* It was a memorable start to 2025 in Los Angeles with the Kings extending their home win streak to eight games and Andre Lee starting the New Year by scoring his first career NHL goal.
* Click here for the final edition of the 2024 Year in Review by #NHLStats (update Jan. 1, 2025).
* A 12-game Thursday is full of storylines including Alex Ovechkin continuing The Gr8 Chase against a team he scores often against, the Maple Leafs and Islanders completing a home-and-home set on ESPN+ and multiple players and teams looking to continue active streaks.
KINGS WIN 8TH STRAIGHT AT HOME, LEE OPENS YEAR WITH FIRST NHL GOAL
Andre Lee opened the scoring with his first career NHL goal (19 GP) and Darcy Kuemper stopped all 33 shots he faced to help the Kings earn the first win of 2025 and extend their home win streak to eight games (8-0-0 dating to Nov. 23), tied for the third-longest such run in franchise history behind a 12-game run in 1992-93 and 10-game stretch in 1990-91.
* The Kings boast the League’s top home points percentage (.844) and improved to 13-2-1 at Crypto.com Arena in 2024-25. Los Angeles has only finished one completed season with a home points percentage over .800 (.813 in 2012-13).
* Lee, who was selected with the Kings’ final pick in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Draft (188th overall), became the 29th player in NHL history to score his first career goal on Jan. 1. Other notables include Todd Elik (1990 – only other LAK player to do so) as well as Hockey Hall of Famers Willie O’Ree (1961), Leo Boivin (1953) and Bill Gadsby (1947).
ONE FINAL LOOK AT THE YEAR 2024 FROM #NHLSTATS
The final edition of the 2024 Year in Review by #NHLStats (updated Jan. 1, 2025) recaps some of the most memorable events and milestones from a year in which high-scoring and comeback trends continued. Highlights include a look back at the thrilling championship series that culminated with the Panthers becoming the 25th NHL franchise to win the Stanley Cup; a generational shift with the emergence of new young stars; the League welcoming a new franchise for the third time in eight seasons; and veterans breaking or pursuing records that have stood for generations – including The Gr8 Chase.
QUICK CLICKS
* Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Jacob Markstrom named 3 Stars of the Month
* Lane Hutson named ‘Rookie of the Month’ for December
* Arizona Coyotes Quarter-Century Teams unveiled
* 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna impressing at World Juniors
* Post-Winter Classic Blog: Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic
A 12-GAME THURSDAY INCLUDES MAPLE LEAFS-ISLANDERS ON ESPN+
A dozen games are on tap for Thursday including the Maple Leafs and Islanders capping off a home-and-home set after Toronto’s 3-1 win at Scotiabank Arena in a New Year’s Eve matinee. The Islanders have won three straight home games against the Maple Leafs dating to March 21, 2023, outscoring Toronto by a 15-8 margin over those contests.
More things to watch on Thursday:
* John Tavares enters the contest against his former team riding an eight-game point streak (7-6—13 in 8 GP) and one goal shy of his 15th career 20-goal season. Tavares has not posted a point streak of nine or more games since his time with the Islanders (12 GP in 2011-12, 10 GP in 2013-14 & 9 GP in 2017-18) and can become the first Maple Leafs skater age 34 or older to post a streak of nine or more games since Mats Sundin in 2007-08 (age 37; 9 GP).
* Connor Hellebuyck enters on a six-game win streak in pursuit of his 300th career victory, and should he play and win on Thursday, would match Washington’s Logan Thompson (7-0-0 from Oct. 15 – Nov. 9), Carolina’s Pyotr Kochetkov (7-0-0 from Oct. 24 – Nov. 11) and Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark (7-0-0 from Dec. 5-19) for the longest winning streak by a goaltender this season. Hellebuyck is 13-2-1 in 16 career games against the Ducks with a 2.24 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and two shutouts.
* The Avalanche will look to extend their win streak to a season-high six games when they host Tage Thompson and the Sabres. On New Year’s Eve, Thompson fired a 106.0 mile per hour slap shot, breaking his own record for hardest shot speed in an NHL game through four seasons of NHL EDGE stats data.
* After being held off the scoresheet on New Year’s Eve, Alex Ovechkin continues his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record 25 shy of breaking the mark. Ovechkin has 19 goals in 23 career games against the Wild.
