Three to see
1. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
After having inconsistent goaltending for the last three seasons, the Columbus Blue Jackets may have found the answer to that problem in netminder Sergei Bobrovsky.
In three games this week, Bobrovsky didn’t lose a game in regulation, stopped 115 of 117 shots and picked up a shutout. Overall, Bobrovsky is now 9-6-5 with a 2.00 GAA (sixth in the league), a .932 save percentage (second in the league) and two shutouts.
This week, Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets will take on the Nashville Predators (twice) and the Calgary Flames.
2. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks’ superstar Patrick Kane is continuing to show why he is one of the league’s best players this season.
In three games this week, Kane scored three goals and had four assists for seven points. On the season, Kane now has 34 points on 15 goals and 19 assists.
This week, Kane and the Blackhawks will take on the Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings.
3. Jake Allen, St. Louis Blues
Despite the inconsistent goaltending of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott, the St. Louis Blues are winning hockey games because of netminder Jake Allen.
Allen, a 22-year-old rookie, won three games this week and has won five straight overall. This past week, Allen allowed just three goals on 97 shots and is now 8-1 on the season with a 2.18 GAA, a .920 save percentage and one shutout.
This week Allen and the Blues will take on the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.
Streak of the week
After getting off to a slow start to begin the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets have found their game in a big way.
The team has gone 10 games without losing in regulation. The streak has put the team back in the playoff hunt, as they currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference and are just two points out of the eighth spot.
If the Blue Jackets continue to get great netminding from Sergei Bobrovsky and the team comes away with some big wins, they may be a dangerous team come playoff time.
Biting sound
“Just tired of losing. I have no emotions right now, nothing to say to you. Just another disappointment.”
— Philadelphia Flyers’ goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov after his team lost 5-2 on Wednesday night to the New Jersey Devils.
Weekend rewind
When the New York Rangers traded for Columbus Blue Jackets’ forward Rick Nash, it appeared that this was a slam dunk win for the Blueshirts.
As it turns out, it’s not that simple. As of Sunday, Columbus and New York have the same number of points (28) despite the Rangers having a much better roster on paper.
It should also be noted that each team is headed in the opposite direction. The Rangers have dropped three straight games while the Blue Jackets have gone 10 games without a loss in regulation.
Come the end of the season, it will be interesting to see which team has more points and which team, if any, makes the post-season.
Save the date
Wednesday, March 20, 2013: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Anaheim Ducks
There is no doubt that the best two teams in the NHL reside in the Western Conference. On Wednesday night, those two teams will go at it as the Chicago Blackhawks travel to Anaheim take on the Ducks.
The Blackhawks currently sit atop the conference and NHL with 49 points while the Ducks are just five points behind, sitting second in the conference and second in the league. Will these two teams end up meeting in the Western Conference Finals this season? There’s a good possibility.
Rink roundup
– It appears that Pittsburgh Penguins’ defenceman Kris Letang is rounding into a Norris Trophy contender this season. Currently, Letang leads all defenceman in scoring with 28 points (three goals and 25 assists) and has also matured at the other end of the ice as well.
– Looking at the NHL standings, it looks like the Northwest Division is going to come down to the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks. Both clubs have 32 points right now and are in third and seventh place, respectively, in the Western Conference. The remaining teams in the division (Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche) are more than likely going to miss the post-season this year.
– It truly is amazing that the Washington Capitals are struggling this much. The team is 5-5 in their last 10 games and currently sits in 14th in the Eastern Conference. Should the Capitals miss the post-season, it will be the first time since the 2006-07 season.
– Even without the likes of Nicklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, Brad Stuart and a few others, the Detroit Red Wings are still in the thick of things in the Western Conference. The Red Wings find themselves in fifth place with 33 points and are just one point behind the streaking St. Louis Blues for the fourth spot in the conference.
