THREE HARD LAPS: QUICK HITS FROM WEDNESDAY

* The Blues staged a multi-goal, third-period comeback to salvage a point and gain ground in the Central Division standings.

* Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews each found the score sheet to establish career highs in points and goals, respectively.

* The Senators and Ducks each benefited from strong performances by their rookies to secure victories Wednesday.

BLUES SALVAGE POINT TO MOVE WITHIN ONE OF DIVISION LEAD. . .
Tyler Bozak tied the game with 38.9 seconds remaining in regulation to help the Blues (43-28-9, 95 points) overcome a multi-goal, third-period deficit and salvage a point in the tightly-contested Central Division standings.

* The Blues sit just one point shy of the Jets (46-30-4, 96 points) and Predators (45-29-6, 96 points), who sit first and second in the Central Division, respectively. Nashville trails Winnipeg for the division crown due to ROW differential (WPG: 44; NSH: 41).

* Winnipeg concludes its season with contests against Colorado (April 4) and Arizona (April 6), while Nashville faces off against Vancouver (April 4) and Chicago (April 6). Meanwhile, St. Louis plays Philadelphia (April 4) and Vancouver (April 6) to finish up its 2018-19 regular-season campaign.

DID YOU KNOW?
Bozak netted the NHL’s 37th game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation this season - and first by the Blues. The last campaign to conclude with more such tallies was 2013-14 (46), which matched the highest single-season total in NHL history (also 2005-06).

. . . WHILE FRANCHISE DUO ESTABLISH CAREER HIGHS IN CHICAGO

Patrick Kane (1-1—2) and Jonathan Toews (1-0—1) each found the score sheet in a Blackhawks victory, en route to establishing career highs in points and goals, respectively.

* Kane boosted his season totals to 42-65—107 to surpass his previous career high set in 2015-16 (46-60—106), when he captured the Art Ross Trophy. Chicago's leading scorer also became the fourth different player in franchise history to record more than 106 points in a season and first since Jeremy Roenick in 1993-94 (46-61—107 in 84 GP).

* Meanwhile, Toews - who tallied the shootout-deciding marker - scored his 35th goal of the season in regulation to establish a career high, eclipsing his previous mark set in 2008-09 (34-35—69).

* The Blackhawks captain (35-44—79) moved within one point of his first 80-point season. The last campaign to feature two Blackhawks players each collect at least 80 points was 1990-91, when Steve Larmer (44-57—101) and Roenick (41-53—94) combined for the feat.

* Kane, Toews and Alex DeBrincat (41-33—74) have combined for 118 of Chicago’s 262 goals this season (excluding shootout-deciding markers). Only the Oilers’ trio of Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (116 of 224, 51.79%) have recorded a higher percentage of their team’s goals than the Blackhawks’ trio (45.03%).

ROOKIE DUOS PROPEL SENATORS, DUCKS TO VICTORY

Senators rookies Brady Tkachuk (1-1—2) and Colin White (0-2—2) each posted multi-point outings and Ducks rookies Sam Steel and Max Jones each scored to propel their respective clubs to victory.

* White (14-27—41) joined Tkachuk (22-23—45) as the second Senators rookie to reach the 40-point mark this season. The 2018-19 campaign is the third season in franchise history in which multiple rookies have recorded 40 or more points. The others: 1993-94 (Alexei Yashin andAlexandre Daigle) and 2014-15 (Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman).

* Senators rookies boosted their combined totals to 90-60—150 in 2018-19, 70 more than the next closest clubs (Vancouver: 32-48—80 and Buffalo: 26-54—80). Their 150 points this season matched the highest combined total among rookie skaters in franchise history.

* Steel and Jones are two of eight different rookies to tally their first career goal with the Ducks this season. The 2018-19 campaign is the first in franchise history to feature eight different rookies score their first career goal in the same season, one more than the previous benchmark set in 1997-98.

QUICK CLICKS

* Alex Ovechkin in pursuit of Wayne Gretzky for NHL career goals record
* Miro Heiskanen quietly becomes force for playoff-bound Stars

* Coyotes GM John Chayka joins NHL Executive Suite podcast

* 5 things to watch for at NHL Central Scouting final meeting

* Kyle Okposo, Sabres welcome youth hockey player subjected to racial slurs

* Ted Lindsay honored with resolution passed by U.S. Senate

SNEAK PEEK AT THURSDAY’S ACTION

PENGUINS, HURRICANES AND AVALANCHE AIM TO CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH
With three days remaining in the regular-season schedule and 12 of a possible 16 postseason berths already clinched, the Penguins (43-26-11, 97 points), Hurricanes (44-29-7, 95 points) and Avalanche (37-29-14, 88 points) all head into Thursday’s 12-game slate with an opportunity to join the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* The Penguins currently hold the third seed in the Metropolitan Division and sit two points behind the second-place Islanders (46-27-7, 99 points), who have already punched their postseason ticket. Pittsburgh aims to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 13th consecutive season, which would extend the NHL’s longest active streak.

* Sidney Crosby (33-62—95) sits five points shy of his sixth career 100-point season as he leads the Penguins into the second game of a home-and-home series against Tyler Bertuzzi (21-26—47) and the Red Wings, who boast the League’s longest active win streak (6-0-0 dating to March 23). Meanwhile, Bertuzzi has collected three points in each of his last four contests and can record the 10th instance in NHL history of a player collecting at least five consecutive three-point outings, and first since Jari Kurri in 1992-93 (8-15—23 in 6 GP w/ LAK).

* The Hurricanes hold a one-point advantage over the Blue Jackets (45-31-4, 94 points) for the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference. Montreal (43-29-8, 94 points), also in action Thursday, trail Columbus for the second Wild Card spot due to ROW differential (CBJ: 44; MTL: 41).

* Carolina, which is looking to qualify for postseason play for the first time since 2008-09, would enter the playoffs with a roster that owns the second-fewest combined postseason games (363 GP), trailing only Calgary (287 GP).

* With one playoff spot remaining in the Western Conference, the Avalanche aim to lock up a postseason berth for a second consecutive season. Colorado enters Thursday’s game with a four-point advantage over the Coyotes (38-34-8, 84 points), who are also in action against the Golden Knights (43-30-7, 93 points).

* Colorado looks to compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so in 10 straight campaigns from 1994-2004, a span which saw the franchise capture two Stanley Cup championships (1996 and 2001).