Washington celebrated Alex Ovechkin recently completing The Gr8 Chase during a pre-game ceremony at Capital One Arena and then clipped Carolina to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.* Connor Hellebuyck helped the Jets earn a pivotal shutout victory versus the Stars and became the seventh goaltender in NHL history with a 45-win season.
* Friday’s five-game slate features five teams either occupying or still in the hunt for a Wild Card spot, including the Senators and surging Canadiens who are set to square off on Sportsnet.
Capitals celebrate Ovechkin before clinching first place in conference
Washington celebrated Alex Ovechkin recently passing Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history during a pre-game ceremony at Capital One Arena, which featured a video tribute and several gift presentations including an engraved golden stick from the Capitals’ president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan as well as a Rolex watch from chairman Ted Leonsis. Washington (50-19-9, 109 points) then exchanged multi-goal leads with Carolina before securing a shootout victory to reach the 50-win mark and clinch first place in the Eastern Conference.
* The Capitals clinched the No. 1 seed in their conference for the fifth time in franchise history, with each instance occurring over the last 15 years (also 2016-17, 2015-16, 2010-11 & 2009-10). Washington’s five seasons atop its conference are the most among all franchises in that span and tied for the most since Leonsis assumed ownership of the Capitals ahead of the 1999-00 campaign (w/ BOS & DET).
* Ovechkin and Monumental Sports & Entertainment will continue to donate to pediatric cancer research for each goal he scores through the remainder of his career, with THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer having already raised $150,000 and counting. The NHL announced that it will donate the dollar amount of 895 (career goals Ovechkin needed to complete The Gr8 Chase) multiplied by 26 (years since the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative was founded).
Other division-leading teams tally triumphs Thursday
Connor Hellebuyck had a shutout as the Jets (54-21-4, 112 points) moved to the brink of clinching first place in the Western Conference, while Adin Hill helped the Golden Knights (48-22-9, 105 points) maintain their six-point lead on the Kings (45-24-9, 99 points) atop the Pacific Division.
* Kyle Connor scored twice to reach the 40-goal mark and Hellebuyck turned aside all 25 shots he faced to earn his 45th win of the season – eclipsing his own franchise record – as the Jets defeated the Central Division’s second-seeded Stars (50-23-6, 106 points) to maintain their three-point edge over the Capitals for first place in the League standings.
* Connor became the second player in Jets/Thrashers history with multiple 40-goal seasons, following Ilya Kovalchuk (5) who was on hand for Alex Ovechkin’s ceremony Thursday. Connor also recorded his 46th career multi-goal game and moved into a tie with Kovalchuk for the second most in Jets/Thrashers history behind Mark Scheifele (48 GP).
* Hellebuyck recorded his eighth shutout of 2024-25 – the most by a goaltender since Jacob Markstrom (9 in 2021-22) – and moved into a tie with Miikka Kiprusoff and Martin Brodeur for the sixth-most wins in a season in NHL history in the process.
Blue Jackets, Rangers record victories to keep playoff hopes alive
With less than week remaining in the regular season, the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card race tightened with the Blue Jackets (36-33-9, 81 points) and Rangers (37-35-7, 81 points) both securing victories to gain ground on the idle Canadiens (39-30-9, 87 points), who hold the final spot.
* After the Sabres jumped out to a 2-0 lead, Zach Werenski (0-1—1) helped start the Blue Jackets’ rally and Boone Jenner (1-0—1) completed it as Columbus recorded its sixth multi-goal comeback win of the season, which trail only Seattle (9), Anaheim (8) and Colorado (7) for the most among all teams. Werenski recorded his 76th point of 2024-25 and tied Ray Whitney (2002-03) for the fourth most by a Blue Jackets player in a season while Jenner collected his 43rd career power-play goal and surpassed Cam Atkinson for the second most in franchise history.
* Artemi Panarin (2-1—3) and Adam Fox (0-3—3) were two of 10 Rangers players to record multiple points during their nine-goal barrage against the Islanders. Panarin and Fox both reached the 50-assist mark for the fourth consecutive season – the longest stretches in franchise history – while the former recorded his fifth overall with New York, passing Mark Messier and Rod Gilbert for the second most in club history behind only Brian Leetch (6).
MAURICE’S 915th CAREER WIN, CLUBS CLINCHING HOME ICE FEATURED IN LIVE UPDATES
Thursday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the 10-game slate, including Panthers head coach Paul Maurice earning his 915th career win to pass Barry Trotz (914) for third place on the NHL’s all-time list as well as the Hurricanes and Stars securing home-ice advantage in the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
QUICK CLICKS
* Panthers-Lightning game on April 15 will now begin at 7:30 p.m. ET
* Alex Ovechkin sports custom suit jacket with all 895 goal pucks displayed in liner
* Brady Tkachuk getting ‘ready physically’ for 1st playoff series with Senators
* Brendan Gallagher embracing leadership role as Canadiens continue playoff push
* Nico Hischier, Sidney Crosby among many players impacted by late NHL executive Ray Shero
CANADIAN SHOWDOWN TAKES CENTER STAGE ON SPORTSNET
A five-game Friday features a clash between the Senators (42-30-6, 90 points) and Canadiens (39-30-9, 87 points), who hold the Eastern Conference’s first and second Wild Card positions, broadcast nationally on Sportsnet. Montreal enters the contest with a 3-0-0 record against Ottawa in 2024-25 and will look to sweep the season series for the second time in franchise history, following 1994-95 (4-0-0).
* Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson has a point in each of his past six home games dating to March 20 (4-3—7) – the longest active such run in the League. Sanderson can become the third blueliner in Senators history to record a seven-game home point streak, following Erik Karlsson (8 GP in 2015-16) and Filip Kuba (9 GP in 2008-09).
* Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson (6-58—64 in 78 GP) enters Friday two assists shy of becoming the ninth rookie in NHL history to reach 60 in a season and the second defenseman among that cohort, following Larry Murphy (60 w/ LAK in 1980-81). He can also become the second different Canadiens blueliner to reach the 60-assist mark in a campaign after Larry Robinson, who did so three times (66 in 1976-77, 63 in 1985-86 & 61 in 1979-80).
