* Nathan MacKinnon put up a three-point performance in Colorado’s victory over Utah and became the first player to reach 60 points this season while Mikko Rantanen joined elite Finnish company with his eighth 20-goal campaign.
* Mitch Marner, Alex Tuch and Artturi Lehkonen each put up three-goal games Friday, with Marner’s coming in natural fashion. December has seen five natural hat tricks scored – the only months in NHL history with more are March 1996 (7), November 1985 (7) and February 1994 (6).
* A three-pack on Sportsnet could feature the return of Alex Ovechkin when the Capitals face off against the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.
MACKINNON HITS 60 POINTS, RANTANEN REACHES 20 GOALS IN AVALANCHE WIN
Nathan MacKinnon (0-3—3) factored on three goals, including on the first two tallies of Artturi Lehkonen’s first career hat trick as well as Mikko Rantanen’s 20th goal of the season, as Colorado (22-15-0, 44 points) earned a win against Utah (16-13-6, 38 points).
* MacKinnon, who became the first player to reach 60 points in 2024-25 and the fastest player in Avalanche team history to hit the mark in a season (37 GP), did so with the help of his 92nd career three-point performance. He tied Peter Forsberg for the fourth most in Avalanche/Nordiques history.
* MacKinnon boosted his 2024 regular-season totals to 46-96—142 (82 GP). He became the eighth different player in NHL history to record at least that many regular-season points in a calendar year, following Wayne Gretzky (11x, last: 1989), Mario Lemieux (3x, last: 1992), Phil Esposito (3x, last: 1974), Connor McDavid (2x, last: 2022), Jaromir Jagr (2x, last: 1999), Mike Bossy (1982) and Marcel Dionne (1979).
* Rantanen, who recorded his eighth 20-goal season, extended his point streak to 10 games (4-13—17). He became the fourth Finnish player in NHL history to record three or more double-digit point streaks, joining Jari Kurri (8), Teemu Selanne (6) and Mikael Granlund (3).
... WHILE IT ALSO RAIN HATS IN THE EAST: MARNER, TUCH SCORE THREE GOALS APIECE
In addition to Artturi Lehkonen, Mitch Marner (3-0—3) and Alex Tuch (3-0—3) also put up three-goal performances to add $9,000 to AstraZeneca’s donation to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation. Friday marked the seventh day in 2024 to feature three players with a hat trick, the second straight year the League has seen that many – the last year with more was 1988 (11 days).
* Nearly three years since his first career natural hat trick against the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Feb. 26, 2022, Marner scored his second in the same building. He became the fourth active player with multiple natural hat tricks versus a single franchise, joining Connor McDavid (vs. CGY), John Tavares (vs. NYI) and Mika Zibanejad (vs. PHI).
* Tavares, who set up Marner’s first goal with a highlight-reel, no-look pass, scored his own natural hat trick less than two weeks ago on Dec. 15. Marner's three-goal outing marked the sixth time in franchise history that the club has had multiple natural hat tricks in the same campaign, following 1975-76, 1965-66, 1936-37, 1924-25 and 1920-21.
* Tuch scored his third career hat trick – all of which have come since he joined Buffalo in 2021-22 – while Rasmus Dahlin posted two assists and climbed a franchise list as the Sabres potted six goals to defeat the Blackhawks at KeyBank Center. The only Sabres player with more three-goal contests than Tuch over that span is Tage Thompson (6).
* Marner, Tuch and Lehkonen netted the League’s 104th, 105th and 106th hat tricks since Jan. 1 and added to what has already been a bountiful year – 2024 is the third consecutive calendar year with 100-plus hat tricks and it is also the first to feature 20 or more natural hat tricks. For notes on hat tricks and more, click here to read #NHLStats’ 2024 Year in Review (updated entering Dec. 27).
WERENSKI PUTS UP FOUR-POINT PERFORMANCE, CLIMBS FRANCHISE LISTS
Zach Werenski (0-4—4) factored on four of his team’s six goals and climbed a couple franchise lists as the Blue Jackets (15-15-6, 36 points) bested the Bruins to gain ground on the idle Senators (18-14-2, 38 points) for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
* Werenski collected his fifth career four-point game and tied Artemi Panarin for the most in Blue Jackets history. The Columbus defenseman also became the second player in franchise history with multiple four-assist outings, joining Panarin (3x).
* Werenski, one of two blueliners with four assists in a game this season (also Rasmus Dahlin on Dec. 23), has accumulated seven helpers over his past two contests to boost his 2024-25 totals to 11-28—39 (36 GP) – the third-most points and fourth-most assists among all defensemen.
MORE 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF PLAYERS LEAD CLUBS TO WINS IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Devils, Wild, Blues and Golden Knights each skated to victory in their first game back from the holiday break thanks in large part to efforts from players named to 4 Nations Face-Off rosters. Find more notes on the rest of Friday’s slate in the latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.
* Jacob Markstrom (SWE) made 29 saves in the Devils’ fifth straight home win as New Jersey (24-11-3, 51 points) boosted its lead atop the Metropolitan Division by defeating division rival Carolina. Markstrom extended his win streak to six games, marking the fourth longest by a goaltender in their first season with the Devils/Rockies/Scouts franchise behind Vitek Vanecek (10 GP in 2022-23), Johan Hedberg (7 GP in 2010-11) and Sean Burke (7 GP in 1987-88).
* Brock Faber and Matt Boldy, a pair of players named to the United States roster, combined on the overtime winner to help the Wild (22-10-4, 48 points) earn their first multi-goal, third-period comeback win on the road since Nov. 6, 2021. Faber's winner just 35 seconds into the extra frame marked the third-fastest overtime goal by a Wild defenseman, following Jonas Brodin (0:18 on Jan. 31, 2021) and Mathew Dumba (0:22 on March 17, 2015).
* Colton Parayko, who was named to Canada’s roster, scored one of St. Louis’ seven goals – its most in a game since Feb. 11, 2024 (7-2 W at MTL) – and tied Rob Ramage (67) for the fifth-most career goals by a Blues defenseman. Before he competes in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, Parayko and the Blues will look to become the third team to win their first three outdoor games when they compete in the Discover NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Eve. To find out more about the upcoming Winter Classic, check out the #NHLStats Pack and our interactive information guide.
* Jack Eichel (1-1—2), one of seven Golden Knights players slated to skate at the 4 Nations Face-Off, scored one of two shorthanded goals in 23 seconds to help Vegas (24-8-3, 51 points) rally to victory and overtake idle Winnipeg (25-10-1, 51 points) for first place in the League standings by virtue of fewer games played. The Golden Knights earned their sixth third-period comeback win of the season, tied with the Ducks for second most behind only the Flyers (7).
QUICK CLICKS
* Game day plans for Discover NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field
* Renovated Wrigley Field still has same charm ahead of Winter Classic
* Steve Yzerman aims to get 'more from our players' after Red Wings coaching change
* Senators GM Steve Staios talks growth of young team in Q&A with NHL.com
* World Junior Championship roundup: Latvia stuns Canada with shootout win
SATURDAY FEATURES POSSIBLE OVECHKIN RETURN, HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA
A full day of NHL action on Saturday starts early (MTL at FLA: 1 p.m. ET) and runs all day with an 11-game slate that will see each of the seven Canadian teams in action and a three-pack of contests on Sportsnet as part of Hockey Night in Canada that could include the return of Alex Ovechkin and his continued pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal record (also on NHL Network).
* Ovechkin skated on Washington’s top line during practice Friday and could return to the lineup for the first time since fracturing his left fibula Nov. 18. “The Gr8 Chase” has Ovechkin 27 goals from breaking Gretzky’s all-time goals record – a position “The Great One” has held since passing Gordie Howe with career goal No. 802 on March 23, 1994. Gretzky scored his 894th and final goal on March 29, 1999.
* Should Ovechkin return Saturday and stay in the lineup the remainder of the season, he would have 48 games left in the 2024-25 campaign. When Ovechkin went down with injury Nov. 18, he led the League with 15 goals and was scoring at a 0.83 goal-per-game rate. Should he continue to produce at that level, he would break the mark within the current campaign in approximately 33 games.
* The Senators (8-2-0 in last 10) visit the Jets (7-2-1 in last 10) in a battle between two of Canada’s hottest teams coming out of the holiday break – a group that also includes the Oilers (8-2-0 in last 10), who visit the Kings in a matinee contest on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. There are currently six Canadian teams holding a playoff spot or within two points of one – excluding the expanded 2019-20 playoff format, it has been 32 years since six Canadian teams made the playoffs in the same year.
* The Flames (16-11-7, 39 points) jump right back into the Western Conference Wild Card race as they push to return to the postseason for the first time since 2021-22. Calgary will get its first look at San Jose rookie Macklin Celebrini (11-15—26 in 26 GP; 1.00 P/GP), who has been hovering around a point per game throughout his rookie season.
* Since 1999-00, only five rookies have finished the season at a point per game or higher (min. 20 GP): Mathew Barzal (1.04 in 2017-18), Connor McDavid (1.07 in 2015-16), Evgeni Malkin (1.09 in 2006-07), Ovechkin (1.31 in 2005-06) and Sidney Crosby (1.26 in 2005-06).
