New Jersey Devils rookie Sergey Kalinin scored a goal, added an assist, and fought J.T. Miller on Tuesday as his team ended a three-game losing streak by beating the New York Rangers 5-2.
Though the 24-year-old Russian has certainly never watched Gordie Howe play, the significance of his goal, assist, and first NHL fight wasn't lost on him.
"I'm from Siberia, but we have the internet," he said, referring to his Gordie Howe hat trick. After spending parts of six seasons with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, Kalinin now has seven goals and six assists in his first season in North America.
Tyler Kennedy, Kyle Palmieri, Lee Stempniak, and Adam Larsson also found the net, while an unbelievable stick save was one of 17 made by netminder Cory Schneider as he recorded his 26th win.
The win brings the Devils within a point of the final wild-card spot currently held by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have three games in hand.
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If Tuesday is indeed Andrew Ladd's final home game with the Winnipeg Jets, he made it a memorable finale.
The 30-year-old finished off a feed from a man with a five-year contract extension in Dustin Byfuglien to net his second shorthanded goal of the season against the Dallas Stars.
With Winnipeg fans anticipating that this could be the last time they see Ladd wear the "C" (the team has no more home games ahead of the Feb. 29 trade deadline), they gave him a well-deserved standing ovation.
Of course Ladd had to score. Shorthanded. Crowd loves it. So do his teammates. Standing O for the captain. pic.twitter.com/mJIEZMXUYV
— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) February 24, 2016
Since the franchise moved from Atlanta to Winnipeg in 2011, Ladd has scored more goals (110) than any other Jets player.
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Eric Staal either upped his trade value or made things more difficult for Ron Francis.
In Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Carolina Hurricanes captain tapped a puck out of midair and past Michal Neuvirth for his first goal since Jan. 12, ending a 16-game drought.
The goal comes less than a week before the NHL's trade deadline, at which time Staal's immediate future will be decided.
On one hand, the win over the Flyers keeps the Hurricanes alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race, bringing them to within two points of the Pittsburgh Penguins, albeit with three more games played.
Staal, however, is set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, meaning he's a candidate to be traded if the sides don't appear to be headed for a contract extension.
For potential buyers, the goal could be a necessary sign of life from the 31-year-old, who now has 10 in 61 games this season.
But for general manager Francis, the decision now is whether to sell Staal to the highest bidder or retain his services for a playoff push, even if it means potentially losing him for nothing in free agency.
The Hurricanes have three games remaining before the deadline, at which point a new era could be dawning in Carolina.
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Brent Burns has been one of the biggest keys to the San Jose Sharks success this season, but his beard has helped make him one of the NHL's most popular players.
The Sharks are capitalizing on his trademark facial hair - and his missing front teeth - with a promotion where they'll be giving away "Chia Burns" figures to special ticket holders who want to try to "grow a cooler beard than Burnzie" for a March 28 game against the Los Angeles Kings.
Get your #ChiaBurns on March 28.https://t.co/jivc6HqD3g pic.twitter.com/n191qH5ZuE
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) February 24, 2016
No word yet if a "Chia Chewbacca" will also be available.
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