The Tampa Bay Lightning won their sixth consecutive game Sunday, beating the division rival Boston Bruins 4-1, thanks in large part to their red-hot top line of Steven Stamkos, Alex Killorn, and Ryan Callahan.
Callahan had two goals and an assists while his linemates each added a goal and a helper on the night. At the other end, Ben Bishop shut the door with 32 saves to help Tampa Bay move two points ahead of Boston for sole position of second place in the Atlantic.
The Lightning reunited their former first line on Feb. 16, and though they lost that night's game to the San Jose Sharks, the team hasn't looked back since. In their last seven games together, the three players have combined for an incredible 28 points.
| Player | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callahan | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Stamkos | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| Killorn | 3 | 5 | 8 |
Stamkos' goal, which came via penalty shot, extended his league-best goal-scoring streak to six games. It's his longest such streak since a seven-game run in 2010.
Sunday's matchup was the beginning of a three-game Lightning road trip against Atlantic Division opponents. They will visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday before taking on the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.
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The Los Angeles Kings may be the next Stanley Cup contender to add a rental ahead of the trade deadline.
The Kings appear to be closing in on a trade to acquire veteran forward Kris Versteeg from the Carolina Hurricanes, according to multiple reports.
CAR cannot retain salary on any deals. At max of 3 (Harrison, Staal, Ruutu). PHI in same spot.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 29, 2016
In return, Los Angeles is believed to be sending Russian prospect Valentin Zykov and a conditional fifth-round pick, according to Kings insider Jon Rosen.
Versteeg was held out of the Hurricanes' lineup for Sunday's 5-2 loss against the St. Louis Blues. The 32-year-old is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning with them in 2010 and 2015.
He has 11 goals and 22 assists in 63 games this season.
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Stamkos on a penalty shot? You better believe it's beautiful. #TBLvsBOShttps://t.co/zr5E30Qq7d
— NHL (@NHL) February 29, 2016
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos extended his league-best goal-scoring streak to six games on a penalty shot Sunday, fooling Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask with a move before sneaking the puck around his left pad for his 28th goal of the season, and giving his team a 4-1 second-period lead.
Stamkos can tie his career best for consecutive games with a goal (7) if he scores tomorrow night in Toronto.#TBLightning #TBLvsBOS
— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) February 29, 2016
The 26-year-old was awarded the penalty shot after being hit from behind by Brad Marchand while breaking towards the net. It was Stamkos' third penalty shot of the season. He failed to score on his two earlier attempts.
It appeared Stamkos may have scored just two minutes before with a howitzer from the point, but the shot was tipped by Ryan Callahan for his second goal of the game.
Stammer with the snipe, Cally with the exclamation point.https://t.co/SKee0HMqUq
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 29, 2016
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Adam McQuaid had a long skate back to the Boston Bruins' bench Sunday after an embarrassing fall led to a Tampa Bay Lightning goal.
The veteran defenseman lost his balance with nobody near him as he received a pass at the point. His slip opened the door for a two-on-zero between Ryan Callahan and Alex Killorn, which they executed to perfection for Callahan's ninth goal of the season.
While McQuaid reminded all hockey fans that ice is, indeed, slippery, one Twitter user discovered another possible cause for the blown tire.
Just went back and reviewed the McQuaid play. pic.twitter.com/Ab3A5HZuO1
— ETD51 (@ETD51) February 29, 2016
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After months of trade speculation, the New York Rangers won the Eric Staal sweepstakes Sunday, acquiring the star forward from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for two second-round picks and prospect Aleksi Saarela.
As the 31-year-old leaves brother Jordan in Raleigh to join brother Marc on Broadway, here are three reasons that Eric makes sense for the Blueshirts:
With the addition of the eldest Staal, the Rangers' top-nine forwards look a whole lot scarier to any potential playoff opponents. Head coach Alain Vigneault will have a lot of options to consider once Rick Nash returns from injury, given Staal's ability to play center or wing.
Although he's on pace for his lowest-scoring season since his rookie year, if the trade "rejuvenates" Staal the way general manager Jeff Gorton hopes, it could spell danger for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Potential lines
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Staal | Stepan | Nash |
| Miller | Brassard | Zuccarello |
| Hayes | Lindberg | Kreider |
| Fast | Moore | Stalberg |
A Staal-Stepan-Nash line would be a potential terror for opposing defenses and could also allow Chris Kreider to thrive in a third-line role while keeping the current Miller-Brassard-Zuccarello unit intact.
The final quarter of the regular season should see the Rangers use a number of different line configurations, which will give Vigneault more than enough time to sort out his deep, balanced attack.
As mentioned, Staal's ability to play the wing can allow the Rangers to keep Stepan and Brassard, both locked up through 2019, in their current top-six roles at center.
But another asset Staal brings to New York is a 53.7 faceoff percentage, which trails only Dominic Moore on the roster this season.
| Player | FO% |
|---|---|
| Moore | 55.8 |
| Staal | 53.7 |
| Brassard | 51.1 |
| Lindberg | 49.3 |
| Stepan | 46.6 |
| Miller | 41.5 |
| Hayes | 35.3 |
While he may spend the majority of his time on the wing, bringing in a man who has won the majority of his draws for five consecutive seasons is an important add for the Rangers: They rank 24th in the league at the faceoff dot, and dead last among teams in playoff position.
If Stepan's struggles in the circle continue, Staal could make a massive difference in late-game situations.
As general manager Jeff Gorton alluded to Sunday, this trade is about today and not the future.
While it's uncertain whether their newest forward will stay at Madison Square Garden after this season, the Rangers already have four key forwards, three defensemen, and star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist locked up through at least 2018.
But after giving up a pair of first-rounders in 2014 for Martin St. Louis, the Rangers are without a selection in the opening round of the draft for the fourth consecutive year this June, casting doubt on how long their championship window can remain open.
Without a bevy of prospects to look forward to in the near future, the Rangers must remain competitive while Lundqvist continues to play a high level. Adding a productive veteran with a Cup ring to the dressing room has put them in a great position to make their second finals run in three years.
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