GOLDEN KNIGHTS CLINCH FIRST PLACE IN PACIFIC DIVISION

William Karlsson (1-1—2) scored the game winner – a highlight-reel between-the-legs goal in the third period – as the Golden Knights (50-22-7, 107 points) clinched first place in the Pacific Division.

* Karlsson scored his 42nd goal of the season to move into a tie for third place in the tightly-contested Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race. Only five players have scored more goals while playing on a team in its inaugural season: Blaine Stoughton in 1979-80 (56 w/ HFD), Wayne Gretzky in 1979-80 (51 w/ EDM), Blair MacDonald in 1979-80 (46 w/ EDM), Mike Rogers in 1979-80 (44 w/ HFD) and Joe Malone in 1917-18 (44 w/ MTL).

* Marc-Andre Fleury (29 saves) earned his 404th career win to pass Grant Fuhr (403) for sole possession of 11th place on the NHL’s all-time list among goaltenders.

* The Golden Knights hosted their final home game of the season and retired the No. 58 to remember the events of Oct. 1 and the 58 victims of the tragedy. Vegas posted a 29-10-2 (60 points) mark at T-Mobile Arena in 2017-18, setting an NHL record for most home wins by a team in its inaugural season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: VEGAS’ ACHIEVEMENT

The following information focuses on Vegas’ achievement as it relates to the broader North American professional sports landscape, compiled with help from the Elias Sports Bureau.

* The Golden Knights became the first modern-era expansion team from any of the four North American professional sports leagues to start from scratch and finish first in its division (excluding mergers and all-expansion divisions).

* Two NHL teams finished atop the division in their first season: the 1926-27 New York Rangers in the American Division and 1967-68 Philadelphia Flyers in the all-expansion West Division.

* Elias notes that in the NBA, the 1949-50 Indianapolis Olympians won the all-expansion Western Division. That same season, the Syracuse Nationals won the Eastern Division after joining from the National Basketball League; the 1976-77 Denver Nuggets followed suit by winning the Midwest Division after joining from the American Basketball Association.

* Finally, the 1950 Cleveland Browns earned the top spot in the American Conference after joining the NFL from the All-American Football Conference.

PENGUINS CLINCH 12TH CONSECUTIVE POSTSEASON APPEARANCE

Five different skaters found the back of the net to help the Penguins (45-28-6, 96 points) clinch a berth in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pittsburgh will make its 12th consecutive postseason appearance, the longest active run in the NHL.

* The Penguins became the fourth different defending Stanley Cup champion in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to clinch a postseason berth after sitting outside the playoff picture at the midseason mark (Jan. 6), joining the Maple Leafs (1945-46 and 1949-50), Devils (1995-96) and Blackhawks (2010-11).

* The Penguins can become just the fourth different franchise in NHL history to capture the Stanley Cup in at least three consecutive seasons, joining the Canadiens (five from 1956-60 and four from 1976-79), Islanders (four from 1980-83) and Maple Leafs (three from 1947-49 and 1962-64).

EICHEL’S FIVE ASSISTS POWER SABRES’ SEVEN-GOAL OUTBURST

Jack Eichel (0-5—5) assisted on five of Buffalo’s season-high seven goals to help the Sabres defeat the League-leading Predators. Buffalo scored at least seven goals in a game for the first time since Jan. 31, 2013 at BOS (7-4 W).

* Eichel became the first Sabres player to record five points in a game since Thomas Vanek on Jan. 31, 2013 at BOS (3-2—5) and first with five assistssince Pat LaFontaine on Feb. 10, 1993 at WIN (1-5—6).

* Furthermore, Eichel (21 years, 154 days) became the youngest Sabres player to record at least five points in a game since Pierre Turgeon (21 years, 139 days) on Jan. 14, 1991 at TOR (2-3—5).

* Sam Reinhart (3-0—3) scored the second hat trick of his NHL career and first since Jan. 10, 2016 at WPG (3-0—3).

HELLEBUYCK JOINS ELITE COMPANY WITH 41ST WIN

Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves and the Jets (48-20-10, 106 points) scored all three goals in the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit and improve to 7-1-0 in their last eight games. Winnipeg, which has four games remaining in 2017-18, is second in the Central Division.

* Hellebuyck (Commerce, Mich.) extended his personal win streak to six games and improved to 41-11-9 overall this season (2.36 GAA, .924 SV%, 6 SO). Only two U.S.-born goaltenders in NHL history have recorded more wins in a season: Tom Barrasso in 1992-93 (43 w/ PIT) and Mike Richter in 1993-94 (42 w/ NYR).

BRUINS RECLAIM FIRST PLACE IN EASTERN CONFERENCE
Jake DeBrusk (2-1—3) and David Krejci (0-3—3) combined for 2-4—6 to help the Bruins (49-17-11, 109 points) extend their point streak to eight games (5-0-3) and reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference. Boston needs one victory to become the first franchise in NHL history to record 10 50-win seasons, three more than the next-closest club (MTL: 7).

DEVILS, HALL EXTEND STREAKS IN PUSH FOR PLAYOFF BERTH

Taylor Hall scored twice to help the Devils (41-28-9, 91 points) extend their point streak to five games (4-0-1). New Jersey occupies the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and moved five points ahead of Florida (39-30-8, 86 points).

* Hall extended his point streak to seven games (5-7—12) and boosted his totals to 26-52—88 overall this season. His 52 assists are the most by aDevils player in a season since Patrik Elias in 2011-12 (52), while his 88 points are the most since Zach Parise in 2008-09 (45-49—94).

SEGUIN REACHES 40-GOAL MARK IN STARS’ WIN

Tyler Seguin (40-36—76) collected 1-1—2 to reach the 40-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career and help the Stars (40-31-8, 88 points) defeat the Wild. Dallas moved within four points of St. Louis (43-29-6, 92 points), which occupies the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

* Seguin became the 11th different player in Stars/North Stars history to reach the 40-goal mark in a season and third since the franchise began play in Dallas.

QUICK CLICKS

· Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge registration now open

· Penguins never took berth in Stanley Cup Playoffs for granted (via Tom Gulitti)

· Alex Ovechkin proud to be playing 1,000th NHL game with Capitals (via Tom Gulitti)

SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY’S ACTION

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