NHL Short Notes

THREE HARD LAPS

* The Rangers posted the NHL’s fifth four-goal comeback of 2019-20 and second in three days. The five four-goal comeback wins are tied for the most in a single season in League history (also 5 in 1983-84 and 1985-86).

* Eight of Saturday's 14 games featured a comeback win, including three multi-goal comeback victories. The NHL’s 51 multi-goal comeback wins in 2019-20 are tied with 2018-19 – ‘The Year of the Comeback’ – for the most through the first 361 games of any campaign in League history.

* The Stars and Predators, who are set to square off in the 2020 Bridgestone Winter Classic, each skated to victories against Central Division rivals Saturday.

RANGERS REGISTER NHL’S FIFTH FOUR-GOAL COMEBACK WIN OF 2019-20 . . .
In a season that continues to prove no lead is safe, the Rangers benefited from six multi-point performers to register the NHL’s fifth four-goal comeback win of the season and second in three nights (also FLA on Nov. 21 vs. ANA).

* The NHL’s five four-goal comeback wins in 2019-20 are tied for the most in a single season in League history (also 5 in 1983-84 and 1985-86).

* The 2019-20 campaign marks the fifth time in NHL history that two teams recorded four-goal comeback wins in a three-day span. The others: Hartford and Buffalo (Jan. 19-21, 1989), Toronto and Los Angeles (Dec. 26-28, 1985), Pittsburgh and Edmonton (Jan. 19-21, 1985) as well as Detroit and Boston (Feb. 22-23, 1972).

* The five such victories through the first 361 games of the season equal the NHL’s total amount over the previous 10 regular seasons combined. The others dating to 2009-10: Anaheim (Dec. 2, 2018 and March 31, 2014), Winnipeg (Oct. 19, 2016), Minnesota (Jan. 9, 2010) and Chicago (Oct. 12, 2009).

. . . WHILE BRUINS RALLY LATE TO TAME WILD . . .
David Krecji (2-0—2) scored twice in the final two minutes of regulation to set the stage for Torey Krug (1-2—3) in overtime as the Bruins rallied to push their season-opening home point streak to 13 games (9-0-4).

* The Bruins, whose season-opening run at TD Garden stands as the second longest stretch in franchise history, became the 29th team in NHL history to overcome a multi-goal deficit in the last two minutes of a game and win in any fashion. Boston, which accomplished the feat for the second time in franchise history, are the second team in as many seasons to do so (also Calgary on Dec. 12, 2018 vs. PHI).

* Krug’s third career overtime goal moved him into a tie with Lionel Hitchman for the second most by a Bruins defenseman in franchise history. Ray Bourque paces the list with five regular-season overtime goals.

* Tuukka Rask (32 saves) recorded his 11th win on the season and improved to 7-0-2 on home ice. He is the first Bruins goaltender to record a season-opening home point streak of nine or more games since Gerry Cheevers (10-0-1 from Nov. 9 - Dec. 23, 1978).

. . . AND HAMILTON HELPS HURRICANES ERASE MULTI-GOAL DEFICIT
After the Panthers opened up a 2-0 first-period lead, the Hurricanes scored four unanswered goals - including one each from Dougie Hamilton (1-1—2) and Andrei Svechnikov (1-1—2) - to earn their fifth win in six contests.

* Hamilton, who found the score sheet for the seventh time in eight contests (4-5—9 in 8 GP), boosted his season totals to 10-15—25 and became the first defenseman to score 10 goals in 2019-20. Mark Howe (1979-80 w/ HFD) is the only other blueliner in Hurricanes / Whalers history to be the first defenseman to 10 goals in any season.

* Hamilton (23 GP), who registered his second 10-goal season with Carolina, required the fewest games by a defenseman in Hurricanes / Whalers history to score his 10th goal of the season, besting Justin Faulk's previous low of 28 GP in 2015-16.

* Svechnikov collected an assist on Hamilton’s game-winning goal to extend his point streak to seven games (5-6—11), marking the longest such run by a teenager in Hurricanes team history. Arizona’s Clayton Keller (3x) and Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine (2x) each strung together point streaks of at least seven games in 2017-18 as 19-year-olds.

2020 WINTER CLASSIC FOES COLLECT WINS IN CENTRAL DIVISION AFFAIRS

The Stars (14-8-2, 30 points) and Predators (10-9-3, 23 points) each skated to victories against Central Division foes Saturday, with the clubs set to square off at the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2020 at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

* Roope Hintz returned to the lineup and scored his 10th goal of the season, while Joe Pavelski netted the decisive marker in the shootout as the Stars extended their point streak to 11 contests and the League’s longest active win streak to six games. The Stars became the third team to post a point streak of 11 or more games this season, joining the Islanders (17 GP) and Capitals (13 GP).

* Filip Forsberg opened the scoring 20 seconds into the game as the Predators snapped a four-game slide against the Blues. Forsberg became the fifth player in Predators history to score in the opening 20 seconds of a regular-season game and first since Ryan Ellis in 2015-16.

* The two clubs are set to square off for the first of four regular-season meetings on December 14th in Nashville before clashing on New Year's Day.

CANADIAN CLUBS ALSO RALLY ON SATURDAY’S 14-GAME SLATE
The Maple Leafs (11-10-4, 26 points), Jets (14-9-1, 29 points), Canucks (12-8-4, 28 points) and Flames (11-12-3, 25 points) each rallied to collect two points Saturday.

* After his former teammate Nathan MacKinnon scored 31 seconds into the contest, Tyson Barrie (1-1—2) scored one of four straight Toronto goals to help Sheldon Keefe and the Maple Leafs capture their second win in as many games. Keefe became the fourth head coach in franchise history to win each of his first two games behind the bench (NHL debut or otherwise). The others: Pat Quinn (3-0-0 in 1998-99), George O’Donoghue (2-0-0 in 1921-22) and Dan Maloney (2-0-0 in 1984-85).

* Captain Blake Wheeler collected 1-1—2 as the Jets erased two separate deficits and secured their fourth win in five contests. Wheeler became the second player in Jets / Thrashers history to collect 600 points with the franchise (198-402—600 in 663 GP), joining Ilya Kovalchuk (328-287—615 in 594 GP).

* Elias Pettersson scored Vancouver’s only goal in regulation and captain Bo Horvat tallied the shootout winner as the Canucks snapped a four-game winless streak against the Capitals. Vancouver has scored each of its last seven goals (excluding shootout-deciding goals) on either the power play or penalty kill, matching the longest run of special-team tallies in franchise history. The others: Dec. 2-9, 2006, Dec. 21-23, 2005 and Nov. 10-12, 1992.

* Elias Lindholm scored Calgary’s League-leading seventh game-tying goal in the final five minutes of regulation and Matthew Tkachuk tallied the only marker in the shootout as the Flames halted a six-game winless stretch. Calgary improved to 4-0-2 in contests they have tied the game in the final five minutes of regulation.

STREAKING PLAYERS CONTINUE TO STRUT THEIR STUFF IN VICTORIES

* Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored twice to boost his 2019-20 totals to 18-28—46 and extend his point streak to 10 contests (12-11—23). Since entering the League in 2015-16, McDavid (3x) is one of six players to register three or more point streaks of 10 or more games. The others: David Pastrnak (4x), Nikita Kucherov (4x), Leon Draisaitl (3x), Sidney Crosby (3x) and Patrick Kane (3x).

* Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman tallied two assists to extend his point streak to seven games (2-9—11), tied for the longest such run by a defenseman in franchise history - a mark he already shares (also March 9-21, 2019) with Matt Carle (Jan. 1-13, 2014) and Dan Boyle (2x 2005-06 and 2002-03).

* Sharks captain Logan Couture scored in overtime to extend his point streak to six contests (3-7—10), including 14 points in his last eight games (4-10—14). After tallying the overtime goal in San Jose’s last outing on Nov. 21 at Vegas, the 30-year-old forward became the first player in franchise history to score the overtime goal in consecutive team games.