OTHER METROPOLITAN CLUBS KEEP PACE IN CROWDED STANDINGS
The Rangers (20-9-1, 41 points) and Capitals (17-7-3, 37 points) each earned wins to keep pace with the streaking Flyers (18-10-3, 39 points) in the Metropolitan Division, which features five of the top seven teams in the entire NHL (also the Penguins: 18-7-3, 39 points; and Blue Jackets: 17-5-4, 38 points):

* Antti Raanta turned aside all 19 shots he faced and five different skaters scored as the Rangers became the first team to reach 20 wins this season and moved back into a tie with the idle Canadiens (19-6-3, 41 points) for the most points in the NHL. Raanta has recorded consecutive shutouts for the first time in his NHL career (also Dec. 9 at CHI) and has allowed no more than two goals in 10 of his 11 appearances this season, posting an 8-1-0 mark (1.65 GAA, .943 SV%, 2 SO). Elias notes that Raanta became the first Rangers goaltender to post shutouts in consecutive team games since Mike Dunham from March 17-19, 2003.

* Braden Holtby denied all 20 shots he faced and Alex Ovechkin (1-1—2) scored the first of three unanswered goals as the Capitals picked up their fourth straight win. Elias notes that Ovechkin recorded his 93rd career game-winning goal (fifth this season) to pass Mike Modano, Mark Messier and Jeremy Roenick (92) and tie Johnny Bucyk, Sergei Fedorov and Joe Nieuwendyk for 13th place in NHL history. The goal also stood as the 200th power-play marker of his NHL career, tying Mark Recchi for 18th on the all-time list.

CENTRAL TEAMS CONTINUE STRONG PLAY AT HOME
The Blackhawks and Wild both earned wins to build on their home records:

* Artem Anisimov scored the go-ahead goal in the second period to help the Western Conference-leading Blackhawks (18-8-4, 40 points) improve to 12-2-3 at United Center this season. Anisimov scored his team-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season (29 GP) to match his career high from 2013-14 (81 GP).

* Devan Dubnyk turned aside 22 of 23 shots to backstop the Wild to their fourth consecutive victory overall and to a 9-3-0 record at Xcel Energy Center. Dubnyk, who leads the League in goals-against average (1.63), save percentage (.946) and shutouts (4), improved to 6-0-2 in his last eight outings, including four straight wins.

* MUST SEE: Seven-year-old Obadiah Gamble led the “Let’s Play Hockey!” cheer and celebrated in the middle of an interview on live TV after Wild forward Nino Niederreiter scored the eventual game-winning goal.

LOOSE PUCKS
Goaltender Semyon Varlamov made 51 saves to help the Avalanche rebound from a 10-1 defeat in their last outing with a 3-1 win . . . Five different skaters found the back of the net to help the Ducks register their third consecutive victory. Forwards Corey Perry (2-5—7) and Ryan Kesler (4-3—7) each extended their point streak to five games . . . Oilers forward Mark Letestu scored twice in the third period to help Edmonton snap a four-game slide (0-1-3) . . . Connor McDavid collected an assist and leads the NHL with 12-27—39 this season (31 GP), while Vladimir Tarasenko scored to move into a tie for second place (14-18—32, 29 GP) . . . Wild forward Eric Staal collected an assist to become the first player from the 2003 NHL Draft class to reach the 800-point milestone (331-469—800) . . . Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei scored the first goal of his NHL career (37 GP) . . . Maple Leafs goaltender Antoine Bibeau (26 saves) made his NHL debut . . . The Coyotes claimed forward Josh Joorisoff waivers . . . Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki was suspended for two games for boarding Kings forward Tyler Toffoli . . . Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak was suspended for two games for an illegal check to the head of Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde.

SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Arizona @ Pittsburgh, 7 p.m., TVAS, ROOT, FS-A
Boston @ Montreal, 7:30 p.m., NHLN-US, RDS, NESN

the information above was provided by the NHL PR department