A couple of goalies displayed impressive shutout streaks, a couple of goalies chase Martin Brodeur records, a rookie wins a bet and a defenceman on a playoff-bound team is out long-term with an injury. Here are three things we learned in the NHL.
Wedgewood relents
New Jersey Devils rookie goaltender Scott Wedgewood had quite the week.
Thursday he shut out the Sidney Crosby-led Pittsburgh Penguins and on Friday he took the Alex Ovechkin-led Washington Capitals all the way to overtime before finally giving up the OT winner to John Carlson.
Not bad for the first week of his career. He gave up just one goal to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday before blanking the Pens. He then made 25 saves Friday, frustrating the Capitals while earning second star honours.
Wowowow!
But this was a win for the NHL’s best team, so let’s take a look at them.
Braden Holtby picked up his third shutout of the season and 45th win, becoming only the sixth NHLer to do so.
He’s now just four wins away from passing Martin Brodeur for most all time. Damn.
Meanwhile, John Carlson, who scored the lone goal, returned to the lineup after being out since Feb. 25. He’s played just 48 games this year.
It wasn’t the most exciting of games after all.
Lightning strike twice…twice!
It was what they would call a see-saw battle.
The New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning went back and forth Friday with the Bolts coming out on top 7-4.
The Lightning came in waves, scoring twice in nine seconds in the first period and then twice in 23 seconds in the third.
The pair of goals in nine seconds tied a franchise record. Nikita Kucherov’s goal in the first was his fourth in four games.
The bad news for Tampa was they lost a horse in defenceman Anton Stralman. That’s not good.
Elliiiiiooottttt
What a season for Brian Elliott.
The goaltender lost the early-season battle for the St. Louis Blues’ starting job to Jake Allen, sparkled in Allen’s absence when the younger goaltender was injured, and now has three straight shutouts after missing a month himself with his own injury.
He did it again Friday, stonewalling the Vancouver Canucks and helping the Blues clinch a playoff spot for the fifth straight season.
Here’s a closer look at the Blues’ crease situation, one in which Elliott is looking like the eventual playoff starter.
On the offensive side, Robby Fabbri has quietly had a nice season.
The 20-year-old has 18 goals and 37 points after Friday night when he scored a beauty to help the Blues blank the Canucks 4-0.
Turns out the goal won him a bet with assistant coach Kirk Muller.
Muller scored 17 goals as a freshman for the New Jersey Devils in 1984-85.
