* The Kings became the ninth team to clinch a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the seventh club to reach the 100-point mark this season, with the Rangers also hitting a triple-digit total Sunday.
* The Bruins quelled a three-goal comeback attempt by the Blues and became the fourth 60-win team in NHL history. Boston can set new single-season NHL records for wins and points over its final five games of the season.
* The Flames were successful in their rally and recorded the NHL’s 139th multi-goal comeback win of 2022-23, which eclipsed 2018-19 (138) for the highest single-season total in League history.
KINGS CLINCH STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS BERTH, REACH 100-POINT MARK
Anze Kopitar assisted on the tying and winning goal while Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves as Los Angeles (45-22-10, 100 points) earned a victory versus Vancouver to clinch a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The Kings will look to bring another Stanley Cup to Southern California with a roster featuring franchise cornerstones in Kopitar and Drew Doughty as well as new faces like Korpisalo. Click here to read some playoff #NHLStats about Los Angeles, including several involving the two veterans and their new goaltender.
* Los Angeles reached the 100-point mark for the sixth time in franchise history and required its second-fewest games to hit the milestone (76 GP in 1974-75: 40-16-20, 100 points).
BRUINS BEAT BLUES TO BECOME FOURTH 60-WIN TEAM IN NHL HISTORY
Linus Ullmark (35 saves) turned aside all three of St. Louis’ shootout attempts after the Blues erased a three-goal deficit to help the NHL-leading Bruins (60-12-5, 125 points) become the fourth team in League history to reach the 60-win mark in a single season.
* Boston, which also improved to 29-8-2 (60 points) as visitors in 2022-23 and moved within two road victories of tying the most in a single season in NHL history, reached the 60-win milestone nearly four years after Tampa Bay last achieved the feat on April 1, 2019.
* The Bruins need three wins and eight points over their final five games to establish new single-season NHL records. It would mark the second time in seven years that a major North American pro sports team set a single-season wins record in their respective league – the Golden State Warriors went 73-9 in 2015-16 to establish an NBA record for most wins in a season, eclipsing the previous high of 72 set by the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in 1995-96 (72-10).
* Ullmark earned his League-leading 38th win of the season and tied Tiny Thompson (38 in 1929-30) for the second most by a Bruins goaltender in a single campaign. Pete Peeters (40 in 1982-83) holds the franchise record.
PANARIN PROPELS RANGERS TO ANOTHER 100-POINT CAMPAIGN
Mika Zibanejad scored his 20th power-play goal of the season and Artemi Panarin registered his sixth three-assist game of 2022-23 to help the Rangers (45-21-11, 101 points) record consecutive 100-point campaigns for the third time in franchise history (also 3 from 2014-15–2016-17 & 1970-71–1972-73).
* Panarin (25-62—87 in 77 GP), with 98 multi-point games since joining the Rangers, reached the 60-assist mark for the third time with New York (also 74 in 2021-22 & 63 in 2019-20). He joined Brian Leetch (70 in 1995-96, 80 in 1991-92 & 72 in 1990-91) as the second player in franchise history with three such campaigns.
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WILD CARD CLUBS COLLECTING CRUCIAL WINS FEATURED IN LIVE UPDATES
Sunday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the nine-game slate, including the Penguins (38-29-10, 86 points) foiling the Flyers to leapfrog the idle Panthers (39-31-7, 85 points) for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and the Jets (43-31-3, 89 points) defeating the Devils to move within one point of the idle Kraken (41-26-8, 90 points) for the first Wild Card position in the Western Conference. Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang skated in the 1,000th contest of his NHL career and was honored in a pre-game ceremony alongside his family as well as longtime teammates Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
NHL PODCAST WEEKLY ROUNDUP
* NHL Fantasy: Fantasy waiver wire pickups: Week 24
* NHL @ The Rink: Paul Maurice joins; Hudson River rivalry, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins appreciation
* La Tasse de café LNH: Dernier droit de la saison de la LNH; les séries de la LHJMQ
* The Chirp with Daren Millard: John Shannon joins; WWE’s Dean Evason, future NHL TV talent
* NHL Fantasy: Fantasy mailbag: Week 24
QUICK CLICKS
* Connor Bedard has 3-2—5 as WHL’s Pats take 2-0 lead in first-round series with Blades
* Rickard Rakell gets incredibly lucky bounce off glass, back of goalie for goal
* Maple Leafs to play Lightning in First Round of Stanley Cup Playoffs
* Zizing ‘Em Up: Steven Stamkos‘ painful road to 1,000 NHL games for Lightning
* Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol throws out first pitch before Seattle Mariners game
Photo via @SeattleKraken
THREE-GAME MONDAY FEATURES MORE PLAYOFF BERTHS ON THE LINE
A pair of Central Division clubs could clinch a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on home ice when the Wild (44-23-9, 97 points) and Stars (41-21-14, 96 points) host the Golden Knights (47-22-7, 101 points) and Predators (38-29-8, 84 points), respectively, during a three-game Monday. Specific clinching scenarios for both clubs will be posted at @PR_NHL before the puck drops.
