GOALS GALORE
Four of seven games contested on Tuesday featured at least nine combined goals (WPG vs. BUF, CHI vs. OTT, CAR vs. TBL and FLA vs. STL).

* The average goals per game this season is 5.91 (including shootout-deciding goals), an increase from 5.48 through 659 contests in 2016-17. In fact, only two seasons in the past 12 years have featured a higher goals per game average through 659 games – 2005-06 (6.22) and 2006-07 (5.95).

KANE’S FIVE-POINT NIGHT POWERS BLACKHAWKS EIGHT-GOAL OUTBURST
Patrick Kane (1-4—5) recorded a career-high five points and the Blackhawks erupted for eight goals to defeat the Senators. Chicago scored at least eight goals in a game for the second time in 2017-18 and first since its season opener on Oct. 5 (10-1 W vs. PIT).

* Kane became the eighth player to record five points in a game this season and second member of the Blackhawks to do so; he joined Ryan Hartman, who posted 1-4—5 in Chicago’s season opener against Pittsburgh.

* Kane (303-494—797) moved within three points of reaching the 800-point milestone (all w/ CHI). He can become the 15th U.S.-born player in NHL history to record 800 career points and fifth to do so with the Blackhawks franchise.

JOHNSON (HAT TRICK) GUIDES LIGHTNING PAST HURRICANES
Tyler Johnson (3-0—3) scored the third regular-season hat trick of his NHL career to guide the League-leading Lightning (31-9-3, 65 points) past the Hurricanes.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy (28 saves) improved to 27-6-2 this season (2.10 GAA, .933 SV%, 6 SO), including a 16-1-1 clip at AMALIE Arena (2.29 GAA, .922 SV%, 1 SO). His 27 victories in 2017-18 lead all goaltenders, while his 16 wins on home ice are tied with Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck for the most this season.

* Nikita Kucherov collected an assist to become the first player to reach the 60-point mark this season (27-33—60). Kucherov (43 GP) required the second-fewest games to reach the 60-point mark in a season among Lightning players.

CAPITALS EXTEND HOME WIN STREAK TO 10 GAMES
Alex Ovechkin collected an assist to stretch his point streak to five contests (4-5—9) and help the Capitals extend their home and overall win streaks to 10 and five games, respectively. Washington’s 10 consecutive victories at Capital One Arena is the longest home win streak in the NHL this season.

* Ovechkin (585-496—1,081) moved within four helpers of reaching the 500-assist milestone. He can join Jaromir Jagr, Marian Hossa and Patrick Marleau as the only active players with at least 500 career goals and 500 assists.

JETS PUSH POINT STREAK TO SEVEN CONTESTS
The Central Division-leading Jets (26-11-7, 59 points) recorded their fourth seven-goal game of the season to extend their point streak to seven contests (6-0-1). Winnipeg moved into a tie with Toronto for the most outings with at least seven goals this season.

* Patrik Laine opened the scoring to become the second player from the 2016 NHL Draft class to reach the 100-point mark (55-45—100), joining Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (59-43—102), who hit the milestone on Dec. 31.

* Laine (117 GP) required the second-fewest games to reach the 100-point mark (all w/ WPG) among players to debut with the Jets/Thrashers franchise and fourth-fewest among Finnish-born NHL players.

ANOTHER 20-GOAL SEASON FOR MONAHAN
Sean Monahan recorded 1-1—2 and Dougie Hamilton notched the game-winning goal at 2:39 of overtime to help the Flames earn their fourth consecutive win. Monahan boosted his totals to 20-19—39 in 2017-18 (42 GP) and has reached the 20-goal mark in each of his first five NHL seasons since making his League debut with the Flames in 2013-14.

* Monahan became the second player in franchise history to score at least 20 goals in each of his first five NHL seasons, all with the Flames; he joined Kent Nilsson, who did so in each of his first six seasons with the franchise from 1979-80 to 1984-85.

QUICK CLICKS

· NHL to host PreGame festival at All-Star Weekend in Tampa

· Fitz and The Tantrums headline 2018 Enterprise NHL All-Star Friday Night Concert

· Five Questions with Ryan Kesler (via Lisa Dillman)

· Predators wear football jerseys to game in support of Titans

SNEAK PEEK AT WEDNESDAY’S ACTION

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thanks to the NHL PR department for the above information