Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

02/01/2023 at 2:35am EST

* The Hurricanes erased a multi-goal deficit in the third period to win for the second time in five days and Sebastian Aho scored in overtime to help the club match its best 50-game start to a season in franchise history.

* Carolina recorded the NHL’s 96th multi-goal comeback victory of 2022-23 – tied with 2018-19 for the third most in a single campaign before the All-Star/Olympic break. The 2009-10 (99) and 2005-06 (98) seasons are the only ones with more.

* Thirty years ago today on Feb. 1, 1993, Gary Bettman took office as the first Commissioner in NHL history and has since presided over 55% of all games in League history.

HURRICANES STORM BACK WITH A THREE-GOAL, THIRD-PERIOD COMEBACK VICTORY. . .
Four days after overcoming a two-goal deficit in the final two minutes of regulation and winning in overtime, the Hurricanes (33-9-8, 74 points) found themselves in another multi-goal deficit in the third period. It was Paul Stastny (1-0—1), Jordan Staal (1-0—1) and Teuvo Teravainen (1-0—1) who helped Carolina erase a 4-1 deficit and and set the stage for Sebastian Aho with 54 seconds remaining in the extra frame to help the club match the franchise’s best 50-game start to a season (also 74 points in 2021-22 & 2005-06).



* The Hurricanes recorded a three-goal, third-period comeback win for the fifth time in team history following Dec. 13, 2016 (vs. VAN), Dec. 31, 2013 (vs. MTL), April 7, 2007 (vs. FLA) as well as Jan. 11, 2007 (vs. FLA) and became the fourth team this season to achieve the feat, joining the Oilers (Nov. 26, 2022), Blues (Nov. 26, 2022) and Stars (Nov. 23, 2022).

* Aho’s winner helped Carolina extend its point streak to nine games (8-0-1 since Jan. 12) and the NHL’s longest active win streak to six games. The Hurricanes forward, who has produced a League-leading nine goals and two game-winning tallies since Jan. 12, has guided his team into the All-Star break with a six-point cushion on second-place New Jersey (32-13-4, 68 points) in the Metropolitan Division.

. . . WHILE SENATORS, CAPITALS HOLD OFF MULTI-GOAL RALLIES IN WINS
As the Senators (24-23-3, 51 points) and Capitals (27-20-6, 60 points) each saw their multi-goal leads vanish by the final frame, both teams held off their opponents’ rally and collected two points thanks to Brady Tkachuk (1-1—2) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (1-0—1), respectively.

* Tkachuk (20-31—51 in 50 GP), who netted the go-ahead goal with 1:18 remaining in the third period after Montreal erased 3-1 and 4-3 deficits, became the first Ottawa skater to reach the 50-point mark in 2022-23. The 2023 NHL All-Star has now accounted for two of the past three go-ahead goals in the final two minutes of regulation for the club after also doing so on Feb. 13, 2021 (59:51).



* Kuznetsov’s eighth career overtime goal helped Washington open up a three-point edge on idle Pittsburgh (24-16-9, 57 points) for the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Three other teams are within six points or fewer of the Capitals for playoff positioning and hold games in hand (Buffalo: 26-19-4, 56 points; NY Islanders: 25-22-5, 55 points; & Florida: 24-22-6, 54 points).

LOOKING AHEAD TO ALL-STAR: METROPOLITAN DIVISION PREVIEWThe Metropolitan Division enters 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend hoping to win its fourth 3-on-3 title since the format was introduced in 2016 – a division that already holds the most final wins among all teams through that span (3x: 2017, 2019 & 2022). Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Jack Hughes are set to return in 2023, having each represented the division at least once in the past seven years.

* Veterans Crosby and Ovechkin are no strangers to All-Star Game records. Crosby (6-6—12 in 3 GP) is tied for the most goals, second-most points – collecting five in the 2019 final en route to being named the tournament’s MVP (2-3—5) – and most NHL All-Star game titles (tied w/ 2) since the 3-on-3 format was introduced. Meanwhile, Ovechkin (7-8—15 in 7 GP) is among only eight players in NHL history with 15-plus career All-Star points under any format.

* Hughes, who will become the first Florida-born player to skate in multiple NHL All-Star Games (also 2022), has 33-31—64 (49 GP) in 2022-23 and is on pace to become the first Devils/Rockies/Scouts skater to eclipse the 50-goal mark in a season. The New Jersey forward is one of the three U.S.-born players in this season’s tightly-contested Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race who are set to appear this weekend.



* The Rangers have three representatives on Team Metropolitan, with Artemi Panarin, Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox each set to make their first All-Star appearance. Panarin, who leads New York with 12-38—50 in 49 games, is one of six players set to attend the event that were either undrafted or selected in the fifth round or later at the NHL Draft (also Connor Hellebuyck, Kirill Kaprizov, Logan Thompson, Troy Terry & Linus Ullmark).

* Click here for the 2023 NHL All-Star information guide, featuring notes on this season’s event as well as all-time records and results from both the All-Star Game and All-Star Skills.

BETTMAN MARKS 30 YEARS AS NHL COMMISSIONER

Thirty years ago today, on Feb. 1, 1993, Gary Bettman took office as the first Commissioner in NHL history. During his tenure, Commissioner Bettman has presided over 55% of all games in NHL history (35,874 of 65,561 GP) and more than 51% of all goals the League has seen (204,439 of 398,547).



* A total of 4,885 players have appeared in at least one NHL regular-season or playoff game since Feb. 1, 1993 (including 4,101 who debuted since then), accounting for more than 58% of all players in League history. During that same time frame, 288 individuals have served as an NHL head coach or general manager (57% of the 507 who have been credited with at least one game in either role since the League’s inception in 1917-18).


* Looking at today’s game, 74% of current NHL players were born after the Commissioner’s first day in office (694 of 944 born after Feb. 1, 1993; based on min. 1 GP in 2022-23 through Jan. 31).

* The NHL has welcomed more than 592 million fans at regular-season and playoff games staged in 117 different venues since Feb. 1, 1993 (117 regular season and 54 playoffs), including the League’s first-ever ventures for regular-season games outside North America (38 in total) and outdoors (36 in total; soon to be 37).

* The NHL All-Star Game was held at Montreal Forum just six days into Bettman’s tenure. Four months later, the Commissioner returned to “the most storied building in hockey history” to present the Stanley Cup for the first time, to Canadiens captain Guy Carbonneau.

* ICYMI: Commissioner Bettman will receive the Sports Business Journal Lifetime Achievement Award in May.


CHEL INTEL: EA SPORTS NHL 23 ALL-STAR OPEN FINAL THURSDAY
The 2023 EA SPORTS NHL 23 World Championship, the NHL’s premier global esports competition, is back for its sixth season and offers more opportunities to compete and win than ever before. The NHL announced today that the first LAN event of the season will be played at the Truly Hard Seltzer #NHLAllStar Beach Festival at Fort Lauderdale Beach on Thursday, Feb. 2.

* The event will showcase four international hockey superstars taking their talents to the virtual ice. EA SPORTS NHL 23 cover athlete and Olympian Sarah Nurse will be joined by Canadian teammate Emily Clark and a pair of U.S. rivals in Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter to compete in a fun and friendly gaming competition.

* The EA SPORTS NHL 23 All-Star Open Final will immediately follow, with four top Chel players all competing for prize money, bragging rights and a locally-flavored championship trophy. The players automatically qualified for the North American Console Final as well as a trip to 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend in South Florida.



QUICK CLICK

* Tuesday Edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates
* All-Star break time to reset for players, coaches, GMs
* Bo Horvat traded to Islanders by Canucks
* Anthony Beauvillier embracing new challenge following trade to Canucks
* Bobby Hull honored by legendary goalies for intimidating shot, presence

TNT SHOWDOWN HIGHLIGHTS FINAL GAMES BEFORE ALL-STAR BREAK

A pair of Eastern Conference matchups will mark the final games before the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend when the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes (33-9-8, 74 points) take on the Sabres (26-19-4, 56 points) on TNT, while the NHL-leading Bruins (38-7-5, 81 points) visit Scotiabank Arena for a bout against the Maple Leafs (31-12-8, 70 points).

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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