Sergei Bobrovsky continued to make a strong case that he deserves his second career Vezina Trophy, Braden Holtby became the third goalie in NHL history to record three consecutive 40-win seasons, several more teams clinched playoff berths, and everyone reading this had at least as much ice-time as Sam Reinhart.
Here are five more things we learned in the NHL Tuesday.
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Red Wings have remarkable streak snapped
It had been more than a quarter century since the last time the Detroit Red Wings failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, a 4-1 loss to the streaking Carolina Hurricanes, plus wins by the Bruins and Maple Leafs Tuesday, sealed Detroit’s fate.
The Red Wings were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, ending a 25-season streak that had been the longest active run in the four major North American sports leagues.
The Pittsburgh Penguins now have the longest active post-season streak at 11 consecutive seasons followed by the Chicago Blackhawks at nine in a row—this includes the 2016-17 season since both teams have already clinched.
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Milestone madness in Leafs Nation
If you haven’t heard, the rookies on the Toronto Maple Leafs are a talented bunch and they’re led by a fellow named Auston Matthews. The 2016 first-overall pick scored his 35th of the season and broke a franchise record for most goals by a rookie that was previously held by Wendel Clark.
Not only that but Matthews scored the first goal of the game for the 14th time this season, tying a Maple Leafs record set by Dave Andreychuk in 1993-94.
Matthews wasn’t the only member of the Maple Leafs to hit a milestone, either.
Leo Komarov scored less than three minutes after Matthews to register his 100th career NHL point. He assisted on Zach Hyman’s third-period shorthanded goal for point 101.
Also, William Nylander extended his point streak to 12 games. That ties the longest streak in the NHL we’ve seen this season and it’s the fourth-longest streak by a rookie since the 1995-96 campaign.
Mitch Marner was held off the score sheet so he remains one assist away from setting a new franchise record for most helpers as a rookie.
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Markov gets massive ovation for joining elite company
There’s perhaps no franchise in the NHL that celebrates its history better than the Montreal Canadiens and we got a taste of that when Andrei Markov registered a third-period assist to move into a tie with Hall of Famer Guy Lapointe for second place on the Habs’ all-time list of points by a defenceman.
Markov is 38 and a pending unrestricted free agent so it’s unlikely he’ll get anywhere close to Larry Robinson but No. 2 ain’t bad.
“It’s a big honour to be even close to those people,” Markov said after a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars.
x-Oilers
While the Red Wings being eliminated marked the end of an era, a new one has begun in Edmonton.
“You could feel the energy,” Connor McDavid said after his Oilers held on to beat the Kings 2-1 and clinch the team’s first playoff spot in more than decade. “Those are the kinds of games you’re going to have to win in the playoffs.”
The last time the Oilers qualified for the post-season it was the likes of Chris Pronger and Fernando Pisani who led the team to a Stanley Cup Final appearance. It’s incredible to think about the changes within the Oilers organization, both on and off the ice, since that 2005-06 season.
Ovechkin nets another impressive hat trick
Since snapping a 10-game goalless drought earlier this month, Alex Ovechkin has looked more like himself lately. He now has 11 points in the past eight games after a four-point effort against the Wild.
Ovechkin recorded the 17th hat trick of his career, which ties Alexander Mogilny for second-most career hat tricks by Russian-born players.
Scoring hat tricks might not be anything new to Ovechkin, but Tuesday marked the first time in his career that all three of his goals were power-play markers. He also continued to climb the NHL’s all-time goals list.
