Around the League notebook for Friday, April 3

EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF RACE (Click chart below to zoom)	WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF RACE (Click chart below to zoom)
Related information: "If the playoffs started today ..."  |  Current playoffs standings

FRIDAY'S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps

Chicago 4, BUFFALO 3

NEW JERSEY 3, Montreal 2 (SO)

St. Louis 7, DALLAS 5

Colorado 4, ANAHEIM 2

SAN JOSE 3, Arizona 1

SCHWARTZ'S HAT TRICK LIFTS ST. LOUIS TO TOP OF CENTRAL DIVISION STANDINGS...

Jaden Schwartz (3-0—3) recorded the second hat trick of his NHL career to power the St. Louis Blues to a 7-5 victory against the Dallas Stars. The Blues improved to 48-23-7 (103 points) and tied the idle Nashville Predators for first in the Central Division. Nashville, however, owns the ROW tiebreaker (NSH: 41, STL: 39).

* The Blues matched a season-high with seven goals; St. Louis defeated the San Jose Sharks 7-2 on Jan. 3 and again on Jan. 8.

* Schwartz’s first career hat trick came on Oct. 18, 2014, when he posted 3-1—4 versus the Arizona Coyotes. Schwartz has five points (4-1—5) in his past two games.

* Patrik Berglund (2-0—2) posted his first multigoal performance of the season. He has four points (3-1—4) in his past two games.

* Alex Pietrangelo (1-1—2) scored his seventh goal and added his 37th assist to record his eighth multiple-point game of the season. It was also Pietrangelo’s second game-winning goal of the season. Zbynek Michalek (1-1—2) scored his fourth goal and added his eighth assist to record his first multiple-point game of the season.

* Kevin Shattenkirk (0-2—2), Jay Bouwmeester (0-2—2) and T.J. Oshie (0-2—2) each had two assists. The second helper was the 200th career assist for Oshie, who extended his point streak to four games (0-5—5).

* David Backes (0-1—1) recorded the 413th point of his NHL career (184-229—413) and passed Red Berenson for sole possession of eighth on the franchise’s all-time points list.

* Brian Elliott made 27 saves to improve to 25-14-3 with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.

DID YOU KNOW?

Travis Moen (1-0—1) of the Stars converted on his first career penalty shot attempt.

* According to the Elias Sports Bureau, at 32 years, 262 days old, Moen was the oldest player in franchise history to convert on his first career penalty shot attempt, as well as the oldest player in franchise history to score on a penalty shot.

* Moen’s penalty shot goal was scored with 11 seconds remaining in the first period. To begin the second period, the Blues scored goals 15 and 32 seconds into the period while the Stars answered six seconds later. According to Elias, the four goals scored in 49 seconds of elapsed clock time were the fastest four goals scored in NHL history.

* Elias also says that the Blues’ goals 17 seconds apart were the quickest two goals scored to begin a period in franchise history.

... WHILE BLACKHAWKS KEEP PACE WITH LATE RALLY OVER SABRES

Facing a 3-2 deficit late in the third period, Jonathan Toews (2-0—2) scored twice in 47 seconds to propel the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 road win against the Buffalo Sabres. The Blackhawks earned their fourth consecutive victory and improved to 48-24-6 (102 points) this season. Chicago is third in the Central Division, one point behind the Blues and Predators.

* Toews recorded his fifth multigoal game of the season and extended his point streak to five games (5-1—6). Toews also scored his team-leading seventh game-winning goal of the season.

* Scott Darling made 35 saves to improve to 9-3-0 with a 1.86 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. Darling has won his past three decisions.

* Brandon Saad (0-2—2) and Andrew Shaw (0-2—2) each had two assists.

* Chicago swept the season series against Buffalo (2-0-0) and have won seven consecutive games against the Sabres dating to a 4-3 victory on Oct. 11, 2010.

SHARKS, AVALANCHE INCH CLOSER TO WILD CARD SPOT WITH WINS

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 and the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. The Sharks are 39-30-9 (87 points) and the Avalanche are 36-30-12 (84 points). San Jose and Colorado moved within three and six points, respectively, of the idle Los Angeles Kings, who occupy the final wild card position in the Western Conference with a record of 38-25-14 (90 points).

* The Sharks are 4-0-1 in their past five games.

* Logan Couture (1-1—2) opened the scoring his 27th goal and added his 39th assist to record his 19th multiple-point game of the season. He extended his point streak to five games (4-4—8).

* Joe Pavelski (1-0—1) scored his team-leading 37th goal and team-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season, which matched his career-high.

* Antti Niemi stopped all but one of 21 shots he faced to improve to 30-22-7 with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

* Patrick Marleau (0-2—2) had two assists and extended his point streak to three games (1-3—4).

* San Jose improved to 3-0-1 against Arizona this season.

* Matt Duchene (1-1—2) scored his 21st goal and added his 32nd assist for his 11th multipoint game of the season. Duchene’s goal was his fourth game-winner of the season, which tied him for the team lead. Dennis Everberg (1-1—2) scored his third goal and added his ninth assist to record the second multiple-point game of his career.

* Tyson Barrie (0-2—2) had two assists and has a career-high 51 points (12-39—51). Barrie is the fourth defenseman in franchise history to reach the 50-point mark in a season, joining Sandis Ozolinsh (four seasons), Rob Blake (two) and Ray Bourque (one).

* Reto Berra made 35 saves, matching his season-high. He is 4-4-1 with a 2.90 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

* Alex Tanguay (0-1—1) had his 464th point as a member of the Avalanche (163-301—464) and tied Dale Hunter for seventh on the franchise’s all-time points list.

* Cody McLeod skated in his 545th career game and passed Peter Forsberg for sole possession of fourth on the team’s all-time games played list since the club relocated to Denver. McLeod trails only Milan Hejduk (1,020), Joe Sakic (870) and Adam Foote (760).

* Colorado is 6-3-1 in it past 10 road games.

KINKAID BACKSTOPS NEW JERSEY TO SHOOTOUT WIN OVER MONTREAL

Keith Kinkaid made 31 saves through 65 minutes and stopped two shooters in the shootout to backstop the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens. The Devils snapped a six-game winless streak (0-4-2).

* Kinkaid improved to 6-5-3 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. Kinkaid has won four of his past five decisions (4-1-0) and improved to 2-2 in shootouts; he has stopped eight of 12 shooters for a .667 shootout save percentage.

* Jacob Josefson and Patrik Elias each scored the shootout, with Josefson standing as his team-leading third game-deciding goal of the season.

* Stefan Matteau (1-0—1) and Reid Boucher (1-0—1) each scored his first goal of the season.

LOOSE PUCKS

Chicago forward Marian Hossa (0-1—1) extended his point streak to four games (1-4—5). ... Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (0-3—3) recorded the first multi-assist game and the first three-point game of his career. The performance allowed Ristolainen to extend his career-high point streak to four games (3-4—7). ... Buffalo forward Marcus Foligno (2-0—2) had his second multiple-goal game of the season. ... Buffalo forward Johan Larsson (1-0—1) scored the first power-play goal of his career. ... Buffalo forward Brian Gionta (0-1—1) extended his point streak to three games (1-4—5), which matched a season-high. ... Montreal defenseman Jeff Petry (1-0—1) extended his point streak to a career-high four games (3-1—4). Petry has also scored in three consecutive games for the first time in his career. ... Dallas forward Jamie Benn (2-1—3) had his sixth three-point game of the season and extended his point streak to three games (3-3—6). ... Dallas forward Tyler Seguin (1-2—3) had his seventh three-point performance of the season and extended his point streak to three games (3-3—6). ... Anaheim forward Jiri Sekac (1-1—2) had his fourth multi-point performance of the season. ... Arizona defenseman Michael Stone skated in the 200th game of his NHL career. ... The first-place Montreal Canadiens earned a point and moved two points ahead of the idle Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division standings.