* Only six points separate the Canadiens and the lowest-seeded team in the Eastern Conference after Montreal and Buffalo each required more than 60 minutes to secure a victory on a four-game Monday. This marks the latest into a season the Canadiens have occupied a playoff spot since the 2020-21 campaign – one that ended with the franchise appearing in the Stanley Cup Final.
* A trio of U.S.-born stars celebrated milestone moments Monday as John Carlson joined the 700-point club while Quinn Hughes skated in his 400th game and brother Jack Hughes registered his 200th assist.
* Leon Draisaitl will look to push the NHL’s longest point streak this season (tied) to 15 games when the Oilers and Bruins collide (SN1, TVAS), while Auston Matthews eyes his 200th multi-point performance when the Maple Leafs and Flyers face off for the second time in three days (ESPN+, Hulu).
EAST PLAYOFF PICTURE TIGHTENS AFTER CANADIENS, SABRES EARN VICTORIES
The Canadiens (19-18-3, 41 points) and Sabres (15-21-5, 35 points) each required more than 60 minutes to collect two crucial points in the Eastern Conference standings – a playoff picture that now features all clubs within six points of a postseason position.
* Captain Nick Suzuki (1-2—3) and 20-year-old Lane Hutson (1-2—3) helped the Canadiens erase a multi-goal deficit and then combined on the overtime winner after the Canucks netted a game-tying tally in the third period. Montreal, which leapfrogged idle Pittsburgh (17-17-7, 41 points), Ottawa (19-17-2, 40 points) and Columbus (17-17-6, 40 points), occupies a playoff spot at this stage of a season (639 GP) or later for the first time since 2020-21 – when the club made the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in nearly three decades.
* Hutson, who factored on three straight Canadiens goals to eclipse the 30-point mark in his career (3-29—32 in 42 GP), became the third rookie defenseman in franchise history with at least eight multi-point games in a single season. The others: Chris Chelios (17 in 1984-85) and Guy Lapointe (10 in 1970-71).
* Tage Thompson (1-0—1) scored one of Buffalo’s three goals in regulation as the Sabres improved to 4-2-1 in their past seven games and defeated the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals. Their four wins since Dec. 23, 2024 are one shy of the most among all teams.
* Thompson, who already owned the NHL’s hardest shot in 2024-25 (106 mph on Dec. 31 at DAL), also took over the title of the League’s hardest goal after he beat Charlie Lindgren with a 103.7 mph shot midway through the second frame. Thompson has recorded the hardest shot by a forward in each of the past four seasons since NHL EDGE began tracking in 2021-22.
U.S.-BORN STARS CELEBRATE MILESTONES MONDAY
Three U.S.-born stars celebrated milestones during a four-game schedule as John Carlson (0-2—2) notched his 700th career point, Quinn Hughes (0-2—2) found the score sheet in his 400th NHL game and Jack Hughes (0-1—1) registered his 200th career assist.
* Carlson (154-546—700 in 1,049 GP) recorded his 99th career multi-assist game and became just the seventh U.S.-born defenseman in NHL history to reach the 700-point milestone as the Capitals (26-10-4, 56 points) passed the idle Jets (27-12-2, 56 points) for second place in the League standings behind the Golden Knights (27-9-3, 57 points).
* Hughes collected each of his points with an assist on a game-tying goal and tied Thomas Gradin (77) for the fourth-most multi-assist games in franchise history. The Canucks captain has collected multiple points in four of his past five games and boosted his career totals to 51-326—377 (400 GP). Only four other defensemen in NHL history have collected at least 300 assists through the milestone contest: Bobby Orr (358), Paul Coffey (327), Brian Leetch (321) and Gary Suter (300).
* The Kraken tied the game twice, but the younger Hughes brother (129-200—329 in 349 GP) collected a primary assist on a go-ahead goal early in the third period and required the fewest games in franchise history to reach 200 career helpers – two contests faster than Scott Gomez (351 GP).
RANTANEN EXTENDS HIS POINT STREAK IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured notes on Mikko Rantanen, who scored to extend his point streak to 14 games and help the Avalanche (25-15-1, 51 points) push their point streak to eight (7-0-1). Rantanen matched the longest stretch of his career (also 14 GP in 2018-19) and tied Leon Draisaitl (14 GP; active) for the longest run in the NHL this season.
QUICK CLICKS
* Kraft Hockeyville 2025 nominations now open
* National Hockey League Statement on the Passing of Al MacNeil
* 2025 World Junior Championship: 6 breakout players
* USA Hockey poses with Gaudreau jersey after World Junior Championship gold medal
* NHL to celebrate 'Hockey Day in Czechia' on Jan. 10-11
STREAKS ON THE LINE DURING 10-GAME TUESDAY
A busy 10-game slate features a rematch between the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs (26-13-2, 54 points) and Wild Card-chasing Flyers (17-18-5, 39 points) broadcast nationally in the U.S. on ESPN+ and Hulu. Toronto, looking for its fifth straight win, is one of several teams and players that will put streaks on the line across the League on Tuesday.
* Auston Matthews, who has points in each of his past six contests, enters Tuesday’s contest with a nine-game point streak versus the Flyers dating to Nov. 10, 2021 (7-9—16) – his second-longest active run against one franchise (11 GP vs. DAL dating to Feb. 7, 2017). Matthews, who had two points against Philadelphia on Sunday, can also become the fourth-fastest active player to reach 200 career multi-point games (588 GP), following Sidney Crosby (465 GP), Connor McDavid (466 GP) and Alex Ovechkin (570 GP).
* Leon Draisaitl will look to extend his point streak to 15 games and help the Oilers snap the Bruins’ home point streak at seven contests (6-0-1) when they visit TD Garden. Should he do so, Draisaitl would become the sixth different player in Oilers history with a 15-game point streak and just the second in 35 years, following McDavid (5x, longest: 17 GP in 2022-23 & 2021-22).
* The Penguins have earned a win in each of their past 15 home games against the Blue Jackets dating to Dec. 21, 2015 – the League’s longest active run versus one franchise – and will look to extend their stretch when they host Columbus at PPG Paints Arena. Sidney Crosby (4-15—19) and Evgeni Malkin (9-10—19) lead Pittsburgh players in points during that streak.
* The Golden Knights have recorded a point in all 16 road games they have played against the Sharks since entering the League in 2017-18 (13-0-3). Vegas already holds the longest active road point streak versus one opponent and can tie the fifth longest in NHL history – the last team with a lengthier stretch was Detroit, which had a point in 21 straight road games against St. Louis from April 9, 1991 to Jan. 26, 2007 (13-0-8).
