Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

03/14/2014 at 10:41am EDT

BRUINS MAKE IT SEVEN STRAIGHT . . .
Tuukka Rask made 21 saves to backstop the Bruins to their seventh consecutive victory, their longest winning streak since Dec. 10-28, 2011 (7-0-0).

* With the win, the Bruins (44-17-5, 93 points) leapfrogged the idle Penguins (44-17-4, 92 points) for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

* The Bruins improved to 15-2-3 in their last 20 games, including a 10-1-2 mark in their past 13. They also improved to 14-4-4 versus the Western Conference this season.

* Rask reached the 30-win milestone for the first time in his NHL career. He has won five consecutive starts, posting a 1.57 goals-against average, .941 save percentage and one shutout in that span.

* Jarome Iginla scored the game-winning goal, his fifth of the season, and now has 6-9—15 over his past 13 games.

* According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Iginla has scored 35 goals in 62 career games versus the Coyotes, the second-most by any player since the franchise relocated to Phoenix (Teemu Selanne: 38). Iginla also has tallied nine game-winning goals against the Coyotes, the most by any opponent.

* With the victory, Claude Julien became the second coach in Bruins history to reach 300 wins (Art Ross: 387).

. . . KINGS’ STREAK ENDS AT EIGHT
Trailing 2-0 early in the first period, the Maple Leafs scored three unanswered goals to halt the Kings’ winning streak at eight games, one shy of the franchise record set Jan. 21-Feb. 6, 2010.

* Jonathan Bernier made eight saves in his first visit to Los Angeles since an offseason trade, but left the game after the first period due to a lower-body injury. James Reimer stopped all 31 shots he faced in relief.

* Mason Raymond scored the game-winning, shorthanded goal at 5:06 of the third period. It marked the third shorthanded goal of his NHL career (442 GP) and first since Dec. 8, 2011.

STAMKOS POWERS LIGHTNING
Playing in his fourth game since returning from injury, Steven Stamkos (1-1—2) scored his first goal since Nov. 9 – the eventual game-winner – to help the Lightning end a five-game skid.

* With the victory, the Lightning (35-24-7, 77 points) leapfrogged the idle Canadiens (35-25-7, 77 points) for third place in the Atlantic Division.

* Tyler Johnson scored his 21st goal of the season to extend his point streak to five games (4-1—5). Only Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (22) has more goals among first-year players.

* Ryan Callahan potted his first goal since being acquired by the Lightning at the Trade Deadline. He now has 1-2—3 and a +3 rating in four games with the team.

* The Lightning swept their four-game season series versus the Panthers and improved to 7-1-1 against their intrastate rival since the start of 2012-13.

BLUES CONTINUE TO HIT RIGHT NOTES . . .
Tied 2-2 after 40 minutes, the Blues scored four unanswered goals in the third period to improve to 6-0-1 in their past seven games.

* The Blues (45-14-7, 97 points) reached the 45-win milestone for the sixth time in franchise history. They also improved to 6-0-2 in their last eight games at Scottrade Center.

* Vladimir Sobotka matched a career high with 1-2—3 in his first appearance following a 12-game absence.

* Jaden Schwartz (2-0—2) and Vladimir Tarasenko (1-1—2) both reached the 20-goal milestone for the first time in their NHL careers. The Blues now have four players with 20 or more goals this season (also David Backes and Alexander Steen), tied with the Avalanche and Blackhawks for the most in the NHL.

* T.J. Oshie recorded 1-2—3, giving him 17-36—53 in 66 games this season – one point shy of his career high set in 2011-12 (19-35—54 in 80 GP).

* Ryan Miller made 23 saves to improve to 5-0-1 with a 1.82 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in six games since being acquired by the Blues.

. . . SHARKS KEEP PACE
Patrick Marleau scored twice in regulation and Joe Pavelski tallied the lone goal in the shootout to power the Sharks to their fourth consecutive victory.

* With the win, the Sharks (43-17-7, 93 points) remained four points behind the Blues (45-14-7, 97 points) in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.

* The Sharks recorded their League-leading 10th victory via the shootout this season (10-5).

* Alex Stalock made 35 saves in regulation and denied all three shootout attempts he faced to improve to 11-4-1 with a 1.91 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and two shutouts in 20 appearances this season. He also improved to 3-0 in tiebreakers, and has yet to allow a goal on any of the 10 shootout attempts he has faced.

WILD XCEL AT HOME
Zach Parise scored the tiebreaking goal at 1:03 of the third period to help the Wild extend their point streak at Xcel Energy Center to nine games (7-0-2).

* At 35-22-9 (79 points), the Wild matched their franchise record for points through 66 games, set in 2006-07 (36-23-7) and equaled in 2007-08 (37-24-5).

* Parise has posted at least one point in 10 of his past 12 games, compiling 8-8—16 over that span. The Wild improved to 15-2-2 when he scores a goal this season.

* Darcy Kuemper made 29 saves to pick up his 12th victory of the season, setting a franchise record for a rookie goaltender (previously, Josh Harding: 11 wins in 2007-08).

SKINNER, HURRICANES FIRE AWAY
Trailing 2-1 midway through the third period, the Hurricanes scored three unanswered goals to improve to 9-3-1 in their last 13 games versus the Sabres at PNC Arena, including three consecutive victories.

* The Hurricanes fired a season-high 55 shots on goal, two shy of the team record (since relocation) set in a 9-0 victory over the Islanders April 7, 2009.

* Jeff Skinner (1-0—1) set a Hurricanes/Whalers franchise record by posting 13 shots on goal. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the most shots on goal by any NHL player since Dec. 28, 2010, when Predators forward Patric Hornqvist fired 14 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Stars.

* Alexander Semin recorded 1-1—2 to extend his point streak to six games (3-5—8), his second such run this season (Jan. 18-27: 6-3—9). Semin also has assists in each of his past five games, matching a career high.

* Jordan Staal collected two assists to stretch his point streak to four games (2-5—7), including three consecutive multi-point games.

LOOSE PUCKS
Oilers forward David Perron scored his team-leading 25th goal of the season in his first visit to St. Louis, the city where he played the first six seasons of his NHL career (84-114—198 in 340 GP) . . . Sabres goaltender Michal Neuvirth made a career-high 51 saves . . . Marian Gaborik (1-1—2) recorded his first points since joining the Kings . . . Rangers forward Derek Stepan potted his 12th goal of the season and now has 2-8—10 over his past eight games . . . Blue Jackets forward Ryan Johansen scored a goal to reach the 50-point milestone for the first time in his NHL career (26-24—50) . . . Coyotes captain Shane Doan became the 54th player in League history – and fourth active – to appear in 1,300 games . . . Panthers forward Quinton Howden scored his first NHL goal (19 GP) . . . The Capitals signed defenseman Dmitry Orlov to a two-year contract extension . . . Actors Rachel Bilson, Hayden Christensen, Will Arnett and Elisha Cuthbert attended the Maple Leafs-Kings game at STAPLES Center.

SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
San Jose @ NY Islanders, 7:00 p.m., CSN-CA, MSG PLUS
Vancouver @ Washington, 7:00 p.m., RDS, SNET-P, CSN-DC+
Edmonton @ Detroit, 7:30 p.m., SNET-W, FS-D
New Jersey @ Florida, 7:30 p.m., MSG PLUS 2, FS-F
Nashville @ Chicago, 8:00 p.m., FS-TN, CSN-CH
NY Rangers @ Winnipeg, 8:00 p.m., MSG, TSN-JETS
Calgary @ Dallas, 8:30 p.m., SNET-W, SNET-CGY, FS-SW
Anaheim @ Colorado, 9:00 p.m., FS-W, ALT2

Information above via the NHL PR Department

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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