THREE HARD LAPS: QUICK HITS FROM SUNDAY

* Matthew Tkachuk scored his first career hat trick to power the Flames back into top spot in the Western Conference standings.

* Aleksander Barkov’s 30th tally of the season capped another six-goal outburst by the Panthers.

* The Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals edged out the Central Division-leading Jets to extend the League’s longest active win streak to seven contests.

TKACHUK’S FIRST CAREER HAT TRICK IGNITES FLAMES PAST GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Matthew Tkachuk (3-1—4) collected his first career hat trick to help the Flames (42-20-7, 91 points) eclipse the 90-point benchmark and reclaim top spot in the Western Conference standings.

* Tkachuk (21 years, 89 days) required 120 fewer days than his father Keith (21 years, 209 days) to score his first career hat trick. His three-goal outing was the 80th such performance of the season, 11 of which have been scored by players aged 21 or younger.

* The 2018-19 (69 GP) campaign marks the second season in franchise history that the Flames have recorded at least 90 points prior to their 70th game. The other: 1988-89 (60 GP), en route to capturing the Stanley Cup.

* The Flames improved to 3-5-0 in eight all-time games against the Golden Knights (VGK: 5-3-0). Calgary and Vegas have combined for 51 goals over those contests (CGY: 26, VGK: 25), an average of 6.4 per game.

BARKOV SCORES 30TH TALLY IN ANOTHER PANTHERS SIX-GOAL OUTING
Captain Aleksander Barkov (1-1—2) netted his 30th goal of the season as the Panthers (30-27-12, 72 points) scored six goals in a game for the second time in as many contests (also vs. MIN on March 8). Barkov (30-47—77) joined Mike Hoffman (31-30—61) as the second Panthers player to score 30 goals in 2018-19.

* Barkov joined Mikko Rantanen (30-56—86) and Sebastian Aho (30-47—77) as the third Finnish-born player to score 30 goals this season. Only five campaigns in NHL history have concluded with three Finnish-born 30-goal scorers, most recently in 2005-06 when Teemu Selanne (40-50—90 in 80 GP), Olli Jokinen (38-51—89 in 82 GP) and Jere Lehtinen (33-19—52 in 80 GP) combined for the feat.

* Additionally, rookies Dryden Hunt and Josh Brown each found the back of the net in Sunday’s six-goal performance. The duo became just the third set of Panthers teammates to each score their first NHL goals in the same game. The others: Stephen Weiss, Eric Beaudoin (April 3, 2002) and Janis Sprukts, Kamil Kreps (April 6, 2007).

METROPOLITAN CLUBS SECURE HOME VICTORIES AS PLAYOFF PUSH INTENSIFIES

The Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals (41-21-7, 89 points) and third-seeded Penguins (37-23-9, 83 points) each survived tightly-contested games to benefit their respective playoff pushes. Since the beginning of the 2015-16 season, Washington (110) and Pittsburgh (107) rank first and second in home wins, respectively.

* Washington, which owns the League’s longest active win streak (7-0-0 dating to Feb. 24), also posted a seven-game run earlier this season (Nov. 16-30). The Capitals have recorded multiple win streaks of at least seven games in a single season for the second time in franchise history. The other: 7-0-0 from Nov. 30 - Dec. 12, 1992 and Feb. 9-23, 1993.

* John Carlson (0-1—1) recorded his second 50-assist and 60-point campaigns in as many seasons to boost his totals to 10-50—60 in 68 GP. Carlson became only the fourth defenseman in Capitals franchise history to record consecutive 60-point seasons, joining Scott Stevens (3 from 1986-89), Larry Murphy (3 from 1985-88) and Mike Green (2 from 2008-10). Additionally, only four other active blueliners have accomplished the feat.

* Jake Guentzel (1-1—2) netted his team-leading 34th goal and Jared McCann scored twice to help the Penguins halt the Bruins’ 19-game point streak. Pittsburgh, which improved to 5-0-0 in its last five home games against Boston, overtook idle Carolina (37-24-7, 81 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

QUICK CLICKS

* Stanley Cup Playoffs countdown: Lightning chasing history

* Harry Howell, Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman, dies at 86
* Jakub Voracek suspended two games for actions against Islanders

* Jack Eichel suspended two games for actions against Avalanche

SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY’S ACTION

ATLANTIC DIVISION FOES FACE OFF IN TORONTO

Fresh off establishing a single-season franchise record for points, Nikita Kucherov (33-77—110) and the League-leading Lightning (52-13-4, 108 points) travel to Toronto to face off against John Tavares (38-38—76) and the Maple Leafs (42-21-5, 89 points).

* The Lightning look to add another chapter to their historic 2018-19 campaign Monday with their sights set on their 110th point. Only three different teams in NHL history have collected at least 110 points through 70 games: Montreal (67 GP in 1976-77, 69 GP in 1977-78 and 69 GP in 1975-76), Boston (69 GP in 1970-71 and 70 GP in 1971-72) and Detroit (69 GP in 1995-96).

* Tavares netted his 38th goal of the season Saturday in Edmonton to match his career high set during the 2014-15 campaign (38-48—86 in 82 GP w/ NYI). Tavares, who is on pace to record 46 goals, can become just the third player in Maple Leafs franchise history to score 40 goals in his first season with the franchise. The only players to do so: Eddie Olczyk (42 in 1987-88) and Auston Matthews (40 in 2016-17).

* The Maple Leafs, who sit four points behind the Bruins (42-18-9, 93 points) for second in the Atlantic Division, are one point shy of becoming the third Eastern Conference club to reach the 90-point mark. Toronto (68 GP) has recorded 90 points in 70 GP or fewer on only two occasions in franchise history: 1950-51 (68 GP) and 1960-61 (70 GP).

COYOTES LOOK TO CONTINUE UNPRECEDENTED PUSH TO THE POSTSEASON
The Coyotes (34-29-5, 73 points) enter tonight’s contest against the Blackhawks (29-30-9, 67 points) within one point of the Wild (33-28-8, 74 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference - who are also in action Monday.

* With wins in eight of the its last nine contests, Arizona sits tied with St. Louis for the fewest goals allowed (188, including shootout-deciding markers) among Western Conference clubs this season. Only the Islanders (168), Bruins (173) and Lightning (181) have allowed fewer goals against this season.

* Thirty-four year-old Brad Richardson has netted a team-best 16 tallies through 52 GP in 2018-19 and is on pace to score 20 goals. While participating in a full season schedule, a team who possessed a goal scorer with fewer than 20 markers has never qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The lowest such total by a team who clinched a postseason berth was also the Coyotes, who captured the sixth seed in the Western Conference in 2011 after Shane Doan collected 20-40—60 in 72 GP.

DRAISAITL AIMS TO EXTEND POINT STREAK

Leon Draisaitl (41-45—86) puts the NHL’s longest active point streak on the line when the Oilers matchup against the Rangers at Rogers Place. Draisaitl, who has collected a point in each of his last 13 contests, can become the second Oilers player in three seasons to record a 14-game point streak. The other: Connor McDavid in 2016-17 (7-18—25 in 14 GP).

the information above was supplied by the NHL PR department