Krejci boosts Boston in SO
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The Associated Press - Published: February 10, 2010
BUFFALO, N.Y. — David Krejci scored the winner in the third round of the shootout, and rookie Tuukka Rask made 43 saves to help the Boston Bruins send the Buffalo Sabres to their fifth consecutive loss with a 3-2 win Tuesday night.
Daniel Paille scored twice in regulation for Boston (25-22-11), which has won two straight after enduring a 10-game winless streak.
Derek Roy and rookie Tyler Myers scored for the sliding Sabres (32-18-8), who are just 2-7-2 in their last 11 games. Ryan Miller, the likely starter for the United States when the Olympics begin next week, made 32 saves.
After Buffalo's Jason Pominville and Boston's Marco Sturm exchanged goals in the first round of the shootout, Krejci gave the Bruins the win with a wrist shot that beat Miller.
The Bruins struck first when Paille shoveled the puck in on a wraparound attempt 4:51 into the game.
Boston increased its lead to 2-0 when Paille notched his ninth of the season by deflecting defenseman Zdeno Chara's shot from the point 7 minutes later.
The Sabres tied it with a pair of goals in the second period. Roy scored at 4:35 while Buffalo was on a two-man advantage, and Myers made it 2-2 with 85 seconds left in the middle frame when his wrist shot from the high slot went in off Boston defenseman Andrew Ference's stick.
Senators 3, Flames 2
OTTAWA — Jason Spezza scored his 10th goal in his last 10 games late in the second period to send the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.
Brian Elliott made 27 saves in his 10th straight start for Ottawa, which won its 12th in 13 games. The Senators lost 5-0 in Toronto on Saturday to end their team-record winning streak at 11.
Spezza, who assisted on Alex Kovalev's power-play goal in the first, got his 13th of the season to give Ottawa its first lead 16:37 into the second. Jarkko Ruutu scored midway through the middle period to draw the Senators even for the second time in the game.
The Senators, who haven't lost at Scotiabank Place in a month, won their season-high sixth in a row at home since Jan. 9.
Lightning 3, Canucks 1
TAMPA, Fla. — Martin St. Louis scored two third-period goals and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Vancouver Canucks.
Steven Stamkos added a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who have won four in a row for the first time since Nov. 2007. Goalie Antero Niittymaki improved to 7-0-1 over his last eight starts.
St. Louis also had an assist and has a seven-game points streak (seven goals, four assists).
Vancouver got a goal from Ryan Kesler. The Canucks are 2-3 on the first leg of an NHL-record 14-game road trip.
Hurricanes 4, Panthers 1
RALEIGH, N.C. — Joni Pitkanen scored the go-ahead goal, and Manny Legace made 19 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Florida Panthers.
Matt Cullen had a goal and two assists, and Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen also scored for Carolina. While the Hurricanes remain near the bottom of the NHL standings, they're playing their best hockey with seven wins in their last nine games.
Cory Stillman scored the lone goal for Florida, which has lost four in a row. The Panthers have scored only four goals in that stretch to lose ground in the chase for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Islanders 4, Predators 3, SO
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Mark Streit scored the tying goal in the closing seconds of regulation, and Frans Nielsen and John Tavares connected in the shootout to help the New York Islanders snap a seven-game losing streak with a victory over the Nashville Predators.
Streit rescued a point for the Islanders with a rare power-play goal, scored with only 11.4 seconds left in regulation. New York, which hadn't scored during a man advantage the previous five games, connected twice in six chances against Nashville.
Martin Biron made the most of his first NHL game in over a month by making 24 saves through overtime and three more in the shootout. Only Martin Erat got a puck past him during the tiebreaker.
Kings 118, Knicks 114, OT
NEW YORK — Tyreke Evans led a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback, Kevin Martin scored nine of his 17 points in overtime, and the Sacramento Kings beat the New York Knicks 118-114 on Tuesday night to end a six-game losing streak.
Evans finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, scoring 12 points in the final 7 minutes of regulation after the Knicks had built a 15-point lead. Donte Greene added 24 points and rookie Omri Casspi finished with 18, just two after halftime.
Wilson Chandler scored a career-high 35 points for the Knicks, who have lost three straight and six of seven to bring a 19-32 record into the All-Star break. David Lee finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Pistons 93, Bucks 81
MILWAUKEE — Tayshaun Prince scored a season-high 18 points and Rodney Stuckey added 18 to help the Detroit Pistons beat the Milwaukee Bucks 93-81 on Tuesday night.
Leading 64-62 going into the fourth, the Bucks tied it twice before Jason Maxiell's short jumper ignited a 16-6 run that turned the game decisively in the Pistons' favor. Ben Gordon's jumper capped the run and gave Detroit an 87-75 lead with 2:50 to go and they never looked back.
Charlie Villanueva, who missed two of the previous four games with back spasms, scored 18 for the Pistons (18-32) who had lost six of the last eight games.
Brandon Jennings scored 11 of his 18 points in the second half and Andrew Bogut added 17 points and 18 rebounds for the Bucks (23-27).
Hawks 108, Grizzlies 94
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Jamal Crawford scored 28 points, including fourth 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, to help the Atlanta Hawks pull away from the Memphis Grizzlies for a 108-94 victory Tuesday night.
Crawford scored 14 points in the final period, and on 5 of 7 from 3-poin range in the game.
Josh Smith added 17 for the Hawks and Marvin Williams and Al Horford scored 15 each as Atlanta snapped a three-game road losing steak.
All-Star forward Zach Randolph had 20 points and 14 rebounds for Memphis, which enters the All-Star break on a four-game losing steak. Rudy Gay had 18 for the Grizzlies and O.J. Mayo finished with 16.
Heat 99, Rockets 66
MIAMI — Desperate to snap a five-game losing streak, the Miami Heat raced to their largest halftime lead of the season and beat the short-handed Houston Rockets 99-66 on Tuesday night.
The Heat shot 13 for 15 during a 9-1/2-minute stretch in the first half and led 56-31 at halftime.
Dwyane Wade had 17 points and seven assists before sitting out the fourth quarter. He was also on the bench for a breather to start the second quarter when the Heat outscored Houston 17-4 to go up 41-20.
Houston was without guards Trevor Ariza (hip pointer) and Kyle Lowry (sprained left ankle). The Rockets shot 30 percent, including 4 for 18 from 3-point range, and their point total was a season low.
It was Miami's fourth win by at least 30 points this season.
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