* The Pacific Division continues to be one of the tightest in the NHL as the first-place Golden Knights and second-place Ducks, separated by a one-point gap, each skated to victories on a five-game Wednesday.
* Sebastian Aho has helped the Hurricanes become a mainstay atop their respective division since 2021-22, and he joined rare company by finding the score sheet in Vancouver while teammate Brandon Bussi racked up a notable accomplishment in a Carolina victory.
* There were two game-tying goals in the final five minutes of regulation Wednesday. The NHL’s total in 2025-26 (118) marks the most at this stage of a season in League history (973 GP), ahead of 2013-14 (108).
* The Eastern Conference playoff race takes center stage on an ESPN doubleheader as the Sabres and Penguins meet in Pittsburgh while Matthew Schaefer and the Islanders visit Los Angeles to clash with the Kings.
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RAZOR THIN MARGIN IN THE PACIFIC DIVISION CONTINUES
The Golden Knights (29-19-14, 72 points) and Ducks (34-24-3, 71 points) each skated to victories as the NHL’s closest division highlighted a five-game Wednesday. Vegas sits atop the Pacific Division and, at the same time, is only six points from falling outside of the Western Conference playoff bracket.
* Mitch Marner (1-2—3) scored a game-tying goal with 3:24 remaining in regulation and collected a primary assist on Tomas Hertl’s overtime winner as the Golden Knights rallied from a multi-goal, third-period deficit to earn their first win in Detroit since Dec. 3, 2022. Vegas, with sights on a berth into the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons since its inaugural campaign in 2017-18, has spent nearly half its existence in first place in its division (723 of 1,486 game days, 48%). The Capitals hold the second-highest percentage (507 of 1,486 game days, 34%).
* Cutter Gauthier reached the 50-goal and 100-point milestones while rookie Beckett Sennecke registered his 50th career point on a night the Ducks recorded their 18th comeback win of the season – tied with the Predators for the second most among all teams (most, MTL: 19). Anaheim, aiming for a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017-18, is within striking distance of a division lead after missing out on the 2024-25 postseason by 16 points and can become the sixth team since 2005-06 to win its division after missing the playoffs by 15-plus points the season prior (something the Ducks achieved in 2012-13; also: 2013-14 COL, 2011-12 FLA, 2007-08 WSH & 2005-06 CAR).
* Gauthier and Sennecke also produced a pair of franchise firsts in the victory as the former became the first Ducks skater to score five consecutive team goals (dating to March 1) while the latter became the NHL’s first 50-point rookie this season. The 2025-26 campaign is the first in franchise history to feature a Ducks player as the first rookie to reach the 50-point mark.
HURRICANES PAD LEAD ATOP METROPOLITAN WITH ANOTHER WIN
Sebastian Aho (1-1—2) hit the 60-point mark for the eighth time in his career, Nikolaj Ehlers (3-0—3) netted his second hat trick in less than two months and Brandon Bussi (18 saves) recorded his ninth straight win to help the Hurricanes (39-16-6, 84 points) build a nine-point lead over the idle Penguins (31-16-13, 75 points) atop the Metropolitan Division. Carolina, which eyes a fourth division title in six seasons, is the only club to finish in a top two position within its division in each campaign since 2021-22 – when the League expanded to 32 clubs (DAL, EDM & TOR follow at 3x).
* Aho became the fourth Finnish-born player with eight 60-point seasons, joining Jari Kurri (13), Teemu Selanne (12) and Mikko Rantanen (8). He also became the third Hurricanes/Whalers skater with as many campaigns, following Ron Francis (13) and Eric Staal (8).
* Ehlers recorded his second hat trick of the season (also Jan. 16) and became the fourth player in Hurricanes/Whalers history to post multiple in their first campaign with the club. The others: Ray Ferraro (2 in 1984-85), Blaine Stoughton (2 in 1979-80) and Jordy Douglas (2 in 1979-80).
* Bussi improved to 25-3-1 in 29 career NHL games and became the fastest goaltender in League history to record 25 wins, besting the previous mark set by Ross Brooks (32 GP). Bussi also notched his second nine-game winning streak of the season (also 9 GP from Oct. 30 – Dec. 14, 2025) and became the first netminder with multiple runs of that length in a single campaign since Marc-Andre Fleury (9 GP twice in 2011-12).
QUICK CLICKS
* #NHLStats: Live Updates from Wednesday
* Players to watch ahead of Trade Deadline: Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, Dougie Hamilton
* MacKenzie Weegar traded to Mammoth by Flames
* Jason Dickinson, Colton Dach traded to Oilers by Blackhawks
* #NHLStats Pack: 2026 NHL Trade Deadline powered by SAP
SABRES CONTINUE CHASE OF FIRST IN ATLANTIC DIVISION DURING ESPN DOUBLEHEADER
An eight-game Thursday features a doubleheader on ESPN that opens with the Sabres (36-19-6, 78 points) looking to gain ground on first place in the Atlantic Division when they face the Penguins (31-16-13, 75 points) and concludes with Anze Kopitar and the Wild Card-chasing Kings (24-22-14, 62 GP) battling Matthew Schaefer and the Islanders (35-22-5, 75 points) at Crypto.com Arena.
* The Penguins, who sat outside a playoff position on Jan. 1, own the fourth-most wins (tied) among all teams since then (14-4-4), trailing only the Sabres (15-5-2), Lightning (15-4-1) and Hurricanes (15-4-3). Erik Karlsson has found the score sheet in each of his past 12 home games against Buffalo (dating to Nov. 5, 2016) and will look to help them continue their pursuit of their first playoff berth in four years. Karlsson can become the ninth defenseman to record a point in 13 consecutive home games against a single opponent and first since Gary Suter (13 GP vs. EDM from March 31, 1992 – March 9, 1998).
* The Sabres, who were eight points back of a playoff position on Dec. 8 and have since recorded a League-leading 25 wins to ascend to second in the Atlantic Division (25-6-2), enter Thursday with a nine-game road point streak and can match a franchise record in Pittsburgh. Buffalo, which enters the contest three points back of overtaking Tampa Bay (38-17-4, 80 points) for first place in the division, can require their fewest games to reach 80 points in a season (61 GP entering Thursday) in nearly two decades (57 GP in 2006-07).
* Kopitar and the Kings sit five points out of a playoff position – their most all season – and will look to gain ground when they face the Islanders on Thursday. Kopitar (446-856—1,302 in 1,499 GP) is set to become just the third active player to skate in 1,500 career games and enters that contest six points shy of capturing the Kings record for most points from Marcel Dionne (550-757—1,307 in 921 GP). Kopitar is also just two points shy of surpassing Luc Robitaille for the second-most multi-point games in franchise history – another list topped by Dionne (392 GP).
