NATURAL HAT TRICKS POWER CLUBS TO VICTORY
Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg (3-1-4) and Ottawa Senators forward Mika Zibanejad (3-0-3) each had natural hat tricks to lift their respective teams to victory Saturday.
* Forsberg scored three consecutive goals in the second period, Pekka Rinne denied all 28 shots he faced and the Predators extended their point streak to nine games (6-0-3), including four straight wins.
* At 31-21-11 (73 points), the Predators increased their lead to five points over the Colorado Avalanche (32-28-4, 68 points), who lost in regulation, for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. They also climbed within six points of the St. Louis Blues (35-20-9, 79 points) - who also lost in regulation - for third place in the Central Division.
* Forsberg had his second natural hat trick in the past three games (also Feb. 23 at the Toronto Maple Leafs). Per Elias, Forsberg became the first player in Predators history to earn multiple hat tricks in a season.
* Elias adds that Forsberg became the first player from any team to earn multiple natural hat tricks in a span of three or fewer team games since 1986-87, when Petri Skriko did so in consecutive games with the Vancouver Canucks (Nov. 18 vs. CGY and Nov. 21 vs. NYR).
* Forsberg added an assist for his first career four-point game. He leads the Predators in goals (26) and points (46) this season. With 26 goals (63 GP), he matched his career high from last season (82 GP).
* Forsberg scored 12 times in February (12-4-16). Per Elias, he set a Predators record for goals in one calendar month, besting the previous record of 10 (Jason Arnott: February 2009 and Martin Erat: December 2009).
* Rinne earned his 40th NHL shutout (and fourth of the season) to stretch his personal point streak to six games (4-0-2), including three straight wins, and is 24-18-9 (2.39 goals-against average, .910 SV%, 4 SO). Rinne also became the fifth active goaltender to reach the 40-shutout milestone.
* Down 4-2 through 40 minutes, Zibanejad scored three consecutive goals in a span of 2:38 to power the Senators to a 6-4 win against the Calgary Flames, their fifth win in their past six games (5-1-0).
* At 30-27-6 (66 points), the Senators remained four points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins (31-21-8, 70 points) for the final wild card into the playoffs from Eastern Conference.
* Zibanejad had the first hat trick of his NHL career, which included scoring his Senators-leading sixth game-winning goal of the season. Prior to 2015-16, Zibanejad never scored a game-winning goal in NHL career games.
* Per Elias, Zibanejad became the first Senators player to post a natural hat trick since Jason Spezza on Oct. 15, 2013 at Phoenix.
* Zibanejad's three goals in 2:38 were also the fastest by one player in Senators history, besting the previous record of 7:05 by Marian Hossa on Jan. 2, 2003 vs. ATL.
* Craig Anderson (34 saves) is 5-1-0 in his past six games and 27-20-4 (2.78 GAA, .917 SV%, 3 SO) this season.
DID YOU KNOW?
There have been three natural hat tricks in the League in the past five days (Forsberg: Feb. 27 vs. STL, Feb. 23 at Toronto and Zibanejad: Feb. 27 at Calgary). Prior to this run, only one player accomplished the feat this season (Sidney Crosby: Feb. 2 vs. Ottawa).
AROUND THE RINKS
* Tanner Pearson (2-0-2) scored twice and Jhonas Enroth denied all 23 shots he faced, and the Los Angeles Kings picked up their fourth consecutive victory. Pearson had the third multi-goal game of his NHL career (also Oct. 26, 2014 vs. CBJ: 2-0-2 and Oct. 14, 2014 vs. EDM: 2-1-3). Enroth earned his second shutout of the season (also Nov. 3 at STL) and is 5-5-1 (2.01 GAA, .931 SV%, 2 SO). At 37-20-4 (78 points), the Kings increased their lead to four points over the idle Anaheim Ducks (33-19-8, 74 points) atop the Pacific Division standings.
* After seeing leads of 1-0 and 2-1 leads, Kevin Klein scored the go-ahead goal with 2:53 left in the third period to power the New York Rangers to a 9-2-1 record in their past 12 games. Henrik Lundqvist (36 saves) is 8-2-0 in his past 10 appearances and 31-16-4 (2.28 GAA, .924 SV%, 4 SO) this season. His 31 victories are tied for third in the League (w/ Jonathan Quick). Lundqvist also earned his 370th win and passed Tom Barrasso (369) for sole possession of 16th on the NHL's all-time wins list among goaltenders. At 36-20-6 (78 points), the Rangers increased their lead to five points over the idle New York Islanders (33-19-7, 73 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
* Carl Hagelin (2-0-2) had his first multi-goal game of the season, including the game-winning goal 51 seconds into the second period, to guide the Penguins to their 15th consecutive home win against Winnipeg/Atlanta since March 24, 2007 (WPG/ATL: 0-13-2). Per Elias, Pittsburgh's 15-game home win streak against the Jets franchise is the longest run vs. one opponent in team history. Marc-Andre Fleury (27 saves) is 4-1-1 in his past six games and 25-14-6 (2.39 GAA, .920 SV%, 4 SO) this season. Fleury is also 19-5-0 in 24 career appearances against Winnipeg/Atlanta. At 31-21-8 (70 points), the Penguins hold a three-point edge over the Philadelphia Flyers (28-22-11, 67 points) and idle New Jersey Devils (30-26-7, 67 points) for the final wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They also moved within three points of the idle Islanders (33-19-7, 73 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
* The Flyers scored three times in the first period en route to their 4-2 victory against the Arizona Coyotes and are 4-1-1 in their past six games. Michal Neuvirth (29 saves) is 5-1-2 in his past eight appearances and 15-7-4 (2.19 GAA, .928 SV%, 3 SO) this season. At 28-22-11 (67 points), the Flyers remained three points behind the Penguins for the final wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
* Max Pacioretty (2-0-2) scored twice in the third period to help the Montreal Canadiens extend their point streak to four games (3-0-1) and their home streak to six (5-0-1). Pacioretty picked up his third multi-goal game of the season (also Oct. 13 at PIT: 2-0-2 and Oct. 7 at TOR: 2-0-2), and leads the Canadiens with 23 goals this season. Mike Condon (31 saves) extended his personal point streak to four games (3-0-1) and is 16-17-5 (2.50 GAA, .906 SV%). At 30-27-5 (65 points), the Canadiens remained five points back of the Penguins (31-21-8, 70 points) for the final wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
* Brandon Dubinsky (0-1-1) scored the decisive goal in the shootout to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 7-1-3 record in their past 11 games. Scott Hartnell (1-1-2) had his eighth multi-point game of the season and leads the Blue Jackets with 20 goals and 41 points this season. Hartnell also reached the 20-goal mark for the third straight year and the ninth time in his 15 NHL seasons. Brandon Saad scored his 24th goal of the season (62 GP), eclipsing his NHL high of 23 from 2014-15 with the Chicago Blackhawks (82 GP). Joonas Korpisalo (28 saves) denied all three shooters in the shootout to pick up his third straight win and improve to 12-7-4 (2.62 GAA, .919 SV%). The Blue Jackets are 8-2-1 in 11 all-time home games against the Florida Panthers since Nov. 17, 2000 (FLA: 3-6-2).
MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr (742-1,105-1,847) had an assist to move within three points of tying Gordie Howe (801-1,049-1,850) for third on the NHL's all-time list.
* Playing his first game after missing three with an injury, Flyers captain Claude Giroux earned his 500th NHL point (161-339-500) and became the fourth member of the 2006 NHL Draft class to reach the milestone, joining Nicklas Backstrom (162-466-628), Phil Kessel (266-293-559) and Jonathan Toews (244-305-549). Giroux leads the Flyers with 17 goals and 50 points this season (58 GP).
* Mark Streit (0-3-3) had three assists in the first period for his second three-point game of the season (also Oct. 21 at BOS: 0-3-3). Per Elias, Streit became the first Flyers defenseman to earn three assists in a first period since Eric Weinrich on Oct. 26, 2002 at the Islanders. Streit (Bern, Switzerland) also reached 400 NHL points (89-311-400) and became the first Swiss-born player in League history to hit the milestone.
* Coyotes captain Shane Doan (0-1-1) skated in his 1,447th NHL game and passed Tim Horton (1,446 GP) for sole possession of 24th on the League's all-time games played list.
* Blues goaltender Pheonix Copley made five saves in his NHL debut (24:26 TOI).
* Panthers forward Jussi Jokinen (0-1-1) earned his 500th career point (168-332-500).
* Rangers defenseman Marc Staal skated in the 600th game of his NHL career (all with New York), becoming the 10th defenseman in their history to reach the milestone.
* Defenseman Seth Jones scored his first goal in a Blue Jackets uniform (22 GP).
LOOSE PUCKS
Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (0-5-5) and Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov (1-5-6) each stretched their point streaks to five games... Predators forwards Craig Smith (1-2-3) and Mike Ribeiro (0-3-3) each had three points... Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin (0-1-1) ranks third in the League with 32 goals and 68 points this season... The Canadiens have won 10 consecutive games against the Maple Leafs since March 1, 2014 (TOR: 0-6-4). Per Elias, Montreal's 10-game win streak is tied for the longest against Toronto in its history (also 10-0-0 from Jan. 2 - Nov. 12, 1958)... Senators forward Mark Stone (0-3-3) had his fourth three-point game of the season... Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (0-2-2) leads all skaters with 56 assists and all defensemen with 11 goals and 67 points this season... Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau (2-1-3) had his sixth multi-goal and seventh three-point game of the season to extend his point streak to a career-high seven games (3-8-11). Gaudreau leads the Flames in goals (24), assists (38) and points (62) this season. With 24 goals (60 GP), he matched his NHL high from 2014-15 (80 GP)... Flames defenseman T.J. Brodie (0-3-3) also had three points... The Kings are 10-2-1 in their past 13 home games against the Buffalo Sabres since Jan. 9, 1997 (BUF: 2-9-2)... The Blues acquired goaltender Anders Nilsson from the Edmonton Oilers for goaltender Niklas Lundstrom and a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft... The San Jose Sharks acquired goaltender James Reimer and forward Jeremy Morin from the Maple Leafs for goaltender Alex Stalock, forward Ben Smith and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft... The Panthers acquired forward Jiri Hudler from the Flames, forward Teddy Purcell from the Oilers and defenseman Jakub Kindl from the Detroit Red Wings in separate trades Saturday. The Flames received the Panthers' second-round pick in the 2016 draft and fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft. The Oilers received a third-round pick in the 2016 draft, and the Red Wings obtained a sixth-round pick in the 2017 draft... The Penguins acquired defenseman Justin Schultz from the Oilers for a third-round pick in the 2016 draft... The Coyotes claimed forward Jiri Sekac off waivers from the Blackhawks... The Predators honored former defenseman Kimmo Timonen in a pregame ceremony at Bridgestone Arena... Lifelong Blue Jackets fan Robby Bing Jr. participated in a ceremonial puck drop at Nationwide Arena. Bing was also invited to fly with the Blue Jackets on their team plane to New York to attend their Feb. 29 game at the Rangers.