NHL Morning Skate – Dec. 12, 2017

MONDAY’S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

NY ISLANDERS 3, Washington 1
Dallas 2, NY RANGERS 1 (SO)
Colorado 2, PITTSBURGH 1
Florida 2, DETROIT 1 (OT)
WINNIPEG 5, Vancouver 1
ANAHEIM 3, Carolina 2

JETS EXTEND HOME WIN STREAK TO SEVEN GAMES

Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves and Mathieu Perreault (2-1—3) factored on three of five goals to help the Jets extend their home win and home point streaks to seven and 11 games (10-0-1), respectively. Elias notes that both streaks equal a franchise record set when the team was based in Atlanta. 

* The Jets’ 11-game home point streak is the longest in the NHL this season; the longest such run in 2016-17 stretched from Dec. 23 to March 4 when the Capitals went 16-0-1 on home ice. Only two teams have strung together more consecutive victories on home ice in 2017-18 – the Golden Knights (Oct. 15 – Nov. 24) and Rangers (Oct. 26 – Nov. 26) each had eight-game runs at home.

* Overall, the Jets own an 11-2-1 record at Bell MTS Place this season, trailing the Lightning (13-2-1), Capitals (12-5-0) and Rangers (12-5-3) for the most home wins in the NHL.

* Hellebuyck improved to 16-3-4 this season (2.44 GAA, .920 SV%, 1 SO), including an 11-0-1 clip on home ice (2.09 GAA, .930 SV%, 1 SO). Hellebuyck became the second goaltender in as many seasons to earn at least one point in his first 12 home decisions of a season, joining Jake Allen of the Blues, who went 11-0-2 from Oct. 13 to Dec. 15, 2016.

CANUCKS ROOKIE BOESER SCORES FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE GAME

Canucks forward Brock Boeser scored for the third consecutive game and continues to pace all rookies – and shares sixth in the entire NHL – with 16 goals this season (16-12—28 in 28 GP). Only 15 rookies have scored more goals through their first 28 games of a season in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68), including only three who achieved the feat in the past 28 years.

TAVARES HELPS ISLANDERS IMPROVE TO 9-1-2 AT HOME

John Tavares scored his 18th goal of the season to help the Islanders improve to 9-1-2 at Barclays Center in 2017-18. Tavares trails only Alex Ovechkin and Nikita Kucherov for the most goals in the NHL this season.

SNEAK PEEK AT TUESDAY’S ACTION

KINGS LOOK TO EXTEND WIN STREAK TO NINE GAMES

The Kings (20-8-3, 43 points) look to extend their winning streak to nine games when they visit the Devils (16-9-4, 36 points) at Prudential Center. Los Angeles’ current eight-game winning streak is the longest by any team in the NHL this season and one shy of matching the longest such stretch in franchise history (9-0-0 from Jan. 21 – Feb. 6, 2010). Goaltender Jonathan Quick is riding a personal win streak of six games dating to Nov. 25 (6-0-0, 1.46 GAA, .943 SV%), while captain Anze Kopitar has recorded a point in five consecutive contests (4-6—10 in 5 GP), including four straight multi-point performances.

LIGHTNING VISIT BLUES IN BATTLE OF TOP TEAMS

The Eastern Conference-leading Lightning (21-6-2, 44 points) visit the Western Conference-leading Blues (21-8-2, 44 points) at Scottrade Center in a showdown of the top two teams in the NHL, with both clubs aiming for a fifth consecutive victory:

* The Lightning lead all NHL teams with 110 goals for this season powered by the League’s top two point-getters: Steven Stamkos (12-30—42) and Nikita Kucherov (20-21—41).

* The Blues own an 11-5-0 record on home ice while outscoring their opponents by a 56-39 margin in those games (+17 differential). Forward Brayden Schenn and goaltender Jake Allen were named among the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Dec. 10 after leading all skaters in points (6-1—7 in 4 GP) and all netminders in wins (4-0-0), respectively, over that span.

RAFFL AIMS TO JOIN SHORT LIST AS CLUBS PUT WIN STREAKS ON LINE

The Flyers set out for a fourth consecutive victory when they return from a three-game road trip through Western Canada to host the Maple Leafs, also winners of three straight. Flyers forward Michael Raffl has scored the game-winning goal in each win during Philadelphia’s current streak, joining Golden Knights forward James Neal (Oct. 6-10) as the only NHL players to score three consecutive winning goals this season. In the 100-year history of the League, only two players have scored the winning goal in at least four consecutive team games: Daniel Alfredsson from Jan. 9-16, 2007 w/ OTT (4 GWG) and Newsy Lalonde from Feb. 12-26, 1921 w/ MTL (5 GWG).