* With a potential First Round matchup taking the national stage on Sportsnet in Canada, Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews scored his fourth hat trick of the season to bring his goal count to 54, equaling the single-season franchise record set 40 years ago by Rick Vaive.
* In a matchup against the division-rival Kings, Johnny Gaudreau (2-1—3) scored just 10 seconds into the game before later potting the winning goal to help the Flames (41-19-9, 91 points) open a five-point lead in pursuit of their eighth division title.
* Anze Kopitar and Vladimir Tarasenko each hit the 60-point mark in 2021-22, while Kopitar’s teammate Adrian Kempe reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time.
* Another Atlantic Division showdown takes place Tuesday as the Maple Leafs visit the Panthers during a 10-game slate – with Jonathan Huberdeau (24-73—97 in 69 GP) looking to rewrite the history books for his franchise.
MATTHEWS NETS HAT TRICK TO BRING GOAL COUNT TO 54, TIE FRANCHISE RECORD
In a potential First Round matchup against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning, Auston Matthews (3-1—4) ignited the Maple Leafs’ offense with his seventh career hat trick (fourth this season) to reach 54 goals in 2021-22, equaling a single-season franchise record.
Via @MapleLeafs
* The reigning Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner opened a four-goal lead on Leon Draisaitl (50) atop the goals list in 2021-22 as he boosted his count to 54 – the most by any NHL player in a decade. Steven Stamkos, captain of the opposing Lightning, was the last player before Matthews to notch as many goals in one campaign (60 in 2011-12).
* Despite missing five games in 2021-22, Matthews now is on pace to score 65 goals this season – which would equal the highest total achieved by any active player (Alex Ovechkin in 2007-08). Matthews, who will play a maximum of 77 games in 2021-22, can become the eighth player in NHL history – and first in his lifetime – to score 60+ goals in a season while playing 77 or fewer games.
* Matthews has at least a point in 13 consecutive games played dating to March 5, while teammate Mitchell Marner posted his sixth straight multi-point showing and extended his overall point streak to 10 contests. The former became the third-fastest player in franchise history to reach 90 points in a season, while Marner (29-55—84 in 60 GP) finished his 60th game of 2021-22 with the third-highest point total at that stage of a season in franchise history.
* Both Matthews and Marner are on pace to hit the 100-point plateau in 2021-22, which would be the first time Toronto has had multiple century-mark players in the same campaign. In fact, it would equal the number of different players who have reached the benchmark in the 104-season history of the franchise.
GAUDREAU’S THREE-POINT NIGHT HELPS FLAMES PAD DIVISION LEAD
Johnny Gaudreau (2-1—3) required just 10 seconds from the opening faceoff to find the back of the net before then factoring on Calgary’s other two goals as the Flames (41-19-9, 91 points) prevailed in a back-and-forth affair and widened their lead above the second-place Kings (38-24-10, 86 points) atop the Pacific Division standings.
* Gaudreau recorded his 38th career game-opening goal and now trails only Jarome Iginla (93), Theo Fleury (47) and Kent Nilsson (45) for the most in franchise history. None of those players are among the four other Flames who have scored in the opening 10 seconds of a game. The only instance of a faster game-opening goal this season occurred March 24 (Anthony Beauvillier: 0:09 w/ NYI).
* Gaudreau (34-61—95 in 69 GP) is closing in on his first 100-point season after falling one point shy with a career-high 36-63—99 in 2018-19, while Matthew Tkachuk (32-53—85 in 69 GP) also is on pace to hit the century mark. Overall, nine NHL players are tracking toward (or have already achieved) a 100-point season – which would be the most in one campaign since 1995-96 (12).
DEBRUSK HITS 20-GOAL MARK AS BRUINS CLIMB STANDINGS
After hitting the 20-goal mark in the first period, Jake DeBrusk potted his second of the game in overtime to lift Boston to its third straight win. DeBrusk netted his seventh game-winning goal of the season for the Bruins, who improved to 44-20-5 (93 points) to overtake the Lightning 43-19-7 (93 points) for third place in the Atlantic Division.
* After the Lightning and Maple Leafs were lined up for a First Round meeting for 25 of the past 29 days (all but March 24-26 & April 4), Boston’s movement temporarily sets up what would be the 17th all-time playoff series between the Bruins and Maple Leafs.
* Boston and Toronto last met in the playoffs in 2019 when the Bruins won Game 7 of the opening round en route to a Stanley Cup Final showdown against the Blues – who happened to collect another 20-goal scorer of their own Monday (bringing the League’s total to 96 in 2021-22).
VORACEK GOES 11 SEASONS BETWEEN 50-POINT CAMPAIGNS WITH COLUMBUS
Monday’s four-game slate brought a steady stream of #NHLStats, including a note on Jakub Voracek that was 11 seasons in the making. Voracek, a first-round selection by Columbus in 2007 (seventh overall) who spent his first three seasons with the Blue Jackets, returned to the club in 2021-22 and now ranks among the top 10 in franchise history for career assists after surpassing captain Boone Jenner on Monday.
QUICK CLICKS
* Connor McDavid, Aleksander Barkov, Semyon Varlamov named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week
* ‘Savour Every Moment’: Yvan Cournoyer recalls first NHL goal with Canadiens
* Anze Kopitar sets Kings record with 13th 60-point season
* Color of Hockey: Greg Mauldin attempting comeback in Norway at age 39
* Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award announces 2022 finalists
ANOTHER MACKINNON VS. CROSBY SHOWDOWN ON THE DOCKET TUESDAY
The League-leading Avalanche (49-14-6, 104 points) will take another crack at clinching a playoff spot when they face the Penguins (41-19-10, 92 points) to close out both a home-and-home set and their regular-season series after Nathan MacKinnon (0-2—2) helped Colorado edge Sidney Crosby (1-0—1) and the Penguins during a nationally broadcast matinee Saturday (in the U.S. & Canada).
* MacKinnon (3-8—11) has outscored Crosby (6-2—8) in their 12 head-to-head matchups to date and also has the edge in the standings (COL: 6-4-2; PIT: 6-6-0). MacKinnon hit the 400-assist mark in their meeting Saturday, while Crosby moved within three points of 1,400 in his career (512-885—1,397 in 1,097 GP).
HUBERDEAU AIMS TO HIT 100 POINTS, WRITE PANTHERS HISTORY ON 10-GAME NIGHT
Jonathan Huberdeau (24-73—97 in 69 GP) will look to become the third member of the 100-point club this season when the Eastern Conference-leading Panthers (48-15-6, 102 points) host the Atlantic Division’s No. 2-ranked Maple Leafs (45-19-5, 95 points) as Auston Matthews gets right back to it with a chance to set a new club record.
* Huberdeau can record 100 points in a season for the first time in his career and become the first player to reach the mark with the Panthers. Huberdeau, who debuted in 2012-13, can also become the 14th player in NHL history to record his first 100-point season in his 10th campaign or later – Brad Marchand was the last to do so (2018-19: 10th season). One of Huberdeau’s newest teammates, Claude Giroux, was the last before Marchand as he hit the century mark for the first time in 2017-18 (his 11th season).
* Huberdeau(Saint-Jerome, Que.) can became the first Quebec-born skater to record a 100-point season since Tampa Bay teammates Vincent Lecavalier (108) and Martin St. Louis (102) both accomplished the feat in 2006-07. The former Lightning teammates are the only Quebec-born players to hit the benchmark in the past 24 years (since 1997-98).
