All three Hughes brothers recorded a multi-point outing in their respective games Wednesday, which allowed Luke, Jack and Quinn to each climb franchise lists and help their clubs find the win column.
* Sidney Crosby scored the overtime winner to climb a pair of all-time lists and help the Penguins get back into a tightly-contested Eastern Conference playoff race that features 10 teams separated by six points or fewer.
* A 10-game Thursday includes a pair of national games on ESPN programming, starting with the Islanders visiting the Flyers before the Kraken host the Sharks. Marc-Andre Fleury is also expected to start in his home province of Quebec for the final time in his 21-season career when the Wild visit the Canadiens.
HUGHES BROTHERS REGISTER TWO-POINT OUTINGS IN DEVILS’ SHUTOUT VICTORY
Jack (1-1—2) and Luke Hughes (1-1—2) both scored in the same game for the sixth time in their careers to help the Devils (29-18-6, 64 points) secure a 5-0 shutout victory against the Flyers and move within two points of the idle Hurricanes (31-16-4, 66 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Jack, who will represent the United States during the 4 Nations Face-Off in less than two weeks, climbed an American list, tallied his 20th goal of 2024-25 and boosted his team-leading totals in the meantime.
* Jack (20-40—60 in 53 GP) became the fourth player in franchise history to record four 20-goal seasons at age 23 or younger, joining Kirk Muller (5x), Wilf Paiement (5x) and Pat Verbeek (4x). He also reached the 60-point mark for the third time in his career to match Paiement (3x) for the second-most instances by a player age 23 or younger in Devils/Rockies/Scouts history behind Muller (4x).
* Luke recorded his 15th career multi-point game which tied Joe Cirella for the fourth most by a defenseman age 21 or younger in franchise history. The list is topped by Barry Beck (23), Scott Niedermayer (21) and Rob Ramage (18).
CROSBY SCORES OVERTIME WINNER AS PENGUINS CLOSE IN ON PLAYOFF SPOT
Just hours after Utah Hockey Club announced that its fans will have the chance to vote for the team’s permanent name, Sidney Crosby (1-1—2) helped Pittsburgh play spoiler by completing the Penguins’ comeback win with the overtime winner. The Penguins (21-24-8, 50 points) joined a pack of eight teams vying for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference – all of which are separated by five points or fewer.
* Crosby, who will suit up for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, leads all active skaters with five gold medals in international competition while his six total medals are tied with Mikael Granlund, Filip Forsberg and Victor Hedman for the most.
* With the overtime winner, Crosby claimed his 207th career multi-point game on the road and tied Joe Sakic for eighth most in NHL history.
PLAYERS HEADED TO 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF HELP CLUBS EARN TWO POINTS
Quinn Hughes (USA), Filip Gustavsson (SWE) and Matthew Tkachuk (USA), who will represent their countries at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, helped the Canucks, Wild and Panthers pick up two points apiece Wednesday.
* Hughes (0-2—2) recorded his third straight multi-point game and extended his point streak to seven contests as he helped his Canucks (23-17-10, 56 points) jump past the Flames (24-18-7, 55 points) into the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Hughes surpassed Thomas Gradin (77) for the fourth-most multi-assist games in Canucks history and trails only Henrik Sedin (181), Daniel Sedin (107) and Stan Smyl (79).
* Gustavsson stopped 32 of 33 shots to help the Wild (30-17-4, 64 points) earn their first regulation win against the Maple Leafs since Jan. 3, 2019 and snap Toronto’s point streak versus Minnesota at nine games. Gustavsson became the fifth Swedish goaltender in NHL history to record three consecutive 20-win seasons, following Henrik Lundqvist (13 from 2005-06 – 2017-18), Jacob Markstrom (8 from 2017-18 – 2024-25), Tommy Salo (7 from 1996-97 – 2002-03) and Linus Ullmark (3 from 2021-22 – 2023-24).
* The Panthers (30-19-3, 63 points) passed the Maple Leafs (30-19-2, 62 points) for the top spot in the Atlantic Division courtesy of a 29-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky that tied him for the third most in franchise history as well as a three-point performance from Tkachuk (1-2—3). Tkachuk recorded his 87th career multi-assist game since debuting in 2016-17 – only one American player has as many over that span: his former teammate Johnny Gaudreau (98).
QUICK CLICKS
* 4 Nations: Samuel Ersson replaces Jacob Markstrom on Sweden’s roster
* Philipp Grubauer placed on waivers by Kraken, will be assigned to AHL
* Brandon Saad to have contract terminated by Blues
* PWHL notebook: Claire Thompson celebrates birthday in style
* Wednesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates
BACK-TO-BACK GAMES ON ESPN PROGRAMMING SET FOR THURSDAY
A busy 10-game Thursday will include a pair of national games on ESPN programming, starting with the Islanders visiting the Flyers (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Hulu) with both teams looking to gain ground in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race, followed by the Kraken hosting the Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) in a game that features young stars Matty Beniers and Macklin Celebrini.
* The Flyers (23-23-6, 52 points) and Islanders (22-20-7, 51 points) are crammed in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race that includes 10 teams either in a playoff position or within six points of one. The Islanders look to extend their win streak to a season-high six games (they had two six-game runs in 2023-24) in their push for a third consecutive postseason berth, while the Flyers aim to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20.
* Later on ESPN, a recent Calder Trophy winner, Seattle’s Matty Beniers (2022-23), will face one of the rookies vying for the award this season in San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini. Celebrini leads all rookies with 16 goals this season and is on pace for a 27-goal campaign, which would be the highest single-season total by an 18-year-old since Patrik Laine (36 in 2016-17).
* On a national broadcast in Canada (SN1, SNP, TVAS), the Oilers and Red Wings face off at Rogers Place in Edmonton with both teams riding three-game win streaks. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are each averaging 1.50 points per game in 2024-25 – over the last quarter century (since 1999-00), there have been only three completed seasons in which teammates finished a campaign averaging 1.50 points per game (min. 40 GP), all accomplished by McDavid and Draisaitl: 2022-23, 2020-21 and 2019-20. That matches the number of times Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri each averaged 1.50 P/GP in the same season (alongside Paul Coffey): 1985-86, 1984-85 and 1983-84.
FLEURY FAMILY IN TOWN FOR FINAL START IN MONTREAL
Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (Sorel, Que.) is expected to start in his home province of Quebec for the final time in his 21-season career when the Wild visit the Canadiens. Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and Vezina Trophy winner playing in his final NHL season, ranks in the top three on all-time goaltending lists for regular-season games played (3rd; 1,042) and wins (2nd; 571) as well as playoff games played (3rd; 169), wins (t-3rd; 92) and shutouts (t-3rd; 16). Fleury is also one of three goaltenders (and the most recent) to be selected first overall in the NHL Draft (2003 by PIT). https://foco.vegb.net/c/3065197/2691484/10075
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Sale ends today with FOCO
* Fleury, who grew up a Canadiens fan in Sorel, Quebec, about an hour away from Montreal, talked with NHL.com about what this start means to him: “I know there’s going to be a bus coming down from Sorel. I’ll have several of my family members and friends there. My wife (Véronique) will also be traveling from Minnesota with our three kids. I have to thank my sister (Marylène) for planning things out with everyone back in Sorel. I’ll be sharing that game with my loved ones.”
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