* Mikko Rantanen’s hat trick and Cale Makar’s three-point night helped the Avalanche score big again for their fifth straight home win. * Lucas Raymond became the second teenager in Red Wings history to score an overtime goal, joining franchise legend Steve Yzerman.
* The Maple Leafs visit the Ducks on Sunday looking to match a franchise record for consecutive road wins, while the top two teams in the NHL get set to clash in Carolina.
RANTANEN, MAKAR CARRY OFFENSE AS AVALANCHE KEEP ROLLING AT HOME
Mikko Rantanen (3-1—4) notched his third career hat trick and 10th four-point game and Cale Makar (0-3—3) factored on each of Colorado’s first three goals as the Avalanche claimed their fifth consecutive home win and extended their point streak at Ball Arena to seven games (6-0-1).
* Makar (9-11—20 in 16 GP) moved into second place in scoring among defensemen in 2021-22 as he became the fastest blueliner in franchise history to hit the 20-point mark in a season. Saturday was the sixth three-assist game of his career, which trails only Tyson Barrie (10) for the most by a defenseman in Avalanche/Nordiques history. Barrie (17) and Sandis Ozolinsh (11) are the only blueliners in franchise history with more three-point games than Makar (9).
* The Colorado offense has been rolling of late, scoring five or more goals in five consecutive home games and in six of its last eight games overall.
19-YEAR-OLD LUCAS RAYMOND NETS OT WINNER FOR RED WINGS
The highest-scoring rookie in the NHL was at it again Saturday as 19-year-old Lucas Raymond scored in overtime to lift the Red Wings to their fifth win in their last six home games. Raymond became the second teenager in franchise history to score in overtime, joining Steve Yzerman (Oct. 26, 1983 at age 18).
FAMILIAR FACE BRINGS AN END TO PANTHERS HOME STREAK
Chris Driedger made 33 saves, including a breakaway stop on former teammate Jonathan Huberdeau 1:51 into the contest, to help Seattle halt Florida’s season-opening home win streak at 11 games and its run of consecutive regular-season home victories at 15 (dating to last season).
* Driedger, who posted a 21-8-4 record (2.07 GAA, .931 SV%, 4 SO) in 35 career games with Florida, tended the Panthers’ crease on April 24, 2021 in what turned out to be the first of 15 consecutive regular-season home wins for the club – a run halted Saturday with his first victory in a Kraken uniform.
KINGS CAPTAIN KOPITAR HELPS LIFT LOS ANGELES AT HOME
Anze Kopitar (0-3—3) recorded the 250th multi-point night of his career to lead the Kings to a win over the Senators at STAPLES Center. In what was his 21st career three-assist contest, Kopitar (8-13—21 in 20 GP) has now recorded 20-plus points through 20 games of a season for the eighth time in his career.
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FIVE GOALS IN A TWO-MINUTE SPAN FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Saturday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates features a high-scoring affair between the Canadiens and Penguins, with Montreal halting Pittsburgh’s win streak at five games. Eight of the contest’s nine goals came in the third period – including five in span of two minutes.
THREE ARENAS TO BE LIT IN LAVENDER SUNDAY
The Hurricanes (15-3-1, 31 points), Devils (8-6-4, 20 points) and Blackhawks (7-11-2, 16 points) will each celebrate their Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Night when they hit the ice Sunday.
TOP TWO CLUBS IN NHL TO MEET IN CAROLINA
First place in the Metropolitan Division will be on the line Sunday when the Hurricanes (15-3-1, 31 points) and Capitals (13-3-5, 31 points) clash in Carolina, a matchup between the top-two ranked clubs in the NHL.
* Carolina has allowed only 39 goals against in 2021-22 (19 GP) and can join Calgary (38 through 20 GP) as the second team to surrender 40 or fewer goals through its first 20 games this season. Only two campaigns in the last 15 years have seen multiple teams accomplish the feat: 2012-13 (CHI: 37 & OTT: 37) and 2010-11 (MTL: 39 and BOS: 39).
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* Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin enters the contest with other plans as he travels to PNC Arena with 10 points in his last four games (6-4—10) and 9-12—21 since Nov. 1 (13 GP). Ovechkin, who has scored at least 10 goals in a calendar month 26 times in his career, can become the first player since Jarome Iginla (March 2014: 13-4—17) to have a double-digit goal total in a calendar month at age 36 or older.
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MAPLE LEAFS EYE FRANCHISE-RECORD SEVENTH STRAIGHT ROAD WIN
The Maple Leafs (15-6-1, 31 points) will look to continue their success as visitors when they travel to Honda Center to square off against the Ducks (11-7-3, 25 points). The Maple Leafs (6-0-0 on road since Oct. 27) would match the longest road win streak in franchise history with a victory Sunday.
* Already with wins against Los Angeles (Nov. 24) and San Jose (Nov. 26), Toronto can sweep a California road trip for the third time in franchise history after first doing so in 1995-96 (Dec. 14-17, 1995) and again in 2018-19 (Nov. 13-16, 2018).
