Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Chris Pronger scored the game-winner with 2.1 seconds left in regulation as Philadelphia edged Chicago, 3-2, at Wachovia Center. With time winding down, Claude Giroux carried the puck down the right-wing side and waited at the outer edge of the right circle, until Pronger raced down the left side and was able to redirect the cross-ice pass into a half-open net. Simon Gagne and Scott Hartnell also recorded third-period scores for the Flyers, who have won three of four. Michael Leighton, who was making his 13th consecutive start, stopped 39-of-41 shots for Philadelphia, which has won 13 of the last 15 meetings against Chicago since December, 1997. Kris Versteeg and Marian Hossa tallied for the Blackhawks, who had taken three of four games coming in and failed in their bid to tie San Jose for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Sharks now hold a three-point lead (96-93) over Chicago after an overtime loss to Florida. Cristobal Huet made 31 saves in the setback.
Final Score: Florida 3, San Jose 2 (OT)
San Jose, CA (My Sportsbook) - Bryan Allen scored at the 2:46 mark of overtime to give the Florida Panthers a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion. In the extra season, a left circle faceoff was won by Shawn Matthias and he drew it back to Allen, who threw a simple wrister on net that snuck through a screen set up by Matthias in front. Allen and Matthias each finished the game with a goal and an assist while Keith Ballard scored the other goal for the Panthers, who have won four of their last five. Tomas Vokoun made 37 saves in the win. The win gives Florida 66 points on the season as the team sits six points back of Boston for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Patrick Marleau and Ryane Clowe each had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Thomas Greiss stopped 25 shots in the loss. San Jose has 96 points and sits three ahead of Chicago for the top spot in the Western Conference and is just three points behind Washington for first overall in the NHL.
Final Score: Montreal 3, Boston 2
Montreal, QC (My Sportsbook) - Sergei Kostitsyn scored a pair of goals and Jaroslav Halak stopped 21 shots, as Montreal edged Boston, 3-2, at Bell Centre. Andrei Markov netted the other goal for the Canadiens, who won their fifth straight game and pulled into a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference with Philadelphia. Halak posted his 22nd victory of the season and has won each of his last four starts. Blake Wheeler and Milan Lucic tallied for the Bruins, losers in three of their last four. Tuukka Rask allowed three goals on 27 shots in defeat.
Final Score: Detroit 3, Buffalo 2 (OT)
Detroit, MI (My Sportsbook) - Brian Rafalski's power-play goal 31 seconds into overtime gave Detroit a 3-2 win over Buffalo at Joe Louis Arena. Buffalo's Tyler Myers was called for delay of game late in regulation and the penalty carried over to the extra session. Nicklas Lidstrom had the puck in the high slot and slid a backhand pass to the left circle where Rafalski cranked a one-timer through a screen and past Ryan Miller for the win. Pavel Datsyuk and Patrick Eaves each had a goal for the Red Wings, who have won four of their last five. Jimmy Howard made 24 stops in the win. The win enabled Detroit to move one-point ahead of idle Calgary for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Jochen Hecht scored both goals while Tim Connolly and Jason Pominville each got two assists for the Sabres, who have dropped their past two. Miller finished with 34 saves. Buffalo continues to hold down the top spot in the Northeastern Division and third overall slot in the Eastern Conference.
Final Score: Toronto 6, Edmonton 4
Toronto, ON (My Sportsbook) - Phil Kessel scored two goals and dished out an assist, as the Toronto Maple Leafs outlasted the Edmonton Oilers, 6-4, in a matchup between two teams in the basement in the NHL standings. Tyler Bozak had a goal and two assists for the Leafs, who have won three in a row but still sit last in the Eastern Conference with 58 points. Nikolai Kulemin finished with a goal and an assist. Mikhail Grabovski and Jamie Lundmark also lit the lamp for the victors. Jonas Gustavsson turned aside 25-of-29 shots. Dustin Penner ended with a goal and two assists for the Oilers, who have dropped three straight and sit in the cellar of the West with 49 points. Andrew Cogliano had a goal and an assist, while Gilbert Brule and Aaron Johnson also scored in defeat. Jeff Deslauriers stopped 23-of-28 shots before being pulled after the second period. Devan Dubnyk made 18 saves in relief.
Final Score: NY Islanders 4, New Jersey 2
Uniondale, NY (My Sportsbook) - Sean Bergenheim scored a short-handed goal late in the third period as the New York Islanders took down the New Jersey Devils, 4-2 at Nassau Coliseum. Freddy Meyer, Jon Sim and Mark Streit also scored for the Islanders, who ended their four-game losing streak. Dwayne Roloson stopped 38 shots for the win. Mike Mottau and Ilya Kovalchuk each found the net for the Devils, who had won two straight coming in. Former Islander netminder Yann Danis filled in for the resting Martin Brodeur and allowed four goals on 29 shots in defeat.
Final Score: St. Louis 5, Columbus 1
Columbus, OH (My Sportsbook) - Andy McDonald had a goal and a pair of assists, and Chris Mason stopped 24 shots, as the surging St. Louis Blues topped Columbus, 5-1, at Nationwide Arena. Alexander Steen, B.J. Crombeen, David Backes and David Perron also scored for the Blues, who have won seven of their last eight games. They have 73 points, which is five behind Detroit for the final postseason slot in the Western Conference. Jakub Voracek had the lone goal for Columbus, which lost for the sixth time in eight games. Steve Mason made 31 saves in defeat.
Final Score: Phoenix 4, Carolina 0
Raleigh, NC (My Sportsbook) - Ilya Bryzgalov made 29 saves to record his NHL- leading eighth shutout, and the Phoenix Coyotes won their fourth straight game with a 4-0 rout of the Carolina Hurricanes. Lee Stempniak and Martin Hanzal each scored a pair of goals for the Coyotes, who began a four-game road trip on a winning note. Adrian Aucoin netted a pair of assists in the victory, which is Phoenix's 41st of the season. It marks the most wins the team has had in a single season since moving from Winnipeg in 1996. Stempniak continued to provide a spark since being acquired by Phoenix from Toronto at the trade deadline. The Coyotes are 4-0-0 with him in the lineup, and Stepmniak has five goals in that span, including consecutive multi-goal contests. Justin Peters allowed all four goals on only 20 shots in the defeat, only Carolina's third in 12 games.
Final Score: Vancouver 5, Ottawa 1
Vancouver, BC (My Sportsbook) - Mikael Samuelsson scored twice, as the Vancouver Canucks returned home to GM Place with a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. The Canucks were forced to play 14 straight games on the road, spanning six weeks, because of the Olympics. It was the longest sequence of road games by a team in NHL history. Alexandre Burrows, Daniel Sedin and Sami Salo also scored for the Canucks, who have won three of their last four games. Canadian gold medal-winning goaltender Roberto Luongo pushed aside 13 shots. Jason Spezza tallied the lone score for the Senators, who have dropped five of six. Goaltender Pascal Leclaire racked up 30 saves.
