Rangers win tightens top of Metropolitan

RANGERS CREATE LOG JAM IN TIGHT EASTERN CONFERENCE

* Vesey's goal was his fourth game-winning goal of the season, tied for second among rookies with Patrik Laine and Mitchell Marner. Only Auston Matthews (six) has more game-winners.
* J.T. Miller had an assist to extend his point streak to seven games (2-9-11), matching his NHL career-high from Dec. 29 - Jan. 14 (5-5-10 in 7 GP). Miller leads the Rangers with 18-28-46 this season, establishing NHL career highs in assists and points.

MONDAY'S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps
NY Rangers 3, COLUMBUS 2
Arizona 5, CALGARY 0

SMITH MATCHES FRANCHISE RECORD IN COYOTES WIN

Mike Smith made 36 saves to earn his 21st shutout with the Arizona Coyotes (second this season) and help the Coyotes improve to 6-2-1 in their past nine games. Smith moved into a tie with Nikolai Khabibulin and Ilya Bryzgalov for the most shutouts in Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
* Rookie forward Christian Dvorak (2-1-3) had his first NHL three-point game, his third multipoint game in his past five (5-2-7).

STADIUM SERIES CONSTRUCTION BEGINS IN PITTSBURGH

Preparations are underway for the fourth and final outdoor game of the season as Heinz Field in Pittsburgh began its transformation for the 2017 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, which will feature the Flyers and Penguins on Feb. 25 (8 p.m. ET; NBC, SN, TVA Sports 2, NHL.TV). The venue hosted one previous outdoor game, the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, where the Capitals defeated the Penguins 3-1.

LOOSE PUCKS

Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby unveiled a
You Can Play themed mask
, which will be auctioned off in support of Hockey Is For Everyone. … The Capitals
held a hockey clinic
and the Calgary Flames

as part of Hockey Is For Everyone month. … Minnesota Wild forward Jason Pominville, St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen and Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson were named the
NHL "Three Stars" for the week
. … The NHL unveiled
original portraits of Johnny Bucyk and Glenn Hall,
two of the 100 Greatest NHL Players presented by Molson Canadian.

SNEAK PEEK AT TUESDAY'S ACTION

All Times Eastern
Colorado @ New Jersey, 7 p.m., MSG, ALT, NHL.TV
Vancouver @ Pittsburgh, 7 p.m., SN, TVAS, NHLN-US, ROOT, NHL.TV
NY Islanders @ Toronto, 7:30 p.m., TSN4, MSG+, NHL.TV
Buffalo @ Ottawa, 7:30 p.m., TSN5, RDS, MSG-B, NHL.TV
Anaheim @ Minnesota, 8 p.m., FS-WI, FS-N+, PRIME, NHL.TV
Dallas @ Winnipeg, 8 p.m., TSN3, FS-SW, NHL.TV
Arizona @ Edmonton, 9 p.m., SNW, FS-A, NHL.TV

TOP SCORERS RETURN TO ACTION

Two of the top three scorers in the NHL take the ice tonight:
* Connor McDavid (18-43-61) looks to add to his League-leading point total when the Edmonton Oilers (29-19-8, 66 points) host the Coyotes (19-28-7, 45 points), who are 3-0-1 in their past four games. The Oilers are third in the Pacific Division, six points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings (28-23-4, 60 points), who occupy the final wild card in the Western Conference.
* Sidney Crosby (30-30-60) continues his pursuit of 1,000 NHL points (368-630-998 in 755 GP) when the Penguins (34-13-7, 75 points) welcome the Vancouver Canucks (25-25-6, 56 points) to PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins, who are part of a three-way tie in terms of points for second place in the Metropolitan Division, rank second in the League in home wins (22) and home points (47) this season.