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TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 4 @ BOSTON BRUINS 3
Goaltending match-up: James Reimer (32/35, .914 SV%) vs. Tim Thomas (24/28, .857 SV%)
Combos: Clarke MacArthur - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin/ Joffrey Lupul - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel/ Fredrik Sjostrom - Darryl Boyce - Christian Hanson/ Joey Crabb - Tim Brent - Jay Rosehill/ Dion Phaneuf - Keith Aulie/ Luke Schenn - Tomas Kaberle/ Mike Komisarek - Brett Lebda
Scratches: Armstrong, Lebda
Top PP times: Phaneuf (2:22), Kaberle (1:46), Lupul (1:46), Kessel (1:46), Bozak (1:46)
Trending: Phil Kessel (2G, -2, 4 SOG) scored against the Bruins! He only had 0-1-1 in 9 GP against his former team, so it was nice to see him get a few here. This was Joffrey Lupul’s (2A, -2, 3 SOG) third game with the Leafs and first time in the box score. He had eight points in 12 GP vs. BOS coming in. Mikhail Grabovski (2G, +2, 2 PIM, 0:36 PP, 3 SOG) scored the last time he faced this team and had five points in seven February tilts headed in. His goal in the last minute was just a sweet, sweet shot. Dion Phaneuf (2A, -2, 2 PIM, 6 SOG) has points in three of seven with decent PIM/ SOG totals. Tomas Kaberle (1A, +1, no SOG) had six points in seven games this month before tonight and the trade rumours are reaching a fevered pitch. Clarke MacArthur (1A, +2, 0:36 PP, 1 SOG) added his 45th point of the season.
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/ Andrew Ference - Dennis Seidenberg/ Mark Stuart - Adam McQuaid
Scratches: Boychuk
Top PP times: Recchi (6:33), Chara (6:05), Lucic (5:24), Krejci (5:24), Bergeron (5:17)
Trending: Brad Marchand’s (1A, 2:26 PP, 2 SOG) great run of points continued here, but he had a -5 in his past two games. Overall his run has been fantastic though, including +/-. Michael Ryder (1A, 2:26 PP, 5 SOG) had five points in five games coming in and had 16 points in 29 home GP. Patrice Bergeron (1G, 4 SOG) only had one point in four games coming in, but has been really hot overall. Mark Recchi (1A, no SOG) came into this one needing two points to hit 40 overall.
BUFFALO SABRES 3 @ MONTREAL CANADIENS 2 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Jhonas Enroth (32/34, .941 SV%) vs. Carey Price (30/32, .938 SV%)
Combos: Thomas Vanek - Jochen Hecht - Jason Pominville/ Tyler Ennis - Tim Connolly - Drew Stafford/ Nathan Gerbe - Cody McCormick - Paul Byron/ Rob Niedermayer - Paul Gaustad - Mike Grier/ Andrej Sekera - Tyler Myers/ Jordan Leopold - Chris Butler/ Shaone Morrisonn - Mike Weber
Scratches: Kaleta, Rivet, Miller
Top PP times: Connolly (2:55), Pominville (2:41), Stafford (2:30), Vanek (2:30), Leopold (2:30)
Trending: Drew Stafford (1G, -1, 3 SOG) was coming off his fourth hat trick of the season and he had two of them in total last week. Thomas Vanek (1A, 2 SOG) came into tonight needing two points for 50 on the season. Tim Connolly (1A, no SOG) had four points in four games coming in. Jason Pominville (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 6 SOG) had 17 points in 17 GP headed into this affair. Shootout: Vanek, Gerbe, Ennis, Hecht
Combos: Max Pacioretty - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta/ Andrei Kostitsyn - Scott Gomez - Travis Moen/ Benoit Pouliot - David Desharnais - Ryan White/ Tom Pyatt - Jeff Halpern - Mathieu Darche/ Alexandre Picard - P.K. Subban/ Roman Hamrlik - James Wisniewski/ Brendon Nash - Yannick Weber
Scratches: Spacek, Gill, Eller
Top PP times: Plekanec (5:39), Gionta (5:24), Subban (5:20), Wisniewski (5:14), Pacioretty (4:45)
Trending: Max Pacioretty (1G, 2 SOG) pushed his point streak to five games and had seven points in six games coming in. Tomas Plekanec (1A, 5 SOG) has points in six of eight this month. Roman Hamrlik (1A, -1, 3:18 PP, no SOG) had 24 points coming in, including three in three. James Wisniewski (1A, 1 SOG) carried 2-13-15 in 18 GP with MON coming in. David Desharnais (1A, +1, 3:11 PP, 1 SOG) had six points in three games headed in here. Shootout: Desharnais, Plekanec, Pacioretty
NEW YORK ISLANDERS 4 @ OTTAWA SENATORS 3 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Nathan Lawson (28/31, .903 SV%) vs. Brian Elliott (25/28, .893 SV%)
Combos: Matt Moulson - John Tavares -P.A. Parenteau/ Michael Grabner - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo/ Blake Comeau - Josh Bailey - Jesse Joensuu/ Rob Schremp - Zenon Konopka - Trevor Haley/ Travis Hamonic - Andrew MacDonald/ Ty Wishart - Milan Jurcina/ Jack Hillen - Radek Martinek
Scratches: Gervais, Gillies, Martin
Top PP times: Moulson (5:04), Tavares (4:58), Parenteau (4:58), Jurcina (4:40), Hamonic (3:15)
Trending: Blake Comeau (1G< +1, 2:25 PP, 4 SOG) has goals in B2B affairs after five games without a point. Michael Grabner’s (1G, 1A, +1, 0:15 PP, 3 SOG) stats over the past month have been nothing short of ridiculous. Goals in six straight now too, with four straight multi-pointers. Kyle Okposo (1A, 2 PIM, 1:38 PP, 1 SOG) was coming off a three-assist effort @BUF and had seven points in seven games coming in. Shootout: Schremp, Nielsen
Combos: Milan Michalek - Jason Spezza - Bobby Butler/ Nick Foligno - Peter Regin - Alex Kovalev/ Jarkko Ruutu - Chris Kelly - Chris Neil/ Ryan Shannon - Zack Smith - Erik Condra/ Chris Campoli - Sergei Gonchar/ Chris Phillips - Erik Karlsson/ Filip Kuba - Brian Lee
Scratches: Alfredsson, Carkner, Leclaire
Top PP times: Karlsson (4:48), Kovalev (4:35), Foligno (4:32), Regin (4:27), Kuba (4:02)
Trending: It was announced after the game that Chris Kelly was dealt to Boston for a second rounder. Jason Spezza (1A, -2, 2:51 PP, 4 SOG) added his 500th career point in the first period and had four points in four games coming in since getting back into the line-up. Milan Michalek (2A, -2, 2:46 PP, 4 SOG) had scored three times in five games coming in. Bobby Butler (1G, 1A, -2, 2:43 PP, 2 SOG) was coming off that two-pointer @EDM. Sergei Gonchar left this one injured. Erik Karlsson (1G, -2, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) hadn’t scored since Boxing Day. Shootout: Kovalev
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 4 @ TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING 3 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Brian Boucher (24/27, .889 SV%) vs. Dwayne Roloson (26/29, .897 SV%)
Combos: Kris Versteeg - Mike Richards - Andreas Nodl/ James van Riemsdyk - Claude Giroux - Jeff Carter/ Scott Hartnell - Danny Briere - Ville Leino/ Dan Carcillo - Blair Betts - Darroll Powe/ Matt Carle - Chris Pronger/ Kimmo Timonen - Braydon Coburn/ Andrej Meszaros - Sean O'Donnell
Scratches: Bartulis, Shelley, Zherdev
Top PP times: Giroux (3:05), Meszaros (2:57), Briere (2:57), Hartnell (2:57), Carle (2:23)
Trending: This was Kris Versteeg’s (-1, 17:44 TOI, 0:02 PP, 2 SOG) first game with his new team. James van Riemsdyk (1G, 1A, +1 7 PIM, 0:36 PP, 3 SOG) only had 1A in five games coming in. Scott Hartnell (1G, -1, 2 SOG) had been blanked in all five February starts. Jeff Carter (1A, +1, 1:35 PP, 1 SOG) had 14-5-19 in 23 GP vs. TB coming in, while Claude Giroux (1A, +1, 1 SOG) had a point-per-game against them in nine starts and had 0-4-4 in 5 GP this month before tonight. Shootout: Richards, Timonen
Combos: Martin St. Louis - Steven Stamkos - Steve Downie/ Simon Gagne - Vincent Lecavalier - Teddy Purcell/ Sean Bergenheim - Dominic Moore - Adam Hall/ Dana Tyrell - Johan Harju - Michael Vernace/ Victor Hedman - Brett Clark/ Marc-Andre Bergeron - Pavel Kubina/ Mattias Ohlund - Randy Jones
Scratches: Smaby, Thompson
Top PP times: Lecavalier (5:21), St. Louis (5:06), MAB (5:06), Purcell (4:34), Stamkos (3:52)
Trending: Vincent Lecavalier (1G, 3 SOG) has scored in four straight and has been shooting the puck a lot as well. Martin St. Louis (1A, 2 SOG) had 47 points in 36 GP vs. PHI coming, while Marc-Andre Bergeron (1A, 2 SOG) maintained his point-per-game average with the Lightning in his fourth start. Teddy Purcell (1G, 1 SOG) had a pair of goals the last time he met the Flyers and had 10 points in seven affairs before tonight. Shootout: Moore
SAN JOSE SHARKS 2 @ NASHVILLE PREDATORS 1 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Antti Niemi (30/31, .968 SV%) vs. Pekka Rinne (48/50, .960 SV%)
Combos: Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Devin Setoguchi/ Torrey Mitchell - Joe Pavelski - Dany Heatley/ Ryane Clowe - Kyle Wellwood - Logan Couture/ Jamal Mayers - Scott Nichol - Ben Eager/ Douglas Murray - Dan Boyle/ Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Kent Huskins/ Niclas Wallin - Jason Demers
Scratches: Joskin, Niittymaki
Top PP times: Thornton (5:18), Pavelski (5:14), Boyle (5:09), Marleau (4:26), Heatley (4:17)
Trending: Patrick Marleau (1G, 1A, +2, 6 SOG) scored the OT GWG and that was his fifth winner of the season. He has goals in three of four too. Joe Thornton (1A, +2, 1 SOG) ended a five-game pointless skid here. Devin Setoguchi (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 2:09 PP, 9 SOG) had drawn blanks in his past three.
Combos: Steve Sullivan - David Legwand - Patric Hornqvist/ Sergei Kostitsyn - Mike Fisher - Martin Erat/ Nick Spaling - Jerred Smithson - Marek Svatos/ Colin Wilson - Marcel Goc - Joel Ward/ Ryan Suter - Shea Weber/ Shane O’Brien - Kevin Klein/ Alexander Sulzer - Cody Franson
Scratches: Belak, Dumont
Top PP times: Weber (1:59), Suter (1:59), Erat (1:47), Fisher (1:47), Kostitsyn (1:47)
Trending: Steve Sullivan (1A, 1:11 PP, 4 SOG) has a point in two straight after five without one. David Legwand (1A, 1:11 PP, 1 SOG) has points in three in a row after five blankings.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS 4 @ MINNESOTA WILD 1
Goaltending match-up: Cory Schneider (28/29, .966 SV%) vs. Niklas Backstrom (10/13, .769 SV%)
Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Mason Raymond - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson/ Raffi Torres - Manny Malhotra - Jannik Hansen/ Jeff Tambellini - Tanner Glass - Victor Oreskovich/ Christian Ehrhoff - Sami Salo/ Kevin Bieksa - Yann Sauve/ Aaron Rome - Chris Tanev
Scratches: Hamhuis
Top PP times: Ehrhoff (1:02), Kesler (1:02), Sedins (1:02), Samuelsson (1:02)
Trending: This was Sami Salo’s (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 0:04 PP, no SOG) third game back and second with a point. Mikael Samuelsson (1G, +1, 2 SOG) continues to melt butter by merely walking by it. Ryan Kesler (1G, 1A, +2, 2 SOG) had 12-10-22 in 28 road games headed in here and he also added a SHG when he fired it into the empty net. Mason Raymond (1A, +1, 0:04 PP, 1 SOG) had seven points in six games 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/ Greg Zanon - Clayton Stoner/ Nick Schultz - Brent Burns/ Cam Barker - Jared Spurgeon
Scratches: Scandella
Top PP times: PMB (4:12), Burns (4:06), Koivu (3:49), Miettinen (3:49), Brunette (3:49)
Trending: Cal Clutterbuck (1G, -1, 2:43 PP, 5 SOG) has goals in three in a row, with points in four straight and five of six.
DALLAS STARS 1 @ EDMONTON OILERS 4
Goaltending match-up: Kari Lehtonen (26/30, .867 SV%) vs. Nikolai Khabibulin (24/25, .960 SV%)
Combos: Brenden Morrow - Mike Ribeiro - Loui Eriksson/ James Neal - Jason Williams - Tomas Vincour/ Steve Ott - Tom Wandell - Jamie Langenbrunner/ Brian Sutherby - Aaron Gagnon - Toby Petersen/ Marc Fistric - Stephane Robidas/ Karlis Skrastins - Matt Niskanen/ Jeff Woywitka - Trevor Daley
Scratches: Grossman, Ludwig, Richards
Top PP times: Williams (2:49), Ribeiro (2:35), Morrow (2:35), Eriksson (2:21), Langenbrunner (2:16)
Trending: Loui Eriksson (1G, -1, 4 SOG) had gone five games without a goal. Kind of weird seeing no Brad Richards in the line-up and especially in the power play times.
Combos: Dustin Penner - Shawn Horcoff - Ales Hemsky/ Magnus Paajarvi - Sam Gagner - Linus Omark/ Taylor Hall - Andrew Cogliano - Jordan Eberle/ Jean-Francois Jacques - Liam Reddox - Ryan Jones/ Theo Peckham - Tom Gilbert/ Jim Vandermeer - Kurtis Foster/ Ladislav Smid - Taylor Chorney
Scratches: Fraser, MacIntyre, Strudwick
Top PP times: Chorney (4:23), Gilbert (4:14), Hemsky (4:14), Horcoff (4:14), Penner (4:10)
Trending: Ales Hemsky (1G, 1A, +1, 6 SOG) scored a beauty tonight and hadn't produced a goal since Jan. 7. Shawn Horcoff (1G, 2A, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) was back in the lineup tonight and he ended a five-game pointless skid too. Sam Gagner (1A, +1, 3:52 PP, no SOG) had been shut out in his prior four. Taylor Chorney (1G, 1A, 2 SOG) has points in three of four and this was his first NHL goal in his 51st career game.
