NHL Peachy: NHL Morning Skate – April 10, 2016 Our Coverage Sponsored by Maine Woolens
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WHERE WE STAND . . .
Two playoff berths, one division crown, one conference title, four playoff positions and four First Round matchups were decided during Saturday’s games:
* The Red Wings clinched the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic Division by virtue of the Bruins’ regulation loss. They will face the Lightning in the First Round of the playoffs, their second consecutive opening round meeting (TBL: 4-3 W in 2015).
* The Flyers clinched the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference via their win and the Bruins’ regulation loss. They will play the Capitals in the First Round of the playoffs, their fifth all-time meeting and first since 2008 (PHI: 4-3 W in CQF).
* The Stars, who ultimately won their game, clinched the Central Division and Western Conference titles by virtue of the Blues’ regulation loss. They will face the Wild in the First Round of the playoffs, their first all-time meeting.
* The Blues, the No. 2 seed in the Central Division, will play the Blackhawks in the First Round of the playoffs, their 12th all-time meeting and first since 2014 (CHI: 4-2 W in FR).
. . . TODAY’S CLINCHING SCENARIOS
One division title, four playoff positions and four First Round matchups remain to be decided entering the final day (and two games) of the regular season.
Today’s clinching scenarios:
* The Ducks will clinch the Pacific Division title if they defeat the Capitals in any fashion.
* The Islanders will clinch the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division if they defeat the Flyers in any fashion.
SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Philadelphia @ NY Islanders, 7:00 p.m., NBCSN, SN, SN360, TCN-PH, MSG+
Anaheim @ Washington, 7:30 p.m., NHLN-US, SN, SN360, PRIME, CSN-DC
CAPITALS, DUCKS BATTLE FOR JENNINGS TROPHY
The Capitals and Ducks battle for the William M. Jennings Trophy when they meet in the final game of the regular season:
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
Ottawa 6, BOSTON 1
NY RANGERS 3, Detroit 2
PHILADELPHIA 3, Pittsburgh 1
Anaheim 5, COLORADO 3
Calgary 2, MINNESOTA 1
MONTREAL 5, Tampa Bay 2
FLORIDA 5, Carolina 2
NEW JERSEY 5, Toronto 1
COLUMBUS 5, Chicago 4 (OT)
Buffalo 4, NY ISLANDERS 3 (OT)
Washington 5, ST. LOUIS 1
DALLAS 3, Nashville 2
VANCOUVER 4, Edmonton 3 (SO)
Winnipeg 4, LOS ANGELES 3 (SO)
SAN JOSE 1, Arizona 0
SIMMONDS POWERS FLYERS TO FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT IN EAST . . .
Wayne Simmonds scored twice, including the tiebreaking goal late in the second period, to help the Flyers snap a three-game skid (0-2-1) and clinch their seventh playoff berth in the past nine seasons.
* Simmonds, who also potted the tying goal in the final minute of Thursday’s game vs. TOR, scored for the seventh time in his last seven outings (7-2—9). He leads the Flyers with a career-high 32 goals this season and ranks second on the team with 60 points, matching a career high set in 2013-14.
* Simmonds posted his eighth multi-goal game of the campaign. Via Elias, that is tied for the League lead with five other players: Jamie Benn (DAL), Sidney Crosby (PIT), Alex Galchenyuk (MTL), Johnny Gaudreau (CGY) and Alex Ovechkin (WSH).
. . . RED WINGS EXTEND POSTSEASON STREAK DESPITE LOSS
Despite suffering a loss at NYR, the Red Wings extended their playoff streak to 25 seasons – the longest active such run in North American professional sports – by virtue of the Bruins’ regulation defeat.
* The Red Wings’ 25 consecutive playoff trips are tied for the third-longest such streak in NHL history:
Most Consecutive Playoff Appearances, NHL History
29 – Boston Bruins (1967-68 to 1995-96)
28 – Chicago Blackhawks (1969-70 to 1996-97)
25 – St. Louis Blues (1979-80 to 2003-05)
25 – Detroit Red Wings (1990-91 to 2015-16)^
^ Active
HOLTBY, OVECHKIN REACH MILESTONES IN CAPITALS’ VICTORY
Braden Holtby (19 SV) matched an NHL record with his 48th win of the season and Alex Ovechkin (3-0—3) reached the 50-goal milestone for the seventh time in his career – and third straight campaign – to lead the Capitals past the Blues.
* Holtby tied Martin Brodeur for the most single-season wins by a goaltender in NHL history. Holtby, however, earned his 48th victory in his 66th appearance – 12 fewer than when Brodeur set the record in 2006-07 (78 GP).
* Ovechkin, who posted his 15th career hat trick, became the third player in NHL history to compile seven or more 50-goal seasons. The others, both with nine: Mike Bossy andWayne Gretzky.
SPEZZA GUIDES STARS TO DIVISION, CONFERENCE TITLES
Down 2-0 midway through the second period, the Stars scored three unanswered goals – all from Jason Spezza – to secure the Central Division and Western Conference titles.
* The Stars clinched their first division title since 2005-06 (Pacific Division) and first conference crown since 2002-03. At 50-23-9 (109 points), they also reached the 50-win milestone for the fourth time in franchise history and first time since 2006-07 (50-25-7, 107 points).
* Spezza, who eclipsed the 300-goal milestone, recorded his seventh career hat trick and second of the season (also Oct. 13 v. EDM). Elias notes that three of his seven career three-goal games have been natural hat tricks.
FILLING THE SCORESHEET . . .
Eleven players registered three or more points in Saturday’s games:
* Scott Hartnell (CBJ): 2-2—4
* Alex Ovechkin (WSH): 3-0—3
* Jason Spezza (DAL): 3-0—3
* Alex Galchenyuk (MTL): 2-1—3
* Patrick Kane (CHI): 2-1—3
* Max Pacioretty (MTL): 2-1—3
* Artemi Panarin (CHI): 2-1—3
* Patrik Elias (NJD): 1-2—3
* Alexander Wennberg (CBJ): 1-2—3
* Nicklas Backstrom (WSH): 0-3—3
* Corey Perry (ANA): 0-3—3
Notes:
* Hartnell posted his seventh career four-point game, including his fifth career overtime goal and 300th NHL goal. Wennberg matched a career high for points in one game, his third such performance of the season.
* Kane finished the season with a 17-point lead in the Art Ross Trophy race (46-60—106), while Panarin totaled 5-8—13 over his final five games to become the first Blackhawks rookie to reach the 30-goal milestone since 1995-96 (Eric Daze).
* Galchenyuk reached the 30-goal milestone for the first time in his career, while Pacioretty hit the number for the fourth time in his career and third consecutive season.
. . . STREAKING TO THE END
* Jets forward Blake Wheeler (1-1—2) extended his point streak to a career-high 11 games (8-8—16), matching the franchise record set by Marian Hossa Feb. 17 – March 12, 2007 (7-11—18).
* Jets forward Mark Scheifele (0-1—1) extended his point streak to a career-high 10 games (6-9—15). He leads the NHL with 17-17—34 in 26 contests dating to Feb. 18.
* Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (0-1—1) extended his point streak to a career-high nine games (5-8—13).
* Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko (1-0—1), who reached the 40-goal milestone for the first time in his career, extended his point streak to eight games (6-5—11).
* Sharks forward Joe Thornton (0-1—1) extended his point streak to seven games (2-8—10). He also collected his 964th career assist to tie Doug Gilmour for 13th place in NHL history.
* Predators forward James Neal (0-1—1) extended his point streak to six games (1-6—7).
* Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (7-5—12), Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (2-5—7), Senators captain Erik Karlsson (2-4—6), Sabres forward Jack Eichel (1-5—6) and Canucks forward Emerson Etem (4-1—5) all extended their point streaks to five games.
MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo (26 SV) earned his 436th career win to move within one of tying Jacques Plante (437) for sixth place in NHL history.
* Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla (1-0—1) scored his 611th career goal to move pastBobby Hull (610) and into sole possession of 16th place in NHL history. He also played in his 1,474th career game to tie Doug Gilmour for 20th place in League history.
* Bruins defenseman John-Michael Liles (800), Rangers forward Tanner Glass (500) and Senators forward Zack Smith (400) all played in milestone games.
* Islanders forward Alan Quine (SHG) and Flames defenseman Patrick Sieloff (GWG) both scored while making their NHL debuts. Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield (10 GP) and Sabres forward Evan Rodrigues (2 GP) also recorded their first career goals.
* Flames teammates Turner Elson and Oliver Kylington and Devils teammates Steven Santini, Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha also made their NHL debuts.
LOOSE PUCKS
The Ducks (45-25-11, 101 points), Rangers (46-27-9, 101 points) and Islanders (45-26-10, 100 points) all reached the 100-point milestone . . . Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (20 SV) earned his sixth shutout of the season, while teammate Joe Pavelski matched a franchise record with his 11th game-winning goal of the campaign . . . Senators captainErik Karlsson (0-1—1) finished the season with 16-66—82, the most points by a defenseman since 1995-96 . . . Devils teammates Adam Henrique (2-0—2) and Kyle Palmieri (1-1—2) both reached the 30-goal milestone for the first time in their careers . . . Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg (2-0—2), Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal (1-1—2), Capitals forward Jason Chimera, Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau and Maple Leafs forward Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau all reached the 20-goal milestone . . . Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau (1-1—2) equaled a franchise record with his League-leading seventh shorthanded goal of the season . . . Sabres captain Brian Gionta(2-0—2) potted his eighth career overtime goal.
DID YOU KNOW?
All 30 NHL teams played on the same day for the first time since last year’s regular-season finale (April 11, 2015). A closer look at Saturday’s 15-game slate:
* First Puck Drop: 12:37 p.m. ET
* End of Last Game: 1:03 a.m. ET
* First Goal of the Day: David Pastrnak (BOS)
* Last Goal of the Day: Patrick Maroon (EDM)
* Games: 15
* Total Minutes: 915 minutes and 14 seconds
* OT Games: 4
* Goals: 89 (5.93 per game)
* Shots: 853 (56.9 per game)
* Hits: 572 (38.1 per game)
* Blocked Shots: 383 (25.5 per game)
* Face-Offs: 888 (59.2 per game)
* Penalty Minutes: 317 (21.1 per game)
* Attendance: 275,616 (18,375 per game)
