The latest edition of the NHL Stat Corner is a big one featuring some impressive outbursts and scoring streaks, highlighted by Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs’ home and home with the New Jersey Devils. Then we have a couple unfamiliar names blowing up the score sheet with the Florida Panthers, followed by the 61st regular-season meeting between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. We wrap up with Artemi Panarin hitting a very important milestone and Luke Schenn who put together a very impressive game, plus much more.
Matthews & Marner Keep on Scoring
Matthews recorded his fifth career hat trick. It was his ninth career four-point game. He is the fastest player in franchise history to reach 400 points among players to debut with the Maple Leafs (372 GP). The next fastest was Syl Apps (387 GP). Only Doug Gilmour (342 GP) recorded 400 points with the Maple Leafs faster, but he didn’t debut with the club. Matthews is the first player in franchise history to begin his career with six consecutive 50-point seasons. Four players have recorded more consecutive 50-point seasons for the Maple Leafs: Mats Sundin (12), Darryl Sittler (nine), Rick Vaive (seven), and Borje Salming (seven).
It is the second time in franchise history the Maple Leafs have come back from a multi-goal deficit in the third period in consecutive games. The only other time the team has accomplished this was on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 2000, almost the exact same two days 22 years ago. The Maple Leafs are one of only two teams in the NHL in the top six in power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage. The other is the St. Louis Blues. It is the first time the Maple Leafs have had hat tricks scored in consecutive games since Wendel Clarke did so himself. Michael Bunting scored a hat trick vs. the Detroit Red Wings and Matthews recorded one vs. the Devils.
Related: NHL Stat Corner: Avalanche, Penguins, Oilers, Flames & Maple Leafs
It is just the third season in franchise history where two players have recorded goal streaks of at least seven games, Matthews and Marner. The last pair of teammates to do this in the NHL was Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr in 1996-97. The other seasons were 1921-22 and 1993-94. Marner tied the fourth-longest goal streak by a Maple Leafs’ player since 1943-44. Only Matthews, Marner, and Max Pacioretty have recorded goal streaks of seven this season.
Multiple Panthers Set Franchise Records in Blowout Win
Mason Marchment is the ninth active player to record six or more points in a game. He joins Jason Spezza, Sam Gagner, Jamie Benn, Johnny Gaudreau, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Mika Zibanejad. Marchment tied a franchise record with six points in a game also held by Olli Jokinen (2007).
Anton Lundell is the fifth Panthers rookie to record four points in a game and the second to record four assists in a game, joining Juho Lammikko (2018). Lundell recorded the most points in a month by a rookie in franchise history with 17, passing Jesse Belanger (15 in December 1993 & January 1994). Only one rookie in the expansion era (1967-68) has recorded more assists in a game than Lundell (five), Gary Suter (six in 1986). Lundell’s five assists tied a franchise record, also held by Aleksander Barkov.
The Panthers have set a franchise record by scoring at least eight goals in a game three times this season. The team scored at least eight goals in a game twice in 2006-07. The Panthers have scored 75 goals in January, the most by any team in a calendar month in the past 25 years. They are the first team to score 70 goals in January since the Calgary Flames (1989). The Panthers’ 12 wins in January is a franchise record for wins in a calendar month.
Sidney Crosby Continues Dominance Over Capitals
Sidney Crosby has recorded the 10th-most points against the Washington Capitals all-time (84). Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have played each other 61 times in the regular season, tied for most meetings between two first-overall picks in NHL history with Denis Potvin (drafted in 1973) and Mel Bridgman (drafted in 1975).
Evgeni Malkin has recorded the second-most point streaks of nine consecutive games or more among active players (11), tied with Ovechkin and trailing only Crosby (12). Malkin’s point streak of nine games is the second-longest active point streak behind Kevin Fiala (11).
Artemi Panarin Joins Elite Company Among Undrafted Players
Artemi Panarin is the fourth undrafted player to begin his career with 50-plus points in seven consecutive seasons. He joins Wayne Gretzky (15), Peter Stastny (12), and Mike Ridley (nine).
Gerard Gallant won his 300th career game as a head coach. He is the 51st coach in NHL history to win 300 games and 11th active coach to reach that mark.
Luke Schenn Ran Through the Blackhawks
Luke Schenn tied the franchise record for hits in a single game originally set by him in 2019 with 12. He was the first Vancouver Canucks’ defenceman to score a goal since Dec. 1, and it was an empty-net goal. Schenn is the first defenceman in the NHL to score a goal and record 12 hits in the same game since Mike Commodore in 2006. Alex Chiasson played his 600th career game.
Player, Team Stats & Milestones From Around the NHL
Team
- The Vegas Golden Knights are the fastest team in NHL history to wins 200 games (337 GP). They beat the record held by the Ottawa Senators of 200 wins in 349 GP.
- The Anaheim Ducks and Red Wings game featured the top two leading rookie forwards and defencemen for the first time in over 36 years. The game had Lucas Raymond (35 points), Trevor Zegras (32), Moritz Seider (29), and Jamie Drysdale (19). The last time it happened was in 1985 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens, featuring Mario Lemieux, Warren Young, Chris Chelios, and Tom Kurvers.
Player
- Filip Forsberg tied the franchise record by recording multiple points in four consecutive games. He and seven other players have accomplished this, the last being Ryan Ellis (2019-20).
- Victor Hedman scored his eighth career overtime goal, tied for fourth-most among defencemen in NHL history with Dustin Byfuglien. Only Brent Burns (15), Scott Niedermayer (13), Mike Green (nine), and Seth Jones (nine) have more. Hedman has the third-most overtime goals in franchise history, trailing only Martin St. Louis (10) and Steven Stamkos (10).
- John Cooper won his 413th regular-season game as a head coach, tying Jack Adams for 35th most in NHL history.
- Kyle Connor is the second-fastest player in franchise history to score 25 goals in a season (42 GP). Only Ilya Kovalchuk (32 GP in 2007-08, 35 GP in 2009-10, and 37 GP in 2005-06) did so in fewer games.
- Claude Giroux played his 700th career game as the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the longest-tenured captain in franchise history. He became team captain in 2013 and has only missed 10 games since being named captain, five of which have been due to COVID protocol. He has recorded the sixth-most points (650) in the NHL since the start of 2013.
- Tim Stutzle is the first player in franchise history to score an overtime goal and get in a fight in the same game. He is the fifth-youngest player in franchise history to score an overtime goal (20y, 16d).
- Jonathan Marchessault has recorded the most 20-goal seasons in franchise history (four).
- Rickard Rakell is sixth in franchise history with 148 goals, breaking a tie with Bobby Ryan.
- Juuse Saros earned his 100th career win.
- Dylan Larkin leads the NHL this season by scoring the first goal of the game the most times (eight).
- Haydn Fleury and Cale Fleury are the third pair of brothers to play in a game together this season. The others, Seth Jones and Caleb Jones, Taylor Raddysh and Darren Raddysh.
- Dallas Stars’ Joel Hanley scored his first career goal in his 100th career game.
- Rasmus Asplund played his 100th career game.
The Golden Knights continue to be a dominant team since becoming a franchise while a couple of players climb their franchise leaderboards. This week had a couple overtime winners paired with another rare stat in the same game. A couple of great current coaches moved up the all-time wins list. Stay up to date with all the latest stats and milestones from around the NHL on the NHL Stats Corner every couple of days.
Rob Couch is a THW freelance writer covering mainly the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers. He covers everything you need to know about fantasy hockey. He will also keep you up to date with the NHL Stat Corner and trade talks from around the NHL.
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