Chris Nichols

­Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.

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Blog: Saturday's NHL recap

NHL box scores
NHL highlights

Pittsburgh Penguins 4 @ Washington Capitals 5 (OT)
Goaltending match-up: Marc-Andre Fleury (29/34, .853 SV%) vs. Jose Theodore (31/35, .886 SV%)
Net notes: MAF was 8-3-0 vs. WAS coming in with 2.91/ .912 splits and one shutout. Theodore 16-4-1-2 vs. PIT with 2.33/ .915 splits and three shutouts.

Chris Kunitz Sidney Crosby Bill Guerin
Pascal Dupuis Evgeni Malkin Ruslan Fedotenko
Matt Cooke Jordan Staal Tyler Kennedy
Michael Rupp Mark Letestu Craig Adams

Mark Eaton Sergei Gonchar
Jay McKee Alex Goligoski
Brooks Orpik Kris Letang

Alex Ovechkin Nicklas Backstrom Mike Knuble
Brooks Laich Tomas Fleischmann Alexander Semin
Jason Chimera Brendan Morrison Eric Fehr
Boyd Gordon Dave Steckel Matt Bradley

Jeff Schultz Mike Green
John Erskine Tom Poti
Shaone Morrisonn Brian Pothier

Key notes: Sidney Crosby (2G, -1, 25:18 TOI, 7:56 PP, 1:20 PK, 7 SOG, 16-11 FO for 59%) came into today two goals behind Alex Ovechkin in the Rocket Richard race and Crosby's multi-goal effort here leapfrogged him past Patrick Marleau's total of 38 too. Crosby had a goal the last time he faced the Caps and had 27 points in 16 GP vs. WAS coming in here. Evgeni Malkin (2A, even, 24:06 TOI, 8:13 PP, no PK, 1 SOG, 6-6 FO for 50%) began the day in 15th place for overall points with 59, but he's gaining ground. He had 22 points in 25 road games coming in and his current point streak is at 10 games, which included 16 points before this effort.

Alex Goligoski (1A, +1, 20:18 TOI, 6:13 PP, 1:12 PK, 1 SOG) has helpers in three of four and he began this matinee with seven points in his past 15 GP. Chris Kunitz (-1, 2 PIM, 13:03 TOI, 0:42 PP, no PK, no SOG) was back in action today after missing time with a torn abdominal muscle. Jordan Staal (2G, +2, 19:55 TOI, 3:03 P, 3:16 PK, 3 SOG, 13-11 FO for 54%) has points in each of his past three after six games without a point.

Top PP times (PIT): Malkin (8:13), Gonchar (7:58), Crosby (7:56), Guerin (7:50) and Goligoski (6:13)
Top PP times (WAS): Green (6:15), Ovechkin (5:50), Backstrom (4:20), Fleischmann (3:41) and Semin (3:35)

Alexander Ovechkin (3G, 1A, +4, 2 PIM, 5:50 PP, 0:08 PK, 6 SOG) had a three-pointer in his last match-up against the Pens and he came into today with a four-point cushion in the Art Ross race. His 1.64 points-per-game ratio was also easily tops in the league. Henrik Sedin's was the next-closest at 1.37. He has goals in five straight and this was his first hat trick of the season. His current point streak is at seven tilts.

Nicklas Backstrom (2A, +2, 10 PIM, 19:27 TOI, 4:20 PP, 0:03 PK, no SOG, 10-13 FO for 43%), who had just 34 PIM on the season coming in, drew a 10-minute misconduct for his owners in addition to more pointage. Mike Green (1A, +2, 27:09 TOI, 6:15 PP, 2:21 PK, 5 SOG) added his 54th point and has 16 in his past 15 GP.

Mike Knuble (1G, 1A, +2, 17 PIM, 14:58 TOI, 2:30 PP, no PK, 2 SOG) scored a big PIM payday for his owners and he has been chipping in points left and right since moving back to the top line to start this great run by the Caps. Eric Fehr (1G, even, 11:59 TOI, 1:55 PP, no PK, 5 SOG) had gone six games without a point, as had Brendan Morrison (1A, -2, 11:03 TOI, 0:10 PP, no PK, 1 SOG, 4-5 FO for 44%) . Tom Poti (1A, -1, 2 PIM, 20:40 TOI, 0:15 PP, 5:36 PK, no SOG) had four points in four games coming in here.

Boston Bruins 3 @ Montreal Canadiens 0
Goaltending match-up: Tuukka Rask (36/36) vs. Jaroslav Halak (24/27, .889 SV%)
Net notes: Rask was 0-1-1 vs. MON coming in with 2.50/ .902 splits coming in. This was his third shutout of the season and fourth of his career. Halak was 4-2-0 vs. BOS with 1.82/ .947 splits and two shutouts.

Daniel Paille Marc Savard Miroslav Satan
Blake Wheeler David Krejci Michael Ryder
Marco Sturm Patrice Bergeron Mark Recchi
Milan Lucic Steve Begin Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara Derek Morris
Matt Hunwick Dennis Wideman
Andrew Ference Adam McQuaid

Mathieu Darche Tomas Plekanec Sergei Kostitsyn
Travis Moen Scott Gomez Brian Gionta
Ben Maxwell Glen Metropolit Maxim Lapierre
Brock Trotter David Desharnais Ryan White

Jaroslav Spacek Roman Hamrlik
Ryan O'Byrne Andrei Markov
Josh Gorges Hal Gill

Key notes: Zdeno Chara (1A, +1, 25:02 TOI, no PP, 1:15 PK, 1 SOG) has points back-to-back for the first time in nearly a month, but has points in three of six now. Patrice Bergeron (2A, +2, 2022 TOI, no PP, 0:46 PK, no SOG, 10-10 FO for 50%) also has points in each of his past two after five points without one. This was Marc Savard's (1A, +1, 20:53 TOI, no PP, 0:13 PK, 2 SOG, 5-11 FO for 31%) sixth game back and he has assists in five of them.

Marco Sturm (2G, +2, 2 PIM, 17:01 TOI, no PP, 0:46 PK, 5 SOG) has points in three of five since returning to action. David Krejci (1:34 TOI) left this game with an injury.

Top PP times (BOS): N/A
Top PP times (MON): Spacek (1:28), Plekanec (1:09), Gionta (1:09), Gomez (1:09) and Markov (1:09)

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