* Tyler Bertuzzi scored three times on his birthday and joined Toronto’s train of hat tricks, accounting for the club’s fourth this month – a feat only three other teams in the past 25 years have accomplished. With every hat trick this season, AstraZeneca has donated $5,000 to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation up to $500,000 – click here for more information.
* Matt Rempe, who made League history by debuting in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series last weekend, scored the first goal of his NHL career as the Rangers extended their winning streak to double digits and matched a franchise record.
* Sunday’s slate features an NHL on TNT doubleheader as the network celebrates Hockey Day in America as well as the Blackhawks raising Chris Chelios’ No. 7 to the rafters at United Center and welcoming* Patrick Kane *for the first time as a visitor on Sportsnet and NHL Network.
ANOTHER MAPLE LEAFS HAT TRICK?
Tyler Bertuzzi scored two straight goals to help his club erase a 2-0 deficit and then completed his third career hat trick with the game winner to help the Maple Leafs (33-16-8, 74 points) earn their sixth multi-goal comeback victory of the season and extend their winning streak to seven games – their longest run since 2002-03 (8 GP). Toronto tied Dallas (6) for the second-most multi-goal comeback victories this season, trailing only Colorado (7).
* Bertuzzi became the fourth player to record a hat trick for Toronto in 2023-24 (also Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner &* Bobby McMann). The last time Toronto had as many in a single season was 2018-19 (Nazem Kadri, Andreas Johnsson, Tyler Ennis* & John Tavares).
* Bertuzzi became the first Maple Leafs player to score a hat trick on their birthday and the fifth NHL player in the past 30 years to do so, joining Pavol Demitra (Nov. 29, 2002 w/ STL), Patrick Sharp (Dec. 27, 2013 w/ CHI), Viktor Arvidsson (April 8, 2021 w/ NSH) and Pavel Buchnevich (April 17, 2021 w/ NYR).
* William Nylander assisted on three of four Toronto goals to improve his career totals to 208-300—508 (578 GP). Nylander required the fifth-fewest games in Maple Leafs history to reach 300 career assists, trailing onlyMarner (411 GP), Borje Salming (469 GP), Darryl Sittler (531 GP) and Ian Turnbull (565 GP).
THREE OF THE FOUR DIVISION LEADERS EARNED WINS SATURDAY
Three of the four division leaders earned wins Saturday, including the Canucks (38-16-6, 82 points), who moved back into first place in the NHL, the Rangers (39-16-3, 81 points), who tied their franchise-record winning streak with a 10th straight win, and the Stars (35-16-8, 78 points), who opened a three-point lead for top spot in the Central.
* J.T. Miller assisted on three straight goals in the third period and overtime, which included a game-tying tally with 71 seconds left in regulation, to help the Canucks defeat the Bruins via a third-period, multi-goal comeback. Vancouver earned its 38th win of 2023-24 and matched their club benchmark for most victories through 60 games in a season, a feat they reached in 2011-12 and 2010-11 – the latter being the last time they made the Stanley Cup Final.
* Matt Rempe put the Rangers up 2-1 with 13:29 remaining in regulation to register the first goal of his NHL career and power New York to a 10-0-0 record in its past 10 games dating to Jan. 27. The Rangers, who leapfrogged the Bruins (34-12-13, 81 points) for first place in the Eastern Conference, matched the franchise record for longest winning streak achieved two other times in club history (also Dec. 19, 1939 – Jan. 13, 1940 & Jan. 19 – Feb. 10, 1973)
* Wyatt Johnston scored the fifth game winner of his career and moved within one of his second straight 20-goal season to help the Stars earn their 19th victory this season decided by one goal, which is the most among all teams. Johnston’s five deciding goals trail only Roope Hintz (10),* Jason Robertson* (9) and Matt Duchene (7) for the most among all Dallas players since he entered the NHL last season.
#NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES – A WILD CARD RACE CHECK IN
The Saturday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured plenty of notes from clubs involved in Wild Card races with the Red Wings, Lightning, Kings, Predators, Flames and Wild each earning wins. All three of the aforementioned Eastern Conference clubs are separated by just six points, while Los Angeles, Nashville, St. Louis, Minnesota and Calgary are separated by seven points in the West.
* Alex DeBrincat (2-1—3) and Patrick Kane (1-1—2) factored on the first of Detroit’s three goals in the opening 5:24 as the Red Wings (31-20-6, 68 points) routed the Blues to maintain their hold of the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. DeBrincat and Kane have factored on the same goal 149 times (including twice Saturday), which marks the highest total by a pair of U.S.-born teammates in NHL history.
* Nikita Kucherov (37-61—98 in 58 GP) collected 1-2—3 to move within two points of 100 on the season and help Tampa Bay (31-23-5, 67 points) keep pace with Detroit. Kucherov can reach the century mark for the fourth time in his career when the Lightning visit the Devils on Sunday, which would extend his franchise record for most seasons with a triple-digit total.
* Drew Doughty (1-1—2) factored on two Kings goals as Los Angeles (29-17-10, 68 points) maintained its four-point lead in the first Wild Card position. Doughty’s assist gave him 20 on the season, marking his 11th straight campaign with at least 20 helpers – Ryan Suter is the only active defenseman to post a longer run (13 from 2007-08 – 2019-20).
* Filip Forsberg (1-1—2)boosted his career totals to 266-302—568, surpassing David Legwand (210-356—566) for second on the franchise’s all-time points list, and helped the Predators (31-25-2, 64 points) hold their position as the second Wild Card team in the Western Conference.
* Noah Hanifin (2-1—3) became the seventh different defenseman in Flames history to score multiple goals in a “Battle of Alberta” game and the first since* Mark Giordano* (2-0—2 on Dec. 27, 2015) as Calgary put up six against Edmonton. The Flames (28-25-5, 61 points) earned their third straight win and stayed within three points of the Predators for the second Wild Card position.
* Mats Zuccarello (0-4—4) factored on four of the Wild’s five goals and Kirill Kaprizov (2-1—3) extended his point streak to eight games to help Minnesota (28-24-6, 62 points) stay within two points of Nashville for a Wild Card spot. The Wild have seven wins in February, which is tied with the Panthers for the third most among all teams – a list that trails the Rangers (9) and Maple Leafs (8), both teams who are on lengthy winning streaks.
QUICK CLICKS
* Chris Chelios to have 'dream come true' when hometown Blackhawks retire his No. 7
* Patrick Kane plans to 'enjoy the whole thing' in Chicago return
* The Green Men return to Canucks game after 8-year hiatus
* Hurricanes fan says hockey helped her fight cancer
* Blackhawks players try out *NHL '94* ahead of Chelios Jersey Retirement Night
SUNDAY FEATURES TNT TWO-PACK AS NETWORK CELEBRATES HOCKEY DAY IN AMERICA
Sunday’s seven-game slate is highlighted by NHL on TNT celebrating Hockey Day in America with a doubleheader featuring the Lightning visiting the Devils followed by the Penguins hosting the Flyers. Tony Granato, a 13-season NHL veteran who served as head coach of the U.S. men’s team at the 2018 Winter Olympics, is set to join the telecast before the contests, which are also available on Max, Sportsnet ONE and TVA Sports.
* A total of 283 American-born players have appeared in at least one game this season including Devils forward Jack Hughes, who was recently part of NHL.com’s projected roster for the U.S. at the *2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off*. American-born players represent 29% of the 960 who have appeared in at least one game in 2023-24, which would mark the highest percentage at the conclusion of a campaign in League history.
CHICAGO TO RETIRE CHELIOS’ No. 7 BEFORE FACING DETROIT ON SPORTSNET, NHLN
Sunday’s slate also features the Blackhawks retiring former defenseman Chris Chelios’ No. 7 during a pre-game ceremony at United Center before Patrick Kane will make his return to Chicago as a member of the Red Wings on Sportsnet and NHL Network. Chelios will be the ninth player to have his number retired by the Blackhawks, following Glenn Hall (No. 1), Keith Magnuson (No. 3), Pierre Pilote (No. 3), Bobby Hull (No. 9), Denis Savard (No. 18), Stan Mikita (No. 21), Tony Esposito (No. 35) and Marian Hossa (No. 81).
* Chelios was traded by the Canadiens to his hometown Blackhawks on June 29, 1990, and contested parts of nine seasons with Chicago from 1990-91 to 1998-99 before being dealt to Detroit on March 23, 1999. Chelios collected 92-395—487 in 664 games during his tenure with the Blackhawks, which was highlighted by winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy for the second and third time in his NHL career (1992-93 & 1995-96) as well as a trip to the 1992 Stanley Cup Final.
* Chelios concluded his League record-tying 26-season career with three Stanley Cup championships (1986 MTL, 2002 DET & 2008 DET) and 185-763—948 in 1,651 contests. He remains the NHL’s all-time leader in games played among U.S.-born players and occupies a top-10 spot on the League’s all-time lists for assists (763; 8th) and points (948; 10th) by defensemen.
* Kane, the Blackhawks’ first overall pick in 2007, will make his highly-anticipated return to Chicago where he spent the first 16 seasons of his career. He amassed 446-779—1,225 (1,161 GP) and sits second on the franchise’s all-time list for points and assists, along with third on the all-time goals list.
