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BOSTON BRUINS 6 @ NEW YORK ISLANDERS 3
Goaltending match-up: Tuukka Rask (34/37, .919 SV%) vs. Nathan Lawson (13/18, .722 SV%) & Al Montoya (15/16, .938 SV%)
Combos: Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Nathan Horton/ Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Mark Recchi/ Dan Paille - Greg Campbell - Shawn Thornton/ Blake Wheeler - Tyler Seguin - Michael Ryder/ Zdeno Chara - Steve Kampfer/ Johnny Boychuk - Dennis Seidenberg/ Andrew Ference - Adam McQuaid
Scratches: Kelly, Stuart
Top PP times: Recchi (1:46), Chara (1:34), Bergeron (1:34), Krejci (1:34), Lucic (1:24)
Trending: Chris Kelly will play his first game with the Bruins tomorrow night against the Sens, perfectly enough. Mark Recchi (1G, +1, 1 SOG) had racked up 119 points in 106 GP vs. NYI coming in here and he had 18 points in 21 GP overall coming in. Patrice Bergeron (1A, +1, 4 SOG) keeps motoring along, while Tyler Seguin (1G, 1A, no PP, 2 SOG) has a point in three of five. David Krejci (1G, 1A, 5 SOG) carried 14 points in 16 GP coming in, while Nathan Horton (1A, no PP, 1 SOG) ended a brief three-game pointless skid and continued his point-per-game ways against the Isles. Milan Lucic (1G, 1A, 2 SOG) had five points in six games before tonight, despite having been blanked in his prior two. Zdeno Chara (1A, -1, 4 SOG) had collected 7-15-22 in 31 GP vs. NYI prior the puck dropping here.
Combos: Matt Moulson - John Tavares - P.A. Parenteau/ Michael Grabner - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo/ Blake Comeau - Josh Bailey - Jesse Joensuu/ Rob Schremp - Zenon Konopka - Michael Haley/ Andrew MacDonald - Travis Hamonic/ Jack Hillen - Radek Martinek/ Milan Jurcina - Bruno Gervais
Scratches: Wishart, Gillies, Martin
Top PP times: Moulson (1:18), Parenteau (1:18), Tavares (1:18), MacDonald (0:49), Jurcina (0:49)
Trending: John Tavares (2G, -1, 4 SOG) has found the back of the net in four of five and had 11 points in 8 GP coming in, so the roll he’s been on for the past few months isn’t slowing down at all. Blake Comeau (2A, +1, no PP, 1 SOG) has points in two straight after having one in seven. Josh Bailey (1G, 0:42 PP, 3 SOG) had a modest four-game point streak rolling after nine without anything. Matt Moulson (1A, -2, 2 SOG) had six points in six games headed in here.
LOS ANGELES KINGS 3 @ NEW YORK RANGERS 4 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Jonathan Bernier (34/37, .919 SV%) vs. Henrik Lundqvist (25/28, .893 SV%)
Combos: Michal Handzus - Anze Kopitar - Wayne Simmonds/ Ryan Smyth - Jarret Stoll - Justin Williams/ Kyle Clifford - Andrei Loktionov - Dustin Brown/ Alexei Ponikarovsky - Trevor Lewis - Kevin Westgarth/ Jack Johnson - Drew Doughty/ Willie Mitchell - Rob Scuderi/ Alec Martinez - Matt Greene
Scratches: Harrold, Westgarth, Drewiske
Top PP times: Doughty (3:11), Smyth (2:38), Handzus (2:35), Johnson (2:32), Loktionov (2:27)
Trending: Dustin Brown (2G, +1, 2:19 PP, 3 SOG) broke a four-game pointless skid by scoring the opening goal tonight. Jack Johnson (1A, 2 SOG) had also been blanked in his past four, while Justin Williams (1A, -2, 2:22 PP, no SOG) had six points in five affairs coming in. Shootout: Jarret Stoll
Combos: Brandon Dubinsky - Vinny Prospal - Marian Gaborik/ Wojtek Wolski - Brian Boyle - Ryan Callahan/ Sean Avery - Artem Anisimov - Derek Stepan/ Mats Zuccarello - Erik Christensen - Brandon Prust/ Marc Staal - Dan Girardi/ Ryan McDonagh - Mike Sauer/ Michael Del Zotto - Matt Gilroy
Scratches: Eminger, Newbury
Top PP times: Wolski (4:13), Gaborik (4:12), Callahan (4:00), Prospal (3:53), Staal (2:37)
Trending: Ryan Callahan (1G, 1A, +1, 3 SOG) was coming off that three-pointer vs. PIT. Derek Stepan (1A, 1:25 PP, 2 SOG) has points in three of four, while Artem Anisimov (1A, +1, 0:27 PP, 3 SOG) has points in four of seven and he reached the 30-point plateau in this one. Brandon Dubinsky (1G, +2, 6 PIM, 1:46 PP, 4 SOG) has points in each of his past four games, which ties his best for the season. Shootout: Erik Christensen, Mats Zuccarello
DETROIT RED WINGS 6 @ TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING 2
Goaltending match-up: Jimmy Howard (38/40, .950 SV%) vs. Dwayne Roloson (25/31, .806 SV%)
Combos: Johan Franzen - Henrik Zetterberg - Todd Bertuzzi/ Jiri Hudler - Pavel Datsyuk - Danny Cleary/ Kris Draper - Darren Helm - Patrick Eaves/ Drew Miller - Justin Abdelkader - Tomas Holmstrom/ Nicklas Lidstrom - Brad Stuart/ Jonathan Ericsson - Brian Rafalski/ Jakub Kindl - Niklas Kronwall
Scratches: Salei, Filppula
Top PP times: Lidstrom (4:17), Rafalski (3:17), Hudler (2:51), Holmstrom (2:51), Datsyuk (2:45)
Trending: Nicklas Lidstrom (2A, +1, 3 SOG) has started against this franchise 32 times now and he’s better than a point-per-game player in that time. Henrik Zetterberg (2A, -2, 1:59 PP, 3 SOG) pushed his point streak to four, but his best this season is still 11. Danny Cleary (1G, 2A, +2, 1:59 PP, 5 SOG) had four points in four games headed in here. Pavel Datsyuk (2G, +2, 2 SOG) already had five points in four games since returning to action. Niklas Kronwall (1G, 1A, +1, 1:58 PP, 1 SOG) has points in two of three after four without one.
Combos: Martin St. Louis - Steven Stamkos - Steve Downie/ Simon Gagne - Vincent Lecavalier - Teddy Purcell/ Sean Bergenheim - Dominic Moore - Michael Vernace/ Dana Tyrell - Nate Thompson - Adam Hall/ Victor Hedman - Brett Clark/ Marc-Andre Bergeron - Pavel Kubina/ Mattias Ohlund - Randy Jones
Scratches: Harju, Smaby
Top PP times: Stamkos (6:52), St. Louis (6:43), Lecavalier (6:42), MAB (6:40), Gagne (4:49)
Trending: Victor Hedman (1G, 2:34 PP, 4 SOG) had chipped in seven points in 14 GP coming in here. Simon Gagne (1A, -2, 1 SOG) has been faring well for more than a few weeks now, while Steve Downie (1G, 3:21 PP, 4 SOG) has come up with goals in four of seven. Naturally, Steven Stamkos (1A, 4 SOG) and Martin St. Louis (1A, 2 SOG) added something for their owners.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS 1 @ NASHVILLE PREDATORS 3
Goaltending match-up: Roberto Luongo (23/26, .885 SV%) vs. Pekka Rinne (35/36, .972 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/ Yann Sauve - Evan Oberg/ Aaron Rome - Chris Tanev
Scratches: Hamhuis, Bieksa
Top PP times: Ehrhoff (6:41), Sedins (6:16), Kesler (6:10), Samuelsson (5:46)
Trending: Daniel Sedin (1G, 3 SOG) had 27 points in 35 GP vs. NAS coming in, while Henrik Sedin (1A, -1, no SOG) had 29 points in the same number of starts. Christian Ehrhoff (1A, -1, 4 PIM, 2 SOG) came into tonight nine points shy of last year’s mark of 44 points.
Combos: Steve Sullivan - David Legwand - Patric Hornqvist/ Sergei Kostitsyn - Mike Fisher - Martin Erat/ Colin Wilson - Marcel Goc - J.P. Dumont/ Nick Spaling - Jerred Smithson - Joel Ward/ Ryan Suter - Shea Weber/ Shane O’Brien - Kevin Klein/ Alexander Sulzer - Cody Franson
Scratches: Belak, Svatos
Top PP times: Erat (1:47), Fisher (1:47), Kostitsyn (1:47), Franson (1:43), Sullivan (1:14)
Trending: Mike Fisher (1G, +1, 3 SOG) has points in two of three with Nashville and he did so after being stitched up on the face. Martin Erat (1G, 1A, +2, 3 SOG) has been chipping in for awhile now and he reached the 30-point mark coming in, while Shea Weber (1A, +2, 1:10 PP, 1 SOG) had 18 points in 21 GP before this outing. Steve Sullivan and Marcel Goc left this game hurt. David Legwand (1A, +1, 0:40 PP, no SOG) has a modest four-game point streak rolling.
MONTREAL CANADIENS 1 @ EDMONTON OILERS 4
Goaltending match-up: Carey Price (24/27, .889 SV%) vs. Nikolai Khabibulin (36/37, .973 SV%)
Combos: Max Pacioretty - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta/ Andrei Kostitsyn - Scott Gomez - Travis Moen/ Benoit Pouliot - David Desharnais - Ryan White/ Lars Eller - Jeff Halpern - Mathieu Darche/ Alexandre Picard - P.K. Subban/ Roman Hamrlik - James Wisniewski/ Brendon Nash - Yannick Weber
Scratches: Mara, Pyatt
Top PP times: Subban (1:08), Weber (1:07), Gomez (1:07), 4 with 0:53
Trending: Roman Hamrlik (1A, 0:53 PP, 4 SOG) had four points in four games before tonight.
Combos: Dustin Penner - Shawn Horcoff - Ales Hemsky/ Taylor Hall - Andrew Cogliano - Jordan Eberle/ Magnus Paajarvi - Sam Gagner - Linus Omark/ 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: Gilbert (2:18), Chorney (2:18), Hall (1:58), Eberle (1:43), Horcoff (1:43)
Trending: Ales Hemsky (2G, +1, 1:37 PP, 3 SOG) scored three points in his last tilt against the Habs and he scored a first period beauty here. He also added the ENG. Shawn Horcoff (1A, 20 PIM, no SOG) was coming off that three-pointer vs. DAL, but had nothing in his prior five. Big PIM payoff at the end. Jordan Eberle (1G, +1, 5 SOG) has connected for goals in four of six now and has been a point-per-game player since coming back into the line-up. Taylor Hall (1A, +1, no SOG) has points in four of eight now.
ATLANTA THRASHERS 3 @ PHOENIX COYOTES 4
Goaltending match-up: Ondrek Pavelev (28/32, .875 SV%) vs. Ilya Bryzgalov (33/36, .917 SV%)
Combos: Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Niclas Bergfors/ Evander Kane - Nik Antropov - Anthony Stewart/ Eric Boulton - Rich Peverley - Chris Thorburn/ Patrice Cormier - Tim Stapleton - Spencer Machacek/ Tobias Enstrom - Dustin Byfuglien/ Johnny Oduya - Brent Sopel/ Ron Hainsey - Zach Bogosian
Scratches: Dawes, Postma
Top PP times: Byfuglien (5:26), Enstrom (5:06), Peverley (3:58), Ladd (2:54), Antropov (2:54)
Trending: Tobias Enstrom (2A, 3 SOG) has been back in the line-up for a few games now and nobody has been happier than Dustin Byfuglien (1A, -1, 2 PIM, 6 SOG). Rich Peverley (1G, 2A, -1, 3 SOG) had three points in four games coming in and this was his second multi-pointer in that span. Andrew Ladd (1G, -2, 3 SOG) had already potted 3G in 3 GP coming into this evening.
Combos: Lauri Korpikoski - Eric Belanger - Shane Doan/ Ray Whitney - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata/ Scottie Upshall - Vernon Fiddler - Lee Stempniak/ Mikkel Boedker - Andrew Ebbett - Paul Bissonnette/ Keith Yandle - Derek Morris/ Ed Jovanovski - Michal Rozsival/ Adrian Aucoin - Sami Lepisto
Scratches: Pyatt, Aucoin, Turris
Top PP times: Yandle (1:40), Hanzal (1:24), Whitney (1:24), Vrbata (1:24), Doan (1:24)
Trending: Keith Yandle (3A, +3, 2 SOG) reached the 50-point plateau this evening in what has been a remarkable campaign. Lauri Korpikoski (1G, 1A, +3, no PP, 2 SOG) had two points in 12 GP before this evening, while Shane Doan (1G, +2, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) has continued to produce points since late November, although his goals have been lacking for awhile. Ray Whitney (1A, 3 SOG) has points in five straight and had three different two-pointers in that span coming in. Ed Jovanovski left this one injured.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS 2 @ SAN JOSE SHARKS 3
Goaltending match-up: Michal Neuvirth (25/28, .893 SV%) vs. Antti Niemi (23/25, .920 SV%)
Combos: Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - Mike Knuble/ Brooks Laich - Marcus Johansson - Alexander Semin/ Jason Chimera - Mathieu Perreault - Matt Bradley/ Dave Steckel - Boyd Gordon - Matt Hendricks/ Karl Alzner - John Carlson/ Jeff Schultz - Scott Hannan/ John Erskine - Tyler Sloan
Scratches: King, McNeil, Green
Top PP times: Ovechkin, Backstrom, Laich, Semin, Carlson (0:31)
Trending: Alex Ovechkin (1G, 1A, 2 PIM, 7 SOG) has goals in B2B games for the first time since late December. He has markers in four of seven now. John Carlson (2A, 2 SOG) had one point in nine games headed in. Alexander Semin (1A, 1 SOG) was coming off his hat trick last night. Nicklas Backstrom (1G, 3 SOG) had 2A in last night's wild one in Anaheim, but had no points in four before that.
Combos: Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Devin Setoguchi/ Dany Heatley - Joe Pavelski - Torrey Mitchell/ Ryane Clowe - Logan Couture - Kyle Wellwood/ Jamal Mayers - Scott Nichol - Ben Eager/ Douglas Murray - Dan Boyle/ Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Kent Huskins/ Niclas Wallin - Jason Demers
Scratches: Petrecki, Wingels, Joslin
Top PP times: Boyle (1:45), Marleau (1:29), Thornton (1:29), Heatley (1:29), Pavelski (1:10)
Trending: Joe Pavelski (1G, 1A, +1, 2 SOG) scored his first SHG of the season, but already had nine points in eight February tilts coming in. Patrick Marleau (1A, 1 SOG) had five points in four games coming in here. Ryane Clowe (1G, +1, 0:53 PP, 3 SOG) had gone six games without a goal, while Logan Couture (1A, +1, 0:53 PP, 3 SOG) ended a brief three-game pointless skid. Dany Heatley (1G, 2 SOG) had 34 points in 31 GP vs. WAS headed in, while Joe Thornton (1A, -1, 2 SOG) has points in B2B games after five without one. If the scoring on the third San Jose goal holds up, that means Dan Boyle took a shot from the point that was deflected by Pavelski, Thornton and then Heatley and into the net. That's not something you see every day. Boyle didn't even get a point because it was on the PP.
