* ‘The Gr8 Chase’ was on full display as Alex Ovechkin netted his 31st career hat trick and moved within 29 goals of overtaking Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history. The Capitals captain netted a three-goal performance against a 19th different franchise – tied with Mario Lemieux for the second most in NHL history.
* Martin Necas continued his pace for a career season after a four-point performance extended his point streak to 13 games and helped the Hurricanes move past the idle Devils for top spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
* Monday’s six-game slate features Connor McDavid and the Oilers visiting Cole Caufield and the Canadiens on Prime Monday Night Hockey before Alex Ovechkin looks to continue his scoring ways during his debut at Delta Center.
‘THE GR8 CHASE’ CONTINUES WITH OVECHKIN’S 31ST CAREER HAT TRICK
Alex Ovechkin hoisted his only Stanley Cup to date at T-Mobile Arena 2,356 days ago, but Sunday it became the venue in which the 39-year-old accelerated ‘The Gr8 Chase’ by netting his 31st career hat trick, claiming a share of the NHL’s goals lead in 2024-25 and moving within 29 of eclipsing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record.
* Ovechkin (13-10—23 in 17 GP), the first player age 39 or older in NHL history to lead the League in goals (outright or tied, min. 10 goals), scored his first career hat trick against the Golden Knights. The Capitals captain has now netted a three-goal performance against 19 different franchises, tying Mario Lemieux for the second most in NHL history, behind Brett Hull (20).
* Ovechkin is one of only four players in NHL history with at least 16 career hat tricks as a visitor (also Lemieux: 19, Gretzky: 19 & Marcel Dionne: 17). With every hat trick this season, AstraZeneca will donate $3,000 to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation up to $300,000.
* The Capitals captain, within seven goals of becoming the third player in NHL history with 20 career 20-goal seasons, is on pace to overtake Gretzky’s all-time record in 38 games – at home against Utah Hockey Club on Feb. 9.
OTHER THINGS FROM OVI’S NIGHT IN VEGAS
A hat trick wasn’t the only noteworthy #NHLStats moment Alex Ovechkin produced at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday:
* Sunday marked the eighth time the Capitals captain has scored a goal in all three regulation periods. He joined Wayne Gretzky (18x), Mario Lemieux (12x), Marcel Dionne (12x), Mike Bossy (11x), Mark Messier (10x) and Phil Esposito (8x) as the eighth player in the League’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to achieve the feat at least eight times.
* Ovechkin scored his first career goal against former teammate and current Golden Knights netminder Ilya Samsonov, who became the 177th different goaltender he has scored against – tied with Patrick Marleau for the second most in NHL history and one back of Jaromir Jagr (178).
NECAS CONTINUES HIS STRING OF SUCCESS IN ANOTHER HURRICANES VICTORY
Just like he has been for his previous 12 games, Martin Necas (2-2—4) was all over the score sheet Sunday and factored on all four of Carolina’s goals to extend his point streak to 13 contests, become the third 30-point player this season and help the Hurricanes (13-4-0, 26 points) move atop the Eastern Conference standings
* Necas (10-17—27 in 13 GP) has guided the Hurricanes to a 11-2-0 record through the course of his point streak dating to Oct. 22 – the most wins and highest point percentage (.846) among all teams in that span. Necas also paces the League in points and assists (tied) since his run started, with Kirill Kaprizov (23) and Nathan MacKinnon (22) as the only other skaters with at least 20 points during that stretch.
* Necas (11-19—30 in 17 GP) became the fastest player in franchise history to reach 30 points in a single season and has done so thanks to his 1.76 point-per-game pace – more than double his career pace entering 2024-25 (0.72 P/GP from 2017-18 – 2023-24). The Hurricanes forward, following a 53-point campaign in 2023-24 (77 GP), is on pace for a 91-point increase in 2024-25 and the sixth 100-point season in club history.
RANGERS AND PREDATORS ALSO PICK UP WINS SUNDAY
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates concluded with the Rangers (11-4-1, 23 points) and Predators (6-10-3, 15 points) each picking up road wins against Pacific Division opponents:
* Jonathan Quick (24 saves) recorded his second shutout in as many appearances, and first against the Kraken, as he became the fourth goaltender in NHL history to win four consecutive starts to begin a season at age 38 or older. The others: George Hainsworth (8 GS in 1934-35 w/ TOR), Dominik Hasek (5 GS in 2005-06 w/ OTT) and Tony Esposito (4 GS in 1982-83 w/ CHI).
* Steven Stamkos (2-0—2) and Roman Josi (1-1—2) spearheaded a Predators comeback win against the Canucks with multi-point performances. Stamkos recorded his 218th and 219th power-play goals to surpass Mike Gartner and Jaromir Jagr (both w/ 217) for the 11th most in NHL history, while Josi (183-517—700 in 928 GP) reached the 700-point milestone and became the third fastest to reach the mark among defensemen born outside North America behind Erik Karlsson (871 GP) and Borje Salming (912 GP).
QUICK CLICKS
* Ryan Reaves of Maple Leafs suspended 5 games for illegal check to head
* NHL Buzz: Tage Thompson could return from injury for Sabres on Wednesday
* Conor Garland making most of increased role with Canucks
* Neal Pionk fined maximum for clipping in Jets game
ALL-CANADIAN SHOWDOWN FEATURED ON PRIME MONDAY NIGHT HOCKEY
A six-game Monday is highlighted by Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers (9-7-2, 20 points) visiting Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and the Canadiens (6-10-2, 14 points) during the latest edition of Prime Monday Night Hockey on Prime Video Canada.
* McDavid and Draisaitl own multi-point streaks of four games entering the action, with the latter having also collected two or more points in each of his past four road contests. Monday will be the last time the Oilers captain will skate at Bell Centre before donning the maple leaf for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. His eight career wins at the venue (8-3-2) are tied for his most against an Eastern Conference opponent (also 8-2-1 at Canadian Tire Centre).
* Caufield (12-3—15 in 18 GP) sits one goal back of the League lead in 2024-25 (Alex Ovechkin: 13 in 17 GP, Sam Reinhart: 13 in 18 GP & Draisaitl: 13 in 18 GP) and has hopes of joining the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Caufield can join Brian Savage (16 in 1995-96), Steve Shutt (15 in 1981-82) and Mats Naslund (14 in 1985-86) as the fourth Canadiens player since 1980-81 to score 13 or more goals prior his 20th game of a season.
WEEK AHEAD FEATURES MORE NATIONAL GAMES
Tuesday, Nov. 19 – Panthers and Jets complete home-and-home set on TSN3 and SCRIPPS
* The Panthers and Jets clash for the second time in as many games after the former skated to victory at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday. Florida can capture six consecutive road wins for the third time in franchise history, while Winnipeg – with four straight wins at Canada Life Centre – can win nine of their first 10 home games of a season for the first time in club history.
Tuesday Nov. 19, Binnington eyes franchise mark on ESPN+, Hulu
* Jordan Binnington (150-101-32) can tie his agent, Mike Liut (151 in 347 GP), for the most wins by a goaltender in Blues history – 87 of his 150 career wins to date have come on home ice.
Wednesday, Nov. 20 – Top picks from 2015 NHL Draft clash in Toronto on Sportsnet
* Mitch Marner (No. 4 in 2015), who has multi-point outings in four of his past five games, looks to join Jack Eichel (5-23—28 in 18 GP) – the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft – among a select group of players with at least 20 assists in 2024-25. Marner (6-18—24 in 19 GP) can collect 20 helpers in 20 or fewer games for the third time in his career and has recorded 4-6—10 in six games without captain Auston Matthews in the lineup.
Wednesday, Nov. 20 – League-leading rookies meet on TNT, MAX and truTV
* Flyers forward Matvei Michkov (6-9—15 in 16 GP) and Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake (5-2—7 in 17 GP) are the two highest-scoring rookies this season. Michkov can be the fourth Flyers player to lead all rookies in goals in a single season and first since Matt Read (24 in 2011-12), while Blake can join Sylvain Turgeon (40 in 1983-84) as the second skater in Hurricanes/Whalers history to accomplish the feat (tied or outright).
Saturday, Nov. 23 – Sharks honor Joe Thornton, raise his No. 19 to the rafters
* Joe Thornton will have his No. 19 raised to the SAP Center rafters before Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks square off with Rasmus Dahlin and the Sabres. Thornton will join longtime teammate and the club’s current hockey operations executive, Patrick Marleau (No. 12 on Feb. 25, 2023), as the second player to have his number retired by the franchise. He won the Art Ross and Hart Memorial Trophy with the club during the 2005-06 campaign after being acquired from Boston on Nov. 30, 2005.
