NHL Three Stars: Kadri OT hero for Leafs; Pens clinch Metro Division
This photo will haunt your dreams. Thanks @bruinshockeynow!
No. 1 Star: Nazem Kadri, Toronto Maple Leafs
With four games to go, the Leafs are one point behind Columbus and two points behind Detroit; both teams have six games remaining. Kadri kept the Leafs slim playoff hopes alive with an overtime power play goal against Boston.
No. 2 Star: Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
Back to normal after a bout with the flu-bug, the reigning Vezina winner pitched a 37-save shut-out against the peaking-at-the-right-time Flyers. The win keeps the playoff hopes alive for the Jackets.
No. 3 Star: Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche
Barrie tied the game for Colorado with 58-seconds left in the game against the New York Rangers (see below). He'd go on to be the only player to score in the shoot-out, on King Henrik nonetheless, giving the Avs the 3-2 (SO) win.
Honorable mention: Worries about the Blackhawks success without Toews and Kane in the lineup can be toned down a bit after Chicago beat Minnesota in the shoot-out, 3-2 (SO) ... Eric Staal scored a really weird goal on Dallas's Kari Lehtonen in Carolina's 4-1 win over the Stars. See if you can find the puck right after he shoots it:
... They may not be playing for anything, but the Calgary Flames are really fun to watch. Goalie Karri Ramo, once a member of the Lightning, made 31 saves against his former team; while the old guys, Mike Cammalleri and Curtis Glencross, contributed two points each in the Flames 4-1 win over Tampa Bay ... Martin Jones started the game for the Kings against the Sharks; Logan Couture scored a sweet wrap-around goal that held up as the game winner:
Maxime Lapierre and Brendan Morrow each notched a goal for the Blues against the Sabres; Ryan Miller took in the first meeting against his former team from the bench ... The Penguins clinched the Metro Division title on their 4-2 win over the Jets (and thanks to the Philly loss to Columbus); Sidney Crosby added two assists to his Scrooge McDuck vault of points.
Did you know? By losing in San Jose, the Kings snapped an eight-game road winning streak on Thursday night.
Dishonorable mention: With the loss to Pittsburgh, Winnipeg has officially been eliminated from playoff contention ... Joffrey Lupul was a late scratch with a lower-body injury ... Jonathan Bernier left the game in the third period with a lower-body injury and will have an MRI ... Drew Doughty did not return to the game due to an upper-body injury incurred when Doughty shoulder-checked Tyler Kennedy ... Marcus Foligno landed awkwardly on his right leg and had to be helped off the ice; he did not return. Ted Nolan said Foligno will be out for the rest of the season ... Kari Lehtonen was pulled after giving up three goals on 16 shots to Carolina ... Niklas Hjalmarsson is really pissed off about this goal ... Brandon Bollig unleashed a nasty headshot on an unsuspecting Zach Parise; Parise must have gone to the quiet room for a nanosecond before coming back. Not good.
