* Pierre-Luc Dubois capped a multi-goal performance with the overtime winner to help the Capitals conclude one of the best first halves of a season in franchise history.
* Connor Bedard became the first Canadian-born teenager in more than a decade to find the score sheet in eight straight games as Chicago snapped Colorado’s point streak at eight.
* The NHL season will officially hit the halfway mark during a 10-game Thursday which includes three nationally broadcasted games between the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes (ESPN+, Hulu), Oilers and Penguins (SN) as well as Islanders and Golden Knights (SN).
DUBOIS, THOMPSON HELP WASHINGTON CAP STRONG FIRST HALF
A pair of first-year Capitals led the way for Washington as Logan Thompson stopped 30 of 31 shots while Pierre-Luc Dubois (2-0—2) capped a multi-goal outing with the overtime winner. The Capitals (27-10-4, 58 points) moved within one point of the idle Golden Knights (28-9-3, 59 points) for first place in the League standings as they concluded one of their best first halves of a season in franchise history.
* The Capitals had three points from players that were not on their roster last season (Dubois: 2-0—2 & Matt Roy: 0-1—1), bringing their total to 46-84—130. Only three other clubs have 100-plus points from players skating on a new team this season: Utah (318), San Jose (163) and Chicago (102).
* Thompson earned his 17th win of 2024-25 – the second most among all goaltenders on a new team this season behind Jacob Markstrom (20 w/ NJD). The only netminders to record as many wins in their first campaign with the Capitals over the past 25 years are Jose Theodore (32 in 2008-09), Tomas Vokoun (25 in 2011-12), Darcy Kuemper (22 in 2022-23) and Vitek Vanecek (21 in 2020-21).
BEDARD EXTENDS POINT STREAK AS BLACKHAWKS STIFLE STREAKING AVALANCHE
Connor Bedard (1-1—2) factored on two of three Blackhawks goals to push his career-high point streak to eight games and help Chicago (14-25-2, 30 points) snap Colorado’s own point streak at eight. Bedard became the fourth teenager in Blackhawks history to post a run of eight-plus games, joining Jonathan Toews (10 GP in 2007-08), Eddie Olczyk (9 GP & 8 GP in 1985-86) and Bobby Hull (8 GP in 1957-58).
* Bedard recorded his 65th career assist on Chicago’s opening goal and tied Patrick Kane for the second most by a teenager in franchise history behind Olczyk (80). He capped the contest with a goal to notch his 22nd career multi-point game, two shy of Kane (24 GP) for the second most by a Blackhawks teenager – a list also led by Olczyk (29 GP).
* ICYMI: Olcyzk joined his son, Nick, in the TNT broadcast booth for the Florida-Utah game Wednesday night.
BOBROVSKY ADDS UTAH TO LENGTHY LIST IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 of 27 shots to join Jake Allen and Darcy Kuemper on an exclusive all-time list and help the Panthers skate to victory in their first-ever meeting against Utah Hockey Club. Find more notes on the rest of Wednesday’s three-game slate in #NHLStats: Live Updates.
STATE OF FLORIDA TO HOST TWO NHL OUTDOOR GAMES IN 2025-26
For the first time in League history, the NHL will host outdoor hockey in Florida. Celebrating the explosive growth of hockey in Florida over the last three decades, the League will stage two outdoor games in the Sunshine State during the 2025-26 season: The 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Panthers and Rangers at loanDepot park on Jan. 2, 2026 and the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series between the Lightning and Bruins at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 1, 2026.
QUICK CLICKS
* Wednesday’s Flames-Kings game was postponed
* NHL EDGE stats: Coaching change to Todd McLellan sparks Red Wings
* Kevin Stenlund receives Stanley Cup ring before facing old team
* Brad Marchand’s mom imitates her son in funny video
* NHL outdoor games in Miami, Tampa big step for NHL, Florida fans
NHL READY TO HIT HALFWAY MARK DURING 10-GAME THURSDAY
In addition to three nationally broadcasted games on a 10-game evening – Maple Leafs and Hurricanes (ESPN+, Hulu), Oilers and Penguins (SN) as well as Islanders and Golden Knights (SN) – the NHL will officially reach the halfway mark of the 2024-25 season with the fourth game Thursday (656 GP). A look at some questions to be answered in the second half can be found here, at the #NHLStats Halfway Mark: 2024-25 NHL Season – all notes in the document and below are through games played Jan. 7.
Who will emerge with the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy?
* Leon Draisaitl has been the outright goals leader for nearly a month, since Dec. 16 and paces a group of 13 players with 20-plus goals. Only three previous Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winners rank among the top 71 in goals: nine-time winner Alex Ovechkin, along with 2019-20 co-winner David Pastrnak and 2022-23 recipient Connor McDavid.
* 26% of players (min. 20 GP in 2024-25; 154 of 603) are on pace to set a new career high in goals (min. 10 goals as previous career best).
Will the reigning regular-season MVP lead the NHL in points?
Reigning Hart Memorial Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon has a seven-point advantage in the scoring race as he looks to add his first Art Ross Trophy to an already-decorated resume. MacKinnon, who trailed eventual winner Nikita Kucherov by three points at the halfway mark last season, will have to fend off a group of 10 players on pace for 100-plus points in 2024-25 – a group that includes Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel, in action Thursday, and currently on pace to register a triple-digit total for the first time in their careers.
* 23% of players (min. 20 GP in 2024-25; 136 of 603) are on pace to set a new career high in points (min. 15 points as previous career best).
Which team(s) will make a late playoff push this season?
All 16 teams in the Eastern Conference either hold a playoff spot or sit within seven points of one, while in the Western Conference a group of five clubs outside the bracket are within eight points of the lowest-ranked team inside it.
* Every day this week has ended with a different team occupying Wild Card 2 in the Eastern Conference: Columbus (Jan. 7), Montreal (Jan. 6), Pittsburgh (Jan. 5) and Ottawa (Dec. 14 – Jan. 4).
