N H L - National Hockey League

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Sharks clinch playoff spot, defeat Kings

 

Jones makes 30 saves, Thornton scores go-ahead goal in third for San Jose

 

by Eric Gilmore / NHL.com Correspondent

March 29th, 2016

Thornton cleans up to net PPG LAK@SJS: Thornton nets rebound for the lead in 3rd

3/28/16: Joe Thornton cleans up the rebound and fires it into the net to give the Sharks a 3-2 lead on the power play in the 3rd

SAN JOSE -- The San Jose Sharks are headed back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, one season after their streak of 10 postseason appearances ended.

Joe Thornton scored the tie-breaking goal at 4:28 of the third period, and the playoff-bound Sharks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-2 at SAP Center on Monday.

Justin Braun scored two goals and Joe Pavelski and Melker Karlsson each scored for the Sharks (42-28-6), who had lost three straight home games, squandering chances to clinch a playoff berth earlier. Martin Jones made 30 saves against his former team.

The Sharks officially clinched a playoff berth minutes before they defeated the Kings when the Calgary Flames beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-2.

"I think one, appropriately, we clinched a playoff spot with a game like that against a team like that," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "That's kind of been the story all year that we wanted to prove we belonged in that category of team. We feel we do. It was a solid effort, goalie out, and it was nice to win that game."

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/san-jose-sharks-defeat-los-angeles-kings/c-279973896?tid=279894482

Edited March 29, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Stars top Predators, stay on top in Central

 

Jamie Benn scores twice; Nashville misses chance to clinch playoff berth

 

by Steve Hunt / NHL.com Correspondent

11:46 AM

Ja. Benn's breakaway goal NSH@DAL: Ja. Benn nets breakaway chance to tie game

3/29/16: Alex Goligoski finds Jamie Benn behind the defense for a breakaway and he finishes five-hole to tie the game at 1 in the 1st

 

DALLAS -- Jamie Benn scored two goals and the Dallas Stars stayed in first place in the Central Division with a 5-2 victory against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

Radek Faksa, Jason Spezza and Patrick Sharp also scored for Dallas (46-22-9), which has won five of its past six games. The Stars and St. Louis Blues, who defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 earlier Tuesday, each have 101 points; however, the Stars own the tiebreaker with 44 regulation/overtime wins, three more than St. Louis. Each team has five games remaining.

Ryan Ellis and Viktor Arvidsson scored for Nashville (39-25-13), which holds the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference but failed to clinch a postseason berth for the second straight night.

Spezza made it 3-1 with 30th goal of the season at 11:49 of the second period, 46 seconds after Faksa broke a 1-1 tie. Spezza beat Pekka Rinne, who made 20 saves, high to the far post with a wrist shot from the right circle. The goal came seconds after Nashville's Mike Fisher's wrist shot on a breakaway hit the top part of Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen's stick.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/dallas-stars-defeat-nashville-predators/c-280000326?tid=279950816

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Blues defeat Avalanche for fifth straight win

 

St. Louis shutout streak ends in first period; Brouwer, Tarasenko score in decisive second

 

by Louie Korac / NHL.com Correspondent

11:03 AM

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues continued their winning ways but had their shutout streak end in a 3-1 victory against the Colorado Avalanche at Scottrade Center on Tuesday.

The Blues (46-22-9) won their fifth straight game and 11th in the past 13, but their shutout streak ended at 258:29 when Colorado's Mikhail Grigorenko scored to tie it 1-1 late in the first period.

David Backes and Troy Brouwer each scored on the power play, Alexander Steen had two assists in his first game since Feb. 20, and Vladimir Tarasenko got his Blues-leading 36th goal to help St. Louis kept pace with the Dallas Stars in the race for first place in the Central Division. The Blues and Stars, who defeated the Nashville Predators 5-2, each have 101 points.

St. Louis had not allowed a goal during its four-game winning streak and was attempting to tie the modern NHL record of five straight shutouts held by the Phoenix Coyotes and goalie Brian Boucher (Dec. 31, 2003-Jan. 9, 2004).

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/blues-defeat-avalanche/c-279998204?tid=279950720

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Wild complete rare season sweep of Blackhawks

 

Dubnyk makes 18 saves, Minnesota wins fifth game against Chicago in '15-16

 

by Dan Myers / NHL.com Correspondent

10:58 AM

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild took a big step in locking down their fourth consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday, scoring three times in the third period to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 at Xcel Energy Center.

Minnesota won all five games against Chicago this season.

"When it counts is the playoffs. It's great that we got that (sweep) in the regular season. I wasn't here for the first two (wins), but we know how to play them," Wild coach John Torchetti said. "They've played them [many] times plus the three years in the playoffs. We should know how to play them. Now if we get a chance and are fortunate enough to make the playoffs, that's got to be our marker."

It's the third time in Blackhawks history that they were swept in a season series of five or more games (Montreal Maroons, six games, 1936-37; Boston Bruins, eight, 1938-39).

Minnesota (38-28-11) is five points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Colorado lost 3-1 to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.

The Wild, who the Blackhawks have eliminated from the playoffs the past three years, are four points behind the Nashville Predators for the first wild card. Minnesota, Colorado and Nashville each has five games remaining.

Defenseman Jared Spurgeon scored on a breakaway at 4:07 of the third to break a 1-1 tie with his 11th goal. Less than seven minutes later, forward Erik Haula scored his 13th goal for a two-goal lead.

"Every single game is important for us right now, so I don't think it matters who you play against," Minnesota captain Mikko Koivu said. "It's good for confidence and moving forward. But there's a lot of things that we need to prove as a team, and there's good parts that we can still get another level, and we need to do that in order to be good moving forward."

Jarret Stoll and Nino Niederreiter scored, and goaltender Devan Dubnyk made 18 saves to help the Wild extend their season-high winning streak to six games.

"We're playing a team game. We're playing a fast, tight-checking style of a game, and that's how we need to play," Stoll said. "We can suffocate teams with our speed and checking ability and that's what we did here tonight. We can do that against any team in this league, and that's how you win in the playoffs, you win 2-1, 3-2, 1-0 by checking well, playing on the right side of the puck, and getting opportunities from that."

Marian Hossa scored for the Blackhawks (44-26-7), who were without their top two defensemen for most of the game. Goaltender Scott Darling made 14 saves.

Chicago, which clinched its eighth straight playoff berth Sunday, is six points behind the Dallas Stars and Blues for first place in the Central Division and four ahead of the fourth-place Predators. Dallas defeated Nashville 5-2 on Tuesday.

"Even if we would've won tonight, we wouldn't be satisfied going 1-4 [against Minnesota]," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "Obviously, it adds insult to injury to lose this one tonight. There were a couple that we really didn't play well and didn't really deserve to win. I think tonight was an improvement, and obviously the score doesn't look that way. It's not fun to look back and have a record like that against a team in your division, especially a team like Minnesota. It's not something we're happy about."

Minnesota took a 1-0 lead at 2:37 of the first period on its first shot on goal. Defenseman Mike Reilly got the play started with a nice outlet pass to spring Stoll, who beat Darling with a shot high to the blocker side for his fourth goal of the season and first since Jan. 23.

Already without defenseman Brent Seabrook, who was a late scratch because of an illness, the Blackhawks played more than 50 minutes without defenseman Duncan Keith, who was given a five-minute major and a match penalty for high sticking Charlie Coyle at 9:27 of the first period.

After an open-ice hit by Coyle knocked Keith to the ice just inside the Wild zone, the Blackhawks defenseman swung his stick and hit Coyle in the nose, opening up a large cut.

"I'm not going to talk about it," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "I couldn't see it live because it was down on the same side as the bench. I took a quick peek at it, but I couldn't say.

Keith, who was suspended one game for high sticking Jeff Carter of the Los Angeles Kings during the 2013 Western Conference Final, faces an automatic suspension pending NHL review.

"We miss guys all year long, so I'm not worrying about hypotheticals," Quenneville said.

Minnesota was unable to capitalize on the five-minute power play, and Chicago instead grabbed the momentum with a shorthanded goal.

Almost halfway through the Wild power play, Toews fed Hossa on a 2-on-1 for his 13th goal of the season and 499th of his NHL career to tie it 1-1 at 11:55.

Spurgeon broke the tie early in the third, taking a pass from Koivu in alone on Darling and beating him with a backhand shot under the crossbar.

Haula gave the Wild a 3-1 lead later in the period, finishing off a nice backhand pass by Niederreiter from the right corner on a rush. Defenseman Matt Dumba won a puck battle along the wall in the Minnesota end and poked it to the neutral zone. Niederreiter chased the puck into the corner and centered for Haula, who scored through Darling's five-hole.

Haula has four goals and five assists during a nine-game point streak, the longest in the NHL.

Niederreiter scored an empty-net goal with 1:19 remaining.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/wild-defeat-blackhawks-to-complete-season-sweep/c-279996940?tid=279950640

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Panthers miss chance to regain first place

 

Remain tied atop Atlantic Division; Kadri's hat trick lifts Maple Leafs

 

by Alain Poupart / NHL.com Correspondent

11:34 AM

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers failed to regain first place in the Atlantic Division on Tuesday, and they can blame their special teams for that.

The Panthers allowed three power-play goals and one shorthanded goal in a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at BB&T Center.

Florida (42-25-9) remains tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Each team has played 76 games, but the Lightning hold the tiebreaker with a 41-35 advantage in regulation/overtime wins.

"They played better," Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr said. "We just have to regroup. There's always next game. It's not like we lost and we're out of the playoffs. We have to forget about it and get ready for next game. It's going to be even bigger."

The Panthers' magic number for clinching a playoff spot fell to five points because the Detroit Red Wings lost 4-3 in regulation to the Montreal Canadiens.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-defeat-florida-panthers/c-279995664?tid=279950638

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Pacioretty leads Canadiens by Red Wings

 

Montreal forward scores twice; Detroit fails to move into wild card spot

 

by Sean Farrell / NHL.com Correspondent

10:45 AM

Pacioretty's second goal DET@MTL: Pacioretty nets his second goal for the lead

3/29/16: Alex Galchenyuk feeds a pass to Max Pacioretty, who fires into the net for his second goal of the game, giving the Canadiens the lead

 

MONTREAL -- Max Pacioretty scored his second goal of the game 11:18 into the third period and the Montreal Canadiens recovered from blowing a two-goal lead for a 4-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

Mike Condon made 39 saves, and Paul Byron and Sven Andrighetto scored for Montreal (35-36-6), which had lost consecutive games.

Gustav Nyquist, Anthony Mantha and Mike Green scored power-play goals in the second period for Detroit, which missed an opportunity to move into a wild card spot.

The Red Wings (38-28-11), who have five games remaining, trail the Philadelphia Flyers for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Each has 87 points, but Philadelphia has two games in hand.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/detroit-red-wings-montreal-canadiens-recap/c-279996300?tid=279950636

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Letang, Penguins defeat Sabres in shootout

 

Defenseman sets new career-high playing 35:14; Pittsburgh moves one point behind Rangers for second place

 

by Wes Crosby / NHL.com Correspondent

11:25 AM

Letang beats Johnson in shootout BUF@PIT: Letang slips the puck between Johnson's legs

3/29/16: Kris Letang gets the Penguins on the board in the shootout by sending the puck through Chad Johnson's legs and into the net

 

PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Penguins relied on depth to fuel a come-from-behind 5-4 shootout win against the Buffalo Sabres at Consol Energy Center on Tuesday.

Kris Letang and Phil Kessel scored in the shootout after four Penguins scored in the second period to erase a three-goal deficit.

After Sidney Crosby and Ryan O'Reilly failed to score in the first round, Letang scored in the second after playing a career-high 35:14. Kessel sealed the victory by going backhand to forehand in the third round. Penguins goalie Matthew Murray, who made 26 saves, stopped Jack Eichel in the second round.

"I want a rest, that's for sure," Letang said. "For us, in the situation that we are in, I don't think it really matters who we're playing. The points are all really precious."

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/buffalo-sabres-pittsburgh-penguins-recap/c-279992794?tid=279950718

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Islanders move two points closer to playoffs

 

Shootout win vs. Hurricanes bolsters lead for first wild card in East

 

by Brian Compton @BComptonNHL / NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

10:49 AM

Okposo beats Ward in shootout CAR@NYI: Okposo slips it past Ward

3/29/16: Kyle Okposo uses a nifty forehand move to beat Cam Ward in the shootout

 

NEW YORK -- That sound you heard Tuesday at Barclays Center was the New York Islanders breathing a collective sigh of relief.

In need of points to secure a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Islanders overcame a sluggish start when Anders Lee scored 12:08 into the third period before Kyle Okposo got the only goal in the shootout for a 2-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Thomas Greiss made 26 saves for New York (41-25-9), which holds the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Islanders moved four points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, who were idle Tuesday, and the Detroit Red Wings, who lost 4-3 in regulation at the Montreal Canadiens. They have one game in hand on Philadelphia and two on Detroit.

New York will host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

"It's a big win for us," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "We need points in the games that we play to try to get to the dance and where we want to go."

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/new-york-islanders-defeat-carolina-hurricanes-shootout/c-279990782?tid=279950716

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Bruins lose for sixth time in seven games

 

Kinkaid makes 39 saves, Devils hold off Boston

 

by Dan Rosen @drosennhl / NHL.com Senior Writer

11:32 AM

NEWARK, N.J. -- The Boston Bruins controlled the pace, generated quality scoring opportunities, including several outnumbered chances off the rush, and outshot the New Jersey Devils by more than a 2-to-1 margin.

It got them nothing.

The Devils defeated the Bruins 2-1 at Prudential Center on Tuesday despite being outshot 40-15.

Devils forwards Travis Zajac and Reid Boucher scored power-play goals and goalie Keith Kinkaid made a career-high 39 saves in his first appearance since March 19. He had allowed 13 goals on 75 shots in his previous three appearances.

"You can look at it whichever way you want, but you got to look at yourselves and blame yourselves for this loss," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "You can say you tried, but at this time of year it's not good enough. The situation that we're in, we expect better from ourselves."

The Bruins (40-29-8), who have lost six of their past seven games, caught a break because the Detroit Red Wings lost in regulation to the Montreal Canadiens.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/new-jersey-devils-defeat-boston-bruins/c-279993540?tid=279950634

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Couture's first NHL hat trick powers Sharks

 

Canucks lose ninth in a row in first of home-and-home

 

by Kevin Woodley / NHL.com Correspondent

12:56 PM

Couture's PPG pads Sharks' lead SJS@VAN: Couture nets second of the game in the 3rd

3/29/16:

 

VANCOUVER -- Logan Couture had his first NHL hat tricks to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 4-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Tuesday.

Couture put the Sharks ahead 2-1 when he scored with 11 seconds left in the second period, had a 5-on-3 power-play goal with 5:59 left in the third and hit the empty net with 16.4 seconds left to seal the Canucks' ninth straight loss.

Joe Pavelski scored in the second period and James Reimer made 23 saves for the Sharks (43-28-6), who moved within two points of the Anaheim Ducks for second place in the Pacific Division. San Jose is three points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the division lead. San Jose, which hosts the Canucks on Thursday, has played 77 games, one more than the Kings and two more than the Ducks.

Chris Higgins scored shorthanded and Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves for the Canucks (27-36-13), who are 0-8-1 in their past nine games and are tied with the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs for the fewest points in the NHL.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/logan-couture-hat-trick-lifts-sharks-past-canucks/c-280004798?tid=279950818

Edited March 30, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Flyers score late, defeat Capitals in shootout

 

Philadelphia moves two points ahead of Detroit for Eastern wild card

 

by Adam Kimelman @NHLAdamK / NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

11:13 AM

Gagner's game-winner in shootout WSH@PHI: Gagner clinches the win for the Flyers

3/30/16: Sam Gagner unleashes a wrist shot through Braden Holtby's legs in the shootout, clinching the win for the Flyers

 

PHILADELPHIA -- Nick Cousins and Sam Gagner scored in the shootout to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 2-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday.

Flyers goalie Steve Mason made 29 saves and stopped T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov in the shootout.

The Flyers (38-25-13) took a two-point lead on the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia has a game in hand on Detroit.

The win eliminated the Ottawa Senators from playoff contention.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/flyers-defeat-capitals-in-shootout-playoff-wild-card/c-280021460?tid=279950822

Edited March 31, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Senators defeat Jets, but out of playoff race

 

Ottawa eliminated from contention by Philadelphia victory

 

by Patrick Williams / NHL.com Correspondent

11:54 AM

WINNIPEG -- The Ottawa Senators did their part to remain alive for a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre on Wednesday, but were eliminated afterward.

The Philadelphia Flyers' 2-1 shootout win against the Washington Capitals, which ended about an hour after Ottawa's victory, knocked the Senators (35-33-9) out of playoff contention.

It means there will not be a team from Canada in the playoffs for the third time (1969-70 was the latest).

"Everything considered, I think it was probably the type of game you thought it was going to be with teams [nearing elimination or eliminated]," Senators coach Dave Cameron said. "I think it was in spurts and a little bit sloppy at times. It's really a tough game to evaluate."

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/senators-defeat-jets-playoffs/c-280019756?tid=279950820

Edited March 31, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Ducks overpower Flames, take first place in Pacific

 

Anaheim wins 23rd straight game vs. Calgary at Honda Center

 

by Abbey Mastracco / NHL.com Correspondent

19 minutes ago

ANAHEIM -- The Anaheim Ducks moved into first place in the Pacific Division and had their biggest offensive night of the season in an 8-3 victory against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday at Honda Center.

Jakob Silfverberg scored twice and the Ducks (43-23-10) got goals from Corey Perry, Brandon Pirri, Jamie McGinn, Shea Theodore, Nate Thompson and Ryan Kesler, who had a career-high four points. Anaheim has 96 points, one more than the Los Angeles Kings, who host the Flames on Thursday. The Ducks host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

The loss was the Flames' 23rd straight at Honda Center, where Calgary (32-39-6) hasn't won since Jan. 19, 2004. It matches the NHL record for the longest home winning streak by one team against another; the Philadelphia Flyers won 23 consecutive home games against the Pittsburgh Penguins from Feb. 17, 1980, to Jan. 29, 1987.

Calgary native Hunter Shinkaruk scored his first NHL goal and defensemen Mark Giordano and TJ Brodie also scored for the Flames.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/anaheim-ducks-defeat-calgary-flames/c-280024762?tid=279950722

Edited March 31, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Benn scores 40th, Stars defeat Coyotes

 

Niemi makes 31 saves, Dallas moves into first place in West

 

by Steve Hunt / NHL.com Correspondent

11:30 AM

DALLAS -- Jamie Benn scored his 40th goal, and Antti Niemi made 31 saves to help the Dallas Stars to a 4-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes at American Airlines Center on Thursday.

Benn scored at 10:43 of the second period with a wrist shot from the right circle that got through goalie Mike Smith, who made 29 saves.

Benn, who had an assist, is second in the NHL in goals behind the Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (44) and is the first 40-goal scorer for the Stars since Mike Modano had 50 in 1993-94, their first season in Dallas after relocating from Minnesota.

The Stars (47-22-9) have 103 points and are two points ahead of the St. Louis Blues for first place in the Central Division and Western Conference. St. Louis, which has five games remaining, hosts the Boston Bruins on Friday; Dallas, which has four games left, plays at the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday afternoon.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/stars-defeat-coyotes-recap/c-280047404?tid=280007814

Edited April 1, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots

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Wild win streak stopped at six

 

Ceci's late goal lifts Senators past Minnesota

 

by Dan Myers / NHL.com Correspondent

34 minutes ago

Ceci squeezes puck past Dubnyk

OTT@MIN: Ceci's feed finds the net for the lead

3/31/16: Cody Ceci centers a pass that defelcts off Erik Haula's skate and past Devan Dubnyk, giving the Senators the lead late in the 3rd

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild couldn't overcome a sluggish start in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday. Cody Ceci's goal with 3:57 remaining was the game-winner and Minnesota's six-game winning streak ended.

The Wild (38-29-11) remained five points ahead of the idle Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Minnesota missed an opportunity to gain on the Nashville Predators for the first wild card; the Predators, who lead the Wild by four points, lost 5-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.

"It's unfortunate, but I think you have to look at the game as a whole," Wild forward Zach Parise, who scored his 299th career NHL goal said. "Did we play well enough to win the game? I don't know. We had a chance to get a point out of it but I just don't think we played as well as we needed to."

Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a goal and two assists for the Senators (36-33-9), who have won two-straight games and were eliminated from postseason contention on Wednesday. Goaltender Craig Anderson made 23 saves for his 30th victory.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/ottawa-senators-defeat-minnesota-wild/c-280045288?tid=280007526

Edited April 1, 2016 by Guns of the Patriots