Overview
- Colorado routed St. Louis 6–1 in Denver as Valeri Nichushkin scored three times (2nd, 4th, 57th minutes) and Nathan MacKinnon added two goals and two assists to reach 70 points in 39 games and lead the scoring race on the goals tiebreak.
- The NHL named Nichushkin the second star of the day, with Nashville’s Steven Stamkos first after his 600th regular‑season goal and Washington’s Tom Wilson third following a 3‑point night.
- Washington closed 2025 with a 6–3 win over the Rangers, where Wilson posted two goals and an assist for a Gordie Howe hat trick and Alexander Ovechkin’s assist brought him to 612 career power‑play points, tied for ninth all time with Phil Housley.
- Artemi Panarin recorded two assists in the loss, giving him at least 90 points for a fifth consecutive calendar year and placing him in a select group of non–North American players to do so.
- In Ottawa on Jan. 1, Artem Zub’s trip sent Alexei Protas into the boards and sparked a skirmish involving Ovechkin; officials gave Zub a double minor for roughing and tripping and assessed Dylan Strome two minutes for roughing, and Protas returned to the game.