The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Washington Capitals 5-4 in overtime on Thursday to punch their ticket to the postseason.

The win marked the 15th straight playoff berth for the Pens, a franchise record and the longest active streak in North American professional sports.

The Penguins have not missed the playoffs since 2005-06 - Mario Lemieux's final season and Sidney Crosby's rookie campaign.

Pittsburgh previously made the playoffs for 11 straight seasons from 1990-91 to 2000-01.

The Boston Bruins own the NHL record of 29 straight years with a trip to the postseason from 1967-68 to 1995-96. The Detroit Red Wings' recent 25-season streak from 1990-91 to 2015-16 is tied for the third-longest in league history.

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The American Hockey League won't host a traditional playoff bracket this season due to COVID-19 protocols, president and CEO Scott Howson announced Thursday.

Each of the league's five divisions was provided the chance to independently conduct its own playoff format, but only the Pacific Division will do so.

Here are the teams involved in the Pacific Division's postseason bracket and their corresponding NHL affiliates in order of the current standings.

The 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs were also canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. The Charlotte Checkers, the Carolina Hurricanes' farm team, won the most recent championship in 2019.

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Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ryan Miller is retiring at the end of the regular season, he announced Thursday.

"It was a dream come true when I played my first NHL game, and it has been a privilege to spend 18 years as a professional," Miller said. "I have decided that I am going to retire after the season having been given more time doing what I love than I could ever have hoped for. Thank you to you my teammates and staff, past and present. I'm thankful to so many who made my career possible and helped me on my journey from youth hockey to the NHL. Thank you to my family for supporting me with so much love and enthusiasm."

The Buffalo Sabres drafted Miller in the fifth round in 1999, and he debuted with the club during the 2002-03 season. He spent 11 years in Buffalo and also had stops with the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks before joining the Ducks in 2017.

The 40-year-old is the winningest American-born goalie in NHL history with 390 victories, which also ranks 14th all time. Miller dominated at his peak and won the Vezina Trophy in the 2009-10 season with a 41-18-8 record, .929 save percentage, and 36.2 goals saved above average. He also captured a silver medal at the Olympics in 2010, posting a .946 clip in six games before falling to Canada in overtime in the final.

For his career, Miller owns a .914 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average in 794 appearances.

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Philadelphia Flyers netminder Carter Hart is out for the remainder of the season due to an MCL sprain in his left knee, the team announced Thursday.

Hart struggled in his third NHL season after putting together a pair of promising campaigns to begin his career. He's set to become a restricted free agent this summer.

The 22-year-old ranks last in save percentage (.877), goals-against average (3.67), and goals-saved above average (-22.93) among all goalies with at least 15 appearances this season.

Hart finished ninth in Calder Trophy voting after a stellar rookie campaign in 2018-19. He followed that up with a solid sophomore season and was excellent in the 2020 playoffs, boasting a .926 save percentage over 14 outings.

The Flyers sit 11 points back of the final playoff spot in the East Division with only seven games remaining.

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Late in the second period of Tuesday's Boston Bruins-Pittsburgh Penguins game, Charlie McAvoy corralled a short pass from goalie Tuukka Rask deep in Boston's end. He then transitioned from backward to forward skating, jetting north with a purposeful stride and aspirations of finding an open seam and teammate.

Near the red line, McAvoy shuffled a pass straight ahead to a streaking David Krejci, who subsequently took care of business in the Penguins' zone by dangling a defender and backhanding the puck past the goaltender:

Krejci's highlight-reel snipe opened the scoring in an eventual 3-1 win for Boston, and his magic with the puck was rightfully lauded on both the home and away broadcasts.

But the sequence also offered a snapshot of why McAvoy - who logged a game-high 27:52 of ice time Tuesday - is now unquestionably one of the NHL's premier defensemen at the age of 23.

McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk (with help from the Bruins' defensively responsible first forward line) limited Pittsburgh's top trio of Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, and Jake Guentzel to only eight five-on-five shot attempts - none of which qualified as "high danger" - in over 11 minutes of head-to-head action. The teams' expected goals marks in those minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick, were a decisive 1.6 to 0.2 for Boston.

Old rival and new teammate Taylor Hall wouldn't be surprised by those stats; the former MVP marveled Monday at McAvoy's versatility.

"In this league, it's one thing to be offensive, it's one thing to produce on the power play, but if you can shut down the other team's best players five-on-five and be physical and make the game hard on them, it's a whole other story," said Hall, whom the Bruins acquired before the trade deadline.

"That's what the best guys do year after year. I've seen it, I've had to play against those guys, and it's just not fun. Shift after shift, you kind of get worn down, and that's what Charlie can do to teams."

Hall, who's known for being a studious pro, also praised McAvoy's puck-moving abilities, wicked shot, and knack for cutting off shooting and passing lanes.

"The way he reads the game and the way he moves his feet is pretty elite," he said.

As for McAvoy's ceiling as an NHLer?

"Still pretty untapped."

McAvoy has been relishing the role of the alpha dog after the departures of top-four defenseman Torey Krug and ex-partner Zdeno Chara, who both left Boston as free agents last offseason. The increased responsibility and pressure created by their departures would have overwhelmed some, but they've had the opposite effect on McAvoy. Frankly, he deserves to be in the Norris Trophy discussion as awards talk intensifies.

A loaded 2020-21 Norris field means McAvoy has a slim chance of winning the award for the defenseman "who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position." Adam Fox, Cale Makar, Victor Hedman, and perhaps one or two others are jockeying for that honor. But voters should save one of the five spots on their ballots for Boston's No. 73. After all, he has the all-around part nailed down.

In terms of pure production, McAvoy is 26th among NHL defensemen with 26 points in 44 games. If he were on the Bruins' top power-play unit, rather than their second, he might have a handful more. Regardless, his attention to detail - whether Boston has the puck or not - has produced some startling data.

Advanced stats website Evolving-Hockey.com ranks the duo of McAvoy and Grzelcyk (who is no slouch himself) first in expected goals share (64.8%) and fifth in goals share (68.4%) among 91 NHL defense pairs that have played at least 200 minutes at five-on-five this season. The Bruins have also outscored opponents 13-6 at five-on-five when McAvoy and Grzelcyk are both on the ice.

Not only does the McAvoy-Grzelcyk pairing tilt the ice in Boston's favor by generating a ton of high-quality looks for the Bruins while suppressing such chances for the opposition, but it also positively impacts the final score.

"He's one of those guys that, when you get out there with him, you're like, 'OK, this is a shift,' you're like, 'Let's get going,'" Hall said. "So it's been a lot of fun and, like I said, I still think he's going to get better and better."

Just call him Mr. Consistency

David Perron is a man of many nicknames: DP, French Toast, Mr. Overtime.

I'd like to suggest a new one: Mr. Consistency.

Perron, the Blues' assassin-like winger, is in his 14th NHL season. After his rookie campaign, he recorded nine straight seasons with a points per game average between 0.51 and 0.74. In his four most recent seasons, he's moved closer to a point-a-game player. Perron's been, well, consistently productive.

So consistent, in fact, that he's quietly tied for 80th in points per game among 416 skaters who have played at least 500 games since his rookie year in 2007-08. Not bad for a guy who has shuffled around the league as a piece in three trades and was a pick in the 2017 expansion draft.

"It's about him and his will and hanging on to pucks in the offensive zone," Blues head coach Craig Berube said when asked what's kept Perron relevant and effective. "Keeping pucks alive and finding a way to make plays and get pucks to the net. It's all about how competitive he is more than anything."

Perron's competitiveness can linger between poor outings, Berube explained. He might take something personally but will eventually turn the page.

"He wants to win, he wants to do well, and he really thrives off that," Berube said. "I've had a number of conversations with him where he comes and just sees me. He's upset about something, and he gets it off his chest."

Perron has bagged 14 goals and 33 assists in 47 games during this truncated season. He's having a career year, producing exactly one point per game.

It's notable he's still competing at all after suffering multiple concussions over his career. Perron, who turns 33 on May 28, is on track to play his 1,000th NHL game (postseason included) during the first round of this year's playoffs.

Bravo.

Faceoff prowess comes later

The faceoff circle is historically one area of the ice where rookies struggle.

Seriously, it seems like virtually all incoming centers get absolutely crushed on draws. It makes perfect sense, though. The faceoff is a learned mind game that also requires high baseline strength; rookies haven't been exposed to opponents' tendencies and aren't always fully mature physically.

Patrice Bergeron, Luke Glendening, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Claude Giroux, and Ryan O'Reilly own the highest faceoff win percentages among players who have taken at least 250 draws this season. They're all hovering around 60%.

Let's juxtapose each pivot's current faceoff percentage with their respective rookie rates:

Those numbers make Josh Norris look like a faceoff savant. The Ottawa Senators rookie has won 333 of 631 draws (52.8%) this season, and though sample size shouldn't be forgotten when considering the 21-year-old's rate through 49 games, the early returns are a boon for Norris and the rebuilding Sens.

Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans (49.8% on 327 draws) is the only other rookie punching above 48%. Eetu Luostarinen of the Florida Panthers (48% on 398), Gabriel Vilardi of the Los Angeles Kings (45.6% on 539), and Pius Suter of the Chicago Blackhawks (43% on 561) round out the eligible first-year players. Man, it ain't easy in the circle.

Tkachuk bros vs. Hughes bros

Time for a hypothetical scenario.

You run an NHL team and can have either the Tkachuk brothers or the Hughes brothers on your team immediately and for a significant period of time (let's say five years). Do you pick Brady and Matthew Tkachuk or Jack and Quinn Hughes?

"I think I lean Tkachuk here," texted one member of an Eastern Conference team's front office (who, for the record, doesn't work for Ottawa or the New Jersey Devils).

"I don't know," he messaged again after mulling over the question for a minute. "It's a hard one to answer without knowing what team/core I have."

He continued: "Tkachuk brothers score OK. But they make an enormous impact analytically, and they make another huge impact that isn't measurable and is designed for (playoff) hockey.

"You have a lot more work to do if your hole is 1C/1D and have two elite wingers (like Brady and Matthew Tkachuk) ... If you can acquire an average core on top of those two, you're in great shape.

"If you have an average core in addition to the Hughes brothers, though, I'm not sure you're going on many (deep playoff) runs."

The insinuation is that while the Hughes brothers are supremely talented and fill premium roles - Jack a No. 1 center, Quinn a top-pair defenseman - the Tkachuk brothers' unique throwback style is more conducive to winning Stanley Cups. Still, there's no simple answer.

I also polled Twitter on this hypothetical. Of the 505 users who voted, 52.1% indicated they would take the Hughes combo, while 47.9% would take the Tkachuk duo. (I'm personally torn but would probably go with Team Hughes.)

Of course, this debate will be irrelevant in due time, with a third Hughes brother - Luke, an elite, draft-eligible blue-liner - entering the NHL soon.

3 parting thoughts

San Jose Sharks: It's another miserable year in Silicon Valley. The Sharks' overpaid veterans aren't living up to their contracts. Other players in the prime of their careers, like Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc, aren't popping as they should. The next wave of players doesn't have a particularly high collective ceiling, either. It might be time to bid farewell to GM Doug Wilson, who's been on the job a whopping 18 years. Something has to give, and firing another head coach won't be enough.

Calder Trophy: Props to Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars for a stellar season, but, in my opinion, Kirill Kaprizov remains the front-runner for rookie of the year. The Minnesota Wild phenom is basically neck-and-neck with Robertson in points per game despite skating with inferior linemates (Victor Rask and Mats Zuccarello versus Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz), and he's legitimately changed Minnesota's trajectory as a franchise. And enough with the "Kaprizov's old" nonsense. At 24, he qualifies for the award; end of story.

Jared McCann: It's nice to see McCann finally burying a bunch of goals with that lethal shot of his. He's up to 13 tallies in 37 games this season after campaigns of 19 in 78 and 14 in 66. Going back to his junior days, McCann's shot has always been his calling card. Sometimes it takes lining up with an elite playmaker (Crosby on the Penguins' power play, for example) to break through. I'm anxious to see if this momentum affects the 24-year-old's career arc.

Takes, Thoughts, and Trends is theScore's monthly hockey grab bag.

John Matisz is theScore's senior hockey writer. You can follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) and contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com)

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Welcome to the fourth edition of theScore's Norris Trophy Power Rankings.

These rankings focus on analytics and the all-around ability of defensemen based on this season's results rather than just points or reputation.

• xGF% = the share of expected goals a team produces while a player is on the ice at five-on-five
• GF% = goals for percentage at five-on-five
• GAR = goals above replacement-level player

This edition dates back to March 25.

5. Jakob Chychrun, Coyotes

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Who had Chychrun leading all NHL blue-liners in goals? Probably nobody. He's second on his team among all skaters in goals and points, too.

The 23-year-old is doing more than just producing offense, though. He's surpassed Oliver Ekman-Larsson as Arizona's No. 1 D-man, leading the team in ice time. His underlying numbers aren't quite elite, but they're impressive when you consider he plays for a poor team.

4. Dougie Hamilton, Hurricanes

Previous ranking: Not ranked

As a pending unrestricted free agent, Hamilton is playing himself into a handsome payday. He's racked up 14 points in 18 games with a 60.3 xGF% since the last edition of these rankings.

He ranks in the top 20 among defensemen in xGF% this season, and he and his partner Jaccob Slavin - who is also excellent - usually take on tough matchups. The Hurricanes are still a great team without Hamilton on the ice, which hurts his case a bit, but they're undoubtedly better when he's out there.

3. Charlie McAvoy, Bruins

Previous ranking: Not ranked

McAvoy's spot on this list may cause some disagreement since he's not as dynamic offensively as other rearguards, but he's still playing at a near 50-point pace over 82 games. However, his ability to defend and transport the puck up the ice is among the best in the game.

Without McAvoy on the ice, Boston's GF% and xGF% drop by nearly 10 percent. He's carrying an unheralded Bruins blue line.

2. Cale Makar, Avalanche

Previous ranking: Not ranked

There's a fair argument that Makar doesn't belong on this list, considering he missed 12 games due to injury. What he's done since his return from injury - and on the year as a whole - make him worthy, though.

Not only is Makar playing at a point per game pace, but his underlying numbers are off the charts, too. His xGF% is in the top 10 among defensemen, and he still leads all blue-liners in GAR despite the missed time.

1. Adam Fox, Rangers

Previous ranking: 3

Fox is beginning to run away with the award - at least he should be, anyway. Not only does he lead all defensemen in points, but his underlying numbers further demonstrate just how valuable he's been this season.

With Fox on the ice, the Rangers' GF% and xGF% sit at 61.3 and 56.2, respectively. Without him, they each fall by over 10 percent. Those aren't inflated by his usage, either, as he draws tough assignments, and his offensive zone start percentage is just 46. He's also carried his partner Ryan Lindgren - who has struggled mightily without Fox.

Honorable mentions: Shea Theodore, Sam Girard, Devon Toews

Why Hedman's omitted

It's fair to wonder why Victor Hedman, the consensus top defenseman in the league, is absent from this list - especially considering he's second among blue-liners in points.

With Hedman on the ice, the Lightning have a 50.6 GF% and 51.3 xGF%. Without him, their GF% is up to 59.2 and xGF% is 54.1. Hedman doesn't even draw the toughest assignments, as Ryan McDonagh's pairing generally handles those.

Hedman's underlying numbers have gotten worse since the previous edition of these rankings, as his GF% and xG% are 38.9 and 48.4 in the last month, respectively.

He's likely still the best defenseman in the game, but that just hasn't been the case this season - especially of late.

(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)

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