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The NHL’s Eastern Conference lead has changed hands once again. The Tampa Bay Lightning are back on top, one point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens.
Rookie Cedric Paquette capped his first career hat trick by netting a short-handed goal in the Lightning’s 5-1 rout of Detroit. Paquette snapped a 1-1 tie late in the first period and guided Tampa Bay to its fourth victory in five games. Steven Stamkos and Mark Barberio also tallied as the Lightning ended the Red Wings’ six-game winning streak.
The Islanders had won six of seven before Tuukka Rask stopped 43 shots in Boston’s 5-2 triumph over New York. Milan Lucic and Reilly Smith each had a goal and two assists in the Bruins’ seventh victory in nine games.
Montreal picked up its fourth straight win by beating the New York Rangers 1-0 on Max Pacioretty’s goal with 4:17 remaining. Carey Price handled 24 shots in his third shutout of the season and 28th of his career.
Anaheim’s lead in the Western Conference is down to two points over Nashville. Barclay Goodrow and James Sheppard each had a goal and an assist while San Jose was scoring five times in the second period to take a 6-1 lead in a 6-3 rout of the Ducks. Patrick Marleau also had a goal and an assist for the Sharks.
The Predators picked up a point on Anaheim, although T.J. Oshie scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as St. Louis downed Nashville 5-4. Kevin Shattenkirk provided the deciding shootout goal that sent the Blues to their eighth victory in nine games, leaving St. Louis four points behind the Central Division-leading Predators.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
– Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds furnished a goal and an assist apiece in Philadelphia’s 5-2 triumph over Winnipeg. Steve Mason made 36 saves as the Flyers handed the Jets their second straight loss since a five-game winning streak.
– Sean Bergenheim’s goal with 6:52 remaining lifted Florida past Columbus 3-2. Roberto Luongo stopped 30 shots to help the Panthers pull within six points of the Rangers for the final East playoff berth.
– Dallas blew a 3-0 lead before John Klingberg scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period of the Stars’ 6-3 win over the Senators. Jason Spezza was held scoreless in his return to Ottawa.
– Devan Dubnyk stopped 30 shots and Zach Parise scored the only goal in Minnesota’s 1-0 shutout of Calgary. The Flames still own a one-point lead over Los Angeles in the battle for the final Western Conference playoff berth.
– Third-period goals by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Martin Hanzal and Sam Gagner lifted Arizona over Toronto 3-1. The Maple Leafs have scored just seven times during their eight-game losing streak.
– Buffalo extended its losing streak to 13 games as Matt Fraser and Anton Lander each had a goal and two assists in Edmonton’s 3-2 triumph over the Sabres. Ben Scrivens needed to make just 17 saves to preserve the win.
NHL-BRODEUR
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Martin Brodeur has officially announced his retirement as an NHL player.
The all-time leader in victories and shutouts has accepted a front-office position with St. Louis, where he wrapped up his career after 21 outstanding years with the Devils. He said he is leaving the game with a smile on his face and excited about his next opportunity.
Brodeur ends his career with 691 victories, 125 shutouts, a 2.24 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. He said he would certainly entertain a return to the Devils as a team executive.
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SUPER BOWL/NFL
NFL officiating chief Dean Blandino says the inspection of the footballs by referee Walt Anderson before the AFC championship game was handled properly.
But Blandino also said the process of checking the footballs and security surrounding the inspections will be enhanced for Sunday’s Super Bowl.
As the league’s investigation into the Patriots’ use of under-inflated footballs moves along, Blandino made it clear the officiating crew for New England’s win over Indianapolis did its job.
As Blandino put it, “Officiating is not part of the investigation.”
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CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) – Tom Brady’s cold continues to be big news in Phoenix as the Patriots and Seahawks gear up for Sunday’s Super Bowl. The Patriots quarterback still sounded congested when he said Thursday “I expect to be 100 per cent on Sunday. I’ll be ready to go.”
He participated fully in practice on Wednesday and said he felt a lot better today.
On the Seattle side of things, running back Marshawn Lynch actually made some comments to reporters. In short he simply said he’s got nothing to talk about. He left after his mandatory five minutes.
In actual football news, Seahawks’ coach Pete Carroll says the referees will use hand signals to indicate clearly when normally eligible receivers check in the Super Bowl as ineligible, a technique the Patriots have used in the post-season. Carroll spoke about conversations he had with league officials after Seattle and New England reached the Super Bowl to get an understanding how those players would be identified.
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CLEVELAND (AP) – Browns receiver Josh Gordon says his latest trouble with the NFL results from having a few drinks with teammates on a flight to Las Vegas on Jan. 2, after Cleveland’s season ended.
The former Pro Bowler was suspended for last season after testing positive for marijuana, and he says the penalty was reduced in part by his willingness to agree not to drink alcohol for the rest of the season. Gordon said in an open letter on Medium that he accepts responsibility for a failed alcohol test that could bring another suspension from the league.
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PHOENIX (AP) – The NFL says the rate of concussions among players fell 25 per cent this season, even as injury reporting and trips to injured reserve lists rose overall.
Data provided to The Associated Press by the NFL ahead of its annual pre-Super Bowl health and safety news conference shows there were 111 concussions in games during the 2014 regular season, down from 148 in 2013, and 173 in 2012. That’s a 36 per cent drop over that three-year span.
League Senior Vice-President of Health and Safety Jeff Miller says the reason things have changed is because the players have changed the way they are tackling.
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WASTE MANAGEMENT OPEN
PHOENIX — Tiger Woods has opened his 2015 PGA schedule with a 2-over 73 in the first round of the Phoenix Open. Woods was plus-5 following four bogeys, a double-bogey and a birdie, but he rallied with an eagle on the par-5 13th hole.
Ryan Palmer was the clubhouse leader after carding five birdies and an eagle for a 7-under 64, one shot ahead of Bubba Watson and Keegan Bradley. Daniel Berger was on the course at minus-6 when play was suspended by darkness.
Weyburn, SK’s Graham DeLaet carded a -4 which has him tied for ninth entering day two.
(CP)
