NHL scores: Giguere blanks Penguins, Sharks win again

If you like great goaltending, Monday night was the perfect night of hockey for you.

By Adam Gretz Oct 22, 2013, 8:00am EDT

If you like great goaltending then Monday night was made just for you.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere helped Colorado continue its strong start with a 34-save shutout in Pittsburgh, while the Red Wings and Sharks needed a shootout to finally break the seal that was around their nets all night. Even then it was difficult, especially for Todd Bertuzzi as he did everything he possibly could in the shootout only to have Antti Niemi make one of the best saves in the NHL so far this season.

In the late game, T.J. Brodie and the Flames took advantage of a late Kings penalty and scored with 30 seconds to play to snap their two-game losing streak.

All the NHL Scores

Avalanche 1, Penguins 0

Sharks 1, Red Wings 0

Flames 3, Kings 2

Five Questions

On Monday we asked you five burning questions about the day's games. These are your cool, soothing answers.

1. Will the Battle of Cole Harbour live up to the hype?

If you didn't already know that Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon are both from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, well, you certainly do now. Both players were held off the scoresheet in Colorado's 1-0 win, but they did have a brief encounter against one another in the second period.

That's where this happened.

So that was pretty exciting.

2. Will Crosby continue his eight-game point streak?

No. Monday was the first game this season that Crosby was held off the scoresheet. He entered the game with 17 points in eight games, including 12 over his previous four games. In the second period the Avalanche held Crosby to zero shots on goal. There were still plenty of chances for the Penguins but they simply could not beat Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

3. Will the Penguins remain unbeaten at home?

Not only was Monday the first time Crosby was held scoreless, but it was also the first time this season the Penguins lost on home ice. What's incredible about that is that it was probably one of the better games they've played this season. Sometimes, however, the puck just doesn't go in the net for you.

4. Will San Jose continue their eight-game point streak?

They needed a shootout, and an incredible save from Antti Niemi to close it out, but yes the San Jose Sharks did in fact extend their point streak, improving their record to a league-best 8-0-1. The Sharks and Red Wings were scoreless through regulation and overtime and received a Logan Couture goal in the shootout to get the win.

5. Will Calgary end their two-game losing streak?

In a special teams battle in Los Angeles it was the Flames that came out on top thanks to T.J. Brodie's power play goal with 29.3 seconds to play, helping the Flames snap their two-game losing streak.

Impact Moment

The one play or moment from Monday's games that will be making headlines over the next couple of days.

The Colorado Avalanche keep finding ways to win, but how long will it last? You have to think that if they keep getting dominated territorially, like they were on Monday, that sooner or later the flood gates might open against them. Right now they're relying heavily on some unsustainable goaltending and penalty killing.

Avalanche fans probably aren't complaining, but right now they're looking like the Western Conference version of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Get badly outshot, give up chance after chance, but still come out on top. Take Monday's game for example: The Penguins attempted 74 shots. They allowed the Avalanche to attempt just 29. That is a huge, disadvantage, and the Avalanche still managed to come away with a 1-0 win. That's how good Jean-Sebastien Giguere was on Monday night.

Stat of the Night

In Monday's three games there were only six goals scored during regulation (five of them came in the Calgary-Los Angeles game). Only one of them was scored at even-strength, and that goal belonged to Colorado's Gabriel Landeskog. All five goals the Flames game came on special teams, with the Flames scoring three power play goals and the Kings tallying a power play goal and a shorthanded goal.