The three-game sweep of the NHL starts in Columbus where the Blue Jackets grabbed their seventh straight win in a 3-2 decision over the New Jersey Devils in extra time.
Jack Johnson scored game-winner for Jackets over Devils – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Jack Johnson scored the game-winner less than a minute into overtime.
“What’s done is done,” Johnson said. “We realize the reality of the situation, but you never strap on the gear trying to lose. We’ve been winning. We want to keep on winning and win every game we play. We want to go 6-0.”
The Devils have now lost six straight and some frustration is evident around the edges.
“It’s frustrating not to have the team rewarded with two points in these games,” Devils goaltender Cory Schneider said. “We’ve been right in it or had a chance or gone to overtime but we just haven’t gotten it done.”
The Jackets have been playing loose of late and the result has been a 9-1-0 record over their last ten.
“When [Johansen] started going behind the net, I was looking to take someone with me and kind of get lost and hopefully free him up for something,” Johnson said. “Getting around the net, the next thing I knew was all by myself and David found me fast.
“We didn’t get down at all,” he said. “If anything we got mad giving up the shorthanded goal that late in the game. Our team reacted the right way.”
In Toronto, the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning were the Maple Leafs a night after clinching a playoff spot and they seemed to less than enthused about the affair; and it showed as the Leafs hung a 3-1 loss on the Bolts.
“It’s a tough one; we didn’t play very well,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. “You can’t talk about us playing back-to-back games and talk about our injuries, but I still think we could have won the game if we played like we can. We have to get back to that. The compete early in the game and the attention to details were not there.”
The lack of effort from the Lightning made the Leafs looks like world beaters Tuesday night.
“We have a lot to play for,” Tampa Bay forward Brian Boyle said. “We’re playing for home ice in the playoffs. It was an emotional game (Monday) for sure, and it takes a lot out of you, but we have to find a way to bounce back. There are not many games left (four), so we have to find a way to find the energy. We played some great hockey in Montreal, some of our best of the year, and we have to find a way to be consistent.”
James Reimer made 40 saves for the Leafs’ win and benefited from rare offensive support.
“When you get a team on the back-to-backs you want to get on them early,” Maple Leafs coach Peter Horachek said. “They had a few injuries, and for us to be ready to play and get those goals early was important. As the game goes on, it was harder for them to have the push back.
“James has battled, deserved to play those two games, and getting those two wins was a confidence booster for him,” Horachek said. “When you are not playing every night or every other night, a lot of times you are dropping pucks and your timing is off. He looked like he had his confidence, and the rebounds weren’t being pushed back out there. Sometimes when he has been out of games for a period of time, he drops pucks.”
In Detroit, the visiting Ottawa Senators were desperate for a win and two points in their chase of the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot. After two losses the Sens were scrambling for and hoping for help from elsewhere.
Tied at one all after regulation and extra time it took the talent portion of the game to settle it for the Sens who skated off with a 2-1 win.
Ottawa got goals in the skills competition from Mark Stone, Mika Zibanejad and Kyle Turris and Andrew Hammond stopped two Detroit shooters to seal the win.
“It’s the biggest win of the year,” Stone said. “Every game is the most important from here on out. … With Boston winning (3-2 against the Florida Panthers), we needed the two points.”
Hammond made 18 saves through over time.
“It was a tough game to play because I didn’t see much action,” Hammond said. “When you see (Red Wings goalie Petr) Mrazek playing the way he is, you just have to keep making the next save.”
Mrazek made 33 saves through overtime in taking the loss for the Wings.
“I think Pete Mrazek was the star. The penalty kill was real good. We found a way to get a point,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “It was a huge point for us. Give Pete a lot of credit; they were on top of us most of the night. I didn’t think we had many opportunities.”
The Senators remain three points back of the Bruins who won Tuesday night, 3-2, over the Florida Panthers.
“Tonight, we played well from the start. We just couldn’t score earlier in the game. …I think the guys came out with great focus from the start,” Ottawa captain Erik Karlsson said.
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