Cale Makar reached the 30-goal, 60-assist and 90-point mark as he helped the Avalanche become the seventh team to clinch a spot into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* A trio of postseason hopefuls came out on top during closely contested affairs as the Senators, Canadiens and Blues each picked up wins and moved closer to solidifying their Wild Card positions.
* Alex Ovechkin enters Friday’s three-game slate just a hat trick away from completing The Gr8 Chase when his Capitals face the Blackhawks on Sportsnet, TVA Sports and NHL Network.
MAKAR’S 30TH GOAL, 60TH ASSIST AIDS AVALANCHE TO PLAYOFF BERTH
The Avalanche scored at least seven goals in a game for the fourth time this season en route to their eighth consecutive berth into the Stanley Cup Playoffs and did so thanks in part to Cale Makar (1-2—3), who potted his 30th goal of 2024-25 and reached the 90-point mark (30-60—90 in 77 GP).
* Makar’s 12th power-play goal of the season vaulted the Avalanche defenseman into rare company as he became the ninth different blueliner in NHL history, and fourth in the past 40 years, to reach the 30-goal mark in a single season. The others: Paul Coffey (3x; most: 48 in 1985-86), Kevin Hatcher (34 in 1992-93) and Mike Green (31 in 2008-09).
* Makar, who also joined Quinn Hughes (3 from 2021-22 – 2023-24) and Adam Fox (2 from 2021-22 – 2022-23) as the third active defenseman with consecutive 60-assist seasons, became the fifth blueliner in NHL history to post back-to-back 90-point campaigns and first since Coffey (3 from 1988-89 – 1990-91) and Al MacInnis (1989-90 – 1990-91).
SENATORS, CANADIENS STRENGTHEN THEIR WILD CARD GRIP
Linus Ullmark stopped 31 of 32 shots for the Senators (40-29-6, 86 points) while Nick Suzuki (1-1—2) reached the 80-point mark for the Canadiens (36-30-9, 81 points) as both clubs picked up a pivotal two points to strengthen their grip on a Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference.
* Ullmark (22-14-3) passed Joonas Korpisalo (21 in 2023-24) for the second-most wins by a Senators goaltender in his first season with the franchise, behind only Dominik Hasek (28 in 2005-06). The victory was also Ottawa’s 40th of 2024-25, its most in a campaign since 2016-17 (44) – the last time it made the postseason.
* Suzuki hit and eclipsed the 80-point mark for the first time in his career with his 23rd multi-point game of the season, which passed Vincent Damphousse (22 in 1996-97) for the fourth most in a season by a Canadiens player in the past 30 years. The victory helped Montreal create a two-point cushion on the idle NY Rangers (36-32-7, 79 points) for WC2.
BLUES, STARS KEEP WIN STREAKS ALIVE IN WESTERN CONFERENCE RACE
The Blues (42-28-7, 91 points) and Stars (50-21-4, 104 points) both rallied from one-goal deficits to extend their lengthy winning streaks to 11 and seven games, respectively. St. Louis surpassed the idle Wild (41-28-7, 89 points) for sole possession of WC1 in the Western Conference, while the Stars kept pace with the Jets (52-20-4, 108 points) who matched a single-season franchise record for wins Thursday.
* In a contest that included three game-tying markers, including Penguins forward Rutger McGroarty (1-1—2) netting his first career goal with 25 seconds remaining in regulation, Robert Thomas netted his 20th goal of the season in overtime to help the Blues extend their winning streak to a franchise-tying 11 games, which also matches the Jets for the longest by any team this season. The last time St. Louis had a win streak as long, they went on to win the franchise’s only Stanley Cup in 2018-19. The Blues also established a franchise record with their 10th consecutive home win.
* After falling behind 1-0 early in the second period, the Stars rattled off five goals across 13:18 of playing time to extend their overall win streak to seven games and their home point streak to 12 games (11-0-1 dating to Jan. 24). It marks the franchise’s longest home point streak since a 13-game run in 2010-11 (10-0-3) and is five games shy of the club’s longest in a season (17 GP in 2003-04; 13-0-4).
* Stars forward Mikko Rantanen (293-407—700 in 645 GP), who has recorded 4-9—13 in 13 games since joining the Stars on NHL Trade Deadline Day (March 7), registered a pair of assists to reach the 700-point milestone. He became the seventh Finnish-born player in NHL history to reach the benchmark and required the third-fewest games of that group, behind only Jari Kurri (483 GP) and Teemu Selanne (541 GP).
WOLF WINS NO. 25 IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Blake Coleman scored twice and Dustin Wolf made 26 saves as the Flames (36-27-12, 84 points) kept their Stanley Cup Playoffs hopes alive by defeating the Ducks. Calgary moved within five points of idle Minnesota (41-28-7, 89 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and own a game in hand. More notes and storylines can be found in the latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.
QUICK CLICKS
* The Gr8 Chase joined by Wayne Gretzky, Commissioner Gary Bettman with goals record 3 away
* Unmasked: Goalies explain reasons, origins of preperiod ice scrape
* Gavin McKenna, with ‘elite, non-teachable gift’ has scouts excited for 2026 NHL Draft
* Maple Leafs hoping to replicate effort from playoff clincher against Panthers
* Ryan Leonard of Capitals, prospects Zeev Buium, Isaac Howard among Hobey Baker finalists
CAPITALS CAPTAIN ON CUSP OF HISTORY AS THE GR8 CHASE HEADS HOME
More than 19 years (7,121 days) after touching NHL ice for the first time in his regular-season debut at Capital One Arena (then MCI Center), Alex Ovechkin (892) will hit the ice Friday in Washington, D.C., just a hat trick away from breaking the all-time NHL goals record held by Wayne Gretzky (894) for the past 31 years. Click here for an NHL Stats Pack through goal No. 892.
* Ovechkin has tallied half of his 32 career hat tricks (t-5th in NHL history) in front of his home fans. Nearly half of those home hat tricks (7 of 16) have been scored since 2018 when his first son, Sergei, was born – including his last three-goal showing on Feb. 23 when he fist-bumped the seven-year-old after each tally.
* If history repeats itself, Friday could end with a new NHL all-time goals record holder. On Dec. 13, 2022, Ovechkin became the third player in NHL history to reach 800 goals when he completed a hat trick against Chicago. Ovechkin has 15-15—30 in his career against the Blackhawks (25 GP), including five goals in his past five contests against the club.
* The many career milestones Ovechkin has achieved at home include scoring his first two NHL goals (Oct. 5, 2005 vs. CBJ); collecting career goal Nos. 200, 500 and 600 (Feb. 5, 2009 vs. LAK, Jan. 10, 2016 vs. OTT & March 12, 2018 vs WPG); and passing NHL legends Steve Yzerman (9th; Jan. 29, 2020 vs. NSH), Phil Esposito (6th; March 16, 2021 vs. NYI), Marcel Dionne (5th; Oct. 13, 2021 vs. NYR), Jaromir Jagr (3rd; March 15, 2022 vs. NYI) and Gordie Howe (2nd; Dec. 23, 2022 vs. WPG) during his climb into his current second-place rank on the NHL all-time goals list.
MORE TO LOOK OUT FOR ON FRIDAY
In addition to the continuation of ‘The Gr8 Chase,’ other notable storylines heading into Friday include the Hurricanes (46-24-4, 96 points) looking for their fourth straight victory after clinching a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive season Wednesday, the Red Wings (34-33-7, 75 points) and Islanders (32-32-10, 74 points) aiming to gain ground in the standings and move closer to the playoff line, the Wild (41-28-7, 89 points) looking to regain Wild Card 1 in the Western Conference and Connor Bedard (20-39—59 in 75 GP) one point away from becoming the third active player with multiple 60-point seasons as a teenager.
