Around the League notebook for Sunday, Dec. 14

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

TORONTO 4, Los Angeles 3 (SO)

CHICAGO 2, Calgary 1

NY Rangers 2, EDMONTON 0

TORONTO WINS SEASON-BEST FIFTH STRAIGHT

Joffrey Lupul scored the shootout winner to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory against the Los Angeles Kings. Toronto improved to 18-9-3 (39 points), including 9-1-1 in its past 11 games, and recorded a fifth consecutive win for the first time since winning six straight from Jan. 12-21. The Maple Leafs also now lead the NHL with 13 home wins. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time Toronto won at least 13 of its first 20 home games was during the 2001-02 season, when the Maple Leafs started 14-5-1 at Air Canada Centre.

* While celebrating his 29th birthday, Mike Santorelli (1-1-2) opened the scoring and earned his 16th assist of the season, tying him for the Maple Leafs lead. The performance is the fifth multipoint game of the season for Santorelli, who has 13 points (3-1013) over his past 10 games. Combined with the win, Santorelli’s goal also improved Toronto to a League-leading 13-0-0 this season when scoring first. The Montreal Canadiens (11-0-0) are the only other team to remain undefeated when opening the scoring.

* James Reimer made 33 saves through regulation and overtime, then stopped all three shooters in the shootout to improve his record to 6-3-0 with a 3.25 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. Reimer’s first shootout win of the season also improved his record to 3-0-1 in four career games against Los Angeles.

* Cody Franson (1-1-2) scored his fifth goal and added his 14th assist. The performance is the fifth multipoint game of the season for Franson, who is tied for fourth on the Maple Leafs in assists.

* James van Riemsdyk (1-01) and Phil Kessel (0-11) each extended his point streak to four games (3-2-5 and 2-2-4, respectively).

SAAD LEADS BLACKHAWKS PAST FLAMES

Brandon Saad (1-0-1) scored the game-winning goal on a breakaway in the third period to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-1 victory against the Calgary Flames. The Blackhawks have won 12 of their past 14 games, dating to a 6-2 win vs. the Dallas Stars on Nov. 16, and improved to 21-9-1 (43 points). With the victory, Chicago also claimed sole possession of first place in the Central Division and second place in the Western Conference.

* Saad’s goal was his seventh; it was his third game-winner of the season. Saad is ranked second on the Blackhawks in game-winning goals and fourth in points with 21 (7-14-21).

* Antti Raanta made 23 saves to improve to 4-2-0. In six games, Raanta has a 1.85 goals-against average, a .944 save percentage and one shutout.

* Jonathan Toews (0-2-2) recorded his second multiassist and eighth multipoint game of the season. Toews is ranked second on the Blackhawks with 25 points (11-14-25). Patrick Kane (0-1-1) recorded his 15th assist of the season and has a point in three consecutive games (2-1-3). Kane leads the Blackhawks with 29 points (14-15-29).

LUNDQVIST BACKSTOPS RANGERS TO SHUTOUT WIN VS. OILERS

Henrik Lundqvist made 16 saves to backstop the New York Rangers to a 2-0 shutout victory against the Edmonton Oilers. The Rangers have won seven of their past ten games (7-3-0) and improved to 14-10-4 (32 points) overall this season. The Rangers have earned at least one point in eight of nine games against Western Conference opponents this season (5-1-3) and have won all three road games they have played against West teams.

* The Rangers have seven shutouts in their first 28 games of the season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time the Rangers began a season with at least seven shutouts in their first 28 games was the 1937-38 season, when they also had seven. The Rangers have also recorded at least seven shutouts over a 28-game span for the first time since they posted seven through 28 games Dec. 26, 2011, through Feb. 27, 2012. The Rangers lead the NHL in shutouts this season.

* It was Lundqvist’s fifth shutout of season, tying him for the League lead, and the 55th of his career. With the shutout, Lundqvist passed Bernie Parent and Ed Giacomin for sole possession of 20th on the NHL’s all-time shutouts list. Lundqvist is 12-7-3 this season with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.

* Rick Nash (0-1-1) recorded his 13th assist of the season and extended his point streak to a career-high 10 consecutive team games (6-6-12). Nash also recorded a point in 10 straight games played as a member of the Rangers from Feb. 10 to March 10, 2013, but missed four games during that stretch due to injury. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last Rangers player to post points in at least 10 consecutive team games was Scott Gomez through 13 games Dec. 6, 2007, through Jan. 2, 2008 (4-15-19). Nash’s point streak is the longest active point streak and is tied for the second longest point streak in the NHL this season; Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek and Columbus Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen also posted 10-game point streaks and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin had an 11-game point streak.

* Nash leads the Rangers in points with 31 (18-13-31) and has recorded a point in 23 of New York’s 28 games this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Nash is the fifth Rangers player since 1991-92 to record a point in at least 23 of the first 28 games. The others to accomplish this feat were Mark Messier (24 games with a point; 1991-92), Jaromir Jagr (23; 2005-06), Brendan Shanahan (23; 2006-07) and Marian Gaborik (23; 2009-10).

* Dan Girardi (1-0-1) opened the scoring with his second goal and first game-winner of the season. Carl Hagelin (1-0-1) scored an empty-net goal assisted by Dominic Moore (0-1-1), who has four assists the past three games.

LOOSE PUCKS

Toronto forward Daniel Winnik (0-1-1) has three assists over his past two games. The Maple Leafs improved to 9-0-0 this season when Winnik has a point... Los Angeles forward Justin Williams (1-1-2) and defenseman Alec Martinez (0-2-2) each had a multipoint game... Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty skated in his 473rd career game with the Kings, passing Marty McSorley for sole possession of seventh overall on the franchise’s all-time games played list among defensemen... Calgary forward Johnny Gaudreau (0-1-1) recorded his 17th assist of the season. Gaudreau is tied for first among rookies in assists and is second in points with 23 (6-17-23).