2020 NHL ALL STARS HELP BLUES SURVIVE BACK-AND-FORTH AFFAIR
In a back-and-forth affair that featured both teams each hold a lead on two occasions, 2020 NHL All Stars David Perron (1-1—2) and Ryan O’Reilly (0-1—1) both scored in the shootout to help the Western Conference-leading Blues (31-12-8, 70 points) become the third team to reach the 70-point mark this season.

* St. Louis opened up an eight-point cushion on Colorado (28-15-6, 62 points) in the Central Division standings. Only three seasons in franchise history have witnessed the Blues reach the 70-point mark in fewer games than 2019-20 (51 GP): 2000-01 (48 GP), 2013-14 (48 GP) and 2014-15 (50 GP).

* The Blues, who have overcome a deficit in two of their last three victories, secured their 16th comeback win of 2019-20 and trail only the Capitals (17) for the most among all teams this season. St. Louis’s highest-such total in a single season is 24 (1999-00).



MONAHAN, GAUDREAU AND FLAMES SALVAGE CRUCIAL POINT IN PLAYOFF PUSH
Sean Monahan (2-0—2) scored twice with help from teammate Johnny Gaudreau (0-2—2) as the Flames (26-19-6, 58 points) secured a point Tuesday to move past the Oilers (26-18-5, 57 points) for second in the Pacific Division.

* Monahan (188-213—401), with his ninth multi-point game of the season, became the 18th player in Flames franchise history to reach the 400-point mark. The 25-year-old, selected sixth overall by Calgary in the 2013 NHL Draft, joined Nathan MacKinnon (185-289—474 in 505 GP) as just the second player from his draft class to reach the milestone.

* Since their NHL debuts in 2013-14, the duo of Monahan and Gaudreau are one of just six teammates to combine on at least 200 goals.



* Calgary travels to Edmonton Wednesday for the first game of a crucial home-and-home set with its provincial rivals. The Flames, who captured each of the first two meetings this season, rallied to a 4-3 victory in their previous showdown with the Oilers and have outscored the latter 9-4 in 2019-20.

PAGEAU CONTINUES CAREER PACE AS SENATORS DOWN SABRES
After Jean-Gabriel Pageau opened the scoring and the Sabres erased two separated one-goal deficits, three Ottawa defensemen each found the back of the net in the third period to help the Senators (18-23-9, 45 points) improve to 2-0-1 in their last three contests.



* Pageau (20-12—32 in 48 GP) scored his 20th goal of the season to establish a single-season career high, besting his 2015-16 total (19-24—43 in 82 GP). He is the third player to register his first 20-goal season at age 27 years or older in 2019-20. The others: 30-year-old Alex Killorn (20-19—39 in 47 GP w/ TBL) and 27-year-old Bryan Rust (21-22—43 in 36 GP w/ PIT).

* Additionally, only three other players in Senators history have recorded their first career 20-goal season at an older age than Pageau (27 years, 78 days): Peter Schaefer (20 in 2005-06; 28 years, 280 days), Zack Smith (25 in 2015-16; 28 years, five days) and Magnus Arvedson (21 in 1998-99; 27 years, 144 days).

* Senators defensemen Mike Reilly, Mark Borowiecki and Nikita Zaitsev each tallied in the third period to secure Ottawa’s win over Buffalo. Tuesday marked the third time in franchise history that three different defensemen each scored in a single period, joining Feb 7, 2008 (vs. FLA) and Oct. 22, 2009 (vs. NSH).

QUICK CLICKS

* Rasmus Sandin stepping up to help Maple Leafs make playoff push
* Sabres looking to improve scoring depth before Trade Deadline, GM says
* Facts and Figures: Patrick Marleau joins elite company with Sharks
* Jacob Markstrom talks becoming Canucks starter on new NHL @TheRink podcast
* Vitek Vanecek, Matt Moulson bond over success at AHL All-Star Classic

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION



OVECHKIN SET TO RESUME CHASE FOR 700 GOALS
Alex Ovechkin, who has scored multiple goals in each of his last three outings (including a hat trick in his last two), is set to resume his chase to become the eighth member of the 700-goal club when the Capitals host the Predators.

* Ovechkin (692-569—1,261 in 1,133 GP) enters Wednesday tied with Steve Yzerman for ninth place on the NHL’s all-time regular-season goals list and sits eight tallies shy of the rare 700-goal milestone – only Mark Messier (694) stands between Ovechkin and goal No. 700 on the all-time list.



* Ovechkin, who has scored multiple goals in three consecutive games played for the first time in his NHL career, can become the first player in League history to record a hat trick in three straight appearances. He can also become the first player to score multiple goals in four or more consecutive appearances within a regular season since Patrick Marleau in 2012-13 (4 GP from Jan. 20-26, 2013).

MATTHEWS CONTINUES SEARCH OF SECOND 40-GOAL SEASON
Auston Matthews (35-23—58 in 50 GP), who sits two goals shy of the League lead as he pursues his second career 40-goal season, guides the Maple Leafs (26-17-7, 59 points) into Dallas to take on the Stars (28-17-4, 60 points).

* After hitting the mark as a rookie in 2016-17 (40-29—69 in 82 GP), Matthews looks to become the fifth player in Maple Leafs franchise history to register multiple 40-goal seasons with the franchise: Darryl Sittler (4), Lanny McDonald (3), Rick Vaive (3) and Mats Sundin (2).

* Toronto has netted at least four goals (excluding shootout-deciding goals) in each of its last seven road games, bolstering its League-best average to 3.76 goals-per-game as visitors this season. The only other times the club has scored at least four goals in seven straight road games was from Oct. 27-Nov. 18, 1981 (7 GP) and Oct. 5-Nov. 2, 1983 (7 GP) – neither of those streaks extended to eight games.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.