* Artemi Panarin helped the Eastern Conference-leading Rangers move one point ahead of the second-place Bruins, who fell Tuesday thanks to Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov scoring his franchise-record seventh career overtime goal.
* Wednesday’s three-game slate is highlighted by an NHL on TNT and TVA Sports doubleheader.
* REMINDER: For all players on an NHL active roster, injured reserve, or with non-roster and injured non-roster status as of midnight (local time) on Dec. 20, a roster freeze shall apply through midnight (local time) on Dec. 28, with respect to waivers, trades and loans, subject to the exceptions provided for in CBA Article 16.5 (d).
RANGERS PAD LEAD ATOP EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS Artemi Panarin scored one of his team’s five goals – three of which came in the final frame – to help the Rangers defeat the Maple Leafs and improve to 22-7-1 (45 points), taking a one-point lead over the Bruins (19-5-6, 44 points) for first place in the Eastern Conference standings. New York’s 22 wins are its most through 30 games in a season in franchise history, eclipsing the previous best of 21 set in 1993-94 en route to winning the Stanley Cup.
* Panarin, whose goal came after Braden Schneider put the Rangers up 3-2 at 8:08 of the third period, boosted his 2023-24 totals to 17-26—43 – the most points by a New York player through 30 games in a campaign since Jaromir Jagr (14-30—44) in 2006-07. The Rangers are tied with the Lightning for the second most game-tying and go-ahead goals in the third period this season with 14, which trail only the Flames (19).
MARCHENKO SCORES NATURAL HAT TRICK IN JUST OVER EIGHT MINUTES Kirill Marchenko scored three consecutive goals in a span of 8:07 and became the second Blue Jackets player with a natural hat trick this season, joining Boone Jenner (Oct. 14). Marchenko had his second and third tallies in an 18-second span, marking the fastest two goals by one player in franchise history – he eclipsed the previous mark set by Cam Atkinson (0:31 on Oct. 27, 2018).
* With every hat trick this season, AstraZeneca will donate $5,000 to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation up to $500,000. Click here for more information.
KUCHEROV, HUGHES ADD TO LEAGUE-LEADING POINT TOTALS Nikita Kucherov and Quinn Hughes had two points apiece in high-scoring wins Tuesday:
* Hughes (9-32—41 in 33 GP) assisted on two of five Vancouver goals to become the first defenseman to hit the 40-mark this season and the fastest in franchise history to do so in any campaign. The Canucks have three 40-point scorers this season in Hughes, J.T. Miller (15-30—45 in 33 GP) and Elias Pettersson (13-28—41 in 33 GP) – the most among all teams.
FLYERS TAKE FINAL HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH DEVILS BEFORE HEADING OUTDOORS Owen Tippett scored his second career overtime goal to help the Flyers secure a win after overcoming 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in the final game between Philadelphia and New Jersey before squaring off outdoors in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on Feb. 17 (8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN+, TVAS-D, SN360). The only Stadium Series contest to require extra time also involved Philadelphia and saw the Flyers earn a win against their intrastate rival-Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field on Feb. 23, 2019 (4-3 OT W).
HOLMSTROM’S SHORTHANDED GOAL FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES Tuesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the 11-game slate. Some highlights include:
* Simon Holmstrom scored his League-leading fifth shorthanded goal of the season as the Islanders extended their home point streak to nine games (6-0-3 dating to Nov. 22).
* Anze Kopitar (27-43—70 in 90 GP) had 1-1—2 and became the fourth player in NHL history to record at least 70 career points against the Sharks, joining Teemu Selanne (99), Joe Sakic (75) and Mike Modano (73).
* Kirill Kaprizov (2-0—2) scored the seventh overtime goal of his NHL career and passed Matt Dumba (6) for sole possession of the most in franchise history.
* Michael Kesselring scored the last of Arizona’s four unanswered goals as the Coyotes earned their first three-goal comeback win since April 29, 2022.
WEDNESDAY HIGHLIGHTED BY NHL ON TNT, TVA SPORTS DOUBLEHEADER
Wednesday features an NHL on TNT and TVA Sports doubleheader, which opens with Mathew Barzal and the Islanders visiting Alex Ovechkin at the Capitals and closes with Quinton Byfield and the Kings hosting Matty Beniers and the Kraken. The three-game slate also includes Moritz Seider and the Red Wings jousting Josh Morrissey and the Jets on Sportsnet.
Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.
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