Around the League notebook for Thursday, Dec. 18

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

Florida 2, PHILADELPHIA 1 (SO)

PITTSBURGH 1, Colorado 0

CAROLINA 4, Toronto 1

Washington 5, COLUMBUS 4 (OT)

Anaheim 2, MONTREAL 1

LOS ANGELES 6, St. Louis 4

SAN JOSE 4, Edmonton 3

STREAK SNAPPERS

The Washington Capitals (Columbus Blue Jackets, seven games), Carolina Hurricanes (Toronto Maple Leafs, six games) and Los Angeles Kings (St. Louis Blues, five games) all earned victories to halt their opponents’ NHL-leading winning streaks Thursday.

FEHR NETS OT WINNER TO SNAP BLUE JACKETS’ WINNING STREAK . . .

Ahead 2-0 after the first period, the Capitals yielded three straight goals before tying the game twice in the third, including Troy Brouwer’s equalizer with three minutes left in regulation, before Eric Fehr sealed the victory with his goal just 42 seconds into overtime. Washington improved to 7-2-2 in their past 11 meetings with Columbus and halted the Blue Jackets’ overall winning streak at seven games.

* The Capitals are 5-0-2 in their past seven contests, marking their longest streak with at least one point since a 10-game stretch from March 30 to April 16, 2013 (9-0-1).

* Fehr (1-1—2) also netted the overtime winner Nov. 18 against the Arizona Coyotes; his only other regular-season overtime goals came during the 2012-13 season against the Boston Bruins (March 5 and April 27). Only four Capitals players have more overtime goals for the franchise: Alex Ovechkin (15), Mike Green (8), Peter Bondra (5) and Kelly Miller (5).

* Jason Chimera (1-1—2), Karl Alzner (1-1—2) and Michael Latta (0-2—2) each notched their first multi-point performances of the season. Green (0-2—2) also added two assists, including the lone helper on the game-winner.

* Brouwer and Joel Ward each found the back of the net for the tenth time this season; they are four goals behind Ovechkin (14) for the team-lead.

* Braden Holtby (22 saves) has been in net for each game on Washington’s current point streak, positing a 5-0-2 record with a 2.09 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in that span; he improved to 4-1-1 in his career against the Blue Jackets.

* Washington shares the Eastern Conference lead with nine road wins this season, including a 6-1-2 mark in their past nine contests as visitors.

. . . HURRICANES HALT MAPLE LEAFS’ STREAK AT SIX . . .

Justin Faulk and Andrej Sekera each had a goal and an assist to guide the Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory against the Maple Leafs.

* With the victory, Carolina snapped a six-game skid and also halted Toronto’s winning streak at six games. The Hurricanes improved to 7-1-0 in their past eight head-to-head matchups at PNC Arena dating to Nov. 19, 2009.

* Faulk netted his third game-winning goal of the season to move into a share of the team-lead in that category (tied with Elias Lindholm). The last time a Hurricanes defenseman scored three game-winning goals in one season was 2008-09 when Joe Corvo (six), Anton Babchuk (four) and Joni Pitkanen (three) each scored as many decisive goals.

* Faulk leads all Hurricanes players with 6-13—19 this season. His goal was his second shorthanded goals of the season, which leads all NHL defensemen. Per Elias, only two other Hurricanes defensemen have scored multiple shorthanded goals in one season since the franchise relocated to Carolina: Sandis Ozolinsh (2; 2000-01) and Mike Commodore (2; 2006-07).

* Eric Staal and Nathan Gerbe both added two assists. Staal has 17-22—39 in 36 career games against the Maple Leafs.

. . . TOP LINE RALLIES KINGS, SNAPS BLUES' STREAK

The line of Marian Gaborik (2-2—4), Jeff Carter (1-3—4) and Anze Kopitar (1-3—4) combined for twelve points as the Kings rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to win the second half of a home-and-home against the Blues. On Tuesday the Blues rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 5-2, highlighted by 1-3—4 from Vladimir Tarasenko.

* Los Angeles has won each of their last six matchups on home ice. Overall the Kings improved to 12-4-1 this season at Staples Center (tied for most home wins/points in Western Conference) and snapped the Blues’ five-game winning streak.

* The Kings (16-11-6, 38 points) occupy the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and are tied with the Canucks (18-11-2, 38 points) for the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division; Vancouver, however, holds two games in hand.

* Elias says the last time three Kings players each recorded at least four points in one game was Nov. 13, 2005 at Columbus. In that game Craig Conroy (3-2—5) and Alexander Frolov (3-1—4) had hat tricks and Pavol Demitra (0-4—4) added four assists to power the Kings to a 8-2 victory.

* The Kings rallied from a three-goal deficit to win in regulation for the first time since March 5, 2013 (regular season) when the club overcame a 4-1 hole with five answered goals -- powered by Jake Muzzin (2-1—3) and Justin Williams (0-3—3) -- en route to a 6-4 win.

* Gaborik has scored in three straight games (5-1—6) for the first time since an equal stretch from Oct. 20 to 25, 2013 with Columbus. He also notched multiple goals in consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 17 and 20, 2011 with the Rangers and his first four-point game since Jan. 26, 2013 (2-2—4; also with the Rangers).

* Carter recorded three assists and four points for the second time this season (also Oct. 26 against the Blue Jackets) to equal a career-high in both categories. He paces the Kings with 16 assists (tied) and 24 points this season.

* Kopitar equaled a career-high for points in a game for the fourth time (last: Feb. 4, 2012 vs. ANA).

YOUNG GUNS RALLY SHARKS PAST OILERS

Down 3-2 after two periods, Matt Tennyson (first NHL goal) and Barclay Goodrow (1-1—2; first career multipoint game) scored 34 seconds apart to rally the Sharks to third seventh consecutive victory at SAP Center.

* Overall, the Sharks (18-11-4, 40 points) hold the No. 2 seed in the Pacific Division and share the NHL’s longest active winning streak (four games; tied with the Rangers).

* Melker Karlsson (0-2—2) also notched his first career multi-point game, including an assist on Goodrow’s first game-winning goal. Goodrow now has 2-3—5 in 17 games this season, with both goals against the Edmonton Oilers.

* Antti Niemi stopped 25 shots to win his sixth straight game, posting a 2.33 goals-against average, .922 save percentage and one shutout in that span. Niemi last won six straight games from Nov. 21 to Dec. 3, 2013.

* Logan Couture scored his 13th goal of the season and now has 6-6—12 in his past 13 games; Couture (13-15—28) shares the team scoring lead with Joe Thornton (8-20—28).

* San Jose has earned a point in 22 of 26 contests against Edmonton dating to Jan. 9, 2009 (20-4-2).

FLEURY RECORDS NHL-LEADING SIXTH SHUTOUT

Marc-Andre Fleury denied all 29 shots he faced to record his League-leading sixth shutout of the season and Blake Comeau netted the overtime winner to lift Pittsburgh to their fourth straight win at Consol Energy Center.

* The Penguins improved to 4-0-2 in their past six contests overall. At 21-6-4 (46 points), Pittsburgh sits three points ahead of the Lighting (20-10-3, 43 points) for first place in the Eastern Conference and four points ahead of the Islanders (21-10-0, 42 points) in the Metropolitan Division.

* Playing in just his 24th game of the season (all starts), Fleury established a new career-high for shutouts in one season and moved within one of matching the single-season Penguins record set by Tom Barrasso in 1997-98. Per Elias, Steve Mason was the last goaltender to record at least six shutouts in his first 24 starts, accomplishing the feat in 2008-09 with Columbus.

* In addition to leading the NHL in shutouts, Fleury ranks second in the League in wins (18), fifth in goals-against average (2.01) and fifth in save percentage (.930).

* Comeau scored his third career overtime goal to match a career-high with three game-winning tallies this season (also 3 in 2010-11 with the New York Islanders). His last overtime goal was Nov. 26 when he completed a hat trick at 2:53 of the extra frame to give Pittsburgh a 4-3 win over Toronto.

* Evgeni Malkin recorded the primary assist on the overtime goal to stretch his point streak to six games (3-5—8) and move into a share of the NHL scoring lead with 15-23—38 this season (tied with Tyler Seguin and Jakub Voracek).

* Pittsburgh has won six of the last seven meetings against the Avalanche and four of the past five matchups in Pittsburgh dating to Dec. 10, 2005.

MORE STRONG GOALTENDING

Both Frederik Andersen of the Anaheim Ducks and Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers continued their strong play to guide their clubs to victories:

* Andersen stopped 24 shots, including 12 in the second period, and Matt Beleskey broke a 1-1 tie in the final period to guide the Ducks to their seventh win in their past 11 visits to Bell Centre. Overall, the Ducks (22-7-5, 49 points) have won eight of their past nine games and sit three points ahead of the Penguins (21-6-4, 46 points) atop the NHL standings.

* Making his 20th straight start, Andersen improved to 18-5-4 with a 2.41 goals-against average and .913 save percentage this season; only Pekka Rinne (20) has more victories this season.

* The Ducks improved to 16-0-5 in one-goal games this season; their 16 such victories lead the NHL, while their .762 winning percentage ranks third. The Canucks (8-0-2) are the only other club without a regulation loss in one-goal games.

* Beleskey leads the Ducks in goals (15) and game-winning goals (four) this season, extending and establishing career-highs in each category, respectively. Only Patrick Kane (five) has more decisive goals than Beleskey this season.

* In their first game since winning a record-setting 20-round shootout on Tuesday, Roberto Luongo stopped 31 shots -- and added five shootout saves -- and Dave Bolland scored the game-deciding goal in the sixth round of the tiebreaker to lift the Panthers to their seventh win in their past 11 games (7-2-2).

* Luongo earned his 385th career NHL win to tie Mike Vernon for 12th on the NHL’s all-time list. He has gone past regulation in each of his past three contests, posting a 3-0-0 record with a 1.23 goals-against average, .951 save percentage and 22 shootout stops in that span. Per Elias, this is the second time in his career that Luongo has won three straight starts that have gone past regulation (also Jan. 3 – 7, 2007).

* Bolland notched his second career game-deciding goal (3-for-11, 27.3 percent). Brandon Pirri found the back of the net in the first round to improve to 4-for-6 (66.7 percent) in his career.

KOIVU HONORED IN PREGAME CEREMONY

Longtime Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu received a standing ovation and was greeted on the ice by players from both the Canadiens and Ducks during a pregame ceremony at the Bell Centre.

Koivu, who was selected by Montreal with the 21st pick of the 1993 NHL Draft, played the first 13 seasons of his 18-year career for the Canadiens, totaling 191-450—641 in 792 games. He also served as captain of the club from 1999-00 through his last season in 2008-09, a stretch only equaled in Canadiens history by the late Jean Béliveau. Koivu later compiled 64-127—191 in 332 games over five seasons with the Ducks.

Click here to watch a video tribute to Koivu.

NHL, CONSTELLATION JOIN FORCES

In keeping with its priorities to reduce its environmental impact and accelerate a greater movement toward a healthier planet, the NHL named Constellation, a leading competitive energy and services company, as its official preferred energy provider.

Constellation will work with the NHL to conduct energy efficiency analyses and recommend energy management strategies for the League’s facilities. At the NHL’s request, Constellation will also provide Renewable Energy Certificates and Carbon Offsets to match the League’s estimated total carbon footprint – 550,000 metric tons – for the 2014-15 season.

Click here for more information on the comprehensive initiative.

LOOSE PUCKS

Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf had an assist to extend his point streak to four games (2-4—6); he ranks fourth in the NHL with 25 assists and shares fifth in points (35) . . . Blues teammates Vladimir Tarasenko (6-5—11, seven games), Alex Pietrangelo (1-5—6, six games) and Kevin Shattenkirk (2-4—6, four games) each extended point streaks . . . Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno (2-1—3) eclipsed 100 career goals and registered his second three-point performance of the season (2-1—3, Nov. 14 against the Philadelphia Flyers) . . . Flyers forward Jakub Voracek scored his 12th goal of the season and had the Flyers' lone shootout goal; he shares the League-lead with 38 points (12-26—38) this season . . . Colorado’s Brad Stuart played in his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 293rd player and 100th defenseman in NHL history to reach the milestone . . . Kings forward Trevor Lewis played in his 300th NHL game . . . Maple Leafs forward Peter Holland (0-1—1) played in his 100th NHL game . . . Blue Jackets forward Michael Chaput, in his 44th NHL game, scored his first NHL goal . . . Defenseman Scott Harrington made his NHL debut with the Penguins . . . Rookie goaltender Calvin Pickard stopped a career-high 47 shots in a losing cause for the Avalanche . . . Via Elias, the Blue Jackets have gone past regulation in five straight games (4-1) for the second time in franchise history (also five games from Feb. 26 – Mar. 3, 2013) . . . The family of the late Jean Béliveau released a letter expressing gratitude to the hockey community . . . The Jets acquired defenseman Jay Harrison from the Hurricanes in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.