In the latest edition of NHL Stats News, the Calgary Flames have gone off the past two games and have reached a ton of new milestones, two players from the New York Rangers continue to impress, and Cale Makar puts on a show. Then Alex Ovechkin’s goals keep piling up, a record season for a Minnesota Wild star, Patrick Kane’s road success, and much more.
Flames Light It Up in Battle of Alberta
The Flames have four 30-goal scorers for the first time since 1993-94. They are Matthew Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm, and Andrew Mangiapane. 1993-94 featured Gary Roberts (41), Theo Fleury (40), Robert Reichel (40), and Joe Nieuwendyk (36). The Flames are the first team to have four 30-goal scorers by the 65th game of the season since the Pittsburgh Penguins (1995-96). They are the sixth team since 2005-06 to have four 30-goal scorers in a season.
Gaudreau scored his 200th career goal. He is the sixth player from the 2011 NHL Draft to reach that milestone. He is the 10th player in franchise history to score 200 goals. He has also recorded the third-most points in a Battle of Alberta game in franchise history (five). He is the fourth Flames player to record five assists in a Battle of Alberta game as well. Gaudreau is the third-fastest player in franchise history to record 90 points in a season (65 GP).
Related: NHL Stats News: Maple Leafs, Oilers, Bruins, Panthers, Jets
Jacob Markstrom is the fifth-fastest goaltender in franchise history to reach 30 wins in a season (50 GP). Noah Hanifin played his 500th career game. The Flames and Edmonton Oilers were one goal short (14) of tying the most goals scored in a Battle of Alberta game (15 in 1984).
Zibanejad and Kreider Reach New Heights
Chris Kredier has the most goals in a season (44) for the Rangers since Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06 (54). Kreider is the first player since Peter Bondra (2000-01) to score 44-plus goals, 22-plus power-play goals, and three-plus shorthanded goals in a season. It has been done only 14 times in NHL history.
Mika Zibanejad recorded his 500th career point. He is the 11th Swedish-born centerman and third player from the 2011 NHL Draft to reach 500, joining Mark Scheifele and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Rangers scored the fifth-fastest three goals to begin a game in franchise history (4:16). It was the fastest since they did so in 1985 vs. the Flames.
Cale Makar Sets New Franchise Record
Colorado Avalanche defencemen have scored 54 goals this season, breaking the franchise record for goals by a defence corps in a season. Makar set a franchise record by scoring the most goals in a season by a defenceman (24), passing Sandis Ozolinsh (23 in 1996-97).
Makar has the 10th-most goals in a season among defencemen 23 or younger since 1981-82. He has the sixth-most points among defencemen 23 years or younger since 1990 (72). He also has the eighth-most combined points by a defenceman in his first three seasons (192).
Alex Ovechkin Climbs in Goals
Ovechkin has the third-most single season goals at age 36 or older in NHL history (42), trailing Teemu Selanne (48 in 2005-06) and Gordie Howe (44 in 1968-69). Ovechkin scored his 121st game-winning goal of his career, tying the aforementioned Howe for second-most in NHL history. He trails only Jaromir Jagr (135). Ovechkin has the fifth-most career points by a winger in NHL history (1398).
Nicklas Backstrom recorded his 742nd assist, 45th in NHL history, tying him with Denis Potvin. Evgeny Kuznetsov recorded the 10th-most career assists in franchise history (332), passing Scott Stevens.
Kirill Kaprizov Having Record Season for Wild
Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello are the second set of teammates in franchise history to reach 45 assists in a season, joining Mikael Granlund and Ryan Suter (2017-18). Kaprizov is the second player in franchise history to record 80 points in a season, joining Marian Gaborik (83 in 2007-08). He has also scored the fourth-most goals in a season in franchise history (34).
Marc-Andre Fleury has the fourth-most 20-win seasons in NHL history (14), trailing Patrick Ray (17), Martin Brodeur (16), and Ed Belfour (15).
Patrick Kane Dominates on the Road
Kane has recorded the sixth-longest road assists streak in NHL history (11 GP), trailing Wayne Gretzky (16, 14 (twice), 12) and Brian Leetch (12). Kane passed Jeremy Roenick for the most points in franchise history in the month of March (25). Only Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Denis Savard recorded more points in any calendar month than Kane. He recorded the second-most assists in a calendar month in franchise history (20), trailing Savard (23 in Nov. 1987).
Player & Team Stats & Milestones From Around the NHL
Team
- The Vegas Golden Knights won for the first time in franchise history when trailing by three or more goals in the third period. It was the 58th time they were down by three goals in the third period. They are the third team this season to overcome a three-goal third period deficit and win, joining the Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers vs. the Washington Capitals. The Golden Knights scored the fastest three goals to start a period in franchise history (3:16) in the third period of their win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
- The Panthers have the most three-goal comeback wins this season (three).
- The Ottawa Senators lost after having a three-goal lead for the first time since 2016.
- The Montreal Canadiens’ minus-33 shot differential was the largest in franchise history at home.
- The Lightning have recorded the most game-tying goals in the final five minutes of regulation this season (eight), tied with the Capitals.
Player
- Phil Kessel played his 964th consecutive game, tying Doug Jarvis for second all-time and trailing only Keith Yandle (987).
- Patrice Bergeron is the 120th player in NHL history to play 1,200 games. It is the third most in franchise history behind Ray Bourque (1,518) and Johnny Bucyk (1,436).
- Jonathan Huberdeau played his 655th career game, the most in franchise history, passing Stephen Weiss.
- Leon Draisaitl is the first player since 1983 to record a hat trick and post a minus-4 in a game. That was last done by John Anderson of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Draisaitl has recorded the seventh-most regular season hat tricks in franchise history (six).
- Brayden Point scored his ninth career overtime goal, third-most in franchise history behind Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos (10).
- Auston Matthews has scored the seventh-most goals in a season in franchise history (47) and he also tied his career high.
- Mitch Marner required the seventh-fewest games in franchise history to reach 70 points in a season (55 GP).
- J.T. Miller is the seventh-fastest player in franchise history to reach 80 points in a season (65 GP).
- Brock Nelson is the second player in franchise history to record his first 30-goal season as age 30 or older, joining Jason Blake (2006-07).
- Damon Severson has scored the fourth-most goals among defencemen in franchise history (50), trailing Scott Niedermayer (112), Scott Stevens (93), and Bruce Driver (80).
- Nikolaj Ehlers has the fourth-most 20-goal seasons in franchise history (six), trailing Ilya Kovalchuk (eight), Blake Wheeler (seven), and Scheifele (seven).
- Elias Pettersson recorded his 200th career point. He is the fourth-fastest player in franchise history to reach 200 career points (230 GP).
- Cole Caufield has recorded the fourth-most points by a rookie aged 21 or younger in a calendar month (14).
- Jake Allen has recorded the second-most 45-plus save games in a season in franchise history (three), trailing only Jaroslav Halak (six in 2009-10).
- Pavel Buchnevich scored his 100th career goal.
- Tomas Hertl recorded his 200th career assist.
- Jordan Spence of the Los Angeles Kings scored his first career goal.
- Arizona Coyotes’ Michael Carcone and Vladislav Kolyachonok scored their first career goals.
There were some impressive games-played milestones over the past couple of days by Kessel, Bergeron, and Huberdeau while Matthews, Marner, and Miller all continue to raise their single season totals. Stay up to date with all the latest stats and milestones from around the NHL on NHL Stats News that drops every couple of days.
Stats via NHL Public Relations, StatsCentre, Sportsnet Stats.