Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com
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ATLANTA THRASHERS 3 @ NEW YORK RANGERS 0
Goaltending match-up: Ondrej Pavelec (29/29) vs. Henrik Lundqvist (23/26, .885 SV%)
Combos: Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler/ Evander Kane - Nik Antropov - Chris Thorburn/ Eric Boulton - Rob Schremp - Anthony Stewart/ Ben Maxwell - Alexander Burmistrov - Tim Stapleton/ Johnny Odyua - Zach Bogosian/ Ron Hainsey - Dustin Byfuglien/ Andrey Zubarev - Mark Stuart
Scratches: Dvorak, Enstrom, Cormier
Top PP times: Byfuglien (1:44), Bogosian (1:29), Antropov (1:29), Little (1:05), Ladd (0:58)
Trending: Andrew Ladd (1G, +1, 1 SOG) came into tonight with 10 points in his past 16 starts, while Blake Wheeler (1A, +1, 0:24 PP, 2 SOG) had 7-8-15 in 20 GP with ATL coming in here. Bryan Little (1A, +1, 1 SOG) had accumulated nine points in 16 GP before tonight. Anthony Stewart 1A, +1, no PP, 1 SOG) stopped a five-game pointless skid here.
Combos: Brandon Dubinsky - Artem Anisimov - Marian Gaborik/ Ruslan Fedotenko - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust/ Vinny Prospal - Derek Stepan - Wojtek Wolski/ Sean Avery - Erik Christensen - Matt Gilroy/ Marc Staal - Dan Girardi/ Ryan McDonagh - Mike Sauer/ Bryan McCabe - Steve Eminger
Scratches: Callahan, Biron
Top PP times:
Trending: Boooo!
MONTREAL CANADIENS 2 @ OTTAWA SENATORS 3 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Alex Auld (29/32, .906 SV%) vs. Craig Anderson (27/29, .931 SV%)
Combos: Michael Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn/ Mathieu Darche - Scott Gomez - Brian Gionta/ Travis Moen - David Desharnais - Benoit Pouliot/ Tom Pyatt - Lars Eller - Ryan White/ Hal Gill - P.K. Subban/ Jaroslav Spacek - James Wisniewski/ Roman Hamrlik - Yannick Weber
Scratches: Halpern, Moen, Picard, Sopel
Top PP times: Wisniewski (5:01), Subban (4:05), Kostitysn (3:39), Plekanec (3:39), Cammalleri (3:20)
Trending: James Wisniewski (2A, +1, no SOG) had that 2A effort @CAR as his only offence in seven games coming in. Brian Gionta (1G, +1, 2:26 PP, 4 SOG) had a goal the last time he played the Sens and he had a 2A game against the Devils as his only output in seven tries coming in here. Andrei Kostitsyn (1A, -1, 2 PIM, 6 SOG) had 11 points in 17 GP before tonight.
Combos: Colin Greening - Jason Spezza - Bobby Butler/ Milan Michalek - Ryan Shannon - Erik Condra/ Nick Foligno - Zack Smith - Chris Neil/ Jesse Winchester - Stephane Da Costa - Francis Lessard/ Filip Kuba - Andre Benoit/ Chris Phillips - Brian Lee/ David Hale - Derek Smith
Scratches: Svatos, Alfredsson, Regin, Carkner, Gonchar, Karlsson
Top PP times: Butler (1:30), Kuba (1:27), Spezza (1:27), Shannon (1:08), Michalek (1:08)
Trending: Jason Spezza (1G, 1A, +2, 1 SOG) had already racked up 34 points in 28 GP since returning from injury coming in here. Bobby Butler (1G, 2A, +3, 4 SOG) had three points in his two April starts before this evening and Colin Greening (1A, +2, 2 PIM, 0:03 PP, 3 SOG) had 6-4-10 in 16 GP coming into this one. Filip Kuba (1G, 2 SOG) finished up on a strong note for his poolies, netting the OT GWG. He had six points in his last six games.
COLORADO AVALANCHE 2 @ DALLAS STARS 4
Goaltending match-up: Brian Elliott (33/37, .892 SV%) vs. Kari Lehtonen (21/23, .913 SV%)
Combos: Mark Olver - Matt Duchene - Milan Hejduk/ Cody McLeod - Jay McClement - Daniel Winnik/ Ryan Stoa - Ryan O'Reilly - Kevin Porter/ David Koci - Philippe Dupuis - Brandon Yip/ Cody McLeod/ Erik Johnson - Ryan Wilson/ Ryan O'Byrne - Jonas Holos/ Shawn Bell - Ray Macias
Scratches: Liles, Stastny, Gaunce, Hunwick, Foote, Jones
Top PP times: Johnson (1:30), Porter (1:30), Yip (1:01), Stoa (1:01), Olver (1:01)
Trending: Since the start of March, Matt Duchene (2A, 0:59 PP, 3 SOG) had 14 points in 16 GP coming in here. Brandon Yip (1G, +1, 1 SOG) had just two points dating back to the start of February before tonight. Mark Olver (1G, -1, 3 SOG) had picked up six points in nine starts coming in.
Combos: Jamie Benn - Brad Richards - Loui Eriksson/ Brenden Morrow - Mike Ribeiro - Steve Ott/ Toby Petersen - Tom Wandell - Jamie Langenbrunner/ Adam Burish - Jason Williams - Brandon Segal/ Mark Fistric - Alex Goligoski/ Jeff Woywitka - Trevor Daley/ Karlis Skrastins - Stephane Robidas
Scratches: Grossman, Barch, Sutherby, Lukowich, Vincour
Top PP times: Goligoski (6:12), Richards (6:09), Ribeiro (5:17), Morrow (5:16), Eriksson (5:05)
Trending: Adam Burish (-1, 7:27 TOI, no PP, no SOG) returned to action for his team this evening. Loui Eriksson (1G, 1A, +2, 3 SOG) entered this evening only four shy of last year’s total of 71 points, while Jamie Benn (2A, +2, 2 SOG) had 9-9-18 in 17 GP coming in here. Brad Richards (1G, 1A, +2, 2 SOG). Staying in Dallas or headed somewhere else this summer? Brenden Morrow (1G, -1, 3 SOG) had a goal the last time he met the Avs and he has a marker in three straight overall. Mike Ribeiro (1A, 2 PIM, 5 SOG) had a two-pointer @ANH as his only offence in five tries before tonight, but was really hot before that period.
MINNESOTA WILD 0 @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS 5
Goaltending match-up: Niklas Backstrom (18/23, .783 SV%) & Jose Theodore (5/5) vs. Roberto Luongo (29/29)
Combos: Andrew Brunette - Mikko Koivu - Antti Miettinen/ Pierre-Marc Bouchard - Kyle Brodziak - Colton Gillies/ Chuck Kobasew - Carson McMillan - Brad Staubitz/ Eric Nystrom - Matt Cullen - Jed Ortmeyer/ Greg Zanon - Brent Burns/ Clayton Stoner - Jared Spurgeon/ Maxim Noreau - Justin Falk
Scratches: Zidlicky, Scandella, Madden, Kobasew, Clutterbuck, Havlat, Barker, Latendresse, Schultz
Top PP times: Burns (4:37), Cullen (4:19), Brunette (4:02), Miettinen (4:02), PMB (3:50)
Trending:
Combos: Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alexandre Burrows/ Chris Higgins - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson/ Tanner Glass - Mason Raymond - Jannik Hansen/ - Maxim Lapierre - Jeff Tambellini/ Aaron Rome - Kevin Bieksa/ Alexander Edler - Christian Ehrhoff/ Keith Ballard - Sami Salo
Scratches: Hamhuis, Torres
Top PP times: Ehrhoff (3:09), Sedins (2:57), Kesler (2:40), Samuelsson (2:40)
Trending: Ryan Kesler (3G, +2, 6 SOG) had a two-goal game the last time he faced the Wild. He came into tonight six points back of last year's total of 75. Mason Raymond (2G, +2, 0:42 PP, 4 SOG) had been blanked in four coming in, while Jannik Hansen (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 1:03 PP, 1 SOG) has helpers in three of five. Daniel Sedin (2A, +1, 3 SOG) already had 100 points in the bank tonight and Henrik Sedin (1A, 1 SOG) began the evening with 19-73-92 in 80 GP. Alexander Edler (+1, 2 PIM, 1:33 PP, 1 SOG) returned to action here and Dan Hamhuis won't be far behind. Kevin Bieksa (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 0:29 PP, 1 SOG) has come up with a point in three of six from the back end.
