Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com
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MONTREAL CANADIENS 0 @ BOSTON BRUINS 7
Goaltending match-up: Carey Price (28/33, .848 SV%) & Alex Auld (6/8, .750 SV%) vs. Tim Thomas (24/24)
Combos: Michael Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Jeff Halpern/ Travis Moen - Scott Gomez - Brian Gionta/ Mathieu Darche - Lars Eller - Andrei Kostitsyn/ Ryan White - David Desharnais - Benoit Pouliot/ Hal Gill - P.K. Subban/ Roman Hamrlik - James Wisniewski/ Paul Mara - Brent Sopel
Scratches: Picard, Weber, Pyatt
Top PP times: Wisniewski (5:23), Darche (4:58), Gomez (4:56), Subban (4:06), Plekanec (4:04)
Trending: Tomas Plekanec (-4, 4 PIM, 16:25 TOI, 1 SOG) was back in the line-up for the Habs. And, um... that's about it.
Combos: Milan Lucic - David Krejci - Nathan Horton/ Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Mark Recchi/ Rich Peverley - Chris Kelly - Tyler Seguin/ Michael Ryder - Gregory Campbell - Shawn Thornton/ Zdeno Chara - Johnny Boychuk/ Tomas Kaberle - Dennis Seidenberg/ Andrew Ference - Adam McQuaid
Scratches: Paille, Kampfer
Top PP times: Bergeron (7:29), Recchi (7:03), Seidenberg (6:43), Kaberle (6:30), Marchand (6:25)
Trending: Zdeno Chara (3A, +3, 6:05 PP, 3 SOG) can write up another 40+point campaign now and he had seven points in six games coming in. This was his first game against the Habs since the Pacioretty hit, which you may or may not have heard 1,000,000 times in the past few days. David Krejci (3A, +3, 4:59 PP, 2 SOG) had 3-6-9 in 10 GP this month coming in here. Nathan Horton (2G, +3, 4 PIM, 4:53 PP, 2 SOG) has not been able to pass his career high of B2B 62-point campaigns and he came into this evening with 46 points in this campaign. Milan Lucic (3A, +3, 4:59 PP, 4 SOG) already had career highs in goals, points, +/- and SOG to his name coming in here, where he passed his career high of 25 helpers too. Tomas Kaberle (1G, +1, 1 SOG) has picked up his offensive results in the past week and Mark Recchi (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) has points in four of seven.
ATLANTA THRASHERS 2 @ NEW YORK ISLANDERS 1
Goaltending match-up: Chris Mason (14/15, .933 SV%) vs. Al Montoya (32/34, .941 SV%)
Combos: Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler/ Evander Kane - Rob Schremp - Radek Dvorak/ Chris Thorburn - Nik Antropov - Chris Thorburn/ Ben Maxwell - Tim Stapleton - Anthony Stewart/ Tobias Enstrom - Zach Bogosian/ Dustin Byfuglien - Ron Hainsey/ Johnny Oduya - Mark Stuart
Scratches: Boulton, Cormier
Top PP times: Enstrom (4:14), Byfuglien (4:11), Ladd (3:37), Little (3:27), Antropov (3:27)
Trending: Blake Wheeler (2A, +1, 1:43 PP, 3 SOG) entered tonight with 4-5-9 in 13 GP with ATL and he had two points the last time he faced the Isles. Bryan Little (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) came into this one 10 points back of his career best of 51 points, while Andrew Ladd (1G, +1, 1 SOG) was already four points past his best effort when the puck dropped here. He had 49 points with the Hawks as his prior best. Nice to see Rob Schremp (1G, 1:43 PP, 1 SOG) score the GWG against his former team here. He only had 1-0-0 in 9 GP with ATL before tonight. Dustin Byfuglien (1A, +1, 4 SOG) had nothing in four games before tonight.
Combos: Matt Moulson - John Tavares - P.A. Parenteau/ Michael Grabner - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo/ Blake Comeau - Josh Bailey - Jesse Joensuu/ Michael Haley - Zenon Konopka - Matt Martin/ Andrew MacDonald - Travis Hamonic/ Milan Jurcina - Jack Hillen/ Radek Martinek - Bruno Gervais
Scratches: Gillies
Top PP times: Moulson (4:10), Nielsen (4:05), Parenteau (3:48), Tavares (3:41), MacDonald (3:30)
Trending: John Tavares (1G, 2 SOG) already had a six-point improvement over last season on the books headed into tonight and we should see an even bigger jump next season, where he should highly likely challenge the point-per-game plateau. Travis Hamonic (1A, 1:21 PP, no SOG) continues to be a decent point/ PIM depth option on D, while P.A. Parenteau (1A, 1 SOG) had 4-6-10 in 11 GP coming in and needed two points here to hit 50 for the season.
OTTAWA SENATORS 2 @ NEW YORK RANGERS 1 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Craig Anderson (29/30, .967 SV%) vs. Henrik Lundqvist (29/30, .967 SV%)
Combos: Colin Greening - Jason Spezza - Bobby Butler/ Nick Foligno - Zack Smith - Chris Neil/ Erik Condra - Ryan Shannon - Marek Svatos/ Roman Wick - Jesse Winchester - Francis Lessard/ Chris Phillips - Brian Lee/ Filip Kuba - Erik Karlsson/ Patrick Wiercioch - David Hale
Scratches: Michalek, Alfredsson, Regin, Carkner, Gonchar
Top PP times: Karlsson (3:33), Spezza (2:58), Kuba (2:32), Shannon (2:19), Greening (2:08)
Trending: Ryan Shannon (1G, +1, 3 SOG) has now scored in four of his past five games. Nick Foligno (1A, 1:51 PP, 2 SOG) is riding a five-game point streak now, while Bobby Butler (1A, +1, 1:48 PP, 2 SOG) had 12 points in 19 GP before tonight. Shootout: Karlsson
Combos: Brandon Dubinsky - Artem Anisimov - Ryan Callahan/ Vinny Prospal - Erik Christensen - Marian Gaborik/ Ruslan Fedotenko - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust/ Wojtek Wolski - Derek Stepan - Mats Zuccarello/ Marc Staal - Dan Girardi/ Steve Eminger - Bryan McCabe/ Ryan McDonagh - Michael Sauer
Scratches: Avery, Gilroy, Biron
Top PP times: McCabe (3:28), Prospal (2:11), Staal (2:01), Callahan (1:59), Dubinsky (1:28)
Trending: Brandon Prust (1G, +1, 1 SOG) has collected a point in four of his past six and Marc Staal (1A, +1, 3 SOG) was healthy enough to play tonight. Dan Girardi (1A, +1, 0:32 PP, 1 SOG) had five points in eight games before tonight.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS 2 @ PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 1 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Marc-Andre Fleury (19/20, .950 SV%) vs. Sergei Bobrovsky (30/31, .968 SV%)
Combos: James Neal - Dustin Jeffrey - Alex Kovalev/ Chris Kunitz - Jordan Staal - Tyler Kennedy/ Chris Conner - Max Talbot - Pascal Dupuis/ Michael Rupp - Craig Adams - Arron Asham/ Paul Martin - Zbynek Michalek/ Kris Letang - Ben Lovejoy/ Matt Niskanen - Deryk Engelland
Scratches: Letestu, Cooke, Tangradi, Godard, Johnson
Top PP times: Neal (2:36), Kunitz (2:30), Martin (2:29), Letang (2:29), Kennedy (1:54)
Trending: Tyler Kennedy (1G, -1, 7 SOG) has scored in three of four and he hit the 40-point plateau this evening. Chris Kunitz (1A, -1, 2 SOG) has points in five straight and he came into this one with 11 points in 4 GP. Kris Letang (1A, 4 SOG) has points in B2B games after a long stretch without one. Shootout: Kovalev, Kunitz
Combos: James van Riemsdyk - Mike Richards - Kris Versteeg/ Scott Hartnell - Danny Briere - Ville Leino/ Andreas Nodl - Jeff Carter - Claude Giroux/ Dan Carcillo - Blair Betts - Darroll Powe/ Andrej Meszaros - Matt Carle/ Kimmo Timonen - Braydon Coburn/ Sean O'Donnell - Nick Boynton
Scratches: Pronger, Shelley, Zherdev
Top PP times: Hartnell (3:23), Leino (3:23), Timonen (3:18), Richards (3:18), Versteeg (2:43)
Trending: Mike Richards (1G, +1, 6 SOG) has scored in two of three after nine without a goal and he had eight points in 10 GP before tonight. Matt Carle (1A, +1, 1:58 PP, 1 SOG) has points in four straight and he had 0-8-8 in 10 March outings headed into this one. James van Riemsdyk (1A, +1, 2:34 PP, 2 SOG) came into this one three points back of the 35 he had last season. Shootout: Briere
EDMONTON OILERS 0 @ ST. LOUIS BLUES 4
Goaltending match-up: Nikolai Khabibulin (26/30, .867 SV%) vs. Jaroslav Halak (12/12)
Combos: Ryan Jones - Andrew Cogliano - Jordan Eberle/ Magnus Paajarvi - Liam Reddox - Linus Omark/ Jean-Francois Jacques - Colin Fraser - Teemu Hartikainen/ Steve MacIntyre - Chris Vande Velde - Ryan O'Marra/ Ladislav Smid - Tom Gilbert/ Jim Vandermeer - Jeff Petry/ Theo Peckham - Jason Strudwick
Scratches: Hall, Horcoff, Foster, Brule, Hemsky, Gagner
Top PP times: Gilbert (3:35), Omark (3:09), Paajarvi (3:08), Eberle (2:53), Cogliani (2:41)
Trending:
Combos: Andy McDonald - David Backes - Matt D'Agostini/ Philip McRae - T.J. Oshie - Chris Stewart/ Chris Porter - Adam Cracknell - B.J. Crombeen/ Ryan Reaves - T.J. Hensick - Cam Janssen/ Carlo Colaiacovo - Alex Pietrangelo/ Ian Cole - Kevin Shattenkirk/ Nikita Nikitin - Roman Polak
Scratches: Jackman, Steen, Berglund
Top PP times: Pietrangelo (5:34), Stewart (5:30), McDonald (5:25), Oshie (4:41), Shattenkirk (3:34)
Trending: T.J. Oshie (1G, 1A, +1, 5 SOG) only had four points on the month before this multi-pointer. Chris Stewart (1G, 3 SOG) had a couple of goals the last time these teams met and he has points in B2B games after five without one. Carlo Colaiacovo (1A, +1, 3:08 PP, 1 SOG) has picked up a point in four of seven from the back end. Andy McDonald (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) continues to post points on a virtually nightly basis for his fantasy owners.
ANAHEIM DUCKS 4 @ NASHVILLE PREDATORS 5
Goaltending match-up: Jonas Hiller (6/9, .667 SV%) & Dan Ellis (17/19, .895 SV%) vs. Pekka Rinne (34/38, .895 SV%)
Combos: Bobby Ryan - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry/ Jason Blake - Saku Koivu - Teemu Selanne/ Brad Winchester - Brandon McMillan - Dan Sexton/ Jarkko Ruutu - Todd Marchant / Lubomir Visnovsky - Toni Lydman/ Francois Beauchemin - Luca Sbisa/ Cam Fowler - Andreas Lilja/ Sheldon Brookbank
Scratches: Parros, Sutton, Chipchura, Emery
Top PP times: Getzlaf (5:43), Perry (5:36), Visnovsky (5:32), Selanne (5:17), Fowler (4:56)
Trending: The Ducks really made a game out of this one after falling down into a big 5-1 hole. Check a summary for Anaheim and no doubt you’ll find that consistent first line of Ryan Getzlaf (3A, +1, 1 SOG) between Corey Perry (2G, 1A, +1, 8 SOG) and Bobby Ryan (1A, 3:32 PP, 5 SOG). Getzlaf had 14 points in 9 GP coming in, while Perry has set career highs to which he’s now adding nightly. Ryan came into this one two points shy of last year’s career best of 64 points. Teemu Selanne (2G, 9 SOG) came into this one 4G shy of his third straight 27G campaign, despite not playing full seasons in any of those years.
Combos: Martin Erat - David Legwand - Joel Ward/ Patric Hornqvist - Mike Fisher - Sergei Kostitsyn/ Jerred Smithson - Nick Spaling - Jordin Tootoo/ Colin Wilson - Blake Geoffrion - J.P. Dumont/ Ryan Suter - Shea Weber/ Shane O'Brien - Cody Franson/ Jonathon Blum - Kevin Klein
Scratches: Halischuk
Top PP times: Suter (3:28), Weber (3:08), Erat (2:37), Legwand (2:37), Ward (2:32)
Trending: Sergei Kostitsyn (2G, +2, 1:54 PP, 3 SOG) had a two-pointer the last time he met the Ducks and it’s just been so nice to see this turnaround in his game over the past few months. Patric Hornqvist (2A, +2, 2 PIM, 1:59 PP, 1 SOG) had three points in three games before tonight, which was preceded by a 12-game stretch with only one point. Jonathan Blum (1A, +2, 1:03 PP, no SOG) quietly had 3-2-5 in his first 15 NHL games coming in here. David Legwand (1G, +1, 2:37 PP, 4 SOG) had 12 points in 11 GP coming in here.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 4 @ COLORADO AVALANCHE 3
Goaltending match-up: James Reimer (24/27, .889 SV%) vs. Brian Elliott (23/26, .885 SV%) & Peter Budaj (0/1)
Combos: Clarke MacArthur - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin/ Joffrey Lupul - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel/ Darryl Boyce - Nazem Kadri - Joey Crabb/ Fredrik Sjostrom - Tim Brent - Mike Brown/ Dion Phaneuf - Keith Aulie/ Luke Schenn - Carl Gunnarsson/ Matt Lashoff - Mike Komisarek
Scratches: Armstrong, Lebda, Rosehill, Gustavsson
Top PP times: Phaneuf (2:54), Lupul (2:42), Kessel (2:42), Gunnarsson (2:30), Bozak (2:09)
Trending: Nikolai Kulemin (2G, +2, 1:24 PP, 3 SOG) only had one goal in seven tries coming in, but on the whole he’s been an incredible value for poolies this season. Same thing with linemates Clarke MacArthur (2A, +2, 1:24 PP, 1 SOG) and Mikhail Grabovski (1A, +2, 1:24 PP, 2 SOG). Dion Phaneuf (2A, -1, 1 SOG) had eight March points coming into this affair. Phil Kessel (1G, -1, 3 SOG) has officially passed the 55 points he debuted with the Leafs last season and he came into this evening needing two goals for his third straight campaign with at least 30 goals. Joffrey Lupul (1A, -1, 1 SOG) has points in six of 10 now.
Combos: Ryan Stoa - Paul Stastny - Milan Hejduk/ Mark Olver - Daniel Winnik - Matt Duchene/ David Jones - Ryan O'Reilly - Kevin Porter/ Jay McClement - Cody McLeod - Brandon Yip/ Ryan Wilson - Erik Johnson/ John-Michael Liles - Ryan O'Byrne/ Cameron Gaunce - Jonas Holos
Scratches: Dupuis, Koci, Hunwick, Foote
Top PP times: Johnson (1:55), Duchene (1:49), Stastny (1:49), Jones (1:44), Liles (1:28)
Trending: Matt Duchene (1G, -1, 6 SOG) pushed his point streak to six games and he entered this tilt with three consecutive two-pointers. Erik Johnson (3A, +2, 1 SOG) had tallied 3-4-7 in 14 GP with COL coming in here and Ryan O'Reilly (1G, 1A, +1, 0:56 PP, 3 SOG) has come up with a goal in five of his past nine. Daniel Winnik (1G, -1, 0:50 PP, 2 SOG) has come up with a point in three straight contests.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 0 @ PHOENIX COYOTES 3
Goaltending match-up: Mathieu Garon (20/23, .870 SV%) vs. Ilya Bryzgalov (28/28)
Combos: Rick Nash - Derick Brassard - Jakub Voracek/ Scottie Upshall - Antoine Vermette - R.J. Umberger/ Jared Boll - Derek MacKenzie - Maksim Mayorov/ Matt Calvert - Samuel Pahlsson - Derek Dorsett/ Sami Lepisto - Jan Hejda/ Marc Methot - Fedor Tyutin/ Kris Russell - Craig Rivet
Scratches: Stralman, Clitsome, Murray, Moreau, Clark
Top PP times: Rivet (2:12), Russell (2:02), Nash (2:01), Brassard (2:01), Tyutin (1:58)
Trending:
Combos: Taylor Pyatt - Eric Belanger - Shane Doan/ Ray Whitney - Lauri Korpikoski - Radim Vrbata/ Mikkel Boedker - Vernon Fiddler - Lee Stempniak/ Paul Bissonnette - Andrew Ebbett - Brett MacLean/ Keith Yandle - Derek Morris/ David Schlemko - Michal Rozsival/ Rostislav Klesla- Adrian Aucoin
Scratches: Hanzal, Ekman-Larsson, Turris
Top PP times: Yandle (4:15), Vrbata (3:38), Whitney (3:34), Korpikoski (3:29), Doan (3:27)
Trending: Keith Yandle (1A, +2, 5 SOG) chipped away at his effort for his first 60-point season here and he's only two shy now. Shane Doan (1A, +1, 1 SOG) had an off-year last with only 55 points in 82 GP. This was his 66th GP and he had the same 55 points coming in here. Vernon Fiddler (1A, +1, 0:02 PP, 2 SOG) had a 2A effort @CGY as his only offence of the month before tonight. Lauri Korpikoski (13:29 TOI) left this one with an injury. Mikkel Boedker (1G, +1, 0:02 PP, 1 SOG) had three points on the month before his third period goal.
SAN JOSE SHARKS 3 @ LOS ANGELES KINGS 4 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Antti Niemi (35/38, .921 SV%) vs. Jonathan Quick (24/27, .889 SV%)
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/ Niclas Wallin - Justin Braun/ Ian White - Jason Demers
Scratches: Vlasic
Top PP times: Boyle (4:15), Pavelski (3:20), Marleau (3:03), Setoguchi (3:03), Thornton (3:03)
Trending: Patrick Marleau (2G, 1A, 4 SOG) had 7-7-14 in 11 March GP coming into this clash. He has three straight multi-pointers and five in his past six games. He scored twice in the third period, including the GTG with four seconds left. #hot Joe Pavelski (1G, +1, 2 SOG) has been on a tear in the past while, having tallied 13 points on his five-game point streak coming in. Joe Thornton (1A, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) had 50 points in 48 GP vs. LOS before this one. Ryane Clowe (1A, 4 PIM, 1:59 PP, 2 SOG) has points in seven of nine and Logan Couture has points in six of eight. Shootout: Boyle
Combos: Dustin Penner - Anze Kopitar - Oscar Moller/ Ryan Smyth - Michal Handzus - Dustin Brown/ Alexei Ponikarovsky - Jarret Stoll - Wayne Simmonds/ Brad Richardson- Trevor Lewis - Kyle Clifford/ Willie Mitchell - Drew Doughty/ Jack Johnson - Rob Scuderi/ Alec Martinez - Matt Greene
Scratches: Harrold, Williams, Westgarth, Drewiske
Top PP times: Doughty (6:21), Johnson (6:12), Kopitar (5:38), Moller (5:09), Penner (4:35)
Trending: Oscar Moller (1A, +1, 5 SOG) had 1-2-3 in his 4 GP with the Kings coming in here, where he replaced the injured Justin Williams on L1. Moller hadn't played with the Kings since Dec. 18 and has 23-27-50 in 57 GP with the Monarchs. Ryan Smyth (1A, +1, 1:12 PP, 1 SOG) only had two points in March before tonight, while Dustin Brown (2G, -2, 5 SOG) had four points in six affairs before this evening. Shootout: Stoll, Brown
