BRUINS 0 @ DEVILS 1
Coming in: Boston (39-9-7) had dropped two straight and was hitting the road for five in a row. New Jersey (35-17-3) had only lost twice in 13 starts.
Goaltending match-up: Tim Thomas (17/18, .944 SV%) vs. Scott Clemmensen (31/31)
Net notes: Thomas came into this one with a mind-blowing 16-3-2 road mark with 1.82/ .940 splits. Clemmensen was 11-6-0 at home with a 2.27 GAA and .915 SV%. This was his second shutout of the season (back-to-back) and fourth of his career.
Boston line combos
Milan Lucic Marc Savard Phil Kessel
Vladimir Sobotka David Krejci Blake Wheeler
P.J. Axelsson Patrice Bergeron Martins Karsums
New Jersey line combos
Zach Parise Travis Zajac Jamie Langenbrunner
Patrik Elias Dainius Zubrus Brian Gionta
Brian Rolston John Madden David Clarkson
Key notes: John Madden (1A, +1, 16:28 ice time, no PP, 1:42 PK, no SOG, 7-4 FO) had a two-point game @ATL as his only contribution in eight before drawing a helper tonight.
RED WINGS 2 @ JACKETS 3
Coming in: Detroit (37-11-7) had won six straight after having lost five in a row to close out January. Columbus (26-23-5) snapped out of a three-game losing streak with back-to-back wins.
Goaltending match-up: Chris Osgood (22/25, .880 SV%) vs. Steve Mason (32/34, .941 SV%)
Net notes: Osgood picked up the win last night and had an 8-1-4 road mark coming in with 3.24/ .885 peripherals. He made some really strong saves here. Mason was back in the line-up after having some time to rest from his mono diagnosis. His last start had been February 3rd and he looked exceptionally sharp tonight, showing no real signs of fatigue.
Detroit line combos
Pavel Datsyuk Henrik Zetterberg Daniel Cleary
Tomas Kopecky Valtteri Filppula Marian Hossa
Jiri Hudler Darren Helm Mikael Samuelsson
Columbus line combos
Kristian Huselius Manny Malhotra Rick Nash
Jason Chimera Jason Williams Jakub Voracek
Fredrik Modin R.J. Umberger Jiri Novotny
Key notes: Nicklas Lidstrom (1G, +1, 2 PIM, 27:14 ice time, 3:36 PP, 3:34 PK, 3 SOG) has goals in three of seven and points in six of those affairs after potting one after just having left the penalty box. Pavel Datsyuk (1A, +1, 19:58 ice time, 3:54 PP, 1:25 PK, 3 SOG, 1-2 FO) had 43 points in 26 contests before padding his bottom line again here.
Mikael Samuelsson (1G, even, 2 PIM, 14:27 ice time, 3:10 PP, no PK, 6 SOG) has found the back of the net back-to-back and in four of six. He had gone 12 games without an assist headed in here. Jiri Hudler (1A, even, 2 PIM, 12:54 ice time, 2:47 PP, no PK, 1 SOG, 2-0 FO) had 24 of his 45 points on the road in 29 home starts coming in here.
Czech rookie Jakub Voracek (2A, +2, 11:21 ice time, 2:55 PP, no PK, 2 SOG) had 10 points in 16 GP before tonight, while young blueliner Kris Russell (1A, even, 2 PIM, 10:55 ice time, 2:50 PP, no PK, 1 SOG) has tallied points in six of 13. Jason Chimera (1G, +2, 14:12 ice time, 3:19 PP, 1:54 PK, 5 SOG) has points in three of his past seven.
Jason Williams (1G, +2, 2 PIM, 12:59 ice time, 4:15 PP, no PK, 2 SOG, 0-4 FO) has goals in three straight and he had seven points in 11 GP with CBJ already before tonight’s late third period marker. Marc Methot (1A, +2, 13:19 ice time, 0:02 PP, 0:26 PK, 1 SOG) has helpers in three in a row and four of seven.
SHARKS 5 @ SABRES 6 (SO)
Coming in: San Jose (37-7-8) had fallen in four of five, but still had points in four of those affairs. Buffalo (28-21-6) was 2-2-1 in February and had four of eight at home to close out the month.
Goaltending match-up: Evgeni Nabokov (30/35, .857 SV%) vs. Ryan Miller (30/35, .857 SV%)
Net notes: Nabby was 8-4-4 on the road before tonight with 2.89/ .898 peripherals. Miller was 15-7-2 with 2.25/ .925 splits at home coming in.
San Jose line combos
Patrick Marleau Joe Thornton Devin Setoguchi
Ryane Clowe Joe Pavelski Milan Michalek
Jonathan Cheechoo Tomas Plihal Mike Grier
Buffalo line combos
Nathan Gerbe Derek Roy Drew Stafford
Jochen Hecht Tim Connolly Jason Pominville
Clarke MacArthur Matt Ellis Patrick Kaleta
Key notes: Joe Thornton (4A, +2, 18:30 ice time, 1:14 PP, 0:43 PK, 2 SOG, 9-7 FO) now has 20 different multi-point efforts this season, including four with at least three. His highest total of the season coming in had been a four-pointer vs. TOR at the start of December. Patrick Marleau (1G, +1, 19:58 ice time, 1:19 PP, 3:07 PK, 3 SOG, 2-6 FO) needed a two-point game to pull even at the point-per-game mark over 25 road games, which he got here. He also scored in the shootout. Devin Setoguchi (1G, +1, 16:46 ice time, 1:14 PP, no PK, 4 SOG) had four points in nine starts before tonight.
Dan Boyle (1G, 1A, +2, 23:56 ice time, 2:38 PP, 2:35 PK, 3 SOG) has nine games with at least two points this season and he’s just been a huge asset for poolies from the back end this season. His great point totals with his much-improved +/- from the TB days have combined to make for a lethal threat. Marc-Edouard Vlasic (1A, -1, 2 PIM, 24:52 ice time, 0:14 PP, 4:12 PK, 2 SOG) has picked up a point in three of five and he passed the 26-point mark tonight too, which sets a new career high.
Joe Pavelski (1G, even, 4 PIM, 22:25 ice time, 1:33 PP, 1:30 PK, 5 SOG, 13-8 FO) has scored in two straight after having gone seven without one. He had 12 points in 15 GP coming in.
Tim Connolly (1A, even, 21:45 ice time, 3:55 PP, 1:34 PK, 2 SOG, 7-8 FO) has points in five straight and he had 14 points in 11 GP before this one began. Derek Roy (1G, 1A, even, 22:25 ice time, 4:24 PP, 1:18 PK, 4 SOG, 14-8 FO) had gone seven games without a goal, but has points in three straight. He also roofed his shootout attempt, which was the winner. Drew Stafford (1A, -1, 17:14 ice time, 3:01 PP, no PK, 1 SOG) had 15 points in 18 GP in 2009 prior to this tilt.
Ales Kotalik (1G, 1A, even, 15:46 ice time, 3:01 PP, no PK, 2 SOG) has added points in three of five after three without one. The glove save that Nabby made on him in the shootout… wow. Jason Pominville (1G, 1A, even, 20:21 ice time, 3:58 PP, 0:36 PK, 5 SOG) has been chipping in assists fairly regularly, but he hadn’t scored a goal since January 1st as the puck dropped tonight. He was credited with the GTG late in the third and he also scored in the shootout.
Jaroslav Spacek (1G, -2, 21:25 ice time, 3:49 PP, 1:21 PK, 2 SOG) has goals in three of seven. Craig Rivet’s (3A, +1, 2 PIM, 24:46 ice time, 2:53 PP, 0:35 PK, 2 SOG) point shot was crucial in the dying seconds of regulation to push this game to OT after Buffalo had blown a 4-1 lead. This was only his second multi-point outing of the season.
RANGERS 1 @ PANTHERS 2 (SO)
Coming in: New York (30-20-5) stopped a five-game winless skid with a shootout win vs. WAS Wednesday. Florida (27-19-8) had won four of five this month and has been on a real tear in 2009.
Goaltending match-up: Henrik Lundqvist (42/43, .977 SV%) vs. Tomas Vokoun (34/35, .971 SV%)
Net notes: Lundqvist had a 7-3-0 career mark vs. FLA with three shutouts and 2.15/ .932 splits. Vokoun was 12-4-2 at home before this one started with 2.21/ .926 peripherals.
New York line combos
Nigel Dawes Scott Gomez Markus Naslund
Aaron Voros Brandon Dubinsky Nikolai Zherdev
Lauri Korpikoski Chris Drury Ryan Callahan
Florida line combos
David Booth Nathan Horton Richard Zednik
Cory Stillman Stephen Weiss Michael Frolik
Ville Peltonen Gregory Campbell Radek Dvorak
Key notes: Fredrik Sjostrom (1G, +1, 12:38 ice time, no PP, 2:02 PK, 1 SOG) scored the only goal for the Rangers in this one and it was his seventh point of the season.
Richard Zednik (even, 19:12 ice time, 1:56 PP, no PK, 4 SOG) went five-hole on Henrik Lundqvist in the shootout and that was the only goal scored in the skills contest of the eight shooters.
Michael Frolik (1G, even, 17:05 ice time, 1:56 PP, no PK, 4 SOG, 0-1 FO) has goals back-to-back after having gone five games without a point. Cory Stillman (1A, even, 17:22 ice time, 1:58 PP, 0:18 PK, 1 SOG) has 19 points in his past 18 starts now since January began.
CANUCKS 1 @ STARS 2
Coming in: Vancouver (26-20-8) had won all four outings in February after having gone winless in eight straight to close out last month. Dallas (26-20-7) had won seven of nine.
Goaltending match-up: Jason LaBarbera (28/30, .933 SV%) vs. Marty Turco (32/33, .970 SV%)
Net notes: LaBarbera’s last start was January 13th, where he was pulled. Turco had a 3-2-0 record this month with 1.62/ .935 splits coming in.
Vancouver line combos
Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin Alex Burrows
Pavol Demitra Mats Sundin Ryan Kesler
Taylor Pyatt Kyle Wellwood Steve Bernier
Dallas line combos
Loui Eriksson Brad Richards Brian Sutherby
Steve Ott Mike Ribeiro Jere Lehtinen
James Neal Mike Modano Fabian Brunnstrom
Key notes: Taylor Pyatt (1G, +1, 12:40 ice time, no PP, 0:48 PK, 2 SOG) had gone six games without a goal, but has points in two of three. Steve Bernier (1A, +1, 13:10 ice time, 3:01 PP, no PK, 2 SOG, 8 hits) has points in two of four, although he had just one in seven before tonight. Shane O’Brien (1A, +1, 10:15 ice time, no PP, 0:29 PK, no SOG) has helpers back-to-back and in four of eight.
Loui Eriksson (1G, 1A, +1, 18:50 ice time, 1:16 PP, 4:34 PK, 2 SOG) has goals in four of eight with points in seven of 11 now. Mike Modano (1A, -1, 16:17 ice time, 1:14 PP, 2:01 PK, 2 SOG, 14-11 FO) had a two-point effort vs. NYR as his only points of February before tonight, while Matt Niskanen’s (1A, +1, 23:27 ice time, 4:18 PP, 4:26 PK, 5 SOG) hot run continued tonight. He had tallied eight assists in six starts coming in here.
HAWKS 0 @ BLUES 1
Coming in: Chicago (30-14-8) had gone 5-2-0 and was wrapping up this eight-game roadie here. St. Louis (22-25-7) had points in 10 of 12.
Goaltending match-up: Cristobal Huet (22/23, .957 SV%) vs. Chris Mason (22/22)
Net notes: Huet had a 6-6-2 home mark with 2.54/ .909 splits before tonight. Mason was 9-7-2 vs. CHI in his career with 2.49/ .913 peripherals. This was his fourth shutout of the season and 16th of his career. Three of them have come eight starts and this was the second against CHI in that time.
Chicago line combos
Patrick Sharp Jonathan Toews Troy Brouwer
Craig Adams Kris Versteeg Patrick Kane
Andrew Ladd Dave Bolland Martin Havlat
St. Louis line combos
Alexander Steen Keith Tkachuk B.J. Crombeen
Andy McDonald Patrik Berglund T.J. Oshie
Brad Winchester David Backes Brad Boyes
Key notes: Brad Boyes (1G, even, 16:03 ice time, 4:44 PP, no PK, 2 SOG, 0-1 FO) had four goals in five starts before scoring again tonight and he had 12 points in seven games coming in. Andy McDonald (1A, even, 17:26 ice time, 4:15 PP, no PK, 2 SOG, 1-2 FO) had a two-point game in his first start back and then was blanked in the second one. T.J. Oshie (1A, even, 21:30 ice time, 3:57 PP, 4:17 PK, 1 SOG) had 13 points in 16 GP before adding more here.
CANADIENS 4 @ AVALANCHE 2
Coming in: Montreal (29-20-6) had lost nine of 11, including the first two of this six-game road trek. Colorado (25-29-1) had lost three in a row and 10 of 13.
Goaltending match-up: Jaroslav Halak (46/48, .958 SV%) vs. Peter Budaj (19/22, .864 SV%)
Net notes: Halak had one other start this month with six goals against @CGY. Budaj was 11-8-0 at home before tonight with 2.67/ .911 peripherals.
Montreal line combos
Tom Kostopoulos Saku Koivu Alexei Kovalev
Andrei Kostitsyn Christopher Higgins Mathieu Dandenault
Max Pacioretty Maxim Lapierre Matt D’Agostini
Colorado line combos
Cody McLeod Wojtek Wolski Milan Hejduk
Ryan Smyth Ian Laperriere Chris Stewart
Brian Willsie Tyler Arnason Marek Svatos
Key notes: Saku Koivu (2A, +1, 17:35 ice time, 2:20 PP, 2:11 PK, no SOG, 15-11 FO) had one point in six February starts before this evening, although he did have 14 PIM at least thanks to that 12-PIM outburst vs. TOR. Andrei Markov (1A, +2, 21:52 ice time, 2:20 PP, 3:51 PK, 1 SOG), who had 22 points over 25 GP in December and January, had just two points this month before tonight.
Andrei Kostitsyn (1G, +1, 14:39 ice time, 2:08 PP, no PK, 1 SOG) has goals in three of eight after potting a late one to break a 2-2 tie in the third period. He snapped a four-game pointless skid in the process. Mathieu Dandenault (1A, +1, 15:42 ice time, no PP, 1:36 PK, no SOG, 0-1 FO) had two points in his return to the line-up a few nights back.
Max Pacioretty (1A, +1, 2 PIM, 9:38 ice time, no PP, no PK, 2 SOG) has points in three of six, while Matt D’Agostini (1A, +1, 11:39 ice time, no PP, no PK, 1 SOG) has them in three of four. Tom Kostopoulos (1G, +1, 17:39 ice time, 0:12 PP, 2:59 PK, 4 SOG) got the ENG on his knees and backhanded on a shot just trying to clear the puck out, giving him goals in two of four with points in three of eight.
Jordan Leopold (1G, even, 15:45 ice time, 2:19 PP, 0:19 PK, 2 SOG) hadn’t scored a goal since mid-December, but he has points back-to-back after five with nadda. Ruslan Salei (1A, -1, 2 PIM, 20:23 ice time, 3:25 PP, no PK, 1 SOG) had six points in 10 starts coming in, including 20 PIM in that stretch. John-Michael Liles (1A, -1, 24:41 ice time, 4:18 PP, no PK, 5 SOG) has helpers back-to-back after four with none. He had six in six to close out February.