NHL Final Scores & Recap

Boston, MA - Glen Metropolit’s pair of third period goals were the difference, as Boston knocked off Nashville, 3-1, at TD Banknorth Garden. Marco Sturm also lit the lamp for the Bruins, winners in four of their last five outings. Tim Thomas was huge in net, recording 37 saves for his second straight victory. Alex Radulov tallied for the Predators, who have dropped two in a row after a three-game win streak. Chris Mason allowed all three goals on 28 shots in defeat.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 4, New Jersey 2

Newark, NJ - Ryan Malone put Pittsburgh ahead late in the second period and added an insurance goal on the power play in the third, as the Penguins began the post All-Star break portion of the season with a 4-2 win over New Jersey at the Prudential Center. Erik Christensen and Jordan Staal also scored for the Penguins, who have won two of their last three road games. Ty Conklin made 23 saves in the win. Mike Rupp scored both goals for New Jersey, which has dropped four of its last six games overall. Marty Brodeur allowed four goals on 27 shots in the loss. New Jersey defensemen struggled through a tough night on the back line, as three of Pittsburgh’s four goals involved a defensive miscue by the Devils.

Final Score: Ottawa 5, NY Islanders 2

Uniondale, NY - Mike Fisher had a goal and an assist, as the Ottawa Senators emerged from the All- Star break with a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Chris Phillips, Andrej Meszaros, Jason Spezza and Dean McAmmond also lit the lamp for a Senators team looking to turn back on the jets. Ottawa was the best team in the Eastern Conference in the first half, but had dropped five of seven before the All-Star Game. Martin Gerber turned away 23 shots in the win. Bryan Berard and Sean Bergenheim each had a goal while Rick DePietro recorded 21 saves for New York, which has dropped four of five.

Final Score: Philadelphia 3, Los Angeles 2 (OT)

Philadelphia, PA - Scott Hartnell’s game-winner 4:31 into overtime lifted the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings, as both teams resumed play after the All-Star break at Wachovia Center. Braydon Coburn and Simon Gagne also scored for the Flyers, who have won six of their last seven games and moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with 61 points, as the Devils fell to Pittsburgh. Marty Biron turned aside 29 shots in the win. Anze Kopitar and Matt Moulson scored for the Kings, who are 2-2-1 since a three-game win streak in mid-January. Jason LaBarbera allowed three goals on 40 shots for Los Angeles, which will continue its season-high eight-game road trip in Uniondale on Thursday against the Islanders.

Final Score: Carolina 3, NY Rangers 1

Raleigh, NC - Cam Ward allowed a goal just over a minute into the first period, but didn’t allow another puck to get past him the rest of the night as the Carolina Hurricanes started the season’s second half with a 3-1 home win over the New York Rangers. Ward made 34 saves on the night and shut out New York for the game’s final 58 minutes and 58 seconds as the Hurricanes won for the third time in four games. Sergei Samsonov, Rod Brind’Amour and Trevor Letowski all scored goals for Carolina. Brendan Shanahan broke an eight game pointless streak with New York’s only goal, and Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves as the Rangers saw their two-game winning streak end. Scott Gomez and Jaromir Jagr each registered assists on Shanahan’s goal.

Final Score: Phoenix 4, Columbus 2

Columbus, OH - Peter Mueller scored twice as the Phoenix Coyotes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 at Nationwide Arena. Mathias Tjarnqvist had a goal and Radim Vrbata added an empty netter for the Coyotes, who have won three in a row. Ilya Bryzgalov made 22 saves for Phoenix, which won for the first time this season when trailing after two periods (1-18-0). Fredrik Modin and Jason Chimera tallied for the Blue Jackets, who had a franchise-long six-game home winning streak snapped.

Final Score: Buffalo 4, Tampa Bay 2

Tampa, FL - Jason Pominville registered a goal and two assists, as the Buffalo Sabres doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-2, at St. Pete Times Forum. Clarke MacArthur and Derek Roy each posted a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who have won two straight. Toni Lydman and Jochen Hecht each collected a pair of helpers, while Ryan Miller made 23 saves to notch his 20th win of the season. Vaclav Prospal had a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who have dropped two in a row following a three- game winning streak. Dan Boyle recorded two helpers and Johan Holmqvist allowed four goals on 26 shots in defeat.

Final Score: St. Louis 3, Toronto 2

Toronto, ON - Keith Tkachuk scored twice, as the St. Louis Blues snapped a seven-game winless streak with a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. David Backes posted a goal and an assist, and Manny Legace finished the game with 23 saves for the Blues. Jason Blake recorded a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped two straight and three of four overall. Darcy Tucker had two assists and Vesa Toskala allowed three goals on 19 shots in defeat.

Final Score: Montreal 4, Washington 0

Montreal, QC - Cristobal Huet made 35 saves to record his second shutout of the season as Montreal crowned Washington, 4-0, in the front end of a home-and-home from Bell Centre. Mark Streit, Sergei Kostitsyn, Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev each scored once for the Canadiens, winners in five of their last six. Brent Johnson made 36 stops in defeat for the Capitals, who lost for just the second time in their last six games.

Final Score: San Jose 3, Edmonton 0

Edmonton, AB - Evgeni Nabokov stopped all 13 shots he faced as the San Jose Sharks asserted their control of second place in the NHL’s Western Conference, roaring out of the All-Star break with a 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. Mike Grier and Patrick Rissmiller each recorded a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who stretched their winning streak to three games. Joe Pavelski’s 11th goal of the season midway through the second period proved to be the game winner. Mathieu Garon made 36 saves on 38 shots, but the Oilers offense was nonexistent as Edmonton lost for the fourth time in six games. Shawn Horcoff, Edmonton’s lone All-Star representative, was a minus-two in 23:13 of ice time.

Final Score: Dallas 4. Vancouver 3