The Winnipeg Jets saw their season end when the Montreal Canadiens put up a three-goal third period to send Blake Wheeler and the Jets home with a 4-2 loss. Wheeler notched his 19th goal of the season in the loss.
SPIN: Winnipeg finished with a respectable 24-21-3 mark this season and it’s okay to jettison the Jets in redraft leagues if you’re in a tight finale.
Philadelphia knocked off the Islanders 2-1 despite John Tavares’ 28th goal of the season.
SPIN: The Islanders loss leaves them in a three-way tie with the Rangers and Senators as those three teams joust for the sixth, seventh and eighth spot.
Ottawa downed Washington 2-1 with Sergei Gonchar scoring the game-winner in overtime to clinch a playoff spot for Ottawa.
SPIN: Alex Ovechkin continued his amazing April by scoring for the third straight game and now has 32 tallies this season. Defenseman Erik Karlsson came back into the lineup for Ottawa after getting his Achilles’ tendon torn by Matt Cooke of the Penguins earlier this season.
The Rangers knocked off Carolina 4-3 in overtime to clinch their playoff spot with Ryan Callahan scoring the game-winner. Derek Stepan, Derick Brasard and Mike Richards all scored for the Rangers.
SPIN: Jiri Tlusty had a two-goal night for Carolina with his 22nd and 23rd of the season in the loss but has been inconsistent.
Ilya Kovalchuk came back into the lineup and posted a goal and an assist in New Jersey’s 3-2 win over Pittsburgh.
SPIN: It was good to see Kovalchuk get back on the ice although Devils fans think it was more than a little too late. Patrick Elias added two assists in the win.
Toronto blanked Florida 4-0 with James Reimer stopping 34 shots and Phil Kessel scoring twice.
SPIN: This game went exactly as was expected.
Detroit knocked off Nashville 5-2 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Detroit scored four unanswered goals to erase a 2-1 Nashville lead. The Wings have one game to go and a one-point lead over Minnesota and Columbus for the final spot.
SPIN: Johan Franzen scored for the third straight game and sixth in his last seven outings. Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and an assist in the win.
Boston blanked Tampa Bay 2-0 with Tuukka Rask posting the 30-save shutout.
SPIN: Dennis Seidenberg and Daniel Paille scored the goals for Boston as they kept pace with Montreal atop the Northeast Division standings.
Ryan Reaves scored twice as the Blues knocked off listless Calgary 4-1. The Blues can wrap up the fourth spot with a win over Chicago Saturday.
SPIN: Reaves is more of an enforcer so he has little fantasy value. Brian Elliott won his 10th game this month for the Blues and has amazing stats in April. He has a 1.14 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. Elliott has three shutouts in April and has allowed 15 goals on 282 shots.
Columbus knocked off Dallas 3-1 with Cam Atkinson scoring twice in the win. Columbus still needs a little help to get into the playoffs but it can be done.
SPIN: Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves in the win and you know someone will overpay for him next season.
Anaheim knocked off Vancouver 3-1 in a meaningless game.
SPIN: Anaheim sat Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu and Ryan Getzlaf while Bobby Ryan was back in Anaheim fighting the flu.
Multiple Goal Scorers
Tlusty-CAR, Kessel-TOR, Reaves-STL, Atkinson-CBJ
Stat of the Night-Quit Staaling
When Jared Staal joined Eric Staal and Jordan Staal on the ice it marked the first time three brothers played on the same team in the same season since the Stasny brothers did in 1985 with the Quebec Nordiques.
Three Stars of the Night
1 Kessel
2 Rask
3 Reimer
Friday’s Games (all times ET)
NY Islanders at Buffalo 7pm The Isles can push into sixth place with a win over Buffalo.
Edmonton at Minnesota 8pm The Wild controls its own destiny for the playoffs.
Calgary at Chicago 830pm The Flames’ season comes to an end.
Colorado at Phoenix 10pm Another meaningless game.
