Around the League notebook for Friday, Dec. 5

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

WINNIPEG 6, Colorado 2

Anaheim 5, MINNESOTA 4

CHICAGO 4, Montreal 3

LITTLE COMES UP BIG WITH HAT TRICK

Bryan Little

Center - WPG

GOALS: 11 | ASST: 8 | PTS: 19
SOG: 51 | +/-: 7

Little’s three-goal performance is the first hat trick by the team since relocating to Winnipeg and the first for the franchise since Eric Boulton on Dec. 18, 2010 as a member of the Atlanta Thrashers. Little’s only other hat trick also came as member of the Atlanta Thrashers on Dec. 26, 2008 versus Carolina.

Blake Wheeler (0-3—3) recorded his first three-point game of the season and has now recorded 20 points (7-13—20) over 11 career games versus Colorado. Andrew Ladd (1-2—3) recorded his fourth multi-point game of the season. Ladd (9-10—19), Wheeler (8-11—19) and Little (11-8—19) all share the team-lead in points.

Rookie goaltender Michael Hutchinson improved his record to 5-1-3 and ranks first in the League in both goals-against average (1.62) and save percentage (.943).

BELESKEY NETS TEAM-LEADING THIRD GAME-WINNER

Matt Beleskey

Left Wing - ANA

GOALS: 13 | ASST: 2 | PTS: 15
SOG: 74 | +/-: 10

Matt Beleskey (1-0—1) netted the game-winning goal to lift the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild. The Ducks have won a franchise-best five consecutive games at Xcel Energy Center dating to a 3-2 victory on Oct. 27, 2011. Anaheim also improved their record to 17-6-5 (39 points) to take sole possession of first place in the Western Conference and tie the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the NHL standings.

Beleskey’s game-winning goal is his team-leading third of the season and he has recorded a career-high 13 goals. Beleskey also ranks second on the team and tied for sixth in the League for goals.

Ryan Kesler (2-1—3) scored twice and registered an assist to record his fourth multi-point game and second multi-goal game of the season. Kesler is tied for third on the Ducks with 21 points (8-13—21).

Cam Fowler (0-1—1) extended his point streak to four games with an assist (1-3—4). The streak matches his career high set this season from Oct. 13-19 (0-4—4).

Frederik Andersen improved his record to 13-4-4 and ranks seventh among NHL goaltenders in wins (13). He has started a career-high 13 consecutive games.

Forwards Tim Jackman (1-1—2) and Kyle Palmieri (0-2—2) each recorded their first multi-point games of the season.

LATE SAAD GOAL SEALS CHICAGO’S FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN

Brandon Saad

Left Wing - CHI

GOALS: 5 | ASST: 12 | PTS: 17
SOG: 57 | +/-: 1

Brandon Saad (1-0—1) scored the game-winning goal with 27 seconds left in regulation to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. The win is Chicago’s season-best fifth consecutive victory, dating to Nov. 26 versus Colorado. The Blackhawks improved to 17-8-1 (35 points).

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Saad is the sixth player this season to score a game-winning goal in the final 30 seconds of regulation:

Ryan Getzlaf (ANA) with 0:24 left on Oct. 11 in 3-2 win at DET

Daniel Briere (COL) with 0:01 left on Oct. 13 in 2-1 win at BOS

Tyler Seguin (DAL) with 0:03 left on Oct. 16 in 3-2 win at PIT

Mark Letestu (CBJ) with 0:21 left on Oct. 23 in 5-4 win at SJ

Matt Nieto (SJ) with 0:12 left on Dec. 2 in 2-1 win vs. PHI

Brandon Saad (CHI) with 0:27 left on Dec. 5 in 4-3 win vs. MTL

The Blackhawks have recorded points in seven consecutive games (5-0-2) against the Canadiens, dating to the 2009-10 season.

Kris Versteeg (0-1—1) has eight points (1-7—8) in his last four games. Versteeg is tied for second in points on the Blackhawks with 22 (8-14—22).

Jonathan Toews (1-1—1) recorded his seventh multi-point game of the season. Toews is also tied for second in points on the Blackhawks with 22 (11-11—22).

Patrick Kane (0-1—1) leads the Blackhawks in points this season with 26 (12-14—26) and is tied for 11th in the League.

LOOSE PUCKS

Winnipeg forward Chris Thorburn (1-0—1) recorded his first goal/point of the season... Skating in the third game of his NHL career and second of the season, Winnipeg defenseman Ben Chiarot (0-1—1) recorded his first career NHL assist/point... Winnipeg forward Dustin Byfuglien (1-0—1) scored to extend his point streak to three games (3-1—4)... Anaheim forward Devante Smith-Pelly (0-1—1) recorded an assist while skating in his 100th career NHL game... Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin (1-1—2), Zach Parise (1-1—2) and Mikael Granlund (0-2—2) each posted multi-point performances... Minnesota’s Mikko Koivu (1-0—1) and Zach Parise (1-0—1) scored power-play goals 11 seconds apart. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this ties the fastest time for consecutive power-play goals in Wild franchise history, set Nov. 5, 2007 versus Edmonton. The last NHL team to score two consecutive power-play goals in 11 seconds or less was Ottawa on Oct. 8, 2011 versus Toronto, netted by Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson eight seconds apart... Montreal’s Sergei Gonchar (1-0—1) scored his first goal as a member of the Canadiens. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, at 40 years, 236 days, Gonchar becomes the oldest player in Montreal franchise history to score a goal and the second oldest NHL defenseman to do so in the last five seasons behind Nicklas Lidstrom (41 years, 333 days) on March 26, 2012... Chicago defenseman Michal Rozsival (1-0—1) scored his first goal of the season... Veteran forward George Parros announced his retirement after nine NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens... Jean Beliveau was honored at the United Center with a moment of silence prior to the Canadiens and Blackhawks game... The NHL and the Washington Capitals refurbished Watkins Rush Rink, a street hockey rink in Southeast Washington, D.C., as part of the NHL's Legacy Initiative for the 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.