest win streak by a team in its inaugural season. The 1926-27 Rangers and 1979-80 Oilers each won five straight once during their first season.
* Marchessault became the second player in as many seasons to register at least three points in three consecutive team games (also Filip Forsberg w/ NSH in 2016-17). The last instances of a player recording three points in four consecutive contests came in 2005-06, when Keith Tkachuk (6-6—12) and Patrick Marleau (2-10—12) achieved the feat with the Blues and Sharks, respectively.
* Karlsson recorded multiple points for a fifth consecutive game, becoming the third player to achieve that feat this season. Elias notes that Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl (3-10—13 from March 14-23, 2017) is the only player in the past eight seasons to record six consecutive multi-point games.
PRICE RECORDS SHUTOUT IN RETURN TO LINEUP
Carey Price (36 saves) blanked the Sabres in his return to the lineup to become the fourth goaltender in Canadiensfranchise history to record 40 career shutouts.
QUICK CLICKS
· Jets defenseman Chiarot fined for butt-ending
· Kunitz given standing ovation by fans in return to Pittsburgh
SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY’S ACTION
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the information above was supplied by the NHL PR department
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