* Monahan became the ninth different player in Flames franchise history to collect at least five assists in a game and first since Dion Phaneuf(Dec. 13, 2007 at TBL). It marks the ninth time a player has recorded five points in a game this season - Vancouver’s Elias Petterssonaccounts for two of those instances. The previous Flames player to record five points in a game was Olli Jokinen on March 14, 2009 (3-2—5).
* Gaudreau has now recorded 21-34—55 in 40 games this season. It marks the seventh time in franchise history a player has recorded 55 points through the team’s first 40 games of a season and the first since Gary Roberts in 1992-93 (26-29—55 in 40 GP).
POINT SCORES IN OT, LIGHTNING FINISH MONTH WITHOUT REGULATION LOSS
Brayden Point (1-1—2) scored 35 seconds into overtime as the League-leading Lightning (31-7-2, 62 points) extended their point streak to 15 games (14-0-1) and concluded a full calendar month without a regulation loss for the second time in franchise history (Oct. 2003: 6-0-1). Tampa Bay became the seventh club in the last ten years (min. 8 GP) to accomplish the feat and first since Columbus went 14-0-0 in December 2016.
* Teammates Nikita Kucherov (1-1—2) and Steven Stamkos have combined for 24-27—51 in December and became the first set of teammates to combine for at least 50 points in a full calendar month since four pairs of teammates - three of which were different combinations of Penguins players - did so in March 2001 led by Pittsburgh’s duo of Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux, who combined for 27-32—59.
* Kucherov, who collected an assist on Point’s game-winning goal, boosted his December totals to 9-21—30 to become the 10th different player in the last 30 years to collect at least 30 points in a calendar month and first since Jagr in March 2001 (15-16—31).
* Among goaltender to make their NHL debut with the club, Andrei Vasilevskiy (175 GP) required the fewest appearances in Lightningfranchise history to record 100 career NHL wins. Only three other active netminders reached 100 wins in fewer appearances: Jimmy Howard(171 GP), Frederik Andersen (171 GP) and Antti Niemi (174 GP).
CROSBY, KESSEL POST MULTI-POINT OUTINGS AS PENGUINS WIN SIXTH STRAIGHT
Sidney Crosby (1-1—2) and Phil Kessel (1-2—3) each extended their multi-point streaks to four and three games, respectively, as the Penguins (21-12-6, 48 points) extended the NHL’s longest active win streak (tied w/ TBL) to six contests.
* Crosby, who skated in his 900th career game, joined Mario Lemieux (915 GP) as just the second player in Penguins franchise history to skate in at least 900 contests with the club. Crosby’s 1,164 points (429-735—1,164) ranks 12th in NHL history among players at the time of their 900th game, while his 735 helpers ranks eighth.
* Kessel has collected at least three points in three consecutive team games for the first time in his NHL career. Kessel joins Mark Scheifele(Dec. 13 – 16, 2018) as the second player to accomplish the feat this season and became the second Penguins player to do so in the calendar year (Evgeni Malkin from Jan. 25 – Feb 2, 2018).
BLACKWOOD BLANKS CANUCKS FOR SECOND STRAIGHT SHUTOUT
Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside all 25 shots he faced to record his second straight shutout (also Dec. 29 vs. CAR) and help the Devilsextend their win streak to three games. Blackwood, who made his League debut on Dec. 18 and was named the NHL’s ‘Third Star’ for the week ending Dec. 30, improved to 3-1-0 through six appearances (1.25 GAA, .963 SV%, 2 SO).
* Blackwood (22 years, 22 days) became the youngest goaltender in Devils/Rockies/Scouts franchise history to record shutouts in consecutive regular-season appearances, eclipsing the previous mark set by Martin Brodeur (22 years, 338 days) from April 5-9, 1995. The youngest goaltender in NHL history to record shutouts in consecutive regular-season appearances is Tom Barrasso (19 years, 272 days) from Dec. 26-28, 1984 (w/ BUF).
* Blackwood became the second goaltender in franchise history to record multiple shutouts through his first six career regular-season appearances, joining Scott Clemmensen (2; 2001-02 to 2003-04).
OTHER NOTABLES FROM NEW YEAR’S EVE ACTION
* The Central Division-leading Jets (25-12-2 in 39 GP) required the fewest games in franchise history to reach 25 wins in a season, besting the previous mark of 43 games set last season.
* Jordan Martinook scored six seconds into the second period to establish a Hurricanes/Whalers franchise record for the fastest goal to begin any period, besting the previous mark set by Ron Francis on Feb. 12, 1984 (0:08). According to Records.NHL.com, the fastest such goal is four seconds, set by Claude Provost (w/ MTL) on Nov. 9, 1957 and matched by Denis Savard (w/ CHI) on Jan. 12, 1986 and James van Riemsdyk (w/ TOR) on March 28, 2014.
* Dylan Larkin (22 years, 154 days) found the score sheet to extend his point streak to 14 contests dating to Dec. 4 (8-9—17). Steve Yzerman(22 GP from Nov. 25 – Jan. 10, 1988) is the only other player in Red Wings franchise history to post a longer such run prior to his 23rd birthday. Florida’s Mike Hoffman (10-10—20 in 17 GP) is the only NHL player to record a longer point streak in 2018-19.
* Barry Trotz earned his 783rd career win behind an NHL bench to move ahead of Islanders legend Al Arbour (782) into sole possession of fourth place for most regular-season wins by a head coach. He now trails only Scotty Bowman (1,244), Joel Quenneville (890) and Ken Hitchcock (832).
* Pierre-Luc Dubois (2-2—4) became the second player in Blue Jackets franchise history to record a four-point outing before his 21st birthday. The other: Nikolai Zherdev (19 years, 137 days on March 21, 2004).
SNEAK PEEK AT TUESDAY’S ACTION
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