FLAMES EXTEND WIN STREAK TO SIX GAMES
Mikael Backlund (1-2—3) factored on three of four goals and David Rittich made a career-high 41 saves to help the Flames (24-16-4, 52 points) extend their season-high win streak to six games, the longest active run in the NHL. Calgary posted two winning streaks of at least six games in 2016-17 – they went 6-0-0 from Nov. 30 – Dec. 10 and 10-0-0 from Feb. 21 – March 13.

* Rittich, who made his NHL debut on April 8, 2017 at SJS, improved to 4-1-1 in seven career appearances (2.09 GAA, .930 SV%).

* Johnny Gaudreau (1-0—1) and Sean Monahan (1-1—2) each scored to extend their point streaks to six games. Gaudreau, who has 2-9—11 on his point streak, moved into a five-way tie for second in League scoring. Monahan, meanwhile, posted multiple points for the fourth time on his six-game run (4-6—10).

CAPITALS SCORE IN FINAL SECONDS TO HALT HURRICANES’ STREAK
Brett Connolly tied the game at 16:52 of the third period and Jay Beagle scored the go-ahead goal with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation to power the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals (28-14-3, 59 points) to a 6-1-0 record in their last seven contests. Washington halted Carolina’s home point streak at seven games (6-0-1), one night after the Hurricanes ended the Capitals’ 10-game home win streak.

* Elias notes that Beagle (59:58) scored the latest go-ahead goal in regulation in franchise history, eclipsing the mark set by Alexander Semin in a 3-2 win on Nov. 6, 2008 vs. CAR (59:49). It was the fifth go-ahead goal in the final minute of regulation this season.

* Alex Ovechkin (1-2—3) scored his League-leading 28th goal of the season and added two helpers to move within two of reaching the 500-assist milestone. He has collected 36-49—85 in 72 career games vs. CAR (1.18 P/GP).

McDAVID ECLIPSES 100 CAREER ROAD POINTS
Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists to eclipse 100 career road points (31-70—101). McDavid (85 GP) required the 10th-fewest games in NHL history (tied) to record 100 career road points.

* McDavid (61-137—198) also moved within two points of reaching the 200-point milestone. The reigning Art Ross Trophy winner leads all skaters with 150 points since the beginning of the 2016-17 season (45-105—150), five more than the next-closest player in that span (Nikita Kucherov: 67-78—145).

KAMPF SCORES FIRST CAREER GOAL WHILE CELEBRATING 23RD BIRTHDAY
Blackhawks forward David Kampf (1-1—2) scored the first goal of his NHL career (9 GP) while celebrating his 23rd birthday to help Chicago snap Winnipeg’s point streak at seven games (6-0-1). Kampf became the 15th player in NHL history to score his first career goal while celebrating a birthday.

QUICK CLICKS

· Andrew Cogliano signs three-year contract with Ducks

· Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick, top picks from 2017 Draft, set to meet for first time

· 2018 Draft diary: Brady Tkachuk

· Gamble on John Klingberg has paid off handsomely for Stars

SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY’S ACTION

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14 CLUBS RETURN TO ICE ON NINE-GAME SATURDAY
A nine-game Saturday features 14 clubs returning from their five-day break:

* The action begins with four teams returning for a pair of games at 1:00 p.m. ET – the Islanders (21-18-4, 46 points) and Rangers (22-15-5, 49 points) face off at Madison Square Garden, while the Red Wings (17-17-7, 41 points) and Penguins (22-19-3, 47 points) clash at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby (15-28—43) – one of 34 NHL players with 40+ points in 2017-18 – has collected at least three assists/points in each of his past two outings and sits three goals shy of 400 for his career.

* The Bruins (23-10-7, 53 points) and Canadiens (18-20-4, 40 points) resume play and renew their 94-year-old rivalry, with Boston looking to extend its point streak to 12 games (8-0-3 in 11 GP). The Bruins’ point streak is the second-longest in the NHL this season (VGK: 12-0-1 from Dec. 3 – Jan. 2) and the longest by the club since a 16-game run in 2013-14 (15-0-1).

* With three 40-point players carrying the offense, the Flyers (19-15-8, 46 points) head to New Jersey to face the Devils (22-11-8, 52 points), who own a seven-game home point streak (6-0-1). Only 13 points separate the eight teams in the Metropolitan Division.

* Led by forward Nathan MacKinnon (18-34—52), the streaking Avalanche (22-16-3, 47 points) – winners of five straight games – enter the second half of their season only one point shy of their total from 2016-17 (22-56-4, 48 points in 82 GP). Colorado resumes its schedule in Dallas, where the Stars (24-16-3, 51 points) continue a six-game homestand (4-1-0 in 5 GP) that has featured back-to-back three-point efforts by forward Alexander Radulov (16-22—38).

* The Western Conference-leading Golden Knights (29-10-2, 59 points) return to the ice against the Oilers (18-23-3, 39 points) aiming to become just the fifth team in NHL history to record 30 wins in its inaugural season. Vegas also puts its 10-game home point streak on the line (9-0-1), tied for the second-longest such run in the League in 2017-18 (WPG – 11 GP; NYI and WSH – 10 GP).

* The Ducks (19-15-9, 47 points) and Kings (24-13-5, 53 points) return to the ice for their third of five meetings this season (LAK: 2-0-0; ANA: 0-0-2). Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf has recorded 4-20—24 in 19 appearances this season and sits two assists shy of 600 for his career.

* Finally, the Sharks (21-13-6, 48 points) look to extend their home point streak to nine games (6-0-2 in 8 GP) when they resume their schedule against the Coyotes (10-27-6, 26 points). After collecting just seven assists in his first 19 games of the season, defenseman Brent Burns has compiled 7-16—23 since Nov. 22 (21 GP) to move into the top 10 in defensive scoring.

the above information was supplied by the NHL PR department