National Hockey League Game Capsules
Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) – Tuukka Rask stopped 21 shots, as Boston clipped Phoenix, 2-1, at TD Garden. Zdeno Chara and Jarome Iginla tallied for the Bruins, who extended their season-high win streak to seven games. Claude Julien also recorded his 300th win as Boston head coach. His record with the franchise over six-plus seasons stands at 300-161-61. Lauri Korpikoski provided the lone goal and Mike Smith made 18 saves for the Coyotes, who finished 2-2 on their four-game road swing.
Final Score: Carolina 4, Buffalo 2
Raleigh, NC (SportsNetwork.com) – Jiri Tlusty scored the winning goal with 6:17 to play as the Carolina Hurricanes took a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Alexander Semin posted a goal and an assist while Jeff Skinner also lit the lamp for the Hurricanes, who have won their past two. Cam Ward stopped 21 shots in the win. Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis scored for the Sabres, who have lost their past four games. Michal Neuvirth was peppered with 54 shots and stopped 51.
Final Score: San Jose 4, Columbus 3 (SO)
Columbus, OH (SportsNetwork.com) – Joe Pavelski netted the lone shootout goal as San Jose edged Columbus, 4-3, and joined Anaheim atop the Pacific Division standings. A fourth consecutive win gave the Sharks 93 points, matching a Ducks team that is winless in four straight games (0-2-2). Pavelski used a move to the backhand and beat Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky on the stick side to conclude the second round. San Jose netminder Alex Stalock didn’t have to make a third save as the puck rolled off the stick of Cam Atkinson. Patrick Marleau scored two goals and Stalock stopped 35 shots for San Jose, which avoided losing four in a row on the road against Columbus. Bobrovsky was beaten three times on 27 shots as the Blue Jackets had their home winning streak snapped at five games. The point gained, however, is valuable with the team in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Final Score: Tampa Bay 5, Florida 4
Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Steven Stamkos scored his first two points since returning from a broken leg to help the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers. Stamkos had a goal and an assist, while Sami Salo, Tyler Johnson, Michael Kostka and Ryan Callahan also scored for the Lightning, who snapped a five-game slide. Valtteri Filppula gave three assists while Ben Bishop stopped 23 shots. Brandon Pirri had a goal and an assist while Tomas Fleischmann, Scottie Upshall and Quinton Howden all scored for the Panthers, who have lost their past three. Dan Ellis made 23 saves in defeat.
Final Score: St. Louis 6, Edmonton 2
St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) – Jaden Schwartz scored twice in a four-goal third period which lifted St. Louis over Edmonton, 6-2, at Scottrade Center. Alex Pietrangelo and T.J. Oshie also lit the lamp in the final frame for the Blues, who extended the lead over idle Colorado in the Central Division to six points with their sixth win in seven games. Vladimir Sobotka and Vladimir Tarasenko posted earlier goals, to back a 22-save effort from Ryan Miller David Perron and Mark Fraser lit the lamp for the Oilers, who lost for the second time in their last five outings. Ben Scrivens took the loss, allowing all six goals on 37 shots.
Final Score: Minnesota 2, NY Rangers 1
St. Paul, MN (SportsNetwork.com) – Zach Parise’s goal 1:03 into the third period provided the difference in the Minnesota Wild’s 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers at XCel Energy Center. Nino Niederreiter also scored to support a strong 29-save effort from Darcy Kuemper that helped the Wild halt an 0-1-2 skid. Sixteen of those stops came in the final period. Cam Talbot turned aside 24 shots in the loss, the fifth in seven games for the struggling Rangers, with Derek Stepan recording the lone New York goal.
Final Score: Toronto 3, Los Angeles 2
Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Mason Raymond’s shorthanded goal in the third period led the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Dion Phaneuf and Carl Gunnarsson also scored for the Maple Leafs, who are 2-1-0 on their five-game road trip. Jonathan Bernier started the game in net, but left after the first period with a lower-body injury as he stopped 8-of-10 shots faced. James Reimer turned away all 31 shots he faced over the final two periods. Marian Gaborik had a goal and an assist and Anze Kopitar lit the lamp for the Kings, who came into the game winning eight straight and failed in their bid to match the longest winning streak in franchise history. Jonathan Quick allowed all three goals on 29 shots.
Categorized in: NHL