Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com
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VANCOUVER CANUCKS 2 @ DETROIT RED WINGS 1
Goaltending match-up: Roberto Luongo (39/40, .975 SV%) vs. Jimmy Howard (31/33, .939 SV%)
Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Chris Higgins - Ryan Kesler - Mason Raymond/ Raffi Torres - Maxim Lapierre - Jannik Hansen/ Jeff Tambellini - Alexandre Bolduc - Victor Oreskovich/ Sami Salo - Christian Ehrhoff/ Keith Ballard - Dan Hamhuis/ Aaron Rome - Keith Ballard
Scratches: Glass, Tanev, Samuelsson
Top PP times: Sedins (2:25), Salo (2:25), Kesler (2:25), Ehrhoff (2:09)
Trending: Daniel Sedin (2G, +1, 2 PIM, 5 SOG) came into tonight seven points short of the century mark and the new daddy potted the game’s opening goal and another one to boot. It was completely shocking to also see Henrik Sedin (2A, +1, 2 SOG) in on the scoring as well, with Dan Hamhuis (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 0:17 PP, 1 SOG) having four points in six games headed in here. Ryan Kesler (1A, 2 PIM, 4 SOG) came into tonight 11 points back of last year’s mark of 75 points.
Combos: Justin Abdelkader - Henrik Zetterberg - Danny Cleary/ Mike Modano - Valtteri Filppula - Tomas Holmstrom/ Jiri Hudler - Jan Mursak - Drew Miller/ Kris Draper - Darren Helm - Patrick Eaves/ Nicklas Lidstrom - Brad Stuart/ Ruslan Salei - Brian Rafalski/ Jonathan Ericsson - Niklas Kronwall/
Scratches: Kindl, Datsyuk, Bertuzzi, Franzen
Top PP times: Rafalski (3:40), Lidstrom (3:27), Zetterberg (3:09), Hudler (3:05), Cleary (2:49)
Trending: Jiri Hudler (1G, 2 SOG) hadn’t recorded a point in seven March games before scoring Detroit’s goal. Barring a disaster, this is going to be Nicklas Lidstrom’s (1A, -1, 3 SOG) ninth 60+ point season. NINTH! Brian Rafalski (1A, 1 SOG) continues to be a steady source of points from the back end as well.
FLORIDA PANTHERS 0 @ CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 4
Goaltending match-up: Tomas Vokoun (27/31, .871 SV%) vs. Corey Crawford (23/23)
Combos: Sergei Samsonov - Mike Santorelli - Jack Skille/ David Booth - Marty Reasoner - Niclas Bergfors/ Evgeny Dadonov - Shawn Matthias - Michal Repik/ Darcy Hordichuk - Ryan Carter - Steve Bernier/ Mike Weaver - Jason Garrison/ Keaton Ellerby - Dmitry Kulikov/ Alexander Sulzer - Joe Callahan
Scratches: Weiss, Timmins, Clemmensen
Top PP times: Kulikov (1:59), Samsonov (1:59), Booth (1:58), Santorelli (1:55), Reasoner (1:25)
Trending:
Combos: Viktor Stalberg - Jonathan Toews - Patrick Kane/ Tomas Kopecky - Michael Frolik - Marian Hossa/ Bryan Bickell - Marcus Kruger - Troy Brouwer/ Ryan Johnson - Jake Dowell - Fernando Pisani/ Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook/ Niklas Hjalmarsson - Chris Campoli/ Nick Leddy - Brian Campbell
Scratches: Hendry, Sharp, Scott, Bolland
Top PP times: Keith (4:25), Kane (3:48), Seabrook (3:40), Hossa (3:35), Toews (3:20)
Trending: Brent Seabrook (1G, 1A, +1, 3 SOG) is breaking new ground in career high territory this season and he broke the 40-point barrier tonight. Jonathan Toews (2A, +2, no SOG) continues to dominate, while Duncan Keith (2A, +2, 2 SOG) came into tonight two points shy of 40. He had 69 last year. Patrick Kane (1G, 1A, +2, 5 SOG) had tallied 26 points in 22 GP before tonight. Marcus Kruger (2 PIM, 11:37 TOI, no PP, no SOG) made his NHL debut for the Hawks, although early indications are that he’ll be a better player on the ice than he will be for his poolies. Never know in the long run though. Viktor Stalberg (1G, +2, no PP, 2 SOG) has scored in three of seven now.
ANAHEIM DUCKS 4 @ DALLAS STARS 3 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Ray Emery (23/26, .885 SV%) vs. Kari Lehtonen (22/26, .846 SV%)
Combos: Bobby Ryan - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry/ Jason Blake - Saku Koivu - Teemu Selanne/ Brad Winchester - Brandon McMillan - Dan Sexton/ Jarkko Ruutu - Todd Marchant - George Parros/ Lubomir Visnovsky - Toni Lydman/ Francois Beauchemin - Luca Sbisa/ Cam Fowler - Sheldon Brookbank
Scratches: Lilja, Sutton, Chipchura, Ellis
Top PP times: Visnovsky (5:27), Getzlaf (4:47), Fowler (4:45), Perry (4:43), Selanne (4:35)
Trending: Corey Perry (1G, +2, 4 SOG) simultaneously reached 40 goals and 80 points for the first time in his career tonight. Lubomir Visnovsky (1G, 1A, +2, 1 SOG) entered this one needing a two-pointer to reach 60 points for only the second time in his career. He’s hit 67 before. Cam Fowler (1G, 1A, 2 SOG) has helpers in four of his past five now and the last goal he scored was also an OT GWG, back in early February against Calgary. Ryan Getzlaf (2A, +3, 1 SOG) came into tonight with 28 points in 29 road games. He had 3A the last time he played this team. Bobby Ryan (2A, +3, 1:47 PP, 2 SOG) set up the winner and is now only two points back of last year's 64. Teemu Selanne (1G, 2 SOG) continues to be just ridiculous.
Combos: Jamie Langenbrunner - Brad Richards - Loui Eriksson/ Brenden Morrow - Mike Ribeiro - Jamie Benn/ Toby Petersen - Tom Wandell - Jason Williams/ Steve Ott- Tomas Vincour - Brandon Segal/ Stephane Robidas - Alex Goligoski/ Jeff Woywitka - Trevor Daley/ Mark Fistric - Brad Lukowich
Scratches: Grossman, Barch, Burish, Sutherby, Skrastins
Top PP times: Richards (3:55), Goligoski (3:33), Morrow (2:55), Eriksson (2:55), Ribeiro (2:55)
Trending: Alex Goligoski (1G, -2, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) already had 2-7-9 in 13 GP with DAL since being dealt from Pittsburgh. Brad Richards (2A, 6 SOG) had 1-3-4 in 6 GP since coming back into the line-up. Mike Ribeiro (2A, +1, 4 SOG) came into tonight with 11 points in 10 GP. Loui Eriksson (1G, 4 SOG) had missed time with an upper-body injury and ended a five-game goalless stretch here. Jamie Langenbrunner (1A, 1:05 PP, no SOG) had six points this month coming in. Trevor Daley (1G, 2 PIM, 0:27 PP, 2 SOG) has a point in five of 10.
CALGARY FLAMES 3 @ SAN JOSE SHARKS 6
Goaltending match-up: Miikka Kiprusoff (32/28, .842 SV%) vs. Antti Niemi (22/25, .880 SV%)
Combos: Alex Tanguay - Mikael Backlund - Jarome Iginla/ Rene Bourque - Curtis Glencross - Tom Kostopoulos/ Ales Kotalik - Olli Jokinen - Tim Jackman/ Lance Bouma - Matt Stajan - Greg Nemisz/ Robyn Regehr - Jay Bouwmeester/ Mark Giordano - Cory Sarich/ Steve Staios - Anton Babchuk
Scratches: Carson, Hagman, Mikkelson
Top PP times: Giordano, Backlund, Iginla, Jackman, Tanguay (1:23)
Trending: Jarome Iginla (1G, -1, 2 SOG) had 8-5-13 in 11 GP this month before this tilt. Alex Tanguay (1A, -1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) needed two points before this evening began to reach 60 for the season. Olli Jokinen (1A, -1, no SOG) has now passed the 50 points he had last year. Rene Bourque (1G, -1, no PP, 1 SOG) had 6-5-11 in 11 GP this month headed in here.
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 - Dan Boyle/ Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Justin Braun/ Ian White - Jason Demers
Scratches: Wallin
Top PP times: Boyle (2:34), Pavelski (2:26), Heatley (1:20), Clowe (1:20), Couture (1:20)
Trending: Joe Thornton (1A, +1, no SOG) had seven points in six tilts before tonight, but he’s still on pace for a well below par offensive campaign. Dany Heatley (2 PIM, 2 SOG) was back in the line-up after serving what was probably too light of a suspension for his elbow on Steve Ott. Dan Boyle (1A, +2, 2 SOG) already had six points in five games coming in, while Patrick Marleau (2G, +1, 3 SOG) recorded his 60th point in the second period and had already racked up 5-7-12 in 10 March GP coming in. Devin Setoguchi (1A, +1, 1:14 PP, 4 SOG) put up four points in two games before tonight, while Joe Pavelski’s (2A, +1, 4 SOG) point streak reached five games. He had 11 points in that span coming in. Torrey Mitchell (2G, +2, 5 SOG) has scored in four of seven with points in seven of nine now. This was his first career two-goal game. Logan Couture (1G, 4 SOG) found the back of the net in the third period and is still right in the thick of things in the rookie goal scoring race. Ryane Clowe (1A, 5 PIM, 1 SOG) did what he does... points and PIM.
