* Alex Ovechkin picked up right where he left off in his return to the Capitals’ lineup and resumed “The Gr8 Chase” by scoring an empty-net goal during Washington’s victory versus Toronto.
* Jakub Dobes dealt a 34-save shutout to the reigning Stanley Cup champions during his debut to join rare company in both NHL and Canadiens history, while Jaden Schwartz and Vince Dunn helped the Kraken stage one of the League’s latest three-goal comebacks as Seattle stunned Vancouver.
* Connor McDavid became the second player in NHL history with 16 double-digit point streaks, but fellow Newmarket native Quinton Byfield buried the overtime winner as the Kings prevailed against their Pacific Division rival.
* Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks contest their final game before the Discover NHL Winter Classic when they host the Stars on ESPN and Sportsnet 360 tonight. Dobes was a decorated goaltender with Ohio State University, site of the League’s next outdoor game after the New Year’s Eve showdown at Wrigley Field.
OVECHKIN RESUMES “THE GR8 CHASE” WITH EMPTY-NETTER IN RETURN TO LINEUP
Alex Ovechkin scored his League-record 60th career empty-netter in his return to the Capitals’ lineup and needs 26 goals to pass Wayne Gretzky (894) for the most in NHL history. Ovechkin (16-10—26 in 19 GP) tied Connor McMichael (16-13—29 in 35 GP) for the team lead in goals this season despite missing 16 games as Washington (24-9-2, 50 points) moved within one point of Metropolitan Division-leading New Jersey (24-12-3, 51 points), which fell to Carolina on Saturday thanks in part to three-point efforts by Jack Roslovic (2-1—3) and Seth Jarvis (0-3—3).
DOBES SHUTS OUT DEFENDING CHAMPS IN NHL DEBUT WITH FAMILY IN STANDS
It was a debut to remember for Jakub Dobes who turned aside all 34 shots he faced to earn his first NHL win with his mother in the stands as the Canadiens tallied four times to defeat the defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena.
* Dobes became the second active goaltender (min. 1 GP in 2024-25) to earn a shutout in their NHL debut, joining John Gibson (April 7, 2014). He also became the fourth Canadiens goalie to earn a shutout in their League debut, following Bob Perreault (Dec. 17, 1955), Wayne Thomas (Jan. 14, 1973) and Yann Danis (Oct. 12, 2005).
* Dobes’ mother was in Montreal with him Friday and was set to return home to Czechia when they found out he would get the start in Florida. With some rearranging, she and his family were present to watch his NHL debut and first career win.
SEATTLE STAGES ONE OF THE LATEST THREE-GOAL COMEBACK WINS IN NHL HISTORY
Jaden Schwartz cut the Kraken’s deficit to 4-2 with 4:45 left in the third period and tallied the tying goal within the final minute of regulation, setting the stage for Vince Dunn to call game via a breakaway overtime winner as Seattle stunned Vancouver. Dunn also scored the 4-3 goal before Schwartz evened the contest.
* The Kraken became the third team in NHL history to win a game where they faced a three-goal deficit in the final five minutes of regulation, following the Sharks (Oct. 28, 2024) and Canadiens (March 15, 2014). Three teams have also achieved the feat in the Stanley Cup Playoffs: Toronto (Game 4 of 2020 SCQ), Anaheim (Game 5 of 2017 R2) and Edmonton (Game 3 of 1997 CQF).
NEWMARKET’S BYFIELD, McDAVID POST NOTABLE FEATS IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates was chock-full of notes from the Oilers-Kings game thanks to Quinton Byfield (2-1—3), who became the third Kings player in the past 15 years to score an overtime winner at age 22 or younger, and Connor McDavid (0-1—1), who extended his point streak to 10 games, hit the 50-point mark in 2024-25 and recorded his 100th assist of 2024.
More highlights from the 11-game slate include:
* Kyle Connor (9-11—20 in 13 GP) notched 1-1—2 and became the fourth skater to record 20-plus points in December while Connor Hellebuyck (33 saves) extended his point streak to nine games (8-0-1) and moved within one of tying Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom (9-0-1 in 10 GP; active) for the longest run this season. Winnipeg (26-10-1, 53 points) reclaimed first place in the NHL from idle Vegas (24-8-3, 51 points) and improved to 56-25-3 (115 points) in 2024, surpassing 2018 (54-21-6, 114 points) for the franchise’s highest point total in a calendar year.
* Anthony Cirelli (1-1—2) became the fourth player in franchise history with two shorthanded points in a game and Nikita Kucherov (1-2—3) surpassed Martin St. Louis (588) for the second most assists in franchise history to help improve the Lightning’s record to 8-2-0 in the month of December. Cirelli scored his 15th career shorthanded goal to pass Rob Zamuner (14) for second place on the club’s all-time list.
* Several more notes about McDavid as well as the Jets and Lightning are featured in the **2024 Year in Review by #NHLStats**, which was updated entering games on Dec. 27 and will be updated again on Jan. 1, 2025.
QUICK CLICKS
* NHL EDGE stats trends and storylines for 2024
* Jon Cooper honors Sam Rosen during pregame press conference
* Red Wings sign Sylvia Rodegher to honorary contract
* CHL notebook: Lightning prospect Ethan Gauthier has moves for future NHL career
* Jordan Binnington pays tribute to Cardinals, Chicago with Winter Classic mask
BLUES, BLACKHAWKS CONTEST FINAL GAMES BEFORE WINTER CLASSIC
A busy Sunday features the Blues and Blackhawks contesting their final games before they meet at Wrigley Field in the Discover NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Eve. Jordan Kyrou will look to extend his home point streak when St. Louis (17-16-4, 38 points) battles Buffalo (13-19-4, 30 points) while Connor Bedard aims to catch a former Chicago (12-22-2, 26 points) superstar when he faces Dallas (20-13-1, 41 points).
* Kyrou enters Sunday’s contest at Enterprise Center with a 13-game home point streak (8-6—14) and can become the fourth different player in Blues history to extend that run to 14 games – he would join Brett Hull (26 GP in 1989-90), Bernie Federko (20 GP in 1983-84, 16 GP in 1984-85 & 14 GP in 1978-79) and Adam Oates (14 GP in 1989-90). Kyrou will look to become the eighth player in League history with at least five career points in outdoor games on Dec. 31.
* Bedard (31-61—92) is within striking distance of tying Patrick Kane (29-65—94) for the second-most assists and points in a career by a Blackhawks teenager behind only Eddie Olczyk (49-80—129). When he takes the ice in the Winter Classic on Tuesday, Bedard will attempt to become just the fourth teenager to register a point at an outdoor game – Auston Matthews (2-0—2 at 2017 Centennial Classic), Mitch Marner (1-0—1 at 2017 Centennial Classic) and Connor McDavid (0-1—1 at 2016 Heritage Classic) are the only ones to accomplish the feat to date.
* For more about the upcoming Discover NHL Winter Classic, check out the #NHLStats Pack and Interactive Information Guide.
