Three stars
1. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
It takes something special these days to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs. They simply can score at will when they want to.
Barkov’s hat trick, then, was that special moment. He helped the Panthers get out to a 1-0 lead, put them ahead 3-2 in the third and then when Toronto forced overtime, it was Barkov once again to save the day, scoring on an incredible backhand deke for the win.
Not bad for a first-career hatty.
2. Daniel Sprong, Anaheim Ducks
Sprong scored to tie the game 1-1 in the first and then scored 1:19 into overtime to help the Ducks down the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1.
Sprong now has three goals in five games with the Ducks since joining Anaheim in a trade from the Penguins earlier this month. The Ducks have won three straight.
3. Nathan MacKinnon (and Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog), Colorado Avalanche
MacKinnon had a four-point night (one goal, three assists). Rantanen had two goals and a helper and Landeskog had two tallies of his own. That’s nine points for that line.
MacKinnon and Rantanen now have 50-plus points apiece and they led the Avs to a 6-4 win against the stubborn Dallas Stars.
The best line in hockey does it again.
Other notable performances:
- Alex Ovechkin scored again (and notched the shootout winner). He’s now got a 14-game point streak (extending a career high) and a six-game goal-scoring streak (one shy of a career high set in 2005-06). He’s got 29 goals in 32 games.
- Claude Julien earned his 600th career win as a bench boss in the NHL as the Canadiens won 5-2 against the Ottawa Senators.
- Tyler Seguin did his best to try and help the Stars, scoring twice an adding an assist against the Avs.
- John Gibson kept his Vezina-caliber season going with 36 saves for the Ducks. He’s won three straight and has a .927 save percentage this season.
- Keith Kinkaid (27 saves) and Juuse Saros (33 saves) had a nice little goaltending duel going. Saros ended up winning in the sixth round of the shootout.
- 13 Vancouver Canucks had a point in their romp of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Highlights of the night
Barkov’s OT winner and hat-trick goal:
His third of the night was the GWG... and it was nasty. pic.twitter.com/SyoLIZj732
— NHL (@NHL) December 16, 2018
Obliteration:
Tennyson lays out eller to stop a scoring chance #sabres #allcaps pic.twitter.com/jIGKw6ifjQ
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) December 16, 2018
Barzal breaking ankles:
This @Barzal_97 shootout goal. 👀 pic.twitter.com/utmSNKY7Wu
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) December 16, 2018
Nice release:
You only hope to contain @BBoeser16's one timer. https://t.co/eW4r29qUSV
— NHL (@NHL) December 16, 2018
Factoids
Points this season#Avs Landeskog/MacKinnon/Rantanen: 148
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) December 16, 2018
All #LAKings forwards: 142
Mikko Rantanen and @Mackinnon9 are the 5th set of teammates since 1981-82 to be the first two NHL players to 50 points in a season.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 16, 2018
The others:
Malkin & Crosby (2009-09)
Lemieux & Jagr (1995-96)
Gretzky & Anderson (1985-86)
Gretzky & Kurri (1983-84)#NHLStats pic.twitter.com/Kk050x1NWC
Scores
Flames 2, Wild 1
Canadiens 5, Senators 2
Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT)
Islanders 4, Red Wings 3 (SO)
Penguins 4, Kings 3 (OT)
Capitals 4, Sabres 3 (SO)
Ducks 2, Blue Jackets (OT)
Predators 2, Devils 1 (SO)
Avalanche 6, Stars 4
Canucks 5, Flyers 1
Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck