FIRST-ROUND PICKS LEAD MAPLE LEAFS IN ALL-CANADIAN SHOWDOWN

In the first of two meetings this week between the top two picks from the 2016 NHL Draft, it was a group of six other first-rounders that did the scoring Wednesday in Winnipeg, a contest broadcast nationally in both the U.S. and Canada. Toronto forwards Kasperi Kapanen (2014), Tyler Ennis (2008), Nazem Kadri (2009) and John Tavares (2009) each found the back of the net to help the Maple Leafs improve to 5-0-0 on the road this season and halt the Jets’ home point streak at 15 games (14-0-1 dating to March 2).

* Wednesday’s contest also saw goals from Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers (2014) and Mark Scheifele (2011). It marked the seventh game this season to feature at least six different first-round picks each with a goal. The highest such combination in NHL history is 10 different first-rounders scoring a goal, a mark set in a game that also involved the Jets - a 9-8 showdown with the Flyers on Oct. 27, 2011.

* Kapanen opened the scoring and now has 5-4—9 in 10 contests this season to match his point total from 2017-18 (7-2—9 in 38 GP). Among players selected in the 2014 NHL Draft, only David Pastrnak (10-5–15) has more points this season.

* Overall, 23 players selected in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft have played at least one game in 2018-19, tied for the highest representation of any first-round cohort (2013 and 2015 also with 23).

* Toronto has won each of its first five road games of a season for just the third time in franchise history (7-0-0 in 1940-41 and 5-0-0 in 1993-94). The last team to start 6-0-0 on the road was Colorado in 2013-14. Buffalo holds the NHL record for most consecutive road wins to begin a season.

BARKOV, HOFFMAN LEAD PANTHERS’ MULTI-GOAL COMEBACK WIN

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov notched an assist on the tying goal before setting up Mike Hoffman’s overtime winner as Florida completed a multi-goal, third-period comeback against the Islanders. Hoffman has a goal in three straight outings and 4-2—6 during his six-game point streak.

* Wednesday marked the third straight day that a team mounted a multi-goal, third period comeback en route to victory (also WPG vs. STL on Oct. 22 and SJS at NSH on Oct. 23). The 2017-18 campaign featured 44 such contests.

* The Panthers have come back from a multi-goal deficit in the third period 17 times in franchise history, including Wednesday. One of those instances saw Florida win after trailing by three goals in the third period: Feb. 10, 2009 vs. TOR.

ROAD CLUBS EDGE OUT ONE-GOAL VICTORIES
The Lightning and Canucks each skated in tightly-contested matchups to secure victories on the road. Nearly one-third of games this season have been decided by a one-goal margin (30.8%, 41 of 133).

* Nikita Kucherov scored the only goal of the contest and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside all 22 shots he faced as the Lightning shut out the Avalanche and halted Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen’s season-opening point streaks at nine contests. Kucherov, who extended his own point streak to six games (3-5—8), trails only Carolina’s Sebastian Aho (4-10—14 in 9 GP) for the NHL’s longest active stretch.

* Bo Horvat scored twice in regulation and Markus Granlund netted the only goal of the shootout to lift the Canucks to their second win in three contests. Horvat recorded his first multi-goal game of the season and fourth of his career. Horvat tallied his fifth goal in his past six games, with seven overall this season (7-2—9).

QUICK CLICKS

* Brian Boyle of Devils says cancer is in remission (by Mike G. Morreale)

* Islanders honor Charles Wang during pre-game ceremony
* Mark Borowiecki suspended one game for elbowing

*Maple Leafs to help celebrate 'The Hockey Song' at ceremony Saturday

SNEAK PEEK AT THURSDAY’S ACTION

McDAVID, OILERS SET TO FACE OFF AGAINST ANOTHER NHL STAR
After collecting 1-1—2 in a back-and-forth overtime thriller against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in his last outing, Oilers forward Connor McDavid is set to host another NHL star Thursday, as Alex Ovechkin and the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals visit Rogers Place.

* Edmonton is the second club to skate in back-to-back games against the previous two Stanley Cup champions this season. Vegas visited both Washington and Pittsburgh earlier this month, on Oct. 10 and 11, respectively.

* Tonight’s contest marks the sixth time that McDavid, the two-time reigning Art Ross Trophy winner, and Ovechkin, holder of seven Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies, will square off. The two players boast identical stat lines against each other, but Ovechkin’s Capitals own a 4-1-0 record in the five all-time matchups (EDM: 1-3-1).

BRUINS DUO LOOK TO JOIN ELITE FRANCHISE COMPANY

Two of the League’s top scorers this season, Patrice Bergeron (7-9—16) and David Pastrnak (10-5—15) take to the ice Thursday in Boston when the Bruins host the Flyers at TD Garden. Bergeron and Pastrnak each collected at least three points in a 4-1 victory Tuesday in Ottawa.

* Only 10 different players in Bruins history have recorded 17 or more points in the team’s first 10 games of a season. Adam Oates was the last to achieve the feat for the franchise, doing so in back-to-back seasons during the 1990s (1992-93: 4-16—20 and 1993-94: 5-13—18). Teammates Joe Juneau (5-12—17) and Dimitri Kvartalnov (10-7—17) also hit the mark in 1992-93.

* Bruins legends Bobby Orr (1974-75, 1973-74, 1971-72, 1969-70) and Phil Esposito (1974-75, 1973-74, 1971-72, 1970-71) each accomplished the feat on four separate occasions, highlighted by Esposito’s franchise-record 24 points through 10 team games to start the 1973-74 campaign (en route to leading the League in scoring with 68-77—145 in 78 GP).

RYAN SUTER EYES 1,000TH NHL GAME

Two games after reaching the 500-point milestone, Wild defenseman Ryan Suter enters Thursday’s contest against the Kings with his sights set on his 1,000th career NHL game.

* A first-round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft (seventh overall), Suter began his career with the Predators (38-200—238 in 542 GP) before signing with the Wild as a free agent on July 4, 2012. Suter is set to become the 325th player (322nd skater), 109th defenseman and 16th active NHL player (15th skater) to hit the milestone. Overall, 18 players are on pace to skate in their 1,000th game in 2018-19, including two who have already done so (TomasPlekanec and Duncan Keith).

* The Wild remain undefeated in regulation at Xcel Energy Center in 2018-19 (3-0-2). The club owns a 30-6-10 record in 46 regular-season gamesdating to the start of 2017-18, with only two regulation losses in the building since Christmas (20-2-8 since Dec. 27, 2017).

Thanks to the PR department of the NHL for the above information.