Three Stars
1. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning. It is starting to get insane. Nikita Kucherov had another four-point game for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night, extending his league-leading point total to 69 on the season and his current point streak to 12 games. He also has points in 22 of his past 23 games. Thursday’s performance, which came in a 6-2 rout of the Los Angeles Kings, is already his 10th game this season with at least three points and fourth with at least four points. He has recorded multiple points in seven consecutive games, a stretch that has seen him record 21 total points. That is a three-point per game average. He also reached the 400-point mark for his career with that performance. The Lightning are now a league-best 32-7-2 on the season and sit 12 points ahead of any other team in the league. At this point a year ago they were only 29-9-3. They are somehow even better this season.
2. Jeff Skinner, Buffalo Sabres. With Jack Eichel, their captain and best player, sidelined for at least the next two games the Buffalo Sabres needed somebody to step up to help them get out of their recent funk. That somebody on Thursday night was Eichel’s usual linemate, Jeff Skinner. Skinner scored a pair of goals in the Sabres’ 4-3 win to help them snap their three-game losing streak. Since the end of their 10-game winning streak earlier this season the Sabres have won just five out the 16 games that have followed. Skinner’s second goal on Thursday was his 28th of the season as he sits just two behind Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin for the league lead. It was also his seventh game-winning goal of the season, putting him in a three-way tie with Vancouver Canucks rookie forward Elias Pettersson and Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog for the league lead.
3. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens. Playing in his first game since December 22, Carey Price stopped all 33 shots he faced for the Montreal Canadiens in their 2-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks for his second shutout of the season. Price has not played up to his usual standard this season but has a save percentage of .920 or better in three of his past four starts. Perhaps he is starting to get back on track.
Highlights of the Night
Mathew Barzal continued his incredible play with this ridiculous goal in the New York Islanders’ 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Jeff Skinner’s first goal was as absolute beauty for the Buffalo Sabres in their win over the Florida Panthers.
Oskar Sundqvist scored the game-winning goal for the St. Louis Blues in what was a nice revenge game for him against Tom Wilson and the Washington Capitals.
Factoids
It came in a loss, but Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin scored his 30th goal of the season on Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues. By doing so he has now done something that only one other player in NHL history has done by scoring at least 30 goals in 14 consecutive seasons to begin his career. What is perhaps most remarkable about this stat is that Ovechkin was able to maintain his 30-goal season run through a lockout shortened 48-game season. Gartner had his run ended by the 1994-94 lockout shortened season before scoring at least 30 goals in each of the next two seasons. Ovechkin is only the third player to ever record 14 consecutive 30-goal seasons at any point in their career, and just the sixth player to record at lest 14 30-goal seasons in a career. He is a remarkable goal-scorer. The best ever.
Alex Ovechkin is the second player in NHL history to score at least 30 goals in each of his first 14 seasons, joining longtime @Capitals forward Mike Gartner (15; 1979-80 to 1993-94). #NHLStats #WSHvsSTL pic.twitter.com/azdGqOeGCi
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 4, 2019
The Calgary Flames did not beat the Boston Bruins thanks to a pair of goals from Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk on Thursday night but they did record another shorthanded goal. They lead the league in that category this season.
The @NHLFlames recorded their League-leading 13th shorthanded goal of the season, the ninth time they have done so in franchise history. #NHLStats #CGYvsBOS pic.twitter.com/dipPutYWX1
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 4, 2019
Devon Toews scored the game-winning goal in overtime for the New York Islanders on Thursday night. It was also the first goal of his NHL career. Not many players have done that in the history of the NHL.
Devon Toews scored in OT (his first NHL goal) as the @NYIslanders improved to 3-0-1 at Nassau Coliseum in 2018-19.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 4, 2019
Toews became the 18th player in the modern era to have his first NHL goal come in OT. Two others did so with the NYI: Thomas Hickey & Radek Martinek. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/YnklCSncjn
The Minnesota Wild were the latest team to overcome a two-goal deficit this season to win.
Jared Spurgeon tallied 1-2—3 and Zach Parise (1-1—2) scored the winning goal as the @mnwild erased an early 2-0 deficit to win in Toronto.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 3, 2019
It marked the 83rd time this season that a team won a game in which it trailed by multiple goals. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/rP9s0GAntz
Sebastian Aho continued his great season for the Carolina Hurricanes in their 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Fewest games required to reach 40 points since @NHLCanes relocated:
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 4, 2019
Eric Staal (27 GP in 2005-06 & 35 GP in 2012-13)
Rod Brind'Amour (37 GP in 2006-07)@SebastianAho (39 GP in 2018-19)
Cory Stillman (39 GP in 2005-06)#NHLStats pic.twitter.com/Lhp3qLTm6k
Scores
Minnesota Wild 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 3
Boston Bruins 6, Calgary Flames 4
Buffalo Sabres 4, Florida Panthers 3
Carolina Hurricanes 5, Philadelphia Flyers 3
New York Islanders 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2
Montreal Canadiens 2, Vancouver Canucks 0
St. Louis Blues 5, Washington Capitals 2
Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Los Angeles Kings 2
MORE: Your 2018-19 NHL on NBC TV schedule
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.