Niklas Backstrom is a winner again.
The Calgary Flames goaltender stopped 21 of 22 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night, and the win was a long time coming.
Backstrom was playing his first NHL game since Jan. 13, 2015, a span of 432 days.
"There was not too much rust in his system," said Flames head coach Bob Hartley postgame. He added, "To get a big win, that sets the stage really well for Minnesota."
Backstrom will start Thursday's game against the Wild at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The netminder spent parts of nine seasons with Minnesota before being traded to the Flames on deadline day in February.
"(It's) another special game," Backstrom said. "It's going to be a little weird but it should be fun."
The 38-year-old is Minnesota's franchise leader in wins, shutouts, and games played by a goaltender.
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The NHL-leading Washington Capitals were dismantled at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, and it did not sit well with head coach Barry Trotz.
The Penguins pulverized the Capitals 6-2 thanks to three third-period goals, but despite the team's 17-point cushion in the President's Trophy race, Trotz isn't giving his team a pass.
"I'm not going to let guys off the hook," Trotz said, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "There's no excuse for the sloppy play, the lack of execution."
The Capitals missed their chance to clinch top spot in the Eastern Conference - which would have been achieved with a win in any fashion- a fate Trotz felt his team deserved.
"They're in playoff mode," said Trotz, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "They wanted it more and we got exactly what we deserved tonight.
"They're probably the hottest team right now."
So, to be clear, Trotz complimented the #Pens and heavily criticized the #Caps repeatedly.
— Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) March 21, 2016
The Capitals shouldn't fret too much as they have gone 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and Sunday's loss marked the first time all season that the team has conceded six or more goals.
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Sidney Crosby's incendiary streak has been nothing short of timely.
The Pittsburgh Penguins captain stretched his league-high point streak to 12 games with two assists in his club's 6-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
For the Penguins, Crosby's hot hand could not have come at a better time. While the team looks to lock down a playoff position, their No. 2 center continues to watch from the press box.
The Penguins have now played their last five games without Evgeni Malkin, but have not missed a beat, going 5-0 while Crosby's amassed three goals and nine points.
Sidney Crosby is creating new streaks for himself. 3rd straight game he's had a multi-point effort - first time he's done that this year.
— Josh Getzoff (@PensJG) March 21, 2016
Malkin was lighting it up himself prior to his departure from the lineup, punching in three goals and nine points in the seven games prior to his injury.
Crosby has now collected 17 points during the month of March, the most of any player in the league. That's contributed mightily to the team's incredible 8-3-0 record during the month.
Malkin is still expected to miss another five-to-seven weeks with an upper-body injury, but as long as Crosby continues to torment opposing defense corps, the Penguins look like they should be fine heading into the postseason.
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Mike Weber would be wise to keep his phone on after Sunday's game.
The Washington Capitals defenseman drove Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust into the boards from behind in the third period.
Weber received a five-minute boarding major and a 10-minute misconduct. Rust left for the dressing room but returned shortly thereafter and assisted on Justin Schultz's first goal with the Penguins.
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New Jersey Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood has already joined elite company with just one game under his belt.
With a win in his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday, Wedgewood became the first Devils goaltender to win in his NHL debut since franchise great Martin Brodeur did so back on March 26, 1992.
Hynes said Wedgewood earned another start with his play today, but doesn't know which game. Kinkaid will also play this week,
— Tom Gulitti (@TGfireandice) March 21, 2016
The 23-year-old turned away 27 of 28 shots en route to a 2-1 victory. The team rallied after losing the first of a home-and-home against the Blue Jackets 6-3 on Saturday.
The win slots the Devils six points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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