NHL scores: Flyers torch Islanders, Avs benefit from blown call

I have a hot sports opinion.

Mid-afternoon hockey games are strange. Especially on Mondays.

Phew.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's get to Monday's action.

All The NHL Scores

Get caught up on last night's NHL scores with recaps from our network of SB Nation team blogs. Here's a quick glance at the full night of action:

Senators 2, Devils 1 (SO)

Flyers 7, Islanders 0

Avalanche 6, Predators 5

Maple Leafs 3, Panthers 0

Canadiens 3, Hurricanes 0

Coyotes 4, Flames 0

Ducks 3, Blue Jackets 2

Five Answers

Prior to last night's games, we presented five burning questions regarding the night's action. Here are your cool, soothing answers.

1. Will the Senators be able to put the puck in the net against Brodeur?

Ottawa had every reason to pack it up and admit defeat after the Devils posted a one-goal lead in the first minutes of the game. Instead, their captain Daniel Alfredsson tied it up in the third and the Senators got the only goal in the shootout to seal the win. The battered and bruised Senators forced Brodeur to make 29 saves and worked hard for their opportunities. Ben Bishop wasn't half bad either (30 saves). One win doesn't mean anything unless Ottawa can play this effectively with consistency in Erik Karlsson and Jason Spezza's absence, however.

2. Can the Islanders' goaltending hold up long enough for the team to get on a roll?

Uh, no. Not at all. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 18 of 25 shots as New York got steamrolled by Philadelphia, 7-0, in their own building. Although, to be fair, his teammates gave him no help whatsoever. Dominik from Lighthouse Hockey explains it best:

As the score got worse and the fading chances of any comeback fully disappeared in the second period, the Islanders got sloppy and more individually desperate, their structure and discipline completely breaking down. The rest of the game was a formality, devoid of ideas but well-populated with further moments of humiliation.

3. Which streak gets busted: Montreal or Carolina?

That would be the Hurricanes. Without Jeff Skinner, Tim Brent, Tim Gleason or Joni Pitkanen in the lineup, Carolina was unable to find that extra gear that they've found so consistently during their winning streak. They only managed 19 shots on goal and were pretty much done for as soon as Montreal broke through in the third period.

4. Can the Flyers ever find success within their own division?

If the Flyers are about to go on a run against their division rivals, they got started in a big way against the Islanders. The 7-0 win was highlighted by big performances from their two most important players. Ilya Bryzgalov was solid in net, stopping 19 shots. And Claude Giroux netted two goals and an assist after giving his team a big speech about finding consistency. We'll see if they can actually pull that off.

5. Will the Ducks' points streak with Viktor Fasth continue?

Jonas Hiller got the start in his stead, and put on a 25-save performance. The Ducks are now riding a five-game win streak and lead the Pacific Division thanks to their hot goaltending.

Impact Moment

What moment from last night's games will be making headlines in the coming days?

The officiating this season has been questionable at best, but no call has been more egregious than this missed offsides call on Matt Duchene.

I mean, not even close.

Stat of the Night

From the "Bet You Didn't Expect That One" department:

Post to Post

• The Coyotes tried the Harlem Shake. It was unsettling.
• Finally, this: