* Several streaks were extended in Calgary as former Flames captain Mark Giordano made his return to Scotiabank Saddledome.* Los Angeles rallied from a multi-goal deficit to win for the second time in as many days, while Anaheim accumulated a seven-goal victory to keep pace in the tightly-contested Pacific Division.
* Connor McDavid and Cale Makar reached the 70- and 50-point mark, respectively, as the Oilers and Avalanche also earned wins.
LINDHOLM, FLAMES EXTEND STREAKS IN GIORDANO’S RETURN TO CALGARY
Elias Lindholm (1-1—2) extended his career-high goal streak to seven games (8-4—12) as the Pacific Division-leading Flames (29-13-6, 64 points) defeated the Kraken to improve to 9-0-0 in their last nine contests. Calgary’s run marks the lengthiest active winning streak in the NHL as well as the third longest in franchise history behind 10-game stretches from Oct. 14–Nov. 3, 1978 and Feb. 21–March 13, 2017.
* Lindholm wasn’t the only Flames player to extend a lengthy streak Saturday. Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves, including a highlight-reel two-pad stack on Jordan Eberle in the second period, to push his official winning streak to six games and improve to 8-0-0 in his last eight home appearances dating to Jan. 18.
* ICYMI: Mark Giordano returned to Calgary for the first time since he was claimed by the Kraken from the Flames in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Giordano skated each of his first 15 NHL seasons with Calgary from 2005-06 to 2020-21, which included serving as team captain in his last eight – he ranks among the top three on the franchise’s all-time lists for goals (143; 2nd), assists (366; 3rd) and points (509; 3rd) among defensemen.
KINGS MOUNT MULTI-GOAL COMEBACK WIN IN CONSECUTIVE DAYS
The trio of Drew Doughty (2-1—3), Adrian Kempe (2-1—3) and Anze Kopitar (0-3—3) all notched three points to help the Kings rally from a multi-goal deficit to win for the second consecutive night, after also doing so in a 4-3 OTW at VGK on Friday. It marked the first time the franchise has rallied from a multi-goal deficit to win on consecutive days.
* Kempe, who also notched a pair of goals in the come-from-behind victory against Vegas a night earlier, became the first Kings player to record two or more goals on consecutive days since John Tonelli from Jan. 5-6, 1989.
* Doughty, who notched his second career multi-goal game (also Feb. 2, 2011 at EDM), recorded the 13th three-point game of his career. The only Kings defensemen with more are Steve Duchesne (19) and Rob Blake (17).
McDAVID, MAKAR REACH SEASON BENCHMARKS IN WINS
Oilers captain Connor McDavid (1-2—3) and Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (0-1—1) each reached season benchmarks, with the former reclaiming the outright NHL lead with his 70th point of 2021-22 and the latter hitting the 50-point mark.
* McDavid became the first player to record 70 points in 2021-22 (26-45—71 in 48 GP) – the fourth campaign in which he was the first to reach the mark in a season (2016-17, 2019-20, 2020-21 & 2021-22) – as the Oilers earned their fifth consecutive win. Only six other players in NHL history have been the first to 70 points in a season four or more times, last achieved by Jaromir Jagr (1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00 & 2005-06).
* Makar (18-32—50 in 45 GP) matched his single-season career high for points set in 2019-20 (12-38—50 in 57 GP) as the NHL-leading Avalanche (36-9-4, 76 points) earned a comeback win against the Sabres. Colorado extended its road win streak to seven contests, tied for the second longest in franchise history (also 7 GP in 1998-99) behind a nine-game stretch in 2019-20.
ANAHEIM AMASSING SEVEN GOALS FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Saturday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates features more notes from the seven-game slate, including Ducks rookie Trevor Zegras assisting on three of Anaheim’s seven goals at Rogers Arena.
BLACK HOCKEY HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: JASON PAYNE
Jason Payne, a member of the NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Program since day 1, is currently the Head Coach of the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones and the first Black Head Coach in American professional hockey. He is also the owner of the Precision Skating School in Toronto where his program focuses on the key dynamics of skating, puck handling techniques, defensive tactics, and other game related skills. Payne has worked with players of all levels from minor hockey to professional.
QUICK CLICKS
* Mark Giordano calls return to Calgary with Kraken ‘pretty special for me’
* Nick Ritchie traded to Coyotes by Maple Leafs for Ryan Dzingel, Ilya Lyubushkin
* Jamie Benn fined $5,000 for actions in Stars game
* Emile Francis dies at 95, built 1960s Rangers into contender
* Statement from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on the passing of Emile Francis
THREE OF EASTERN CONFERENCE’S TOP FOUR TEAMS IN ACTION SUNDAY
The Panthers (34-10-5, 73 points), Hurricanes (33-11-4, 70 points) and Penguins (31-12-8, 70 points), who rank among the top four in the Eastern Conference standings, will look to gain ground on the League-leading Avalanche (36-9-4, 76 points) during an eight-game slate Sunday.
