Bruins beat Flyers to set NHL record with 63rd regular-season win

The Boston Bruins established a new NHL record for wins in a single regular season Sunday, claiming their 63rd in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Boston surpassed the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning and 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings, whom they tied Saturday night with a win over the New Jersey Devils. The league-leading Bruins set the record in their 80th game of 2022-23.

They need two more points to break the NHL single-season record.

The Bruins have skated circles around the rest of the league during this campaign. They clinched the Presidents' Trophy on March 30.

However, Boston has four shootout wins in 2022-23, along with five points earned in overtime or shootout losses - advantages from which the 1995-96 Red Wings and all other teams in NHL history before 2005-06 couldn't benefit.

The Bruins played without six key players Sunday: Linus Ullmark, Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, Taylor Hall, David Krejci, and Dmitry Orlov all sat out for various reasons.

David Pastrnak netted a hat trick in the win, capping it off with his 60th goal of the season that was also the 300th of his career.

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Report: Maple Leafs ink Hobey Baker finalist Knies

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed top prospect Matthew Knies, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.

Knies was one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, which the NCAA bestows annually to its top men's hockey player.

The 20-year-old winger produced 21 goals and 21 assists in 40 games with the University of Minnesota this season. He helped the Golden Gophers reach the national championship game, which they lost to Quinnipiac on Saturday.

Toronto drafted Knies 57th overall in 2021.

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McDavid ‘more comfortable’ using voice in 8th season

Finding the scoresheet in historic fashion isn't the only thing Connor McDavid feels he's excelled at in his eighth NHL season.

The Edmonton Oilers captain said he feels much more comfortable using his influence as the face of the NHL now than when he entered the league as one of the most highly regarded prospects ever.

"(Being guarded), it worked, it got me through that time," McDavid told NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "Now, like I said, I'm 26 years old, I've been around the league a long time, and I feel more comfortable just being me.

"I think the other thing for me was I cared a lot about what the older guys thought about me. … I feel like I'm in a place now where I have a little bit more respect in the game and can maybe speak (my) mind a little more freely."

Despite racking up awards and accolades throughout his entire career, McDavid has never been regarded as outspoken. In recent weeks, he's shared his desire for the NHL to organize a best-on-best international tournament and stressed the Oilers' support of the "Hockey is for Everyone" campaign amid Pride jersey controversies across the league.

"I understand my position in the game and that my voice carries some weight, so with that, what I talk about and when I talk about it is a little bit more strategic," McDavid said. "I put a little more thought into some things. And with that being said, the league has always been super, super open with me. They've always wanted to have conversations with me, and the players' association the same thing.

"So I feel very lucky to be in that position. I know not every guy gets that type of treatment, so if you do, you'll feel very lucky that way."

The Oilers drafted McDavid first overall in 2015 and made him the youngest captain in league history prior to his second season. He racked up 848 points in 567 games and is widely expected to claim his third Hart Trophy after notching the league's first 150-plus point season since 1995-96.

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Post-game: Fiery finish as Canucks top Flames in shootout

Sat Shah and Bik Nizzar breakdown the Canucks 3-2 shootout win over the Flames at Rogers Arena. Hear from Rick Tocchett, Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko and Thatcher Demko post game. Plus a few minutes from John Garrett on After Hours following his final home broadcast at Rogers Arena. 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

Marner sets career high for points in a season as Leafs pummel Canadiens

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner's three points in a 7-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night gave him a new career high of 98 in a single campaign.

Marner opened the scoring just over nine minutes into the game. He then notched the primary assist on John Tavares' tally around six minutes later to tie his previous personal best in the NHL, which he achieved last season. Marner buried his second goal of the contest - his 30th of the campaign - early in the second period for his 98th point of 2022-23.

Johnathan Kovacevic provided the Canadiens' lone goal less than three minutes into the second period.

Tavares added an insurance marker just over six minutes into the final frame, while William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Michael Bunting netted the other Toronto tallies. Matthews also registered three assists, while both Ryan O'Reilly and Erik Gustafsson picked up three helpers apiece for the Maple Leafs.

University of Toronto goaltender Jett Alexander entered the game for the Leafs in the final minute. Toronto signed the 23-year-old to an amateur tryout contract before the game, and he backed up Ilya Samsonov, who turned aside all but one of 21 shots.

Marner, who turns 26 next month, set the career high in his 78th game of the season. He racked up 97 points across only 72 contests in 2021-22.

The winger is only the second member of the Maple Leafs ever to produce back-to-back 97-point seasons or better. Doug Gilmour did so when he amassed 127 in 1992-93 and then 111 in 1993-94.

Toronto further solidified its second-place standing in the Atlantic Division, improving to 47-21-11. The Leafs will round out their regular-season schedule on the road against the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New York Rangers on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, respectively.

The Canadiens sit last in the Atlantic and are near the bottom of the league standings, falling to 31-43-6 with the defeat.

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McDavid becomes 1st player to notch 150 points since 1995-96

Connor McDavid became the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96 to reach the 150-point mark Saturday against the San Jose Sharks.

The Edmonton Oilers star buried his 63rd goal of the campaign to hit the plateau. It was his second point of the game after tallying an assist earlier in the contest.

McDavid is the sixth different player in league history to notch 150 points. Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Phil Esposito, Steve Yzerman, and Bernie Nicholls previously accomplished the feat.

The 26-year-old hadn't been born when Lemieux tallied 161 points in 1995-96.

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Crosby becomes 15th player to reach 1,500 career points

Sidney Crosby collected three points on Saturday afternoon against the Detroit Red Wings to become the 15th player in NHL history to reach 1,500 points.

The longtime Pittsburgh Penguins captain achieved the feat in his 1,188th career game with a power-play goal in the third period.

More to come.

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Devils sign Luke Hughes to entry-level contract

The New Jersey Devils signed 2021 fourth overall pick Luke Hughes to a three-year entry-level contract, the team announced Saturday.

Hughes, the younger brother of Devils superstar Jack and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn, recently completed his sophomore season at Michigan. He finished the campaign with 48 points and played a pivotal role in helping the Wolverines reach the Frozen Four, where they lost in the semis to Quinnipiac.

The 19-year-old has also represented the United States twice at the world juniors and won bronze this past winter as captain.

Hughes joined the Devils in Boston and will participate in Saturday's morning skate. There's no word if he'll make his NHL debut against the league-leading Bruins.

New Jersey enters Saturday's affair one point back of the Carolina Hurricanes for top spot in the Metropolitan Division with an extra game played.

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