SHARP LIFTS STARS INTO FIRST PLACE IN NHL STANDINGS
Patrick Sharp scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:59 remaining in regulation to help the Stars improve to 8-1-1 in their last 10 outings.

* At 20-5-1 (41 points), the Stars leapfrogged the Canadiens (19-5-3, 41 points) – who lost in regulation – for first place in the NHL standings. Their 20 wins and 41 points are the most through the opening 26 games of a season in franchise history.

* The Stars, who also lead the NHL with 11 wins and 23 points as visitors (11-2-1), extended their road point streak to eight games (7-0-1).

* The Stars won their 10th consecutive game over the Canucks dating to April 18, 2013 (VAN: 0-7-3). Per Elias, that is the longest active winning streak by an NHL team against one opponent.

* Making his first appearance since Nov. 24, Kari Lehtonen turned aside 14 shots to improve to 10-1-0 this season (2.37 GAA, .918 SV%). That includes a perfect 7-0-0 record on the road (2.00 GAA, .931 SV%).

RED WINGS, PANTHERS ALSO STAY HOT
Both the Red Wings and Panthers also picked up wins on Thursday to extend their recent hot streaks:

* The Red Wings scored three times in the opening period – including a pair of goals in 18 seconds – to stretch their point streak to nine games (6-0-3), their longest such run since Dec. 27, 2008 – Jan. 15, 2009 (8-0-2). They also extended their point streak at Joe Louis Arena to seven contests (4-0-3); their 19 points at home this season share fifth in the NHL (8-5-3).

* Roberto Luongo made 32 saves, including 27 over the final two periods, to backstop the Panthers to a 3-0-0 start on their five-game road trip as well as their fourth consecutive win overall, their longest such run since Dec. 10-19, 2013 (5-0-0). The team also snapped a nine-game drought with its first victory in Nashville since Dec. 11, 1999 (0-5-4).

HOFFMAN, SENATORS EDGE BLACKHAWKS IN OVERTIME . . .
Mike Hoffman registered 2-1—3, including the winning goal 30 seconds into overtime, to help the Senators improve to 5-1-2 in their last eight outings at Canadian Tire Centre.

* Hoffman, who led all rookies with 27 goals last season, scored his second career overtime goal (other Nov. 13, 2014 at EDM: 2-0—2). He also posted his fourth career three-point game and extended his point streak to six contests (8-3—11).

* Two other players – Bobby Ryan (1-2—3) and Erik Karlsson (0-3—3) – also recorded three points. Karlsson paces all defensemen and leads the Senators with 5-24—29 this season, two more points than Stars defenseman John Klingberg (5-22—27).

. . . KANE EQUALS FRANCHISE RECORD WITH POINTS IN 21 STRAIGHT
Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane collected 1-2—3 to stretch his point streak to a career-high 21 games (13-22—35), extending his record for the longest such run by a U.S.-born player in NHL history and equaling a franchise record set by Bobby Hull from Dec. 5, 1971 – Jan. 23, 1972 (23-12—35 in 21 GP).

* Via Elias, Kane became the fourth player to register a point streak of 21 or more games since the 1992-93 season:

Point Streaks of 21+ Games, Since 1992-93
25 – Sidney Crosby, PIT: Nov. 5 – Dec. 28, 2010 (26-24—50)
22 – Dany Heatley, OTT: Oct. 5 – Nov. 29, 2005 (17-21—38)
21 – Adam Oates, BOS: March 4 – April 14, 1993 (9-30—39)
21 – Patrick Kane, CHI: Oct. 17 – Dec. 3, 2015 (13-22—35)^
^ Active

* Kane, who paces all players with 25 assists and 41 points overall this season, also leads the NHL with 12 multi-point performances.

AROUND THE RINKS
* Devan Dubnyk (28 SV) earned his League-leading fourth shutout of the season to backstop the Wild to their second straight win. Dubnyk recorded his ninth shutout since joining Minnesota in January (61 GP); that equals his total from his first 192 NHL appearances.

* Mike Cammalleri (2-1—3) posted his League-leading fifth three-point performance of the season to spark the Devils to their third consecutive road victory. Cammalleri paces the team and shares seventh in the NHL with 9-17—26 overall.

* Matt Duchene scored his 13th goal in his past 15 games to power the Avalanche to their second straight win. Duchene, who had one goal in his first 11 outings of the season, shares third overall with 14 goals in 2015-16.

MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo played in his 885th career game to move within one of tying Tony Esposito (886) for seventh place on the NHL’s all-time games played list among goaltenders.

* Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla played in his 1,418th career game to surpass Luke Richardson (1,417) for sole possession of 28th place on the NHL’s all-time games played list.

* Capitals head coach Barry Trotz earned his 620th career victory to tie Bryan Murrayfor 10th place on the NHL’s all-time wins list among head coaches.

* Forward Tyler Kennedy (0-2—2), who signed a one-year contract with the Devils last week, registered his first points with the team to eclipse 200 in his NHL career (86-115—201).

* Blackhawks defenseman Michal Rozsival (900), Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall (700) and Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bozak (400) all played in milestone games.

LOOSE PUCKS
Stars forward Tyler Seguin (14-21—35) scored to move into a tie for second in the NHL in points (w/ teammate Jamie Benn: 18-17—35) . . . Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin(1-2—3) registered his fourth three-point game of the season. He leads all rookies with 8-18—26 overall, five more points than Coyotes forward Max Domi (8-13—21) . . . Rangers forward Oscar Lindberg notched his 10th goal of the season, tied for first among rookies with Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin . . . Capitals forward T.J. Oshie (2-0—2) posted his first multi-goal performance since Jan. 3 at SJS (3-1—4 w/ STL) . . . Panthers forwardJonathan Huberdeau recorded his third career game-winning goal and first since Dec. 7, 2013 at DET . . . Wild defenseman Matt Dumba picked up his second game-winning goal of the season (24 GP), equaling his total from his first 71 NHL appearances . . . Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer turned aside 27 of 28 shots, but fell to 5-2-1 in his last eight outings (1.47 GAA, .955 SV%) . . . Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith collected one assist to extend his point streak to five games (2-5—7) . . . ICYMI: Eight-year-old fanKayleigh Petersen signed a one-day contract with the Rangers and led the team onto the ice for pregame warm-ups as part of Garden of Dreams Night at Madison Square Garden . . . Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard (26 SV) debuted a new holiday-themed maskfor December.

SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Arizona @ Buffalo, 7:00 p.m., FS-A+, MSG-B, BELL TV
Philadelphia @ New Jersey, 7:00 p.m., CSN-PH, MSG+ 2
Florida @ Columbus, 7:00 p.m., FS-F, FS-O
St. Louis @ NY Islanders, 7:30 p.m., TVAS2, FS-MW, MSG+
Boston @ Calgary, 9:00 p.m., NESN, SNF
Dallas @ Edmonton, 9:00 p.m., FS-SW+, SNW
San Jose @ Anaheim, 10:00 p.m., SN1, CSN-CA, PRIME, FS-SD

the above information was provided by the NHL PR department