|
 Blues 2, Blackhawks 1
Olli Jokinen scored the tiebreaking goal to lead the St. Louis Blues
to a win against the Chicago Blackhawks.
David Backes also scored for the Blues, who earned their third
consecutive win. St. Louis (49-23-7) pulled one point ahead of
Nashville and three points ahead of Chicago in the Western
Conference Central Division race with three games remaining for each
team.
Kris Versteeg scored for the Blackhawks. The loss snapped a
four-game winning streak for Chicago (48-25-6), which like St. Louis
already has clinched a playoff berth.
Blues goaltender Jake Allen stopped 38 of 39 shots to improve to
21-6-4.
- - -
Capitals 2, Red Wings 1
The Washington Capitals clinched a playoff berth by holding off the
Detroit Red Wings.
Washington (44-25-11), second in the Metropolitan Division, gained
official entrance into the playoffs after the Ottawa Senators lost
to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Defenseman Mike Green had a goal and an assist and Evgeny Kuznetsov
scored for Washington. Goalie Braden Holtby made 35 saves.
The Red Wings (41-25-13) are tied for third in the Atlantic Division
with the Boston Bruins but are in the second wild card spot because
Boston has the advantage head to head.
- - -
Flyers 4, Penguins 1
The Pittsburgh Penguins took one more stab at solving a division
rival, but failed to do so in a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Pittsburgh (42-26-11), still needing to punch a playoff ticket, lost
for the fourth time in four tries against Philadelphia (32-29-18)
this season and is now 3-8-1 in its last 12 games.
The Flyers have won eight straight over the Penguins and received
goals from Jakub Voracek, Brayden Schenn, Ryan White and defenseman
Michael Del Zotto, as well as 47 saves from goaltender Steve Mason.
- - -
[to top of second column] |
Canadiens 4, Panthers 1
The Montreal Canadiens, who sustained what could be a key injury to
leading scorer Max Pacioretty, snapped their three-game losing
streak, defeating the Florida Panthers.
Pacioretty, who entered the day tied for fourth in the NHL with 37
goals, left the game in the first period after he crashed into the
boards, appearing to hit his head. He did not return.
Montreal (48-22-10) took a two-point lead in the Atlantic Division
over the idle Tampa Bay Lightning with two games left for each team.
Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Plekanec each scored for the Canadiens.
- - -
Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (Shootout)
Peter Holland scored the deciding goal in a shootout as the Toronto
Maple Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators.
Each team had a goal in the shootout before Holland's clincher in
the seventh round.
Jonathan Bernier stopped 43 shots in the Maple Leafs goal while
Senators goalie Andrew Hammond made 36 saves.
By gaining a point, the Senators (40-26-13) sit just two points back
of both Detroit and Pittsburgh in the race for the final two playoff
spots in the Eastern Conference. (Editing by Jahmal Corner)
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