Columbus @ NY Rangers 4-3 SO - In his first NHL action in over a month, Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky didn't show the slightest hint of rust. The Russian goaltender made 40 saves before stopping Mats Zuccarello and Rick Nash in the shootout to lead Columbus to a 4-3 win against the New York Rangers on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. The 2013 Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's top goaltender, Bobrovsky starred Monday. But it was a familiar face that forced Columbus to earn two points in the shootout. Trailing 3-1 after two periods, former Blue Jackets captain Nash completed a third-period comeback with David Savard off for delay of game and the Rangers down 3-2. Nash fired a wrister from the point that eluded a screened Bobrovsky. His second of the night 6:55 into the third gave momentum back to the Rangers. In the extra period, Lundqvist kept New York alive with a sharp glove save off an Atkinson one-timer with 1:43 left in the extra period. Derek Stepan took an interference penalty 33 seconds later, but Columbus could not capitalize on the 4-on-3 advantage. New York's third-period comeback followed a second period that couldn't have gone much worse for the Rangers. Deadlocked 1-1 after 20 minutes, momentum shifted Columbus' way when Chris Kreider received a five-minute boarding penalty and game misconduct after knocking Fedor Tyutin into the boards 21 seconds into the second. With Tyutin writhing in pain on the ice, Dubinsky intervened and was whistled for roughing, but the Rangers would still be without one of their top contributors. Tyutin returned for a brief shift before exiting the game with a lower-body injury, leaving Columbus with five defensemen. Johnson was certainly the beneficiary of extra ice time. The veteran defenseman led all players with 31:35, his highest total since he played 34:13 in a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 5, 2013. Columbus took the lead before it even had a chance to start the power play. Playing 4-on-4, Atkinson stole the puck at his blue line, outraced Anton Stralman to the Rangers net and deked to his backhand, then back to his forehand before beating Lundqvist between his legs for his 11th goal. Atkinson's all-out effort 1:01 into the second put Columbus ahead, 2-1. Shortly after killing a high-sticking penalty to Nick Foligno, Columbus struck again. Dubinsky led the rush down the left wing and lofted a pass to a trailing Wisniewski. The defenseman beat Lundqvist blocker side with a wrist shot to give the Blue Jackets a 3-1 lead with 3:13 remaining in the second period. Boyle started the comeback 4:53 into the third after Dominic Moore's shot was blocked in front of the Columbus net. Moving toward the crease, Boyle found the loose puck and beat Bobrovsky for his third of the season before slamming his stick against the glass in celebration. The comeback marked the fifth time in New York's past 11 games that it had to overcome a third-period deficit to tie the game. Columbus opened the scoring with 2:53 remaining in the first. J.T. Miller's weak clearing attempt was barely kept in by Wisniewski, whose point shot was deflected in by Dubinsky while the former Ranger stood directly to Lundqvist's right. The Rangers responded when Letestu was called for tripping with 2:24 left in the first. Enjoying a man advantage, Nash circled to the left faceoff dot and snapped a perfect wrist shot that beat Bobrovsky high to the blocker side with 53 seconds left in the period.
Florida @ Montreal 1-2 - Brian Gionta scored at 15:46 of the second period and Carey Price made 26 saves to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 win against the Florida Panthers at Bell Centre on Monday. Montreal center Tomas Plekanec cut off Panthers captain Ed Jovanovski's pass towards defensive partner Erik Gudbransson behind Florida's net to set up the Canadiens' second goal. Plekanec, who was named captain of the Czech Republic's Olympic team on Monday, passed out front to Gionta, and Montreal's captain snapped a shot past Florida goalie Tim Thomas from low in the left faceoff circle to restore a one-goal lead. David Desharnais scored at 6:23 of the first period for the Canadiens, who had lost three of their previous four games, yet have one regulation loss in their past seven (4-1-2). Sean Bergenheim drew the Panthers even with his 10th goal at 17:09 of the first. Thomas stopped 33 shots for Florida, which ended a 2-0-1 run that followed a three-game losing streak. The Panthers, who were outshot 13-5 in the first, and 12-6 in the second, held a 16-10 advantage in shots in the third. Desharnais opened the scoring with his sixth goal despite fanning on a wrist shot from the top of the slot. The Montreal center continued driving to the net and turned his back on Florida's Tom Gilbert to put a backhand shot past Thomas inside the right post. Gilbert was struck in the face by the puck on a dump-in shot by Montreal's Max Pacioretty off the ensuing faceoff. The Panthers defenseman was bleeding when he went to the dressing room. He returned later in the period. The Canadiens had two goals waved off during the game, the first at 7:01 of the opening period when referee Eric Furlatt blew his whistle before the puck went into the net. Montreal's Brendan Gallagher was penalized for slashing on the play and Florida defenseman Mike Weaver was called for roughing. Pacioretty snapped a shot off the right post late in the Canadiens' first power-play opportunity after Florida's Krys Barch was called for high-sticking at 11:49. Bergenheim teamed up with Panthers linemates Aleksander Barkov and Brad Boyes to draw Florida even at 1-1 at 17:09. Bergenheim had a great opportunity to give the Panthers the lead moments later, but he put his backhand off the crossbar. Montreal's Travis Moen had a potential shorthanded goal waved off by referee Steve Kozari at the 23-second mark of the second period. A video review upheld Kozari's ruling that Thomas had stopped Moen's shot and that the puck entered the net as a result of the Canadiens forward's collision with the goalie. Gudbranson wore a full-face cage on his helmet in his return to the lineup after missing five games because of a broken orbital bone.
Calgary @ Colorado 4-3 - Starved for goals, the Calgary Flames broke out Monday and defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 at Pepsi Center. The Flames had one goal during a four-game losing streak that ended when Mike Cammalleri scored a power-play goal with 3:30 remaining in the third period. Jiri Hudler, who scored a second-period goal, passed to Cammalleri in the slot for a one-timed shot that beat goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere after the Avalanche were penalized for having too many men on the ice. The Avalanche won their three previous games and were 3-0-1 in the first four games of a seven-game homestand. It was their first regulation loss at home since Dec. 10 against Phoenix. The Avalanche went 5-0-2 in the previous seven home games. Avalanche coach Patrick Roy showed more emotion after the game than he had following other defeats. He wasn't happy about the too-many-men penalty or with the play of Giguere, who made 15 saves while losing his fourth consecutive start. When told Giguere said he thought the Flames showed more hunger in front of both nets, Roy snapped at that too. Roy also was concerned because rookie Nathan MacKinnon, who scored two power-play goals in the first period, took a shot on the ankle late in regulation and was having X-rays taken. The Avalanche tied the game 3-3 at 9:33 of the third period on a goal by Paul Stastny, his third point of the game. Gabriel Landeskog passed to Stastny, who was alone in front of the Flames net, and he slid a backhanded shot between goalie Karri Ramo's pads. Joe Colborne and Hudler scored for the Flames 2:28 apart late in the second period to take a 3-2 lead. Colborne tied the game at 15:10 when he deflected TJ Galiardi's shot over Giguere's right shoulder. The goal was Colborne's first in 18 games. Hudler scored his team-leading 12th goal at 17:38. Defenseman Mark Giordano took a shot from the left point that hit Hudler, who was with Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie in front of the net. The puck dropped to the ice and Hudler poked it across the goal line. The Flames opened the scoring 1:08 into the game on a goal by rookie Sean Monahan, whose shot from the right circle deflected in off Avalanche forward Jamie McGinn. MacKinnon tied the game at 7:17. He was at the left side of the net when he accepted a pass from Stastny, moved in front and slipped the puck under Ramo. The Stastny-MacKinnon connection clicked again at 14:32 after the Flames were penalized for having too many men on the ice. The Avalanche worked the puck around and Stastny eventually fed MacKinnon just above the right hash marks for a shot that went by Ramo's left pad. MacKinnon leads all NHL rookies in scoring with 28 points. He has eight goals and two assists in the past 11 games.
No comments:
Post a Comment