The sweep of the NHL from Tuesday from focuses on teams in need of points in their playoff races. We start in St Paul where the Minnesota Wild got two third period goals from Charlie Coyle en route to a 6-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche, a team the Wild needs to catch.
Charlie Coyle scored twice for Wild in win over Avs – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Coyle made the score 4-3 just under 15 minutes left in regulation for the eventual game-winner.
“I was just trying to get open and enough can’t be said about [Parise] and Mikko [Koivu] and just me being at the end of it,” Coyle said. “I mean, I get the goal. But those guys do the work, they make the plays. [Scoring], that’s the easy part.”
Nino Niederreiter (two goals), Jason Pominville and Erik Haula also scored for the Wild.
“It’s not like they made a play where you tip your hat and say ‘Good job,'” Avalanche forward Matt Duchene said. “They were nice plays they made, but it’s the NHL and you give up breakaways, you give up 2-on-1s, you give up 3-on-2s, guys of this caliber are going to make plays.”
Devan Dubnyk made 30 saves for the win.
“We talked before the game that winning that matchup’s going to be huge and trying to keep them off the board and checking them all and eventually we’ll get chances,” Haula said. “I guess [there is] no better way to start it than getting three on them and getting them real frustrated right away.”
Chris Bigras and Cody McLeod had second period goals and Jarome Iginla scored.
“I thought we had a strong second period, probably one of our [best] periods of the season,” Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. “Unfortunately we came back … and had a turnover on their fourth [goal] and it hurt us.”
In Nashville, the Predators are also in need of points to keep them in the wild card spot in the Western Conference. On Tuesday, Shea Weber sparked the Preds to a 5-3 win over the Dallas Stars with a goal and three points.
“Everyone knows it just matters if you get in the [Stanley Cup Playoffs],” Weber said. “Your confidence is going to be where it’s at, and if you’re able to get on a roll at whatever time in the playoffs if you’re in, you have a chance to win. I think our goal is to keep playing well in preparation for each game and not taking any team lightly.”
Shea Weber returned to Preds lineup in win over the Stars – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Pekka Rinne had 35 saves for the Predators win.
“It wasn’t easy tonight,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. “Dallas has a really good team. In the first period, they had a lot of attempts, a lot of scoring chances at our net. I thought we got better defensively as the game went on, and in the second period, we really did a good job of eliminating them and just playing smart.”
Weber missed three games from a lower-body injury and returned with some push in his play.
“Obviously, with the way the guys were playing while I was out, I was a little nervous to come back and didn’t want to be the reason that we lost the game,” Weber said. “It was a big win. I thought the guys did a good job. That’s a very good team over there, and they’re able to score. Even at the end there when it’s 5-3, you’re still thinking in your head that they’re a team that’s capable of coming back. I think we did a good job of buckling down.”
In Newark, the visiting Carolina Hurricanes got back on the winning side with a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.
The Canes’ Joakim Nordstrom with less 90 seconds remaining in regulation to help Caroline end a three-game skid.
It was the first win for the Canes after the front office traded away Eric Staal to the New York Rangers.
“I think it’s been quiet more so for the guys who have been around here his whole career,” Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. “I’ve only been here for two years, but I’ll tell you what — Eric Staal was a big piece, a 6-foot-4 centerman and we’re going to miss him obviously and New York will benefit from the acquisition, but that’s the reality of the situation we’re in right now.”
Eddie Lack got the win over the Devils – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Eddie Lack had 29 saves for the win.
“I felt like didn’t have a ton to do,” Lack said. “That breakaway save [against Kyle Palmieri with 12 seconds left in the first period] was important for me. After that, I felt calm in net. I feel like I’ve been playing good games this year but haven’t been as consistent as I wanted.
“That’s the biggest key for me. I need to come up with three or four of these games in a row and get some momentum.”
Adam Henrique scored the lone goal for the Devils.
“I think what’s missing is we haven’t been good enough to get the end results of late,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “That’s something we’ll have to work at as a group. That’ll be our challenge before we play again [at the Nashville Predators] on Thursday.”
Nathan Gerbe sealed the win with an empty-netter and Derek Ryan scored early for the Canes.
“It’s pretty unbelievable, no question,” Ryan said. “It was just an awesome day, an emotional day, playing my first NHL game and [scoring a goal] was just icing on the cake. I can’t really put it into words.”
“It’s got to feel good for him; a 29-year-old rookie scoring a goal in his first NHL game,” Peters said.
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