HART SHINES AGAIN IN FLYERS VICTORY . . .

Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, who won his League debut on Tuesday, made 31 saves to improve to 2-0-0 through the first two appearances of his NHL career (1.50 GAA, .944 SV%).

* At 20 years, 129 days, Hart became the 23rd goaltender in League history to win each of his first two career starts before age 21 and first since Mackenzie Skapski in 2014-15 (w/ NYR). Of the 22 other goaltenders, only six were younger than Hart at the time of their second win.

* Hart became the eighth goaltender in franchise history to win each of his first two career starts and first since Anthony Stolarz in 2016-17. Only three Flyers goaltenders have won at least each of their first three NHL starts, with Bob Froese (8-0-0 in 1982-83) holding the longest such streak in Philadelphia history. The others: Antero Niittymaki (5-0-0 from 2003-04 to 2005-06) and Ron Hextall (4-0-0 in 1986-87).

* Hart (Sherwood Park, Alta.) backstopped Canada to a gold medal at the 2018 World Junior Championship and is the only netminder to win Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Year honors multiple times (2015-16 and 2017-18).

. . . AS FLEURY, PRICE CLIMB ALL-TIME WINS LISTS

In Vegas, Marc-Andre Fleury (19 saves) became the first goaltender to win 20 contests in 2018-19 while also surpassing Tony Esposito into sole possession of ninth place on the NHL’s all-time wins list. In Arizona, Carey Price (36 saves) became the second goaltender in Canadiens franchise history to record 300 career victories.

* Fleury became the first netminder to reach the 20-win mark for just the second time in his 15-season career - he also did so in 2013-14 en route to a 39-win campaign (his third-highest single season total). Only one other active goaltender has been the first to 20 wins on multiple occasions: Jimmy Howard (2010-11 and 2011-12).

* Playing in his 587th career game, Price joined Jacques Plante (314) as just the second goaltender in Canadiens franchise history to win at least 300 games. Plante required the fewest games in NHL history to reach 300 wins with one franchise (521 GP), followed on that list by Andy Moog (543 GP w/ DAL) and Fleury (547 GP w/ PIT). Price became the seventh active netminder to record at least 300 career wins.

LIGHTNING EDGE FLAMES IN BATTLE OF TOP CLUBS

The first meeting of the season between two of the highest scoring teams in the League featured a combined nine goals, including the shootout-winner by J.T. Miller, as Tampa Bay emerged victorious in Calgary to extend its point streak to 11 games dating to Nov. 29 (10-0-1). The League-leading Lightning (27-7-2, 56 points) are the only club without a regulation loss in December.

* Tampa Bay matched Colorado (9-0-2 in 11 GP from Nov. 11 - Dec. 2) for the longest point streak in the NHL this season. There were four team point streaks longer than 11 games in 2017-18, with Boston (14-0-4 in 18 GP from Dec. 16, 2017 - Jan. 25, 2018) posting the longest such run.

* This marks the fourth time in franchise history that the Lightning have recorded a point streak of at least 11 games. The others came in 2003-04 (14-0-4 in 18 GP), 2002-03 (7-0-6 in 13 GP) and 2013-14 (7-0-4 in 11 GP).

* Playing in his 700th NHL game, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored for the 11th time in as many games dating to Nov. 29 (11-5—16). Stamkos netted his 366th regular-season goal to surpass Martin St. Louis (365 in 972 GP) into sole possession of second place on the all-time franchise goals lists behind Vincent Lecavalier (383 in 1037 GP).

* Nikita Kucherov (0-2—2) extended his point streak to seven games, his third such run of the season. He ranks sixth in the NHL with 29-67—96 inthe 2018 calendar year, recording at least one point in 56 of 78 games played - including a point in 28 of 36 contests in 2018-19 (15-37—52).

* Did You Know? Three players have hit the 100-point mark already in 2018: Connor McDavid (46-66—112 in 77 GP), Mikko Rantanen (33-76—109 in 78 GP) and Nathan MacKinnon (44-62—106 in 71 GP). The last calendar year to feature four or more players each with at least 100 regular-season points was 2010, when six skaters did so.

LIGHTNING, GOLDEN KNIGHTS ADD TO MULTI-GOAL COMEBACK COUNT

The Lightning overcame a 3-1 deficit in their win (a contest that featured three tying goals), while the Golden Knights turned a 2-0 disadvantage into a 4-2 victory, their sixth straight at home.

* There have been 74 multi-goal comeback wins in 2018-19, one shy of the most through 541 games in a season in NHL history (75 in 1985-86).

* Overall, 243 of the 541 games contested thus far have been comeback victories (45%), also one shy of the most at this stage of any NHL season (244 in 2005-06).

MATTHEWS, RIELLY POST FOUR-POINT OUTINGS, LEAD MAPLE LEAFS IN HOME WIN

One night after appearing in ‘The Nutcracker’ for the National Ballet of Canada with teammate Mitchell Marner (1-2—3), Auston Matthews (2-2—4) joined Morgan Rielly (0-4—4) in posting four points as the Maple Leafs extended their home point streak to eight contests (7-0-1).

* Since entering the League in 2016-17, Matthews’ 18 multi-goal games trail only Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (19) for the most in the NHL. Matthews (19-14—33 in 21 GP) became the 59th player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to score 19 or more goals in his first 21 personal games of a season and first since Ovechkin in 2013-14 (19).

* Matthews, who collected his third career four-point game and second this season (also Oct. 7 at CHI), joined Wendel Clark (21 in 1993-94) as the only Maple Leafs players in the modern era to score 19 or more goals in his first 21 personal games of a season. Three Toronto players did so before 1943-44: Babe Dye (4x), Corb Denneny (3x) and Reg Noble (2x).

* Rielly matched a career high with four assists (also Oct. 9 at DAL) to become the first defenseman to reach the 40-point mark this season, doing so in his 35th game. Only two defensemen in franchise history required fewer games to hit the benchmark: Bryan McCabe (32 GP in 2005-06) and Borje Salming (34 GP in 1976-77).

* Rielly (11-29—40), who sits 12 points shy of matching his career high (2017-18: 6-46—52 in 76 GP), became the eighth different defenseman in the last 30 years to post multiple outings with at least four assists in a single season.

ATKINSON BECOMES 12TH 20-GOAL SCORER IN 2018-19

Cam Atkinson converted his first career penalty shot attempt to reach the 20-goal mark this season as the Blue Jackets improved to 3-0-1 in their last four contests. Atkinson - who became eighth different player in Columbus franchise history to score a penalty-shot goal - reached the 20-goal plateau for the sixth time in his career, trailing only Rick Nash (8) for the most such campaigns in franchise history.

* Atkinson became the 12th 20-goal scorer so far in 2018-19, a list topped by Alex Ovechkin who sits one goal shy of his 14th consecutive 30-goal season entering Friday’s contest against the Sabres. Ovechkin, 33, paces a group of 20-goal scorers that features 10 players under the age of 30, including five players age 25 or younger.

* The 2018-19 campaign marks the ninth season in NHL history – and first since 1992-93 (tied for the most at 17) – in which 12 or more players scored at least 20 goals through games of Dec. 20.

QUICK CLICKS

* John Isner, tennis star, joins 'NHL Fantasy on Ice' podcast
* Alex Ovechkin sets his sights on another 30-goal season (bottom of Dec. 19 Morning Skate)

* Alex Ovechkin has realistic chance to catch Wayne Gretzky, statistics show

* NHL First Timer: Paul Bissonnette with Bear Degidio & Paige Hathaway

* Seattle NHL expansion team is payoff for leader of grassroots effort

SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION