The line of Mikko Rantanen (one goal, one assist), Nathan MacKinnon (two assists) and Gabriel Landeskog (one goal) provided the offense for the Colorado Avalanche in a 2-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens at Pepsi Center on Wednesday.
Rantanen, MacKinnon, and Landeskog have combined for an NHL-leading 155 points (60 goals, 95 assists). That’s 25 points more than the next-closest trio, Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning (130 points; 53 goals, 77 assists). The last time three teammates had a 25-point lead on the next-closest trio from another team entering play on Dec. 20 was 1995-96, when Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Ron Francis of the Pittsburgh Penguins (200 points; 74 goals, 126 assists) had a 57-point lead on Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic and Valeri Kamensky of Colorado (143 points; 50 goals, 93 assists).
In addition to Colorado and Tampa Bay, three other teams have seen their top three scorers combine for at least 120 points this season: Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk of the Calgary Flames (124 points; 50 goals, 74 assists); Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers (122 points; 46 goals, 76 assists), and Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets (120 points; 49 goals, 71 assists).
Landeskog’s goal was his League-leading seventh game-winner this season. Point and MacKinnon tied for the most in the NHL last season with 12. The record for the Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques franchise is 16, set by Michel Goulet in 1983-84.
Rantanen leads the NHL in scoring with 58 points (16 goals, 42 assists), and MacKinnon is second with 55 (21 goals, 34 assists). Landeskog is tied for 12th with 42 points (23 goals, 19 assists).
The Avalanche (19-10-6) have won at least 19 of their first 35 games for the 10th time overall but the first since 2013-14.
Video: MTL@COL: MacKinnon feeds Rantanen after turnover
Crosby, Penguins edge Ovechkin, Capitals
Center Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 2-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. Crosby has 68 points (22 goals, 46 assists) in 48 regular-season games against the Capitals and forward Alex Ovechkin. Pittsburgh is 29-17-2 in those games; Washington is 19-22-7.
It was Crosby’s 23rd multipoint game against the Capitals, his third-highest total against any team behind the New York Islanders (33) and Philadelphia Flyers (32). Crosby’s career total of 344 multipoint games is second among active NHL players behind forward Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks, who has 380. Ovechkin is third with 332.
The Penguins kept Ovechkin off the scoresheet, ending his six-game goal-scoring streak and 14-game point streak.
from A Viral Update http://bit.ly/2PS6P4s
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