MAPLE LEAFS SET FRANCHISE RECORDS WITH ANOTHER HOME WIN
Four different player scored – including Auston Matthews’ 30th goal of the season – to help the Maple Leafs (46-24-7, 99 points) establish franchise records for overall wins and home victories (27) in a single season.

* The Maple Leafs surpassed their overall win benchmark of 45, achieved in 1998-99, 1999-00 and 2003-04. Their 27 home wins bested the 26 they recorded at Air Canada Centre in 2005-06.

* Matthews became the third Maple Leafs player with 30 goals this season, joining James van Riemsdyk (35) and Nazem Kadri(30). Toronto last had three 30-goal scorers in the same season in 1995-96, when Mike Gartner (35), Mats Sundin (33) and Doug Gilmour (32) all reached the milestone.

* Matthews, who netted 40 goals in his Calder Trophy-winning campaign in 2016-17, became just the third player in Maple Leafshistory to begin his NHL career with consecutive 30-goal seasons.

* Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz.) also became the fifth U.S.-born player with 30 goals in each of his first two NHL seasons. The others: Bobby Carpenter (1981-82 and 1982-83), Mark Pavelich (1981-82 and 1982-83), Jimmy Carson (1986-87 and 1987-88) and Tony Amonte (1991-92 and 1992-93).

GIROUX CLIMBS ART ROSS RACE IN FLYERS’ VICTORY
Claude Giroux and Ivan Provorov both scored to help the Flyers (39-25-14, 92 points) extend their point streak to seven contests (4-0-3). Philadelphia leapfrogged idle Columbus (43-29-5, 91 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division and also moved into a tie – in terms of points – with No. 2 Pittsburgh (43-28-6, 92 points).

* Giroux (27-66—93) opened the scoring to extend his point streak to six contests (1-9—10) and match his single-season career high, set in 2011-12 (28-65—93). He also moved into a tie with Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin (42-51—93) for third place in the Art Ross Trophy race.

* Shayne Gostisbehere collected the primary assist on Giroux’s tally to boost his season totals to 13-47—60 and become just the fourth different defenseman in Flyers history to record 60 points in a season.

KUZNETSOV NETS OT WINNER TO COMPLETE CAPS’ LATE-GAME RALLY
Lars Eller tied the game with 1:05 remaining in the third period and Evgeny Kuznetsov (1-1—2) scored 38 seconds into overtime to lift the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals (46-24-7, 99 points) to their fifth straight win overall and seventh consecutive homevictory.

* The Capitals moved seven points ahead of the second-place Penguins (43-28-6, 92 points) in the Metropolitan Division, with one head-to-head matchup remaining this season (April 1 at PIT).

* Kuznetsov posted his sixth straight multi-point game dating to March 12 (5-8—13). He also boosted his season totals to 25-52—77, matching a career high set in 2015-16 (20-57—77).

* Washington tied a game with less than two minutes remaining in regulation for the third time this season (also: T.J. Oshie at 18:59 on Oct. 20 at DET and Nicklas Backstrom at 19:43 on Feb. 11 vs. DET). Teams that tie a contest in the final two minutes of the third period improved to 34-0-39 overall in 2017-18.

KELLER PUSHES POINT STREAK TO 10 CONTESTS

Coyotes forward Clayton Keller collected an assist to extend his point streak to 10 games (5-9—14), extending the longest such run by a rookie this season. Keller became the fourth rookie in Coyotes/Jets history to register a point streak of at least 10 games; the other three all achieved the feat during the 1992-93 campaign.

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LIGHTNING, BRUINS BATTLE FOR FIRST IN ATLANTIC

The top spot in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference is on the line when the first-place Lightning (51-21-4, 106 points), who have held the division’s No. 1 seed since Oct. 19, visit the second-place Bruins (47-17-11, 105 points) at TD Garden. This marks the third of four meetings between the clubs this season – Boston has won both previous contests (TBL: 0-2-0).

* In their first meeting on Nov. 29, the Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead before hanging on for a 3-2 victory in Boston. On March 17,Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask made 23 saves in a 3-0 triumph to hand the Lightning – who lead the NHL with 273 goals – their only shutout loss of the season. The teams will meet for a final time on April 3 at AMALIE Arena in Tampa Bay.

SHARKS VISIT PREDATORS IN WESTERN CONFERENCE SHOWDOWN

Two of the hottest teams in the NHL go head-to-head when the Sharks (44-23-10, 98 points), who have points in nine straight games (8-0-1), visit the League-leading Predators (49-16-11, 109 points), who are 15-2-2 in their last 19 contests, at Bridgestone Arena.

* The Predators can reach 50 wins in a season for the second time in franchise history (51 in 2006-07), while the Sharks are looking for the eighth 100-point season in club history and first since 2013-14 (51-22-9, 111 points).

the above information was supplied by the NHL PR department