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TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 4 @ CAROLINA HURRICANES 6
Goaltending match-up: Jean-Sebastien Giguere (22/27, .815 SV%) vs. Cam Ward (26/30, .867 SV%)
Combos: Clarke MacArthur - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin/ Joey Crabb - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel/ Colby Armstrong - Darryl Boyce - Kris Versteeg/ Fredrik Sjostrom - Tim Brent - Mike Brown/ Dion Phaneuf - Francois Beauchemin/ Tomas Kaberle - Luke Schenn/ Carl Gunnarsson - Mike Komisarek
Scratches: Lebda, Rosehill, Reimer
Top PP times: Kaberle (7:33), Grabovski (6:17), Phaneuf (5:36), Versteeg (4:52), MacArthur (4:40)
Trending: Phil Kessel (1A, -2, 4:20 PP, 3 SOG) scored twice the last time he met this team, although he had just two helpers in five starts overall coming in. Tomas Kaberle (1G, 4 PIM, 2 SOG) had nothing in five before tonight and he reached the 30-point plateau on the season in the first period. Joey Crabb (1A, 2 PIM, 2:04 PP, 1 SOG) ended a five-game pointless skid here. Dion Phaneuf (1A, -1, 5 SOG) has points in three straight for the first time all season and his hits are definitely coming back into his game with a vengeance. Increasingly good SOG totals too. Tim Brent (2G, 1A, +2, 0:13 PP, 3 SOG) has goals in B2B games now, but only had seven points overall coming in.
Combos: Zach Boychuk - Eric Staal - Erik Cole/ Jeff Skinner - Tuomo Ruutu - Chad LaRose/ Jussi Jokinen - Brandon Sutter - Jiri Tlusty/ Sergei Samsonov - Ryan Carter - Troy Bodie/ Jamie McBain - Joni Pitkanen/ Tim Gleason - Joe Corvo/ Ian White - Jay Harrison
Scratches: Dwyer
Top PP times: Staal (8:33), Pitkanen (8:19), Corvo (8:13), Ruutu (8:10), Jokinen (5:39)
Trending: Joe Corvo’s (1G, 1A, 3 SOG) point streak hit four games and he had 0-10-10 in 12 January GP coming in. Joni Pitkanen (1A, -1, 2 PIM, 3 SOG) has points B2B after 11 without a point. This is the third time Tuomo Ruutu (1A, -1, 1 SOG) has cracked the 40-point barrier in his career. He came into tonight only 15 points shy of his career high of 54 points. Jamie McBain (1G, +1, 4:27 PP, 3 SOG) ended a four-game pointless slide, but still had seven points in 12 GP coming in. Brandon Sutter (2G, +3, 0:30 PP, 2 SOG) has markers in two of three after a pretty long stretch of inactivity for poolies. Jussi Jokinen (2A, +1, 4 SOG) had nine points in seven outings this month before tonight. Jeff Skinner (1G, -1, 2 PIM, 5:21 PP, 3 SOG) recorded his 40th point in the third period, so the milestones continues to come in his rookie season. He had 8-5-13 in 12 GP coming in here this month. Joe Corvo (1G, 1A, 3 SOG) already had 10 points in 12 GP before tonight. Erik Cole (1G, 2 PIM, 2:39 PP, 1 SOG) secured the ENG and ended a four-game pointless skid.
NEW YORK RANGERS 2 @ WASHINGTON CAPITALS 1 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Martin Biron (22/23, .957 SV%) vs. Braden Holtby (28/29, .966 SV%)
Combos: Sean Avery - Artem Anisimov - Marian Gaborik/ Wojtek Wolski - Derek Stepan - Mats Zuccarello/ Chad Kolarik - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust/ Evgeny Grachev - Kris Newbury - Chris Drury/ Marc Staal - Michael Sauer/ Matt Gilroy - Ryan McDonagh/ Michael Del Zotto - Steve Eminger
Scratches: Girardi, Fedotenko, Dupont
Top PP times: Gilroy (2:55), Staal (2:47), Wolski (2:08), Stepan (2:08), Zuccarello (2:08)
Trending: Marian Gaborik (1G, +1, 1:20 PP, 2 SOG) was credited with a goal in the third period to tie the game. He had no points in his last two after that 4G, 1A effort vs. TOR. Sean Avery (1A, +1, 2 SOG) had also been blanked twice since having three helpers in that tilt. Brian Boyle (1A, 2 PIM, 1:39 PP, 5 SOG), who was moved up to centre that line in-game, has points in four of six. Wojtek Wolski scored a pretty shootout goal and Mats Zuccarello scored on a similar deke going the other way. Artem Anisimov won the game in the shootout.
Combos: Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - Jason Chimera/ Brooks Laich - Mathieu Perreault - Mike Knuble/ Matt Hendricks - Marcus Johansson - Jay Beagle/ D.J. King - Dave Steckel - Boyd Gordon/ Jeff Schultz - Mike Green/ Karl Alzner - John Carlson/ John Erskine - Scott Hannan
Scratches: Fehr, Sloan, Neuvirth
Top PP times: Green (3:32), Ovechkin (3:15), Backstrom (2:20), Laich (2:20), Knuble (2:20)
Trending: Matt Hendricks (1G, +1, no PP, 4 SOG) has goals in B2B games and points in four of eight. He had two points in his only other two games against the Rangers too and he scored in the shootout. Marcus Johansson (1A, +1, 1:12 PP, 2 SOG) had four points in seven games before tonight. Nicklas Backstrom scored in the shootout.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS 1 @ CALGARY FLAMES 3
Goaltending match-up: Pekka Rinne (24/27, .889 SV%) vs. Miikka Kiprusoff (23/24, .958 SV%)
Combos:Colin Wilson - David Legwand - Patric Hornqvist/ Sergei Kostitsyn - Marcel Goc - Martin Erat/ Jerred Smithson - Nick Spaling - Joel Ward/ Matt Halischuk - Chris Mueller - Wade Belak/ Shea Weber - Ryan Suter/ Cody Franson - Alexander Sulzer/ Shane O'Brien - Kevin Klein
Scratches: Svatos, Bouillon, Dumont
Top PP times: Weber (6:55), Suter (6:55), Ward (5:31), Erat (5:31), Legwand (5:31)
Trending: David Legwand (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) has scored in two of three and had seven points on the month coming in. Joel Ward (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 3 SOG) had six points in seven outings headed in here and Colin Wilson (1A, +1, 4:10 PP, 2 SOG) added to the eight points in January he had before this evening.
Combos: Alex Tanguay - Brendan Morrison - Jarome Iginla/ Rene Bourque - Olli Jokinen - David Moss/ Curtis Glencross - Matt Stajan - Niklas Hagman/ Tom Kostopoulos - Mikael Backlund - Tim Jackman/ Robyn Regehr - Jay Bouwmeester/ Mark Giordano - Cory Sarich/ Adam Pardy - Anton Babchuk
Scratches: Conroy, Kotalik, Mikkelson
Top PP times: Bouwmeester (5:17), Giordano (4:51), Iginla (4:40), Tanguay (4:34), Bourque (4:10)
Trending: Jarome Iginla (1G, 4 SOG) had racked up 50 points in 41 GP vs. NAS before tonight and Alex Tanguay (2A, 2 SOG) had 2-3-5 in 11 GP this month headed in here. Matt Stajan (2A, 1:13 PP, no SOG) has points in B2B games for the first time in over a month. Niklas Hagman (1A, 0:16 PP, no SOG) has points in five of nine. Brendan Morrison (1G, 3:25 PP, 2 SOG) had four points in four games before tonight.
ST. LOUIS BLUES 3 @ COLORADO AVALANCHE 4
Goaltending match-up: Jaroslav Halak (28/32, .875 SV%) vs. Peter Budaj (21/24, .875 SV%)
Combos: Vladimir Sobotka - Patrik Berglund - T.J. Oshie/ Alex Steen - David Backes - B.J. Crombeen/ Brad Winchester - Jay McClement - Brad Boyes/ Stefan Della Rovere - Matt D'Agostini - Cam Janssen/ Erik Johnson - Alex Pietrangelo/ Eric Brewer - Roman Polak/ Nikita Nikitin - Tyson Strachan
Scratches: Jackman, McRae
Top PP times: Oshie (3:41), Steen (3:41), Berglund (3:41), Backes (3:39), Pietrangelo (3:30)
Trending: Brad Boyes (3A, +2, 4 PIM, 2:19 PP, no SOG) already had eight points in 10 GP before tonight. David Backes (1G, 2 SOG) scored late to make this an interesting finish and had six goals on the month already. Patrik Berglund (1A, +1, 2 SOG) has points in six straight.
Combos: Ryan Stoa - Matt Duchene - Chris Stewart/ David Jones - Paul Stastny - Milan Hejduk/ David Koci - T.J. Galiardi - Brandon Yip/ Cody McLeod - Philippe Dupuis - Daniel Winnik/ John-Michael Liles - Ryan O'Byrne/ Kyle Cumiskey - Adam Foote/Ryan Wilson - Kevin Shattenkirk
Scratches: Porter, O'Reilly, Hunwick
Top PP times: Liles (5:41), Shattenkirk (5:35), Jones (5:04), Duchene (4:57), Hejduk (4:54)
Trending: Paul Stastny (1A, 3:31 PP, no SOG) had a strong 8-11-19 in 12 GP vs. STL before tonight and Brandon Yip (2G, +1, 4 PIM, 1:23 PP, 6 SOG) only had one helper in his seven starts this month coming in. Kevin Shattenkirk (1G, +1, 1 SOG) has goals in B2B efforts with points in four straight. Milan Hejduk (1A, 1 SOG) had nine points in 10 GP coming in and John-Michael Liles (1A, 2 SOG) had a three-pointer the last time he faced this team. He had four points in four games overall coming in.
DALLAS STARS 1 @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS 7
Goaltending match-up: Kari Lehtonen (26/33, .778 SV%) vs. Roberto Luongo (2/2)
Combos: James Neal - Brad Richards - Loui Eriksson/ Brenden Morrow - Mike Ribeiro - Jamie Langenbrunner/ Steve Ott - Jamie Benn - Adam Burish/ Brian Sutherby - Tom Wandell - Krys Barch/ Nicklas Grossman - Stephane Robidas/ Mark Fistric - Trevor Daley/ Karlis Skrastins - Matt Niskanen
Scratches: Woywitka, Wathier
Top PP times: Richards (4:42), Robidas (3:55), Ribeiro (3:32), Morrow (3:27), Eriksson (3:04)
Trending: This was Brad Richards' (1G, -1, 2 SOG) 15th game against the Canucks and he maintained a point-per-game average with his first period goal. He had 14 January points in 9 outings coming in. James Neal (1A, -1, 2:41 PP, 3 SOG) had 7-0-7 in 9 GP this month headed in.
Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Mason Raymond - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson/ Jeff Tambellini - Manny Malhotra - Jannik Hansen/ Raffi Torres - Tanner Glass - Aaron Volpatti/ Dan Hamhuis - Kevin Bieksa/ Alexander Edler - Christian Ehrhoff/ Keith Ballard - Christopher Tanev
Scratches: Alberts, Sweatt
Top PP times: H. Sedin (4:20), Kesler (4:20), D. Sedin (4:16), Ehrhoff (3:50), Edler (3:05)
Trending: Henrik Sedin (1G, 2A, 1 SOG) had a multi-pointer the last time these teams clashed and had 26 points in 35 GP vs. DAL coming in. Daniel Sedin (2A, 4 SOG) came into tonight with 7-7-14 in 12 GP this month. Alexandre Burrows (1G, 12 PIM, 0:49 PP, 3 SOG) only had four points in 20 GP vs. DAL prior to this one getting underway. Ryan Kesler (1G, 1A, +3, 2 SOG) began the evening with 11 points in 12 January outings. Christian Ehrhoff (1G, 2 SOG) is looking to record his third consecutive 40-point campaign. Alexander Edler (2A, +2, 3 SOG) carried five points in five games into this affair. Mikael Samuelsson (1G, 1A, +2, 1:43 PP, 5 SOG) had one assist dating back to just after Boxing Day. Mason Raymond (1G, 1A, +2, 1:13 PP, 3 SOG) finally ended a nine-game pointless stretch.
BOSTON BRUINS 0 @ LOS ANGELES KINGS 2
Goaltending match-up: Tim Thomas (32/34, .941 SV%) vs. Jonathan Quick (34/34)
Combos: Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Nathan Horton/ Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Mark Recchi/ Blake Wheeler - Tyler Seguin - Michael Ryder/ Daniel Paille - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton/ Zdeno Chara - Steven Kampfer/ Dennis Seidenberg - Johnny Boychuk/ Andrew Ference - Adam McQuaid
Scratches: Stuart, Savard
Top PP times: Lucic (3:27), Recchi (3:27), Chara (3:26), Krejci (3:05), Boychuk (2:34)
Trending:
Combos: Andrei Loktionov - Anze Kopitar - Dustin Brown/ Ryan Smyth - Jarret Stoll - Justin Williams/ Brad Richardson - Michal Handzus - Alexei Ponikarovsky/ Kyle Clifford- Trevor Lewis - Wayne Simmonds/ Willie Mitchell - Drew Doughty/ Jack Johnson - Rob Scuderi/ Alec Martinez - Matt Greene
Scratches: Harrold, Westgarth, Drewiske
Top PP times: Doughty (3:17), Kopitar (2:52), Loktionov (2:52), Smyth (2:52), Johnson (2:29)
Trending: Ryan Smyth (1G, 2 SOG) ended a seven-game goalless stretch by potting one from, well, where he's scored pretty much every other goal in his NHL career. Drew Doughty (1A, 2 SOG) had five January points headed into this outing. Jarret Stoll (1A, 1:17 PP, 6 SOG) had seven. This was Andrei Loktionov's (1G, +1, 3 SOG) third game of this call-up and first box score appearance. Dustin Brown (1A, +1, 1:42 PP, 2 SOG) had zeroes for four coming into tonight and Anze Kopitar (1A, +1, 1 SOG) needed a two-pointer here to reach 50 points on the season.
