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MONTREAL CANADIENS 6 @ BOSTON BRUINS 8
Goaltending match-up: Carey Price (26/34, .765 SV%) vs. Tim Thomas (27/33, .818 SV%)
Combos: Max Pacioretty - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta/ Andrei Kostitsyn - Scott Gomez - Lars Eller/ Benoit Pouliot - David Desharnais - Mathieu Darche/ Tom Pyatt - Jeff Halpern - Travis Moen/ James Wisniewski - Roman Hamrlik/ Hal Gill - P.K. Subban/ Yannick Weber - Jaroslav Spacek
Scratches: Picard
Top PP times: Subban (6:05), Plekanec (5:07), Wisniewski (4:34), Darche (4:11), Desharnais (3:23)
Trending: Lots of action with goals and rough stuff, but the highlight was Carey Price (9 PIM) and Tim Thomas (7 PIM) dropped the gloves. Not much of a fight at all, but still fun to see. What a boatload of PIM overall though. Wow. Brian Gionta (1G, 1A, +1, 4 PIM, 2:54 PP, 4 SOG) had potted three goals in his four February games before tonight, while James Wisniewski (2A, -1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) made his way back into the line-up after missing time with the flu. No surprise to see him right back in the box score. P.K. Subban (1G, 1A, -3, 10 PIM, 4 SOG) has been really hot over the last five weeks or so. Yannick Weber (1G, 2A, -1, 2:38 PP, 1 SOG) had points in four of nine from the back end coming in. Max Pacioretty (2G, 4 PIM, 3:01 PP, 3 SOG) scored a meaningless goal late and added to the seven points in seven games he had coming in.
Combos: Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Nathan Horton/ Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Mark Recchi/ Blake Wheeler - Zach Hamill - Michael Ryder/ Jordan Caron - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton/ Zdeno Chara - Steve Kampfer/ Dennis Seidenberg - Johnny Boychuk/ Andrew Ference - Adam McQuaid
Scratches: Seguin, Paille, Stuart
Top PP times: Bergeron (3:00), Recchi (2:59), Krejci (2:55), Chara (2:46), Marchand (1:48)
Trending: Tremendous bottom line for Milan Lucic (2G, 1A, +4, 16 PIM, 3 SOG) here, who has slowly been gaining momentum offensively again. Brad Marchand (1G, +1, 4 PIM, no PP, 1 SOG) had picked up 15 points in 17 GP coming in here, including a +18 rating. Patrice Bergeron (1A, 2 SOG) had a pair of goals the last time these teams met and he’s been having a great season. Mark Recchi (1A, 2 PIM, no SOG) had 15 points in 17 outings headed in here. Dennis Seidenberg (1G, 1A, +3, 1:43 PP, 1 SOG) ended a six-game pointless skid. Nathan Horton (1G, 4A, +5, 6 PIM, no PP, 6 SOG) owners are liking February so far, with points in three of four and a great result here. Michael Ryder (2G, +1, 1:29 PP, 4 SOG) reached the 30-point plateau in this one and has points in two of three after five without one. David Krejci (3A, +5, 5 PIM, no SOG) has been producing a fair number of assists lately, but has been looking for a goal since Dec. 27.
SAN JOSE SHARKS 3 @ COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 2
Goaltending match-up: Antti Niemi (42/44, .955 SV%) vs. Steve Mason (29/32, .906 SV%)
Combos: Dany Heatley - Joe Thornton - Devin Setoguchi/ Ryane Clowe - Joe Pavelski - Patrick Marleau/ Ben Eager - Logan Couture - Kyle Wellwood/ John McCarthy - Scott Nichol - Jamal Mayers/ Douglas Murray - Dan Boyle/ Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Kent Huskins/ Niclas Wallin - Jason Demers
Scratches: Niittymaki, Joslin
Top PP times: Boyle (5:37), Clowe (3:10), Couture (3:10), Demers (3:02), Pavelski (2:58)
Trending: Joe Pavelski (2A, +2, 2 SOG) had eight points in his past 10 coming in and Patrick Marleau (1G, 1A, +2, 2:50 PP, 4 SOG) stopped a three-game slide here. Ryane Clowe (1A, +1, no SOG) began the evening with 4-7-11 in 16 GP vs. CBJ, including 30 PIM. Logan Couture (1A, +1, 3 SOG) has points in each of his past seven starts.
Combos: Rick Nash - Derick Brassard - Jakub Voracek/ Kristian Huselius - Antoine Vermette - R.J. Umberger/ Andrew Murray - Samuel Pahlsson - Derek Dorsett/ Matt Calvert - Derek MacKenzie - Jared Boll / Kris Russell - Grant Clitsome/ Anton Stralman - Jan Hejda/ Marc Methot - Fedor Tyutin
Scratches: Moore, Clark, Klesla
Top PP times: Russell (3:56), Umberger (3:53), Huselius (3:48), Vermette (3:34), Stralman (3:31)
Trending: Grant Clitsome (1G, -1, 2:30 PP, 2 SOG) added to the 2-6-8 in 11 GP he had before tonight, while Derick Brassard (1A, -1, 4 PIM, 2:45 PP, 4 SOG) had 14 points in 15 GP before this outing dating back to the start of January. Fedor Tyutin (1A, -2, 2"57 PP, 3 SOG) had 11 points from the back end in that same time. Kristian Huselius (1G, -2, 4 SOG) had four points in two starts coming into this one. R.J. Umberger (1A, -2, 1 SOG) had racked up seven points in three efforts coming in.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS 4 @ DETROIT RED WINGS 1
Goaltending match-up: Pekka Rinne (34/35, .971 SV%) vs. Jimmy Howard (12/16, .750 SV%) & Joey MacDonald (14/14)
Combos: Steve Sullivan - David Legwand - Patric Hornqvist/ Sergei Kostitsyn - Marcel Goc - Martin Erat/ Matt Halischuk - Nick Spaling - J.P. Dumont/ Colin Wilson - Jerred Smithson - Joel Ward/ Ryan Suter - Shea Weber/ Shane O’Brien - Cody Franson/ Alexander Sulzer - Kevin Klein
Scratches: Belak
Top PP times: Kostitsyn (1:44), Suter (1:44), Weber (1:44), Erat (1:44), Hornqvist (1:41)
Trending: Martin Erat (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) has points in eight of 11 overall. Sergei Kostitsyn’s (1G, 1A, +1, 4 SOG) great run continued here and he had 2G the last time he faced the Wings. Marcel Goc (1A, +1, no PP, no SOG) has a point in four of five this month, but he left this one with an upper-body injury. David Legwand (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 0:46 PP, 2 SOG) had no points in five games coming in. Shea Weber (1A, +2, 2 SOG) had 18 points in 18 GP coming in here dating back to New Year’s Eve. Ryan Suter (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) had 2A the last time he met the Wings.
Combos: Johan Franzen - Henrik Zetterberg - Todd Bertuzzi/ Jiri Hudler - Pavel Datsyuk - Danny Cleary/ Tomas Holmstrom - Justin Abdelkader - Patrick Eaves/ Kris Draper - Darren Helm - Drew Miller/ Nicklas Lidstrom - Niklas Kronwall/ Jonathan Ericsson - Brian Rafalski/ Jakub Kindl - Ruslan Salei
Scratches: Mursak, Filppula
Top PP times: Lidstrom (4:56), Kronwall (3:45), Datsyuk (3:31), Franzen (2:58), Holmstrom (2:49)
Trending: Henrik Zetterberg (1A, +1, 4 SOG) had been blanked in his past three and Danny Cleary (1A, 3 SOG) has points in B2B games after being shut out in his first three back in the line-up.
COLORADO AVALANCHE 2 @ MINNESOTA WILD 3
Goaltending match-up: Craig Anderson (14/17, .824 SV%) & Peter Budaj (7/7) vs. Niklas Backstrom (23/25, .920 SV%)
Combos: T.J. Galiardi - Matt Duchene - Milan Hejduk/ David Jones - Paul Stastny - Chris Stewart/ Brandon Yip - Ryan O'Reilly - Daniel Winnik/ Cody McLeod - Philippe Dupuis - Kevin Porter/ John-Michael Liles - Ryan O'Byrne/ Ryan Wilson - Kevin Shattenkirk/ Matt Hunwick - Kyle Cumiskey
Scratches: Forsberg, Foote, Koci
Top PP times: Liles (4:46), Stastny (4:07), Jones (3:51), Shattenkirk (3:26), Hejduk (3:09)
Trending: David Jones (2G, +2, 2 SOG) had no points in six tries before tonight. Matt Duchene (1A, +2, 2:42 PP, no SOG) had one point in those same six outings. Milan Hejduk (1A, +2, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) had collected 12 points in 15 GP before tonight.
Combos: Andrew Brunette - Mikko Koivu - Antti Miettinen/ Cal Clutterbuck - Kyle Brodziak - Martin Havlat/ Pierre-Marc Bouchard - Matt Cullen - Chuck Kobasew/ Eric Nystrom - John Madden - Brad Staubitz/ Nick Schultz - Brent Burns/ Clayton Stoner - Greg Zanon/ Jared Spurgeon - Cam Barker
Scratches: Scandella
Top PP times: Burns (4:44), Koivu (3:55), Brunette (3:17), Cullen (3:16), Miettinen (2:55)
Trending: Antti Miettinen (1G, 3 SOG) has points in three of five and Martin Havlat (1G, -1, 2 PIM, 2:28 PP, 1 SOG) added to the 23 points in 25 home games he had coming in. Brent Burns (1A, 6 PIM, no SOG) had nothing in four coming in, while Matt Cullen (2A, +1, 3 SOG) returned to action here from an upper-body injury. He was really hot to close out January.
PHOENIX COYOTES 3 @ DALLAS STARS 2 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Ilya Bryzgalov (16/18, .889 SV%) vs. Kari Lehtonen (32/35, .914 SV%)
Combos: Scottie Upshall - Lauri Korpikoski - Shane Doan/ Ray Whitney - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata/ Taylor Pyatt - Eric Belanger - Lee Stempniak/ Paul Bissonnette - Vernon Fiddler - Mikkel Boedker / Keith Yandle - Derek Morris/ Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Michal Rozsival/ Adrian Aucoin - Sami Lepisto
Scratches: Ebbett, Jovanovski, Turris
Top PP times: Yandle (4:13), Hanzal (3:25), Whitney (3:25), Vrbata (3:25), Doan (3:16)
Trending: Lee Stempniak (1A, -1, 1:51 PP, 2 SOG) had drawn blanks in his prior four starts. Ray Whitney (1A, 3 SOG) had 14 points in 18 GP coming into this tilt.
Combos: James Neal - Brad Richards - Loui Eriksson/ Brenden Morrow - Mike Ribeiro - Jamie Langenbrunner/ Steve Ott - Tom Wandell - Tomas Vincour/ Francis Wathier - Aaron Gagnon - Brian Sutherby/ Nicklas Grossman - Stephane Robidas/ Karlis Skrastins - Marc Fistric/ Jeff Woywitka - Trevor Daley
Scratches: Niskanen, Sawada, Barch
Top PP times: Robidas, Morrow, Eriksson, Richards, Ribeiro (1:13)
Trending: Brad Richards (1G, 1A, +2, 4 SOG) reached the 60-point mark of the season in the first period. Loui Eriksson (1A, +2, no SOG) already had 18-34-52 overall coming in here. Steve Ott (1G, +1, 0:47 PP, 4 SOG) has points in two of three, but PIM remain his usual fantasy contribution. Brenden Morrow (1A, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) had 46 points in 76 GP last season and came into tonight with 36 in 53.
OTTAWA SENATORS 2 @ CALGARY FLAMES 5
Goaltending match-up: Robin Lehner (30/35, .857 SV%) vs. Miikka Kiprusoff (24/26, .923 SV%)
Combos: Milan Michalek - Jason Spezza - Ryan Shannon/ Zack Smith - Peter Regin - Alex Kovalev/ Nick Foligno - Mike Fisher - Bobby Butler/ Jarkko Ruutu - Chris Kelly - Chris Neil/ Chris Campoli - Sergei Gonchar/ Chris Phillips - Erik Karlsson/ Filip Kuba - Matt Carkner
Scratches: Lee, Alfredsson, O'Brien
Top PP times: Spezza (3:46), Kuba (3:46), Karlsson (3:36), Michalek (3:06), Shannon (3:06)
Trending: Not much going on for poolies here, other than Alex Kovalev's 10-PIM night.
Combos: Alex Tanguay - Brendan Morrison - Jarome Iginla/ Rene Bourque - Olli Jokinen - David Moss/ Curtis Glencross - Matt Stajan - Tom Kostopoulos/ Tim Jackman - Mikael Backlund - Lance Bouma/ Robyn Regehr - Jay Bouwmeester/ Adam Pardy - Anton Babchuk/ Mark Giordano - Cory Sarich
Scratches: Pardy, Staios, Tanguay
Top PP times: Giordano (5:47), Iginla (5:42), Bouwmeester (5:13), Morrison (4:49), Babchuk (3:22)
Trending: Anton Babchuk (1G, 2A, 4 SOG) has been really dry offensively lately with one point over his past 11 GP. Olli Jokinen (1G, 1A, 3:07 PP, 3 SOG) had 13 points in 17 GP coming in. Tim Jackman (2G, +1, 5 SOG) had nine points in that same span. Curtis Glencross (1G, 1A, 1:47 PP, 3 SOG) has points in six of eight now. Niklas Hagman (1A, +1, 0:03 PP, 2 SOG) was back in action tonight after missing some time with a lower-body injury.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 4 @ EDMONTON OILERS 1
Goaltending match-up: Corey Crawford (23/24, .958 SV%) vs. Devan Dubnyk (22/25, .880 SV%)
Combos: Patrick Sharp - Jonathan Toews - Patrick Kane/ Troy Brouwer - Tomas Kopecky - Marian Hossa/ Bryan Bickell - Dave Bolland - Fernando Pisani/ Viktor Stalberg - Jake Dowell - Ryan Johnson/ Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook/ Niklas Hjalmarsson - Brian Campbell/ Nick Leddy - Nick Boynton
Scratches: Skille, Boynton, Scott
Top PP times: Keith (5:55), Kane (5:52), Sharp (5:45), Toews (5:07), Brouwer (4:52)
Trending: Patrick Kane (2G, +2, 2 SOG) had 2A the last time he faced the Oilers and had 12 points in 14 GP coming in here. Jonathan Toews (2A, +2, 2 PIM, no SOG) actually had a hat trick in his last match against the Oilers. Patrick Sharp (1G, +2, 4 SOG) began the evening with 17 points in 20 GP vs. EDM. Bryan Bickell (1G, 0:54 PP, 2 SOG) has points in three of four after three without one.
Combos: Dustin Penner - Shawn Horcoff - Ales Hemsky/ Magnus Paajarvi - Sam Gagner - Linus Omark/ Taylor Hall - Andrew Cogliano - Jordan Eberle/ Liam Reddox - Colin Fraser - Ryan Jones/ Theo Peckham - Tom Gilbert/ Kurtis Foster - Jim Vandermeer/ Ladislav Smid - Jeff Petry
Scratches: Jacques, MacIntyre, Strudwick
Top PP times: Horcoff (2:30), Omark (2:22), Foster (2:22), Gagner (2:01), Hemsky (1:55)
Trending: Jordan Eberle (1G, -1, 1:28 PP, 3 SOG) had four points and was +3 in three games since coming back to active duty before tonight. Taylor Hall (1A, -1, 1:43 PP, 4 SOG) added his 34th point of the season and had seven in his past eight now.
ANAHEIM DUCKS 4 @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS 3
Goaltending match-up: Curtis McElhinney (34/37. .919 SV%) vs. Cory Schneider (20/24, .833 SV%)
Combos: Bobby Ryan - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry/ Jason Blake - Saku Koivu - Teemu Selanne/ Dan Sexton - Brandon McMillan - Maxim Lapierre/ Kyle Chipchura - Todd Marchant - George Parros/ Toni Lydman - Lubomir Visnovsky/ Luca Sbisa - Andy Sutton/ Andreas Lilja - Cam Fowler
Scratches: Beauchemin, Brookbank, Mara
Top PP times: Visnovsky (2:39), Fowler (2:14), Getzlaf (2:09), Ryan (2:07), Blake (2:07)
Trending: Ryan Getzlaf (1A, +2, 21:45 TOI, no SOG) was back in action tonight, much to the delight of his poolies. Oh... and Corey Perry (1A, -1, 1:38 PP, 2 SOG) and Bobby Ryan (2G, +1, 4 SOG) were pretty happy too. Perry just missed an ENG in the last minute. Less than a foot on a long shot. Teemu Selanne (2A, +2, 2 PIM, 5 SOG) has 12 points in 13 GP with 36 SOG in that time before tonight.
Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Mason Raymond - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson/ Raffi Torres - Manny Malhotra - Jannik Hansen/ Tanner Glass - Cody Hodgson - Aaron Volpatti/ Aaron Rome - Christian Ehrhoff/ Dan Hamhuis - Kevin Bieksa/ Andrew Alberts - Andrew Alberts
Scratches: Tambellini
Top PP times: Sedins, Ehrhoff, Kesler, Samuelsson (0:59)
Trending: Daniel Sedin (2G, 1A, +1, 3 SOG) entered this one with 11-16-27 in 37 GP vs. ANH. Ryan Kesler (2A, -2, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) had 2G, 1A in his last game vs. ANH and he potted one late in this game to make it an interesting finish. Mikael Samuelsson (1A, -2, 3 SOG) has been sizzling of late and had 11 points in six outings. Henrik Sedin (1A, +1, 5 SOG) already had 35 points in 27 home games coming in, while Alexandre Burrows (1G, 2 SOG) pushed his point streak to eight games.
