NHL Results - Wed, Apr 08, 2015

Toronto @ Columbus 0-5 - Scoring three times in the first period and getting 35 saves from goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky for his second shutout of the season and his 11th in the NHL, the Blue Jackets came close to putting more goals on the Nationwide Arena scoreboard. Twice in the first period they had a chance cleared off the goal line, and later they had three shots hit the post. The Blue Jackets had their record nine-game winning streak end Monday with a shootout loss to the New York Rangers, but at 10-0-1 are within a game of the Columbus point-streak record of 12. The Blue Jackets got goals from all four lines. Artem Anisimov, Boone Jenner, Scott Hartnell, Ryan Murray and Jeremy Morin scored, and Brandon Dubinsky had two assists. Columbus took a 3-0 first-period lead on goals 5:09 apart by Anisimov, Jenner and Hartnell. On the first two goals, the Maple Leafs could not handle the Blue Jackets' muscle down low, and the third was a transition that caught Toronto out of position. Anisimov scored his seventh at 13:51 off a drop pass in front by Dubinsky. Anisimov was falling when he shot from the high slot. Jenner scored his seventh at 15:56 off a wrist shot after the Blue Jackets cycled the puck from one corner to the end before Ryan Johansen set up his linemate. Johansen's 44th assist gave him 70 points.
Hartnell's 27th, with one minute left, was on the rush, beginning with Marko Dano taking the puck deep in his end and having open space on the right wing. As Dano crossed the blue line, he fed the puck cross ice to Hartnell in the left circle. Murray, a second-year defenseman, scored his first in his 11th game of an injury-plagued season to make it 4-0 at 3:30 of the second period. He missed the previous nine games because of an ankle injury. His power-play goal was off a pass from Dubinsky and sent Toronto goaltender James Reimer to the bench for Jonathan Bernier after making 16 saves. Bernier allowed Morin's straight-on shot from the blue line slip by him at 16:34 of the second. Morin has two goals. Bernier made 12 saves. All that was left the shutout, and that was preserved when Booth hit the left post six minutes into the third period.
Boston @ Washington 0-3 - Washington took advantage of Boston's slow start and scored two goals in a 2:17 span in the first period. Carlson scored at 4:49 to give Washington a 1-0 lead. Nicklas Backstrom sent a cross-ice pass to a streaking Carlson, who sent a wrist shot past Rask for his 12th goal. Niskanen gave Washington a 2-0 lead at 7:06. Backstrom fed a pass up the boards to Niskanen, and his point shot deflected off the stick of Bruins defenseman Zach Trotman. At 17:47 of the second period, Johansson put Washington ahead 3-0. Evgeny Kuznetsov led the rush into the Bruins zone and played the puck behind the net, sending a backdoor pass to Johansson at the goal mouth. Boston's best scoring chance came a 2-on-1 break in the second period. Holtby stopped Milan Lucic, who almost scored on the rebound. Stanislav Galiev made his NHL debut after being recalled on an emergency basis from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League. He replaced injured Tom Wilson.
Dallas @ Anaheim 4-0 - Jamie Benn had a bit of lament in his voice, knowing that whatever individual achievement he attains this season won't outweigh the lack of team success. Benn's late-season run is impressive, though, and he made it more interesting Wednesday with three assists to grab a share of the NHL scoring lead, helping the Dallas Stars prevent the Anaheim Ducks from clinching the top seed in the Western Conference for the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-0 win at Honda Center. Benn has 83 points, tying him with John Tavares of the New York Islanders and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the League lead. He has one more game to make his push for the Art Ross Trophy; Tavares and Crosby each play twice. The Ducks needed to win in regulation or overtime to clinch the West but again looked out of sync with captain Ryan Getzlaf scratched for the second straight game to rest. Benn was a big contributor to that frustration. He won the puck in the corner and assisted on Patrick Eaves' second goal at 11:34 of the third period for his 83rd point to grab a share of the scoring lead. Benn has nine goals and 10 assists in his past 11 games for the Stars (40-31-10), who have been eliminated from playoff contention. They end their season at home against the Nashville Predators on Saturday wondering what might have been. Jhonas Enroth made 19 saves for his fifth NHL shutout and helped Dallas finish the season by going 8-1-0 in its final nine road games. Anaheim's season has been marred by poor second periods, and Dallas continued the trend by scoring three times after a scoreless first period to take control of the game. Vernon Fiddler tapped in a loose puck in the goalmouth at 2:04 after Shawn Horcoff's wraparound attempt, a possession that started with a blue-line turnover by Clayton Stoner. Jordie Benn scored on a point shot at 8:11 with Eaves screening Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen.

Eaves made it 3-0 at 11:25 with a 5-on-3 power-play goal, converting Jamie Benn's pass into the slot. After that, Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau called his timeout to address his team. Dallas outshot Anaheim 19-6 in the period. The Ducks have been outscored 97-73 in the second period this season. Jamie Benn got a secondary assist on Jordie Benn's goal; the Stars said it's the first time in the brothers' NHL careers that Jamie assisted on a goal by Jordie. Dallas right wing Valeri Nichushkin and defenseman Patrik Nemeth returned after they were healthy scratches in the previous game. Anaheim got forwards Tim Jackman, Matt Beleskey and Stoner back from injury.