LIGHTNING, BLUE JACKETS TO REVISIT PLAYOFF HISTORY ON NBCSN
After trading off eliminating each other in consecutive postseasons, one of the NHL’s newest rivalries will take center stage when the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning face the Blue Jackets in a nationally televised showdown on NBCSN.

* Tampa Bay and Columbus will face off eight times in the Discover Central Division this season on the heels of nine playoff games since 2019 – they are the only 2020-21 division rivals that have met in each of the last two postseasons.

* The Blue Jackets made history in the First Round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs by sweeping the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning to become the first team in NHL history to sweep a best-of-seven series in the opening round against the team with the best regular-season record. The Lightning avenged that series loss in the First Round a year later, eliminating the Blue Jackets in five games on their path to the Stanley Cup, including the fourth-longest game in NHL history in the series opener which ended with a Brayden Point goal in the fifth overtime period.

* The Lightning, who opened the season with a pair of victories over the Blackhawks, look to become the first defending Stanley Cup champions to start a season 3-0-0 since the Stars in 1999-00 (3-0-0). The longest season-opening win streak by a defending champion is 5-0-0 on two occasions – the Senators in 1920-21 and Oilers in 1985-86.

* ICYMI: The NHL announced that the Lightning-Blue Jackets game on Saturday, Jan. 23 has a new start time of 2:00 p.m. ET (originally scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET).

VANCOUVER EDGES MONTREAL AFTER VISITORS TIE GAME FOUR TIMES
Brock Boeser (2-1—3) pulled his team even at 16:51 of the third period after they surrendered four game-tying goals and Bo Horvat (2-1—3) scored the decisive marker in the shootout as the Canucks quelled the Canadiens to move to 2-3-0. Vancouver and Montreal contest another game tonight at Rogers Arena (9:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, SNP, TSN2, RDS).



TOFFOLI SCORES FIRST THREE GOALS WITH CANADIENS
Tyler Toffoli scored his first three goals in a Montreal uniform to record his first hat trick since the 2020 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series, when he made history as the only player in NHL history with three-plus markers in an outdoor contest. He became the sixth player to score each of his first three goals with the franchise in the same game (team debut or otherwise).

STONE JOINS RARE COMPANY AS VEGAS IMPROVES TO 4-0-0
Mark Stone (1-1—2) scored the game-winning goal at 10:39 of the second period as the Golden Knights defeated the Coyotes to improve to 4-0-0 for the first time since contesting their inaugural season in 2017-18.



WILD, SHARKS AND OILERS EARN WINS
The Wild (3-1-0, 6 points), Sharks (2-2-0, 4 points) and Oilers (2-3-0, 4 points) also earned wins on Wednesday:

* Anaheim tallied twice to erase a 2-0 deficit, but Joel Eriksson Ek (1-1—2) scored the go-ahead goal at 1:53 of the third period as Minnesota improved to 3-1-0 on the season. The Wild earned three-plus wins through their first four games in a season for the eighth time and first since 2016-17 (also 3-1-0).

* Tomas Hertl scored the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout as the Sharks rebounded from a 5-4 loss to the Blues on Monday with a 2-1 win. San Jose earned its first win over St. Louis since Game 3 of the 2019 Conference Finals (regular season and playoffs), snapping a six-game slide.

* Reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl (1-5—6 in 5 GP) scored his first goal of the season and Mikko Koskinen made 25 saves as the Oilers edged the Maple Leafs in the first of their two straight head-to-head games (also Friday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. ET on SNW, TSN4, ESPN+). Koskinen earned his first career win against Toronto – prior to Wednesday, he was 0-3-0 in three appearances versus the Maple Leafs with a 5.05 goals-against average and .836 save percentage.



QUICK CLICKS

* Hurricanes games postponed at least through January 23
* Capitals fined $100,000 for violating COVID protocols
* Sunday’s WSH-PIT game averaged 1.727 million viewers on NBC
* Stars scheduled to play delayed season opener Friday, host Predators
* David Pastrnak could return to Bruins sooner than expected after hip surgery