* Patrick Kane scored his 78th career game-winning goal to help the Red Wings defeat the Flyers and climbed an elite list of U.S.-born players in the process.
* A pair of players set to skate in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February posted multi-goal games Wednesday, including William Nylander who became the third active Swedish player to record four consecutive 20-goal seasons.
* NHL Coast to Coast, the live whip-around show available to viewers on Prime Video Canada starting at 7 p.m. ET, returns as 18 teams hit the ice during Thursday’s slate including Brady Tkachuk and the Senators setting their sights on a fifth straight win.
* For all players on an NHL active roster, injured reserve, or with non-roster and injured non-roster status as of 11:59 p.m. local time tonight, a roster freeze shall apply through 12:01 a.m. local time on Dec. 28, with respect to waivers, trades and loans, subject to the exceptions provided for in CBA Article 16.5 (d).
KANE CLIMBS GAME-WINNING GOAL LIST IN DETROIT WIN AGAINST PHILADELPHIA
Patrick Kane (1-1—2) and Lucas Raymond (1-1—2) helped the Red Wings build multiple leads through 40 minutes and again rose to the occasion in the final frame to secure a Detroit victory after Philadelphia erased a multi-goal deficit. Kane (475-822—1,297), who moved within three points of 1,300 in his career, climbed an NHL all-time list among U.S.-born players with his 78th career game-winning goal.
* Kane and Alex DeBrincat combined on Detroit’s first go-ahead goal and have teamed up on the same goal 160 times in their careers – the second most by a pair of U.S.-born teammates in NHL history behind Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller (167). Detroit’s third go-ahead goal also marked Kane’s 475th career tally and moved the Buffalo, N.Y., native within one of tying Joe Pavelski (476) for the fifth most by a U.S.-born skater in League history.
* Raymond’s effort extended his home point streak to eight games (7-4—11 in 8 GP) and helped the Red Wings forward climb a list of his own. His 84th career goal tied Ted Lindsay for the fifth most in franchise history by a skater age 22 or younger; the list is topped by Steve Yzerman (164), Gordie Howe (113), Marcel Dionne (92) and current captain Dylan Larkin (88).
PAIR OF 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF SKATERS PUT UP MULTI-GOAL PERFORMANCES
William Nylander (SWE) and Matthew Tkachuk (USA), who are set to represent their respective countries at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, both posted multi-goal games to help the Atlantic Division’s top two teams earn victories Wednesday:
* Nylander (2-0—2) scored twice to reach 20 goals on the season while Joseph Woll made 36 saves and became the third goaltender in Maple Leafs history to hit 30 career wins in 49 or fewer games (also Jack Campbell: 43 GP & Ed Belfour: 49 GP) as Toronto (20-10-2, 42 points) extended its win streak versus Dallas to seven contests – it’s longest active run against an opponent.
* Nylander required the third-fewest games by an active Swedish player to reach 20 goals in a season behind Viktor Arvidsson (29 GP in 2018-19) and Filip Forsberg (30 GP in 2021-22). It marked his seventh career 20-goal campaign, a feat only seven other players have achieved with the Maple Leafs.
* Tkachuk (2-0—2) scored two of his team’s six goals while Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves and matched his franchise benchmark for fewest games to 15 wins in a single season – a mark he set in 2020-21 and matched in 2021-22 – as the Panthers (20-11-2, 42 points) kept pace with the Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
* Tkachuk tallied his 14th multi-goal game with the Panthers and surpassed Ray Whitney, Scott Mellanby and Radek Dvorak (13 GP) for the eighth most in franchise history. He also recorded his 68th multi-point game with Florida and tied Pavel Bure for the ninth most in club history.
QUICK CLICKS
* Wednesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates
* Nick Foligno, Alex Vlasic get swings in at Wrigley Field ahead of Discover NHL Winter Classic
* Kaapo Kakko traded to Kraken from Rangers for Will Borgen, 2 picks in 2025 NHL Draft
* Alexandre Carrier traded to Canadiens by Predators for Justin Barron
* PWHL notebook: Play resumes after international break
NHL Coast to Coast has Surging Senators skating at scotiabank Saddledome
NHL Coast to Coast, the weekly studio show featuring live look-ins, highlights and expert analysis of every contest, returns during a nine-game night highlighted by Brady Tkachuk and the Senators looking to stretch their season-high winning streak to five games when they visit Nazem Kadri and the Flames. Fans can tune in on Prime Video Canada starting at 7 p.m. ET.
* Tkachuk, Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson have combined for seven goals and 11 points since the run began, with Ottawa (16-13-2, 34 points) climbing into a Wild Card spot after occupying 13th place in the Eastern Conference entering Dec. 11. Linus Ullmark, who has victories in each of his last six appearances dating back even further to Dec. 5, can become the fifth goaltender in franchise history with a seven-game winning streak and first since Andrew Hammond (9 GP from March 4-23, 2015).
* Kadri (4-0—4 in 4 GP) can become the third player in franchise history with a five-game goal streak at age 34 or older, following Jarome Iginla (6 GP from March 4-15, 2012) and Kelly Kisio (6 GP from April 4-13, 1995). Kadri (15-16—31 in 38 GP) has 15 goals and 31 points in his career against the Senators, which mark his highest totals versus one franchise.
* The slate also features national telecasts in the U.S. and Canada including Anze Kopitar and the Kings visiting Matvei Michkov and the Flyers on ESPN+ as well as Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers hosting Brad Marchand and the Bruins on Sportsnet ONE. Draisaitl (6-9—15 in 6 GP) can collect a career high-tying seventh straight multi-point game (also 7 GP from May 1-12, 2021), while Marchand (5-3—8 in 7 GP) enters play with points in each of his last seven contests.
* More highlights include Jake Guentzel (9-3—12 in 7 GP) and Jordan Kyrou (5-0—5 in 5 GP) putting their lengthy goal streaks on the line; Connor Bedard continuing to approach his outdoor game debut against the winning team from last year’s Winter Classic; as well as the first meeting between League scoring leader Nathan MacKinnon (13-37—50 in 33 GP) and fellow No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini. Bedard was featured in Episode 3 of “Road to the Discover NHL Winter Classic presented by Enterprise”, which debuted on TNT yesterday and premieres in Canada on Sportsnet ONE at 8:30 p.m. ET tonight.
