Get your game notes: Lightning at Penguins

By Mike HalfordDec 15, 2014, 5:30 PM EST

Tonight on NBCSN, it’s the Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. ET. Following are some game notes, as compiled by the NHL on NBC research team:

• Despite TB and PIT’s recent struggles, these two teams are atop the Eastern Conference:

• With 42 points, PIT leads the Eastern Conference through 29 games played, and has a 2-point lead on the Islanders for the Metropolitan Division lead.

• With a win tonight, the Pens would tie their best start through 30 games (44 points) in franchise
history. They also had 44 points through 30 games in the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season.

• This marks the first of a 3-game home stand for PIT, who is coming off a 4-3 (SO) loss at CBJ on Sat.
Pittsburgh, who started the season 13-3-1, has since only won half of its past 12 games (6-3-3).

• TB enters tonight on its worst stretch of play this season having dropped 3 of its last 4 games (1-3-0), but with 41 points, the Lightning are tied with Detroit for the Atlantic Division lead and the 2nd overall spot in the East.

• Tampa Bay’s 41 points and 19 wins through 31 games are both franchise records.

• Tonight’s game is the 2nd of a 5-game East-Coast road trip after TB lost 4-2 at WSH on Saturday.

• The Lightning have now lost 4 of their last 5 road games (1-3-1).

• PIT looks to extend winning streak vs. TB: PIT is riding a 9-game win streak vs. TB, as well as a 7-game home winning streak vs. the Lightning…

• TB last beat the Pens on Nov. 17, 2011, a 4-1 win in Tampa.

• TB last beat the Pens in Pittsburgh on Mar. 31, 2010, a 2-0 win.

• PIT’s 9-game winning streak vs. TB is the team’s longest active win streak vs. any opponent, and tied for the fourth-longest active winning streak any team has against another team in the NHL.

• Pittsburgh Captain F Sidney Crosby now has the mumps: He was diagnosed on Sunday…

•��Crosby sat out the Pens’ previous two games for precautionary reasons before being officially diagnosed on Sunday. He will be out for at least tonight’s game, although the team said today that Crosby has passed the contagious phase and is no longer infectious.

• Crosby and NYR F Derick Brassard became the 13th and 14th confirmed cases within the NHL yesterday; the two faced off in the PIT-NYR game last Monday.

• Power play struggles: Both PIT (26.3%; 2nd in NHL) and TB (21.7%; 9th) rank in the top-10 league-wide on the PP, but both units have been slumping of late…

• PIT has gone 0-10 in its last 3 games, and just 1-23 in its last 8 games.

• Malkin is tied for the NHL lead with 8 power play goals (w/ 3 others)

• TB went 0-4 on the PP on Sat. against WSH, and is just 2-19 in its last 6 games

• The Lightning are 16-0-1 when scoring on the man-advantage this season.

TAMPA BAY TEAM/PLAYER NOTES

• Captain F Steven Stamkos missed 45 games last season with a broken leg, but he has played in all 31 of TB’s games this season.

• Stamkos leads the team in goals (17; T-3rd in NHL), points (34; T-5th), and power play goals (6; T-7th).

• With his goal against the Capitals on Dec. 9, Stamkos became the 10th-youngest player in NHL history to reach the 250-goal milestone (24 years, 305 days).

• Stamkos has 22 points (8G-14A) in 21 career GP vs. PIT.

• After a rookie campaign that earned him a Calder Trophy nomination with 24G-26A, F Tyler Johnson is improving on his numbers from a season ago.

• Through 31 games, Johnson leads the team in assists (21), plus/minus (+17), and ranks 2nd in points (30).

• Johnson’s +17 rating is T-2nd in the NHL (Filip Forsberg – NSH; +24).

• Johnson has 9 points (3G-6A) in his last 9 games.

• F Nikita Kucherov is another 2nd-year player improving on his 2013-14 numbers.

• Kucherov has already surpassed his 9G-9A in 52 games last season with 11G-15A through 31 games this season.

• His 26 points are 3rd on the team (Stamkos, Johnson).

• G Ben Bishop has lost 3 straight games, all in regulation, his worst stretch of play this season:

• Those 3 losses have come against WSH (twice) and CBJ.

• Bishop has never lost 4 straight games in regulation.

• This season, Bishop is 16-6-2 with a 2.34 GAA and .914 SV%.

• Bishop only has 3 career appearances (all starts – split between OTT and TB) vs. PIT, but he is 0-2-0 with a 4.43 GAA and .876 SV% in those games (11 goals against).

PITTSBURGH TEAM/PLAYER NOTES

• F Evgeni Malkin had an assist in the loss to CBJ on Saturday to extend his point streak to 4 games (3G-3A).

• Malkin ranks 3rd in the NHL in scoring this season (36 points), trailing Jakub Voracek (37) and Tyler Seguin (38).

• Malkin – the 2012 Hart (MVP) and Art Ross (top scorer) Trophy winner – leads PIT in goals (15) and points (36) this season.

• D Kris Letang had a pair of goals on Saturday against Columbus – a shorthanded goal in the 3rd period and the game-tying goal with 10.9 seconds remaining later in the 3rd.

• Letang now has a goal in each of his past 3 games for the first time in his career, and he extended his point streak to a season-high 5 games (4G, 4A).

• Letang has 7G, 14A in 24 GP this season. His 21 points are 8th among NHL defensemen.

• F Blake Comeau scored the other PIT goal on Saturday vs. CBJ. Comeau has goals in consecutive games and now has 10 on the season in just 28 games. His 10 goals are 3rd on the team this season.

• All of Comeau’s 10 goals have come at even-strength, tops on the Penguins.

• Comeau scored 5 goals all of last season, playing in 61 games for Columbus.

• Comeau had career highs in goals (24) and points (46) as a member of the Islanders in 2010-11.

• G Marc-Andre Fleury had the night off on Sat. vs. CBJ; he saved 26 of 27 shots Fri. night in a 3-1 W vs. CGY.

• Fleury is 7-1-2 in his last 10 starts.

• Overall this season, Fleury is 16-4-2 with a 2.10 GAA, .926 SV%, and 5 SO. His 16 wins are T-3rd in the NHL and his 5 shutouts are T-1st (Henrik Lundqvist – NYR).

• Fleury is 15-10-3 with a 2.39 GAA and .911 SV% in 30 career games (28 starts) vs. TB.

Barkov sets Panthers’ points mark in 5-2 win over Red Wings

Associated PressMar 20, 2023, 10:41 PM EDT

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DETROIT – Aleksander Barkov set the Florida franchise record for most career points, Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals, and the streaking Panthers beat the Detroit Red Wings for the ninth consecutive time, 5-2.

Barkov recorded a second-period assist, giving him 614 points, breaking a tie with Jonathan Huberdeau for the team record.

Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists, giving him 14 points over the last five games. Eric Staal and Gustav Forsling also scored for the Panthers, who are 6-0-1 over their last seven games, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 20 shots.

Pius Suter and Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings, who have lost 10 of their last 12 games. Ville Husso had 20 saves.

The Panthers led 2-1 after the first period.

The first Florida goal came after Lucas Raymond‘s turnover in his own zone. Sam Bennett made the steal and passed it to Tkachuk for his 33rd goal.

Verhaeghe made it 2-0 with a slap shot that got past a screened Husso. The Red Wings challenged for goalie interference, but the goal was upheld after a video review.

Just after killing off the subsequent penalty, Detroit got on the board when Suter jammed in a rebound of David Perron‘s shot.

Forsling scored on shot from the point midway through the second period to restore Florida’s two-goal advantage. Barkov had the second assist, allowing him to break the franchise points record.

Larkin scored on a delayed penalty off a pass from Raymond at 7:53 of the third to cut the Panthers’ lead to 3-2.

Staal scored on a breakaway off a pass from Anthony Duclair with under four minutes left, and Verhaeghe added a power-play goal.

GAME NOTES

Panthers F Eetu Luostarinen had an assist in the 200th game of his career. … Florida is 29-2-3 when leading after two periods. … The last time the Red Wings beat the Panthers was Feb. 20, 2021. … Barkov has 42 points in 38 career games against Detroit. … Andrew Copp notched his 150th career assist on Larkin’s goal.

UP NEXT

Panthers: At Philadelphia on Tuesday night.

Red Wings: At St. Louis on Tuesday night to open a home-and-home set.

Ferguson stops 47 shots, Senators top reeling Penguins 2-1

Associated PressMar 20, 2023, 10:39 PM EDT

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH – Drake Batherson‘s power-play goal from in front with 2:09 left in regulation lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the reeling Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins finally beat Ottawa goaltender Dylan Ferguson on a Rickard Rakell goal with 5:21 to play, but a hooking penalty by Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel gave the Senators the man advantage and Batherson responded with his 21st goal of the season.

Ferguson, making his first NHL start and first appearance in the league in more than five years, made 47 saves to send Pittsburgh to its fourth straight loss. Thomas Chabot scored his 10th goal of the season for Ottawa as the Senators snapped a five-game slide.

The Penguins fell behind Florida in the race for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Tristan Jarry played well but couldn’t get in the way of Batherson’s jam shot from just outside the crease.

Ferguson began the night having played nine minutes at the NHL level as a teenager for Vegas early in the Golden Knights’ debut season in 2017-18. He has bounced around various levels of the minors ever since and was in the process of being sent down to the ECHL by the AHL’s Toronto Marlies earlier this month when the Senators signed him to a two-way deal.

Something clicked. He played well enough in six games for Ottawa’s AHL affiliate in Belleville to receive a call-up on Sunday. Just over 24 hours later, the Senators made the now 24-year-old Ferguson the sixth goaltender they’ve used this season when they gave him the nod against the struggling Penguins.

Ferguson looked like he belonged from the opening faceoff. He made a series of sharp saves early, including a couple of stops from in close against Jake Guentzel and a flashy glove save on a slap shot by Malkin.

Jarry, a two-time All-Star who has struggled to find any sort of consistency since returning from an extended stay on the injured list, took a step forward, turning aside multiple odd-man rushes and a breakaway by Brady Tkachuk in the second period.

The lone goal Jarry allowed came 16:46 into the first when Chabot took a feed from Claude Giroux and rather than fire a shot from high in the slot skated down to the right circle and beat Jarry to the far post.

Jarry was solid the rest of the way, though he spent most of the game watching Ferguson dazzle at the other end before Rakell broke through with just over 5 minutes to go.

UP NEXT

Senators: Travel to Boston on Tuesday to face the NHL-leading Bruins.

Penguins: Start a difficult back-to-back on the road on Wednesday when they visit the Avalanche in Denver.

Sharks goalie James Reimer declines to wear Pride jersey

Associated PressMar 19, 2023, 3:44 PM EDT

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San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer didn’t take part in pregame warmups, saying the team’s decision to wear Pride-themed jerseys in support of the LGBTQ community runs counter to his religious beliefs.

Reimer said in a statement Saturday that he made the decision based on his Christian beliefs, adding that he “always strived to treat everyone with respect” and that members of the LGBTQ community should be welcome in hockey.

“In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions, which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in life,” Reimer said.

Reimer is the second NHL player this season to refuse to take part in warmups with Pride-themed jerseys, with Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov declining to in January. Reimer was not slated to start in Saturday night’s home game against the New York Islanders, which is Pride night.

Additionally, the New York Rangers opted not to wear Pride jerseys or use Pride stick tape as part of their night in January despite previously advertising that plan.

The Sharks said in a statement that they are proud to host Pride Night, saying the event reinforces the team’s commitment to inclusiveness.

“As we promote these standards, we also acknowledge and accept the rights of individuals to express themselves, including how or whether they choose to express their beliefs, regardless of the cause or topic,” the team said in a statement. “As an organization, we will not waver in our support of the LGBTQIA+ community and continue to encourage others to engage in active allyship.”

The You Can Play Project, which works to promote inclusiveness in sports, said the organization was disappointed in Reimer’s actions.

“Religion and respect are not in conflict with each other, and we are certainly disappointed when religion is used as a reason to not support our community,” the organization said. “Wearing pride jerseys, like any celebration jersey worn, is not about the personal feelings of an athlete; rather the communication from the team that a community is welcome in the arena and the sport.”

Panarin, Shesterkin lead Rangers to 6-0 rout of Penguins

Associated PressMar 19, 2023, 1:18 AM EDT

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NEW YORK — Mika Zibanejad had a goal and two assists, Artemi Panarin scored twice and Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves as the New York Rangers routed Pittsburgh 6-0 on Saturday night for their second win over the Penguins in three days.

Vladimir Tarasenko, Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba also scored for the surging Rangers, who have won nine of their last 11 home games and are 12-4-0 in their past 16 at Madison Square Garden.

Shesterkin won his fifth straight and posted his second shutout this season. He nimbly denied Pittsburgh forward Mikael Granland with a sprawling save five minutes into the third period to preserve the shutout, the 10th of his career. His other one this season was a 1-0 home win over Philadelphia on Nov. 1.

“When you put in hard and honest work, miracles happen,” Shesterkin said through a translator. ”We played wonderfully today – scored many, many goals. Honestly, I hope the fans loved it. We’re playing for them.”

The Penguins lost their third straight and trail the Rangers by 12 points for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh, still in wild-card position, is trying to reach the playoffs for the 17th straight time.

“Tonight was a humbling experience for all of us,” coach Mike Sullivan said. ”At this time of year, you have to have a short memory. We still have control of our destiny.”

Patrick Kane and defenseman K’Andre Miller also had two assists apiece as New York improved to 7-1-1 in its last nine home games against Pittsburgh. The Rangers are five points behind the second-place New Jersey Devils, who lost at Florida on Saturday.

“This was a big game for our goalie and our team,” Panarin said. “If you work at playing the right way, you have opportunities for goals.”

Since Dec. 5, when they turned around their season with a 6-4 comeback win at home over St. Louis, the Rangers are 29-9-5.

As he did on Thursday when the Rangers beat the Penguins 4-2, Zibanejad opened the scoring. He got his team-leading 36th goal at 5:10 of the first, beating Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. Trouba and Miller assisted.

Panarin made it 2-0 at 19:49 on the power play, whipping the puck past Jarry from the left circle off a pass from Adam Fox.

Tarasenko increased the lead at 3:54 of the second with his fifth goal since joining the Rangers in a trade with St. Louis on Feb. 9. Tarasenko has points in 10 of his first 18 games with the Rangers.

Kreider made it 4-0 at 6:43 with his 31st goal and third in two games against the Penguins. Kane and Vincent Trocheck assisted on Kreider’s 260th career goal, which moved the Rangers forward within two of Vic Hadfield for fifth place on the franchise list.

New York won Thursday when Kreider scored the go-ahead goal in the third and added an empty-netter.

After Casey DeSmith replaced Jarry in net following Kreider’s goal, Trouba beat the replacement with a sharp-angle shot at 8:39 for his eighth to increase the margin to 5-0. Trouba has points in six of his last eight games.

Panarin scored again at 16:38 of the second – his 22nd goal of the season – to make it 6-0, with assists to Kane and Filip Chytil.

“We’re building chemistry, building every day and every game,” Kane said.

Panarin has points in eight of his last 10 games and leads the Rangers with 77 points overall, while Kane has seven points in his last six games.

“It’s nice to see that many great players on your team,” added Panarin, whose first two NHL seasons were played alongside Kane with the Chicago Blackhawks. “We’re happy tonight.”

Zibanejad assisted on goals by Tarasenko and Trouba and has 25 points – including 14 goals – over his last 20 games.

“It was just one of those nights when the puck goes in for us,” Zibanejad said. “And obviously Igor gives us a boost making all those saves.”

NOTES: The Penguins were missing defenseman Jeff Petry after he was hit with an unpenalized elbow from Rangers forward Tyler Motte on Thursday. … Pittsburgh also scratched defenseman Jan Rutta and forward Dalton Heinen and played defenseman Mark Friedman for the first time since Feb. 11. … The Rangers were without injured defenseman Ryan Lindgren for the 10th straight game.

UP NEXT

Penguins: Host the Ottawa Senators on Monday.

Rangers: Host the Nashville Predators on Sunday night.