There's always a
Winners
Florida Panthers: Everybody knows how bad this franchise has been for the last decade, but here's another reminder. With their seven-round shootout victory over the Buffalo Sabres the Panthers completed a perfect 4-0-0 home stand. Get this: It's their first four-game win streak in four seasons. Four games!
For much of the season I'm not sure fans in Florida could actually believe that they're team would hold on. When you get beat down again and again the way they have, it's hard to convince yourself to believe. But now the Panthers are five points up in the Southeast Division with 11 games to play. They're seven points up on ninth (the Jets and the Sabres are tied). At this point it will be a tough lead to lose.
And Saturday wasn't a win they necessarily deserved. It took the Panthers more than 17 minutes to record a shot on goal, which went in. It took them less them 40 seconds to record another shot. It also went in. Then there was the third period and five-minute OT when the Panthers recorded one lonely shot on goal.
But in the shootout they prevailed, something they haven't been able to do often, thanks to Dmitry Kulikov's winner. It was his first game back on the ice in 23 games and it came at a pretty good time. His score might have sealed a playoff berth for Florida. That was weird to type.
[Related: Panthers 3, Sabres 2 (SO)]
San Jose Sharks, L.A. Kings: The two California playoff hopefuls were each hosting two of the mighty monsters from the Central Division and each picked up a massive two points.
Now they not only jumbled and shook up the bottom of the Western Conference playoff picture but also the Pacific Division. The difference betwee first place Dallas and now fourth place Phoenix is two points. That's right, two points. The Sharks and Kings are one back.
It also means that by virtue of having played fewer games, the Sharks regain the eighth seed for the time being in the West. The Kings are tied with the Sharks in points but have played one extra game. Meanwhile the Coyotes, after that terrific February, are the team bumped out for a spot (the Avalanche hold the seventh spot very precariously too).
If you are looking for some exciting hockey to watch down the stretch, be sure to check in nightly on the Pacific Division. Any one of four teams can win it with about 10 games or so to go. That's remarkable ... and remarkably entertaining.
[Related: Sharks 3, Red Wings 2 (OT) | Kings 4, Predators 2]
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Boston Bruins: Four-game losing streak? Gone. Even if it wasn't easy.
The Bruins jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and then played a bit of hang on the rest of the way and eventually secured the two points by taking the Flyers down in the shootout for a 3-2 victory. It moved the Bruins back into first place in the Northeast and out of the seventh position they inhabited when the day began.
The news got better later in the day when the Ottawa Senators failed to pick up any points at home against the downtrodden Maple Leafs. That put the Bruins back into a pretty good position in the standings with a one-point lead and two games in hand. Of course the Panthers remain on their heels for the No. 2 seed, just two back.
Also, it was a relief for the Bostonians to see a familiar Tim Thomas in the win.
[Related: Bruins 3, Flyers 2 (SO) | Bruins re-sign Thornton]
Losers
New York Rangers: I had a hard time deciding whether to put the Colorado Avalanche down as winners or the Rangers on losers. Obviously you see which side won out.
The Rangers have finally hit a slump. All season long they had pretty much been slump proof but now we can say it, this is a funk. And at the same time the division-rival Penguins have won 11 games in a row. As a result, the Pens are only two points back of New York with a game in hand to boot.
What seemed like an inevitability that the Rangers would be the top seed in the East has become a lot more than uncertain. At this point I'd put my money on the Pens to win the division and East's top seed, not the Rangers.
In total, the Rangers have lost five of their last seven games, failing to score more than two goals only once in those five defeats.
But really quickly to recognize the Avalanche, they just won't die. A three-game road trip to the East resulted in five out of six points. They've won six of their last eight and continue to hold their head above water in the West, holding their breath having played more than anybody else.
[Related: Avalanche 3, Rangers 1]
Ottawa Senators: This was covered up above with the Bruins, they can't be losing home games against the Maple Leafs .
They're still pretty safe, especially with the Northeast Division title still in play, but Ottawa isn't that far up on the rest of the pack in the East. Right now they have a maximum point total of 102 while the Capitals have 100 and the Jets 98. It's not unthinkable for either or both of those teams to catch the Sens, particularly if they limp to the finish line.
[Related: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 1 | Mistake behind own net leads to goal]
Goal of the night
Here's a little more love for the Avalanche. Matt Hunwick was definitely a winner by undressing the Rangers defense and then beating Henrik Lundqvist.
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