* Days without a goalie goal – 0. Linus Ullmark picked up his 30th win of 2022-23 in style by becoming the 13th different goaltender in NHL history to score a regular-season goal.
* The Devils benefited from an offensive outburst and posted seven goals in a shutout victory to gain ground on the top-seeded Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division.
* Connor McDavid potted four points to help the Oilers erase a four-goal deficit, but Jack Roslovic recorded four points of his own to propel the Blue Jackets to victory.
* John Gibson stifled the Hurricanes with his third 50-save performance of the season – all of which coming in February – en route to joining rare company in the process.
ULLMARK DID WHAT?
The NHL-leading Bruins (45-8-5, 95 points) were clinging to a one-goal lead in the final minute of regulation before Linus Ullmark (26 saves, 1-0—1) sealed his 30th win of 2022-23 by becoming the 13th different goaltender in NHL history – and ninth since 2000 – to score a regular-season goal. Martin Brodeur is the only netminder to do so multiple times.
* Ullmark (37 GP), who backstopped the Bruins to their fourth win streak of at least six games in 2022-23, required the second-fewest contests by a goaltender in NHL history to reach 30 victories in a single season behind only Tiny Thompson (35 GP w/ BOS in 1929-30).
MERCER EXTENDS GOAL STREAK, DEVILS SCORE SEVEN IN SHUTOUT VICTORY
Dawson Mercer (1-0—1) scored in his sixth straight game and Jack Hughes (1-1—2) secured his 26th multi-point outing of the season after recording a highlight-reel, spin-o-rama assist as the Devils (39-15-5, 83 points) moved within three points of the Hurricanes (39-11-8, 86 points) for top spot in the Metropolitan Division. It marked the fourth time in franchise history the club scored seven-plus goals in a shutout.
* Hughes tied the second-most multi-point games in a single season by a Devils/Rockies/Scouts player and now sits one back of Taylor Hall (27 GP in 2017-18). Hughes is operating at a 0.65 goals-per-game average – only one player in franchise history has concluded a campaign with a pace as high (min. 2 GP): Paul Gardner in 1977-78 (0.65 w/ CLR).
* Mercer (21 years, 121 days) became the youngest player in Devils/Scouts/Rockies history to record a goal streak of six contests, surpassing Paul Gardner (6 GP in 1977-78) at the age of 21 years and 245 days. After the game, Scott Gomez passed Mercer a puck for officially breaking his record for most consecutive games played from the start of their career with the franchise as the latter skated in his 141st NHL contest.
COLUMBUS CANNON FIRES SIX TIMES AS BLUE JACKETS FEND OFF MCDAVID, OILERS
The cannon blasted six times in Columbus on Saturday as the Blue Jackets matched a season high with six goals and held off a 2-2—4 performance by Edmonton’s No. 97, thanks in part to an equal outing by their own No. 96. The Blue Jackets pulled ahead 4-0 in the second period but Connor McDavid (2-2—4) helped the Oilers tie the game in a span of 8:46 before Jack Roslovic (2-2—4) put Columbus ahead for good with two goals in the third period.
* The Blue Jackets emerged with the win after a 42-save showing by Joonas Korpisalo, who finished the day with a 22-save third period.
* The Oilers became the seventh team in NHL history to tie a game within nine minutes of falling behind by four or more goals, with the last instance before them achieved by Ottawa on March 5, 2022 (they turned a 4-0 deficit into a 4-4 tie within a span of 8:21 vs. ARI). The fastest such rally in NHL history was achieved by Edmonton on Nov. 21, 1982 – they fell behind 6-2 against the Nordiques but tied the score at 6-6 just 4:48 later (and eventually lost 9-7).
* McDavid (48-65—113 in 60 GP) sits two goals shy of his first career 50-goal season and now owns a 25-point advantage in the Art Ross Trophy race, ahead of Leon Draisaitl (36-52—88 in 58 GP) who matched McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov for the longest goal streak in the NHL this season (7 GP). McDavid’s 113 points are the most by a player through 60 games in a season since 1995-96 when Mario Lemieux had 57-79—136 at that stage.
DALLAS DOWNS VEGAS IN CLASH OF WEST’S TOP CLUBS
Nineteen-year-old Wyatt Johnston (1-0—1) scored his 14th career goal and Roope Hintz (1-0—1) netted the game-tying tally with 38 seconds remaining in regulation as the Stars (31-16-12, 74 points) edged the Golden Knights (35-18-6, 76 points) in a battle of the top two teams in the Western Conference.
* Johnston (14-11—25 in 59 GP) sits tied in fourth for goals among rookies this season behind Matty Beniers (19 in 56 GP), Kirill Marchenko (16 in 36 GP) and Shane Pinto (15 in 58 GP). Additionally, his 14 career goals moved the forward into a tie with Valeri Nichushkin (14 from 2013-14 – 2014-15) for the most by a teenager in Stars team history.
ANOTHER 50-SAVE PERFORMANCE FROM GIBSON HEADLINES #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates features John Gibson (51 saves), who made at least 40 saves for the third time in as many games to backstop the Ducks (19-34-7, 45 points) past the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes (39-11-8, 86 points).
* Saturday marked Gibson’s third outing with 50 or more saves this season – all of which coming in the month of February (53 on Feb. 10 vs. PIT & 51 on Feb. 20 at FLA). He owns six of nine 50-save performances by a Ducks goaltender in the regular season.
* Nino Niederreiter was traded to the Jets by the Predators on Saturday for a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft ahead of the 2022-23 NHL Trade Deadline presented by OFX, which is 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 3. Click here for the official #NHLStats Pack.
QUICK CLICKS
*Patrick Marleau becomes first Sharks player to have his number retired by the franchise
* Devils growth impressing 2003 championship team
*Nazem Kadri receives standing ovation in emotional return to Colorado
*Patrick Kane held out of Blackhawks lineup with Trade Deadline approaching
* Sidney Crosby’s mark on the hockey world has extended far beyond the ice through his charity work
SADDLE UP FOR A SUNDAY BURSTING WITH HOCKEY ACTION
Sunday’s seven-game slate will feature five teams on the tail end of a back-to-back, including the Lightning (37-17-4, 78 points) who are on game three of six straight in which they will face a team in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Tampa Bay is set to visit Pittsburgh (28-21-9, 65 points), which has won each of the past two games against the Lightning.
