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BUFFALO SABRES 4 @ BOSTON BRUINS 3 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Ryan Miller (26/29, .897 SV%) vs. Tim Thomas (41/45, .911 SV%)
Combos: Thomas Vanek - Tim Connolly - Jason Pominville/ Tyler Ennis - Brad Boyes - Drew Stafford/ Nathan Gerbe - Paul Gaustad - Mark Mancari/ Rob Niedermayer - Cody McCormick - Mike Grier/ Chris Butler - Tyler Myers/ Andrej Sekera - Steve Montador/ Shaone Morrisonn - Jordan Leopold
Scratches: Weber, Kaleta, Hecht, Lalime
Top PP times: Pominville (5:39), Vanek (5:18), Ennis (4:52), Myers (4:44), Boyes (4:23)
Trending: Brad Boyes (1G, 1A, 4 SOG) had 2-2-4 in 5 GP with BUF coming in here and this was his first GWG of the season. Thomas Vanek (1G, -1, 5 SOG) was back in action here after missing time with the flu. Tyler Ennis (1G, 1A, 4 SOG) had 2A the last time he met the Bruins and had five points in six games coming into this tilt. Drew Stafford (1A, +1, 3:29 PP, 2 SOG) has points in six of eight. Tyler Myers (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) has a point in three of six this month and he reached the 30-point mark here. Jason Pominville (1A, -1, 2 SOG) had three points in three games coming in after a period of four games without a point.
Combos: Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Nathan Horton/ Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Rich Peverley/ Mark Recchi - Chris Kelly - Michael Ryder/ Tyler Seguin - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton/ Zdeno Chara - Johnny Boychuk/ Tomas Kaberle - Dennis Seidenberg/ Matt Bartkowski - Adam McQuaid
Scratches: Seguin, Ference, Kampfer
Top PP times: Chara (1:39), Kaberle (1:39), Horton (1:25), Recchi (1:25), Krejci (0:56)
Trending: Once again, Boston’s first line of David Krejci (1A, +1, no SOG) between Milan Lucic (1A, +1, 5 PIM, 4 SOG) and Nathan Horton (1G, +1, 3 SOG) manages to come through for poolies. Zdeno Chara (2A, +2, 2 PIM, 3 SOG) has points in two of three after six without one. Michael Ryder (1A, +2, 0:54 PP, no SOG) ended a four-game pointless skid here and Mark Recchi (1G, 2 PIM, 7 SOG) was shifted to a lower line and responded by ending a six-game pointless drought.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 3 @ TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 2
Goaltending match-up: Brian Boucher (27/29, .931 SV%) vs. James Reimer (30/33, .909 SV%)
Combos: Jeff Carter - Claude Giroux - James van Riemsdyk/ Ville Leino - Danny Briere - Scott Hartnell/ Dan Carcillo - Mike Richards - Kris Versteeg/ Jody Shelley - Blair Betts - Darroll Powe/ Nick Boynton - Matt Carle/ Kimmo Timonen - Braydon Coburn/ Sean O'Donnell - Andrej Meszaros
Scratches: Nodl, Pronger, Zherdev
Top PP times: Carter (3:41), Briere (3:41), Giroux (3:40), Timonen (3:20), Richards (3:17)
Trending: Andrej Meszaros (1G, 3:16 PP, 2 SOG) had gone five games without a point, while Claude Giroux (1G, 1A, 2 PIM, 3 SOG) continues to pile on the points. He had eight points in nine career games against the Leafs before tonight too. Danny Briere (1A, +1, 5 SOG) came into tonight with 53 points, the same total he had last year in 12 more games. Matt Carle (1A, +1, 0:47 PP, 2 SOG) entered this clash five points shy of last year’s mark of 35 points. James van Riemsdyk (1A, 2:46 PP, 3 SOG) had eight points in 15 GP coming in here.
Combos: Nikolai Kulemin - Mikhail Grabovski - Phil Kessel/ Clarke MacArthur - Tyler Bozak - Joffrey Lupul/ Colby Armstrong - Darryl Boyce - Joey Crabb/ Fredrik Sjostrom - Tim Brent - Mike Brown/ Dion Phaneuf - Keith Aulie/ Luke Schenn - Carl Gunnarsson/ Mike Komisarek - Brett Lebda
Scratches: Rosehill, Gustavsson
Top PP times: Brent (3:31), Phaneuf (3:29), Grabovski (3:23), Lupul (2:41), MacArthur (2:35)
Trending: Dion Phaneuf (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 4 SOG) had 1G, 1A the last time he faced the Flyers. Mikhail Grabovski (1G, -1, 5 SOG) had six points in six games before tonight, while Clarke MacArthur (1A, -1, 2:35 PP, 1 SOG) has points in five of seven. Joffrey Lupul (1G, 1 SOG) began this evening with 3-3-6 in 13 GP avec TOR.
OTTAWA SENATORS 2 @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 1
Goaltending match-up: Craig Anderson (33/34, .971 SV%) vs. Tomas Vokoun (37/39, .949 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 (4:45), Spezza (4:31), Karlsson (4:17), Shannon (3:36), Smith (2:48)
Trending: Erik Karlsson (2G, +1, 2 PIM, 10 SOG) has points in four of six and his two third period goals were enough for the Sens on this night. Sergei Gonchar (1A, 1 SOG) has points in three of four now, so it's almost like he's contributing to his poolies. Nick Foligno (1A, +1, no PP, 1 SOG) has points in four of eight. Jason Spezza (1A, 2 PIM, 4 SOG) still has a point-per-game average since coming back into the line-up 15 games ago.
Combos: Niclas Bergfors - Stephen Weiss - Sergei Samsonov/ David Booth - Marty Reasoner - Michal Repik/ Tim Kennedy - Mike Santorelli - Steve Bernier/ Darcy Hordichuk - Scott Timmins - Bill Thomas/ Jason Garrison - Mike Weaver/ Dmitry Kulikov - Keaton Ellerby/ Clay Wilson - Joe Callahan
Scratches: Sulzer
Top PP times: Kulikov (5:57), Samsonov (5:49), Weiss (5:46), Santorelli (5:44), Booth (5:21)
Trending: Clay Wilson (1G, +1, 3:50 PP, 3 SOG) has points in B2B games now on D, while Niclas Bergfors (1A, +1, 3:27 PP, 2 SOG) has a point in three of his past four. Michal Repik (1A, +1, 3:29 PP, 5 SOG) has a point in three in a row.
MONTREAL CANADIENS 1 @ ST. LOUIS BLUES 4
Goaltending match-up: Carey Price (23/26, .885 SV%) vs. Jaroslav Halak (27/28, .964 SV%)
Combos: Michael Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Jeff Halpern/ Benoit Pouliot - Scott Gomez - Brian Gionta/ Andrei Kostitsyn - Lars Eller - Travis Moen/ Tom Pyatt - David Desharnais - Ryan White/ Hal Gill - P.K. Subban/ Roman Hamrlik - James Wisniewski/ Paul Mara - Alexandre Picard
Scratches: Sopel, Pacioretty, Weber
Top PP times: Gomez (2:34), Gionta (2:26), Wisniewski (2:20), Plekanec (2:05), Pouliot (2:04)
Trending: Jeff Halpern (1G, 0:15 PP, 1 SOG) snapped a five-game pointless streak when he opened the scoring tonight.
Combos: T.J. Hensick - Patrik Berglund - Chris Stewart/ Andy McDonald - David Backes - Matt D'Agostini/ Kevin Porter - T.J. Oshie - B.J. Crombeen/ Ryan Reaves - Adam Cracknell - Cam Janssen/ Carlo Colaiacovo - Alex Pietrangelo/ Kevin Shattenkirk - Ian Cole/ Nikita Nikitin - Roman Polak
Scratches: Jackman, Steen, Scatchard
Top PP times: Colaiacovo (3:23), Shattenkirk (3:10), Oshie (3:07), Berglund (2:53), McDonald (2:52)
Trending: David Backes (1G, +3, 4 PIM, 1:58 PP, 3 SOG) entered this one five points shy of his career high of 54 points. Andy McDonald (1G, 2A, +3, 4 SOG) had an even 18 points in 18 games coming in here. Matt D’Agostini (1G, 1A, +3, 2:16 PP, 2 SOG) has points in two of three after a long stretch of not too much action for poolies. T.J. Oshie (1G, 2 SOG) has points in three of four now with his ENG and Patrik Berglund (1A, +1, 2 SOG) was in on that one, continuing his strong surge of points.
MINNESOTA WILD 0 @ NASHVILLE PREDATORS 4
Goaltending match-up: Niklas Backstrom (27/31, .871 SV%) vs. Pekka Rinne (19/19)
Combos: Martin Havlat - Kyle Brodziak - Pierre-Marc Bouchard/ Andrew Brunette - Eric Nystrom - Antti Miettinen/ Matt Cullen - John Madden - Chuck Kobasew/ Guillaume Latendresse - Warren Peters - Brad Saubitz/ Nick Schultz - Brent Burns/ Marek Zidlicky - Greg Zanon/ Jared Spurgeon - Marco Scandella
Scratches: Stoner, Clutterbuck, Barker
Top PP times: PMB (1:44), Havlat (1:29), Burns (1:22), Brodziak (1:18), Zidlicky (1:09)
Trending:
Combos: Sergei Kostitsyn - Mike Fisher - Colin Wilson/ Martin Erat - David Legwand - Joel Ward/ Nick Spaling - Jerred Smithson - Patric Hornqvist/ Matt Halischuk - Blake Geoffrion - Jordin Tootoo/ Shea Weber - Ryan Suter/ Cody Franson - Shane O'Brien/ Kevin Klein - Jonathon Blum
Scratches: Laakso, Dumont
Top PP times: Weber (3:55), Suter (3:26), Ward (3:11), Legwand (3:11), Erat (3:11)
Trending: Good night for Martin Erat (1G, 1A, +2, 4 SOG), who now has three straight multi-pointers with points in each of his past four. In 13 games coming in here, David Legwand (2A, +2, 1 SOG) had 12 points. Joel Ward has points in four of his past six now. Nick Spaling (2G, +2, 0:55 PP, 4 SOG) had two points before tonight dating back to mid-January. Shea Weber (1A, +3, 5 SOG) was coming off a two-pointer and needed two more points tonight to match last year's total of 43 points.
CALGARY FLAMES 0 @ PHOENIX COYOTES 3
Goaltending match-up: Henrik Karlsson (29/31, .935 SV%) vs. Ilya Bryzgalov (38/38)
Combos: Alex Tanguay - David Moss - Jarome Iginla/ Curtis Glencross - Olli Jokinen - Rene Bourque/ Niklas Hagman - Matt Stajan - Freddy Modin/ Tim Jackman - Mikael Backlund - Tom Kostopoulos/ Robyn Regehr - Jay Bouwmeester/ Mark Giordano - Cory Sarich/ Steve Staios - Anton Babchuk
Scratches: Carson, Morrison, Mikkelson
Top PP times: Tanguay (5:42), Iginla (5:10), Bourque (5:07), Giordano (4:21), Jokinen (2:41)
Trending:
Combos: Lauri Korpikoski - Eric Belanger - Shane Doan/ Mikkel Boedker - Kyle Turris - Brett MacLean/ Taylor Pyatt - Vernon Fiddler - Radim Vrbata/ Paul Bissonnette - Andrew Ebbett - Lee Stempniak/ Keith Yandle - Derek Morris/ David Schlemko - Michal Rozsival/ Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Adrian Aucoin
Scratches: Summer, Hanzal, Whitney, Klesla
Top PP times: Doan (3:02), Yandle (2:50), Belanger (2:41), Korpikoski (2:34), Vrbata (2:28)
Trending: Brett MacLean (1G, +1, 1:09 PP, 3 SOG) has points in two of three on this call-up. Mikkel Boedker (1A, +1, 0:56 PP, no SOG) only had one point in four games before tonight, but had six in four before that period. Kyle Turris (1A, +1, 1:32 PP, 2 SOG) had three points in four games before this outing. Eric Belanger (1G, +2, 5 SOG) just had a three-pointer in his last game, but had nothing in six points before that. Shane Doan (1G, +2, 2 SOG) added the ENG and had 13 points in 17 GP coming in here.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS 5 @ SAN JOSE SHARKS 4 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Cory Schneider (44/48, .917 SV%) vs. Antti Niemi (24/28, .857 SV%)
Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Mason Raymond - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson/ Raffi Torres - Manny Malhotra - Jannik Hansen/ Chris Higgins - Maxim Lapierre - Tanner Glass/ Dan Hamhuis - Christian Ehrhoff/ Aaron Rome - Sami Salo/ Keith Ballard - Chris Tanev
Scratches: Tambellini
Top PP times: Ehrhoff (5:58), Samuelsson (5:58), Kesler (5:45), D. Sedin (5:39), H. Sedin (5:35)
Trending: What an absolutely crazy finish to the third period and then into OT. Wow. HELL of a game. Henrik Sedin (2A, -1, 2 PIM, no SOG) had a goal the last time these teams met and Daniel Sedin (1G, 1A, 4 SOG) had 25 points in 38 GP vs. SJ coming in here. Alexandre Burrows (1G, -1, 4 PIM, 3:02 PP, 2 SOG) had 1G, 0A in 8 GP coming in here. Sami Salo (1G, +1, 3:36 PP, 2 SOG) has goals in B2B games and has points in three of six now. Mason Raymond (1G, -1, 2:03 PP, 4 SOG) was back in the line-up here and his offensive production had been really dry with one point in nine games coming in. Mikael Samuelsson (1A, 1 SOG) has points in three in a row after four without one. Ryan Kesler (1A, 4 PIM, 3 SOG) hit the 60-point plateau here in the second period. Shootout: Burrows
Combos: Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Devin Setoguchi/ Ryane Clowe - Logan Couture - Dany Heatley/ Torrey Mitchell - Joe Pavelski - Kyle Wellwood/ Ben Eager - Andrew Desjardins - Jamal Mayers/ Douglas Murray - Justin Braun/ Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Jason Demers/ Niclas Wallin - Ian White
Scratches: Boyle
Top PP times: Pavelski (8:37), Marleau (8:25), Thornton (7:47), White (7:24), Clowe (6:46)
Trending: Joe Thornton (2A, +14 SOG), has points in three of five now, while Dany Heatley (1A, -1, 2 PIM, 3:52 PP, 1 SOG) has points in four straight and had five points in three games before tonight. Ryane Clowe (2G, -1, 5 SOG) has goals in six of 10 now, while Logan Couture (1A, -1, 3 SOG) ended a four-game pointless skid here. Devin Setoguchi (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 4:10 PP, 4 SOG) had been blanked in his past three, but has been generally productive since late January. Ian White (2A, 5 SOG) has picked up points in three of four.
