* Alex Ovechkin scored the overtime winner against Leevi Merilainen to pass Jaromir Jagr for a League record and gain ground on the NHL’s all-time goals leader Wayne Gretzky in The Gr8 Chase. The Capitals maintained top spot in the League standings over the second-place Jets, who received a go-ahead goal by Dylan DeMelo with 27 seconds remaining in regulation Thursday.
* Zach Werenski extended his home point streak to 18 games, while the Blue Jackets’ opponent at the upcoming 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series defeated the reigning Stanley Cup champions to continue their recent string of success.
* Mitch Marner became the fastest player in franchise history to reach the 700-point milestone and teammate Auston Matthews tallied twice to climb several of the club’s all-time lists.

OVECHKIN TALLIES OT GOAL ON MERILAINEN TO PASS JAGR, INCH CLOSER TO GRETZKY
Alex Ovechkin tallied for the first time against Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen and needs 21 goals to complete The Gr8 Chase and pass Wayne Gretzky (894) for the most in NHL history. Ovechkin’s League-record 27th career overtime goal as well as his 134th game winner helped the Capitals (30-10-5, 65 points) reach the 30-win mark and maintain their hold on first place in the NHL.
* Ovechkin (21-12—33 in 29 GP) owns a goals-per-game rate of 0.72 this season, which puts him on pace to pass Gretzky against Carolina at Lenovo Center on April 2. Ovechkin (874-709—1,583 in 1,455 GP) owns as career average of 0.60 and that rate has him tracking to break the record versus Columbus at Capital One Arena on April 13.

WERENSKI STRETCHES STREAK AFTER SPORTING STADIUM SERIES SWEATER
Zach Werenski (12-23—35 in 18 GP) assisted on the 1-0 goal by fellow Michigan Wolverines alumnus Adam Fantilli to extend his home point streak to 18 games and help Columbus collect its sixth straight win. The Blue Jackets (22-17-6, 50 points) leapfrogged the idle Bruins (22-19-5, 49 points) for the Eastern Conference’s first Wild Card spot.
* Werenski, who modelled the Blue Jackets’ newly-unveiled uniforms for the upcoming 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series, became the sixth defenseman in NHL history with a run of that length and first in nearly 33 years. Werenski (15-36—51 in 45 GP) passed Cale Makar (13-37—50 in 46 GP) for the most points among blueliners this season and could extend his streak to 23 contests entering Columbus’ outdoor game debut on March 1.

* Patrick Kane (1-1—2) factored on two of his team’s five goals, including scoring the game winner, as the Red Wings (21-19-4, 46 points) defeated the defending Stanley Cup champions to improve to 8-1-0 in their past nine contests and move within three points of the Bruins. Kane became the fourth U.S.-born player in NHL history with 80 career game-winning goals, joining Mike Modano (92), Jeremy Roenick (92) and Zach Parise (83).
* Kane could contest his seventh career outdoor game when the Red Wings square off with the Blue Jackets at Ohio Stadium. P.K. Subban and Steve Levy of ESPN sported Detroit’s Stadium Series sweaters during the first intermission of the Red Wings-Panthers game Thursday.
Marner reaches 700-point milestone as Maple Leafs snap slide
Mitch Marner mustered a pair of assists – including the primary helper on the overtime winner by William Nylander (2-1—3) – to eclipse the 700-point milestone and Auston Matthews tallied two tying goals as the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs (28-16-2, 58 points) snapped a three-game slide.
* Marner (208-493—701 in 622 GP) became the fastest player in franchise history to record 700 points, eclipsing the previous mark set by Darryl Sittler (666 GP). Matthewsscored his 11th career game-tying goal in the final five minutes of regulation to tie Mats Sundin for the most in franchise history and recorded his 201st multi-point game, matching Dave Keon for the third most by a Toronto player.
#NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES FEATURES MIX OF VETERANS AND NEWCOMERS
Thursday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the 13-game slate, including some involving decorated veterans Connor McDavid and Victor Hedman as well as Donovan Sebrango debuting for his hometown team:
* McDavid (20-44—64 in 42 GP) recorded his ninth career 20-goal season and assisted on the winner by Evan Bouchard (1-1—2) as Edmonton earned a multi-goal comeback victory in consecutive days for the first time in franchise history (also Jan. 15). The Oilers (29-13-3, 61 points) tied the idle Golden Knights (29-12-3, 61 points) for the most points in the Pacific Division, with Vegas occupying first place by virtue of holding a game in hand.
* Hedman (163-600—763 in 1,093 GP), who is set to represent Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, became the first player in franchise history to reach the 600-assist milestone and the fourth Swedish defenseman in NHL history to do so. He joined Nicklas Lidstrom (878), Erik Karlsson (656) and Borje Salming (637).
* Sebrango lived out his childhood dream of playing for the Senators and did so with his mother, Kim, in attendance at Canadian Tire Centre. Sebrango was chosen by Detroit with the No. 63 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and traded to Ottawa on July 9, 2023.
QUICK CLICKS
* Drew Doughty building up skating regimen toward return to Kings
* Jeremy Swayman‘s personal coach aiming to grow game in Latin America
* Donovan Sebrango‘s mom emotional for rookie’s NHL debut with Senators
* NHL, Fanatics debut uniforms for 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series
* Fanatics pranks Michigan alumni with Ohio State jerseys during Stadium Series reveal

GOLDEN KNIGHTS, HURRICANES TAKE TO NHL NETWORK ON TWO-GAME FRIDAY
A two-game Friday comprises two 7 p.m. ET starts, including the Golden Knights (29-12-3, 61 points) making their only visit to Lenovo Center this season to take on the Hurricanes (26-16-3, 55 points) on NHL Network. Vegas, which is playing in its 45th contest of 2024-25, can require its third-fewest games to 30 wins in a season, while Carolina will look to earn its fourth straight win against the Golden Knights.
