FTS -- Wednesday's NHL Recap

photo credit: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

DEVILS LOSE AGAIN, PENS KEEP WINNING
CROSBY AND MALKIN OVERWHELM BRODEUR

Lou Lamoriello is doing all he can to keep his fingers off the panic button in New Jersey after his team’s 6-1 smackdown in Pittsburgh Wednesday night. The Devils (47-26-4) are now 0-5-1 in their last six outings and trail the Capitals by three points for the #2-seed in the Eastern Conference. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin scored power-play goals for the Penguins (42-27-8) as they wrapped up an eight-game homestand at 6-1-1. Pittsburgh is 13-1-2 in all arenas since February 25, which has them tied with Philadelphia for 4th-place in the conference.

Capitals 5 – Islanders 3

Washington overcame a 2-0 deficit on home ice Wednesday night to put itself on the verge of a second straight Southeast Division title. The Capitals (47-23-7) clinch the crown if Carolina loses Thursday to the Rangers. Mike Green keyed the comeback on this night with power-play goals 83 seconds apart in the third period. Alexander Ovechkin added his 54th tally of the season as the Caps swept a season series with the Islanders for the first time since 2002-03.

Maple Leafs 3 – Flyers 2

Curtis Joseph made 32 saves, but only a handful were tough shots as Toronto outworked Philadelphia Wednesday night at the ACC. Jamal Mayers, Lee Stempniak and Ian White scored for the Maple Leafs. Arron Asham and Claude Giroux scored for the Flyers (41-25-10), who are now tied with Pittsburgh for 4th in the Eastern Conference.

Thrashers 3 – Sabres 2 OT

Ilya Kovalchuk scored off a Thomas Vanek giveaway with 29.9 seconds left in overtime to deal a significant blow to Buffalo’s playoff hopes. The Sabres (37-30-9) are five points behind 8th-place Montreal with six games to play. Kovalchuk’s goal gave him 41 for the season; 30 in his last 37 games; and 20 in 21.

Blackhawks 3 – Blues 1

Chicago is one point from its first playoff berth in seven seasons thanks to goals from Jonathan Toewes, Sammy Pahlsson, and Colin Fraser, and 16 Nikolai Khabibulin saves. The victory snapped a two-game slide for Chicago (41-24-11) and a five-game winning streak for St. Louis. The Blackhawks leapfrog idle Calgary for 4th in the Western Conference.
Coyotes 3 – Avalanche 0

Al Montoya made 23 saves in Denver for first NHL shutout. The effort gave the Coyotes their third win in four games. The Avalanche have dropped eight straight contests.

IN OTHER NEWS...

Joe Sakic still hopes to play before the Avalanche’s home finale April 12th. The Colorado captain is still recovering from January surgery for a herniated disc, which weakened his left leg.

The Flyers signed James van Riemsdyk to a multi-year, entry-level deal Wednesday. The deal goes into effect next season. Van Riemsdyk will spend the rest of this season with Philadelphia’s AHL affiliate.

The Maple Leafs have been fined $500,000 for paying defenseman Jonas Frogren an illegal $755,000 signing bonus last summer. That sums was too large for someone the League defined as an entry-level player. Toronto will also forfeit a 2009 4TH round draft pick as punishment.

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

Canadiens @ Islanders 7:00pm ET
Rangers @ Hurricanes 7:00
Senators @ Bruins 7:00
Blues @ Red Wings 7:30
Flames @ Stars 8:30
Sharks @ Oilers 9:30
Kings @ Coyotes 10:00
Ducks @ Canucks 10:00 (Game of the Night)