KUCHEROV POWERS LIGHTNING WITH RARE NATURAL HAT TRICK
Nikita Kucherov (3-1-4) scored three consecutive power-play goals in the second period for his second NHL hat trick to help the Tampa Bay Lightning defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-1 and improve to 6-1-2 in their past nine games.
* Elias notes that Kucherov tallied the 10th natural hat trick in Lightning history and the first with all three goals scored via the power play. The last player from any team to score a natural hat trick with three power-play goals was Taylor Hall on Feb. 19, 2011 vs. ATL (w/ EDM).
* Kucherov, who matched a Lightning record for power-play goals in a game, paces the Lightning with 26-32-58 this season (54 GP) including nine points (five goals, four assists) in his past three games.
MONDAY'S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
Montreal 4, NEW JERSEY 3 (OT)
TAMPA BAY 5, Ottawa 1
MINNESOTA 5, Los Angeles 4 (OT)
WILD RALLY TO CONCLUDE EIGHT-GAME HOMESTAND WITH WIN
The Minnesota Wild scored four tying goals -- including from newcomer Ryan White (1-1-2) -- and Mikael Granlund scored the winner 12 seconds into overtime to help them end their season-high eight-game homestand at 5-2-1.
* Elias notes that Minnesota overcame four separate one-goal deficits to win for the third time in its history. The other instances each were 5-4 shootout victories against the St. Louis Blues (April 4, 2006 and Feb. 11, 2011).
* Elias adds that the Wild (40-14-6, 86 points), who earned their 40th win in their 60th game, required the fewest games to reach the 40-win mark in their 17-year history, breaking the previous mark of 71 games set in 2006-07.
PACIORETTY ECLIPSES 30-GOAL MARK IN COMEBACK WIN
The Montreal Canadiens faced a pair of two-goal deficits before Max Pacioretty (2-0-2) tied the game with 51.8 seconds remaining in the third period to set the stage for Alex Galchenyuk's overtime winner. Montreal regained a four-point lead atop the Atlantic Division.
* Pacioretty scored his 30th and 31st goals of the season to move into second in the League (behind Sidney Crosby: 34) and reach the 30-goal mark for the fifth time in nine NHL seasons. Elias notes that Pacioretty became the fifth player in Canadiens history to have at least four consecutive 30-goal seasons and the first to do so since the 1980s.
* Alexander Radulov (1-3-4) had the first four-point game of his NHL career and Shea Weber had two assists. Radulov (15-31-46) and Weber (14-22-36) are second and third, respectively, in Canadiens scoring behind Pacioretty (31-24-55).
LOOSE PUCKS
Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk (26 saves) earned his League-leading 33rd win (33-11-3 in 47 GP) to eclipse his NHL career high of 32 from 2015-16 (32-26-6 in 67 GP) . . . New Jersey Devils forward Travis Zajac (1-1-2) extended his point streak to five games (3-5-8) . . . Forwards Filip Forsberg (NSH), Jonathan Toews (CHI) and Johnny Gaudreau (CGY) were named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending Feb. 26 . . . Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning has been suspended for two games for interference against Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel . . . The Devils and Wild each hosted special events as part of Hockey Is For Everyone month . . . Renowned Canadian artist Tony Harris unveiled portraits of legends Johnny Bower and Frank Mahovlich as part of the NHL Centennial Celebration.
TRADE ACTIVITY HEATS UP WITH DEADLINE APPROACHING
After a pair of high-profile deals Sunday, the trade market continued to heat up as the hours count down to the NHL Trade Deadline on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET:
* The Washington Capitals acquired defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and goaltender Pheonix Copley from the Blues for forwards Zach Sanford and Brad Malone, and a first-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft and a conditional pick(s).
* The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Brian Boyle from the Lightning for forward Byron Froese and a conditional second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.
* The Ottawa Senators acquired forward Alexandre Burrows from the Canucks for forward prospect Jonathan Dahlen.
* The Canadiens acquired defenseman Jordie Benn from the Dallas Stars for defenseman Greg Pateryn and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.
* The Arizona Coyotes acquired forward Teemu Pulkkinen from the Wild for future considerations.
SNEAK PEEK AT TUESDAY'S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Washington @ NY Rangers, 7 p.m., SN1, SNO, SNP, TVA Sports, MSG, CSN-DC+
Nashville @ Buffalo, 7 p.m., MSG-B, FS-TN
Colorado @ Philadelphia, 7 p.m., NBCSN, CSN-PH
Arizona @ Boston, 7 p.m., NESN, FS-A PLUS
Carolina @ Florida, 7:30 p.m., FS-F, FS-CR
Columbus @ Montreal, 7:30 p.m., SNE, RDS, FS-O
Edmonton @ St. Louis, 8 p.m., FS-MW, SNW
Minnesota @ Winnipeg, 8 p.m., TSN3, FS-N
Pittsburgh @ Dallas, 8:30 p.m., FS-SW, ROOT
Los Angeles @ Calgary, 9 p.m., SN1 , FS-W
Detroit @ Vancouver, 10 p.m., SNP, FS-D
Toronto @ San Jose, 10:30 p.m., CSN-CA, SNO
SCORING, PLAYOFF RACES WIDE OPEN AS FINAL QUARTER BEGIN
The 2016-17 NHL season enters its final quarter during a 12-game slate tonight. A look at the wide-open scoring and Stanley Cup Playoff races through 920 of 1,230 games (74.8%):
* The race for the Art Ross Trophy is wide open, with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (21-50-71 in 63 GP) leading a group of nine players separated by 10 points. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who has played in 54 games this season, is with 67 points (34 goals, 33 assists) followed closely by Sharks defenseman Brent Burns (27-38-65 in 61 GP) -- who is 11 points shy of breaking his own single-season franchise record for points by a defenseman -- and Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (24-41-65 in 62 GP), last season's scoring leader.
* A group of five 30-goal scorers are frontrunners for the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, with Crosby leading the way at 34 goals. Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty is second with 31, and a three-way tie for third place is shared by Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Carter (61 GP) along with rookies Patrik Laine (55 GP) and Auston Matthews (61 GP). Laine and Matthews are the first pair of top-two picks from an NHL Draft to each score 30 goals the following season.
* Laine and Matthews also share the rookie scoring lead with 54 points apiece while they vie for the Calder Trophy. Laine has already set a Jets/Thrashers franchise record for goals by a rookie and has the second-most points by a rookie in franchise history behind Dany Heatley (26-41-67 in 2001-02; 82 GP). Matthews, meanwhile, needs five goals to break Wendel Clark's single-season record for goals by a Maple Leafs rookie and 13 points to become the highest-scoring rookie in Leafs history.
* First place in each of the League's four divisions is within reach for a number of teams, with no division leader owning more than a five-point lead on the next-closest team:
Atlantic Division
The Canadiens (34-21-8, 76 points) hold a four-point lead on the Senators (33-22-6, 72 points), with two other teams within seven points of the top spot.
Metropolitan Division
The reigning Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals (41-13-7, 89 points) own a five-point lead for the first spot in their division, with teams Nos. 2-4 separated by two points.
Central Division
The Wild (40-14-6, 86 points) and Chicago Blackhawks (39-18-5, 83 points) are separated by three points in the race for first place.
Pacific Division
The San Jose Sharks (36-18-7, 79 points) hold a five-point lead on the Anaheim Ducks (32-21-10, 74 points) and Oilers (33-22-8, 74 points), who share second place, four points ahead of the Calgary Flames (33-26-4, 70 points).
* The wild card race in each conference is equally close: in the Eastern Conference, one point separates the owner of the second spot and the first team outside the playoff picture; in the Western Conference, two points separate the first non-playoff team from the team holding the final position.
- NHL Public Relations
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