THREE No. 1 PICKS POT OVERTIME GOALS TO COMBINE FOR NHL-FIRST
Saturday marked the first time in NHL history that three No. 1 picks each scored an overtime goal on the same day, with Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid all doing so within a span of approximately 12 minutes.

* In a back-and-forth affair that featured three-game tying goals, Crosby notched the 18th regular-season overtime goal of his NHL career to overtake Ilya Kovalchuk (17) for sole possession of third place on the NHL’s all-time list.

* Around the same time as Crosby was climbing the all-time overtime goals list, Ovechkin (1-1—2) was extending his lead atop it with his 24th such tally. Ovechkin’s goal, which came after the Bruins erased a 3-0 deficit, placed him ahead of Brett Hull and Teemu Selanne into fourth place in NHL history for career game-winning goals (111) and moved him into a tie with Mike Gartner for seventh place on the total regular-season goal list (708).

* McDavid had 2-1—3, which included scoring a highlight-reel, end-to-end goal in the second period, for his fourth consecutive multi-point game and 57th career three-point performance during the regular season (third of 2020-21) as Edmonton snapped Toronto’s win streak at four contests. He leads the League with 7-10—17 this season (10 GP), matching his highest point total through the team’s first 10 games of a season (5-12—17 in 2019-20 and 8-9—17 in 2018-19).



HEPONIEMI NETS OT GOAL IN NHL DEBUT AS PANTHERS EXTEND STREAKS
After exchanging leads in the first period, Aleksi Heponiemi tallied the overtime winner in his first career NHL game to help Florida improve to 8-0-1 in its last nine games against Detroit dating to Dec. 22, 2018 – the Panthers' longest active point streak against any opponent. They also improved to 4-0-1 this season, their second longest season-opening point streak behind a 12-game run in 1996-97 (8-0-4).

* Heponiemi became the fourth player in NHL history – and second this season – to score an overtime goal in his League debut, joining Kirill Kaprizov (Jan. 14, 2021 w/ MIN), Tim Sweeney (Oct. 4, 1990 w/ CGY) and Nick Knott (Nov. 2, 1941 w/ BRK).

* The 22-year-old native of Tampere, Finland was selected 40th overall by the Panthers in the 2017 NHL Draft after claiming WHL Rookie of the Year honors with the Swift Current Broncos. The next season, he led the WHL in assists during both the regular season and playoffs en route to helping the Broncos claim the WHL championship. He also won gold at the 2019 World Junior Championship where he shared the tournament lead in scoring with Denisenko Grigori, another Panthers prospect.



ST. LOUIS SCORES THREE GOALS IN OPENING 2:06
The Blues set franchise records for fastest two goals and fastest three goals from the start of a game, building a 3-0 lead in the opening 2:06 to win the first half of a back-to-back set with the Ducks.

* Jordan Kyrou (2-1—3), who leads the team in both goals and points this season (5-5—10 in 8 GP), scored the first and third tallies of the game by the 2:06 mark, the second-fastest two goals from the start of a game by a St. Louis player (0:59 by Dave Christian on Oct. 24, 1991).

* St. Louis shattered the previous franchise record for fastest three goals from the start of a game – besting the old mark by 100 seconds (226 seconds on Jan. 10, 1980) – to post the fifth-fastest such time in League history.

PLAYER STREAKS EXTEND, TEAM STREAKS END

* Mikko Rantanen became the first player in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history to score a goal in each of the team’s first five road games of a season. Colorado plays in Minnesota again today (8 p.m. ET on NHLN, FS-WI, FS-N, ALT), meaning Rantanen can become the first NHL player to extend that run to six games since Eric Lindros did so with Philadelphia in 1995-96 (6 GP).

* Auston Matthews scored in his fifth straight game, marking the third time in his career that he has notched a goal in at least five consecutive games played (6 GP in 2018-19, 5 GP in 2016-17). Matthews, who missed Toronto’s game on Jan. 22 versus Edmonton, also has points in at least seven straight contests (6-3—9) for the fifth time in his career (10 GP in 2017-18, 9 GP and 8 GP in 2016-17 and 7 GP in 2018-19).

* Johnny Gaudreau scored one of two unanswered Flames goals to extend his season-opening point streak to seven games (5-4—9) and help Calgary hand Montreal its first regulation loss of the season. Only five players in franchise history have recorded a longer such run.



* Steven Stamkos scored the last of four straight Lightning goals as the team claimed its first regulation win against the Predators since Dec. 19, 2013, ending what was the fourth-longest active point streak by one team against a single opponent (13 GP; NSH: 10-0-3, TBL: 3-7-3).

* Brock Boeser scored twice to take sole possession of the League lead with eight goals this season (8-3—11 in 11 GP) as the Canucks earned their first win against the Jets since Dec. 20, 2016, snapping a 10-game slide (0-10-0).

* Vincent Trocheck (2-1—3) scored twice in a span of 2:50 soon after James Reimer replaced Petr Mrazek and the Hurricanes limited the Stars to 11 shots on goal en route to snapping Dallas’ season-opening win streak at four games.

QUICK CLICKS

* Scott Laughton lifts Flyers to OT win against Islanders
* Alex Ovechkin ties Mike Gartner for seventh in NHL history with 708 goals
* Mississippi-born Mathieu Olivier scores first NHL goal
* Vitek Vanecek makes save after sliding through crease from behind net
* Taylor Hall, Sabres use shootout to hand Devils third straight loss

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION
All four East Division matchups went to overtime Saturday, including wins by the Sabres and Flyers who each face their opponent in a rematch today. Overall, six of eight games on today’s slate are the second of a back-to-back set.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.