Three stars
1. Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Some thought he was petering out as an elite hockey player in the NHL. Few expected the type of season Toews is having.
Captain Serious scored his career-high 35th goal of the season and added the only goal that mattered in the shootout to push the Blackhawks past the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday Night Hockey. Toews now has a career high in goals and points and needs one assist to make it a career-high hat trick with helper No. 45.
A season for the haters.
2. Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
The Senators are playing for next year (or perhaps three years down the road), and Tkachuk is set to feature in Ottawa’s lineup for a long time, which is a good thing.
Tkachuk had a goal and an assist to given him 45 points in 69 games in his rookie season. It’s been a trying year in Ottawa on and off the ice, but Tkachuk has been a bright spot.
Multiple @Senators rookies with 40+ points in a season, franchise history:
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 4, 2019
2014-15 – Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman
1993-94 – Alexei Yashin and Alexandre Daigle
2018-19 – @BradyTkachuk71 and Colin White#NHLStats pic.twitter.com/J8PxRucYzo
3. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Another goal (his 42nd) and another assist (his 65th) came off the stick of Kane in Chicago’s win.
Kane came into the game with 105 points, one shy of his career-best 106 that he set in 2015-16 when he won the Art Ross. He won’t win that award this season, Nikita Kucherov has that locked up, but Kane’s two points established a new career mark with 107.
Highlights of the night
This is tremendous:
Absolutely amazing! Craig Cunningham's skating again! 👏 (🎥: craig.cunningham14 on IG) pic.twitter.com/BvAFVYFbuf
— NHL (@NHL) April 4, 2019
This, too:
#OneMoreShift for Phil and Tony Esposito. pic.twitter.com/n2pEfJ71MI
— NHL (@NHL) April 4, 2019
Getzlaf can still fake out defenders:
The old inside out move is a Ryan Getzlaf classic. pic.twitter.com/qXUoOFZe9w
— NHL (@NHL) April 4, 2019
Kane’s sick mitts:
Factoids
Kane also became the fourth different player in @NHLBlackhawks franchise history to record more than 106 points in a season and first since Jeremy Roenick in 1993-94. #NHLStats #STLvsCHIhttps://t.co/Od7uwxmkQ6 pic.twitter.com/UaEet1CPkf
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 4, 2019
#Flames Matthew Tkachuk has 8 goals in his last 11 games.
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 4, 2019
#GoSensGo have an NHL-high 146 points from rookies this season.
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 3, 2019
Scores
Senators 4, Rangers 1
Blackhawks 4, Blues 3 (SO)
Ducks 3, Flames 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