NHL Three Stars: Hiller gives Flames win relief; Ekman-Larsson crushes SJ’s playoff hopes
No. 1. Star: Jonas Hiller, Calgary Flames
With Karri Ramo injured 58 seconds into the Flames’ game against Edmonton, Hiller stepped in and stopped 27 of 27 Oilers shots on goal in a 4-0 win over their rivals. The Flames have 93 points with three games remaining, and are one point ahead of Winnipeg and Los Angeles (four remaining contests each). It was the longest relief appearance in a team-shared shutout in league history.
No. 2. Star: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes
The young Coyotes blueliner wasn’t tanking at all in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Ekman-Larsson scored one goal and added two assists in 28:02 minutes of play for Arizona, which pulled four points clear of Buffalo for the worst point total in the NHL. Meanwhile the Sharks are five points out of the playoffs with three games left to play.
No. 3 Star: Jeff Carter, Los Angeles Kings
Notched two assists in a 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. The victory kept the Kings in the playoffs. LA is tied with Winnipeg in points (92), but have more regulation and overtime wins (37) than the Jets (33). Carter has seven points in his last six games.
Honorable Mention: Tampa forward Tyler Johnson scored a goal and added an assist in a 4-0 drubbing of the Florida Panthers … Lightning forward Ryan Callahan also scored a goal and notched an assist … Captain Steven Stamkos scored two goals and added one assist … Winnipeg forward Lee Stempniak scored two goals in a 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks … Jets forward Mathieu Perreault picked up three assists … Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno fired a hat trick in a 5-3 win over Pittsburgh for Columbus’ ninth straight victory … Carolina forward Jordan Staal scored a goal and added an assist in a 3-2 shootout win over Philadelphia. Brother, Eric Staal notched an assist and was a plus-2. Philadelphia forward Sean Couturier scored a goal and added an assist … Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak stopped 21 of 21 Sabres shots on goal in a 3-0 win over Buffalo. Forward Kyle Okposo scored his 17th goal of the season for the Islanders. Forward Brock Nelson notched his 20th for New York … Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 35 of 36 Devils shots on goal in a 6-1 win over their rival. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh notched two assists and was a plus-3 in 20:26 of action … Rangers defenseman Keith Yandle scored a goal and added an assist … Washington forward Troy Brouwer scored a goal and added an assist … Defenseman John Carlson notched an assist in the Caps’ 4-3 OT loss to Ottawa … Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson picked up two assists. Teammate Clarke MacArthur scored a goal and added an assist … Ottawa forward Kyle Turris fired the OT winner for the Sens … Red Wings forwards Gustav Nyquist and Riley Sheahan each scored a goal for Detroit in a 3-2 shootout win over Minnesota … Wild forward Zach Parise scored both of Minnesota’s regulation goals. Forward Jason Pominville got the assists on Parise’s goals … Boston’s Tuukka Rask stopped 27 of 28 Toronto shots on goal in a 2-1 shootout win over the Maple Leafs … Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron scored a goal … James Reimer stopped 49 of 50 Bruins shots on goal … Stars forward Cody Eakin fired the OT winner on a shootout in a 4-3 win for Dallas over Nashville … Dallas forward Travis Moen scored a goal and added an assist … Nashville forward James Neal scored a goal and added an assist for the Preds … Arizona captain Shane Doan scored a goal and added an assist … Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman scored a goal and notched two assists for Calgary … Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr notched two assists.
Did You Know?: Foligno’s hat trick was his first of his NHL career. It happened in his 541st game.
Dishonorable Mention: Pittsburgh forward Blake Comeau was a minus-3 as was defenseman Derrick Pouliot … New Jersey defensemen Jon Merrill and Damon Severson were each a minus-4. Forwards Adam Henrique, Mike Cammalleri and Patrik Elias were each a minus-3 for the Devils … Nashville defenseman Cody Franson was a minus-2 and has just four points in 21 games with the Predators following a trade from Toronto … Vancouver’s Chris Tanev was a minus-3 … Canucks goaltender Eddie Lack allowed five goals … Sharks forwards Patrick Marleau and Tomas Hertl were each a minus-3.
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