* Nikita Kucherov became the ninth-fastest player to 700 career assists – and just the second active skater on that list – as the Lightning picked up where they left off and extended their winning streak to six games.
* A pair of Pacific Division showdowns featured a combined 21 goals as the Golden Knights scored five times in the third period to strengthen their lead atop the division, while the Ducks overcame three separate deficits en route to their League-leading eighth multi-goal comeback win of the season.
* A 12-game slate is headlined by an ESPN doubleheader that opens with the Flyers visiting the Rangers and caps off with Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers battling Artemi Panarin and the Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
KUCHEROV REACHES 700 CAREER ASSISTS, LIGHTNING KEEP STREAKING
Nikita Kucherov (1-2—3) scored his 30th goal of the season, reached the 700-assist milestone and recorded his 120th career three-point game, while Andrei Vasilevskiy (32 saves) extended his point streak to 14 contests to help Tampa Bay extend its win streak to six and its overall home win streak to 10. The Lightning (38-14-4) required their third-fewest games in a season to 80 points (56 GP), trailing 2021-22 (55 GP) and 2018-19 (52 GP).
* Kucherov, who improved the NHL’s longest active point streak to 11 games, recorded his ninth career 30-goal season, which tied Steven Stamkos for the most in Lightning history. Along with Stamkos, Kucherov also tied Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid for the third-most 30-goal seasons among active players. The list is topped by Alex Ovechkin (19) and Sidney Crosby (13).
* Kucherov – the first player to record 700 helpers with the Lightning – became the ninth-fastest player in NHL history to reach the mark (855 GP) and overtook Crosby (856 GP) as the second-fastest active player, behindMcDavid(699 GP). He also required the second-fewest contests by a player born outside of North America to reach the milestone, behind Peter Stastny (784 GP).
*Wednesday’s contest marked Kucherov’s 120th career three-point game, which passed Evgeni Malkin (119) for the fourth most by an active player. OnlyCrosby (189), McDavid (147) and Ovechkin (141) have more.
* Vasilevskiy improved his record in 2026 to 13-0-1 (14 GP) and tied the fourth-longest point streak to begin a calendar year, a list he was also added to in 2020 when he opened the year 15-0-1 (16 GP). The only longer runs were recorded by Frank Brimsek (19 GP in 1941), Vasilevskiy himself (16 GP in 2020), Martin Gerber (15 GP in 2007) and Pete Peeters (15 GP in 1983).
. . . WHILE A PAIR OF CENTRAL DIVISION STARS ALSO HIT THE 30-GOAL MARK
Nikita Kucherov wasn’t the only player to hit 30 goals Wednesday night as Colorado’s Brock Nelson (1-0—1) and Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston (2-0—2) also reached the mark to help their respective clubs to wins. The 2025-26 season is the fourth in the past 15 years to feature 12 or more players with 30-plus goals through this stage of a season (916 GP). The others: 2022-23 (16), 2023-24 (14) and 2018-19 (14).
* Nelson scored one of his team’s four goals to register his fourth career 30-goal season as the Avalanche (38-9-9, 85 points) bested the Central Division-rival Mammoth (30-24-4, 64 points) and bolstered their lead atop the League standings. Nelson became the second player in NHL history to record each of his first four 30-goal seasons at age 30 or older, joining Johnny Bucyk (7).
* Johnston scored twice to reach and eclipse the 30-goal mark as the Stars (35-14-9, 79 points) extended their winning streak to seven games – tied for the second longest in franchise history – and leapfrogged the idle Wild (34-14-10, 78 points) for second in the Central Division standings. Johnston recorded his third career 30-goal season and tied Brian Bellows for the most by a Stars/North Stars player at age 22 or younger. He also notched his 19th power-play goal of 2025-26 and surpassed Mike Modano (18 in 1993-94) for the most in a single season in Stars team history.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS, DUCKS SKATE TO HIGH-SCORING WINS
The Golden Knights and Ducks scored six goals apiece in high-scoring, back-and-forth wins to strengthen their respective positions in the Pacific Division. Vegas (28-16-14, 70 points) built a five-point lead atop the Pacific while Anaheim (31-23-3, 65 points) overtook Edmonton (28-23-8, 64 points) and Seattle (27-21-9, 63 points) to move into second place in the division.
* After Artemi Panarin (0-2—2) became the first Kings skater since Sean Durzi (1-1—2 on Nov. 24, 2021) to record multiple points in their team debut, the Golden Knights responded with a five-goal surge in the final frame and tied their franchise mark for goals in a period. Pavel Dorofeyev (2-0—2) became the seventh player in Golden Knights history to record 10 multi-goal games – five of which have come this season alone.
* Leo Carlsson (1-2—3) recorded his seventh career three-point game and surpassed Mason McTavish for the second most by a Ducks player age 21 or younger behind Paul Kariya (12 GP), while Cutter Gauthier (1-0—1) netted the winning tally with 1:14 remaining in regulation to help the Ducks earn their League-leading eighth multi-goal comeback win of the season. Anaheim scored three tying goals in a game for the fifth time this season and improved to 4-0-1 in those contests.
THOMPSON HIGHLIGHTED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
After sharing a pre-game moment alongside Devils forward and Team USA teammate Jack Hughes, Tage Thompson (1-1—2) factored on both Sabres goals to help Buffalo improve to 22-5-2 (46 points) since Dec. 9, tied with Tampa Bay (22-3-2, 46 points) for the most wins and points in the NHL over that span. Find more notes on Thompson and the rest of Wednesday’s eight-game slate in #NHLStats: Live Updates.
* ICYMI: Gold-medalOlympianHughes was honored tonight by the Blitzer family, owners of the Devils, and New Jersey state governor Mikie Sherrill. In recognition of his historic win, the Blitzer family donated $86,000 to ‘Hockey in New Jersey,’ a longtime Hockey Is For Everyone organization and proud partner of the Hughes Brothers’ Pucks & Pages reading program.
* Earlier this month, the NHL Foundation U.S. donated $50,000 to ‘Hockey in New Jersey’ and the PWHL’s New York Sirens announced that forward Elle Hartje joined ‘Hockey in New Jersey’ as the organization’s first-ever female ambassador. ‘Hockey in New Jersey’ is a nonprofit organization that has been part of the community for more than 20 years and provides year-round hockey programming for more than 1,000 girls and boys each year.
QUICK CLICKS
* Samuel Girard traded to Penguins by Avalanche for Brett Kulak
* Auston Matthews, Connor Hellebuyck changed legacies with gold medal at Olympics
* Artemi Panarin gifts Kings mascot Rolex watch to share number
* Sidney Crosby out at least 4 weeks for Penguins
* Jon Cooper to miss 2 games as Lightning coach after father’s death
ESPN DOUBLEHEADER HEADLINES 12-GAME THURSDAY AS MORE TEAMS RETURN TO ICE
Several other teams make their return to NHL action during Thursday’s 12-game slate, highlighted by a pair of divisional duels on ESPN between the Metropolitan’s Flyers and Rangers as well as the Pacific’s Oilers and Kings. As Artemi Panarin aims to follow up his productive Kings debut, the other side of the ice will see Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard look to hit season plateaus.
* After notching 0-2—2 in his Kings debut Wednesday, Panarin takes the ice again at Crypto.com Arena. The newest member of Los Angeles can become the fourth player to record multiple points in each of his first two career games with the franchise, following Wayne Gretzky (4 GP in 1988-89), Anze Kopitar (2 GP in 2006-07) and Bob Berry (2 GP in 1970-71).
* Draisaitl (29-51—80 in 56 GP) needs one tally to record his eighth career 30-goal season. He would tie Connor McDavid and Glenn Anderson (both w/ 8) for the third-most consecutive 30-goal campaigns in Oilers history, behind only Jari Kurri (10) and Gretzky (9). He would also join McDavid, Alex Ovechkin (15) and Auston Matthews (9) as the only active players with a run of that length. Meanwhile, Bouchard (16-49—65 in 59 GP) is one assist shy of joining Paul Coffey (6) as the second Edmonton defenseman with three straight 50-assist seasons. The only active blueliners to do so are Quinn Hughes (5), Adam Fox (4), John Carlson (3) and Erik Karlsson (3).
MORE MATCHUPS, PLAYER STREAKS TO TAKE NOTE OF THURSDAY
The rest of Thursday’s docket has more stats and storylines to look out for as teams jockey for playoff positioning on the other side of the Olympic break.
* A critical Central Division clash has Quinn Hughes and the Wild (34-14-10, 78 points) putting their streaks on the line when they try to narrow the standings gap on the League-leading Avalanche (38-9-9, 85 points) – a spot they have held for 94 consecutive game days. Hughes, riding a 10-game point and assist streak, can match Mark Howe (11 GP in 1979-80 w/ HFD) for the second-longest point streak by a defenseman in their first season with a franchise, behind only Steve Duchesne (15 GP in 1992-93 w/ QUE).
* Charlie McAvoy and Zach Werenski can both extend their point streaks to eight games when Boston (32-20-5, 69 points) and Columbus (29-20-7, 65 points), which eyes an eighth straight win, clash – the teams are separated by just four points for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Werenski would match his own run from 2024-25 for the longest by a defenseman in Blue Jackets history, while McAvoy would also match the longest of his career (2021-22 & 2020-21) – the last Bruins blueliner other than McAvoy with a streak of that length: Ray Bourque (8 GP in 1995-96).
* Matthew Schaefer and the Islanders (32-21-5, 69 points) face fellow rookie Ivan Demidov and the Canadiens (32-17-8, 72 points) as both clubs look to solidify their top-three position in their respective divisions. Schaefer (16-23—39 in 58 GP) needs one point to become the third defenseman in NHL history to record 40 career points before his 19th birthday, following Phil Housley (57) and Rasmus Dahlin (44). Demidov (12-34—46 in 57 GP), the League’s rookie scoring leader, looks to build his case for the Calder Trophy and hopes to follow Lane Hutson (2024-25) as the second straight Canadiens player to win the award. The last team to have the Calder Trophy winner in consecutive seasons was the Bruins (Derek Sanderson in 1967-68 & Bobby Orr in 1966-67).
* Ottawa will also be in action tonight when it duels Detroit in an Atlantic Division fixture. Dr. Natalie Durand-Bush is the mental performance consultant with the Senators and will be featured Thursday as part of the Women in Hockey series presented by Canadian Tire. Dr. Durand-Bush brings 30-plus years of applied research and experience in high performance sport to her role. She works directly with players, optimizing their mental performance to thrive on and off the ice. Ottawa will celebrate its Women in Sports night tonight.
