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PITTSBURGH -- Although the Penguins have been involved in two previous outdoor games -- playing in Buffalo in the inaugural Winter Classic in Buffalo in 2008 and hosting the Winter Classic at Heinz Field in 2011 -- there was still excitement voiced about the opportunity to take part in another outdoor game, this one March 1 in Chicago against the Blackhawks.

Defenseman Paul Martin grew up in Minnesota and playing outdoors was part of his childhood.

"It takes you back. For me, I grew up skating on the pond," he said.

Martin took part in the 2011 Winter Classic as a member of the Penguins and is looking forward to the Chicago event.

"Definitely, we all enjoyed it," he said.

Penguins president David Morehouse told ESPN.com these events are important especially after the lockout.

There has to be a greater emphasis on marketing the league "and how we project the game," Morehouse said.

"We have to be less of a tribal sport and more of a broader sport, where people watch games just to watch the games, not just their teams, and I think these kinds of things help that," he said.

Because the Olympic tournament is dominated by NHL players, Morehouse also likes that the Chicago game will follow the end of the Olympic tournament, and perhaps act as a catalyst toward keeping the casual fan who might have been following the Olympics to stick with the NHL game.

"I think as we're trying to broaden and expand the brand and get more and more casual hockey fans to be deeper and more energetic hockey fans, these are the kinds of things we're going to have to do," Morehouse said.

"I think we're enthusiastic about these types of events and we’ll always say 'yes' when we're asked," he added.

Experience issues

One of the key storylines of the Islanders-Penguins series will be the lack of playoff experience in New York's lineup. Sixteen Islanders available to play in this series have never played in an NHL playoff game, including key personnel John Tavares, Matt Moulson and Josh Bailey.

But one player who has been down this road a few times is netminder Evgeni Nabokov, who leads the team with 80 postseason appearances.

His importance to the club and the Isles ability to stay close against the heavily favored Penguins cannot be overstated.

"I think with Nabby, he's an extension of your coaching staff," head coach Jack Capuano said Wednesday.

"He's a guy that can settle the room down. I know over the last couple of days we've had some real good meetings with our hockey club and he's been pretty vocal about his experience, along with a few others," the coach said.

Nabokov played in 41 of 48 games for the Isles this season.

"It's a long series, and the one thing I think that Nabby will tell you there's no panic no matter what happens. There's going to be surges, there's going to be momentum throughout the course of the game and throughout the series," Capuano said.

Blues 2, Kings 1 F/OT (Blues lead 1-0)
* Alexander Steen (STL): 4th player since 1990 with postseason short-handed goal in OT (Source: Elias Sports Bureau)
* Alexander Steen (STL): 2nd career OT goal (1st in postseason)
* Alexander Steen (STL): scored both goals in game (didn't have a multi-goal game this season)
* STL: snap 8-game losing streak vs LA dating back to last season (reg. season and postseason)
* Justin Williams (LA): scored game-tying goal with 32 seconds left in game
* LA: was 4-0 in OT in last year's postseason
* LA: 1st defending champ to lose 1st postseason game in OT since Red Wings on April 10, 2003
FROM ELIAS:
Shorthanded Goals In Overtime
Stanley Cup Playoffs Since 1990
Team
Tue. Alexander Steen Blues
2006 Fernando Pisani Oilers
2006 Jason Pominville Sabres
1990 Tony Granato Kings

Ducks 3, Red Wings 1 (Ducks lead series 1-0)
* Teemu Selanne (ANA): 42nd career playoff goal (7th among active players); 11th career GW playoff goal (T-6th most among active players)
* Ducks: 2-4 on power play (led Western Conference in power-play pct during regular season)
* Jonas Hiller (ANA): 21 saves on 22 shots (fewest shots faced, fewest saves in a playoff game in his career)
* Red Wings: lost playoff opener for 2nd straight year (lost in 5 games in 1st round last year)
FROM THE ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU: Teemu Selanne broke a 1-1 tie with a power play goal early in the third period and the Ducks went on to take a 3-1 victory over the Red Wings in Game One. The 42-year-old Selanne became the second-oldest player ever to score a game-winning goal in the NHL playoffs; Mark Recchi was 43 when he was credited with the game-winning goal in the Bruins’ 8-1 victory over the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final two years ago. (Recchi scored early in the second period of that game, making the score 2-0, and was credited with the game-winning goal in a game in which Boston had a 5-0 lead at the time that Vancouver scored in the third period.)

Blackhawks 2, Wild 1 (Blackhawks lead series 1-0)
* Bryan Bickell (CHI): game-winning goal in OT (2nd career OT goal in postseason, has 0 career in regular season)
* Marian Hossa (CHI): 37th career playoff goal (tied for 100th most all-time with Wendel Clark, Simon Gagne and Larry Murphy)
* Blackhawks: 1st series lead since winning Stanley Cup in 2010
* Cal Clutterbuck (MIN): 1st career playoff goal
FROM THE ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU: The Blackhawks defeated the Wild, 2-1, in their playoff opener, when Bryan Bickell scored 16:35 into overtime. Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville was behind the bench in a Stanley Cup game for the 140th time in his career, while Minnesota’s Mike Yeo was coaching in his first NHL postseason game. The 139-game difference in playoff experience between the two head coaches is the largest in an NHL postseason series since the 2002 Stanley Cup Final, when Detroit’s Scotty Bowman (348 games of playoff experience entering the series) faced Carolina’s Paul Maurice (30 games); Bowman and the Red Wings won that series in five games.

We're not privy to the NHL's marketing slogan for the 2013-14 season, but it might be something like "Go Big or Go Home, but Definitely Go Outdoors."

Of course, if you read much of the negative commentary surrounding the NHL's decision to multiply its successful outdoor game model like so many bunnies next season -- with six in-the-elements events on the docket -- you'd think the league was determined to bring back the glowing puck and make all its players wear uniforms with blinking lights.

The NHL announced Wednesday the first plank in its ambitious stadium series of outdoor games for the 2013-14 season, a March 1 date at Soldier Field in Chicago between the Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins, set for 8 p.m. ET.

Over the next week or so, the league will unveil its plans for two outdoor games during Super Bowl at Yankee Stadium involving all three New York-area teams; one at Dodger Stadium between the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 25; and another installment of the Heritage Classic in Vancouver between the Canucks and the Ottawa Senators to be held the same weekend as the Soldier Field event.

These games are in addition to the previously announced Winter Classic to be held Jan. 1, 2014, in Ann Arbor, Mich., between Original Six rivals, the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

When news first broke last month that the NHL was going to take its product outdoors for a total of six games next season, it was interesting to note the instant boo-hooing that arose, mostly from the media.

Oh, too many outdoor games.

Oh, it'll turn the Winter Classic into a cheap dime-store version of its former self.

Oh, it'll rain.

Oh, it'll be too hot.

Oh, the league just wants to make money.

Funny how it works, but the NHL has long been criticized -- and rightly so -- for being too timid, too parochial, too unwilling to seize the moment and work at becoming more than just a niche sport in the United States.

Outdoor games aren't a panacea for all that ails the NHL, but when the league does think outside the box, it is flayed in some quarters.

Yes, these outdoor games are financially successful. Is that a reason not to do more of them?

Funny how much of the criticism of the league has come from the media, and yet we haven't heard much carping from the fans themselves.

Are people in California upset with the opportunity to take in an evening of hockey at Dodger Stadium? Don't think so. And unless we are completely off base (get it, a baseball reference for this game?) the tickets to the first regular-season outdoor game on the West Coast will go in a heartbeat.

Assuming the event is well-received, it will also open the door to more outdoor opportunities in nontraditional markets.

Are the fans in the New York area -- where the NHL estimates there will be 1,000 accredited media members for the Super Bowl festivities leading up to the game in New Jersey on Feb. 2 -- barking at the fact that the New York Rangers will play the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils in twin games at Yankee Stadium?

Uh, no.

Think fans in Chicago will turn away from a chance to see their beloved Blackhawks and the Penguins at Soldier Field because they already hosted a Winter Classic in 2009?

That game between the Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, the second Winter Classic ever, is considered by Chicago officials to be a seminal event in that team's renaissance after years of being the butt of jokes throughout the sporting world.

The 2013-14 season provides an interesting opportunity for the NHL to try to write itself back into the good news department after another potentially catastrophic labor stoppage scuttled almost half the 2012-13 season.

In a matter of weeks, the NHL will formalize its relationship with the Olympics and agree to take part in the Sochi Games in February.

Two of the outdoor games, including the Soldier Field game, will take place the first weekend after the end of the Olympics and should provide a terrific lead-in to the stretch run of the regular season and be a nice reminder that the NHL is back in business after being shut down for the Olympic break (something that not all owners agree is a good thing).

As for the notion that introducing other outdoor events to the NHL landscape somehow cheapens the Winter Classic, which has evolved into the NHL's most important regular-season date, the schedule of events surrounding the Winter Classic in Michigan promises to make it the most successful iteration yet.

Each year the Winter Classic has grown in scope, and the net it has cast around the hockey community has grown. The event next year involving the Red Wings, postponed this season because of the lockout, calls for multiple alumni games to be played at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit, along with games at various levels, including the major junior and college ranks.

NHL COO John Collins suggested in an interview that the Detroit Winter Classic will be the “granddaddy” of Winter Classics given the surrounding events, including those at Comerica Park, and the game itself at the Big House in Ann Arbor.

Whether it's been Boston or Philadelphia or Chicago, the Winter Classic games have captured the imagination of the local markets and become a touchstone for the casual fan, an elusive group the NHL has been courting for decades.

The fact that more fans than ever will be able to take part in these kinds of events next season can hardly diminish that dynamic.

"It's not just one lens you're looking at this through,” Collins told ESPN.com on the eve of the Soldier Field announcement. "You have to be at these events to understand how the game becomes a gathering point for a community, the way a community lights up around hockey."

"That local impact is incredibly powerful," Collins said.

Would the fans in California likely have a chance to take in a Winter Classic if the league stayed within some self-imposed limit of having one or two outdoor games a season? Not likely.

Is it important to return to big markets like Chicago, where the game continues to grow in importance? Absolutely.

But next season allows the NHL to broaden its appeal while still promoting its biggest markets, and its biggest stars, on the outdoor stage.

Are there risks with taking the NHL into the elements six times next season? Of course.

The league will purchase a new portable ice-making unit that will be used for the Dodger Stadium game, then transported up the coast to Vancouver for the Heritage Classic. But even as technology has evolved and given the league more opportunity to create pristine ice surfaces outdoors in different locales, there will always be concerns about the integrity of the game when you expose it to the natural elements.

Any time the league puts on one of these events, it courts disaster as it relates to how Mother Nature will react. It rained in Pittsburgh in 2011 and the Winter Classic had to be postponed a day.

There have been issues with sun and snow, and the potential for precipitation in Vancouver or in New York next season will always be there. But the league has contingency plans, and what might happen with the weather has become part of the fabric of the events themselves.

What happens moving forward will depend largely on how next season’s outdoor experiment works out.

"I think it’s fluid but we are working on a three-year plan," Collins said.

Added deputy commissioner Bill Daly, "Next year represents opportunities that aren't going to be there every year."

There is nothing to suggest the NHL will go outside five or six times every year, but if these events unfold as planned, you can bet the number of teams clamoring to host an outdoor game will only increase.

In the end, is that such a bad thing?

Good To Be President? The Stanley Cup playoffs begin Tuesday night with the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Blackhawks hosting the Wild. But Chicago should beware. Three of the last four Presidents’ Trophy winners have lost in the first round (conference quarterfinals), and only one of the last nine went on to win the Stanley Cup (Detroit in 2008).

Can You Repeat That? The Kings begin their quest to become the first repeat Stanley Cup champion since the Red Wings in 1997 & 1998. The 13-season drought without a repeat winner in the NHL is the third-longest of its kind among the four major professional sports. The NBA had an 18-season drought from 1970-87, while MLB had a 14-season drought from 1979-92.

The 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Tuesday as 3 Western Conference quarterfinals series begin. The Kings, trying to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the Red Wings in 1998, will take on the Blues. The Blackhawks, trying to become the first team to win the Stanley Cup after having the league’s most points in the regular season since the Red Wings in 2008, take on the Wild. And the Red Wings, making their 22nd straight playoff appearance, take on the Ducks.

2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Quarterfinals
8 Wild at 1 Blackhawks – Game 1 - 8 ET
* Blackhawks: went 2-0-1 vs Wild during regular season
* Blackhawks: won Presidents’ Trophy for league’s best regular season record (77 pts); a team has not won Presidents’ Trophy and Stanley Cup in same season since 2007-08 Red Wings
* Blackhawks: led all Western Conference teams in goals during regular season (155)
* Blackhawks: led NHL in team goals-against average during regular season (1.98)
* Wild: 1st playoff appearance since 2007-08 season
* Wild: have not won a playoff series since 2003 Western Conference Semifinals vs Canucks
* 1st-ever playoff series meeting between these teams

Playoff Results For Presidents’ Trophy Winners Since 2007-08
Winner Points Playoff Result
2012-13 Blackhawks 77 ?
2011-12 Canucks 111 Lost, Conf. Qtrs.
2010-11 Canucks 117 Lost, Cup Final
2009-10 Capitals 121 Lost, Conf. Qtrs.
2008-09 Sharks 117 Lost, Conf. Qtrs.
2007-08 Red Wings 115 Won Stanley Cup

5 Kings at 4 Blues – Game 1 – 8 ET
* Kings: trying to be 1st team to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions since Red Wings in 1997 & 1998
* Kings: 4th straight playoff appearance (team’s longest streak of playoff appearances since making playoffs 7 straight years from 1986-87 through 1992-93)
* Kings: went 3-0-0 vs Blues during regular season
* Kings: swept Blues in 2012 Conference Semifinals
* Blues: only 3rd playoff appearance in last 8 seasons (2nd straight playoff appearance)
* Blues: have won 2 of previous 3 playoff meetings vs Kings all-time

7 Red Wings at 2 Ducks – Game 1 – 10:30 ET
* Red Wings: 22nd straight playoff appearance (longest active postseason streak in the 4 major pro sports)
* Red Wings: went 2-1-0 vs Ducks during regular season
* Red Wings: 7 seed in team’s lowest seed since current playoff format was adopted in 1993-94 (are a 5 seed or lower for 3rd time in last 4 seasons)
* Henrik Zetterberg (DET): 3rd among active players in playoff goals (51)
* Ducks: only 2nd playoff appearance in last 4 seasons after making playoffs in 4 straight seasons from 2005-06 through 2008-09
* Ducks: 2 seed matches highest playoff seed in franchise history (2007 – won Stanley Cup that postseason)
* Ducks: led all Western Conference teams in power play percentage at 21.5 pct (4th overall)
* Red Wings have won 3 of 5 playoff series meetings vs Ducks all-time (Red Wings won last meeting in 2009 Conference Semifinals)

Longest Active Playoff Appearances Streaks
In The Four Major Pro Sports
NHL 22 Detroit Red Wings, 1990-91 to 2012-13
NBA 16 San Antonio Spurs, 1997-98 to 2012-13
NFL 5 Baltimore Ravens, 2008 to 2012
MLB 4 New York Yankees, 2009 to 2012

Blues 3, Blackhawks 1
Capitals 3, Bruins 2 (F/OT)
* Bruins: one point behind Canadiens, need win Sunday vs Senators to clinch Northeast Division and 2 seed
* Mike Green (WSH): 2 goals (11, 12); 3rd multi-goal game in last 3 seasons
* Eric Fehr (WSH): Goal (9); second game-winning goal this season
* Capitals: 7-0-1 in last 8 home games; 3 seed in East
FROM ELIAS: Capitals defenseman Mike Green scored two goals, both on power plays, in Washington’s 3–2 overtime win against the Bruins. It was the 14th multiple-goal game of Green’s NHL career and his sixth game with two power play goals. Green’s total of 14 multi-goal games stands second among active NHL defenseman, behind Sergei Gonchar (22); in addition, Green’s total of six multi-PPG games is the highest by any current D-man.

* Blues: clinch 4 seed (final home-ice spot) in Western Conference with win
* Jaden Schwartz (STL): 2 goals (7); had just 1 point in previous 11 games
* Blues: finish regular season having won their last 3 games overall and their last 6 home games
* Blackhawks: 2-game win streak ends; will be 1 seed in Western Conference playoffs
FROM ELIAS: Rookie Jaden Schwartz scored two goals in a game for the first time in his brief NHL career to help the Blues post a season-ending 3–1 win over the Blackhawks. Schwartz is the second St. Louis freshman to record two goals in a game this season, joining Vladimir Tarasenko, who did that twice (January 19 and March 28). The only other NHL team to have more than one rookie with multiple-goal games this season is Tampa Bay (three: Cory Conacher, Tyler Johnson and Richard Panik).

Wild 3, Avalanche 1
* Wild: clinch playoff berth for 1st time since 2007-08 season, will face Blackhawks in 1st round
* Wild: 4-1-0 in last 5 road games
* Zach Parise (MIN): Goal (18); 3rd goal in last 6 games
* Devin Setoguchi (MIN): Goal (13); team's 1st power play goal in last 5 games

Flyers 2, Senators 1
* Flyers: 4th straight win, also won 3 straight road games
* Flyers: 2nd win in last 10 games at Senators
* Claude Giroux (PHI): assist (200th assist of career)
* Senators: trail Rangers by 2 points for 6th spot and Islanders by 1 point for 7th spot in Eastern Conference (finish season Sunday at Bruins)
FROM ELIAS: Flyers goaltender Steve Mason stopped 43 of the Senators’ 44 shots on goal in his 2–1 win at Ottawa on Saturday night, after facing 41 shots while posting a victory over the Bruins in his last game (Tuesday). Over the last 40 years, the only other Flyers goaltender to win consecutive games in one season while facing at least 40 shots on goal in each game was Robert Esche in 2006–07 (Dec. 28 and Jan. 2).

Penguins 8, Hurricanes 3
* Penguins: season-high 8 goals (tied 3-3 after 2nd period)
* Penguins: 5th straight home win vs Hurricanes
* James Neal (PIT): 3 goals, assist; 3rd career hat trick
* Penguins: 11 players had at least 1 point
FROM ELIAS: James Neal, playing in his first game after being sidelined for three weeks due to a concussion, scored three goals for the Penguins in their 8–3 win over the Hurricanes. It was the third career hat trick for Neal, who had scored only one goal in his last 13 games when he was injured on April 5. Before that slump, Neal was tied for second in the race for the NHL goal-scoring leadership, having scored 17 times in his first 26 games (through March 10).

Canadiens 4, Maple Leafs 1
* Canadiens: move into 1st place in Northeast Division by 1 point over 2nd place Bruins with win and Bruins OT loss at Capitals (MTL season completed, BOS is home vs OTT Sunday)
* Canadiens: only 3rd win in last 8 games (3-5-0)
* Lars Eller (MTL): Goal (8), 2 assists
* Maple Leafs: locked into 5 seed in Eastern Conference due to Senators regulation loss to Flyers
FROM ELIAS: Lars Eller contributed a goal and two assists to the Canadiens’ 4–1 win over the Maple Leafs. Eller finished the season with a total of 30 points in 45 games but he did the majority of his scoring in a relatively small number of games. Eller’s 10 multiple-point games (3 three-point games and 7 two-point games) accounted for 23 of the 30 points he registered this season.

Red Wings 3, Stars 0
* Red Wings: clinch 22nd consecutive playoff appearance (5th-longest streak in NHL history)
* Red Wings: won 4 straight games to end regular season (longest win streak of season)
* Henrik Zetterberg (DET): goal, 2 assists (10 points in last 4 games)
* Pavel Datsyuk (DET): 3 assists (8 points in last 3 games)

Most Consecutive NHL Playoff Appearances
Active Streaks
Stanley Cups
Red Wings 22<< 4
Sharks 9 0
Penguins 7 1
Bruins 6 1
Capitals 6 0
>>Franchise record (also had 20 straight from 38-39 to 57-58)
FROM ELIAS: Henrik Zetterberg scored the Red Wings’ first two goals and assisted on their third as Detroit clinched a playoff berth for the 22nd consecutive season with its 3–0 win at Dallas on Saturday night. Zetterberg scored 10 points over the Red Wings’ final four games this season (two goals, eight assists) with at least two points in each game. He’s the first Detroit player to record two or more points in each of four consecutive team games in one season since Pavel Datsyuk had a four-game streak in December 2011. It’s the third time that Zetterberg has registered four straight multiple-point games (he also did that in 2006–07 and again in 2007–08).

Most Consecutive Playoff Appearances
NHL History
Seasons
Bruins 27 1967-68 to 1995-96
Blackhawks 28 1969-70 to 1996-97
Blues 25 1979-80 to 2003-04
Canadiens 24 1970-71 to 1993-94
Red Wings 22 1990-91 to 2012-13
Canadiens 21 1948-49 to 1968-69

Blue Jackets 3, Predators 1
* Blue Jackets: score 3 goals in 3rd period (trailed 1-0 after 2 periods)
* Blue Jackets: finish regular season with 3 straight wins
* Blue Jackets: eliminated from playoff contention with wins by Red Wings & Wild
* Brandon Dubinsky & Cam Atkinson (CBJ): Goal & assist each
FROM ELIAS: The Blue Jackets trailed, 1–0, heading into the third period of their game against Nashville, but they won after outscoring the Predators, 3–0, over the final 20 minutes and outshooting them, 25–5 in the final period. The 25 shots on goal set a Columbus franchise record for one period, and were the most shots by one team in a single period in an NHL game this season, topping the previous high of 24, done three times.

Rangers 4, Devils 0
* Rick Nash (NYR): 2 goals (21); 4th multi-goal game of season
* Henrik Lundqvist (NYR): 20 saves; 2nd shutout of season
* Rangers: finish regular season 5-1-0 in final 6 games
* Rangers: finish regular season with 56 points, will be 6th seed in Eastern Conference (even if OTT beats BOS Sunday to tie NYR in points, NYR has regulation/OT wins tiebreaker edge {have 22, OTT can only get as many as 21})
FROM ELIAS: Rick Nash reached the 20-goal plateau for the ninth consecutive season when he scored the first of his two goals in the Rangers’ 4–0 win over the Devils. Nash, who was traded to the Rangers by the Blue Jackets last summer, will finish the 2012–13 NHL campaign as the only active player with a current streak of at least nine straight 20-goal seasons. Five players who had entered this year having scored 20-or-more goals in each of the past nine NHL seasons had their streaks come to an end largely because of the lockout-shortened 48-game schedule: Jarome Iginla (13 seasons), Marian Hossa (12), Vincent Lecavalier (12), Ilya Kovalchuk (10) and Martin St. Louis (9).

Panthers 5, Lightning 3
* Panthers: score 3 goals in 3rd period (trailed 3-2 after 2 periods)
* Martin St. Louis (TB): Goal (17), assist; wins NHL point scoring title with 60 points - becomes oldest player to win scoring title (will be age 37 yrs, 314 days when regular season concludes Sunday)

Oldest NHL Scoring Champions
Age<<
2012-13 Martin St. Louis TB 37-314
1932-33 Bill Cook NYR 36-165
1962-63 Gordie Howe DET 34-358
1993-94 Wayne Gretzky LA 33-78
1948-49 Roy Conacher CHI 32-166
<FROM ELIAS: Martin St. Louis all but officially wrapped up his second NHL scoring title when he had a goal and an assist in Tampa Bay’s season-ending loss to the Panthers. St. Louis, who also won the Art Ross Trophy in the 2003–04 season, finished with a total of 60 points while playing in all 48 games for the Lightning this year; he never went more than one game without scoring points. He racked up 12 points in January (in six games), 13 in February (14 games), 18 in March (14 games) and 17 in April (14 games). The only other NHL players with a double-figure point total in all four calendar months this season were Steven Stamkos, John Tavares and Patrick Kane.

Coyotes 5, Ducks 3
* Radim Vrbata (PHX): 4th career hat trick (10, 11, 12); 1st hat trick since Jan. 24, 2008
* Jason LaBarbera (PHX): 43 saves (22 in 3rd period)
* Coyotes: go 3-1-2 in final 6 road games of season
* Ducks: 3-game winning streak ends; will enter playoffs as 2 seed in Western Conference (will play DET in Conf. Quarterfinals)

Oilers 7, Canucks 2
* Nail Yakupov (NAY-uhl Ya-kuh-pov) (EDM): 1st career hat trick; finishes season with 17 goals (leads all rookies in goals)
* Oilers: score 6 goals in 3rd period (game was tied 1-1 after 2 periods)
* Oilers: 1st win in last 7 home games (1-6-0)
* Canucks: finish regular season 2-3-0 in last 5 games; will enter playoffs as 3 seed in Western Conference

Kings 3, Sharks 2
* Justin Williams (LA): Goal (11), assist; 1st goal in his last 11 games
* Kings: snap 2-game losing streak & earn 5 seed in Western Conference; will play Blues in Conference Quarterfinals
* Sharks: finish regular season 1-3-0 in final 4 games; will be 6 seed in Western Conference playoffs & play Canucks in Conference Quarterfinals

The Blackhawks clinched the Presidents’ Trophy by defeating the Edmonton Oilers, but that’s not necessarily a precursor to postseason success. Since 2003, only one Presidents’ Trophy winner has won the Stanley Cup (2008 Red Wings), and only two teams reached the Stanley Cup finals (2008 Red Wings and 2011 Canucks).

Blackhawks 4, Oilers 1
* Blackhawks: Clinched Presidents' Trophy (most points) for first time since 1990-91 season
* Patrick Kane (CHI): goal, 2 assists (4 goals, 3 assists in 3 games vs. Oilers this season)
* Blackhawks: 7-1 this season when both Kane and Jonathan Toews score a goal
* Blackhawks: 5-1-0 in past 6 road games

Presidents' Trophy Winners Past 10 Seasons
Playoff Result
2013 Blackhawks: ?
2012 Canucks: Lost in conf. quarters
2011 Canucks: Lost in Cup final
2010 Capitals: Lost in conf. quarters
2009 Sharks: Lost in conf. quarters
2008 Red Wings: Won Stanley Cup
2007 Sabres: Lost in conf. finals
2006 Red Wings: Lost in conf. quarters
2004 Red Wings: Lost in conf. semis
2003 Senators: Lost in conf. finals

Red Wings 3, Kings 1
* Red Wings: Moved into eighth place in Western Conference
* Red Wings: One point ahead of Blue Jackets (each team has 2 games remaining)
* Henrik Zetterberg (DET): 5 assists in past 2 games
* Kings: 0-4-2 in past 6 road games (scored 9 total goals)

Lightning 5, Maple Leafs 2
* Maple Leafs: 1-3-0 in past 4 games, one point ahead of Islanders for fifth seed in East
* Martin St. Louis (TB): 3 goals (14, 15, 16); seventh career hat trick, first this season
* Steven Stamkos (TB): Goal (29), assist; first multipoint game in past 10 games
* Maple Leafs: 0-2 on power play, 0-7 on power play vs. Lightning this season

Making Their Point: The Blackhawks visit the Canucks tonight with 73 points through 44 games. From Elias: Only three other teams in NHL history had 73 points after 45 games. The 1929–30 Bruins had 77 in a 44-game season, the 1943–44 Canadiens had 75 points after 45 games and the 2008–09 Sharks had 73 after 45 games. Of those three, only the ’44 Canadiens won the Stanley Cup.

In about a week, I will fill out my official NHL awards ballot as a member of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

The PHWA votes on the Hart Trophy as well as the Norris, Calder and Selke. The NHL’s 30 general managers vote on the Vezina Trophy, and the NHL Broadcasters’ Association votes on the Jack Adams Award.

I reserve the right, certainly, to change my mind on these picks between now and next week, but here’s where I stand:

HART TROPHY

The candidates: Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Jonathan Toews, Sergei Bobrovsky, John Tavares, Alex Ovechkin

I’m really torn on what to do about Crosby. He easily was the best player on the planet this season. He brought his game to a level no other player could match. And as late as a few days ago, I still thought I’d give him my first-place vote despite his late-season injury. But the fact he hasn’t played a game in April is beginning to weigh more in my thoughts. The Hart also isn’t for the most outstanding player or the most outstanding season, but rather the MVP. Take that player away from the team and argue what impact it would have.

Well, for Pittsburgh, whether it’s been without Evgeni Malkin or Crosby, the Eastern Conference powerhouse has just kept winning games...

Ovechkin’s late-season heroics certainly put him in serious contention. But if we’re going to potentially penalize Crosby’s chances because he missed the past month, how can we overlook Ovechkin for not showing up in the opening month? Just saying.

Getzlaf is completely flying under the radar, perhaps because he’s playing on the West Coast. But he’s fully deserving of being in the mix here.

For me, though, it comes down to Tavares or Toews for my first-place vote. Tavares has carried the Islanders on his back this season. Ask yourself: Where would the Isles be without him?

Having said that, how can you not reward Captain Serious in Chicago? The Blackhawks have been the most consistent powerhouse in the NHL this season, a wire-to-wire dominance fueled by the consistent work ethic and performance of their leader.

My pick: Toews

NORRIS TROPHY

The candidates: P.K. Subban, Ryan Suter, Kris Letang, Niklas Kronwall, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Francois Beauchemin, Oliver Ekman-Larsson

With Letang missing a dozen games -- a quarter of the shortened season -- this comes down to Subban or Suter.

Subban, who leads all defensemen in scoring, has been out of this world, playing like a man on a mission after returning from an early-season contract squabble. The Habs aren’t where they are without him.

Suter, though, is second in the NHL in average ice time (27:01), third in scoring among defensemen as of Friday morning, and overall has been a standout at both ends of the ice in his first season in Minnesota.

My pick: Suter

VEZINA TROPHY
The candidates: Craig Anderson, Sergei Bobrovsky, Tuukka Rask, Henrik Lundqvist, Antti Niemi, Carey Price, James Reimer, Viktor Fasth, Marc-Andre Fleury

It will be interesting to see how the league’s GMs will vote on this. There are some newcomers to the Vezina race this season.

To me it comes down to Rask, Niemi and Bobrovsky, with the impressive Anderson having missed too many games to get in that final circle.

Rask has been rock solid in his first season as the No. 1 in Boston after taking over from Tim Thomas. You can’t ask for anything more from him.

Niemi isn't getting nearly enough credit around the league for what he’s done in San Jose. The Sharks have had trouble scoring goals, but he’s kept their season afloat with his best career season. He deserves serious, serious consideration.

But how do you not look at Bobrovsky? His .931 save percentage says it all. He’s carried the Blue Jackets into playoff contention.

My pick: "Bob"

JACK ADAMS AWARD

The candidates: Paul MacLean, Michel Therrien, Bruce Boudreau, Joel Quenneville, Todd Richards, Randy Carlyle, Adam Oates, Alain Vigneault, Dan Bylsma, Claude Julien

I say this every year, but I’m glad I don’t officially vote for this one. There are so many deserving candidates every season, and I didn’t even mention some others. The members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association vote on this one, and good luck to them.

Therrien took last season's last-place Habs in the East to challenging for second in the conference this year. That’s hard to overlook. Carlyle made the Maple Leafs a playoff team, which few people predicted. Boudreau took the Ducks from near-the-basement in the West to second in the conference.

Quenneville and Bylsma likely will get penalized because their teams were expected to be dominant, but that’s unfair. They’re both superb coaches.

To me, though, I don’t know how MacLean doesn’t win this. Injuries to top players Erik Karlsson, Anderson, Jared Cowen, Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek should have been season killers. But Maclean and his staff kept it together, integrated a number of AHL call-ups into the Senators' system and against all odds stayed in a playoff spot. Simply remarkable.

My pick: MacLean

CALDER TROPHY

The candidates: Jonathan Huberdeau, Cory Conacher, Brendan Gallagher, Nail Yakupov, Brandon Saad, Alex Galchenyuk, Justin Schultz, Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Brodin

I predict the finalists on the official ballot will end up being Huberdeau, Gallagher and Saad.

I’m torn in the end between Huberdeau and Gallagher. The former has been electrifying for the Florida Panthers, his speed and vision and offensive creativity top-shelf.

Gallaher really grows on you for different reasons, going to the dirty areas and playing a veteran’s game. He’s been so clutch for the Habs.

Really torn here between these two but ...

My pick: Huberdeau

SELKE TROPHY

The candidates: Jay McClement, Frans Nielsen, Patrice Bergeron, Vernon Fiddler, Jonathan Toews, Craig Adams, Daniel Winnik, David Backes, Ryan Callahan, Pavel Datsyuk, Anze Kopitar

You can never go wrong here with Bergeron, Toews or Datsyuk, out-of-this-world stars who do it all at both ends of the ice. And I suspect Bergeron, deservingly, will win it again this year.

But I’m going to go against the grain here a little and voice my support for the Maple Leafs’ McClement.

For starters, part of me wishes this award would go back to non-superstar NHLers like in the old days, when the likes of Guy Carbonneau, Dave Poulin and Dirk Graham won.

Fact is, McClement’s case is a real strong one. He leads all NHL forwards in shorthanded ice time per game (3:39) and he’s the No. 1 reason for Toronto’s remarkable turnaround on the penalty kill, going from 28th last season to third overall this season.

If you really look at the spirit of why this award exists, and look at when Bob Gainey routinely won it, McClement deserves to win it.

My pick: McClement

Blackhawks 5, Stars 2
* Blackhawks: won 6 straight overall
* Blackhawks: 4-0-1 in last 5 home games
* Stars: 5-game win streak snapped
FROM ELIAS: The Blackhawks extended their winning streak to six games and ended the Stars’ winning streak at five games with a 5–2 victory over Dallas. Monday’s Blackhawks–Stars contest marked only the third NHL game in the last six seasons in which both teams entered play with active winning streaks of five games or more. The other such games since 2007–08 were Atlanta (six games) at Pittsburgh (seven) on Dec. 2, 2010 (the Penguins won, 3–2), and Detroit (five straight wins to begin the season) at Washington (a season-opening six-game winning streak) on Oct. 22, 2011 (the Caps won, 7–1).

Blue Jackets 4, Avalanche 3 (F/OT)
* Blue Jackets: won 4 straight games, 4-1-0 in last 5 road games
* Avalanche: 1-2-1 in last 4 home games vs Blue Jackets
* Nick Foligno (CBJ): 2nd game-winning goal of season, 5th straight season with multiple game-winning goals

Wild 4, Flames 3
* Wild: snap 3-game winless streak; 3-1-0 vs Flames this season
* Flames: 1-4-0 in last 5 home games
* Jason Pominville (MIN): 3rd multi-goal game of season, 18th of career

Canucks 5, Predators 2
* Ryan Kesler (VAN): 2 goals (4); on 5-game point streak (3 G, 4 A during streak)
* Canucks: 5-1-0 in last 6 games; finish 3-0-0 vs Predators this season
* Predators: lost last 7 games

Sharks 4, Coyotes 0
* Antti Niemi (SJ): 35 saves; 4th shutout this season, 23rd of career
* Logan Couture (SJ): 17th goal of season; 2nd in last 3 games
* Coyotes: lost 3 of last 4 games

Flyers 7, Canadiens 3
* Flyers: snap 4-game losing streak
* Flyers: 7 goals matches season high
* Scott Hartnell (PHI): 7th career hat trick
* Canadiens: 1-3-0 in last 4 games

Maple Leafs 2, Devils 0
* Maple Leafs: sweep season series vs Devils (3-0-0)
* Phil Kessel: 6 goals in last 4 games
* Devils: 0-6-4 past 10 games

Blackhawks 2, Blues 0
* Corey Crawford (CHI): 30 saves, 3rd shutout of season (8th career)
* Blackhawks: 7th shutout of season as a team (now tied with Canucks & Blues for league lead)
* Blackhawks: 7-0-1 in last 8 games
* Blues: lost last 2 games following a 6-game winning streak
FROM ELIAS: Corey Crawford made 29 saves as he led the Blackhawks to a 2–0 win against the Blues in St. Louis on Sunday afternoon. It was Crawford’s third shutout of the season, tying him with Ray Emery for the team lead in that category. This is the fifth season in which Chicago has had two goaltenders each register at least three shutouts. That also happened in 1964–65 (Glenn Hall, Denis DeJordy), 1971–72 (Tony Esposito, Gary Smith), 2008–09 (Cristobal Huet, Nikolai Khabibulin) and 2009–10 (Huet, Antti Niemi).

Red Wings 3, Predators 0
* Jimmy Howard (DET): 22 saves; 3rd shutout this season, 2 of them vs Predators
* Red Wings: Snap 3-game losing streak
* Red Wings: 8th place in West with 6 games remaining; made playoffs in each of last 21 seasons
* Predators: 6-game losing streak

Sabres 3, Lightning 1
* Sabres: won 2 straight games; 5-2-0 in last 7 games
* Sabres: trail Rangers by 4 points for 8th & final playoff spot in Eastern Conference (BUF has 5 games left to play)
* Lightning: 1-5-2 in last 8 games overall; 4-10-3 in last 17 road games at BUF

Blackhawks 3, Red Wings 2 (SO) (CHI wins shootout, 2-1)
* Jonathan Toews (CHI): game-tying goal (20) with 2:57 left in 3rd; has points in 4 straight home games (3 G, 3 A in that span)
* Blackhawks: 4-0-0 vs Red Wings this season; 1st season sweep of DET since 1976-77 season
* Blackhawks: won last 7 meetings vs Red Wings; have also earned at least 1 point in last 10 meetings vs DET (8-0-2)
* Red Wings: 0-1-2 in last 3 games; 2-4-2 in last 8 games
FROM ELIAS: Jonathan Toews reached the 20-goal mark for the sixth time in his six NHL seasons when he scored the tying goal for the Blackhawks with 2:57 remaining in the third period of their game against the Red Wings. His teammate, Patrick Kane, has also played six seasons in the NHL and scored at least 20 goals for the Blackhawks in each season. Toews and Kane are only the third pair of players to score 20 or more goals as teammates for one club in each of their first six or more NHL seasons. The other pairs to do that were the Oilers’ Glenn Anderson and Jari Kurri, and the Nordiques’ Peter and Anton Stastny, each with eight-season streaks from 1980–81 through 1987–88.

Stars 5, Predators 2
* Alex Chiasson (DAL): 2 goals (5); on 4-game point streak (5 G, 1 A during streak) since going without a point in NHL debut April 3
* Vernon Fiddler (DAL): 2 assists; on 5-game point streak (2 G, 7 A during streak)
* Stars: on 4-game winning streak
* Predators: lost 5 straight games; 1st 5-game losing streak since Dec. 18-28, 2010

Blue Jackets 4, Blues 1
* Marion Gaborik (CBJ): goal (12 - 3rd in 5 games since acquired by Blue Jackets)
* Sergei Bobrovsky (CBJ): 31 saves; 10-1-2, 0.99 GAA in last 13 home appearances
* Blue Jackets: 11-1-3 in last 15 home games
* Blues: 6-game winning streak ends

Senators 2, Devils 0
* Craig Anderson (OTT): 33 saves; 3rd shutout of season (22nd career)
* Senators: 2nd straight win following a 5-game losing streak
* Devils: 0-5-4 in last 9 games; longest span without a win in a season since 11-game winless streak (0-7-4) in 1990-91
* Devils: finish season 0-1-2 vs Senators; 1st time in club history that NJ has gone winless vs OTT in a season (OTT joined NHL in 1992-93)

Flames 3, Coyotes 2 (OT)
* Mark Giordano (CGY): game-winning goal at 4:36 of OT (4) (1st goal in his last 11 games)
* Flames: snap 3-game home losing streak; just 2nd win in last 8 games overall (2-6-0)
* Coyotes: have earned standings points in 8 of last 9 games overall (5 wins, 3 OT/SO losses)
* Coyotes: 2-5-4 in last 11 road games

Ducks 2, Oilers 1
* Radek Dvorak (ANA): 2 goals (3); 20th career multi-goal game
* Ducks: 4-1-0 in last 5 games
* Ducks: 3 points behind CHI for top spot in Western Conference
* Oilers: 3rd straight loss

Canucks 2, Coyotes 0
* Cory Schneider (VAN): 19 saves; 5th shutout of season (ties for NHL lead in that category)
* Ryan Kesler (VAN): goal (2) in 1st period; playing in 1st game since Feb. 26 (missed previous 19 games due to broken bone in foot)
* Canucks: on 3-game winning streak; increase lead in Northwest Division to 4 points over 2nd-place Minnesota
* Coyotes: 3-game winning streak ends; remain 3 points out of final playoff spot in Western Conference

Bruins 6, Hurricanes 2
* Brad Marchand (BOS): 2 goals (15, 16); he had 2 goals in his previous 17 games
* Bruins: have won 9 straight home games (8-0-1); allowed 15 goals in those 9 games
* Hurricanes: have lost 5 straight games, allowing more than 4+ goals in each game
FROM ELIAS: Tuukka Rask made 40 saves for the second time in five days when he backstopped the Bruins to a 6-2 win over the Hurricanes. Rask, who posted a 40-save, 1-0 shutout against the Devils last Thursday, has a 6-1-0 record in seven career games in which he's faced 40 or more shots on goal. Rask has won his last five such games while allowing a total of four goals.

Maple Leafs 4, Rangers 3
* Rangers: have their 4-game winning streak in Toronto snapped
* Maple Leafs: 5-1 in last 6 games
* James Reimer (TOR): 12-2-4 in last 18 games in goal
* Phil Kessel: 2 goals; snaps 9-game goal-less streak
* Henrik Lundqvist: 4 goals allowed matches season high

The day after the trade deadline is often like the day after a big family wedding. Lots of stuff to sift through. Maybe you'll find an unexpected and unopened gift, or maybe you'll be reminded that the gift you thought stunk the day before still stinks today.

Speaking of gifts, could the New York Rangers have scripted their big day any better? After unloading their top pure scorer in Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets in an effort to redefine their personality, the goal-starved Rangers poured six past the Pittsburgh Penguins en route to a 6-1 shellacking of the Eastern Conference leaders. And wouldn't you know it: Three newcomers, Ryane Clowe, Derick Brassard and John Moore, figured prominently in the win by combining for four goals and four assists -- and this after racing from Columbus and, in Clowe's case, San Jose to join their new team.

The goals were the first two of the season for Clowe, who illustrated the sometimes bizarre nature of the trade-deadline period as he became one of the hottest properties available in spite of the goose egg in the goal column. No more. And now the Rangers hope this makeover in midstream will carry them not just to the postseason but to something more grand come playoff time. Certainly the earliest returns are sparkling, as they jumped into seventh in the conference, although they have same number of points as the eighth-place New Jersey Devils and ninth-place New York Islanders.

Speaking of the Penguins, that’s two lopsided losses in a row for a team that began the week on a 15-game winning streak and with an eye toward making history. Didn't happen, of course, as they were whipped 4-1 by the Buffalo Sabres at home Tuesday, then were spanked at Madison Square Garden after GM Ray Shero added another piece to the Pens' arsenal in the form of veteran forward Jussi Jokinen.

Probably not a bad thing to have a few stinkers down the stretch, just in case anyone in that locker room was thinking the 15-game win streak meant they could just throw their sticks on the ice and come away with a W. We were in Chicago recently and talked to some there who weren't all that disappointed to see the Blackhawks' record 24-game point streak come to an end, what with all the media attention.

Sometimes it's easier for a coach to get his team's attention when it's facing a little adversity. But the twin Pittsburgh losses also highlight the challenges in integrating a handful of new, prominent faces into your lineup with a dozen or so games left in the season. The Pens are also battling the injury bug, with captain Sidney Crosby out indefinitely with a broken jaw, Kris Letang recuperating from a toe injury and defenseman Paul Martin out until playoff time or longer with a hand injury.

Lots of moving parts for coach Dan Bylsma to figure out in the next 3½ weeks.

The curious case of Steve Mason

It wasn't the classic Paul Holmgren "holy cow" move, a la obtaining Chris Pronger or moving Mike Richards or Jeff Carter, but the Philadelphia Flyers GM did not disappoint Wednesday, even if the move he made was a little more subtle. The acquisition of former rookie of the year Steve Mason from the Blue Jackets for Michael Leighton (remember him from Game 6 of the ’10 Stanley Cup final?) and a third-round pick has the potential to create an interesting ripple effect in Philly.

Never mind the roller-coaster Mason has been on since bursting onto the scene with 10 shutouts in his first season (2008-09). In fact, if you're a fan of irony, one of the reasons the Blue Jackets were surprise buyers Wednesday was the play of former Flyers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who was dealt to Columbus in the offseason. Bobrovsky may win the Vezina Trophy and the Blue Jackets may make the playoffs, so Mason was deemed expendable. Go figure.

Now Holmgren is going to give Mason a look in the final weeks of the season as he wrestles with a rather huge decision regarding Ilya Bryzgalov, who has been OK this season. With two amnesty buyouts available to him, Holmgren will have to look hard at what remains on Bryzgalov's nine-year, $51 million contract. There were multiple reports Thursday that Mason was on the verge of signing a new deal with the Flyers, which means Holmgren's plan is to give Mason a chance -- if not as a starter than certainly to replace the depth that went out the door with the Bobrovsky deal.

If Mason impresses, does it change Holmgren's mind about Bryzgalov?

For the record, Bryzgalov got the win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, as the Flyers kept their playoff heart beating faintly. They were four points out of eighth place with 12 games remaining heading into play Thursday.

Kudos to Sharks GM Wilson

We have often been critical of the San Jose Sharks for their inability to capitalize on what is a perennially talent-laden lineup. But you have to tip your hat to GM Doug Wilson, who appears to have navigated the competing waters of trimming fat and maintaining a competitive team with great skill. The Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL with six wins in a row, the latest coming Wednesday night over the Minnesota Wild. The win moved them into a tie with the Wild and Vancouver Canucks with 44 points and gave the Sharks a good shot at getting home-ice advantage in the first round as the conference's fourth seed, something that seemed implausible even a month ago.

Meanwhile, Wilson got good return for Clowe: a second-, a third- and a conditional second-round pick from the Rangers. He also obtained a fourth-round pick from Chicago for Michal Handzus, and got two more second-round picks from Pittsburgh for Douglas Murray (the second of which is conditional). And then Wilson added some grit and tenacity in the form of Raffi Torres.

The moves give Wilson all kinds of options in terms of assets with which to help restock a barren prospects cupboard, as well as additional cap space. That doesn't even take into account the potential for a long playoff run. That's a pretty good bit of work.

Can Sullivan restart Devils?

If ever there was a team that's all about bringing things full circle, it's the Devils. And so it was that GM Lou Lamoriello brought home veteran winger Steve Sullivan almost 19 years after the team selected him with the 233rd pick in the 1994 draft. Sullivan played in 16 games for the Devils in 1995-96 and 33 the next season before he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a trade that would see iconic Leafs captain Doug Gilmour and defenseman Dave Ellett go to the Devils. Gilmour would go on to finish a Hall of Fame career while Sullivan, 38, continues his hockey odyssey after being dealt for a seventh-round pick by the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday.

We've had the opportunity to catch up with the Timmins, Ontario, native (dubbed by some the "Timmins Tornado") at various stops along the way, and he has proved to be unfailingly upbeat even in the face of injuries that threatened his career a few years back. Although it hasn't been a banner year for Sullivan, who signed with the Coyotes after a one-season stop in Pittsburgh and had just five goals in 33 games, there's something about the Devils' culture that allows guys like Sullivan to thrive. He'll need to, as the Devils are sliding their way out of the playoff picture without the injured Ilya Kovalchuk.

No easy answers in Buffalo

Say what you will about the state of the Sabres, but GM Darcy Regier did well to maximize his return for captain Jason Pominville on Wednesday. He coaxed a first- and a second-round draft pick and two prospects out of Minnesota (the Wild also got a fourth-round pick from the Sabres). That's two years in a row Regier has done a nice job in making the most of what has become an unsightly mess in Buffalo by bringing in young players and draft picks.

But there's the rub, no? Who made the mess?

It's not just Regier; every year, a GM of an underachieving team sets about trying to restock the shelves with picks and assets after plans go awry. If it's a blip on the radar kind of thing -- as we saw with playoff bubble teams Phoenix and Nashville shedding assets in recent days after being competitive playoff teams the past few years -- that's one thing. But what if it's a systemic kind of thing?

Given that the Sabres fired longtime coach Lindy Ruff already this season and look likely to miss the playoffs for a second straight season, there is an expectation that owner Terry Pegula will finish the top-end makeover by relieving Regier of his duties after the season. If that's the plan, then where is the logic in having Regier make these kinds of significant moves (he also traded Robyn Regehr to the Los Angeles Kings)? It's not easy to replace a GM in midseason, although the Blue Jackets showed it can be done with impressive results.

Buffalo is not unique in dealing with this dynamic, and there are certainly lots of problems that will be left over for a new GM to deal with if a change is made. But it remains an annual curiosity in the NHL as some GMs' final moves may end up having significant long-term impacts on teams they're about to part company with.

Blackhawks 3, Predators 2 (SO)
* CHI: leads Anaheim by 4 points for 1st in Western Conf
* Michal Rozsival (CHI): scored GW shootout goal
* Patrick Kane (CHI): 5G, 3A during 5-game home point streak
* NSH: 0-4-2 in last 6 road games

Islanders 3, Devils 1
* Islanders: 4-1-0 in last 5 games overall; 5-1-0 in last 6 road games
* John Tavares (NYI): goal in 4 of last 5 games
* Devils: winless in last 4 games (0-1-3)
* Devils: outshot Islanders 21-14 in final 2 periods

Rangers 4, Jets 2
* Rangers: won 3 of last 4 vs Jets at MSG
* Henrik Lundqvist (Rangers): 26 saves, 267th career win, tying Ed Giacomin for 2nd-most in Rangers history. Lundqvist trails only Mike Richter (301)
* Derek Stepan (Rangers): 4th game-winning goal of season, matching his total from last season
* Ryan Callahan (Rangers): goal, 3 assists; season-high 4 points
* Jets: lost 3 in row

Red Wings 3, Avalanche 2
* Red Wings: snap 2-game losing streak
* Red Wings: 4-1-0 in last 5 home games vs Avalanche
* Avalanche: 1-5-0 in last 6 games overall
* Avalanche: winless in last 12 road games (0-9-3); scored 2 goals or less in 8 of those 12 games

Canadiens 4, Hurricanes 1
* Max Pacioretty (MTL): 2 goals (11); had 1 goal in previous 12 games
* Canadiens: on 3-game winning streak
* Canadiens: 3-0-0 vs Hurricanes this season
* Hurricanes: 1-7-1 in last 9 games

Blues 4, Wild 1
* Blues: win snaps 3-game losing streak (scored 4 goals TOTAL during streak)
* Blues: lead Blue Jackets by 1 point for 8th seed in Western Conf
* Wild: loss snaps 4-game home win streak
* Dany Heatley (MIN): 8th goal vs Blues since 2009-10

Ducks 4, Stars 0
* Bobby Ryan (ANA): PP goal (10), assist; 1st goal in last 7 games
* Viktor Fasth (ANA): 26 saves; 3rd shutout of season
* Ducks: 2nd win in last 7 games (2-4-1)
* Stars: 1-3-0 in last 4 games; finish 2-3-0 on 5-game homestand

Sharks 3, Canucks 2
* Sharks: 3-0-0 vs Canucks this season (2-0-0 at home)
* Sharks: won 5 straight games, allowing 7 G
* Logan Couture (Sharks): 15th goal of season (2nd-most on team); 5th PP goal this season (T-most on team)
* Canucks: 2nd game this season without a PP