Joe Thornton scored two goals in the first period, and the San Jose Sharks eliminated the Phoenix Coyotes from playoff contention with a 3-1 victory Sunday night. Curtis Brown also scored and Evgeni Nabokov made 19 saves for the Sharks, who have earned a point in every game since Feb. 20 while rolling to the third Pacific Division title in franchise history. Read Original Post Here
Patrick Kane scored the only goal in a shootout, and the Chicago Blackhawks remained in the hunt for a playoff berth with a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night. After Nikolai Khabibulin denied Joakim Lindstrom to open the shootout, Kane deked to his forehand and slipped a backhander past Fredrik Norrena.
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Andrej Sekera was unsure whether his 50-foot shot that sealed the Buffalo Sabres’ victory hit anyone on its way into the net. The rookie defenseman also didn’t care. All that mattered was Sekera’s goal — scored 39 seconds into overtime — sealed a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday, and kept alive Buffalo’s threadbare playoff hopes entering the final week of the season.
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Marian Gaborik scored two goals, including the winner in overtime, and the Minnesota Wild celebrated clinching a playoff spot by beating the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Sunday. Detroit beat Nashville minutes before Minnesota took the ice Sunday, which sent the Wild to its second straight playoff berth. Read Original Post Here
Andrej Sekera scored 39 seconds into overtime to lead Buffalo to a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday and keep alive the Sabres’ threadbare playoff hopes. Ryan Miller stopped 17 shots and Toni Lydman also scored for Buffalo, which would have been eliminated from contention with a loss. David Krejci scored for the Bruins, who still gained a point and, with 91 points, moved into a three-way tie…
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Johan Franzen scored with 1:39 left in overtime to give the Detroit Red Wings a 1-0 win over the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Dominik Hasek, returning after missing two games because of the flu, stopped 22 shots for his 81st career shutout. Franzen’s goal also ended the franchise-record 233 minute, 39 second shutout streak of Nashville goalie Dan Ellis, who finished with 35 saves.
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Sidney Crosby set up goals by Marian Hossa and Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing at close to full strength for the first time in weeks, moved into first place in the Eastern Conference by beating the New York Rangers 3-1 on Sunday. Marc-Andre Fleury played another excellent game in net, turning aside 26 shots. Read Original Post Here
The NHL wants the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins playing the next big outdoor game, especially with the Bronx Bombers offering Yankee Stadium as the venue. But here’s the hitch, according to a source familiar with the negotiations: The New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders, upon hearing of the plan for the Original Six combatants to hold center stage, wanted to be included.
Until they are appeased — or simply told by commissioner Gary Bettman to grow up and go away — the Stadium won’t hear "Game On!" hollered before its last sporting event.
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As bad as the show has been here in the Hub of Hockey for the better part of 15 years, the Leafs officially fell into lockstep with their pair of losses last week to the Bruins. Two spiritless and utterly unkempt efforts, sure to send coach Paul Maurice packing at the end of the season according to the Boston Globe.
Toronto, yet to qualify for the postseason since the end of the lockout, had not missed the playoffs for three straight seasons since 1926-28, the same period the franchise changed its name from the St. Patricks to the Maple Leafs (official change came in February 1927). Much like the Nordiques of old, the Leafs showed a bit of a dead-cat bounce, going 12-4-1 leading up to the two against Boston, teasing some into believing they could make the playoffs. But when it came time to play a meaningful game, or two, they wilted.
What now? Maurice, once the Whaler boss, will be perhaps the first of the postseason coaching casualties (figure on about a half-dozen firings). Because the Leafs missed the playoffs, Pavel Kubina’s no-trade clause falls away, and he’ll be gone, along with his $5 million-per-year salary. Not much more the new GM (yet to be named) can do, other than maybe persuade Bryan McCabe, who will turn 33 this summer, to waive his no trade and start over with someone else. But that’s tricky, because McCabe has $14.45 million due over the next three years.
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Following his meeting Thursday with a neurologist, it became official that Patrice Bergeron’s regular season came to an end when he was clobbered headfirst into the Garden’s rear boards the afternoon of Oct. 27. the Boston Globe reported.
Bergeron, who will be examined again in two weeks, remains some 10 pounds under his playing weight of 195 pounds and is augmenting his diet with high-calorie shakes. Problem is, his skating and dryland workouts burn off the calories nearly as fast as he can take them in, and he needs his weight and muscle mass to return just as much as he needs all the remaining neuro cobwebs to clear.
Now, does that rule out Bergeron from rejoining the roster if the Bruins were to go on an extended Cup run? Not necessarily. However, it has taken him nearly five months to feel good again, and even if he were to receive a go-ahead from the neurologist in two weeks, he still would have to start back slowly with contact drills, build up his all-around physical tolerance, and keep adding to his weight and muscle mass.
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