PERRON NETS ANOTHER OT GOAL AS BLUES PUSH WIN STREAK TO SEVEN GAMES
David Perron (1-1—2) scored his League-leading fourth overtime goal of the season to help the Western Conference-leading Blues (25-8-6, 56 points) extend the NHL's longest active win streak to seven games.

* Perron (16-23—39) became the first player in Blues history to score four overtime goals in a single season, doing so in his 39th game. The 31-year-old forward joined Chicago's Jonathan Toews (39 GP in 2015-16) as just the second player in NHL history to register four overtime tallies prior to his team’s 40th game of the season.

* After also posting a seven-game win streak earlier this season (Oct. 27 – Nov. 9), the 2019-20 campaign marks the third in franchise history in which St. Louis has posted multiple such runs of at least seven contests. The others: 2014-15 (7 GP: Oct. 25 – Nov. 6, 2014 and 7 GP: Jan. 17 – Feb. 5, 2015) and 2000-01 (7 GP: Oct, 19 – Nov. 2, 2000 and 8 GP: Nov. 24 – Dec. 15, 2000).



ENJOYING THE HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS
Scoring picked up where it left off entering the NHL’s holiday break on Dec. 24. After seven clubs each scored at least five goals on Dec. 23, seven clubs also accomplished the feat Friday:

* John Tavares (1-2—3) collected three points for the second time in as many games (also 1-2—3 on Dec. 23) and William Nylander (1-2—3) netted the overtime winner as the Maple Leafs earned their sixth straight win - scoring at least four in each contest. Tavares collected at least three points in consecutive games for the seventh time in his career.

* Artemi Panarin (1-2—3) and Mika Zibanejad (2-1—3) also recorded three-point outings as the Rangers (18-15-4, 40 points) collected their second win in three contests. Panarin (21-27—48), who sits two points shy of becoming the NHL’s seventh 50-point producer in 2019-20, is on pace to notch 47-60—107 – the highest single-season total by a Rangers player since Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06 (54-69—123).

* Five different players scored and Tristan Jarry turned aside 30 shots as the Penguins (22-11-4, 48 points) earned their eighth win in 10 contests. Jarry (8-0-0 vs. the Western Conference dating to Nov. 25) joined Tom Barrasso (8-0-0 from Nov. 14, 1990 to Jan. 17, 1991) as the second goaltender in Penguins history to register a win streak of at least eight games against the opposing conference in a single season.

* After the Avalanche overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits, the Wild (19-15-5, 43 points) scored three unanswered third-period goals to collect their third win in four contests. Minnesota has scored a League-best 47 goals since Dec. 1 – led by Eric Staal (7-6—13 in 13 GP), who also found the back of the net Friday.

* Twenty-two-year-old Alex DeBrincat scored one of five Chicago goals and Robin Lehner made 38 saves to backstop the Blackhawks to victory in his first game against his former club. Lehner captured the William M. Jennings Trophy with the Islanders in 2018-19 after he and Thomas Greiss combined to allow a League-low 196 goals with New York.

* Andrew Mangiapane (1-2—3) collected his first career three-point outing and scored the first of five Flames goals 11 seconds into the contest as Calgary (20-15-5, 45 points) earned its 20th win. The 23-year-old forward became the fifth player in franchise history to score in the opening 11 seconds of a regular-season game. Mel Bridgman holds the franchise record (0:07 on Oct. 14, 1982 vs. DET).

BERGERON JOINS RARE FRANCHISE COMPANY WITH ANOTHER TWO-GOAL OUTING
Patrice Bergeron scored two goals for the third straight game and Jaroslav Halak (26 saves) earned his third shutout of the season as the Bruins (23-7-9, 55 points) extended their point streak to six games (3-0-3).

* Phil Esposito (4 GP in 1973-74) is the only player in franchise history to extend his run beyond three contests.

LOOSE PUCKS

* Alex Ovechkin collected an assist on T.J. Oshie’s overtime goal as the League-leading Capitals (27-7-5, 59 points) halted the Blue Jackets’ five-game win streak. Ovechkin registered his 36th career regular-season overtime point (23-13—36) and trails only Patrik Elias (16-21—37) for the most in NHL history.

* Avalanche rookie defenseman Cale Makar collected an assist in his first game since Dec. 7 to boost his 2019-20 totals to 8-21—29. The 21-year-old joined rare company with 29 points through his first 30 career regular-season contests.

* The Ducks (16-18-4, 36 points) scored three goals in a span of 97 seconds to build a lead they would not relinquish. Only two occasions in franchise history have witnessed the club score three goals in a faster span: 51 seconds on Dec. 23, 2001 (4-0 W at PHX) and 96 seconds on Nov. 27, 2010 (6-4 W at PHX).

* Jeff Carter extended his franchise lead with his 11th overtime goal as the Kings became the 29th different team to stage a multi-goal comeback win in 2019-20. The Senators and Golden Knights are the only clubs yet to accomplish the feat this season.

QUICK CLICKS

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* Top storylines that shaped hockey in 2019
* Maple Leafs trio join Justin Bieber's pickup game
* Sergei Zubov hired by Stars as senior consultant

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