Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com
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TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING 1 @ BOSTON BRUINS 2
Goaltending match-up:Mike Smith (26/28, .929 SV%) vs. Tim Thomas (27/28, .964 SV%)
Combos: Simon Gagne - Steven Stamkos - Martin St. Louis/ Teddy Purcell - Blair Jones - Steve Downie/ Sean Bergenheim - Dominic Moore - Adam Hall/ Dana Tyrell - Nate Thompson - Mattias Ritola/ Brett Clark - Victor Hedman/ Mattias Ohlund - Eric Brewer/ Pavel Kubina - Randy Jones
Scratches: Lecavalier, Smaby, MAB
Top PP times: Stamkos (4:59), Gagne (4:59), St. Louis (4:46), Purcell (4:33), Kubina (3:06)
Trending: Steve Downie (1A, +1, 10 PIM, 0:45 PP, 1 SOG) had 4-2-6 with 25 PIM in 12 GP before tonight.
Combos: Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Nathan Horton/ Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Mark Recchi/ Rich Peverley - Chris Kelly - Michael Ryder/ Daniel Paille - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton/ Zdeno Chara - Johnny Boychuk/ Dennis Seidenberg - Steve Kampfer/ Tomas Kaberle - Adam McQuaid
Scratches: Seguin, Ference
Top PP times: Kaberle (5:07), Chara (3:01), Lucic (2:55), Horton (2:55), Krejci (2:55)
Trending: The line of Milan Lucic (1G, +1, 9 PIM, 1 SOG) with Nathan Horton (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 5 SOG) and David Krejci (1A, +1, 1 SOG) has been doing some really productive things and they delivered the GWG fairly late in the third period.
BUFFALO SABRES 2 @ CAROLINA HURRICANES 3 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Ryan Miller (21/24, .875 SV%) vs. Cam Ward (27/29, .931 SV%)
Combos: Thomas Vanek - Jochen Hecht - Drew Stafford/ Tyler Ennis - Tim Connolly - Brad Boyes/ Nathan Gerbe - Paul Gaustad - Jason Pominville/ Patrick Kaleta - Cody McCormick - Mike Grier/ Chris Butler - Tyler Myers/ Andrej Sekera - Steve Montador/ Shaone Morrisonn - Mike Weber
Scratches: Leopold, Niedermayer
Top PP times: Connolly (5:26), Stafford (5:15), Vanek (5:15), Myers (5:15), Sekera (4:28)
Trending: Brad Boyes (1G, +1, 4:14 PP, 4 SOG) has goals in each of his two starts with the Sabres now. Tyler Ennis (1A, +2, 3:44 PP, 4 SOG) has a point in three of five now.
Combos: Cory Stillman - Eric Staal - Erik Cole/ Tuomo Ruutu - Jeff Skinner - Chad LaRose/ Jussi Jokinen - Brandon Sutter - Jiri Tlusty/ Jerome Samson - Pat Dwyer - Troy Bodie/ Joni Pitkanen - Jamie McBain/ Tim Gleason - Joe Corvo/ Bryan Allen - Jay Harrison
Scratches: Joslin
Top PP times: Pitkanen (2:30), Staal (2:19), Corvo (2:13), Jokinen (1:53), Stillman (1:48)
Trending: Jamie McBain (1G, 1A, +2, 2 PIM, 1:29 PP, 1 SOG) has helpers in five of eight from the back end and Brandon Sutter (1A, +1, no PP, no SOG) has them in four of five. Jeff Skinner (1A, 2 PIM, 1:42 PP, 1 SOG) had one point in five games before tonight and Chad LaRose (1G, 2 PIM, 0:07 PP, 1 SOG) had three points last month. Eric Staal (1A, 2 PIM, 2:19 PP, 3 SOG) added his 61st point, while Joni Pitkanen (1A, +2, no SOG) had eight points in 12 outings coming in.
MINNESOTA WILD 3 @ NEW YORK RANGERS 1
Goaltending match-up: Jose Theodore (40/41, .976 SV%) vs. Henrik Lundqvist (16/19, .842 SV%)
Combos: Martin Havlat - Kyle Brodziak - Pierre-Marc Bouchard/ Cal Clutterbuck - Matt Cullen - John Madden/ Andrew Brunette - Eric Nystrom - Antii Miettinen/ Warren Peters - Brad Saubitz - Chuck Kobasew/ Nick Schultz - Brent Burns/ Marek Zidlicky - Greg Zanon/ Clayton Stoner - Jared Spurgeon
Scratches: Kobasew, Barker
Top PP times: All under 1:00
Trending: Kyle Brodziak (1G, 1A, +1, 0:42 PP, 3 SOG) had 10 points in his past 13 GP before this outing. Pierre-Marc Bouchard (1G, 1A, +1, 0:53 PP, 1 SOG) began the evening with nine points in 15 affairs. Brent Burns (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 0:38 PP, no SOG) reached the 40-point plateau in the second period, while Andrew Brunette (1A, +1, 0:35 PP, 1 SOG) had just one point in six tries before this clash. Martin Havlat (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 0:32 PP, 4 SOG) had 11 points in his last 15 starts headed in here.
Combos: Brandon Dubinsky - Artem Anisimov - Ryan Callahan/ Wojtek Wolski - Derek Stepan - Mats Zuccarello/ Sean Avery - Erik Christensen - Vinny Prospal/ Ruslan Fedotenko - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust/ Marc Staal - Dan Girardi/ Bryan McCabe - Matt Gilroy/ Ryan McDonagh - Mike Sauer
Scratches: Gaborik, Eminger, Biron
Top PP times: Prospal (4:59), McCabe (4:37), Callahan (4:28), Christensen (4:19), Wolski (4:18)
Trending: Vinny Prospal (1A, +1, 3 SOG) had four points in four affairs before tonight.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 3 @ PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 2
Goaltending match-up: James Reimer (28/30, .933 SV%) vs. Sergei Bobrovsky (30/33, .909 SV%)
Combos: Clarke MacArthur - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin/ Joffrey Lupul - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel/ Colby Armstrong - Darryl Boyce - Joey Crabb/ Mike Brown - Tim Brent - Fredrik Sjostrom/ Dion Phaneuf - Keith Aulie/ Luke Schenn - Carl Gunnarsson/ Mike Komisarek - Brett Lebda
Scratches: Hosehill, Gustavsson
Top PP times: Phaneuf (8:36), Brent (8:03), Kessel (7:44), Grabovski (6:53), MacArthur (6:49)
Trending: Nikolai Kulemin (1G, 1A, +2, 5:50 PP, 3 SOG) has scored in three straight now with points in four in a row. He had 12 points in 15 GP before tonight. Clarke MacArthur (1A, +1, 2 SOG) collected his 50th point of the season in the first period and also has points in four straight. Dion Phaneuf (1G, 1A, +2, 5 SOG) had seven points in 15 GP before tonight and he has goals in two of four.
Combos: Ville Leino - Danny Briere - Scott Hartnell/ Kris Verseteeg - Mike Richards - Andreas Nodl/ James van Riemsdyk - Claude Giroux - Nikolay Zherdev/ Jody Shelley - Ben Holmstrom - Blair Betts/ Matt Carle - Chris Pronger/ Braydon Coburn - Kimmo Timonen/ Sean O'Donnell - Andrej Meszaros
Scratches: Carcillo, Carter, Boynton, Powe
Top PP times: Giroux (3:08), Timonen (3:08), Richards (3:03), Hartnell (2:53), Meszaros (2:53)
Trending: Kris Versteeg (2G, +2, 1:47 PP, 3 SOG) has points in three of seven now after this multi-goal game against his former team. Mike Richards (2A, +1, 2 SOG) came into tonight 10 points shy of last year’s 62 and he was dishing out some sweet passes to Versteeg, while Chris Pronger (1A, 2:24 PP, 2 SOG) was back in action tonight. Matt Carle (1A, +2, 2:45 PP, 2 SOG) has picked up points in three of his past four.
ST. LOUIS BLUES 2 @ WASHINGTON CAPITALS 3
Goaltending match-up: Ty Conklin (27/30, .900 SV%) vs. Michal Neuvirth (25/27, .926 SV%)
Combos: Andy McDonald - David Backes - Matt D'Agostini/ Alex Steen - Patrik Berglund - Chris Stewart/ Kevin Porter - B.J. Crombeen - T.J. Oshie/ Ryan Reaves - Adam Cracknell - Cam Janssen/ Barret Jackman - Roman Polak/ / Alex Pietrangelo - Kevin Shattenkirk/ Carlo Colaiacovo - Tyson Strachan
Scratches: Nikitin
Top PP times: Pietrangelo (3:55), Shattenkirk (3:45), McDonald (3:35), Stewart (3:35), Berglund (3:35)
Trending: Chris Stewart (1A, -1, 1 SOG) already had 6-1-7 in 7 GP with STL and he added more to his poolies’ treasuries here. Alex Steen (1G, -1, 2:15 PP, 3 SOG) had gone six games without a goal and had two helpers in that time.
Combos: Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - Mike Knuble/ Brooks Laich - Jason Arnott - Alexander Semin/ Jason Chimera - Marcus Johansson - Marco Sturm/ Matt Hendricks - Boyd Gordon - Matt Bradley/ Karl Alzner - John Carlson/ Jeff Schultz - Scott Hannan/ John Erskine - Dennis Wideman
Scratches: King, Beagle, Sloan, Varlamov
Top PP times: Wideman (1:43), Ovechkin (1:13), Backstrom (1:13), Knuble (1:13), Arnott (1:13)
Trending: Alex Ovechkin (2A, +1, 1 SOG) headed into tonight with 25-40-65 in 64 GP. Nicklas Backstrom (1G, +1, 4 SOG), who is at least playing through an injury, had no points in six games before tonight. Mike Knuble (1A, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) has points in four of eight now. Jason Arnott (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 4 SOG) has points in each of his two starts with the Caps now. Alex Semin (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 0:47 PP, 3 SOG) had one point in five games before tonight.
OTTAWA SENATORS 3 @ ATLANTA THRASHERS 1
Goaltending match-up: Craig Anderson (42/43, .977 SV%) vs. Chris Mason (24/27, .889 SV%)
Combos: Colin Greening - Jason Spezza - Bobby Butler/ Erik Condra - Ryan Shannon - Marek Svatos/ Nick Foligno - Zack Smith - Chris Neil/ Ryan Potulny - Jesse Winchester - Francis Lessard/ Filip Kuba - Erik Karlsson/ Chris Phillips - Brian Lee/ Derek Smith - Sergei Gonchar
Scratches: Michalek, Alfredsson, Regin, Carkner, Leclaire
Top PP times: Gonchar (1:45), Spezza (1:37), Butler (1:37), Smith (1:20), Karlsson (1:05)
Trending: Bobby Butler (1G, +2, 2 SOG) came into tonight with 5-3-8 in 9 GP. Colin Greening (1G, +2, no PP, 3 SOG) has points in three of five and that was his first NHL goal. Erik Karlsson (1A, 1:05 PP, 1 SOG) had 26 points in his 60 GP last season and he came into tonight, his 61st game, with 33. Hey! Sergei Gonchar (1A, +1, 2 SOG) scored a point. I think I'm going to buy a lottery ticket tonight.
Combos: Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler/ Evander Kane - Tim Stapleton - Anthony Stewart/ Radek Dvorak - Nik Antropov - Rob Schremp/ Eric Boulton - Ben Maxwell - Chris Thorburn/ Tobias Enstrom - Dustin Byfuglien/ Johnny Oduya - Mark Stuart/ Ron Hainsey - Zach Bogosian
Scratches: Cormier, Pavelec
Top PP times: Enstrom (1:37), Byfuglien (1:37), Kane (1:19), Wheeler (0:58), Schremp (0:58)
Trending: Dustin Byfuglien (1G, -1, 6 SOG) had a pair of points the last time he met the Sens and he stopped a four-game pointless skid here. Tobias Enstrom (1A, -1, 3 SOG) came into tonight only four point shy of last year’s mark of 50. Andrew Ladd (1A, 0:39 PP, 3 SOG) also had 46 points before the puck dropped here.
MONTREAL CANADIENS 4 @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 0
Goaltending match-up: Carey Price (30/30) vs. Tomas Vokoun (1/3, .333 SV%) & Scott Clemmensen (26/28, .929 SV%)
Combos: Michael Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Jeff Halpern/ Max Pacioretty - Scott Gomez - Brian Gionta/ Benoit Pouliot - David Desharnais - Tom Pyatt/ Andrei Kostitsyn - Lars Eller - Travis Moen/ Hal Gill - P.K. Subban/ Roman Hamrlik - James Wisniewski/ Alexandre Picard - Brent Sopel
Scratches: Mara, White, Weber
Top PP times: Gomez (1:31), Gionta (1:31), Pacioretty (1:31), Subban (1:09), Hamrlik (1:09)
Trending: Andrei Kostitsyn’s (1G, 1A, +3, 0:29 PP, 2 SOG) point streak stretched to five games after nine without one and a -8 rating. James Wisniewski (2A, +2, 0:51 PP, 3 SOG) has points in four of his past five from the back end, but has been a steady source of points with the Habs. David Desharnais (1G, +1, 0:29 PP, 1 SOG) came into tonight with nine points in 10 outings.
Combos: David Booth - Stephen Weiss - Sergei Samsonov/ Niclas Bergfors - Mike Santorelli - Steve Bernier/ Kenndal McArdle - Marty Reasoner - Michal Repik/ Darcy Hordichuk - Scott Timmins - Bill Thomas/ Jason Garrison - Mike Weaver/ Dmitry Kulikov - Alexander Sulzer/ Joe Callahan - Keaton Ellerby
Scratches:
Top PP times: Weiss (5:00), Kulikov (4:33), Booth (4:18), Samsonov (3:36), Santorelli (3:30)
Trending:
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 2 @ EDMONTON OILERS 4
Goaltending match-up: Steve Mason (11/14, .786 SV%) & Mathieu Garon (23/23) vs. Devan Dubnyk (26/28, .929 SV%)
Combos: Rick Nash - Antoine Vermette - Jakub Voracek/ Matt Calvert - Derek McKenzie - R.J. Umberger/ Derek Dorsett - Samuel Pahlsson - Scottie Upshall/ Ethan Moreau - Andrew Murray - Jared Boll/ Kris Russell - Grant Clitsome/ Sami Lepisto - Jan Hejda/ Marc Methot - Fedor Tyutin
Scratches: Stralman, Rivet, Clark
Top PP times: Tyutin (5:41), Nash (5:18), Umberger (5:17), Voracek (4:48), Vermette (4:28)
Trending: Matt Calvert (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) had scored seven goals in seven games headed into tonight. Scottie Upshall (1G, -1, 4:12 PP, 3 SOG) has scored in his two starts with the Jackets. R.J. Umberger (1A, -1, 8 SOG) came into tonight three points shy of the 50-mark. Kris Russell (1A, -2, no SOG) had eight points in 13 outings before this result.
Combos: Taylor Hall - Shawn Horcoff - Jordan Eberle/ Magnus Paajarvi - Sam Gagner - Linus Omark/ Ryan Jones - Andrew Cogliano - Gilbert Brule/ Jean-Francois Jacques - Colin Fraser - Liam Reddox/ Ladislav Smid - Tom Gilbert/ Jim Vandermeer - Richard Petiot/ Kurtis Foster - Jason Strudwick
Scratches: MacIntyre, Peckham, Hemsky
Top PP times: Paajarvi (4:38), Gagner (4:14), Brule (4:08), Jones (3:52), Foster (3:34)
Trending: Taylor Hall (1G, 1A, +2, 9 PIM, 1:02 PP, 2 SOG). What a night. What a bottom line for his poolies and what a goal he ALMOST scored before the fight with Derek Dorsett. The bad news - and there's always bad news - is he left this one with an ankle injury. Stay tuned. Shawn Horcoff (2A, +2, 3:23 PP, 2 SOG) had one point in five tries before tonight, while Jordan Eberle (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 3:10 PP, 4 SOG) carried 11 points in 14 GP before this start. Sam Gagner (1G, -2, 3 SOG) had nine points in 15 GP before tonight. Tom Gilbert (1A, +2, 3:22 PP, 4 SOG) had chipped in six points in eight tries coming in.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS 3 @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS 0
Goaltending match-up: Pekka Rinne (29/29) vs. Roberto Luongo (26/28, .929 SV%)
Combos: Sergei Kostitsyn - Mike Fisher - Martin Erat/ Martin Erat - David Legwand - Joel Ward/ Nick Spaling - Jerred Smithson - Jordin Tootoo/ Matt Halischuk - Blake Geoffrion - Colin Wilson/ Shea Weber - Ryan Suter/ Cody Franson - Shane O'Brien/ Kevin Klein - Jonathon Blum
Scratches: Dumont
Top PP times: Hornqvist (3:10), Legwand (3:06), Franson (2:57), Kostitsyn (2:54), Blum (2:49)
Trending: Blake Geoffrion (1G, +1, no PP, 1 SOG) has scored in B2B games now and he potted the game's first goal in the third period. Patric Hornqvist (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 7 SOG) had only two goals dating back to the start of February. David Legwand (1G, +1, 2 SOG) added the ENG and has four points in his last four games now.
Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Mason Raymond - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson/ Raffi Torres - Manny Malhotra - Jannik Hansen/ Tanner Glass - Maxim Lapierre - Jeff Tambellini/ Dan Hamhuis - Christian Ehrhoff/ Sami Salo - Keith Ballard/ Aaron Rome - Chris Tanev
Scratches: Bieksa
Top PP times: Ehrhoff (2:37), Kesler (2:32), D. Sedin (2:32), H. Sedin (2:32), Samuelsson (2:23)
Trending:
PHOENIX COYOTES 0 @ LOS ANGELES KINGS 1
Goaltending match-up: Ilya Bryzgalov (17/18, .944 SV%) vs. Jonathan Bernier (25/25)
Combos: Mikkel Boedker - Eric Belanger - Shane Doan/ Ray Whitney - Andrew Ebbett - Radim Vrbata/ Taylor Pyatt - Vernon Fiddler - Lee Stempniak/ Paul Bissonnette - Kyle Turris - Lauri Korpikoski/ Keith Yandle - Derek Morris/ David Schlemko - Adrian Aucoin/ Rostislav Klesla - Michal Rozsival
Scratches: Hanzal, Ekman-Larsson
Top PP times: Yandle (5:44), Turris (3:10), Whitney (3:08), Belanger (3:08), Boedker (2:57)
Trending:
Combos: Dustin Penner - Anze Kopitar - Wayne Simmonds/ Ryan Smyth - Jarret Stoll - Justin Williams/ Brad Richardson - Michal Handzus - Dustin Brown/ Wayne Clifford- Trevor Lewis - Alexei Ponikarovsky/ Willie Mitchell - Drew Doughty/ Jack Johnson - Rob Scuderi/ Alec Martinez - Matt Greene
Scratches: Harrold, Westgarth, Drewiske
Top PP times: Doughty (2:13), Smyth (1:56), Kopitar (1:56), Penner (1:56), Stoll (1:27)
Trending: Jarret Stoll (1G, 2 SOG) scored the game's only goal and has points in four of five now after four without one. Ryan Smyth (1A, 1 SOG) also has points in four of five after four games without a point. Anze Kopitar (1A, 1 SOG) has 14 points over his past 14 outings. This was Dustin Penner's (16:45 TOI, no SOG) debut with his new team.
DETROIT RED WINGS 1 @ SAN JOSE SHARKS 3
Goaltending match-up: Joey MacDonald (25/28, .893 SV%) vs. Antti Niemi (26/27, .963 SV%)
Combos: Johan Franzen - Henrik Zetterberg - Todd Bertuzzi/ Jiri Hudler - Pavel Datsyuk - Danny Cleary/ Valtteri Filppula - Mike Modano - Tomas Holmstrom/ Justin Abdelkader - Darren Helm - Kris Draper/ Nicklas Lidstrom - Brad Stuart/ Jonathan Ericsson - Niklas Kronwall/ Jakub Kindl - Ruslan Salei
Scratches: Eaves, Miller, Rafalski
Top PP times: Lidstrom (3:52), Kronwall (3:36), Franzen (3:03), Zetterberg (2:42), Datsyuk (2:40)
Trending: Tomas Holmstrom (1G, -1, 2 PIM, 2:02 PP, 1 SOG) had six points in 11 GP before tonight, while Mike Modano (1A, 1:30 PP, 1 SOG) has a point in two of three now. Nicklas Lidstrom (1A, -2, 1 SOG) had racked up 59 points in 70 GP vs. SJ coming in here.
Combos: Logan Couture - Joe Thornton - Devin Setoguchi/ Ryane Clowe - Patrick Marleau - Dany Heatley/ Torrey Mitchell - Joe Pavelski - Kyle Wellwood/ Ben Eager - John McCarthy - Jamal Mayers/ Douglas Murray - Justin Braun/ Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Jason Demers/ Niclas Wallin - Ian White
Scratches: Boyle, Mashinter
Top PP times: Demers (4:05), Marleau (3:19), Thornton (3:11), Heatley (3:05), Pavelski (2:59)
Trending: Dany Heatley (2G, +1, 5 SOG) had two goals over his past 17 GP. Joe Thornton (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) had 26 points in 30 GP vs. DET before tonight, while Patrick Marleau (1G, 1A, +2, 3 SOG) had 11 points in 14 outings coming in.
