February 27, 2015
steve laidlaw
2015-02-27
Smith-Pelly’s Habs debut, ANDREW HAMMOND!, Arcobello scoring and more…
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This is Andrew Hammond's world, we are all just living in it. 35-save shutout ends the Kings' blistering winning streak. That's back-to-back shutouts on the always tough California road trip and a 4-0 record.
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Shocker, I know, but it was lucrative to be on the ice with PK Subban and Andrei Markov last night. The pair each went plus-five last night. As in, they were on the ice for all of the Canadiens' five goals last night. They combined for five points as well.
Devante Smith-Pelly skated 17:11 for the Canadiens last night, splitting his time between skating with Jacob de la Rose and Brandon Prust on the third line and Tomas Plekanec and Alex Galchenyuk on the second line. He also saw some second unit power play time. Definitely an improvement over the 14:41 he was averaging with the Ducks.
Turns out it would have been more productive for DSP to stick with de la Rose as the young Swede scored a pair but it's a no brainer that we'd rather see more of Smith-Pelly with Plekanec and Galchenyuk.
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If you are wondering why the Blue Jackets are shopping James Wisniewski around, the development of David Savard is a big reason. It feels like Savard has been a prospect forever but the 24-year-old is finally coming into his own. A pair of assists gives him eight points in the last 15 games.
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First game without David Clarkson for the Leafs and they are 1-0! Don't lose your minds, this is still a bad team. Jonathan Bernier had to bail the team out with 47 saves on the 49 shots allowed. They were outshot 49-17. That's bad.
Dion Phaneuf made his return to the lineup after a month off. The Leafs road him for over 25 minutes of ice time over six of which came on the power play. He scored a power-play goal. I wonder if he's getting showcased…
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Of the Flyers' 49 shots last night ten (TEN!!!!) came off the stick off Mark Streit. Two assists for him too. Not a bad stat line.
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Nice start to the post-Kane run for the Blackhawks holding the Panthers to just 20 shots in a 3-0 shutout for Corey Crawford.
Teuvo Teravainen scored a goal centering the third line with Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell. Only 9:50 in ice time though so don't count on him for much offense.
Patrick Sharp skated on the top power play unit but remained silent. Only a matter of time.
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Letdown game for the Canucks getting dumped 6-3 by the Sabres. Brian Gionta went off for three points. That's when you know it was a bad game for Vancouver.
Gionta has actually been performing relatively well since returning from injury after the All-Star break. Basically, he's back to his 40-point rate from his previous few years in Montreal having scored eight in 15 since returning, while skating some big minutes. Indeed that is an improvement as Gionta had scored just 11 in 34 to open the season.
A couple of points for Chris Stewart gives him 21 in his last 32. The margins are lower on this team but that's a 50-point pace Stewart has been putting up with some excellent peripherals. Okay, not all excellent. His minus-19 rating in those 32 contests is problematic but you have to love his PIM production (31 in 32 games) and his shot rate ain't bad (56 SOG in 32 games, a 144 SOG pace).
It's almost at a point where I don't want to see Stewart dealt to a team where he might get less of an opportunity. Almost. A trade needs to happen to solve that plus/minus. Not sure Boston is that team any longer if David Krejci is done for the year.
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