NHL Morning Skate – Thursday November 14, 2024

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John Tavares scored in overtime to help the Maple Leafs earn a win after facing a multi-goal deficit in the final five minutes of regulation for just the fifth time in franchise history.

Mikko Rantanen scored the third natural hat trick in Avalanche team history to help Colorado claim its third straight win.
 

NHL Coast to Coast on Prime Video Canada returns during a 10-game slate highlighted by Connor McDavid needing one point against Nashville to become the fourth-fastest and fourth-youngest player in League history to reach 1,000.

* The weekly whip-around studio show is set to feature host Andi Petrillo being joined by analysts Kevin Weekes and P.K. Subban. McDavid has an active 14-game point streak versus the Predators, with Subban skating for Nashville when the run began on Oct. 27, 2018.


TAVARES SCORES OVERTIME WINNER TO COMPLETE LATE MULTI-GOAL COMEBACK
After William Nylander cut the Capitals’ lead to one with 4:09 remaining and Mitch Marner tied the score with 48 seconds on the clock, John Tavares netted the overtime winner to help the Maple Leafs complete the comeback. It marked the NHL’s second multi-goal, third-period comeback victory in as many days after the Bruins did so against the Blues on Tuesday.

* The Maple Leafs earned a win after facing a multi-goal deficit in the final five minutes of regulation for the fifth time in franchise history, following Oct. 11, 2023 (6-5 SO W vs. MTL), Dec. 6, 2010 (5-4 SO W at WSH), Dec. 8, 1946 (5-4 W at DET) and Jan. 16, 1934 (7-4 OT W at SEN). Of note, there was no sudden-death provision during overtime games in the 1933-34 season.  

* Tavares netted his 77th career game-winning goal and tied Patrick Kane for sixth most among all active skaters. He also recorded his seventh overtime goal with Toronto, passing Wendel Clark as well as Steve Thomas while tying Tomas Kaberle for fourth most in franchise history.



RANTANEN, MACKINNON POWER AVALANCHE TO VICTORY

Mikko Rantanen scored a natural hat trick and a four-point night as he factored on each of Colorado’s goals, while Nathan MacKinnon tallied three assists to help the Avalanche win their fourth straight home game. Rantanen became the first player to record multiple three-goal performances in 2024-25 (also 3-0—3 on Oct. 9) – with every hat trick this season, AstraZeneca will donate $3,000 to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation up to $300,000. 

* Rantanen, who was one of the six skaters already named to Team Finland’s roster for the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, scored his ninth career hat trick and passed Sebastian Aho as well as Tomas Sandstrom for the fourth most by a Finnish-born player. Only Jari Kurri (23), Teemu Selanne (22) and Patrik Laine (10) have more.

* Rantanen also joined MacKinnon (Jan. 24, 2024) and Joe Sakic (March 13, 2013) as just the third player in Avalanche team history to record a natural hat trick.

* MacKinnon, who extended his season-opening home point streak to 11 games, recorded his 141st career multi-assist game, which tied Peter Forsberg for the third most in franchise history. Sakic (232) and Peter Stastny (173) top the list.


EICHEL, KANE PROPEL GOLDEN KNIGHTS, RED WINGS TO VICTORY
Two U.S.-born players made their mark on Wednesday’s slate as Jack Eichel hit the 20-assist mark and Patrick Kane factored on an overtime goal to move up an all-time NHL list.


* Eichel joined Nathan MacKinnon as the NHL’s second player to record 20 helpers in 2024-25 and surpassed Mark Stone (20 GP in 2020-21) as the fastest player in Golden Knights history to reach the 20-assist mark in a season.



Kane put the visitors up 2-0 and factored on the overtime winner by Simon Edvinsson as the Red Wings prevailed in Pittsburgh. Kane collected his 28th career overtime assist to move into a tie for the most in NHL history with Evgeni Malkin, who was honored in a pre-game ceremony for recently reaching the 500-goal milestone.



QUICK CLICKS

#NHLStats: Live Updates from Wednesday
Utah Hockey Club jerseys to go on sale for 1st time Friday
Latest Women in Hockey feature highlights Jessie Thompson of the Capitals
Maple Leafs sport custom T-shirts, hats for Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s 1,000th NHL game
Howie MorenzConnor McDavid helped NHL reach new heights in respective eras

NHL Coast to Coast returns with McDavid on brink of 1,000-point milestone

NHL Coast to Coast returns during a 10-game schedule highlighted by Connor McDavid (340-659—999 in 658 GP) needing one point to reach 1,000 when the Oilers host the Predators.

* McDavid (9-25—34 in 14 GP) has found the score sheet in each of his past 14 games against Nashville, marking his second-longest active point streak versus one opponent behind New Jersey (15 GP dating to Feb. 9, 2016). Fans at Rogers Place and those tuning in to the weekly whip-around studio show on Prime Video Canada may not have to wait long for the milestone by McDavid, who has 11 first-period points during his run versus the Predators which includes six contests where he found the score sheet in the opening 10 minutes.
 

* More highlights include Rasmus Dahlin and the Sabres squaring off with Jordan Kyrou and the Blues on ESPN+; Kyle Connor and the League-leading Jets looking to continue their record-breaking start against Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning; new 300-point scorer Jack Hughes and the Devils playing their second straight road game versus Sam Reinhart and the Panthers; Macklin Celebrini making his Broadway debut across from fellow No. 1 pick Alexis Lafrenière and the Rangers; as well as Kirill Kaprizov and the Wild clashing with Cole Caufield and the Canadiens.

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