NHL Morning Skate – March 9, 2023

March 9, 2023

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* The Bruins can become the fastest team in NHL history to reach 50 wins in a season and can clinch a spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs when they clash with the Oilers on Hulu, ESPN+, Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

* J.T. Miller scored twice to help the Canucks earn a comeback win against the Ducks and climbed a franchise all-time list in the process.

* The Wild defeated the Jets at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday and tied their second-longest point streak in franchise history.

BRUINS TAKE FIRST SHOT AT AN EARLY CLINCH ON NATIONAL BROADCAST
The NHL-leading Bruins (49-8-5, 103 points) can become the fastest team to 50 wins in NHL history and have a chance to clinch a playoff spot when they square off with Connor McDavid and the Oilers (35-22-8, 78 points) on Hulu, ESPN+, Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

* Boston can clinch a playoff berth with a win against Edmonton and pending results from other games. Playing in their 63rd contest Thursday, the Bruins would secure their seventh consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and 76th all-time.

* Overall, 17 teams have clinched a playoff spot in fewer than 70 outings under an 82-game schedule (which was first introduced in 1995-96). That includes two clubs that secured a postseason berth in 63 games or less: the 1995-96 Red Wings (59 GP) and 1998-99 Stars (63 GP).

* McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were the first two players to hit 100 points last season and are on track to do so again in 2022-23 with the latter sitting four points shy (41-55—96 in 63 GP). It would be the second time in NHL history that the same teammates have been the first two players to 100 points in consecutive seasons – the only such instance to date was by Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr of the Bruins in1973-74 and 1974-75.

* Draisaitl, with six goals and four power-play tallies in his past five road games (6-1—7 since Feb. 19), is tied for the most power-play goals in a single season among active players – his next such marker will be the most by any skater since 2005-06 (Ilya Kovalchuk: 27). McDavid, meanwhile, needs three power-play points to tie Sidney Crosby (61 in 2006-07 w/ PIT) for the most in a single season by any active player.

* Prior to the Bruins-Oilers showdown, we spotlight the various charities Boston forward Nick Foligno is involved with. A veteran of over 1,000 NHL games and a recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2016-17, Foligno has recorded 10-16—26 in 60 games this season but has missed time since Feb. 28 due to injury.

MILLER CAPS CANUCKS’ COMEBACK WITH OT WINNER
J.T. Miller (2-0—2) found the back of the net twice in his 700th NHL game – including scoring the overtime winner – and Elias Pettersson (0-2—2) posted a multi-point performance to help the Canucks earn their 17th comeback win of the season. The only teams with more are the Devils (21), Maple Leafs (20), Penguins (19) and Bruins (18).

* Miller, who became the first Canucks player to score multiple goals in their 700th NHL game, tied Sami Salo (7) for the third-most overtime tallies in franchise history behind only Daniel Sedin (16) and Brendan Morrison (9).

* Pettersson (30-51—81 in 62 GP) became just the second Canucks player in the past 10 years to reach the 80-point mark in a season, following Miller (99 in 2021-22).

WILD PICK UP WIN IN WINNIPEG TO EXTEND POINT STREAK TO 11 GAMES
Ryan Hartman scored the winning goal and Marc-Andre Fleury made 46 saves – one shy of his most in a regular-season game – as Minnesota defeated Winnipeg and extended the NHL’s longest active point streak to 11 contests dating to Feb. 17 (9-0-2). The Wild (37-21-7, 81 points) moved into a tie in standing points with the Central Division-leading Stars (34-17-13, 81 points), who hold a game in hand and are in action Thursday.

SEIDER SPOTLIGHTED IN WEDNESDAY’S #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured a number of notes from across the three-game slate, including Moritz Seider (0-1—1) factoring on one of his team’s four goals to help the Red Wings earn a multi-goal comeback win at Little Caesars Arena.