* Nikita Kucherov scored a hat trick in his ninth career five-point game and overtook Nathan MacKinnon for second in the Art Ross Trophy race in 2025-26. Kucherov now trails Connor McDavid by just four points for the top spot.
* Cole Caufield became the first Canadiens player in more than 30 years to record a 40-goal season when he netted the overtime winner against the Bruins to keep Montreal third in the Atlantic Division.
* Today marks exactly one month to puck drop on the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, scheduled to begin on April 18. As the Rush to the Playoffs hits the one-month countdown, everything is yet to be decided – all 16 playoff berths and standings seeds need to be clinched including each of the Wild Card positions, the Presidents’ Trophy and all four division titles, which are within reach for a number of teams.
KUCHEROV RACKS UP FIVE POINTS, MOVES UP ART ROSS TROPHY RACE
Nikita Kucherov (3-2—5) scored his seventh career hat trick and ninth career five-point game to help the Lightning (41-21-4, 86 points) keep pace with the Sabres (42-20-6, 90 points) atop the Atlantic Division. Kucherov boosted his totals to 37-74—111 and moved four back of Connor McDavid (37-78—115) for the most points this season.
* Kucherov climbed into sole possession of third on Tampa Bay’s all-time hat tricks list and tied Peter Forsberg, Teemu Selanne and Kent Nilsson for the third-most five-point games among skaters born outside of North America, behind only Jari Kurri (16) and Peter Stastny (12).
* Kucherov was as many as 22 points back of the scoring lead this season (Dec. 23, 2025) and moved back into sole possession of second after his five-point night put him past Nathan MacKinnon (45-65—110). In the process, he tied Stastny (5) for the most 110-point seasons among players born outside of North America and matched McDavid (5) for the most among active players.
CAUFIELD SCORES 40TH GOAL IN OT, KEEPS CANADIENS IN ATLANTIC’S TOP THREE
With Montreal holding a one-point edge over Boston heading into Tuesday, a 2-2 contest between the teams headed into overtime, with the Atlantic Division’s third spot up for grabs for the winner. It was Cole Caufield (1-1—2) who scored his 13th career overtime tally and 40th goal of the season to keep the Canadiens (37-20-10, 84 points) in third place as they built a two-point cushion over the Bruins (37-23-8, 82 points) and Red Wings (37-23-8, 82 points) with a game in hand.
* Caufield recorded his first career 40-goal season and became the first Canadiens player to reach the mark since Vincent Damphousse (40 in 1993-94). Caufield also became the first American to score 40 goals in a campaign with Montreal, a feat former captain Max Pacioretty (39 in 2013-14) was close to achieving more than 10 years ago.
* Caufield’s League-leading 24th go-ahead goal of the season was his 19th career overtime point – he passed Howie Morenz (18) for sole possession of the second most in Canadiens history, behind only Nick Suzuki, who recorded his 20th with the assist on Caufield’s winner. That helper was Suzuki’s 80th point of 2025-26 and made him the franchise’s first player with consecutive 80-point campaigns since Damphousse (1995-96 – 1996-97).
COYLE HAS FOUR-POINT NIGHT AS BLUE JACKETS CONTINUE STRING OF SUCCESS
Charlie Coyle (1-3—4) factored on four of five Columbus goals to help the Blue Jackets push their point streak to 10 games and tie their fifth-longest run in franchise history – the last time they had a lengthier stretch was in 2019-20 (12 GP). Columbus (35-21-11, 81 points) moved within one point of Boston (37-23-8, 82 points) and Detroit (37-23-8, 82 points), which own the first and second Wild Card spots, respectively.
* Coyle notched his third four-point outing of 2025-26 and tied Artemi Panarin (3 in 2017-18) for the most in a single campaign by a Blue Jackets skater. Since head coach Rick Bowness took over behind the Blue Jackets bench on Jan. 13, Coyle has logged 10-19—29 (22 GP) – tied for the eighth-highest point total in the NHL.
ROOKIE SCORING RACE SPOTLIGHTED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured rookies finding the score sheet, including Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (0-1—1), Predators forward Matthew Wood (1-0—1) and Sharks forward Pavol Regenda (1-0—1). The latter two scored the League’s 500th and 501st goals by rookies this season, which is the highest total in a single campaign since 2021-22 (611).
* Schaefer factored on the game winner with his family in the audience at Scotiabank Arena as New York (39-24-5) recorded its 83rd point of the season – one more than its total at the end of 2024-25 (35-35-12, 82 points) – and inched closer to idle Pittsburgh (34-18-15, 83 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Schaefer boosted his 2025-26 totals to 20-29—49 (68 GP) and surpassed Bryan Berard (1996-97: 8-40—48 in 82 GP) for the fourth-most points in a season by a rookie defenseman in franchise history.
* Wood scored his 15th goal of the season as the Predators (30-28-9, 69 points) defeated the Jets (28-28-11, 67 points) in the shootout to keep pace in the Western Conference’s Wild Card Race. Wood (62 GP) became the third-fastest skater to score their first 15 NHL goals with Nashville, following Tanner Jeannot (48 GP) and Filip Forsberg (52 GP).
NICK AND MARCUS TEAM UP FOR FOLIGNO FACE-OFF
Nick and Marcus Foligno continue their efforts with the NHL, NHLPA, the V Foundation for Cancer Research and the Wild through Hockey Fights Cancer powered by the V Foundation for Cancer Research to raise critical funds for breast cancer research in honor of their late mother, Janis. What started as a sibling rivalry on two opposing teams has evolved into them joining forces. The brothers will play alongside one another for the first time in their careers, turning their long-standing competition into a shared mission to advance cancer research. Together, they have already raised over $140,000 to help change the future of breast cancer research.
* Click here for full details on how the Foligno Face-Off continues, including how to get involved Thursday when Nick faces his former team with the Blackhawks visiting the Wild on March 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+, HULU, Sportsnet+).
QUICK CLICKS
* Nick Foligno receives warm welcome back from Blackhawks fans
* Panthers could pull off late playoff push like Maple Leafs in 1949, ’67
* Leon Draisaitl expected to be out rest of regular season for Oilers
* USA baseball wears Olympic hockey jerseys before final
* Women in Hockey feature: Karilyn Pilch, Blackhawks’ Director of Player Personnel
PUCK DROPS ON THE 2026 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS IN ONE MONTH TODAY
A six-game Wednesday will feature another NHL on TNT doubleheader that concludes with the top two teams in the League standings – the Avalanche (44-13-9, 97 points) and Stars (42-15-10, 94 points) – on the date that marks exactly one month to the start of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, scheduled to begin April 18. All 16 playoff berths are yet to be clinched, as well as a number of titles, including the Presidents’ Trophy, which could be captured by one of the two teams battling in the final TNT game tonight – Dallas can move within one point of Colorado for top spot in the League standings. The last time any club was within one point of the Avalanche was through Dec. 5, 2025 (DAL: 19-5-5, 43 points; COL: 19-2-6, 44 points).
* With all 16 playoff berths still up for grabs – the 2026 postseason is trending towards historic turnover. It is on pace for an eight-team playoff turnover, which would be an NHL record. A total of 11 teams that did not make the postseason last year are either in the bracket (8) or within four points of a playoff seed (3). The playoff line is within slim margins in both conferences – one point in the East and even in the West (requiring tiebreakers).
* Two teams currently holding a playoff spot – the Atlantic Division-leading Sabres and Wild Card-holding Red Wings – can end the NHL’s lengthiest active postseason droughts. Buffalo could make its return for the first time in 15 years (2010-11), while Detroit is looking to do so for the first time in a decade (2015-16).
* At least one team has clinched a playoff spot in its final game in three straight seasons – overall 10 teams have done so since 2013-14. The Senators, in action on Sportsnet on Wednesday, will look to follow that trajectory and inch closer to the playoff line when they face off against the Capitals. Should Ottawa earn a win, it will move within three points of a Wild Card spot.
