NHL MORNING SKATE – JAN. 20, 2020

THREE HARD LAPS

* found the score sheet to register his second 10-game streak of the season and become the 90th player in NHL history to collect 1,000 regular-season points.

* factored on two of four unanswered Penguins goals to lead Pittsburgh to its third three- comeback win of 2019-20 (also Nov. 7, 2019 at NYI and Nov. 27, 2019 vs. VAN).

* In his first game back with the Hurricanes after signing a one-year contract with the club on Jan. 7, helped Carolina climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

KANE FINDS THE SCORE SHEET AGAIN, COLLECTS 1,000TH CAREER POINT Patrick Kane (380-620—1,000 in 953 GP), a 31-year-old native of Buffalo, N.Y., found the score sheet for the 10th straight game dating to Dec. 31, 2019 (4-11—15 in 10 GP) and became the 90th player in NHL history to collect 1,000 regular-season points.

* Kane (31 years, 61 days) also became the youngest U.S. player to reach 1,000 career regular- season points, eclipsing (32 years, 13 days) who spent eight seasons with Chicago from 1988-89 to 1995-96. In fact, only three active players – regardless of nationality – have hit the milestone at age 31 or younger: Sidney Crosby (29 years, 193 days), Alex Ovechkin (31 years, 116 days) and Joe Thornton (31 years, 280 days).

* The Blackhawks forward also became the 10th player of U.S. nationality in NHL history to record 1,000 career points and is among a group of six to reach the milestone in fewer than 1,000 games.

* Kane is the fourth player in franchise history to record 1,000 regular-season points with Chicago, joining (541-926—1,467 in 1,396 GP), (604-549—1,153 in 1,036 GP) and (377-719—1,096 in 881 GP).

* Additionally, Kane became the ninth former first-overall pick to record 1,000 regular-season points with one franchise, joining (1,723 w/ PIT), Joe Thornton (1,043 w/ SJS), Mike Modano (1,359 w/ DAL), (1,246 w/ MTL), Gilbert Perreault (1,326 w/ BUF), Alex Ovechkin (1,258 w/ WSH), Sidney Crosby (1,239 w/ PIT) and Denis Potvin (1,052 w/ NYI).

* Chicago’s leading scorer this season (24-38—62 in 50 GP) has strung together a point streak of at least 10 games for the seventh time in his career and second of 2019-20 (11-13—24 in 15 GP from Nov. 2-30, 2019). His seven such runs are the second-most among active NHL players and trail only Penguins Crosby (9).

PENGUINS ERASE EARLY 3-0 DEFICIT, STUN BRUINS AT PPG PAINTS ARENA After David Pastrnak (1-1—2) capped a run of three straight Bruins goals with his 70th point and League-leading 37th goal, Sidney Crosby (0-2—2) factored on two of four unanswered Penguins goals to lead Pittsburgh to its third three-goal comeback win of 2019-20 (also Nov. 7, 2019 at NYI and Nov. 27, 2019 vs. VAN).

* The 2019-20 campaign marks the second time in Penguins history the franchise has collected three such wins in a single season, joining 2008-09 (Nov. 11, 2008 at DET, Nov. 26, 2008 at NYI and Feb. 4, 2009 vs. TBL).

* Additionally, the Red Wings (1989-90), Oilers (1983-84) and North Stars (1983-84) are the only teams in NHL history to have collected more than three such victories in a single season (all w/ 4).

* The 18 total three-goal comeback wins through this point of the season (758 GP) are the most since 1989-90 (29) – which also stands as the highest such total through the first 758 games of any season in League history.

WILLIAMS LEADS HURRICANES IN RETURN TO THE LINEUP In his first game back with the Hurricanes after signing a one-year contract with the club on Jan. 7, Justin Williams (13:06 TOI) netted the decisive goal in the eighth round of the shootout to help Carolina (28-18-3, 59 points) leapfrog Philadelphia (26-17-6, 58 points) into the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

* The Hurricanes improved to 10-4-3 in one-goal games this season and stand as one of 18 teams with double-digit victories in such contests in 2019-20. The Flames pace all teams in one- goal game victories this season (16-2-5).

BLUE JACKETS SCORE LATE TO STEAL FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN Oliver Bjorkstrand (2-0—2) scored twice including the go-ahead goal with 27 seconds remaining in regulation as the Blue Jackets (26-16-8, 60 points) earned their fifth consecutive win and matched their longest such run of the season (also 5 GP from Dec. 16-23, 2019).

* Bjorkstrand is the NHL’s second player to score a go-ahead in the final 30 seconds of regulation this season – and second in a span of three days (also: Rangers forward Chris Kreider on Jan. 16 at NYI: 59:35).

* Matiss Kivlenieks turned aside 31 shots to earn his first NHL win and help Columbus reclaim the Eastern Conference’s first Wild Card spot. The 23-year-old is the second rookie goaltender to backstop the Blue Jackets to a win recently after 25-year-old Elvis Merzlikins (4-0-0 since Jan. 11) burst onto the scene. The 2019-20 campaign is the third in franchise history two feature two rookie netminders each earn at least one win. The others: (33) and Daniel Lacosta (2) in 2008-09 as well as Joonas Korpisalo (16) and Anton Forsberg (1) in 2015-16.

* Columbus, meanwhile, is the third to feature wins from a pair of rookie goaltenders this season, joining Colorado (Antoine Bibeau: 1 and Adam Werner: 1) and Florida (Chris Driedger: 5 and Sam Montembeault: 4).

QUICK CLICKS

* Game of the Decade: Bruins stun Maple Leafs in Game 7 of 2013 Conference Quarterfinals * Craig Berube of Blues expects his first NHL All-Star Game to be 'pretty cool’ * Facts and Figures: Saturday scoring surge * Sidney Crosby makes amazing no-look, between-the-legs assist seem easy * Erik Karlsson, Timo Meier show support for 49ers in conference championship game

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION