* The Devils are among a group of top-performing clubs who will look to keep their recent hot streaks going during a 10-game Thursday in the NHL.
* A 40-save shutout by 21-year-old Spencer Knightallowed Eric Staal to skate away with a victory in his 1,300th NHL game. It also put Florida head coach Paul Maurice ahead of a legendary name on the League’s all-time wins list.
* The Wild tallied four unanswered goals to extend their franchise record head-to-head winning streak against the Ducks to 11 contests – the second-longest active run in the NHL.
STAAL PLAYS 1,300TH NHL GAME WITH FAM-ILIAR SURROUNDINGS
It was a family affair in Florida on Wednesday as Eric Staal reached the 1,300-game milestone at the site of his NHL debut more than 19 years ago, this time with younger brothers Marc and Jordan also sharing the ice with him.
* Staal, the active leader in games played, became the 64th player in NHL history to hit the milestone. Eleven of those 1,300 contests have been played on the same ice as both Marc and Jordan, but Tuesday was the first time in more than six years that all three played in the same game.
* Jordan Staal made a move on a games-played list of his own, but his brothers left with a victory – one that propelled Panthers head coach Paul Maurice (783) ahead of Al Arbour (782) on the NHL’s all-time wins list among head coaches.
INFUSION OF YOUTH LIFTS MONTREAL TO VICTORY
23-year-old captain Nick Suzuki (1-1—2)scored 55 seconds into the game and 21-year-old Kirby Dach (2-0—2) recorded his first multi-goal outing in a Canadiens uniform as Montreal (7-6-1, 15 points) received four of its five tallies from players age 23 or younger en route to victory on Military Appreciation Night at the Bell Centre.
* Youth continues to lead the way offensively for Montreal as players age 23 or younger have accounted for 66% of its goals this season (27 of 41 G) – well ahead of the next-closest club (CAR: 51%; 19 of 37 G). The Canadiens also lead the NHL in goals (27) and points (60) by players age 23 or younger.
* The trio of Suzuki, Dach and Cole Caufield (0-1—1) each found the score sheet Wednesday and have combined for 12-15—27 through their last six games. Suzuki, who leads the Canadiens trio with 6-4—10 over that span, trails only Buffalo’s Tage Thompson (7-6—13 in 6 GP) for the most goals among all skaters since Oct. 29.
WILD PUSH WINNING STREAK VS. DUCKS TO 11 GAMES
After being shut out in their past two contests overall, the Wild fell behind Wednesday but tallied four unanswered goals to extend their head-to-head winning streak against the Ducks to 11 games (a franchise record vs. one opponent).
* Kirill Kaprizov (2-0—2) became the second-fastest player in Wild history to accumulate 10 goals in a season (13 GP; tied), while Matt Boldy (21-29—50 in 60 GP) required the second-fewest games in club history to tally 50 NHL points – behind only Kaprizov (54 GP).
CROSBY, PASSES OVECHKIN AND TIES TROTTIER IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Wednesday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured notes from all four games, including Jake Guentzel (1-1—2) and Sidney Crosby (0-1—1) helping Pittsburgh prevail in Washington.
* Guentzel (9 GP) improved his 2022-23 totals to 7-5—12, the best start of his career. Meanwhile, Crosby (523-901—1,424) got the best of his rival across the ice and surpassed Alex Ovechkin (788-635—1,423) for sole possession of 18th place on the NHL’s all-time points list.
QUICK CLICKS
* Kirill Kaprizov fined $5,000 for actions in Wild game
* Juraj Slafkovsky suspended two games for actions in Canadiens game
* Daniel and Henrik Sedin lean on each other to handle Hockey Hall of Fame spotlight
*Herb Carnegie was, still is a hockey superhero, former player Anthony Stewart says
* Trevor Zegras nets another lacrosse-style goal, overturned for offside
* #NHLStats Pack: 2022 Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees
NHL’S TOP TEAMS PUT STREAKS ON THE LINE DURING 10-GAME THURSDAY
Thursday’s 10-game slate features each of the NHL’s top four teams, with the Golden Knights (12-2-0, 24 points), Bruins (11-2-0, 22 points), Devils (10-3-0, 20 points) and Islanders (9-5-0, 18 points) all in action.
* Entering Thursday, six of the League’s top eight teams were on the outside of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket: Vegas (1st), New Jersey (3rd), NY Islanders (4th), Seattle (5th), Winnipeg (6th) and Detroit (8th).
* The Golden Knights (8-0-0 dating to Oct. 24) and Devils (7-0-0 dating to Oct. 25) will both look to extend their respective win streaks. With a victory Thursday, Vegas can record its second-longest win streak in franchise history behind a 10-game run from April 9-28, 2021, while New Jersey can post its longest such run since the 2010-11 season (8-0-0 from Feb. 6-22, 2011).
* The Bruins have won all seven games they’ve played at TD Garden in 2022-23 and can tie their longest season-opening home winning streak Thursday (8-0-0 in 1983-84). David Pastrnak leads his team with 4-5—9 over that span – eight of those points have come in his past four home games (3-5—8).
* The Islanders will look to extend their win streak against the Coyotes to nine games when the two clubs meet at UBS Arena (8-0-0 dating to Oct. 8, 2013). New York has erased multi-goal deficits in the third period to win each of its last two contests (Nov. 7 & Nov. 8) – should the Islanders do so again Thursday, they would become the first team in NHL history to post three consecutive multi-goal third-period comeback wins.
