Five NHL team records that may never be matched

The Florida Panthers were as dominant as they ever have been in winning a franchise-best 12 games, a streak that ended Monday with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks on the second night of a back-to-back swing through Western Canada.

During the dozen-game run the Panthers scored three or more goals eight times, allowed one or fewer goals eight times, posted two shutouts, won six one-goal games and won six games on the road. Yet they still came up five short of the record for the League's longest winning streak, a 17-game run by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins.

In fact, despite all their dominance the Panthers only got 70 percent of the way to the Penguins' record win streak, becoming one of nine teams win 12 straight.

Will the 17-game mark be topped? History suggests no.

The Penguins' mark has stood for 23 years. Since it was set, the 2012-13 Penguins came closest by winning 15 in a row; that also was the mark the 1992-93 Penguins broke, originally reached by the 1981-82 New York Rangers. Two other teams (the 1929-30 Boston Bruins and 2009-10 Washington Capitals) won 14 consecutive games.

While the consecutive-wins record has been approached on a few occasions, NHL history is filled with team records that likely will never be challenged.

Here are five of those seemingly unassailable records:

Consecutive games with a point

The mark stands at 35 games, set by the Philadelphia Flyers from Oct. 14, 1979, to Jan. 6, 1980. During that stretch the Flyers won 25 games and tied 10, taking 60 of a potential 70 points in the process. Since then a few teams have put together impressive streaks. The Chicago Blackhawks have come the closest, starting the 2012-13 season with at least a point in 24 straight games, but that's not even 70 percent of the way to the mark set by the Flyers, who lost in the Stanley Cup Final that season.

Fewest home losses (minimum 70-game schedule)

The Montreal Canadiens lost one of the 40 games they played at the Montreal Forum during the 1976-77 season, going 33-1-6 to take 72 of a possible 80 points during the regular season. They then won 12 of 14 playoff games to claim the Stanley Cup.

Since the start of the 2005-06 season no team has lost fewer than four home games in regulation during a full 82-game season; that was accomplished by the 2006-07 Detroit Red Wings. Those Red Wings, however, lost another eight games in overtime or the shootout to finish 29-4-8 in 41 games at Joe Louis Arena, taking 66 of a possible 82 points, or 80.4 percent of the home points available. The 1976-77 Canadiens claimed 90 percent of the home points available.

Most points in a season

Again, the star-studded Canadiens of 1976-77 are responsible for setting the standard with 132 points. Not only did they lose once at home, they only lost eight times all season (60-8-12), and had a points percentage of .825. They finished 20 points better than their closest competitor (Philadelphia) and had a plus-219 goal differential.

Since that season four teams have topped 120 points. Detroit came closest with 131 points in 1995-96. The closest since then were the 2005-06 Red Wings, who had 124 points.

Most goals in a season

The Edmonton Oilers scored 446 in the 80-game 1983-84 season. In fact, the dynastic Oilers of the 1980s are the only teams to break the 400-goal mark, doing it five straight seasons between 1981-82 and 1985-86. But that 1983-84 team, which featured eight 20-goal scorers led by the 87 scored by Wayne Gretzky, was the most prolific of them all.

Since 2005-06 three teams have topped 300 goals, topped by the 2009-10 Washington Capitals scoring 318, or 128 short of the Edmonton total.

Worst points percentage in a season

The 1974-75 Washington Capitals went 8-67-5 for 21 points in 80 games, a point percentage of .131, during their first NHL season. It was a trying time for a team that went through three different coaches and was outscored by 265 goals. It also is a mark of futility unlikely ever to be broached again.

Expansion rules have changed dramatically since the Capitals entered the League and the result has been much more competitive first-year franchises during the past three decades. The 1992-93 Ottawa Senators came closest to breaking this record, going 10-70-4 for 24 points, or a .143 points percentage. Since then seven teams have entered the League and six have compiled first-year points percentages of .384 or better.