Yandle’s ‘Iron Man’ streak ends at 989
The Philadelphia Flyers scratched defenseman
Keith Yandle for Saturday night’s game against Toronto, ending the NHL’s Iron Man record for consecutive games played at 989.
The 35-year-old Yandle started his streak March 26, 2009, with Phoenix. He passed retired center Doug Jarvis for the mark of 965 games on Jan. 25 against the Islanders. Yandle, who played for the Panthers from 2016-21, was a healthy scratch.
The Flyers are one of the worst teams in the NHL and looking at a youth movement down the stretch with a 21-35-11 (53 points) record heading into Saturday’s game.
“We’re at the point in the season where as an organization it’s important we get some young players in,” Flyers coach Mike Yeo said. “We have to have an eye on the future and what’s coming down the road. We have to give some new guys an opportunity.”
Arizona Coyotes forward
Phil Kessel now has the longest active streak at 968 consecutive games played.
Yandle has only one goal and 15 assists in 67 games.
“It’s kind of been one of those things toward the end of the year when you’re signing young guys and getting free agents out of college, they’re going to give them a chance to play,” Yandle said after Saturday morning’s skate. “It’s tough to have a bad
Yandle day in the NHL. But getting the news you’re not playing is not what you want to hear.”
Avalanche 3, Penguins 2: Devon Toews scored with 4:26 remaining, Darcy Kuemper stopped 38 shots and host Colorado tied the franchise record for most home wins in a season after beating Pittsburgh.
It was win No. 28 at Ball Arena, matching Colorado’s marks from 2000-01 and 2017-18. At 28-4-3, Colorado possesses the league’s top home record.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Colorado in a fast-paced game that had just one penalty and featured two of the best scorers in the business, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon.
Mike Matheson and Crosby had goals for the Penguins. Crosby’s goal gave him 1,397 career points — one point away from joining Jari Kurri and
Alex Ovechkin in a threeway tie for 21st-most in NHL history.
Toews knocked in a shot 27 seconds after Matheson tied it up at two.
Soon after, Darren
Helm drew a holding penalty but the Avalanche were able to weather the Penguins’ power play. They also withstood a final push when the Penguins pulled goaltender Tristan Jarry and the Avs’ J.T. Compher blocked a last-second shot by Evgeni Malkin.
Jarry stopped 35 shots. It was the Penguins’ first visit to the Mile High City since Jan. 10, 2020. The Pittsburgh fans turned out in numbers, too, evident by the noise level after Crosby’s tying goal in the second period.
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