THREE HARD LAPS: QUICK HITS FROM FRIDAY

* After Johnny Gaudreau recorded 3-3—6 in Calgary’s previous outing on Tuesday, Matthew Tkachuk factored on all five Flames goals on Friday to help the team leapfrog the Sharks into first place in the Western Conference and Pacific Division standings.

* Sergei Bobrovsky posted a 46-save shutout to help the Blue Jackets move two points ahead of the Canadiens in the race for the final Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference.

* The Maple Leafs rallied from a three-goal deficit to win for the second time this season and moved within two points of the Bruins for second place in the Atlantic Division, where the two Original Six rivals are jockeying for home-ice advantage.

TKACHUK’S FIVE-POINT OUTING PROPELS FLAMES BACK TO FIRST IN WEST

Matthew Tkachuk (2-3—5) recorded his first career five-point performance as the Flames (44-20-7, 95 points) leapfrogged the Sharks (43-20-8, 94 points) to reclaim first place in the Western Conference and Pacific Division standings. Since March 1, Calgary and San Jose have traded standings positions four times.

* Tkachuk is the third Flames player this season to record five or more points in a game and second in as many contests (Johnny Gaudreau: 3-3—6 on March 12 vs. NJD and Sean Monahan: 0-5—5 on Dec. 31 vs. SJS). The last time the Flames saw three or more five-point performances in one season was 2008-09, when Jarome Iginla (2x), Michael Cammalleri and Olli Jokinen all did so.

* Additionally, it marks the third time in franchise history that the Flames have seen a different player record five or more points in consecutive games. The others: Guy Chouinard and Kent Nilsson (Feb. 25 and 27, 1982) and Joe Mullen, Sergei Makarov and Gary Suter (Feb. 22 and 25, 1990).

* Since 1995-96, there have been only five instances of a team witnessing five-point outings in back-to-back contests.

* The Flames have now scored 20 goals over their last three contests dating to March 10 (6-3 W at VGK, 9-4 W vs. NJD and 5-1 W vs. NYR), their highest total over a three-game span since the 1992-93 season (21 G in 3 GP from Feb. 10-13, 1993).

BOBROVSKY BACKSTOPS BLUE JACKETS TO SHUTOUT WIN

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 46 shots he faced – including 22 in the second period – to backstop the Blue Jackets (40-28-3, 83 points) to their 40th win of the season and two points ahead of the Canadiens (37-27-7, 81 points) for the final Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference.

* The Blue Jackets reached the 40-win mark for the sixth time in franchise history and fifth time in the last six campaigns. It marked the second-fewest games (71 GP) in franchise history to reach the 40-win plateau, behind only the 2016-17 season (62 GP) en route to the best season in franchise history (50-24-8, 108 points).

* Bobrovsky’s 46-save performance was the highest total in a shutout of his career. Only one goaltender in 2018-19 has made more saves in a shutout win: Dallas’ Anton Khudobin (49 SV on Dec. 27 at NSH).

* Since joining Columbus in 2012-13, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner has earned 30 blank sheets to rank fourth among goaltenders over that span behind Marc-Andre Fleury (34), Tuukka Rask (33) and Braden Holtby (32).

MAPLE LEAFS OVERCOME THREE-GOAL DEFICIT TO WIN ST. PATRICK’S SHOWDOWN

While wearing the green and white St. Patricks uniforms the franchise donned from 1919-20 to 1926-27, the Maple Leafs (43-23-5, 91 points) rallied from a three-goal deficit – including a pair of third period markers from Auston Matthews – to defeat the Flyers in regulation and move within two points of the idle Bruins (42-20-9, 93 points) for second place in the Atlantic Division standings.

* The Maple Leafs overcame a three-goal deficit to win for the second time in 2018-19 (also Feb. 23 vs. MTL). There have been 17 instances this season of a team rallying from a three-goal deficit to win, with the Devils (3x), Lightning (2x) and Flames (2x) also accomplishing the feat on multiple occasions.

* The 17 instances of a team overcoming a three-goal deficit to win is the highest total through games played on March 15 in seven seasons (19 in 2011-12).

QUICK CLICKS

* MUST SEE: Elias Pettersson highlight reel shootout goal

* Five storylines heading into Hockey Night in Canada

* The NHL, NHLPA and Enterprise renew partnerships through the 2022-23 NHL season

* Marc-Andre Fleury makes 40 saves as Golden Knights defeat Stars

* NHL Draft: Jack Hughes and Cole Caufield set USA Hockey NTDP records

SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY’S ACTION

LIGHTNING CHASE FRANCHISE RECORD IN CLASH OF DIVISION LEADERS
The League-leading Lightning (54-13-4, 112 points) set their sights on their 55th win when they welcome Alex Ovechkin (46-33—79) and the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals (42-22-7, 91 points) to Amalie Arena. After establishing franchise records for wins and points in a season in 2017-18 (54-23-5, 113 points), the Lightning have the opportunity to eclipse both marks Saturday.

* Tampa Bay looks to record the 12th instance in NHL history that a team has recorded 55 or more wins in a season and just the fourth in the last 22 years (WSH: 55 in 2016-17 and 56 in 2015-16; DET: 58 in 2005-06). Additionally, with 11 games remaining this season the Lightning sit eight victories back of matching the 1995-96 Red Wings (62) for the highest single-season wins total in NHL history.

* With 11 games remaining, Ovechkin is aiming to become the third player in NHL history to record 50 goals in a season at least eight times (Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy each w/ nine). A seven time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner, Ovechkin, 33, can become the fifth player in NHL history to lead the League in goals at age 33 or older joining Gordie Howe (1962-63), Maurice Richard (1954-55), Nels Stewart (1936-37) and Bill Cook (1932-33).

KUEMPER, COYOTES CONTINUE PUSH FOR POSTSEASON

The Coyotes (36-30-5, 77 points) look to build on their hold of the final Wild Card position in the Western Conference when they host the Oilers (31-32-7, 69 points). Arizona, who has gone 10-2-0 in its last 12 games, is aiming to return to the postseason for the first time since a trip to the Conference Finals in 2011-12.

* Darcy Kuemper leads all NHL goaltenders with 19 wins in the 2019 calendar year (19-5-3 in 27 GP), including 13 since the start of February (13-5-1 in 19 GP) - tied with Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy (13-1-2 in 16 GP) for the most in that span.

* The 28-year-old Saskatoon native has started each of Arizona’s past 12 games dating to Feb. 19, the first Coyotes goaltender to do so since Mike Smith made 12 straight starts from Dec. 6-29, 2016. Smith also was the last goaltender to start at least 13 consecutive games for the team, starting 15 straight from Feb. 1 - March 4, 2013.

* In his seventh NHL campaign, Kuemper has set career highs in games played (45), starts (45) and wins (24), while his three shutouts are one shy of matching a personal best set last season (4 with LAK and ARI).

KANE EYES 100TH POINT IN ORIGINAL SIX SHOWDOWN
Patrick Kane (41-58—99 in 69 GP) visits the Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday within one point of his second 100-point campaign after also reaching the benchmark in his Art Ross Trophy-winning season of 2015-16 (46-60—106 in 82 GP). He can join Denis Savard (5x) and Jeremy Roenick (3x) as just the third player in Blackhawks franchise history to register multiple 100-point seasons.

* Only six active players have multiple 100-point seasons: Sidney Crosby (5x), Alex Ovechkin (4x), Joe Thornton (3x), Evgeni Malkin (3x),Connor McDavid (3x) and Nikita Kucherov (2x).

* Kane could also join Kucherov (35-80—115) and McDavid (34-66—100) as the third player to reach the century mark this season, with both those players hitting the mark within 70 games played.

* The last season with at least three players reaching 100 points in 70 or fewer games played was 1995-96, when Mario Lemieux (44 GP), Jaromir Jagr (52 GP), Ron Francis (66 GP), Peter Forsberg (68 GP) and Joe Sakic (70 GP) all did so.

DON’T MISS:NHL Network Ice Time “Minnesota Natives” edition airs Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. ET including an on-ice demo with Nick Bjugstad (PIT), an animated Anders Lee (NYI) and an interview with Ryan McDonagh (TBL).

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.