What we learned in the NHL last week

Lessons from the last week of NHL play:

• It’s time for East-based awards voters to stay up late to see why Drew Doughty of the Kings deserves the Norris Trophy, given to the league’s top defenseman. Doughty keeps the “defense” in defenseman, which should count more than it has in recent seasons. Doughty has played more than 29 minutes in six consecutive games, and the Kings are 5-0-1 in that span. He ranks second on the team in assists (12) and points (16), is plus-11 defensively while making good reads at both ends, and his average ice time of 27:35 is second in the NHL. He’s got a strong case.

• Vancouver forward Brandon Prust really doesn’t like Boston forward Brad Marchand. Though Prust isn’t alone in feeling that way about Marchand, an agitator who loves to get under opponents’ skin, Prust went too far last week when he speared Marchand in a painful place. Prust was fined $5,000 by the NHL. “Best money I ever spent,” Prust told reporters in Vancouver.

• The Washington Capitals depended heavily on goaltender Braden Holtby during a six-game winning streak that ended Saturday with a 2-1 overtime loss at Winnipeg. He stopped 131 of 139 shots in his last four games and faced at least 30 shots in five of his last six starts. Holtby hasn’t lost in regulation since a 1-0 loss at Detroit on Nov. 10 and has a 1.95 goals-against average, .928 save percentage, and league-leading 16 victories.

• The magnitude of Patrick Kane’s 22-game scoring streak has become undeniable. The Chicago Blackhawks right wing has more points during the streak (36) than any other player had points this season through Sunday’s games. And according to NHL.com, Kane has scored or assisted on 57.4% of Chicago’s goals this season; Wayne Gretzky scored or assisted on 51.2% of the Edmonton Oilers’ goals during his league-record 51 game streak in the 1983-84 season. Remember, too, that Gretzky accomplished his feat in an era of higher scoring. Kane’s next chance to extend the streak will come Tuesday, against Nashville.