Anze Kopitar and the Kings honored firefighters and first responders in the team’s emotional return to Crypto.com Arena.
* Mitch Marner passed Borje Salming atop a franchise list as the Maple Leafs strengthened their grip on first place in the Atlantic Division.
* Tuesday’s eight-game slate features several pivotal contests in the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card race, The Gr8 Chase continuing in Edmonton and the Stars hosting the Hurricanes on ESPN+.
LOS ANGELES HOSTS PITTSBURGH IN EMOTIONAL RETURN TO CRYPTO.COM ARENA
Anze Kopitar and the Kings welcomed Sidney Crosby and the Penguins to Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles’ first home game since wildfires devastated the region, with Crosby collecting 1-1—2 as the visitors earned a victory.
* The hosts honored firefighters and first responders during a pre-game ceremony and replaced the team logo at center ice with a new graphic paying tribute to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Players for both the Kings and Penguins wore LAFD hats before heroic Fire Engineer Chien Yu conducted a ceremonial puck drop with Kopitar and Crosby.
MARNER, MATTHEWS CLIMB FRANCHISE LIST IN MAPLE LEAFS’ 30TH WIN
Mitch Marner (1-2—3) and Auston Matthews (1-1—2) both collected multi-point games to climb franchise lists and help the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs (30-16-2, 62 points) earn their third straight victory against their divisional rivals, the Lightning (25-17-3, 53 points). Toronto became the third team this season to earn 30 wins and tied its second-fewest games to reach the mark in a campaign in franchise history (also 48 GP in 2020-21 & 1934-35), behind 2021-22 (43 GP).
* Marner passed Borje Salming (122) for the most multi-assist games in Maple Leafs history – that total is also the fourth most among all players since he made his debut in 2016-17, behind Connor McDavid (183), Nathan MacKinnon (133) and Nikita Kucherov (130).
* Matthews, who scored in his fourth straight game, registered his 202nd career multi-point game, which moved him past Dave Keon for sole possession of third on the Maple Leafs’ all-time list. He trails Mats Sundin (274) and Darryl Sittler (244).
BRUINS, BLUES BEAT OPPONENTS TO GAIN GROUND IN WILD CARD RACE
The Bruins (23-19—6, 52 points) and Blues (23-21-4, 50 points) bested opponents to gain ground within the Wild Card race in the Eastern and Western Conference, respectively:
* Charlie Coyle (2-1—3) spurred a third-period rally as he factored on three of his team’s four goals in the final frame and helped Boston extend its winning streak against San Jose to 14 games – the longest active run by a franchise against a single opponent. The victory also helped the Bruins move back into the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot.
* Cam Fowler scored one of his team’s five goals as the Blues survived a Golden Knights comeback attempt with a shootout victory and moved within one point of the idle Flames (22-16-7, 51 points) for the final Wild Card in the Western Conference. Blues defensemen have scored at least one goal in each of St. Louis’ last six games – that’s tied for the second-longest stretch in franchise history behind seven-game runs in 1997-98 and 1986-87.
VICTORIES BY VETERAN GOALTENDERS FEATURED IN #NHL STATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Monday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured notes from players on all 18 teams in action, including veteran goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Marc-Andre Fleury who achieved notable feats as the Hurricanes and Wild moved into second in their respective division:
* In his return to the Carolina lineup, Andersen made 22 saves to help guide the Hurricanes to an overtime victory in his 500th career game (299-128-552) – his 299 career wins are the second most in NHL history through the milestone contest behind Andrei Vasilevskiy (306). Carolina improved to 28-16-3 (59 points) and leapfrogged idle New Jersey (26-17-6, 58 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
* Fleury made 26 saves for his 10th win of the season and matched an NHL benchmark in the process. The Wild improved to 27-15-4 (58 points) and leapfrogged the idle Stars (29-16-1, 59 points) for second place in the Central Division.
QUICK CLICKS
* Logan Thompson, Filip Forsberg, David Pastrnak named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the Week
* Connor McDavid, Tyler Myers suspended three games for cross-checking
* Tom McVie dies at 89, was Bruins ambassador for more than 30 years
* Colorado Avalanche Quarter-Century Teams unveiled
* Blue Jackets wear Ohio State football jerseys ahead of NCAA championship game
ESPN+, HULU TO PLAY HOST TO BRIND’AMOUR’S 500TH GAME AS HEAD COACH
An eight-game Tuesday around the NHL includes one national broadcast in the United States as Rod Brind’Amour leads the Hurricanes (28-16-3, 59 points) into Dallas to clash with the Stars (29-16-1, 59 points) for his 500th game as a head coach. Regardless of the outcome, Brind’Amour (306-146-47) will own the most wins by a head coach in NHL history through the milestone contest and at least five more than the next closest (Bruce Boudreau: 301 in 500 GC).
CRUCIAL HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUPS HIGHLIGHT EAST WILD CARD RACE
The Senators (24-18-4, 52 points), Canadiens (23-19-4, 50 points), Rangers (22-20-4, 48 points), Flyers (21-20-6, 48 points) and Red Wings (21-21-4, 46 points) are each grappling for positioning in the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card race and are all in action tonight – including head-to-head matchups between Ottawa and New York as well as Detroit and Philadelphia.
* The Senators are 5-0-1 in their past six games and not only occupy a Wild Card position, but also sit within one point of the Lightning (25-17-3, 53 points) for third place in the Atlantic Division – the club last held a top-three position at this stage of a season or later on April 9, 2017. Ottawa can allow one goal or fewer in four consecutive road games for the fourth time in franchise history after it first accomplished the feat in 2002-03 (5 GP), 2010-11 (4 GP) and 2007-08 (4 GP).
* The Canadiens have benefited from the play of Patrik Laine, who missed the club’s contest on Jan. 6 but has scored in each of his past five home games, and rookie Lane Hutson, who brings an active eight-game assist streak. Laine looks to continue his string of success at Bell Centre for the next month, a stretch which also includes a stint with Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 12-20).https://foco.vegb.net/c/3065197/1608989/10075
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OVECHKIN CONTINUES THE GR8 CHASE IN EDMONTON
Alex Ovechkin (874) is 21 goals shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record and continues The Gr8 Chase on Tuesday in a city where Gretzky made many memories, Edmonton. It will also mark Ovechkin’s 15th head-to-head meeting with Maurice “Rocket” Richard frontrunner Leon Draisaitl (33-36—69 in 46 GP). Ovechkin, with goals in each of his past two road contests and the game winner in his most recent appearance as the visitor, holds a 7-5-2 edge against the Oilers forward (EDM: 7-6-1); Draisaitl (8-8—16 in 14 GP) holds the statistical advantage (Ovechkin: 5-5—10 in 14 GP).
ICYMI: Alex Ovechkin paid tribute to ‘The Great One’ ahead of his visit to Rogers Place, posing with Gretzky’s jersey, stick and gloves at the Oilers Hall of Fame. Gretzky scored 583 of his NHL record 894 goals as a member of the Oilers.
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