NHL Scores: Kadri's hat trick has Leafs thinking playoffs

Nazem Kadri and Taylor Hall both contributed hat tricks to winning efforts while the Rangers continued to disappoint everyone.

By Patrick Iversen Mar 31, 2013, 7:00am EDT

The Penguins gained Jarome Iginla and Brenden Morrow. Then they lost Sidney Crosby. The Rangers added Rick Nash in the offseason and then lost all sense of direction. And the Maple Leafs gained Nazem Kadri, but we all know you Leafs fans miss Tim Connolly.

The Hockey Gods giveth, and they taketh away.

Let's get to a jam-packed Saturday in the NHL, shall we?

All The NHL Scores

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

Flyers 3, Bruins 1 (But at least they still have Matt Bartkowski, right?)

Penguins 2, Islanders 0 (Duh.)

Hurricanes 3, Jets 1

Avalanche 1, Predators 0 (OT)

Capitals 4, Sabres 3 (SO)

Canadiens 3, Rangers NOTHING

Maple Leafs 4, Senators 0

Panthers 3, Devils 2 (OT)

Wild 4, Kings 3 (SO)

Oilers 4, Canucks 0

Sharks 3, Coyotes 2 (SO)

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 and 2. Can the New York Rangers get a victory in Montreal? Can they score a goal on Carey Price?

The answer to the second question answers the first: No. Another 3-0 loss for the Rangers in Montreal. As we mentioned Saturday morning, the Rangers needed to win this game either to hold onto the eighth seed in the East or further distance themselves from the teams nipping at their heels. By some stroke of luck, the Rangers managed to lose and hold on to eighth.

But every single team behind the Rangers in the East not named the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders won on Saturday. The end of the season is swiftly approaching and the Rangers are slipping at the worst possible time.

3. Can the Islanders break the Penguins 14-game winning streak and move into playoff position?

The Devils' win coupled with the Isles' loss makes their upcoming match-up less intriguing. But not by much. The standings are as tight as ever after a successful night for the bottom half of the East, and the Islanders can keep pushing for the playoffs if they can regroup after running into the juggernaut Penguins.

4. Can the Jets pull away from the Hurricanes in the Southeast?

The Jets lost badly to the Hurricanes on Saturday, completing a horribly missed opportunity for Winnipeg. Carolina is 3-6-1 over their last ten games and offered Winnipeg a prime chance to pull away and take control of the division. Instead, the Jets went 5-5-0 over the same stretch and the two teams are within four points of each other to start this week.

5. Are the Sharks finally okay?

They came back against the Coyotes to win in a shootout and held on to their playoff position. I'd say they're on the way up.

Impact Moment

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

Sidney Crosby had to spend the night in a hospital after this scary play.

Stat of the Night

Oil three goals in 2:43 to start gm vs VANC fastest in history. Old record Dec.16, '81. Gretzky, Unger, Messier in Colorado, 3:25.
— Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) March 30, 2013