NHL

NHL: Avalanche, Capitals stay hot

By Sports Desk March 25, 2024

Jonathan Drouin's goal 54 seconds into overtime capped an improbable rally for the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, who increased their winning streak to nine games with Sunday's 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Avalanche trailed 4-0 late in the second period before erupting for five unanswered goals, the last coming when Drouin skated by Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang up the right side before slipping a shot past goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic less than a minute into extra time.

Drouin finished with two goals and an assist, while Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists to extend his streak of consecutive home games with at least one point to 34, the second-longest run in NHL history.

While the Avalanche remained tied with the Dallas Stars atop the Central Division, the Penguins were dealt another blow to their fading play-off hopes with a third consecutive defeat. Pittsburgh currently stands in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and is now nine points behind in the race for the final wild-card spot.

Sean Walker and Yakov Trenin began Colorado's comeback with goals in the final four minutes of the second period, and Drouin cut Pittsburgh's lead to 4-3 when he one-timed a cross-ice pass from MacKinnon into the Penguins' net 3:32 into the third.

MacKinnon's 44th goal of the season later tied the contest with 4:38 remaining in regulation.

The Penguins dominated the first period, outshooting Colorado by a 15-4 margin and building a 2-0 lead on goals by Jesse Puljujarvi and Bryan Rust. They extended the margin to 4-0 when Sidney Crosby and Pierre-Olivier Joseph scored less than two minutes apart in the second.

Crosby finished with three assists in addition to his 34th goal of the season.

Nedeljkovic stopped 21 of 25 shots and briefly left the game in the third period after colliding with Colorado's Casey Mittelstadt. Tristan Jarry came on in relief and turned back 4 of 5 chances while surrendering MacKinnon's tying goal. 

Alexandar Georgiev finished with 30 saves for Colorado.

 

Oveckhin, Capitals continue surge with shutout of Jets

Alex Ovechkin extended his hot stretch with two more goals to back Charlie Lindgren's 27 saves as the Washington Capitals continued their climb in the Eastern Conference standings with a 3-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

John Carlson added a goal and T.J. Oshie contributed two assists to Washington's fifth victory in six games, a result that pushed the Capitals one point ahead of Detroit for the East's final wild-card spot. Washington hosts the Red Wings on Tuesday in an important late-season clash.

Both Lindgren and Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck were perfect through two periods, but the Capitals finally broke the scoreless stalemate when Carlson one-timed a feed from Oshie past the Jets' star netminder on a power play 1:21 into the third.

Ovechkin put Washington up 2-0 just over two minutes afterward, then beat Hellebuyck on a backhand attempt with eight minutes to go as the legendary forward increased his goal streak to five games. Oveckhin has eight goals during the run.

Lindgren had seven third-period saves to polish off his fifth shutout of the season and hand the scuffling Jets a third consecutive loss.

Hellebuyck ended with 16 saves.

 

Andersen sharp again as Hurricanes top Maple Leafs

Frederik Andersen made 32 saves to remain unbeaten since returning from injury as the Carolina Hurricanes held on for an important 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Andersen made first-period goals from Brady Skjei and Sebastian Aho stand up to win his sixth consecutive start since coming back from a blood-clotting issue that had sidelined him for four months.

The victory was the ninth in 11 games (9-1-1) for Carolina, which trails the New York Rangers by just one point for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Toronto had a two-game winning streak snapped despite 41 saves from Joseph Woll, who also turned back Jake Guentzel on a penalty shot in the first period.

Woll was beaten early, however, as Skjei scored on the Hurricanes' first shot of the game with just 1:06 elapsed into the contest.

Aho converted a power-play chance later in the first period to extend the margin, and Andersen made 20 saves through the first two periods before Toronto's Nicholas Robertson ended the shutout bid 8:51 into the third.

The Maple Leafs had an opportunity to tie it later on after Carolina defenseman Brent Burns was called for a tripping penalty with 3:15 remaining, but the Hurricanes were able to kill off the resulting power play.

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    Seven-time NHL All-Star Johnny Gaudreau was killed Thursday night when struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding a bicycle, New Jersey State Police announced Friday. He was 31.

    Gaudreau's younger brother, Matthew, 29, also sufffered fatal injuries in the incident that occurred near their hometown of Carneys Point, New Jersey.

    Johnny Gaudreau, a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and his brother were both in the area to attend their sister's wedding scheduled Friday in Philadelphia.

    According to the State Police, both Gaudreau brothers were struck from behind by a Jeep Grand Cherokee that was attempting to pass another vehicle on the right. Police responded at 8:19 p.m. Eastern Time and pronounced both men dead at the scene.

    The driver of the vehicle, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto after being taken to the Salem County Correctional Facility.

    "The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy," the team said in a statement. "Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew."

    Johnny Gaudreau spent the last two seasons with the Blue Jackets following a stellar nine-year run with the Calgary Flames in which he made six All-Star teams and topped 30 goals in a season three times. He signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract with Columbus as a free agent in July 2022.

    The former Boston College standout also received the Lady Byng Trophy, which honours the NHL player who best exhibits sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct in addition to a high standard of playing ability, for the 2016-17 season.

    Johnny Gaudreau compiled 243 goals and 500 assists in 743 NHL regular-season games. His best season was his final one for the Flames in 2021-22, when he tied for second in the NHL with 115 points and finished third overall with 70 assists while helping Calgary win the Pacific Division.

    "Our hearts are broken by this devastating loss," the Flames said in a statement. "Johnny was and always will be a member of the Flames family and loved by all of Calgary. It was our privilege to call Johnny our teammate for nine amazing years in Calgary. He came to Calgary as a young man and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice, but also a beloved member of our community.

    The pain we feel for Johnny’s wife Meredith, children Noa and Johnny, parents Jane and Guy, sisters Kristen and Katie, and the entire Gaudreau family is immense."

    Johnny Gaudreau also represented the United States several times in the IIHF World Championships and holds the U.S. records for career assists (30) and points (43) in that event, moving past Patrick Kane in both categories at the 2024 edition back in May.

    The Flames selected Gaudreau in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, and he signed with the team three years later following a brilliant college career at Boston College. The 5-foot-9 forward helped the Eagles win the 2012 NCAA championship and later won the Hobey Baker Award honouring the nation's top collegiate player in 2014.

    “Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice," the Blue Jackets said. "He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets. He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could.

    "The impact he had on our organisation and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him. Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy."

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    The Challenger Series is a new tournament involving Puerto Rico, Lebanon, and Jamaica, who are all associate members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

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    Marchessault and Stamkos were teammates for parts of the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

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    He began his career with the New York Rangers in 2015 and was traded to Carolina in February 2020.

    Nashville was eliminated in the first round of the post-season in 2023-24 and has not won a play-off series since advancing to the Western Conference semi-finals in 2018.

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