CROSBY CAPS PENGUINS’ FOUR-GOAL COMEBACK WITH 20TH CAREER OT WINNER
The Penguins found themselves trailing 4-0 but netted four unanswered goals – including three in the third period – to force extra time where Sidney Crosby (1-2—3) scored his 20th career overtime goal to complete the comeback. Pittsburgh (32-22-9, 73 points) kept pace with New York (33-25-8, 74 points) for the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference while having three games in hand.

* The Penguins became the third team this season to earn a four-goal come-from-behind victory and also recorded the NHL’s 49th multi-goal, third-period comeback win of 2022-23, which matched the highest single-season total in League history (49 in 2009-10).

* Crosby notched his 169th career three-point game and tied Paul Coffey for the eighth most in NHL history. He now sits three contests shy of Steve Yzerman (172 GP) for seventh place.

MAKAR MAKES IT A FOUR-POINT NIGHT, HITS 50 POINTS

Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin posted matching 1-3—4 outings, while Alexandar Georgiev made 13 saves in a shutout performance as the Avalanche (35-21-6, 76 points) jumped the idle Jets (36-25-3, 75 points) to move from the second Wild Card spot to third in the Central Division.

* Makar recorded his 58th career multi-point game to surpass Tyson Barrie for sole possession of the second most among defensemen in franchise history. The only blueliner with more: Sandis Ozolinsh (63). It also marked his third career four-point performance, which tied Barrie for the second most such outings by an Avalanche/Nordiques blueliner, trailing only Ozolinsh (4).

* Makar (14-34—50 in 49 GP) reached the 50-point mark for the third time in his career and for the second straight season after doing so in 45 contests in 2021-22.

* Georgiev, who is tied for the third-most shutouts by a goaltender this season, recorded his fourth shutout as a member of the Avalanche and became the fourth netminder in franchise history to record as many in their first season with the club, joining Craig Anderson (7 in 2009-10), Darcy Kuemper (5 in 2021-22) and Semyon Varlamov (4 in 2011-12).

THREE OF EASTERN CONFERENCE’S TOP CLUBS KEEP PACE TUESDAY
The Hurricanes (42-12-8, 92 points) bolstered their lead atop the Metropolitan Division standings with a win Tuesday, while the Atlantic Division’s second-place Maple Leafs (39-17-8, 86 points) and third-place Lightning (38-21-5, 81 points) both picked up victories to keep pace.

* Two goals from defensemen and a tying tally in the final five minutes of regulation by Jesper Fast helped Carolina earn its 20th road win of 2022-23 – the Hurricanes required the fewest games in franchise history to record both 20 road and 20 home wins in a season (62 GP), surpassing their previous best achieved last season (66 GP).

* After giving up a 1-0 and 2-1 lead, Toronto rallied in the third period with Auston Matthews potting his fifth career go-ahead tally in the final five minutes of a contest – tied for the second most among all players since he entered the NHL in 2016-17, behind only David Pastrnak (7). It also marked Matthews’ 51st career game-winning goal, moving him past Ron Ellis (50) for sole possession of fourth place on the Maple Leafs' all-time list.

* Nikita Kucherov (2-1—3) factored on three of five Lightning goals to extend his home point streak to 22 games, boost his 2022-23 totals to 25-66—91 (64 GP) and register his third career 90-point season (2017-18: 39-61—100 & 2018-19: 41-87—128). Kucherov sits third in the NHL’s Art Ross Trophy race in 2022-23 but only sits four assists shy of Connor McDavid (70 in 65 GP) for the most among all players.

QUICK CLICKS

* #NHLStats: Live Updates – March 7
* Women’s History Month: NHL.com Q&A with Meghan Duggan

* ‘Ice Queens’ documentary debuts Wednesday

* CHEL Intel – March 7

* Trevor Zegras scores between his legs

JONES EYES FOURTH STRAIGHT GAME WITH A GOAL DURING TNT BROADCAST
An Original Six showdown headlines the first of two games on TNT when Seth Jones and the Blackhawks (22-36-5, 49 points) take on the Red Wings (28-26-9, 65 points). While Detroit sits eight points back of Pittsburgh (32-22-9, 73 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, Jones can become the fifth defenseman in franchise history with a four-game goal streak.

NOT ONE PATH: THATCHER DEMKO

Thatcher Demko is the most recent feature in the Not One Path series ahead of the Canucks welcoming the Ducks to Rogers Arena on Wednesday during a national broadcast on TNT and TVA Sports. While the state of California historically isn’t known for producing hockey players, Demko is among a few who are rewriting that narrative.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.