FIRST PLACE IN MASSMUTUAL EAST AND SCOTIA NORTH DIVISIONS UP FOR GRABS
Both the Islanders (20-8-4, 44 points) and Oilers (21-13-0, 42 points) can climb into first place in their respective division during a busy 10-game Monday in the NHL.



* Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who extended the franchise record for longest win streak by a rookie on Saturday (7-0-0), can become just the sixth goaltender in club history to earn a win in eight or more consecutive appearances within a season. The longest winning streak by an Islanders goaltender is 11 games, a mark set by Jaroslav Halakin 2014-15.

* Oilers teammates Connor McDavid (21-39—60 in 34 GP) and Leon Draisaitl (18-32—50 in 34 GP) enter tonight’s game sitting in first and second place, respectively, in the Art Ross Trophy race. On Saturday, McDavid extended his point streak to nine games (7-13—20) and became the fastest player to reach the 60-point mark in a season since Mario Lemieux in 2002-03 (17-43—60 in 33 GP). Draisaitl, meanwhile, netted the winning goal Saturday to join McDavid as the only players with 50+ points so far in 2020-21 – it marked the second straight season that the Oilers duo were the first two players in the League to hit the mark.



AVALANCHE LOOK TO EXTEND STREAK, NARROW GAP ON GOLDEN KNIGHTS
The Avalanche (19-8-2, 40 points) go head-to-head with the Coyotes tonight looking to close in on the Golden Knights (21-7-1, 43 points), who also are in action, for first place in the Honda West Division. After Vegas’ loss on Sunday, Colorado enters tonight as the sole owners of the NHL’s longest active win streak, posting a 6-0-0 record since March 10 when they defeated Arizona in Nathan MacKinnon’s return to the lineup.

* MacKinnon has earned at least a point in each of his last five games (4-5—9), a run which includes three points in his last two outings. The 25-year-old can become the first Avalanche player to record three straight games with three or more points since Peter Forsberg in 2000-01 (5-9—14 in 4 GP).

* MacKinnon (199-327—526 in 550 GP) currently sits one goal shy of becoming the eighth player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to score 200 goals with the club.

KOPITAR CONTINUES TO ROLL AS KINGS SNAP GOLDEN KNIGHTS’ STREAK
Anze Kopitar (0-2—2) collected his 117th career multi-assist game as the Kings rebounded from a 4-2 loss to the Golden Knights on Friday with a 3-1 victory, snapping Vegas’ overall winning streak at five games. The Kings earned their first win against the Golden Knights this season (1-3-0) after going 3-1-0 against them in 2019-20.

* Kopitar boosted his Honda West Division-leading totals to 8-29—37 (30 GP) and has found the score sheet in each of Los Angeles’ last nine games at STAPLES Center dating to Feb. 9 (5-9—14), matching the longest home point streak of his NHL career set in 2010-11. The last time a Kings player posted a longer such run was in 1993-94, when Jari Kurri (14 GP) and Wayne Gretzky (11 GP) each did so.



LIGHTNING TRIUMPH IN ANOTHER TIGHTLY-CONTESTED GAME AGAINST PANTHERS
Mathieu Joseph put the League-leading Lightning up 3-2 at 5:22 of the third period, but Patric Hornqvist scored the game’s third tying goal 63 seconds later to pull the Panthers even. Tyler Johnson then scored the go-ahead goal with 9:04 remaining in regulation and Brayden Point (1-1—2) potted an empty netter as Tampa Bay edged Florida in another back-and-forth game between the intrastate rivals.



YOUTH HELP DEVILS, PREDATORS PICK UP WINS
Youth helped the Devils overcome veteran Sidney Crosby and the Penguins, while the Predators received a three-point performance from a 21-year-old rookie as the club rallied for a shootout win:

* Crosby scored early to put Pittsburgh up 1-0, but New Jersey players age 23 or younger combined for four points – including the overtime winner by Jesper Bratt – as the Devils rallied past the Penguins. New Jersey has received over half of its points this season from players age 23 or younger (54.0%; 107 of 198) – no other team has a rate of 40% or higher in 2020-21.



* Eeli Tolvanen (1-2—3) factored on all three of Nashville’s goals in regulation – which included scoring the tying tally with 5:45 left in the third period – to record the first three-point game of his NHL career. Only one Predators rookie has recorded more than three points in a game: Dan Hamhuis on March 4, 2004 (1-4—5).



QUICK CLICKS

* Brothers in NHL adjusting to COVID-19 protocols, guidelines
* Matt Roy signs three-year, $9.45 million contract with Kings
* Trevor van Riemsdyk signs two-year, $1.9 million contract with Capitals
* Jonas Johansson traded to Avalanche from Sabres
* Paul Stastny to play 977th NHL game, tie dad when Jets visit Canucks

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.