Nikita Kucherov reached the 1,100-point milestone as the Lightning moved within two points of the Atlantic Division-leading Sabres.
* Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston joined rare franchise company as the Stars stretched their point streak to 14 games.
* Macklin Celebrini helped the Sharks secure a win near his alma mater to move into the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot.
* Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers visit the Blues on Friday, which also marks the start of the Hockey Day in Germany celebrations in Düsseldorf.
KUCHEROV HITS 1,100 POINTS, VASILEVSKIY RECORDS NINTH 30-WIN SEASON
Nikita Kucherov (0-2—2) became the 71st player in NHL history – and 14th born outside of North America – to reach the 1,100-point milestone while Andrei Vasilevskiy (24 saves) notched his ninth consecutive 30-win season to help the Lightning (40-20-4, 84 points) move within two points of the Sabres (40-20-6, 86 points) for first in the Atlantic Division. Tampa Bay became the seventh different franchise to record 12 straight 40-win seasons (min. 70 team GP per season).
* Kucherov (34-72—106 in 60 GP) established the second-highest point total by a player through their first 60 games of a season since 1996-97, following Connor McDavid (113 in 2022-23). Only two players born outside of North America have posted as many points through their first 60 games of a campaign: Jari Kurri (113 in 1984-85 & 110 in 1983-84) and Jaromir Jagr (112 in 1995-96).
* Vasilevskiy became the second goaltender in NHL history to record nine consecutive 30-win seasons, following Martin Brodeur (12 from 1995-96 – 2007-08). The Lightning netminder tied Ed Belfour and Marc-Andre Fleury (both w/ 9) for the fourth-most 30-win seasons in NHL history, trailing only Brodeur (14), Patrick Roy (13) and Henrik Lundqvist (11).
* Jon Cooper became the third head coach in League history to earn 700 wins with one franchise (regular season & playoffs), following Al Arbour (859 w/ NYI) and Lindy Ruff (704 w/ BUF).
Surging Stars build 5-0 lead against Oilers, push point streak to 14 games
Jason Robertson (2-2—4) and Wyatt Johnston (1-2—3) accounted for three of the Stars’ first five goals before Dallas defeated Edmonton and extended its point streak to 14 contests (13-0-1 since Jan. 23), the second longest in franchise history behind a 15-game run from Dec. 6, 1998 to Jan. 6, 1999 (12-0-3). The Stars (41-14-10, 92 points) kept pace with the League-leading Avalanche (44-11-9, 97 points), who had Nathan MacKinnon (1-3—4) spearhead them to a 5-1 win over the Kraken.
* Robertson became the fourth player in Stars/North Stars history with four career 35-goal seasons, following Dino Ciccarelli (6), Brian Bellows (5) and Mike Modano (4). Johnston scored his 22nd power-play goal on the campaign to tie Ciccarelli (22 in 1986-87) for the single-season franchise record.
* Robertson and Johnston were two of six Dallas players with multiple points Thursday. That group included Matt Duchene (1-1—2), who had a highlight-reel goal late in the third period.
SHARKS, OTHER TEAMS GAIN GROUND IN WILD CARD RACes THURSDAY
Macklin Celebrini collected a primary assist on the second of four straight Sharks goals to extend a point streak to seven games for the third time this season, while boosting his season totals to 33-58—91 (63 GP) and career totals to 58-96—154 (133 GP). His 58 assists tied Dale Hawerchuk (58 in 1981-82) and Wayne Gretzky (58 in 1980-81) for the sixth most by a teenager in a single season in NHL history.
* Celebrini, who collected 32-32—64 in 38 games with Boston University in 2023-24, helped the Sharks halt the Bruins’ 13-game home win streak and Boston’s eight-game home win streak against San Jose that dated to Feb. 9, 2017. The 19-year-old opened up a 12-point cushion on sixth-place Kirill Kaprizov in the NHL’s scoring race this season and continues his pursuit of becoming the fourth teenager in NHL history to conclude a campaign among the top five in scoring, after Sidney Crosby (1st in 2006-07), Wayne Gretzky (2nd in 1979-80) and Ted Kennedy (5th in 1944-45).
Several other teams also gained ground in Wild Card races:
* Adam Fantilli opened the scoring to help the Blue Jackets (33-21-11, 77 points) extend their point streak to eight games (4-0-4 since Feb. 28) and move within one point of the Bruins (36-23-6, 78 points), who occupy the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot. Fantilli’s six goals since the Olympic break trail only three players for the most in the NHL.
* Owen Tippett netted the tying tally in the third period and Travis Konecny scored the lone goal in the shootout as the Flyers (31-23-11, 73 points) earned their 20th comeback win of the season – tied with the Ducks for the second most among all teams, behind the Canadiens (21). Philadelphia has 20 or more come-from-behind wins in a single season for the fifth time in the past 20 years following 2016-17 (23), 2011-12 (21), 2017-18 (20) and 2005-06 (20).
* Jakob Chychrun collected the go-ahead goal with 1:33 remaining in regulation as the Capitals (33-27-7, 73 points) snapped the Sabres’ eight-game winning streak and climbed within five points of the Bruins. Chychrun scored his seventh game winner on the campaign, which marked the highest single-season total by a defenseman in franchise history.
* Jimmy Snuggerud (2-0—2) extended his goal streak to four games and tied Brian Benning (1986-87) as well as Wayne Babych (1978-79) for the second-longest run by a Blues rookie behind Harry York (5 GP in 1996-97) and Jorgen Pettersson (5 GP in 1980-81). St. Louis (26-29-10, 62 points) remained six points back of San Jose (31-26-6, 68 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the West.
#NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES FEATURES HUGHES’ 60TH ASSIST IN 60TH GAME
Storylines were aplenty during a 14-game Thursday and the latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates, which included another multi-assist outing from Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (6-60—66 in 60 GP). Hughes, who became the fourth defenseman in NHL history with five career 60-assist seasons, hit the mark for the fifth consecutive campaign and matched Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey (all w/ 5) for the second-longest run by a blueliner in NHL history behind Bobby Orr (6 from 1969-70 – 1974-75).
QUICK CLICKS
* NHL modifies penalty to Senators for cancelled trade
* Beck Malenstyn logs fastest speed burst in NHL EDGE era (since 2021-22)
* Wild celebrate Team USA women’s gold medal with special puck drop
* NHL EDGE stats: John Carlson trade boosts Ducks’ Pacific Division title chances
* Goal of the Season? William Eklund bats in puck on eye-popping second effort
NHL’S FIRST-EVER “HOCKEY DAY IN GERMANY” CELEBRATION BEGINS TODAY
In celebration of hockey’s growing popularity in Germany, the NHL will hold the first-ever Hockey Day in Germany beginning today in Düsseldorf. The two-day event is designed to bring the country together around the sport of hockey in its many forms, culminating with a viewing party featuring Tim Stützle (Viersen, Germany) and the Senators against the Pacific Division-leading Ducks during Sky Sport’s telecast of NHL Saturday presented by Fastenal.
* Click here for more information and here for additional #NHLStats about Germany and its players, including Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (Cologne, Germany) – the highest scoring NHL player in the country’s history who is in action tonight alongside teammate Josh Samanski (Erding, Germany) on ESPN+, Hulu and Sportsnet.
* Did You Know? Eight German players have played during the 2025-26 NHL season, one shy of the most in any campaign in League history (9, last in 2020-21). German nationals have posted 100 goals, 167 assists and 267 points so far in 2025-26, ranking second in all three categories in terms of scoring by players from the country at this stage of a season (behind 2024-25: 105-180—285).
* The global nature of the game will be on full display Friday – with players born in 11 countries could skate across just two games Friday. #NHLStats: Live Updates for March 13 has more information, including notes on the head-to-head between 18-year-old Matthew Schaefer (three goals from tying the single-season NHL rookie record for defensemen) and 38-year-old Anze Kopitar (three points from setting a new all-time franchise scoring record).
