Game recaps plus the latest on the Flames and Oilers.
Game recaps.
Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec made 39 saves in his club’s victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
WINNIPEG SUN/MONTREAL GAZETTE: Ondrej Pavelec made 39 saves and Dustin Byfuglien scored in his first game back from injury as the Winnipeg Jets trounced the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. Habs backup Dustin Tokarski gave up four goals on 13 shots and finished the game with 17 saves.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps the outcome might have been different if Carey Price started for Montreal, but I still think the Jets would’ve won this one. Pavelec’s been red hot of late and he was clearly the difference in this one.
OTTAWA CITIZEN: Andrew Hammond suffered his first regulation defeat as the New York Rangers thumped the Ottawa Senators 5-1. The Senators are tied with the Boston Bruins in points but still hold the final wild-card berth on the basis of games played.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a golden opportunity for the Senators to widen their lead over the Bruins, who fell in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks. Every game counts for the Senators and Bruins the rest of the way. And they’ve got another club breathing down their necks…
TORONTO SUN: The Florida Panthers downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1, handing the Leafs their seventh-straight defeat.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers victory puts them only three point back of the Senators and Bruins. It’s shaping up to be a thrilling race to the finish for those three clubs.
THE VANCOUVER SUN: The Canucks dropped a 4-1 decision to the Colorado Avalanche. It’s the third game the Canucks wore Vancouver Millionaires replica jerseys, losing every time.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stop wearing those replica jerseys, they’re obviously jinxed! Anyway, the Canucks remain two points ahead of the LA Kings for second in the Pacific Division.
Latest on the Flames and Oilers.
CALGARY SUN: Lesser lights like defenseman David Schlemko, call-up goalie Joni Ortio, Lance Bouma and Josh Jooris have contributed to the Flames surprising improvement this season.
EDMONTON SUN: Recently scoring his first NHL goal should help defenseman Martin Marincin establish himself on the Oilers blueline.
it’s disappointing that with so much on the line the Canucks don’t show up until it’s too late. everybody but Lack had their moments but Higgins playing around with the puck when he was the last man back Directly led to the 2nd goal, this is one of the first things young hockey players are taught to NEVER do so to see a veteran who is supposed to be one of the leaders on this team do this at such a key time during the game was particularly irritating.
I think the sens are gonna be in a battle to get in the playoffs expect a few more losses in a row the bubble has broken
They play the Leafs next so…not so sure. If they cant beat the Leafs on Saturday and Hammond continues his fall back to earth they will be in tough.
Even after having won 7 in a row – if ANYONE suggested they were going to win all their remaining games and finishing 15-0 I’d say they were drinking from the cup of wishful-thinking. And that wasn’t exactly the Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres or Arizona Coyotes they were playing. The Rangers, it says here, will be the eastern rps in the cup finals. Solid from the back end out and still winning despite their top goal scorer in a bit of a funk.
The Sens just hit a brick wall. But that’s ok. I expected a loss last night against the Rangers. I am just disappointed it was 5-1 although watching the game I thought the score should of been closer.
I agree the Sens will be in a battle to make the playoffs. That isn’t new they have been battling for 2 months now. going 14-1-1 or something like that. However one loss against arguably the this Season’s stanley cup favorite is nothing to panic over. The Rangers just showed the Sens how much more they need to go to truly be elite.
Saturday all 4 wild card teams are playing. OTT, BOS, WASH, FLd. Bos gets the Rangers next while the Sens get Toronto. Although T.O. scares me a bit as their pride doesn’t let them take a night of vs the Sens the Sens should win and the Rangers should be a tough task for the bruins to break a 4 game losing streak. Then the Sens get florida so the Sens have a great opportunity to gain some ground.
However, forget Boston and florida. What is most intriguing is Washington. Who have Nash and Rangers up next. Two teams they may vary well lose to. If they do and Ottawa wins their next two Ottawa is only 1 point behind them and on April 4th they play each other.
The Sens could very well end up in 7th or out side the payoffs but their is no reason to panic
don’t get me wrong I hope the sens get in the more Canadian teams the better! I think I start Anderson next game if he is healthy
Speaking of bursting bubbles tho, Habs have lost 8 out of 13 games in March, scored more than 2 goals twice..not the way you want to be going in to the playoffs.
this habs team you do want to go in to the playoffs like this they play better being the underdog I hope they play the wings first that is the easiest opponent in the east this year
and shticky when teams aren’t battling for a playoff stat like the habs who were first to 100 points its a giving the gas pedal comes off before the playoffs! look at nashville
Not sire I buy that. The Lightning are 7-2-1 in their last 10 and the Rangers are 8-2. The Preds play in the West…
I think the team that may be the easiest out in the east maybe the Penguins, they seem to be falling apart. Id like an Ottawa Montreal first round match up, think iy would be a great series to watch. That and Kings Ducks would be 2 treats.
Another point to add along with yours jello is the top teams tend to rest their stars a bit more or ask them not to try to much leading into the playoffs to hopefully reduce the possibility of an injury.
good point jeff!! I don’t want sens habs first round it would be a good series but 2 Canadian teams playing in the first round wouldn’t be good!
What bubble is bursting here? They lost to the Rangers. Do people here think losing to the Rangers means anything other than a good team lost a hockey game to a better team? Hate to say it but the Rangers don’t suck and a team that I think most would be surprised if they didn’t get into the second round in this year’s playoffs. It doesn’t mean the jets hot run is over, it’s better to lose to the Rangers than say to a buffalo team or the leafs…
Ha! Fail.
lol…
I’m not sure I meant the Sens buble burst as much as I meant Hammond is proving he is only human…got to be getting a little tired, best thing could happen to the Sens is Anderson comes back soon and is 100%, need 2 strong goalies here going down to the finish line, and dont take the Leafs lightly Saturday, top line is starting mayne to wake up just a touch, thi k it could be one of those trap type games. (Really wouldnnt surprise me if thats the last game the Leafs win this year as much as it bugs me to say it…lol)
Funny I agree with both of you! ;-D
Lyle, those Vancouver Millionaire jerseys are enough to put the entire team into serious depression. The Canucks could have used Cyclone Taylor (and maybe a rover as well) last night.
They’re a good team though and they will bounce back.