EARLY-SEASON AVALANCHE STANDOUTS SPARK MULTI-GOAL COMEBACK …

The Avalanche trio of Mikko Rantanen (1-3—4), Nathan MacKinnon (1-2—3) and Gabriel Landeskog (1-2—3) combined for three goals and 10 points to lead the club back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 and spoil the homecoming of former teammate Matt Duchene (2-0—2).

* With his team trailing 3-1, Rantanen (5-15—20 in 11 GP) scored the first of five consecutive Avalanche goals to move in the sole possession of the NHL’s points lead, overtaking Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (10-6—16 in 10 GP).

* Only one of the previous 11 campaigns witnessed a player record their 20th point in fewer team games than Rantanen. Steven Stamkos (3-17—20) reached the mark while skating in the Lightning’s 10th contest in 2017-18.

* Rantanen also leads the NHL with 15 assists, tied for the third-most by an Avalanche/Nordiques player in the month of October, behind Peter Stastny (21 in 1983-84) and Joe Sakic (16 in 1996-97).

* MacKinnon (9-9—18) and Landeskog (9-6—15) both scored their ninth goals of the season in the third period. They trail just Matthews (10) and Bruins forward David Pastrnak (10) for the League lead in that category.

* The Avalanche close their October schedule tonight in Minnesota. Stastny (13 in 1982-83) and Owen Nolan (13 in 1991-92) hold the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise record for most goals in the month of October. Three different players have recorded at least 23 points in October for the club, including Michel Goulet (10-14—24) and Stastny (3-21—24), who set the franchise record with 24 points apiece in October 1983.

… AHO KEEPS PACE AS HURRICANES STAGE SIMILAR RALLY
Sebastian Aho (4-11—15 in 10 GP) collected an assist on Teuvo Teravainen’s tying goal in the third period to extend his season-opening point streak to 10 contests, spurring the Hurricanes to a second straight win and into first place in the Metropolitan Division at 6-3-1.

* Aho became the second player in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to record at least one point in each of the team’s first 10 team games to begin a season, one shy of Ron Francis’ franchise mark set in 1984-85 (6-8—14 in 11 GP).

* The Rauma, Finland native also established a League record for the longest season-opening point streak by a Finnish-born player, surpassing Mikko Rantanen, who began 2018-19 with at least a point in his first nine contests.

* There are only five instances of a Hurricanes/Whalers player recording more than 15 points in October, with three of those occurring in 2007-08, all in 13 games: Rod Brind’Amour (6-12—18), Eric Staal (9-7—16) and Justin Williams (5-11—16). Staal set the franchise record with 22 points in October 2005 (9-13—22 in 11 GP).

* There have been 18 contests this season won by a team that trailed by multiple goals, including at least one on each of the past seven days. There were 112 such instances in the entire 2017-18 season.

STAMKOS, KUCHEROV CONTINUE TO LEAD CLUB ON THE SCORE SHEET
Three different players scored to power the Lightning to a 7-1-1 record, equaling their best nine-game start to a season in franchise history (also 7-1-1 in 2017-18 and 2003-04). The club sits one victory shy of matching the franchise mark for wins through 10 contests, also established in 2017-18 (8-1-1).

* Captain Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov each garnered an assist on Tampa Bay’s second goal of the contest and have now collected 70-130—200 dating back to the start of 2017-18. They are one of seven pairs of teammates to combine for at least 200 points in that span. Avalancheforwards Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen pace all players in that span with (82-137—219).

* Kucherov has posted 3-6—9 in nine contests this season and is one of 67 skaters to average at least one point per game through 147 contests in 2018-19 (min. 5 GP), the most through 147 GP since the 1993-94 campaign (78). Only seven other seasons in NHL history saw more players averaging at least one point per game under the same conditions.

BYFUGLIEN NETS GAME-WINNING GOAL TO REACH 500-POINT MILESTONE

Dustin Byfuglien broke a third period tie with his second goal of the season to reach the 500-point milestone and help the Jets improve to 4-1-1 in their last six contests. Byfuglien leads all active defensemen with 36 career game-winning goals.

* An eighth-round selection (245th overall) in the 2003 NHL Draft, Byfuglien (175-325—500) became the third-latest draft pick to accumulate 500 points. The only players drafted later than Byfuglien to record at least 500 career points are Tomas Holmstrom (10th round, 257th overall in 1994) and Kimmo Timonen (10th round, 250th overall in 1993).

* Overall, Byfuglien became the 14th player in NHL history to hit 500 points after being drafted in the eighth round or later; in addition to Timonen and Byfuglien, only two other defensemen have achieved the feat - Gary Suter and Tomas Kaberle.

QUICK CLICKS

* Noel Acciari wears purple suit in honor of late college teammate (via Amalie Benjamin)

* Aleksander Barkov has 'legendary' chicken wings, saunas on must-do list for Finland

* Bruins (via Amalie Benjamin)

SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY’S ACTION

JETS CLASH WITH MAPLE LEAFS AHEAD OF GLOBAL SERIES

After six former first-round picks found the back of the net in their first contest of the season Wednesday, the Jets and Maple Leafs face off again Saturday as Patrik Laine and Winnipeg play their last game before heading to Helsinki, Finland for the 2018 NHL Global Series.

* Laine, the second overall pick in 2016 behind Toronto’s Auston Matthews, became the second Finnish-born player in League history to be selected among the top two picks in the NHL Draft following Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (No. 2 in 2013), his opponent in the Global Series. Barkov and Laine rank third and fourth, respectively, in goals among active Finnish players.

* Matthews has tallied 10 goals in 10 games this season. The only player in franchise history with more goals in the month of October in a single season is Rick Vaive (14 in 12 GP - 1983-84).

BRUINS LOOK TO CONTINUE HOT START AT TD GARDEN

The Bruins and Canadiens, who have met more times than any two teams in NHL history, will write the next chapter of their storied rivalry when they meet at TD Garden. Boston enters the contest having won each of its first four home games this season. The club has opened a season with five consecutive home wins on two occasions (5-0-0 in 1984-84 and 1990-91).

* A total of 27 players have scored a goal for both sides in the Canadiens-Bruins rivalry during the regular season. Of those players, Ray Getliffe(18), Mark Recchi (15) and Michael Ryder (13) have tallied the most goals with Montreal against Boston, while Herb Cain (22), Sergei Samsonov(13) and Jean-Guy Gendron (11) highlight the highest such scorers with Boston against Montreal.

PANTHERS PREP FOR FINLAND IN 1 OF 2 NHL EUROPEAN GAMES OF THE WEEK

Two games are part of the NHL European Games of the Week today, including a matchup between one club who is soon headed overseas, and one that began the season there.

* After helping to stage a multi-goal, third-period comeback Wednesday, Aleksander Barkov (2-6—8) and the Panthers visit Nico Hischier (3-3—6) and the Devils for their final tuneup before the 2018 NHL Global Series. Barkov, the eighth Finnish-born captain in league history (second active: Mikko Koivu w/ MIN), has registered points in four of his last five games, highlighted by two multi-point games.

* Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (1-7—8) enters Saturday’s contest against the Flyers as the Islanders points leader this season and with 23-70—93 in his first 92 NHL games. Only two players in Islanders franchise history have registered their 100th NHL point prior to skating in their 100th career game: Mike Bossy (57-43—100 in 79 GP) and Bryan Trottier (34-66—100 in 93 GP).

NHL MOURNS LOSS OF FORMER LEAGUE PRESIDENT JOHN ZIEGLER

The NHL family joined to mourn the passing of John A. Ziegler Jr., the League’s fourth president, who died Thursday at age 84.

"The NHL family was saddened to learn of the passing of former League President John Ziegler,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “From 1977 until 1992, as just the fourth President in NHL history, John oversaw the growth of the League from 18 to 24 teams, including the 1979 addition of four teams from the WHA. He was instrumental in the NHL's transition to becoming a more international League - during his tenure, the share of European-born players in the NHL grew from two to 11 percent, players from the former Soviet Union first entered the League and games between NHL and European Clubs became a nearly annual tradition.

"On a personal note, John provided invaluable counsel during my early days as Commissioner and was always generous with his time. His life of service to our game was recognized in 1984 with the awarding of the Lester Patrick Trophy and in 1987 with induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. On behalf of the NHL's Board of Governors, we extend our deepest sympathies to his entire family and many friends."

Reflecting on the life of a Hockey Hall of Famer

the information above was supplied by the NHL PR department