Sharp’s hat trick lifts Blackhawks over Devils
Patrick Sharp is on one of those streaks. It seems that nearly every time he shoots, he scores.
Sharp had his second hat trick in the past five games Friday night, and the visiting Chicago Blackhawks avoided a rare second loss in a row with a 5-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Sharp, 32, has 14 goals and seven assists in his past 13 games. He has 25 goals in 44 games this season, tied for the team lead with Patrick Kane.
“I don’t know numbers-wise,” Sharp said when asked if he has ever had a run like this. “I think I’ve felt like this a few times in my career. It’s the result of the good players I’m out there with making good plays, and all the hard work you put in as an individual. It’s a good run for our team, it’s a good run for me, and, hopefully, we can keep it going.”
Other game
Lightning 2, Flames 0: Ben Bishop stopped 19 shots and Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov scored second-period goals as visiting Tampa Bay shut out Calgary.
Notes
The Winter Classic Wednesday afternoon matched the highest TV rating for a regular-season NHL game in the past 39 years. The Toronto Maple Leafs’s 3-2 shootout victory in Ann Arbor, Mich., against the Detroit Red Wings on NBC on earned a 2.5 rating. Network officials said that tied the 2009 New Year’s Day game between Detroit and host Chicago at Wrigley Field. … Toronto forward Joffrey Lupul was fined $10,000 for his hit on Detroit forward Patrick Eaves in the Winter Classic, but was not suspended. Lupul was assessed a cross-checking minor in the first period after the hit on Eaves, who didn’t return to the game. … Columbus forward Derek MacKenzie was suspended for three games without pay by the NHL for boarding Phoenix defenseman Oliver EkmanLarsson, who did not return to the game, suffered an unspecified upper-body injury and did not practice Friday. … Buffalo claimed enforcer Zenon Konopka off waivers from Minnesota. … Florida activated defenseman and captain Ed Jovanovski from the injured-reserve list and said he will make his season debut today after April hip surgery.