Finally, a night without a questionable hit or possible suspension to talk about the next morning. Instead, we can sit back, relax and discuss a short but sweet schedule of NHL games on Monday. Let's get to it.
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:
Maple Leafs 4, Devils 2
Penguins 4, Lightning 3
Coyotes 5, Ducks 4 (SO)
Kings 5, Predators 1
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. How will Evgeni Malkin fare in his return against the Tampa Bay Lightning?
Wonderfully. He looked like he hadn't been injured at all, registering a goal and an assist and putting five shots on net. And his goal that led to the Pens' comeback win was a beauty:
2. Will Tampa Bay end its four-game losing streak?
It was going well for the Lightning until they lost goaltender Mathieu Garon to an unspecified injury. Once that happened, the Penguins slowly began to rev up the engines until Malkin's goal sparked the comeback for Pittsburgh. Tampa Bay is officially reeling.
3. Will the New Jersey Devils end their four-game winless streak?
Nope. Johan Hedberg was struggling in net all night long and seemed to be chasing the puck around the crease instead of following it. The Devils couldn't take advantage of a rare two-goal night from Marek Zidlicky and fell to the Maple Leafs, 4-2.
4. Can the Anaheim Ducks exact revenge on the Phoenix Coyotes?
Nope. The game was almost carbon copy of the previous meeting between the two teams a few days ago. Both teams exchanged goals all night long and the Coyotes once again prevailed in a shootout. The two teams will meet one more time in Anaheim, where the Ducks have been nearly unbeatable this season.
5. Will Jonathan Bernier hold the Nashville Predators to one goal or fewer?
The Predators' scoring woes are at an all-time low, and they didn't get any assistance from Bernier. Actually, they didn't ever really test Bernier at all, managing just 19 shots on the Kings' backup in a 5-1 loss.
Impact Moment
What moment from last night's games will be making headlines in the coming days?
Jeff Carter scored a hat trick last night.
ON HAT NIGHT.
Hattrick on hat night = happy lion pic.twitter.com/hXuG1iekdo
— Bailey LA Kings (@BaileyLAKings) March 4, 2013
With 16 goals in 22 games, Steven Stamkos is on a 60-goal pace over a full NHL season. Again. #TBLightning
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 4, 2013
Post to Post
- All the Devils needed to do to win was have a decent last period. They didn't.
- The Malkin and Sidney Crosby goals (and Penguins win) overshadowed what was actually a decent game by the Lightning.
- The NHL made some changes to its NHL Draft lottery system.
- Finally, here's Claude Julien ranting about diving while his team dives.
More in the NHL:
• All the NHL realignment news
• Blackhawks have three records to break
• Dissecting the Michael Ryder trade
• John Tortorella’s not going anywhere
• NHL realignment proposal a dream for television
• The best of our hockey network