Let’s take a look at the results from the five games that ended relatively early on Wednesday.
Is this Devils run a delusional dream that will only serve to ruin the team’s chance of getting a lottery pick, or is it the beginning of one of the most unexpected resurgences in ages? The stakes are pretty high for a team that could use more young talent, but also needs to fill the Prudential Center seats. They certainly value this win against the Hurricanes in particular, considering the fact that Carolina holds the eighth spot with 62 points. The Devils are now 12 back and own a five-game winning streak after holding onto a 3-0 lead to beat the Canes.
Ilya Kovalchuk continues to be the top reason for the Devils hot streak, as he scored to earn his sixth goal in his last seven games. Patrik Elias also factored into the win, scoring a goal and an assist while Johan Hedberg earned his 10th win of the season with 25 saves.
This isn’t exactly how the Sabres wanted to start their six-game homestand, while the Maple Leafs bolstered their marginal playoff hopes by winning games against Northeast Division teams in back-to-back games. Toronto broke a seven-game losing streak in Buffalo with this win.
Phil Kessel now has three goals in the last two nights while Joey Crabb scored what would be the game-winner shorthanded. James Reimer ended up with the win after taking over for an injured J.S. Giguere.
Los Angeles 4, Columbus 3 (SO)
The Kings kept taking one-goal leads, yet Rick Nash (one goal, two assists) and the Blue Jackets kept scrapping their way back into the game. Jarret Stoll ended up scoring the only shootout goal to win it for Los Angeles, whose 8-0-2 run is their best streak in 31 years.
The Flames could knock them right back out of the top eight if they beat the Dallas Stars tonight, but as of this writing, the Kings are in the West’s last playoff spot at the moment.
The Flyers earned a two-goal lead in a 65 second span around the midway point of the first period and eventually built it to 3-0. The Panthers scored two goals in the third to make it interesting, but Danny Briere scored an empty netter to go with his two primary assists to secure the win for Philly.
The Wild still remain ahead of the Blackhawks by one point for 10th place in the West, but Chicago won one for Coach Q and did it the best way you could ask: by earning the victory in regulation.
Both goalies were strong, as Corey Crawford made 33 saves for his 18th win of the season while strong backup Jose Theodore stopped 34 shots in defeat. All four of the game’s goals came outside of 5-on-5 play, as Brian Campbell, Troy Brouwer and Matt Cullen notched power-play goals while Jake Dowell iced the contest with an empty-netter.