* Colorado will appear in the postseason for the fifth straight campaign as the Avalanche became the second team to clinch a berth in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs via their 50th win of the season.
* The Panthers overcame a four-goal deficit to win for the second time in four days, led by Jonathan Huberdeau who tallied 2-3—5 and became the first player in franchise history to reach the 100-point mark in a season.
* Ryan Johansen ensured the NHL has featured a hat trick every day to start April as he recorded the first of his career. Only one other month in NHL history has begun with a hat trick for five-plus days: January 1976 (Butch Goring: Jan. 1, Wayne Merrick: Jan.2, Dave Kryskow: Jan. 3, Carol Vadnais: Jan. 4, Richard Martin: Jan. 5 & Jude Drouin: Jan. 6).
AVALANCHE SECURE THIRD 50-WIN SEASON, FIFTH STRAIGHT PLAYOFF BERTH
Nathan MacKinnon (2-0—2) collected another multi-point outing to help the NHL-leading Avalanche (50-14-6, 106 points) record their third 50-win season in franchise history en route to clinching a berth in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The Avalanche have reached the playoffs in five straight seasons for the third time in franchise history, following a streak of 11 consecutive berths from 1995 to 2006 as well as a run of seven in a row from 1981 to 1987 while based in Quebec.
* MacKinnon (24-50—74 in 54 GP) is averaging 1.37 points per game in Colorado’s 50-win campaign. Only two players in Avalanche team history have concluded a season with a higher such pace (min. 40 GP): Joe Sakic (1.46 in 1995-96 & 1.44 in 2000-01) and Peter Forsberg (1.41 in 1995-96 & 2002-03).-06125721.png)
* ICYMI: The 2021-22 season has featured the debut of #NHLStats Pack: Team Clinching Notes, a running document of notes for all teams as they clinch a berth in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Click here to read more.
HUBERDEAU HITS TWO MILESTONES AS PANTHERS OVERCOME 5-1 DEFICIT
Jonathan Huberdeau (2-3—5) factored on five of his team’s seven goals, including the overtime winner, to become the first player to reach and eclipse the 100-point mark with Florida (26-76—102 in 70 GP) as the Eastern Conference-leading Panthers (49-15-6, 104 points) overcame a 5-1 deficit to defeat the Atlantic Division’s second-place Maple Leafs (45-19-6, 96 points).
* Huberdeau (Saint-Jerome, Que.) became just the fourth Quebec-born player in the past 25 years to record 100-plus points in a season, of which only two concluded their campaigns with more than his current total: Vincent Lecavalier (52-56—108 in 82 GP) in 2006-07 and Mario Lemieux (50-72—122 in 76 GP) in 1996-97.
* Huberdeau recorded his fifth career five-point outing – the only active players with more five-point games are Evgeni Malkin (8), Connor McDavid (7), Brad Marchand (6) and Sidney Crosby (6). In the process, Huberdeau (194-406—600 in 661 GP) became the first Panthers player and first skater from the 2011 NHL Draft to reach the 600-point mark.
* Meanwhile, Florida’s captain Aleksander Barkov (1-3—4) collected multiple points for the fifth straight game. He and Huberdeau have played pivotal roles through the course of the Panthers’ victories in which they overcame four-goal deficits, combining for 5-17—22 in those contests (4 GP).
MAKE IT RHYME: KREIDER, SEIDER REACH MILESTONES TUESDAY
Chris Kreider and Moritz Seider each reached milestones Tuesday as the Rangers forward scored his 25th power-play goal of the season, while the Red Wings defenseman reached the 40-assist mark:
* Kreider (47-20—67) inched closer to the 50-goal plateau with his 25th power-play marker of the season and surpassed Jaromir Jagr (24 in 2005-06) for the most by a Rangers player in a single campaign (since 1933-34 when goals by type began being tracked). Kreider’s 83 career power-play goals moved him into a tie with Vic Hadfield (83) for fifth on the franchise’s all-time list.
*Seider (5-40—45) continued his chase for the Calder Trophy as he became the first rookie this season to record 40 assists and just the seventh in franchise history to reach the mark. He joined Nicklas Lidstrom (49 in 1991-92), Marcel Dionne (49 in 1971-72), Sergei Federov (48 in 1990-91), Steve Yzerman (48 in 1983-84), Reed Larson (41 in 1977-78) and Mark Osborne (41 in 1981-82). Lidstrom and Larson are the only defensemen in that cohort.-06013453.png)
HAT TRICKS HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
After the Predators matched a franchise record for power-play goals in a single period, Ryan Johansen (3-0—3) completed his first career hat trick to help Nashville (40-25-4, 84 points) maintain its Wild Card position in the Western Conference.
* Tuesday marked the fifth consecutive day of April that at least one player has produced a three-goal outing following Mathieu Joseph (April 1 w/ OTT), Yegor Sharangovich (April 2 w/ NJD), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (April 3 w/ NYI), Josh Norris (April 3 w/ OTT) and Auston Matthews (April 4 w/ TOR).
* Storylines like these and more can be found in the latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.-06010639.png)
QUICK CLICKS
* Ryan Getzlaf announces retirement from NHL after the 2021-22 Season
* Marian Hossa to retire with Blackhawks, signs one-day contract
*Jack Hughes out rest of season for Devils with knee injury
*Katie Guay, first woman to referee an AHL game, discusses officiating beginnings
* CHEL Intel: 2022 NHL Gaming World Championship Update
TNT DOUBLEHEADER HIGHLIGHTS FIVE-GAME WEDNESDAY
A five-game slate is bookended by a TNT doubleheader that opens with a matchup between the Lightning (43-19-7, 93 points) and Capitals (37-22-10, 84 points) and concludes with the Pacific Division-leading Flames (41-19-9, 91 points) visiting the Ducks (28-31-12, 68 points) at Honda Center.
