FUCALE, BLACKWOOD POST STANDOUT PERFORMANCES IN SHUTOUT WINS
Capitals goaltender Zach Fucale (21 saves) posted a shutout in his NHL debut, while Devils netminder MacKenzie Blackwood (42 saves) also held the opposition off the score sheet to backstop Washington (7-2-4, 18 points) and New Jersey (7-3-2, 16 points) to victories, respectively.

* Fucale, 26, who has played for nine different minor league teams across the ECHL and AHL since 2015-16, made his debut eight years after being selected by the Canadiens in the 2013 NHL Draft (36th overall). With his parents in the stands, he became the first goaltender in Capitals history, and the NHL’s 10th in the last 25 years, to post a shutout in his first game.

* Thursday marked Blackwood’s seventh career shutout and third in which he turned aside at least 40 shots. His three such performances since entering the NHL in 2018-19 are tied with Jacob Markstrom for the most among all goaltenders over that span.

DRAISAITL BANKS YET ANOTHER THREE-POINT OUTING
After the two clubs honored their former teammate Colby Cave with an emotional video tribute and ceremonial puck drop by his wife, Emily, Leon Draisaitl (2-1—3) scored his 12th goal of the season to overtake Alex Oveckhin (11-11—22 in 13 GP) for the most this season and help Edmonton (10-2-0, 20 points) secure the first win by a visitor at TD Garden in 2021-22.



* Draisaitl (12-14—26 in 12 GP) recorded his seventh outing with three or more points in 2021-22 – the most by any player this season and three more than the next closest skater (Connor McDavid: 4). Thursday also marked Draisaitl’s 55th career three-point game since entering the NHL in 2014-15, behind McDavid (76), Patrick Kane (59) and Sidney Crosby (57) for the most among all players over that span.

* McDavid also continued his strong start to 2021-22 and extended his season-opening point streak to 12 games (9-15—24 in 12 GP). Additionally, he has collected at least one point in each of his last 20 regular-season games, the longest such run spanning seasons or otherwise since Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (20 GP from March 24 – Nov. 1, 2019).

KINGS, DUCKS EXTEND NHL’S LONGEST ACTIVE WIN STREAKS
The Kings (7-0-0 since Oct. 30) and Ducks (6-0-0 since Oct. 31) each extended the NHL’s two longest active win streaks with victories over the Senators and Kraken, respectively. It marks the first time two California-based teams have had simultaneous win streaks of six or more games since 2014-15, when Anaheim (7 GP) and Los Angeles (6 GP) also shared streaks of at least six contests between Oct. 23-25, 2014.

* Jonathan Quick (34 saves) recorded his 55th career shutout and Anze Kopitar (1-0—1) scored his 101st career power-play goal to lift the Kings (8-5-1, 17 points) to seven consecutive wins for the first time since closing the shortened 2019-20 campaign on an equal run (7-0-0 from Feb. 26 – March 11, 2020).

* Troy Terry (2-1—3), who extended the NHL’s longest-active point streak to 13 games, boosted his 2021-22 totals to 11-8—19 (14 GP) and trails only Leon Draisaitl (12-14—26 in 12 GP) in goals this season. Terry became the first player in Ducks history to produce at a goal-per-game pace through his first 11 contests of a season.

AVALANCHE GOALS APLENTY IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Colorado, which joined Anaheim as another team to score at least seven goals in a game, benefited from Mikko Rantanen’s 29th career three-point contest. Click here to read more notes just like this one from an 11-game Thursday slate in the latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.

QUICK CLICKS

* Hall of Fame prepared to finally celebrate, enshrine Class of 2020

* Marian Hossa's journey to Hall of Fame defined by consistency, reliability
* Ken Holland persevered, adapted on way to Hockey Hall of Fame

* Rick Nash to have No. 61 retired by Blue Jackets on March 5

* Hockey Fights Cancer daily digest

BLUE JACKETS RETURN TO ACTION, WILL HOST HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT

The Blue Jackets (7-3-0, 14 points), playing their first contest in six days, are set to return to the ice to host their Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Night when the Capitals (7-2-4, 18 points) visit Nationwide Arena.

* The Blue Jackets, led by Oliver Bjorkstrandin 2021-22 thus far (5-8—13 in 10 GP), have overcome a third-period deficit to win each of their last three games (Oct. 31 at NJD, Nov. 3 at COL & Nov. 6 vs. COL). Columbus can become the fourth team in NHL history to erase a third-period deficit to win four consecutive games. Pittsburgh (4 GP from Nov. 8-15, 2008), Dallas (4 GP from Jan. 25-30, 2006) and Carolina (4 GP from Oct. 26 – Nov. 3, 2005) all did so.

FLAMES VISIT MAPLE LEAFS IN HOCKEY HALL OF FAME GAME
Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Weekend returns for the first time since 2019, opening with the Flames visiting the Maple Leafs in the Hockey Hall of Fame Game Friday at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET on SNW, TSN4) and closing with six new members being inducted to the Hall of Fame on Monday at Meridian Hall in Toronto (7:30 p.m. ET on NHL Network, TSN5).

* The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 20/21 includes five players: Flames icon and 600-goal member Jarome Iginla, three-time Stanley Cup champion and 500-goal scorer Marian Hossa, three-time Olympic gold medalist Kim St-Pierre, Norris Trophy winner Doug Wilson and six-time Stanley Cup champion Kevin Lowe. Additionally, current Oilers general manager Ken Holland, who helped Detroit capture multiple Stanley Cups and is one of five general managers in NHL history to reach 1,000+ wins, will be inducted as a builder.