On Sunday, the Flyers got a big win, the Blackhawks clinched the Central Division title, and the Canucks clinched the Northwest Division title. But our Game of the Night comes from Denver, where the Avalanche got what head coach Joe Sacco called their "biggest win of the year."
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5 (OT)It wasn't technically a "must win" for 8th-place Colorado, but it was as close as it could get after seeing their lead over 9th-place Calgary evaporate the other night. They had to face the Western Conference leaders in their battle to bounce back.
San Jose would open up a 2-0 lead on goals by Douglas Murray and Jamie McGinn less than 9 minutes into the game, only to see the Avalanche score 4-straight goals after that.
Kyle Quincey closed out the 1st period with a goal to cut the lead to 2-1. Peter Mueller would then tally twice for Colorado in the 2nd period, giving the Avalanche a 3-2 lead after 2.
20 seconds into the 3rd, Paul Stastny made it 4-2 Avalanche on the power-play. But the 3rd-highest offensive team in the NHL wouldn't go down easy.
Patrick Marleau made it a 4-3 Avalanche lead with under 12 minutes left in regulation. The tying goal would come off the stick of Joe Pavelski with 5:19 to go.
But the Avalanche would get the big goal they badly needed 2:59 into the overtime from John-Michael Liles to give Colorado the 5-4 win.
The Avalanche hadn't scored more than 3 goals in regulation in their last 8, going 1-6-1. But they finally found their offense, outshooting the Sharks 40-22.
Evgeni Nabokov stopped 35 shots for the Sharks while Craig Anderson made 18 saves for the Avalanche.
The Sharks' point gives them 107, remaining 1st in the Western Conference. They are 2 points up on Chicago with 3 games left and have played 1 more game than the Blackhawks.
Colorado's win combined with tonight's Flames' loss gives the Avalanche 8th-place back all to themselves. They have 91 points, 2 up on Calgary, and have 4 games remaining while the Flames only have 3 games left.
The 8-spot in the Western Conference is now the only one left to fight for, as teams 1 through 7 have all clinched.
*Note- the Sharks' loss also makes the Washington Capitals the winners of the President's Trophy for the best record in the NHL's regular season. The Capitals will have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
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Red Wings 3 Flyers 4
NBC's Game of the Week proved to be another dandy, as Philadelphia got a huge win for their playoff hopes and handed Detroit their 1st regulation loss in their last 13 games in the process. The Flyers are still in 8th-place in the East, tied in points with Boston for 7th with 84, but are now 2 points up on the Rangers, who sit in 9th, and 3 points up on the 10th-place Thrashers. The Flyers and Thrashers have 3 games left, while the Rangers have 4 to go. The Flyers and the Rangers will end the year with a home-and-home, and it will likely be a deciding factor in which team makes the postseason. Detroit's loss keeps them 6th in the West with 96 points, 2 back of Nashville for 5th and 1 up on L.A. who are in 7th. But Calgary's loss to Chicago later in the night clinches a playoff spot for the Red Wings for the 19th-straight season.
Flames 1 Blackhawks 4
A big loss for Calgary to the hands of Chicago moves the Blackhawks a point closer to top spot in the Western Conference. Chicago has 105 points on the year, now 2 back of San Jose for 1st in the West with a game-in-hand on the Sharks. The Flames, however, can't keep pace with Colorado. They stay at 89 points, 2 back of the Avalanche for the 8th and final playoff spot. They have 3 games left and have played 1 more game than the Avalanche.
*Note- Calgary's loss also clinches a playoff spot for the Los Angeles Kings--their 1st since 2001-2002.
Wild 3 Canucks 4 (OT)
Vancouver salvages their Northwest Division-clinching win after what was an unbelievable ending. Alexander Edler scored an empty-net goal with 55 seconds left in regulation to give the Canucks a 3-1 lead. But hold your horses. Cody Almond scored his 1st NHL goal for the Wild with 42 seconds to go, cutting the lead back to 1. And with 19 seconds left, Antti Miettinen would tie the game at 3, absolutely stunning the GM Place crowd--or at least the people that hadn't headed for the exits thinking the game was wrapped up. But Sami Salo would get the goal in overtime on the power-play to give the Canucks the 4-3 win, clinching the Northwest Division title. They are up to 100 points and remain 3rd in the West with 3 games to play. Minnesota is 13th in the West with 81 points.
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Monday's Schedule:
Bruins @ Capitals, 7:00, Versus
Blue Jackets @ Blues, 8:00
Wild @ Oilers, 9:30
