***** National Hockey League Previews from The Sports Network *****
Monday, March 15th
(All times eastern)
BOSTON BRUINS (30-25-12) AT NEW JERSEY DEVILS (40-24-3), 7 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The Devils learned last time out that they can't take any
opponent lightly. New Jersey will keep that in mind tonight when it shoots for
a third straight win against Boston, while the Bruins try to avoid losing
their grip on the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot at Prudential
Center.
Coming off big wins over the Rangers and Penguins, the Devils visited the
Islanders on Saturday to take on a New York club that at the time sat 14th
among the 15 teams in the East. However, New Jersey was dealt a 4-2 setback
and failed to move into a tie with Atlantic Division-leading Pittsburgh. The
Devils now trail the Pens by four points in the standings after Pittsburgh
defeated Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Mike Mottau and Ilya Kovalchuk each found the back of the net for the Devils,
who play two straight and five of their next six at home, where they have won
three straight.
With New Jersey playing the second of back-to-back games, former Islander
netminder Yann Danis filled in for the resting Martin Brodeur and allowed four
goals on 29 shots in defeat. It was Danis' first start since Feb. 2.
"We came out and played a real strong first 15 minutes of the game," said
Devils forward Jamie Langenbrunner. "We were really in control and then we
stopped playing for you know 35 minutes or whatever it was. We can't do that."
Brodeur should resume his starting role tonight and is 23-15-0 with eight ties
and a 2.43 goals-against average lifetime versus the Bruins. He won his lone
start versus them this year, stopping 32 shots on Nov. 27 in a 2-1 shootout
victory.
That win was the Devils' second in as many games versus the Bruins this year.
New Jersey has won four of five and eight of its last 11 overall versus Boston
as well as four of the last five played in the Garden State.
The Bruins head to Jersey with just a one-point edge over the Rangers for the
eighth and final playoff spot in the East, though New York is idle tonight and
has played two more games.
Boston has dropped three of its last four, including Saturday's 3-2 setback in
Montreal. Tuukka Rask made 24 saves, but also misplayed a dump in off the
boards in the third period that allowed Montreal to score and take a two-goal
edge. Milan Lucic later scored in the frame, but the Bruins failed to net the
equalizer.
Blake Wheeler also tallied for the Bruins, who fell to 2-2-1 on a seven-game
road trip, their longest of the season.
"We had a slow start, no question about that, we came out so sluggishly," said
Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. "The whole first period put us behind by a margin
we find hard to come back from, but even so we battled hard."
Rask was making his second start in a row, but it is unknown who will start
tonight. Rask has started three of Boston's seven games since the Olympic
break and is 0-0-2 with a 1.73 GAA in two games (1 start) lifetime versus the
Devils. He made 36 saves in November's shootout loss.
Tim Thomas, meanwhile, has started the other four games since the break and is
4-4-3 with a 2.36 GAA in his career against New Jersey.
EDMONTON OILERS (21-40-7) AT COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (27-31-11), 7 P.M.
(Sports Network) - With both clubs headed towards disappointing finishes to
the 2009-10 season, the Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets face each
other for the final time this year tonight at Nationwide Arena.
Columbus made the postseason for the first time in club history a season ago,
but currently sits 14th in the Western Conference with 65 points, 13 back of a
postseason spot. The only team the Blue Jackets are ahead of in the West
standings are the Oilers, who are last in the NHL with 49 points and will miss
the playoffs for a fourth straight season.
The Blue Jackets have won two of three over the Oilers this year, winning each
of the last two meetings. Columbus picked up a 3-2 shootout victory over
Edmonton on Nov. 16 in the only meeting so far this year at Nationwide Arena,
with Jakub Voracek getting the winner in the shootout.
Voracek had the only goal in Saturday's 5-1 loss to St. Louis as Columbus lost
for the sixth time in its last eight games. Steve Mason made 31 saves.
"We have to keep stepping up as individuals," forward R.J. Umberger said. "We
chased all game and they had puck possession and we could not get it at all.
It wasn't like we were passing up opportunities to shoot this time, we just
didn't have the puck at all. It's tough to play like that."
Columbus was without two of its top three scorers, as Rick Nash missed his
third straight game due to a lower-body injury and Kristian Huselius sat out
for the third time in four contests because of a lower-body issue. Nash leads
Columbus with 28 goals and 57 points, while Huselius is tied for the team lead
with 31 assists and is third with 49 points.
Huselius, though, could return tonight after skating on Sunday, but Nash is
doubtful as he is also now battling illness.
Mason is 2-1-0 with a 2.68 goals-against average in three career starts versus
the Blue Jackets, but has yet to face them this year. Instead, Mathieu Garon
has posted a 2.93 GAA in the three meetings.
The Oilers come to town after dropping a 6-4 decision in Toronto on Saturday.
Dustin Penner had a goal and two assists while Andrew Cogliano, Gilbert Brule
and Aaron Johnson all scored. However, the Oilers dropped their third straight
overall and lost for the 15th time in their last 16 road games.
Jeff Deslauriers stopped 23-of-28 shots before being pulled after the second
period. Devan Dubnyk made 18 saves in relief.
"It was disappointing for a few of our guys tonight," said Oilers coach Pat
Quinn, who coached his first game at Air Canada Center since being fired by
Toronto after the 2005-06 season. "They seemed lost in our zone. For 10
minutes we were fine, but I haven't played in a 10-minute game in a long time.
It wasn't good enough for us."
Deslauriers has never faced the Blue Jackets while Dubnyk stopped 25-of-29
shots in his only ever start versus them. That came in a 4-2 setback at
Edmonton on Jan. 7 in the most recent meeting between the teams.
DETROIT RED WINGS (33-23-12) AT CALGARY FLAMES (34-25-9), 9:30 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The last time the Flames took on the Red Wings, they walked
away with two points and the eighth spot in the Western Conference.
Calgary will hope for similar results tonight at Pengrowth Saddledome versus
Detroit, which will by aiming to hold onto the conference's final playoff
position in the opener of a three-game tour of Western Canada.
The Flames visited the Red Wings last Tuesday and rallied for a 4-2 victory as
Rene Bourque assisted on the tying goal early in the third period before
netting the game-winner with 12:44 to play in the frame. An empty-net goal by
Christopher Higgins sealed Calgary's win and moved the club a point up on
Detroit in the standings.
However, after both teams picked up victories on Thursday, the Red Wings
jumped back ahead of the Flames for the eighth spot with a 3-2 overtime
victory on Saturday, giving them 78 points to Calgary's 77. The Flames then
failed to alter the standings again on Sunday, dropping a 3-1 decision in
Vancouver to remain a point back of the Red Wings.
Brian Rafalski, who had a pair of assists for the Red Wings last week versus
the Flames, made sure Detroit walked away with two points on Saturday as he
scored an overtime power-play goal 31 seconds into the frame. The defenseman
one-timed a Nicklas Lidstrom feed through a screen from the left circle.
"Every point is crucial right here," Rafalski said. "Obviously, going into
Calgary on Monday could decide the playoffs. We wanted to make sure we got the
two [points] here."
Pavel Datsyuk and Patrick Eaves each had a goal for the Red Wings, who blew an
early two-goal lead but have won five of seven since the Olympic break. Jimmy
Howard made 24 stops for Detroit.
Knowing the Red Wings had moved past them in the standings, the Flames carried
a four-game winning streak into Vancouver on Sunday. However, Calgary yielded
three first-period goals and never recovered in the two-tally deficit.
Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 17-of-20 shots faced in the first period before being
lifted and Vesa Toskala halted all eight shots fired his way in the second.
Calgary did not allow a shot in the third frame, but only managed one goal by
Robyn Regehr in the period.
"We spotted them three goals. It could have been more in the first period,"
Jarome Iginla said. "After that we played a lot better. We take our own blame,
but you also have to give them credit."
Calgary won both meetings in Detroit this season but did drop a 3-1 decision
at home to the Red Wings back on Oct. 31. Tonight marks the final regular-
season meeting between the clubs.
03/15 10:36:48 ET
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