TOP STORY
Predator Uprising!
Ryan Jones scores the winner late for Nashville at the Staples Center to surge in to 7th in the West
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Nashville Predators (35-30-5) over the Los Angeles (29-30-10) 4-3
The Nashville Predators strengthened their playoff hopes and damaged the Los Angeles Kings' chances of reaching the postseason. Ryan Jones scored the go-ahead goal with 2:18 remaining, Steve Sullivan and Shea Weber also scored, and Joel Ward had a goal and an assist in the Predators' 4-3 victory over the fading Kings on Monday night. "We've got two games left on this road trip, and we're trying to set ourselves up so that it doesn't come down to Game 82 and all the pressure to try to get in with one game left," Sullivan said. With their eighth victory in 11 games, the Predators overtook Dallas and Edmonton in the Western Conference playoff race and moved into seventh place. They are a point ahead of the Stars, and lead the ninth-place Oilers by two with 12 games remaining. Dallas has a game in hand on Nashville, and Edmonton has two. Anze Kopitar, Teddy Purcell and Michal Handzus scored for the Kings, who have lost three straight. Los Angeles will bring a six-game road losing streak into Boston on Thursday, starting a six-game trip that probably will decide their playoff chances. The 13th-place Kings are six points behind eighth-place Dallas with 13 games remaining. The Predators have a chance to sweep the four-game season series on March 28 at Nashville. The Kings have never been swept by the Predators since Nashville entered the NHL in 1998-99.
ACTION FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE...
Atlanta Thrashers (43-22-6) over the Washington Capitals (29-35-6) 5-1
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Nashville Predators (35-30-5) over the Los Angeles (29-30-10) 4-3
The Nashville Predators strengthened their playoff hopes and damaged the Los Angeles Kings' chances of reaching the postseason. Ryan Jones scored the go-ahead goal with 2:18 remaining, Steve Sullivan and Shea Weber also scored, and Joel Ward had a goal and an assist in the Predators' 4-3 victory over the fading Kings on Monday night. "We've got two games left on this road trip, and we're trying to set ourselves up so that it doesn't come down to Game 82 and all the pressure to try to get in with one game left," Sullivan said. With their eighth victory in 11 games, the Predators overtook Dallas and Edmonton in the Western Conference playoff race and moved into seventh place. They are a point ahead of the Stars, and lead the ninth-place Oilers by two with 12 games remaining. Dallas has a game in hand on Nashville, and Edmonton has two. Anze Kopitar, Teddy Purcell and Michal Handzus scored for the Kings, who have lost three straight. Los Angeles will bring a six-game road losing streak into Boston on Thursday, starting a six-game trip that probably will decide their playoff chances. The 13th-place Kings are six points behind eighth-place Dallas with 13 games remaining. The Predators have a chance to sweep the four-game season series on March 28 at Nashville. The Kings have never been swept by the Predators since Nashville entered the NHL in 1998-99.
ACTION FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE...
Atlanta Thrashers (43-22-6) over the Washington Capitals (29-35-6) 5-1
The Thrashers set a franchise record with their sixth straight victory after G Kari Lehtonen turned away a career-high 49 saves, including stopping all 10 of Alexander Ovechkin's shots. Colby Armstrong, Slava Kozlov (PPG), Anssi Salmela (PPG - recently acquired from NJ), Tobias Enstrom (PPG) and Eric Perrin all scored for Atlanta. Playing his 190th straight game, Kozlov tied former Thrashers C Bobby Holik for the longest streak in the team's 10-year history. Kozlov has 17 points, including two goals, in his last 17 games. Atlanta D Ron Hainsey sustained a leg injury and didn't return.
OTHER HEADLINES
-Buffalo Sabres starting goalie Ryan Miller has begun skating on his own to test his injured left ankle and is confident he is on track to return to the lineup before the end of the season. Miller said on Monday that he still feels some discomfort when he's stretching, but he has not experienced any setbacks during his rehabilitation. "I fully expect to play. That's what's in my head," said Miller, who has worked out on his own the past two days. "Without any setbacks, it's very likely we're not going to have any problems." Miller said he'll continue increasing his on-ice time through the week, but it was too early to provide a timetable for when he might be cleared to practice. Complicating the injury is the fact it involves the same part of the ankle he relies on for his butterfly goaltending style. Miller has missed nine games since being hurt in the third period of a 4-2 win over the Rangers on Feb. 21, when he fell awkwardly into the end board after being upended by New York's Scott Gomez. The Sabres have gone 3-4-2 without Miller, and sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, three points out of a playoff spot with 13 games left.
-Washington Capitals defenseman Brian Pothier played his first game in more than 14 months Monday night after recovering from a career-threatening concussion. Pothier, an eight-year NHL veteran, was injured when Bruins forward Milan Lucic checked him into the boards on Jan. 3, 2008, in Boston. Pothier, whose hooking penalty in the first period Monday led to Slava Kozlov's goal and a 2-0 lead for Atlanta, took three shots and blocked a shot in the Thrashers' 5-1 win. The Capitals, who signed Pothier to a four-year, $10 million contract as a free agent in July 2006, was recalled Sunday from a short stint with AHL Hershey.
-The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Chris DiDomenico to a three-year entry level contract, the club announced Saturday. DiDomenico, a 20-year-old native of Toronto was selected by the Leafs in the sixth round (164th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. "Chris is a skilled offensive player that plays with a lot of grit," said president and GM Brian Burke. "He has shown the ability to compete and produce at a high level and we're looking forward to his further growth and development in our organization." He suited up in one Maple Leafs pre-season game on Sept. 26, 2008, collecting two penalty minutes in 12:11 of ice time against Pittsburgh. In 50 games this season with the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs, the 5-11, 176-pounder registered 58 points (18 goals, 40 assists) with 62 penalty minutes and a plus 16 rating. DiDomenico won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa.
OTHER HEADLINES
-Buffalo Sabres starting goalie Ryan Miller has begun skating on his own to test his injured left ankle and is confident he is on track to return to the lineup before the end of the season. Miller said on Monday that he still feels some discomfort when he's stretching, but he has not experienced any setbacks during his rehabilitation. "I fully expect to play. That's what's in my head," said Miller, who has worked out on his own the past two days. "Without any setbacks, it's very likely we're not going to have any problems." Miller said he'll continue increasing his on-ice time through the week, but it was too early to provide a timetable for when he might be cleared to practice. Complicating the injury is the fact it involves the same part of the ankle he relies on for his butterfly goaltending style. Miller has missed nine games since being hurt in the third period of a 4-2 win over the Rangers on Feb. 21, when he fell awkwardly into the end board after being upended by New York's Scott Gomez. The Sabres have gone 3-4-2 without Miller, and sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, three points out of a playoff spot with 13 games left.
-Washington Capitals defenseman Brian Pothier played his first game in more than 14 months Monday night after recovering from a career-threatening concussion. Pothier, an eight-year NHL veteran, was injured when Bruins forward Milan Lucic checked him into the boards on Jan. 3, 2008, in Boston. Pothier, whose hooking penalty in the first period Monday led to Slava Kozlov's goal and a 2-0 lead for Atlanta, took three shots and blocked a shot in the Thrashers' 5-1 win. The Capitals, who signed Pothier to a four-year, $10 million contract as a free agent in July 2006, was recalled Sunday from a short stint with AHL Hershey.
-The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Chris DiDomenico to a three-year entry level contract, the club announced Saturday. DiDomenico, a 20-year-old native of Toronto was selected by the Leafs in the sixth round (164th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. "Chris is a skilled offensive player that plays with a lot of grit," said president and GM Brian Burke. "He has shown the ability to compete and produce at a high level and we're looking forward to his further growth and development in our organization." He suited up in one Maple Leafs pre-season game on Sept. 26, 2008, collecting two penalty minutes in 12:11 of ice time against Pittsburgh. In 50 games this season with the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs, the 5-11, 176-pounder registered 58 points (18 goals, 40 assists) with 62 penalty minutes and a plus 16 rating. DiDomenico won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa.
TONIGHTS ACTION:
%Chicago @ New Jersey - 7PM
Martin Brodeur goes for the all time goalie wins record
Philadelphia @ Detroit - 7:30PM
NY Rangers @ Montreal - 7:30PM
Buffalo @ Ottawa - 7:30PM
Atlanta @ Pittsburgh - 7:30PM
Toronto @ Tampa Bay - 7:30PM
Washington @ Florida - 7:30PM
Colorado @ Minnesota - 8PM
St. Louis @ Edmonton - 10PM
Dallas @ Vancouver - 10PM
San Jose @ Phoenix - 10PM
% = Game of the Night
^All Times are Eastern
~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out on Thursdays
TO EMAIL FTS, write fromtheslot@gmail.com
%Chicago @ New Jersey - 7PM
Martin Brodeur goes for the all time goalie wins record
Philadelphia @ Detroit - 7:30PM
NY Rangers @ Montreal - 7:30PM
Buffalo @ Ottawa - 7:30PM
Atlanta @ Pittsburgh - 7:30PM
Toronto @ Tampa Bay - 7:30PM
Washington @ Florida - 7:30PM
Colorado @ Minnesota - 8PM
St. Louis @ Edmonton - 10PM
Dallas @ Vancouver - 10PM
San Jose @ Phoenix - 10PM
% = Game of the Night
^All Times are Eastern
~Dropping the Gloves with Andrew Bogusch comes out on Thursdays
TO EMAIL FTS, write fromtheslot@gmail.com
HAPPY ST PATTY'S DAY!!
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