* Rookie goaltender Nico Daws (45 saves) set the record for most saves in an NHL outdoor game to help propel the Devils to a victory at MetLife Stadium in the first of two contests in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series. The Rangers and Islanders will contest the second half of the event with an afternoon game Sunday.
* A second straight hat trick from Auston Matthews added to AstraZeneca’s donation to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation as the Maple Leafs and Panthers both scored nine goals and combined for a feat last achieved 17 years ago.
* The NHL announced the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series between the Blue Jackets and Red Wings at Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State University football team, on March 1, 2025.
* Sunday’s three-game slate also features the Penguins raising a franchise icon’s number to the rafters at PPG Paints Arena.
DEVILS DELIGHT HOME CROWD WITH FRANCHISE’S FIRST OUTDOOR WIN
A pair of Nicos, captain Nico Hischier (2-1—3) and rookie goaltender Nico Daws (45 saves), had standout performances for the Devils (28-22-4, 60 points) to help them earn the first outdoor win in franchise history (1-1-0) and delight the 70,328 fans on hand at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
* Hischier got the scoring started early with the second-fastest goal from the start of an NHL outdoor game (0:32) and his three-point outing was one shy of the most in a single outdoor game (Jordan Kyrou: 2-2—4 in 2022 Winter Classic).
* Hischier, Nathan Bastian and Philadelphia’s Owen Tippett all recorded multi-goal outings – the first time in NHL outdoor history three players had multiple tallies in the same game.
* In the first-ever outdoor game in which rookie goaltenders started for both teams, Daws defeated Philadelphia‘s Samuel Ersson (34 saves) to become the third rookie netminder to earn an NHL outdoor game win, joining Matt Murray (2017 Stadium Series w/ PIT) and Mike Condon (2016 Winter Classic w/ MTL).
* Daws’ 45 saves set an NHL outdoor game record and was the third-highest total by a rookie netminder this season, behind Anaheim’s Lukas Dostal (55 on Jan. 3) and Montreal’s Cayden Primeau (46 on Dec. 9).
* Also on Saturday, Tyler Toffoli scored his fourth career outdoor goal to tie David Pastrnak for the most all-time, the two teams combined to score nine goals which is one shy of the highest total recorded and the Devils’ six goals were one short of the most by a single team in an outdoor contest.
STADIUM SERIES SCENES FROM METLIFE STADIUM
* The Devils and Flyers continued the outdoor game tradition of themed arrivals, with New Jersey showing up in Sopranos-styled track suits and Philadelphia arriving dressed for a Rocky training montage.
* NHL STREET, which provides affordable and fun ball hockey experiences for kids ages 6 to 16, has played a big role in Stadium Series weekend. Around 800 kids will pick up a stick and play hockey for free in New Jersey this weekend through the program, both at the American Dream Mall and on the field at MetLife Stadium. Click here for more information on NHL STREET.
* Special guests were all over the event with Max Weinberg introducing the Devils, Jake Clemons performing the national anthem and Devils legend Martin Brodeur dropping the puck. Garden State natives and Devils fans, Jonas Brothers, performed a pre-game concert and played again during the second intermission, while New Jersey natives The Gaslight Anthem performed their hit “Howl” – the Devils’ goal song – every time the home team scored.
STADIUM SERIES CONTINUES SUNDAY WITH ‘BATTLE OF NEW YORK’ REMATCH
The second half of the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series from MetLife Stadium will take place Sunday afternoon in an outdoor game rematch 10 years in the making between the Rangers and the Islanders. These teams last met outdoors in the 2014 Stadium Series at Yankee Stadium in a tightly contested 2-1 Rangers victory.
* This will mark the fifth time the NHL has staged outdoor games on consecutive days, but the Edgewood Tahoe Resort (Feb. 20-21, 2021) is the only other venue to host an NHL outdoor game on consecutive days. Yankee Stadium (Jan. 26 & 29, 2014) also hosted multiple outdoor games in the same season, but not on consecutive days. Click here for a list of every outdoor game in NHL history from Records.NHL.com.
* The Rangers and Islanders will contest the fourth outdoor game rematch, joining the Maple Leafs-Red Wings (2014 WC & 2017 CC), Flyers-Penguins (2017 SS & 2019 SS) and Bruins-Flyers (2010 WC & 2021 LT).
* The Rangers (35-16-3, 73 points) sit atop the Metropolitan Division standings and enter on a six-game winning streak – the League’s longest active run. That matches the 2014-15 Kings for the longest win streak by a team entering an outdoor game (6-0-0 entering 2-1 W vs. SJS in 2015 Stadium Series).
* The Islanders roster includes four players still with the franchise and looking for revenge from the 2014 Stadium Series loss to the Rangers in Brock Nelson, Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck. Nelson, who leads the Islanders with 22 goals this season and ranks eighth on the franchise’s all-time goals list, is the only player to score in an NHL outdoor game for the Islanders franchise.
MATTHEWS, TKACHUK SHINE AS MAPLE LEAFS, PANTHERS POT NINE
Auston Matthews (3-2—5) scored his second hat trick in as many games while Matthew Tkachuk (2-2—4)notched four points to lead the Maple Leafs and Panthers to nine-goal outbursts, marking just the second time in the past 30 years that multiple teams have scored as many goals in the same day following Jan. 4, 2007 (TOR & SJS).
* Matthews collected his sixth hat trick of the season en route to a career-high five-point night and established a Maple Leafs record for the most three-goal performances in a campaign. Matthews became the fifth player in NHL history to score a hat trick in consecutive games twice in a season after Reg Noble (1917-18), Joe Malone (1917-18), Mike Bossy (1980-81) and Wayne Gretzky (1983-84).
* With two straight hat tricks from Matthews and a three-goal outing from Bobby McMann on Feb. 13, the Maple Leafs became the 15th team in League history to record a hat trick in at least three consecutive games and just the second to do so in the past 30 years after the 2009-10 Capitals (3 GP).
* With the help of a four-point performance byTkachuk, the Panthers continued their dominance as visitors Saturday, erupting for nine goals to snap the intrastate-rival Lightning’s home winning streak and extend their road win streak to 11 games. It marked the first time in franchise history the club has scored as many goals in a road contest.
* Tkachuk, who scored twice in the opening 1:37 of the second frame and set a Panthers record for the fastest two goals to start a period, recorded his seventh four-point game with Florida and surpassed Pavel Bure for sole possession of the third most in franchise history.
MORE NOTES FROM SATURDAY? CHECK #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Saturday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates had notes from all 13 games, including the Kings who stunned the Bruins after Anze Kopitar scored a tying tally in the final 2:00 of regulation and Brandt Clarke became the first player in franchise history to record his first career goal in overtime.
QUICK CLICKS
* Jaromir Jagr ‘so honored’ to have No. 68 retired by Penguins
*Devin Booker supports Red Wings before NBA Skills Challenge
* Connor Bedard picking up where he left off for Blackhawks before fractured jaw
* CHL notebook: Avalanche prospect Calum Ritchie thinking, looking like pro
* Columbus to host Detroit at Ohio Stadium in 2025 NHL Stadium Series
PENGUINS TO RETIRE JAGR’S No. 68 BEFORE FACING KINGS ON SN360, TVAS
Sunday’s slate will feature Pittsburgh retiring franchise-icon Jaromir Jagr’s No. 68 during a pre-game ceremony at PPG Paints Arena before squaring off with Los Angeles on Sportsnet 360 and TVA Sports.
* Click here to read more about Jagr, who skated with the Penguins on Saturday and will become the third player to have his number retired by the franchise following his longtime teammate Mario Lemieux (No. 66 on Nov. 19, 1997 & Oct. 5, 2006) as well as Michel Briere (No. 21 on Jan. 5, 2001).
