NHL 3 Stars: Letestu lifts #Lumbus; Rask shuts out Panthers
No. 1 Star: Mark Letestu, Columbus Blue Jackets
The Jackets' improbable march to the postseason continued with a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks, led by a three-point night by Mark Letestu, who was in on the first three Columbus goals. Ryan Johansen scored the game-winner, however, putting the Jackets ahead with under 90 seconds to go in the game:
Amazing. With the win, the Blue Jackets swept their season series with San Jose. And, more importantly, they bolstered their playoff hopes in a big way.
No. 2 Star: Jeff Carter, Los Angeles Kings
On top of his two assists, Carter used his chest to score his 25th of the season, the overtime winner in the Kings' 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars.
No. 3 Star: Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
Rask made 28 saves for the shutut as the Bruins closed out a rough week, ending a four-game winless skid by skating over the Florida Panthers, 3-0.
Honourable mention: Dustin Brown had two goals for LA as well... Ryan Callahan scored the first and last goals for the New York Rangers as they gleefully knocked off the New Jersey Devils, 4-1, and in so doing, eliminated their rivals from postseason contention... Joey MacDonald made 34 saves for the Calgary Flames, who knocked off the Minnesota Wild 4-1 and dealt the Wild's division title aspirations a near-fatal blow... Nick Bonino had two assists, one of which was on Cam Fowler's first goal of the year in a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers... Jiri Tlusty scored his 20th and 21st of the season as the Carolina Hurricanes held off the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2... Jamie McGinn had a three-point night as the Colorado Avalanche beat the St. Louis Blues, 5-3...
Did You Know? The Edmonton Oilers are the only team in the NHL with a sub-.500 winning percentage if they score the first goal. It happened to them again tonight.
Dishonourable mention: Brian Elliott had a rough night, getting pulled after 4 goals on 19 shots for the Blues... The Sharks' turnover on the Blue Jackets' game-winner was just brutal.
