National Hockey League Game Capsules
Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) – Tuukka Rask turned away 33 shots as the red- hot Boston Bruins posted a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Monday. Jarome Iginla scored twice, while Reilly Smith and Loui Eriksson also scored for the Bruins, who have ripped off nine wins in a row and now hold a five-point lead over Pittsburgh for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. It is Boston’s longest winning streak since a 10-game span from Nov. 1-23, 2011. Jason Pominville scored the only goal of the game for the Wild, who have dropped five of their last six games. Darcy Kuemper gave up three goals on 28 shots in the loss.
Final Score: Tampa Bay 4, Vancouver 3
Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Ondrej Palat continued his five-game point streak with a goal and an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning held on to defeat the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3, on Monday. Steven Stamkos also registered a goal and an assist in the Lightning’s third straight victory. Valtteri Filppula and Tom Pyatt also scored while goaltender Ben Bishop made 25 stops in the win. Alexandre Burrows tallied two goals and an assist and Jannik Hansen had a shorthanded goal as Vancouver has dropped two of its last three. Eddie Lack allowed all four goals on 30 shots in defeat.
Final Score: St. Louis 3, Winnipeg 1
St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) – David Backes scored twice, including the game-winner with 6:51 left in the third period, as the St. Louis Blues secured a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday at Scottrade Center. Backes broke a 1-1 tie with a power-play goal at 13:09 of the third before being credited with an empty-netter at 18:49 to help St. Louis become the first team to cross the 100-point plateau in the NHL this season. Brenden Morrow scored St. Louis’ other goal, while Ryan Miller made 16 saves to improve to 7-0-1 since being acquired on Feb. 28 by the Blues, who have won three straight and eight of their last nine games. Eric O’Dell potted Winnipeg’s lone goal, while Al Montoya allowed two goals on 25 shots for the Jets, who have lost seven of their last eight games.
Final Score: Phoenix 4, Los Angeles 3
Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Jeff Halpern scored the game-winner with 3:05 left in the third period to propel the Phoenix Coyotes to a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday at Staples Center. With the game tied 3-3 late in the third, a Phoenix counterattack saw a blocked shot ricochet into the left circle, where Halpern was waiting all alone. With Jonathan Quick scrambling following the change of direction, Halpern threw a shot on net that the LA netminder appeared to stop from his back before making another incredible save on the rebound attempt to keep the game tied. However, at the next stoppage, video review showed Halpern’s shot fully cross the goal line before Quick’s stick knocked it back into play. Mike Smith, who finished with 36 saves, stood tall the rest of the way to help the Coyotes claim their second straight win and fourth in the last five games. Keith Yandle notched a goal and an assist, while Rob Klinkhammer and Mikkel Boedker each scored once for Phoenix. Marian Gaborik, Alec Martinez and Tanner Pearson all lit the lamp, while Quick stopped 23 shots for the Kings, who entered the game 21-0-0 this season when leading after two periods.
Categorized in: NHL