NHL 3 Stars: Tlusty’s four-point period; Blues suffer another frustrating loss
When Colton Orr scores, it's not your night.
No. 1 Star: Jiri Tlusty, Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes entered the third-period of their match with the New York Islanders trailing 3-2, but then Tlusty went to work, picking up 4 points in the final 20 minutes. He tied the game 30 seconds into the third, set up two more goals, then iced the 6-4 win in the dying seconds with an empty-netter. Alex Semin had 1 and 2.
No. 2 Star: Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes
Doan was in on all three Coyotes goals versus the Colorado Avalanche, scoring twice. He opened the scoring for Phoenix and he closed it as well, potting the 3-2 game-winner with a minute to go in overtime. It was a strange play, as the Avalanche tried to throw the puck around the boards in their zone, only to have it hit the referee and come right out in front. Doan didn't waste the freebie.
No. 3 Star: Brandon Dubinsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
Dubinsky was the key to two great starts for the Blue Jackets in their 6-2 trouncing of the San Jose Sharks. He scored his first of the year and the first of the game just 0:43 into the first. Then, he helped end any hopes the Sharks had of a third-period comeback, assisting on a Nikita Nikitin goal 0:21 into the final frame. Dubsinky's 19:12 was also tops among Columbus forwards. Cody Goloubef scored his first NHL goal in the win.
Honourable Mention: It's still too early to say who won the James van Riemsdyk/Luke Schenn trade, but this play, where van Riemsdyk skates around Schenn like the pylon he's dressed like and scores a beauty:
That was the Toronto Maple Leafs' 5th and final goal in a 5-2 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Mark Fraser was on the ice for all five goals. The only downside was that they lost James Reimer to a lower-body injury, but Ben Scrivens was excellent in relief, making 32 saves... Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise scored in the shootout to give the Minnesota Wild a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames... Jeff Carter puts the Kings on the board in the first period, then extended the lead to 2 in the second. That was all the Kings would need, but the Blues are really struggling to keep the puck out of their net these days, so LA scored twice more in a 4-1 win.
Did you know? David Backes was not happy after his team's ugly loss to the Kings (which I totally predicted, y'all). Check out this quote: "We've got too many guys out there looking at the stat sheet wondering how many goals and assists, cookies they've got rather than taking a hit to make a play and getting run over so we can get a puck out so that your teammates can have a 3-on-2."
Dishonourable Mention: Ilya Bryzgalov was pulled after allowing 4 goals on 14 shots... Korbinian Holzer is probably going to get suspended... Rough play for the Islanders here, at this Alex Semin shot ramps up off a stick, hits Travis Hamonic, and bounces into the Isles' net:
"The bottom line is you create your own luck," says the colour man, immediately. Uh huh.
