* Rookie Trevor Zegras put on a show once again, scoring a lacrosse-style goal to help the Ducks move within one point of first place in the Pacific Division. * Quinton Byfield, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, scored his first NHL goal while teammate Drew Doughty skated in his 1,000th career game as the Kings also won to continue their playoff push.
* Sergei Zubov (No. 56) and Henrik Lundqvist (No. 30) are set to have their numbers retired by the Stars and Rangers, respectively.
ZEGRAS PULLS OFF LACROSSE-STYLE GOAL AHEAD OF BREAKAWAY CHALLENGE
With the Breakaway Challenge one week from today, Ducks rookie Trevor Zegras (2-0—2) had his skills on full display once again, this time pulling off “The Michigan” for his first of two goals in Anaheim’s 5-4 victory. His highlight-reel goal drew the attention of franchise legend Teemu Selanne and came less than two months after he ignited a social media storm with his alley-oop assist in Buffalo.
* Zegras’ lacrosse-style goal followed in the footsteps of Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov (Oct. 29, 2019 and Dec. 17, 2019) – who also tweeted about the goal – and Nashville’s Filip Forsberg (Jan. 14, 2020).
* Zegras (12-20—32 in 40 GP) moved within two points of tying Detroit’s Lucas Raymond (11-23—34 in 43 GP) for the League lead among rookies this season, with his 32 points the most by a Ducks rookie since 2010-11 when Cam Fowler had 40 points in 76 games.
* Anaheim improved to 22-16-8 (52 points) and moved within one point of Vegas (25-16-3, 53 points) for first place in the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights have held the No. 1 spot in the division since overtaking the Ducks with a victory Dec. 19.
BYFIELD, DOUGHTY CELEBRATE MILESTONES THURSDAY
Quinton Byfield (1-0—1), the highest-selected Black player in NHL Draft history, scored his first NHL goal in the same contest that teammate Drew Doughty (0-1—1) skated in his 1,000th career game.
* Byfield spent the majority of 2020-21 with the Ontario Reign where he tallied 8-12—20 (32 GP) as an 18-year-old playing in his first professional season and recorded one assist in the six contests he played with the Kings. The Newmarket, Ont., native made his season debut on Jan. 20 after recovering from injury and skated in his 10th career NHL game Thursday.
* The third-place Kings (22-16-6, 50 points) kept pace with the Ducks (22-16-8, 52 points) in the Pacific Division standings and moved within three points of the No. 1-ranked Golden Knights (25-16-3, 53 points). Los Angeles and Anaheim are each seeking their first postseason appearance since 2017-18.
BARKOV NOTCHES 200TH GOAL, 500TH POINT IN ANOTHER PANTHERS HOME WIN
Aleksander Barkov (1-1—2) scored his 200th career goal and eclipsed the 500-point milestone to help the Panthers (30-9-5, 65 points) improve to 22-3-0 at FLA Live Arena and leapfrog the idle Avalanche (30-8-3, 63 points) for first place in the NHL standings. Florida has occupied the League’s top spot for more than half of the season to date (55%; 59 of 108 days).
* Florida’s 22 wins at FLA Live Arena matched the NHL mark for most home victories through a team’s first 25 home games of a season, joining Detroit (2011-12), San Jose (2008-09), Boston (1970-71) and Montreal (1943-44).
* After matching the NHL record for longest home win streak to start the season at 11 contests, the Panthers are now 8-0-0 at FLA Live Arena dating to Dec. 29, 2021. In doing so, Florida became the fifth team in the past 25 years to post two home win streaks of eight-plus contests in a season, joining Tampa Bay (2018-19: 9 GP & 8 GP), Anaheim (2013-14: 10 GP & 8 GP), Calgary (2006-07: 10 GP & 8 GP) and Minnesota (2006-07: 8 GP & 8 GP).
MILLER’S HAT TRICK HIGHLIGHTS #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
J.T. Miller (3-1—4) recorded his second career hat trick – exactly one year and two days after Vancouver’s last three-goal performance (Brandon Sutter on Jan. 25, 2021) – while also posting the first four-point outing by a Canucks forward this season. Check out the Thursday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates for more notes from a busy 10-game night.
QUICK CLICKS
* NHL Mascot Showdown returns to All-Star Weekend
* Fellow Connecticut natives Pacioretty, Knight honor Balkind‘s memory
* Henrik Lundqvist’s long-time teammate Marc Staal discusses the goaltender
* NHL concludes investigation of Evander Kane cross-border travel
* Evander Kane signs one-year deal with Oilers
AVALANCHE LOOK TO EXTEND LENGTHY WIN STREAK
The Avalanche (30-8-3, 63 points) will put their eight-game win streak on the line when they visit the Blackhawks (16-20-7, 39 points) at United Center. Only two teams have posted a longer win streak in 2021-22 than Colorado’s current eight-game run: Pittsburgh (10 GP) and Carolina (9 GP).
ZUBOV, LUNDQVIST SET TO HAVE NUMBERS RETIRED BY STARS, RANGERS FRIDAY
Friday’s five-game schedule is set to feature a pair of jersey retirements, with the Stars raising defenseman Sergei Zubov‘s No. 56 to the rafters at American Airlines Center and the Rangers doing the same for goaltender Henrik Lundqvist’s No. 30 at Madison Square Garden.
* Zubov was traded to Dallas by Pittsburgh for Kevin Hatcher on June 22, 1996, and skated each of the next 12 seasons with the franchise, which included helping the Stars secure the Stanley Cup in 1999. He remains the all-time leader in goals (111), assists (438), points (549) and games played (839) among Stars/North Stars defensemen.
* Zubov (Moscow, Russia) will become the third defenseman born and trained outside North America to have his number retired by an NHL club, following Nicklas Lidstrom (Vasteras, Sweden; No. 5) with the Red Wings and Borje Salming (Kiruna, Sweden; No. 21) with the Maple Leafs.
* Lundqvist was nabbed by New York in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL Draft (205th overall) and played each of his 15 seasons with the Rangers, which included winning the Vezina Trophy in 2011-12. He tops the franchise lists for wins (459), shutouts (64) and games played (887) among goaltenders – the only netminder in League history with as many victories for a single club is Martin Brodeur (688 w/ NJD).
* Lundqvist reached the 30-win mark in each of his first seven seasons and had at least 20 victories in each of his first 13 campaigns, which remain the longest such runs in League history. Before Lundqvist, the most consecutive 30- and 20-win seasons by a goaltender from the start of their NHL career were three (Ron Hextall from 1986-87–1988-89) and seven (Bill Durnan from 1943-44–1949-50), respectively.
* Lundqvist (Are, Sweden) will become the second goaltender born and trained outside North America to have his number retired by an NHL club, following Dominik Hasek (Pardubice, Czechia; No. 39) with the Sabres. The Predators are set to retire the No. 35 of Pekka Rinne (Kempele, Finland) on Feb. 24.
* ICYMI: Lundqvist made appearances on “LIVE with Kelly and Ryan” and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ahead of Friday’s ceremony.
