NHL Lessons Learned: Four Different Streaks

Several teams continued their red-hot streaks in the latest week of NHL action.

Jacob Punturi | Mar 17, 2025

Mar 15, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) dives for the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

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The latest slate of NHL action saw more shake up in the postseason race. It's a weekly occurrence as the regular season winds down. With so much happening, let's dive into some of the biggest lessons learned from the NHL.

1. Streaks Aplenty

There are currently four different teams in the NHL with winning streaks of at least four games. The Carolina Hurricanes have won seven straight games, the Ottawa Senators have won six, the Los Angeles Kings have won five, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have won four. The Penguins are the only team of this group outside of the playoff race, but this hot stretch has put them within reach of one.

For the Hurricanes, Senators, and Kings, these hot streaks are serving as notices to the rest of the NHL. With the Stanley Cup race wide open, each team is showing that they could be difficult teams to eliminate in the postseason.

2. Stars and Avalanche Fated for Playoff Matchup

It seems the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche are fated to meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It's the opposite of what the Avs hoped would happen when they dealt superstar forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes.

However, the Hurricanes flipped him to the Dallas Stars, and now Rantanen is back in the Central Division. The two teams met for the first time since the Stars acquired Rantanen, and it was an epic game that needed overtime to settle.

The two organizations are separated by two points in the division standings. With the Winnipeg Jets leading the division by a nine-point margin, the Stars and Avalanche are staring down a highly anticipated meeting in the first round of the playoffs.

3. Neck and Neck Art Ross Race

The scoring race in the NHL is neck and neck. Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon leads Edmonton Oilers phenom Leon Draisaitl by three points, but the Oilers have two games in hand on the Avs. The winner of the Art Ross Trophy this season will come down to the final games of the regular season, so don't be surprised as these two continue trading places as the top scorer.

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Published Mar 17, 2025

JACOB PUNTURI