Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com
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PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 2 @ NEW JERSEY DEVILS 4
Goaltending match-up: Brian Boucher (20/24, .833 SV%) vs. Johan Hedberg (34/36, .944 SV%)
Combos: Scott Hartnell - Danny Briere - Ville Leino/ Nikolay Zherdev - Claude Giroux - Jeff Carter/ James van Riemsdyk - Mike Richards - Kris Versteeg/ Dan Carcillo - Blair Betts - Darroll Powe/ Kimmo Timonen - Braydon Coburn/ Matt Carle - Andrej Meszaros/ Sean O'Donnell - Nick Boynton
Scratches: Nodl, Pronger, Shelley
Top PP times: Carter (1:25), Giroux (1:25), Briere (1:11), JVR (1:09), Meszaros (1:09)
Trending: James van Riemsdyk (1G, -2, 5 SOG) opened the scoring tonight with a sweet tip-in and not only did he have a goal the last time he met the Devils, but he had 5-2-7 in 10 GP vs. NJD coming in. Mike Richards (1A, 0:35 PP, 3 SOG) came into tonight with exactly the same 62-point total as last year in his 82 GP. This was No. 77 for him this season. Andrej Meszaros (1A, -2, 2 SO)G had five points in seven games coming in here. Jeff Carter (1G, -1, 5 SOG) had 32 points in 37 road starts headed in here.
Combos: Ilya Kovalchuk - Travis Zajac - Nick Palmieri/ Brian Rolston - Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus/ Mattias Tedenby - Jacob Josefson - David Clarkson/ Vladiimir Zharkov - David Steckel - Adam Mair/ Henrik Tallinder - Mark Fayne/ Anssi Salmela - Andy Greene/ Jay Leach - Anton Volchenkov
Scratches: Fraser, White, Pelley
Top PP times: Kovalchuk (2:00), Zubrus (1:10), Rolston (1:10), Elias (1:10), Zajac (1:10)
Trending: Zach Parise, as you've no doubt heard, should be back in the line-up tomorrow night. Patrik Elias (3G, +2, 4 SOG) had a two-goal game against these same Flyers the last time he met them and had a strong total of 67 points in 69 GP vs. PHI coming in. Brian Rolston (3A, +3, 3 SOG) ended a six-game pointless slide here. Ilya Kovalchuk (1A, -1, 1 SOG) had 34 points in 38 GP vs. PHI coming in and Nick Palmieri (1G, 0:50 PP, 3 SOG) has points in B2B games.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS 4 @ COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS 3 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Corey Crawford (31/34, .912 SV%) vs. Mathieu Garon (26/29, .897 SV%)
Combos: Bryan Bickell - Jonathan Toews - Patrick Kane/ Tomas Kopecky - Marcus Kruger - Marian Hossa/ Troy Brouwer - Jake Dowell - Fernando Pisani/ Viktor Stalberg- Ryan Johnson - Michael Frolik/ Duncan Keith - Brent Seabrook/ Niklas Hjalmarsson - Brian Campbell/ Nick Leddy - Chris Campoli
Scratches: Hendry, Sharp, Scott, Bolland
Top PP times: Keith (3:22), Seabrook (3:22), Hossa (3:22), kane (3:22), Kopecky (3:01)
Trending: Patrick Kane (1G, 1A, +2, 4 PIM, 1 SOG) tallied 1G, 2A in his last game against the Jackets and had 26 points in 23 GP vs. CBJ coming in. Chris Campoli (1A, +1, 2:23 PP, no SOG) has points in four of eight and Brent Seabrook (1G, 2 SOG) added to his 42-point total here and had eight points in 13 GP this month before this evening. Duncan Keith (1A, 2 PIM, 1 SOG) may have dropped off dramatically from last year's 69 points, but he's still a guy who has tallied 40+ points for three straight (44, 69 and 41 coming into tonight) and that ain't too bad by anyone's standards. Bryan Bickell (1G, +2, 1:39 PP, 4 SOG) had nothing in eight coming in here. Shootout: Stalberg
Combos: R.J. Umberger - Derick Brassard - Jakub Voracek/ Matt Calvert - Antoine Vermette - Tomas Kubalik/ Scottie Upshall - Samuel Pahlsson - Derek Dorsett/ Maksim Mayorov - Derek MacKenzie - Jared Boll/ Sami Lepisto - Jan Hejda/ Marc Methot - Fedor Tyutin/ Anton Stralman - Kris Russell
Scratches: Clitsome, Murray, Moreau, Rivet, Nash, Clark, Mason
Top PP times: Umberger (7:26), Brassard (7:03), Stralman (7:03), Tyutin (6:46), Voracek (6:30)
Trending: Maksim Mayorov (1G, +1, no PP, 2 SOG) netted his first NHL goal and point in this, his fifth start of the season and 12th of his career. Antoine Vermette (2A, 3 SOG) has points in four straight and had 18 points in 19 GP vs. CHI coming in. Derick Brassard (1G, 3 SOG) also found the back of the net the last time these teams tangled. He only had four points last month.
CALGARY FLAMES 3 @ ST. LOUIS BLUES 2
Goaltending match-up: Miikka Kiprusoff (25/27, .926 SV%) vs. Jaroslav Halak (22/25, .880 SV%)
Combos: Alex Tanguay - Mikael Backlund - Jarome Iginla/ Curtis Glencross - Olli Jokinen - Rene Bourque/ mixed up, but includes... Lance Bouma - Daymond Langkow - Tim Jackman/ Greg Nemisz - Matt Stajan - Tom Kostopoulos/ Robyn Regehr - Jay Bouwmeester/ Mark Giordano - Brett Carson/ Cory Sarich - Anton Babchuk
Scratches: Hagman, Staios, Mikkelson
Top PP times: Iginla (7:15), Tanguay (7:15), Giordano (6:28), Bourque (5:31), Glencross (4:04)
Trending: Daymond Langkow (1A, +2, 1:16 PP, 1 SOG) played his first game of the season. What a physical comeback. Jarome Iginla (2G, 1A, +3, 7 SOG) had 2G, 1A the last time he squared off against the Blues and Alex Tanguay (1G, 2A, +3, 2 SOG) did as well. By doing so again here, Iginla recorded his 1000th NHL point. Congrats. Mark Giordano (1A, 2 SOG) had racked up nine points in seven games before this effort.
Combos: Andy McDonald - David Backes - Matt D'Agostini/ T.J. Oshie - Patrik Berglund - Chris Stewart/ Alex Steen - Vladimir Sobotka - Chris Porter/ Ryan Reaves - B.J. Crombeen - Cam Janssen/ Nikita Nikitin - Roman Polak/ Barret Jackman - Kevin Shattenkirk/ Carlo Colaiacovo - Alex Pietrangelo
Scratches: McRae
Top PP times: McDonald (3:23), Colaiacovo (3:23), Pietrangelo (3:23), Berglund (3:15), Stewart (3:09)
Trending: Matt D'Agostini (1G, +1, 2:09 PP, 2 SOG) has been a strong play for poolies over the past two weeks and he came through again here. Linemate David Backes (1G, 1A, +1, 2:09 PP, 5 SOG) has also been producing well in that span and needed three points here to reach 60 for the season. Kevin Shattenkirk (2A, -1, 2 PIM, 2:01 PP, 2 SOG) began the evening two shy of the 40-point mark and has a point in each of his past six. T.J. Oshie (1A, +1, 2:01 PP, 2 SOG) was allowed back in the line-up tonight. He jumped right back onto a scoring line and into the box score.
COLORADO AVALANCHE 4 @ PHOENIX COYOTES 3 (SO)
Goaltending match-up: Peter Budaj (35/38, .921 SV%) vs. Ilya Bryzgalov (17/20, .850 SV%)
Combos: Daniel Winnik - Paul Stastny - David Jones/ Kevin Porter - Matt Duchene - Milan Hejduk/ Phillip Dupuis - Ryan O'Reilly - Ryan Stoa/ Cody McLeod - Jay McClement - Brandon Yip/ David Koci/ John-Michael Liles - Ryan O'Byrne/ Erik Johnson - Matt Hunwick/ Jonas Holos
Scratches: Olver, Gaunce, Wilson, Foote
Top PP times: Johnson (5:30), Stastny (3:54), Duchene (3:53), Liles (3:47), Jones (3:44)
Trending: Daniel Winnik (1A, 0:21 PP, no SOG) had chipped in five points in six tilts coming in here, while Cody McLeod (1A, 2 PIM, 0:28 PP, 2 SOG) had 38 PIM in 13 GP this month with 1-0-1 as well. Ryan O'Reilly (1G, 1A, +2, 3:36 PP, 3 SOG) has come up with goals in four of his past six. John-Michael Liles (1A, +1, 1 SOG) has points in B2B games, but still only had three points in March. Kevin Porter (1A, +1, 3:12 PP, 2 SOG) has points in four of seven. Shootout: O'Reilly
Combos: Ray Whitney - Eric Belanger - Shane Doan/ Ryan Hollweg - Vernon Fiddler - Lee Stempniak/ Mikkel Boedker - Kyle Turris - Radim Vrbata/ Brett MacLean - Andrew Ebbett - Paul Bissonnette/ Keith Yandle - Derek Morris/ Rostislav Klesla - Adrian Aucoin/ David Schlemko - Michal Rozsival
Scratches: Hanzal, Pyatt, Korpikoski
Top PP times: Yandle (9:03), Doan (7:48), Whitney (7:30), Vrbata (7:04), Belanger (6:20)
Trending: Lee Stempniak (1G, 0:17 PP, 5 SOG) only had 0-1-1 in 5 GP coming in, but had 5-10-15 in 18 GP vs. COL before tonight. Shane Doan (1G, 1A, -1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG) also only had one point in five tries before this one, while Eric Belanger (1A, -1, 6 SOG) tallied 4-6-10 in 14 March outings. Ray Whitney (1G, 1A, -1, 2 SOG) had a 2A outing the last time he played the Avs and he entered this evening four points shy of last year's total of 58. Keith Yandle (1A, 3 SOG) only had one helper in seven games coming in here, leaving him stalled in his effort to reach the 60-point plateau for the year. He needed two points here.
