The League-leading Avalanche established a double-digit win streak for the fourth time in franchise history as Nathan MacKinnon extended his lead as the NHL’s leading point scorer heading into American Thanksgiving.
* Forty-year-old Alex Ovechkin joined elite NHL company as he scored his ninth goal in November and did so after the Capitals held a special pre-game ceremony to celebrate his 900th career goal and 1,500-game milestones.
* More than half the games this season (51%) have been tied at any point in the third period, including 10 contests Wednesday, which matched 2005-06 for the second-highest percentage through this stage of a season (375 GP). The only campaign with a higher rate is 2012-13 (52%).
* The NHL returns after a one-day break with another 15-game slate on Friday.
MACKINNON, AVALANCHE EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO DOUBLE DIGITS
Nathan MacKinnon (0-2—2) was one of 13 members of the Avalanche lineup who found the score sheet Wednesday, while Mackenzie Blackwood stopped all 26 shots he faced to help Colorado earn its third straight shutout and extend its League-best winning streak to 10 games. MacKinnon improved to 17-22—39 (23 GP) and will enter American Thanksgiving as the NHL leader in both goals and points.
10 #NHLStats from Colorado’s double-digit winning streak:
1. The Avalanche tied their second-longest winning streak in franchise history (also 2021-22 & 2017-18) and are now two back from their record (12 GP in 1998-99).
2. Colorado matched the franchise record for longest shutout streak after posting its third straight (also 3 GP from Nov. 14-18, 2001). The last team to post three consecutive blank slates was the Rangers (3 GP from April 13-19, 2022).
3. Cale Makar collected an assist to become the first defenseman to reach 30 points this season (23 GP). He required the sixth-fewest games to 30 points in a season among active defensemen and already held two spots on that top-five list (also 20 GP in 2023-24 & 21 GP in 2024-25).
4. Twenty-two different players (including a goaltender) have at least one point during their run, which is the most during a double-digit win streak in franchise history (previously 20 in 2017-18). Only two teams in NHL history have had more players with a point through their first 10 games of a win streak: Boston (24 in 2022-23) and Pittsburgh (23 in 2021-22).
5. The Avalanche have a plus-32 goal differential during their current streak, which is the best differential through a 10-game run by any team since the Capitals in 1983-84 (+41).
6. Colorado is one of two teams over the past 45 years to have one regulation loss or fewer entering American Thanksgiving – the only other was the Bruins in 2023-24.
7. Of all their goals over their run, 85% (40/47, excluding shootout-deciding goals) have been at even strength. Only two other teams have had at least 85% of their goals come at even strength through their first 10 games of a win streak (since 1933-34 when goals by strength began being tracked): the 1978-79 Atlanta Flames (90%) and 1939-40 Rangers (87%).
8. They’ve scored 13 consecutive goals dating to Nov. 20th (P3), marking the second-longest stretch in franchise history behind 16 straight by the Nordiques from Oct. 19-22, 1983.
9. The Avalanche have only trailed for a total of 65:05 during their current win streak – the lowest by any club during a run of this length since the Bruins in 2022-23 (42:55).
10. Ross Colton scored his second game-winning goal of Colorado’s winning streak and is one of seven players to score a game winner – that ties their most through a 10-game run in franchise history.
OVECHKIN’S NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER CONTINUES WITH CEREMONIAL NIGHT
The Capitals held a special pre-game ceremony to honor Alex Ovechkin for becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 career goals and the eighth player in League history to play 1,500 games with one franchise, a feat he accomplished on Oct. 25. President of hockey operations Brian MacLellan and general manager Chris Patrick joined Ovechkin’s wife, Nastya, children Sergei and Ilya, and mother, Tatyana, on the ice.
* Ovechkin has helped raise more than $186,000 for pediatric cancer research through The GR8 Chase for Victory Over Cancer initiative. Youth cancer patients thanked the Capitals captain for donating with every goal – a video that the organization shared ahead on Wednesday’s contest.
* Ovechkin broke a second-period tie and boosted his career totals in November to 150-116—266. He became the third player in NHL history with 150 goals in multiple months (also 161 in March), alongside Wayne Gretzky (157 in Dec., 154 in Nov. & 152 in Jan.) and Gordie Howe (154 in Jan. & 151 in Feb.).
* Ovechkin’s November to remember includes 9-6—15 (13 GP); his nine goals this month are tied for the third most among all players. Overall, his total tied the third most in a single calendar month by a player age 40 or older in NHL history and are the most since Johnny Bucyk (10 in Jan. 1976 w/ BOS).
SUZUKI HITS 400 POINTS IN CANADIENS’ THIRD-PERIOD COMEBACK WIN
Nick Suzuki (2-1—3) factored on three of four Canadiens goals to eclipse the 400-point milestone while Ivan Demidov (1-0—1) scored the game winner in the final frame to help Montreal record its fifth third-period comeback win of the season, tied with Philadelphia for the most among all clubs. The Canadiens improved to 2-0-0 all-time at Delta Center and joined the Stars and Islanders as the only teams with a perfect record in Utah (min. 2 GP).
* Suzuki became the 32nd player in Canadiens history to record their first 400 NHL points with the franchise and just the sixth to do so in the past 35 years, following Brendan Gallagher, Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Markov and Saku Koivu.
* Demidov (6-14—20 in 24 GP) tied Guy Lafleur as the fifth-fastest Canadiens rookie to record 20 career points in the expansion era (since 1967-68). Only Stephane Richer (20 GP), Kjell Dahlin (20 GP), Mats Naslund (21 GP) and Craig Laughlin (22 GP) hit the mark in fewer games.
A LOOK AT OLYMPIC-BOUND PLAYERS
* Zemgus Girgensons scored one of Tampa Bay’s four goals in the opening 10:01 – their third-fastest four goals to start a game in Lightning history – to help his club extend its winning streak to five. Girgensons (96-104—200), who was named to Team Latvia’s preliminary roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, became the third Latvian player in NHL history to record 200 career points. He joined Sandis Ozolinsh (564) and Sergei Zholtok (258).
* After the Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead, William Nylander (1-1—2) factored on the tying tally and then set the Maple Leafs record for most overtime goals with the 15th of his career as Toronto earned a comeback win. Nylander (11-20—31 in 20 GP), named to Team Sweden’s preliminary roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, became the seventh different Swedish player in NHL history to reach the 30-point mark in a season in 20 or fewer games and the first since Henrik Zetterberg (20 GP) in 2007-08.
* After the Rangers took a 1-0 lead, Nikolaj Ehlers (0-1— 1) factored on the Hurricanes’ tying tally and wrote his name atop a Danish list before New York fended off its comeback attempt to earn its League-leading 10th road win of the season. Ehlers, who was named to the preliminary roster for Team Denmark at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, recorded his 306th career assist and tied Frans Nielsen for the most by a Danish player in NHL history.
* Simon Nemec netted his second overtime winner in the past seven games and helped the Devils extend their season-opening home point streak to 10 contests (9-0-1), matching the longest run in franchise history (8-0-2 in 2016-17). Nemec, who was one of six players named to the preliminary roster for Team Slovakia at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, became the fifth Slovak defenseman in NHL history with at least two career overtime goals.
LATE GOALS, OT GOALS AND FAST GOALS IN WEDNESDAY’S #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
A 15-game Wednesday produced late goals, overtime goals and fast goals, all of which were captured in #NHLStats: Live Updates.
* The Flyers trailed for nearly half the game, but Tyson Foerster scored with 46 seconds remaining in regulation to lift Philadelphia to its NHL-leading 10th comeback win and fourth multi-goal comeback victory of the season. Foerster’s tally marked the second-latest go-ahead goal for the Flyers in the past decade, following Garnet Hathaway on March 7, 2024 (59:38).
* The Wild overcame a 2-0 and 3-2 deficit before Kirill Kaprizov scored his 12th career overtime goal – by far the most in franchise history (next closest: Mathew Dumba w/ 6). Kaprizov also tied William Nylander for the second-most overtime tallies by any player since he entered the League in 2020-21, behind Sebastian Aho (13).
* Despite the Ducks scoring with seven seconds remaining in regulation, the Canucks held on to win and snap a three-game skid. Quinn Hughes collected a helper and became the sixth defenseman in NHL history to record 20 assists in 20 games or fewer in three separate seasons. He joined Bobby Orr (6x), Paul Coffey (5x), Cale Makar (3x), Phil Housley (3x) and Denis Potvin (3x).
* The Predators scored a pair of goals in a span of 30 seconds or fewer multiple times in the third period en route to victory. Nick Blankenburg and Roman Josi registered the first instance and did so in a 15-second span – the fastest two goals by defensemen in Predators history, besting Shea Weber and Kimmo Timonen (0:23 on Dec. 2, 2006). Ryan O’Reilly and Erik Haula each scored in a 28-second span later in the period as Wednesday became the third contest in franchise history in which the club has scored a pair of goals within 30 seconds on multiple occasions (also March 25, 2021 & Feb. 28, 2009).
QUICK CLICKS
* Matthew Schaefer ‘has changed our team,’ Islanders GM says on ‘NHL @TheRink’ podcast
* Team USA Olympic hockey jerseys unveiled
* Filip Gustavsson looks to raise ‘level’ with Wild, make Sweden roster for Olympics
* NHL EDGE stats: Sneaky offseason movers in 2025-26
* Top prospects Alessandro Di Iorio, Beckham Edwards talk friendship on ‘NHL Draft Class’ podcast
NHL RETURNS FRIDAY WITH ANNUAL THANKSGIVING SHOWDOWN
The NHL returns after a one-day break with another 15-game slate on Friday. A full day of hockey and leftovers will be headlined by a Black Friday tradition, the NHL Thanksgiving Showdown, which will see an Original Six matchup between the Rangers and Bruins at TD Garden in Boston (1 p.m. ET on TNT, HBO MAX, SN).
* This will mark the fifth time the Bruins and Rangers go head-to-head in the annual Thanksgiving Showdown game and first since 2021. Boston owns a 3-1-0 edge in those contests (NYR: 1-2-1), but New York won the most recent occurrence (5-2 W on Nov. 26, 2021) with Artemi Panarin netting the game-winning goal in a multi-point effort. -26115528.png)
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