GOLDEN KNIGHTS SCORE EARLY AND OFTEN TO DETHRONE KINGS
Max Pacioretty (0-3—3) and Mark Stone (1-1—2) were two of five Golden Knights players with multiple points as Vegas improved to 6-1-1 in 2020-21. The Golden Knights scored five or more goals in a game for the 20th time since the start of 2019-20 (including shootout-deciding goals), trailing only the Canucks (26), Capitals (23) and Panthers (22) for the most over that span.

* Pacioretty, who recorded a hat trick on Jan. 26 (3-0—3 vs. STL), became just the second Golden Knights player to record consecutive three-point games, joining Jonathan Marchessault (3 GP in 2017-18). Additionally, Pacioretty is the NHL’s third player in the last five years to collect at least three assists in a contest immediately following a hat trick (also Connor McDavid: Nov. 14-16, 2019 & and Vladimir Tarasnko: Feb. 10-12, 2019).

* Stone, who leads Vegas in points with 3-10—13 in eight contests, required the fewest games by a Golden Knights player to record his 10th assist of a season, besting Pacioretty’s previous mark set in 2019-20 (2-10—12 in 14 GP).



PANTHERS BOUNCE BACK TO EDGE PREDATORS
After the two clubs competed in a one-goal affair Thursday, captain Aleksander Barkov (1-1--2) factored on both goals to help the Panthers bounce back to win Friday’s one-goal game and extend their season-opening point streak to eight games (6-0-2). Florida is the only remaining team without a regulation loss in 2020-21.

* The Panthers joined the Capitals (6-0-3) as the second team to post a season-opening point streak of eight-plus games this season. The pair of clubs joined rare company in NHL history in the process.



* Friday marked the seventh consecutive contest in which Florida competed in a one-goal game. Their current streak is one outing shy of the longest such run in franchise history, trailing Oct. 13 – Nov. 4, 2014 (8 GP) and Jan. 25 – Feb. 13, 2011 (8 GP).

VASILEVSKIY BACKSTOPS LIGHTNING TO ANOTHER WIN VS. RED WINGS
Barclay Goodrow (2-0—2) scored two of three Lightning goals and Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 27 shots as Tampa Bay matched its longest season-opening home win streak in franchise history (also 6-0-0 in 2017-18).

* Vasilevskiy improved to 10-0-0 versus the Red Wings dating to Dec. 20, 2016 and tied Ben Bishop (10-0-0 vs. NJD since March 15, 2014) for the NHL’s second-longest active win streak against one opponent. While they both trail Tuukka Rask’s active stretch (12-0-0 vs. ARI since Dec. 28, 2011), Antero Niittymaki (17-0-0 vs. ATL: Feb. 5, 2004 to March 6, 2010) holds the longest such run in NHL history.

* Tampa Bay also improved to 16-0-0 at home against Detroit dating to Dec. 12, 2013 and moved into a tie with Philadelphia (16-0-0 vs. CHI) for the League’s longest active home win streak versus a single opponent. Below is where the Lightning’s run ranks all-time.



BRUINS, SHARKS OVERCOME THIRD-PERIOD DEFICITIS TO WIN
The Bruins (8-1-2, 18 points) and Sharks (4-5-0, 8 points) erased 1-0 and 3-1 deficits in the third period, respectively, en route to collecting two points Friday.

* Brad Marchand (1-0—1) scored the first of two Bruins goals in a span of 27 seconds to extend his point streak to eight games, tied with Oilers forwards Connor McDavid (5-14—19 in 8 GP) and Leon Draisaitl (7-10—17 in 8 GP) for the longest active streak in 2020-21. The trio trail Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau (6-5—11 in 9 GP) for the longest this season.

* Boston’s third straight comeback win benefited from its 18th and 19th third-period goals, tied with Vancouver for the most among all teams this season. Additionally, Friday marked the Bruins’ fourth third-period comeback win in 2020-21 - also the most by any club this year.

* Patrick Marleau skated in his 1,732nd career regular-season game and continued his climb up the NHL‘s all-time list. He surpassed Hockey Hall of Fame member Ron Francis (1,731 GP) for fourth place and sits one game shy of tying Jaromir Jagr for third.

Photo via @SanJoseSharks

QUICK CLICKS

* Pierre-Luc Dubois preparing for Jets debut Tuesday after trade by Blue Jackets
* Justin Williams hired by Hurricanes as special adviser to GM
* Marc-Andre Fleury fan ignores doorbell, misses Golden Knights goalie's delivery
* Lightning root for friends on Buccaneers to win Super Bowl LV vs. Chiefs
* Chris Kreider pranks Ryan Strome during presser, moves table, makes ghost noises

SATURDAY GETS EARLY START AS STÜTZLE PUTS GOAL STREAK ON THE LINE
Saturday’s schedule begins with an early matinee in the Scotia North Division as Senators rookie Tim Stützle puts his three-game goal streak on the line against the Canadiens. Stützle, who had three points in Thursday’s victory against Montreal, can become the first teenager since 2018-19 to record a goal streak of at least four games – Montreal’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi (4 GP from Feb. 2-7, 2019) and NY Rangers’ Filip Chytil (5 GP from Nov. 12-21, 2018).



FLAMES, OILERS SET TO REIGNITE RIVALRY WITH FIRST BATTLE OF ALBERTA
The Flames will host the Oilers in the first of 10 'Battle of Alberta' showdowns set for the 2020-21 regular season. The 10 head-to-head meetings scheduled for this season will mark the first time that the two teams will have faced off 10 or more times in the same campaign since 1990-91, when they met 15 times including Edmonton’s seven-game triumph in the Division Semifinals that ended with a Game 7 overtime goal from Esa Tikkanen.

* Calgary, who is returning home after three straight games in Winnipeg, held the edge in the rivalry in 2019-20 by winning three of four spirited matchups (CGY: 3-1-0; EDM: 1-2-1). Elias Lindholm recorded 5-1—6 in 4 games against the Oilers last season – the most goals of any player against the Oilers in 2019-20.

* The Oilers duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who sit first and second in the League scoring race, both enter the contest riding eight-game point streaks.



OTHER THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SATURDAY
A trio of players with notable performances of late are also set to take to the ice Saturday:

* Coyotes forward Christian Dvorak leads the team with 6-5—11 in 10 games this season, including 5-1—6 over an active streak of three straight multi-point games. Since 2001-02, only four Coyotes have had multiple points in four or more consecutive team games (all 4 GP): Clayton Keller and Derek Stepan in 2017-18; Shane Doan in 2010-11; and Radim Vrbata in 2007-08.



* Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews has a goal in six consecutive games played, including an official five-game goal streak (DNP Jan. 22). The last time a Toronto player scored in seven straight games played within a regular season was 1993-94 when both Wendel Clark (7 GP from Nov. 15-27, 1993) and Dave Andreychuk (7 GP from Jan. 6-18, 1994) did so.

* After recording three assists last Saturday, Pierre-Olivier Joseph is expected to take the ice with the Penguins tonight when they visit the Islanders. Joseph is the only rookie in the NHL to record three assists in a game this season and one of five different first-year Penguins to do so since 2005-06. Sidney Crosby recorded the last of his four such performances as a rookie against the Islanders on April 17, 2006, against whom he now has 36-77—113 career points in 67 regular season games (his highest assist and point totals against any club).

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.