Wild snap ugly skid behind Khudobin
Roberto Luongo, Cory Schneider, Niklas Backstrom, Anton Khudobin. Seems like it really doesn't matter who plays goal when Vancouver goes to Minnesota. The result is always the same.
Playing because of injuries to the team's top two goalies, Khudobin recorded his first career shutout by making 32 saves to lead the Wild past Vancouver, 4-0. The Canucks have lost their last four games in Minnesota by a combined 21-6 margin. Minnesota entered the game having lost three in a row overall by a score of 13-2.
The Canucks have followed up a 17-game points streak by being blanked in two of their last three games.
Matt Cullen scored shorthanded and also had an assist and Andrew Brunette, Martin Havlat and John Madden also had goals.
Selanne nets two, point 1,300, Ducks hang on
I thought the AP story would've made a bigger deal about this but it was left to the "Notes" section. At least it was the first note.
Teemu Selanne scored a pair of goals, giving him 1,301 points for his career, and Anaheim held off Edmonton for a 3-2 victory. The Ducks led 3-0 before the Oilers netted twice in 26 seconds shortly before the second period ended. Then Anaheim had to kill a 5-on-3 disadvantage turned into a 6-on-3 when Edmonton pulled Nikolai Khabibulin in the game's final minutes.
Lubomir Visnovsky had two assists and Curtis McElhinney made 23 saves for Anaheim. Sam Gagner led Edmonton with a goal and assist.
Washington surges past Ottawa
Kevin Allen of USA Today came out with an article of 10 things wrong with Ottawa. My question: Only 10?
Washington scored three times in just over six minutes in the third period to erase a one-goal deficit and earn a 3-1 win over the Senators. Brooks Laich got a lucky bounce for his goal, John Carlson scored on the power play just 45 seconds later after a silly penalty by Milan Michalek, and Jason Chimera capped off the scoring. Michal Neuvirth made 22 saves for the win, which probably means he'll start the next three games despite how good Semyon Varlamov has been.
Late charge not enough as Rangers fall to Philadelphia
New York got a goal and assist from Wojtek Wolski and Derek Stepan - with Mats Zuccarello assisting on both goals - just over two minutes apart midway through the third period but it wasn't enough as Philadelphia hung on for a 3-2 win. Ville Leino had a goal and assist to lead the Flyers and Mike Richards' shorthanded goal was the winner. Brian Boucher made 34 saves.
Chicago roars past collapsing Nashville
The Blackhawks scored four times in the final 10 minutes to turn a 3-2 Nashville lead into a 6-3 Chicago victory. Troy Brouwer scored twice in 40 seconds and Dave Bolland also had two goals in support of Marty Turco's 20 saves. J.P. Dumont had a pair for the Predators.
Thoughts
--Vancouver seems to have hit a bit of a rough patch after that long streak of points, similar to what the Penguins did after their long winning streak.
--As for the Wild, it seems like every time you think they're out, they pull you right back in.
--I don't know why Philadelphia hates Sergei Bobrovsky now. He would've been the frontrunner for the Calder Trophy, now he never plays. Boucher gave up six goals his previous outing and Bobrovsky was coming off two very good outings. Oh well, it worked. Bobrovsky has played only two of Philadelphia's seven January games, and you're damn right I'm a disgruntled fantasy owner who was hoping a good Bobrovsky start would've helped me out on Sunday.
--It's only mid-January, but that Pittsburgh-Washington first-round series is looking like a big possibility.
--Anaheim and Chicago seem to be on a little steadier ground in the West.
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