Recap of NHL from 21 December 2025

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Sidney Crosby collected 1-1—2 against Mario Lemieux’s hometown team to leapfrog “Le Magnifique” for the most points in franchise history.* Crosby is set to represent Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and two of his teammates named to the preliminary roster also produced in wins Sunday.

* The Canucks are set to face their former head coach during Prime Monday Night Hockey in one of several national telecasts slated for the week ahead, which includes an NHL on TNT tripleheader and a four-game Hockey Night in Canada on either side of the three-day holiday break.

Crosby leapfrogs Lemieux for most points in franchise history

Sidney Crosby collected Pittsburgh’s first goal and assisted on the Penguins’ second to reach 1,724 career points and pass Mario Lemieux (1,723) as the franchise’s all-time scoring leader, a title Lemieux had held for nearly 37 years. Crosby also leapfrogged Lemieux for eighth place on the NHL’s all-time points list and for the third most with one franchise in League history.

* Click the link below to read several more notes on Crosby, who was mobbed by teammates and received a heartfelt message from Lemieux after the milestone point against Lemieux’s hometown team. Crosby set the franchise record with his family in attendance including his father Troy, who was chosen by the Canadiens with the No. 242 pick in the 1984 NHL Draft.

#NHLStats Pack: Sidney Crosby Becomes Pittsburgh Penguins’ All-Time Points Leader

Other Olympic-bound players produce in wins Sunday
Nathan MacKinnon (Team Canada), Connor McDavid (Team Canada) and Moritz Seider (Team Germany) also shone in addition to Sidney Crosby (Team Canada):

* MacKinnon tallied twice to become the NHL’s first 30-goal scorer this season and help League-leading Colorado (26-2-7, 59 points) extend its winning streak to five games. MacKinnon (35 GP) became the second-fastest player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to reach the 30-goal mark behind Quebec’s Michel Goulet (34 GP in 1985-86).

* McDavid (1-2—3) factored on three goals and moved into first place in the League scoring race, eclipsing MacKinnon, as the Oilers (18-13-6, 42 points) fended off a Golden Knights (16-8-10, 42 points) rally to gain ground on them in the Pacific Division standings. McDavid boosted his 2025 totals to 41-100—141 (including playoffs), marking his fifth career 140-point season – tied with Mario Lemieux and Phil Esposito for the second most in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (13). For more on the teams and players that have led the way since the turn of the calendar, check out the 2025 Year in Review by #NHLStats.

* Seider scored the overtime winner to help the Atlantic Division-leading Red Wings (21-13-3, 45 points) win their eighth game of December, which is tied with the Wild for the most among all teams. Seider scored his third career overtime goal and tied Danny DeKeyser and Jake Walman for the third most by a defenseman in Red Wings history. The most is four – a record held by Nicklas Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall. Seider moved up the list of most overtime goals by a German player – the only defenseman above him is Christian Ehrhoff.

SEVERAL surging players, teams featured in #NHLStats: Live Updates
Sunday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the nine contests, including the Sabres and Senators stretching their winning streaks as well as Steven Stamkos scoring his League-leading fourth game winner this month.

QUICK CLICKS

* Sidney Crosby passes Mario Lemieux for most points in Penguins history
* Mario Lemieux congratulates Sidney Crosby on Penguins career points record

* Matt Grzelcyk fined maximum for cross-checking in Blackhawks game

* Gavin McKenna motivated to help Canada rebound at 2026 World Junior Championship

* NHL STREET Championships connects with fans of all ages before Winter Classic

CANUCKS, FLYERS MEET ON FOUR-GAME MONDAY

The Canucks will make their lone visit to Philadelphia to meet the Flyers on Prime Monday Night Hockey as part of a four-game Monday – the second-last slate of games before the NHL takes a three-day holiday break. The contest will feature Vancouver put a four-game win streak on the line and Rick Tocchet will face his former team for the first time.

* The Canucks can extend their winning streak to five games for the first time since 2023-24 – Vancouver’s run started after their blockbuster trade which saw the club acquire Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and Marco Rossi. Those three players have combined for 3-3—6 over their first four games with Vancouver, led by Ohgren who has 2-1—3 after having gone without a point through his first 18 games of 2025-26.

* Tocchet spent the past three seasons with the Canucks, where he won the Jack Adams Award in 2023-24 and helped lead the franchise to the second round of the playoffs for only the second time since 2011-12. Under Tocchet, the Flyers currently hold the first Wild Card seed in the Eastern Conference and will aim to return to the postseason for the first time since 2020.

NATIONAL GAMES ON THE RADAR THIS WEEK
Three #NHLStats and storylines you need to know about other national broadcasts this week:

  1. NHL on TNT tripleheader (Tuesday): Patrick Kane could return to the lineup and continue his pursuit of Mike Modano’s U.S.-born points record when Detroit hosts Modano’s former team. The Red Wings-Stars game is flanked by the Penguins-Maple Leafs and Flyers-Blackhawks during the nearly eight-hour telecast.
  1. Predators at Wild on ESPN+ and Hulu (Tuesday): The Predators have notched nearly half of their wins this season since Dec. 1 and can head into the three-day holiday break with an 8-3-0 record in the month when they play their first game against the Wild since Minnesota acquired decorated defenseman Quinn Hughes.
  2. Hockey Night in Canada on Sportsnet (Saturday): The four-game schedule features the “Battle of Ontario” and “Battle of Alberta” as well as Macklin Celebrini playing in his hometown of Vancouver for the third time in his career. Celebrini found the score sheet in each of his first two games at Rogers Arena.