Trocheck helps Panthers keep rolling

TROCHECK, PANTHERS CLIMB ATLANTIC
Vincent Trocheck (1-3-4) factored on four of his team's six goals to help the Florida Panthers extend their home point streak to six games (4-0-2).
* At 37-21-9 (83 points), the Panthers maintained a six-point edge over the Detroit Red Wings (33-23-11, 77 points), who also won Thursday, for third place in the Atlantic Division. They also tied the idle Tampa Bay Lightning (39-23-5, 83 points), in terms of points, for second. Tampa Bay owns the ROW tiebreaker (36-31).

* Trocheck matched career highs with three assists and four points, set earlier this season (Oct. 10 vs. the Philadelphia Flyers: 1-3-4). Trocheck (20-25-45) reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his three NHL seasons.
* Jaromir Jagr (2-0-2) had his fifth multiple-goal game of 2015-16 and continues to pace the club with 23-28-51.
* Jagr reached the 50-point milestone for the 20th time in his 22 NHL seasons. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the fifth player in NHL history to have 20 or more seasons with 50 or more points, joining Ron Francis (22), Gordie Howe (22), Mark Messier (20) and Ray Bourque (20).
* Jagr had his 127th career multiple-goal performance (1,614 GP). Elias says that is tied for ninth place in NHL history (w/ Mike Bossy: 752 GP).
HURRICANES, DEVILS AND CANADIENS INCH CLOSER TO WILD CARD SPOT
The Carolina Hurricanes (31-26-11, 73 points), New Jersey Devils (32-29-7, 71 points) and Montreal Canadiens (32-30-6, 70 points) each earned victories Thursday to inch closer to the idle Pittsburgh Penguins (34-24-8, 76 points) for the final wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

* Phillip Di Giuseppe scored his first career overtime goal at 1:30 of the extra period as the Hurricanes extended their point streak to four games (3-0-1). Per Elias, Di Giuseppe became the first Hurricanes rookie to score a regular-season overtime goal since Justin Faulk on March 6, 2012 at the Washington Capitals (4-3 OT W). At 31-26-11 (73 points), the Hurricanes climbed within three points of the Penguins for the second wild card.
* Keith Kinkaid made 30 saves and Travis Zajac (2-0-2) scored twice as the Devils shut out the San Jose Sharks. It was Kinkaid's second NHL shutout; the other came in a 1-0 victory against the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 14. Zajac had his second multiple-goal game of the season (also Oct. 29 at the Philadelphia Flyers: 2-0-2). At 32-29-7 (71 points), the Devils climbed within five points of the Penguins.
* Torrey Mitchell notched the go-ahead goal with 6:39 left in regulation against his former club to help the Canadiens stretch their home point streak to eight games (7-0-1), including three straight wins. At 32-30-6 (70 points), the Canadiens climbed within six points of the Penguins.
AROUND THE RINKS
* The Detroit Red Wings overcame a 2-0 deficit with three unanswered goals, including the tie-breaker by Justin Abdelkader (1-1-2) with 4:36 left in the third period, to improve to 6-1-1 in their past eight home games. Dylan Larkin scored his 20th goal of the season and is tied for second among all rookies (w/ Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres). Per Elias, he became the first Red Wings rookie to reach the 20-goal mark since Henrik Zetterberg in 2002-03 (22). At 33-23-11 (77 points), the Red Wings leapfrogged the idle Penguins (34-24-8, 76 points) for sole possession of the first wild card spot in the East.
* Connor McDavid scored the game-winning goal with 7:29 left in regulation to lead the Edmonton Oilers to their fourth victory in their past five road contests (4-1-0). McDavid has 9-14-23 in 20 game since returning from injury. He is seventh among rookies with 14-21-35 overall (33 GP), despite missing 37 games. Cam Talbot (29 saves) improved to 5-1-0 in his past six games, allowing a total of seven goals (.964 SV%).
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: ALEX GALCHENYUK
Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk (2-0-2) had his third consecutive multi-goal game (6-1-7), his fourth multiple-goal performance in his past five games (8-1-9) and his fifth such effort in his past eight games (11-1-12).
Courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau:
* Galchenyuk became the first Canadiens player with three consecutive multigoal efforts since Brian Savage from Oct. 25-28, 1995 (7-1-8).
* Galchenyuk became the first Canadiens player with four multigoal efforts in a five-game span since Rejean Houle from Nov. 14-22, 1980 (8-3-11).
* Galchenyuk became the first Canadiens player with five multigoal efforts in an eight-game span since Jean Beliveau from Feb. 28 - March 15, 1959 (13-10-23).
MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Winnipeg Jets forward Blake Wheeler skated in the 600th game of his NHL career.
* Forward Marko Dano scored his first goal in a Jets uniform (7 GP).
LOOSE PUCKS
Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson (1-1-2) had his 19th multiple-point game of the season. He leads all skaters with 58 assists and all defensemen with 12-58-70. ... Panthers forward Jussi Jokinen (1-1-2) stretched his point streak to nine games (2-9-11), one shy of his career high, set from Jan. 28 - March 2, 2010 with Carolina (9-4-13 in 10 GP). ... Senators forward Zack Smith (1-1-2) reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career and stretched his career-high point streak to seven games (5-3-8), including goals in four straight games (4-1-5). ... Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele (0-1-1) stretched his point streak to six games (6-3-9), matching his career high from Dec. 12-22, 2013 (3-5-8). ... Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron (0-1-1) stretched his point streak to six games (5-3-8). ... Forward Devante Smith-Pelly (1-0-1) has 3-1-4 in four games since being acquired by the Devils from Montreal. ... MUST SEE: Bruins forward David Pastrnak beat Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward with a no-look wrist shot, sending the cap of Ward's water bottle flying. ... Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Bill Gadsby, who played 20 seasons for the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Red Wings, passed away on Thursday at the age of 88. ... Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog has been suspended for three games, without pay, for cross-checking Anaheim Ducks defenseman Simon Despres during a game in Denver on March 9. ... Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has been suspended for three games, without pay, for violating Rule 46.2 (Aggressor) during an altercation with Sharks defenseman Roman Polak during a game in Edmonton on March 8. ... The Wild hosted You Can Play Awareness Night at Xcel Energy Center. ... The Canadiens awarded defenseman P.K. Subban the Jean Beliveau Trophy in a pregame ceremony at Bell Centre, presented annually to a member of the team to recognize his charitable activities and involvement in the community/ ... The Sharks honored former forward Ray Whitney in a pregame ceremony at SAP Center.