The 2018 Discover NHL Thanksgiving Showdown between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers (1 p.m. ET; NBC) begins the 14th day in League history to see 15 games played. The Los Angeles Kings are the only team not in action.
There are two more 15-game days scheduled this season (Dec. 29, April 6).
Five of the first 13 took place last season, when the NHL expanded to 31 teams with the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights. The first took place on Oct. 5, 2005, the opening night of the 2005-06 season.
Here are some highlights from the NHL’s previous 15-game days:
Team Scoring
The most combined goals scored on a 15-game day is 99 (including shootout-deciding goals), set on Oct. 25, 2008. The NHL record for most combined goals scored on any day is 103 on Jan. 23, 1993, when 12 games were played.
The most goals (including shootout goals) by one team on a 15-game day is eight by the Toronto Maple Leafs against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7, 2017 (8-5 win).
Individual scoring
There have been 15 hat tricks scored on 15-game days, including seven last season. Four goals has been scored by a player twice, with both occurrences coming last season (Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals on Oct. 7, 2017, and Mark Jankowski of the Calgary Flames on April 7, 2018).
Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov is the only player to have four assists on a 15-game day; he had an assist on each of Ovechkin’s four goals on Oct. 7, 2017. There have been 28 three-assist games, with half of them occurring last season.
Ovechkin is the runaway leader in goals and points on 15-game days. He has played on all 13 of such days and is first in goals (18) and points (23). Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks is second in goals with 10.
Center Nicklas Backstrom, Ovechkin’s longtime teammate with the Capitals, is second in points (17) and first in assists (14).
Video: M[email protected]: Ovi scores four in second game of season
Individual goaltending
Washington’s Braden Holtby is 7-2-0 on 15-game days and is the only goalie with seven wins. Roberto Luongo (6-2-0) of the Florida Panthers, and Ryan Miller (6-0-2) of the Vancouver Canucks are next with six wins each. Pekka Rinne (4-0-0 in five games) is the only goaltender with at least five appearances and no losses.
A total of 18 goalies have made at least 40 saves on a 15-game day. The only one to make at least 50 was Cam Ward, then with the Carolina Hurricanes, who made 57 saves in a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders on Oct. 25, 2008. The 57th save came on a penalty shot by Doug Weight with one second remaining in the third period.
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