Nathan MacKinnon became the first player to reach the 100-point plateau this season as Colorado prevailed during Saturday’s highest-scoring game with a third-period comeback win.
* Connor McDavid recorded his ninth straight 80-point campaign while Leon Draisaitl found the score sheet for the 14th straight contest during the Oilers’ 5-4 victory over the new-look Stars.
* Steven Stamkos completed his first hat trick with the Predators in overtime as he was one of several players Saturday who continued this season’s trend of scoring game-winning goals in the extra frame. With every hat trick this season, AstraZeneca will donate $3,000 to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation up to $300,000.
* Sunday’s slate features more of The Gr8 Chase, as well as a pair of doubleheaders on TNT and Sportsnet featuring several teams in the thick of playoff races.
MACKINNON BECOMES FIRST 100-POINT PLAYER IN 2024-25
Nathan MacKinnon (2-0—2) became the first player this season to reach the 100-point milestone – and the first Avalanche/Nordiques player to be the first in the League to the century mark – in a game that saw him score twice to extend his point streak, climb a franchise list and become the fourth active player with three consecutive 100-point seasons. Colorado (38-24-2, 78 points) created a two-point cushion over idle Minnesota (36-23-4, 76 points) for third place in the Central Division.
* MacKinnon extended his home point streak to 19 games for the third time in his career (also 35 GP in 2023-24 & 19 GP in 2022-23) with his 101st career power-play goal, which passed Mikko Rantanen for the fifth most in franchise history behind Joe Sakic (205), Michel Goulet (147), Milan Hejduk (140) and Peter Stastny (120).
* MacKinnon (27-73—100 in 64 GP) became the second player in franchise history to record three consecutive 100-point seasons, joining Stastny (6x from 1980-81 — 1985-86). He helped the 2024-25 campaign mark the tenth straight of at least one player recording 100, which is the longest run since 1993-94 to 1968-69 (26 seasons).
OILERS BEST STARS ON HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA
After surrendering the game’s opening goal, Edmonton went on to pot the next five and carried that lead through two periods. Dallas would respond in the final frame with newly-acquired forward Mikko Rantanen (1-1—2) scoring his first goal in a Stars sweater during a three-goal third-period rally that fell just short as the Oilers (37-22-4, 78 points) held on for the 5-4 victory in another high-scoring Hockey Night in Canada game.
* Leon Draisaitl (0-1—1) extended his point streak to 14 games – tied with Tim Stützle for the longest active run and with his career high (also 14 GP in 2024-25 & 2018-19) – while Connor McDavid (1-1—2) reached the 80-point plateau for the ninth straight season. The Oilers captain tied for the fourth-most consecutive 80-point campaigns in NHL history, trailing Dale Hawerchuk (13; 1981-82 – 1993-94), Wayne Gretzky (13; 1979-80 – 1991-92) and Phil Esposito (11; 1967-68 – 1977-78).
* Rantanen collected his first point as a member of the Stars with an assist on the game-opening tally and then scored the first of two Dallas goals 11 seconds apart, marking the fastest two by the club since Dec. 23, 2023 (0:11). He became the fifth Stars player in the past 10 years to record multiple points in their debut.
2024-25 TREND OF GAMES ENDING IN OVERTIME CONTINUES SATURDAY
All three games that required extra time Saturday ended in overtime thanks to goals from
Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk, Nashville’s Steven Stamkos and Los Angeles’ Quinton Byfield. Tkachuk and Stamkos both climbed notable lists with their performances, while Byfield helped the Kings (32-22-9, 73 points) remain three points ahead of the Flames (30-23-10, 70 points) for third in the Pacific.
* After Michael Amadio (1-0—1) tied the game with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, Tkachuk (2-0—2) and Tim Stützle (0-1—1) teamed up on the overtime winner to help the Senators 32-25-5, 69 points) earn a crucial victory against the Rangers and leapfrog the idle Blue Jackets (30-24-8, 68 points) for the first Wild Card spot in the East. Stützle extended his point streak to 14 games, which established the third-longest point streak in franchise history, trailing a pair of runs by Dany Heatley (22 GP in 2005-06 & 16 GP in 2006-07).
* Tkachuk, who was skating in his 500th NHL game, scored his 187th and 188th career goals and tied Marian Hossa for fourth most in Senators history. The Senators captain also became the first player in franchise history to score twice during his 500th career contest – Jason Spezza was the last skater to record multiple points in that scenario (0-2—2 on Feb. 12, 2011).
* Stamkos’ first two goals of the night helped him reach the 20-goal mark for the 15th time in his career as he became the sixth active player to achieve the feat. He joined Alex Ovechkin (20), Patrick Kane (16), Sidney Crosby (16), John Tavares (15) and Evgeni Malkin (15).
* Stamkos would go on to score all three of Nashville’s goals, capped by his overtime winner. His 14 career hat tricks now put him in sole possession of third among active players, trailing only Ovechkin (32) and David Pastrnak (18). Saturday marked the first time the Predators forward has ever scored a hat trick with an overtime tally.
VANECEK, WOLF POST SHUTOUT PERFORMANCES
Vitek Vanecek shone in his first game for the Sunshine State Panthers, while Dustin Wolf continued his strong rookie campaign as both goaltenders registered shutout victories for their respective clubs.
* One of Florida’s NHL Trade Deadline acquisitions made an immediate impact for his new club as Vanecek (21 saves) became the third goaltender in Panthers history to record a shutout in his team debut, joining Chris Driedger (Nov. 30, 2019) and Jose Theodore (Oct. 8, 2011). Meanwhile, longtime Panthers also contributed towards the win: Aleksander Barkov (0-1—1) recorded his fourth consecutive 60-point season and Aaron Ekblad (0-1—1) matched the longest assist streak in franchise history by a defenseman (6 GP) to help Florida (40-21-3, 83 points) keep its lead atop the Atlantic Division.
* Joel Farabee (1-0—1) scored the lone goal of the contest, while Wolf (26 saves) fended every shot he faced to register his third shutout of the season and propel the Flames (30-23-10, 70 points) back into the final Wild Card spot in the West. Wolf set a new franchise record for the most shutouts in a single campaign by a rookie netminder and tied Leevi Meriläinen (3) for the most by a rookie this season.
QUICK CLICKS
* #NHLStats: Live Updates from March 8, 2025
* CHL notebook: Kraken prospect Berkly Catton thriving with Andrew Cristall
* Bruins ‘crushed’ to see several teammates go before NHL Trade Deadline
* Carey Price ‘would have loved to have played’ for Canada in 4 Nations Face-Off
* Marc-Andre Fleury hoping for ‘bragging rights’ in final start against Penguins
BUSY SUNDAY SEES THE GR8 CHASE CONTINUE, PAIR OF DOUBLEHEADERS
An eight-game Sunday features the continuation of The Gr8 Chase in Washington as well as a pair of nationally broadcast doubleheaders. In the U.S., a two-game set on TNT (truTV) and Max closes with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins visiting the Wild at Xcel Energy Center. In Canada, a doubleheader on Sportsnet begins with the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card race taking center stage as Zach Werenski and the Blue Jackets clash with Artemi Panarin and the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
* Alex Ovechkin enters Sunday’s contest against the Kraken just 10 goals back from capturing the NHL’s all-time goals record (894) and one point away from becoming the 11th player in League history to reach the 1,600-point milestone (885-714—1,599 in 1,473 GP). Ovechkin has 4-6—10 in seven all-time meetings with Seattle, which includes scoring his 875th career goal against the club on Jan. 23. He has yet to record a multi-goal effort against them – one of only three teams that he doesn’t have one against (also COL & WSH).
* Crosby (19-47—66 in 63 GP) will look to become the 16th player in NHL history to record 17 or more 20-goal seasons – and just the second active – when the Penguins face the Wild. The Pittsburgh captain has 12-26—38 in 25 career contests against Minnesota, including 1-3—4 (3 GP) when his former teammate Marc-Andre Fleury has tended the crease. Despite this, Fleury holds the edge in those meetings (2-1-0).
* Werenski (20-46—66 in 61 GP) ranks second in goals, assists (tied) and points among defensemen this season and will look to add to his totals when he faces several of his former 4 Nations Face-Off teammates at Madison Square Garden. Already the Blue Jackets record holder for most points by a blueliner in a season, Werenski can also establish the single-season franchise mark for goals and assists by a defenseman with one of each on Sunday – a pair of records he set in 2019-20 (20 goals) and 2023-24 (46 assists)
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