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NHL MORNING SKATE – FEB. 11, 2020

THREE HARD LAPS

* Reigning winner accounted for both Tampa Bay goals as the Lightning moved within three points of the League-leading Bruins – who they trailed by 17 just over two months ago.

* The Islanders and Flyers, who are separated by just one in the tightly-contested Metropolitan Division standings, each earned wins ahead of their pivotal head-to-head matchup tonight at Barclays Center.

* The Canucks and Coyotes also earned key wins as they look to reach the Playoffs for the first time since 2015 and 2012, respectively.

KUCHEROV SCORES TWICE AS LIGHTNING EXTEND WIN STREAK Nikita Kucherov scored in regulation and added the winner as the Lightning (36-15-5, 77 points) extended their win streak to seven games – the longest active run in the NHL – and moved within three points of the League-leading Bruins (34-11-12, 80 points) for first place in the Atlantic Division standings.

* Kucherov, who paces the NHL in scoring since Jan. 1 (14-14—28 in 18 GP) and owns the League’s longest active point streak (10-10—20 in 11 GP), has posted 22 multi-point games this season – including nine over his last 10 outings.

* Kucherov became the seventh different player over the last 25 years (since 1994-95) to record multiple points nine times in a span of 10 games played, joining Philadelphia’s Eric Lindros (1994-95), Pittsburgh’s Jaromir Jagr (1995-96), Pittsburgh’s (1996-97 and 2002-03), Colorado’s (2003-04), Tampa Bay’s Vincent Lecavalier (2007-08) and ’s Connor McDavid (2018-19).

ISLANDERS, FLYERS EARN WINS AHEAD OF TUESDAY SHOWDOWN The Islanders and Flyers, who square off tonight at Barclays Center, each earned wins to gain ground in the Metropolitan Division standings – a logjam where positions Nos. 2-6 are separated by just six points.

* Anthony Beauvillier (2-0—2), Josh Bailey (0-3—3) and Brock Nelson (0-3—3) each posted multiple points as New York (32-16-6, 70 points) defeated Washington (36-15-5, 77 points) and reclaimed third place in the Metropolitan Division standings.

* Bailey, who registered all three of his points within the opening 20 minutes, became the first Islanders player to record three-plus assists in the first period of a game since Mariusz Czerkawski on Jan. 30, 2002 (0-3—3 at NYR). Only one player in franchise history has recorded more than three assists in a first period: Wendel Clark, who skated 58 games with New York in 1995-96.

* Philadelphia (31-18-7, 69 points) scored four unanswered goals to rally past Florida and move into the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

* The Flyers improved to 19-5-4 (42 points) at Wells Fargo Center in 2019-20 and own the second-best home record in the NHL this season – trailing only the League-leading Bruins. Carter Hart (30 saves), who made his return to the lineup, has accounted for all but five of Philadelphia’s home wins in 2019-20 (14-2-2; 1.65 GAA, .941 SV%, 1 SO).

PACIFIC DIVISION TEAMS RECORD KEY VICTORIES Three Pacific Division teams – including two which did not appear in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs – recorded key victories on Monday:

* Quinn Hughes (0-3—3) recorded his fourth three-assist game of the season to claim sole possession of first place in the rookie scoring race (8-36—44 in 56 GP), helping (31- 21-5, 67 points) open a three-point lead atop the Pacific Division standings and improve to 10-1- 0 in its last 11 home games. As part of Sedin Week, the Canucks celebrated Legends Night at where they honored the four franchise icons whose jerseys hang in the rafters: , , and Markus Naslund.

* Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead with 1:00 remaining in regulation as Arizona (28- 23-7, 63 points) earned a multi-goal comeback win over and moved within one point of idle Winnipeg (29-23-5, 63 points) – which occupies the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference standings. Chychrun became the fourth Coyotes player to score a go-ahead goal within the final minute of regulation on the road (since 1996-97), joining Keith Tkachuk on March 17, 1999 (59:59 at DET), Yanic Perreault on Dec. 28, 2006 (59:19 at SJS) and Derek Stepan on March 7, 2018 (59:02 at VAN).

QUICK CLICKS

* Matthew Tkachuk scores highlight-reel between-the-legs goal versus Sharks * Elvis Merzlikins, Kyle Connor, Andrei Vasilevskiy named NHL 'Three Stars' of the week * P.K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds tour NHL's Black Hockey History mobile museum truck * Jason Zucker traded to Penguins by Wild for Alex Galchenyuk * 2020 NHL Draft logo revealed by NHL, Canadiens

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION