After a busy weekend, it was a light Monday night with only 4 games on the NHL schedule. Arguably the game’s top 3 forwards were in action in the same game, while the Leafs faced the Devils prior to their Wednesday matchup with the Senators. Here is a quick tour around the league.
Mar 4, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings fans throw hats on the ice after the third goal by center Jeff Carter (not pictured) for a hat trick against the Nashville Predators at the Staples Center. The Kings defeated the Predators 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
- Toronto moved into a fifth place tie with the Senators with a 4-2 win over the Devils. The Leafs scored three times in the third period to rescue a poor first 40 minutes that saw them get only 10 shots on Johan Hedberg. Nazem Kadri and Clarke MacArthur each had a goal and an assist in the win. Jay McClement keyed the comeback and tied the game at 2 just 30 seconds into the third and then MacArthur and Phil Kessel scored two and a half minutes apart to get the win. Marek Zidlicky had both New Jersey goals in the second period. James Reimer kicked aside 28 shots for the victory.
- The three best forwards in the league were the top 3 starts as Pittsburgh outlasted Tampa 4-3. James Neal‘s empty netter with 52 seconds left turned out the be the game winner, as Steven Stamkos scored his second of the game with 8 seconds remaining to bring it within 1. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist, while Kris Letang had two helpers for the Pens. Tom Pyatt had Tampa’s other goal. Mathieu Garon had to leave the game 2:19 into the second with a lower body injury, as it appears to be a bad time to be a goalie in the Southeast Division.
- Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and two assists but the Ducks still dropped a 5-4 shootout decision to the Coyotes. Oliver Ekman-Larsson had the shootout clincher in the fifth round to go along with his 2 assists, while Phoenix got goals from Antoine Vermette, Keith Yandle, Shane Doan and Michael Stone. Matt Beleskey, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan joined Getzlaf on the score sheet.
- The Kings and Predators combined for just 35 total shots on goal, but Pekka Rinne continues to struggle and allowed 5 goals on only 13 shots before giving way to Chris Mason. Jeff Carter scored the first 3 goals of the game for the natural hat trick, and had 5 of the Kings’ 16 shots on goal. Mike Richards and Dwight King added the other two for LA to chase Rinne, who has allowed 20 goals and has been pulled twice in his last 5 games.
That concludes our tour around the NHL for a Monday night. Senators fans have to wait another sleep before a Sens game day, but there are 11 games on the schedule for Tuesday night, so there will be no shortage of highlights or games to seek out.