Facts and Figures: Three hat tricks ring out 2019

The 2010s went out with a bang on Tuesday, as three players had hat tricks on the final night of the decade. It's the second-most hat tricks on New Year's Eve in NHL history; four players (Mike Bullard, Wayne Gretzky, Steve Kasper and Mario Lemieux) each scored three goals on Dec. 31, 1985.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had his first NHL hat trick in a 4-1 win against the Florida Panthers in goalie Sergei Bobrovsky's return to Nationwide Arena. Werenski is the third Blue Jackets defenseman to have a hat trick since Columbus entered the NHL in 2000, joining Deron Quint (March 9, 2001) and Bryan Berard (Jan. 8, 2006). Columbus extended its point streak to 11 games (7-0-4) and defeated Bobrovsky, who signed a seven-year contract with the Panthers on July 1 after seven seasons with the Blue Jackets.
Werenski (23 points; 11 goals, 12 assists in 33 games), a native of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, reached double figures in goals for the fourth time in as many NHL seasons. He's the third United States-born defenseman in NHL history to hit double figures in goals in at least each of his first four seasons, joining Phil Housley (11) and Dave Ellett (eight).

Neal, Connor also end year with hat tricks

Forwards James Neal of the Edmonton Oilers and Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets also rang out the old year with hat tricks.
Neal, who was acquired from the Calgary Flames on July 19, scored 11 seconds into the game and finished with three goals and an assist, helping the Oilers defeat the New York Rangers 7-5 at Rogers Place. He also had four goals against the New York Islanders on Oct. 8 and is the fifth player in team history with multiple hat tricks in his first season with the Oilers (NHL debut or otherwise).

Connor had his second NHL hat trick in the Jets' 7-4 win against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center, giving him 20 goals in Winnipeg's first 40 games. Connor, a native of Shelby Township, Michigan, is the 14th player to reach the 20-goal mark this season, and the fifth U.S.-born skater to do so, joining Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres, Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fleury passes Joseph for sixth all-time in wins

Marc-Andre Fleury begins the new decade as the sixth-winningest goalie in NHL history. Fleury made 26 saves for the Vegas Golden Knights in a 5-2 victory against the Anaheim Duck at T-Mobile Arena for his 455th NHL win, breaking a tie with Curtis Joseph.

The victory was Fleury's 322nd during the 2010s, the most by any goalie; Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators (309) was the only other 300-game winner. Rinne was No. 1 in shutouts with 49, two more than Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings.

Domi extends goal streak, joins rare NHL list

Max Domi extended his goal streak to six games, the longest active run in the NHL, when he scored for the Montreal Canadiens in a 3-1 loss to the Carolina
Hurricanes at PNC Arena. Domi is the sixth different Montreal player in the past 40 years to score a goal in at least six straight games.

All six games during Domi's streak have been on the road. Domi is the sixth player in NHL history to have a goal streak of at least six games with each game on the road, joining Pavel Bure of the Vancouver Canucks (seven games from March 11-23, 1994), Martin Havlat of the Blackhawks (six games from Feb. 1-11, 2007), Dennis Maruk of the Washington Capitals (six games from Feb. 11-21, 1982), Ron Duguay of the Rangers (six games from Jan. 24-Feb. 3, 1979) and Chicago's Bobby Hull (six games from Feb. 19-March 2, 1969).

Hurricanes, Islanders close out 2019 with wins

Carolina earned its 54th victory of 2019 (54-26-4) by defeating the Canadiens. It's the most wins by the Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise in a calendar year and the second-most in the NHL in 2019; the St. Louis Blues were first with 56 (56-19-11).

The New York Islanders matched their team record for wins in a calendar year with a 4-3 victory against the Capitals at Capital One Arena. Tom Kuhnhackl became the 13th different New York player to score a game-winning goal this season. It was the 52nd win for the Islanders in 2019 (52-24-6), matching the team record set in 1979 and equaled in 1982.