* Three-time Art Ross Trophy winner Connor McDavid had 1-1—2 Wednesday and became the first player to reach the 80-point mark this season.
* J.T. Miller extended his point streak to a career-high 10 games and became the first Canucks player in nearly nine years with a double-digit run.
* Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights are set to visit Alex Tuch and the Sabres in the hosts’ final game before squaring off with the Maple Leafs outdoors in the 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Tim Hortons Field.
* The 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic Interactive Information Guide is now available to download for registered users via the League’s Media site.
McDAVID SCORES OVERTIME WINNER, PADS LEAD IN 2021-22 ART ROSS TROPHY RACE
Connor McDavid had a second-period assist to reach the 80-point mark and scored the overtime winner after T.J. Oshie (2-1—3) tied the game in the final seconds of regulation as the Oilers (31-23-4, 66 points) climbed within one point of the Stars (32-21-3, 67 points), who occupy the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. McDavid (30-51—81 in 57 GP) moved two and three points ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl (38-41—79 in 58 GP) and Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau (18-60—78 in 57 GP), respectively, in the 2021-22 Art Ross Trophy race.
* McDavid, who registered his sixth consecutive 30-goal season, reached 80 points for the sixth time in his NHL career – only three active players have hit the mark in more campaigns: Sidney Crosby (10x), Alex Ovechkin (9x) and Joe Thornton (7x). McDavid also became the first player to record six or more consecutive 80-point seasons since Crosby from 2013-14 to 2018-19.
MILLER EXTENDS POINT STREAK AS CANUCKS KEEP PACE WITH OILERS
J.T. Miller (1-3—4)factored on four of his team’s five goals to extend his point streak to a career-high 10 games (7-14—21) and help the Canucks (29-23-6, 64 points) remain two points back of the Oilers. Miller became the first Vancouver player with a double-digit point streak since Henrik Sedin from Oct. 12–Nov. 5, 2013 (3-11—14 in 12 GP).
-10022136.gif)
BACKSTROM’S 1,000-POINT MILESTONE FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom (263-737—1,000 in 1,037 GP) posted 1-1—2 to become the first player from the 2006 NHL Draft class to reach 1,000 career points. Click here to read more about Backstrom’s milestone and other noteworthy performances from Wednesday in the latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.
GENDER EQUALITY MONTH: CANES GIRLS YOUTH HOCKEY
The Canes Girls Youth Hockey program launched in March 2021, and to date, has had 75+ girls participate. This program is designed to develop and inspire the next generation of female hockey players in the Carolinas by creating an environment built on learning, fun and empowerment to foster a love for the game. This girls-only program will provide the attributes to not only build a stronger female hockey community, but also increase the number of girls joining and staying in the sport.
QUICK CLICKS
* Heritage Classic to begin with PROLINE+ NHL PreGame Official Fan Festival
* NHL, OLG announce PROLINE+ as First Official Sportsbook Partner in Canada
* Canadian Women’s Hockey Team, Lindsay Ell added to Heritage Classic lineup
* Wayne Gretzky to work as analyst for TNT at Heritage Classic
* NHL puck, player tracking honored at Sloan Sports Analytics Conference
EICHEL, TUCH SET TO FACE FORMER CLUBS AS VEGAS VISITS BUFFALO
Thursday’s 13-game slate is highlighted by the Golden Knights visiting the Sabres for the first time since the clubs completed a blockbuster trade on Nov. 4, 2021 which involved Vegas receiving Jack Eichel and Buffalo acquiring Alex Tuch.
* Eichel, who made his Golden Knights debut on Feb. 16 and has 3-4—7 through his first 10 games with the team, skated six seasons with the Sabres (including three which he served as captain) after being chosen by the club with the second overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
* Tuch (7-16—23 in 26 GP) has tallied 23 points since his Buffalo debut on Dec. 29, 2021, which trails only Jeff Skinner (14-10—24 in 26 GP) and Tage Thompson (13-11—24 in 24 GP) for the most among Sabres skaters in that span.
SURGING SKATERS, STANLEY CUP FINAL REMATCHES ALSO FEATURED THURSDAY
More storylines to look out for across the 12 other games Thursday:
* Auston Matthews (43-32—75 in 54 GP), who scored a hat trick Tuesday to pad his lead in the 2021-22 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race, is set to face his hometown team when the Maple Leafs host the Coyotes at Scotiabank Arena. Nick Schmaltz (4-7—11 in 2 GP) has factored on 11 of Arizona’s 17 goals over its last two contests – another multi-point effort would make Schmaltz the first NHLer with 13 or more points over a span of three games played since Daniel Alfredsson of the Senators from Jan. 24–Feb. 9, 2008 (5-8—13 in 3 GP).
* Cale Makar (3-18—21 in 13 GP) can extend his franchise-record assist streak and career-high point streak to 14 games when the League-leading Avalanche (41-12-5, 87 points) square off with the second-place Hurricanes (39-12-5, 83 points) at PNC Arena. Makar can become the fifth defenseman in NHL history with an assist streak of 14 or more games and first since Phil Housley of the original Winnipeg Jets from Dec. 26, 1992–Jan. 19, 1993 (3-21—24 in 14 GP) – six of Housley’s 21 assists in that span were on goals scored by Teemu Selanne, who concluded his historic rookie season with 76.
* Tuesday is also set to feature the Blackhawks visiting the Bruins at TD Garden as well as the Flames welcoming the Lightning to Scotiabank Saddledome. Four players who dressed at least one game with Chicago or Boston in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final remain with that team (Patrice Bergeron, Patrick Kane, Brad Marchand & Jonathan Toews) – no players that dressed for Tampa Bay or Calgary in the 2004 Final remain in the NHL, although Darryl Sutter is back behind the Flames bench.
* The Senators and Kraken, who are set to go head-to-head for the first time Thursday, also have significant ties to a Stanley Cup Final. The original Ottawa Senators and PCHA’s Seattle Metropolitans met in the 1920 Final – the Metropolitans pulled even after facing a 2-0 series deficit, but Senators forward Jack Darragh scored a hat trick in the winner-take-all Game 5 at Mutual Street Arena to give Ottawa its first of four Stanley Cups during the Roaring Twenties (also 1921, 1923 & 1927).
