Flames get cooled off
CALGARY Brad Marchand scored his league-leading 36th goal of the season and David Backes returned after getting hurt to score the game winner as the Boston Bruins defeated Calgary 5-2 on Wednesday to end the Flames’ 10-game winning streak.
Backes got tied up with Flames defenceman Mark Giordano and taken into the corner boards 12 minutes into the game. He was favouring his leg as he was helped off the ice.
But he returned seven minutes into the second period and on his second shift back he broke a 2-2 deadlock. Backes took a pass from David Krejci on a 3-on-2 and from 30 feet out whipped a wrist shot over the glove of Chad Johnson.
David Pastrnak, with two, and Matt Beleskey also scored for Boston (38-26-6). The Bruins fourth straight win moves them to within three points of the secondplace Ottawa Senators in the Atlantic Division.
Alex Chiasson and Dougie Hamilton scored for Calgary (39-27-4).
One of the best players during Calgary’s franchise record-tying win streak had been goaltender Brian Elliott. He had nine of the victories and in those nine appearances had a 1.74 goalsagainst average and a .943 save percentage.
However, Elliott woke up with the flu Wednesday morning and was told to stay home. Johnson got the start instead with Jon Gillies called up from Stockton (AHL) to be the back-up.
FLYERS 4, PENGUINS 0
PHILADELPHIA — Wayne Simmonds scored the 200th goal of his career and Steve Mason made 23 saves to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux and Dale Weise also scored for the Flyers, who closed within five points of the idle New York Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Making the post-season remains a long shot for Philadelphia with just 13 games remaining and four teams to pass.
Philadelphia snapped a three-game losing streak while handing the defending Stanley Cup champions their fourth shutout of the season.
The road-weary Penguins completed an eight-day, fivegame road trip that took them through four time zones as they travelled 4,763 miles. The journey got longer due to Tuesday’s snowstorm in the Northeast. Pittsburgh arrived in Philadelphia late Wednesday morning.