It had to end sometime, right? I don't know about you, but I'm interested to see what the MSM decides to turn to for a storyline now that the Blackhawks' streak has ended.
Oh wait. The trade deadline is soon, isn't it?
Well I guess we have our answer.
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 3, Rangers 2
Jets 3, Panthers 2 (OT)
Predators 6, Oilers 0
Avalanche 6, Blackhawks 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 Chicago Blackhawks continue their point-streak?
Nope. The mighty Blackhawks finally fell. And they fell hard, losing to the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 6-2. After the Avalanche scored four goals in the second there really wasn't much the Blackhawks could do to keep the streak alive. Matt Duchene was all over the Blackhawks defenders all night long, notching a goal and three assists. The Blackhawks simply ran into an Avalanche team that seems very confident when they play Chicago. Oh, and the goaltending for both sides also decided the game. Semyon Varlamov was huge with 31 saves while Corey Crawford made just 14 saves on 19 shots.
2. Will the Florida Panthers be able to rebound from Thursday night?
The Panthers lost in overtime to the Jets, but played a strong game considering it was the second half of a back-to-back for the team. You can attribute a lot of that to Jonathan Huberdeau, who had yet another strong game in what is turning out to be one heck of a rookie season (12-5-17 in 25 games). Unfortunately Jacob Markstrom's slow start doomed the Panthers again, and they'll need to see some more consistency from beginning to end from him if they want any shot at making a run at the playoffs.
3. Will the Nashville Predators allow fewer than two power play goals against the Edmonton Oilers?
How about no goals whatsoever? Pekka Rinne stopped 24 shots for the 6-0 shutout win. In fact, Edmonton didn't earn a single power-play all game long, mainly because they were busy chasing the Preds around their own zone. It was a much-needed win for Nashville and a troubling loss for a struggling Oilers squad.
Case in point:
4. Will the New York Rangers extend their four-game winning streak?
Nope. The Rangers have played some aggressive hockey during their win streak, but the Senators matched their aggression to the tune of a 3-2 victory in New York on Friday. Henrik Lundqvist did all he could against 39 shots but Jakob Silfverberg's late goal sealed the win for Ottawa.
5. How will Ryan Getzlaf fare in his first game since signing his extension?
Getzlaf didn't exactly dominate the game, but he capped off one of the best days of his life in style. Hours after signing an 8-year, $66 million extension with the Ducks, Getzlaf recorded his 500th career point when he assisted on a Bobby Ryan goal in the second period. Corey Perry also assisted on the goal, and you have to wonder how much longer those three will be playing together.
Impact Moment
What moment from last night's games will be making headlines in the coming days?
John Mitchell's goal to put the Avs up 3-1 gave Colorado the separation it needed to really put a chokehold on the Blackhawks. The Avs never looked back.
Quote of the Night:
#Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews: "Everyone knows you can’t win them all."
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) March 8, 2013
Countless little kids wearing your jersey dreamed that you could, Jonathan. Think about them.
THINK OF THE CHILDREN.
Stat of the Night:
Coming into Friday night, there were 27 players with at least 10 goals in the NHL. Interestingly, 20 of those players were from the Eastern Conference and only 7 of them were from the Western Conference.
But...
Why?
Someone please explain this to me.
Post to Post
- Arctic Ice Hockey was critical of the Jets' performance, even though they won.
- Mile High Hockey said last night's game was Matt Duchene's best as a pro.
- And of course, check out Second City Hockey to get the Chicago perspective.
- Can someone please explain to me why the ice at the Honda Center is so awful every single game? I mean, blotches everywhere.
- Finally, I leave you with words from noted comic Roberto Luongo:
The Blackhawks must be really Saad tonight.........
— Strombone (@strombone1) March 8, 2013