MAPLE LEAFS BLANK RED WINGS IN CENTENNIAL CLASSIC PREVIEW

Jonathan Bernier denied all 38 shots he faced and Michael Grabner provided the lone goal to lift the Maple Leafs over the Red Wings in a preview of next season’s 2017 NHL Centennial Classic.

Bernier recorded his 12th career shutout and third of the season and the first time in 16 years the Leafs have shut out the Detroit Red Wings.

Elias notes that he became the first Maple Leafs goaltender to shut out the Red Wings since Dec. 6, 2000, when Curtis Joseph made 29 saves in a 3-0 win at Joe Louis Arena.

At 36-24-8 (80 points), the Penguins leapfrogged the Red Wings (34-24-11, 79 points) – who lost in regulation – for the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They also climbed within two points of the idle Islanders (37-21-8, 82 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

MILESTONES & MUSINGS

• Penguins forward Dominik Simon, a fifth-round selection (137th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft, collected one assist in his League debut.
• The Rangers suffered consecutive losses of any kind for the first time since Dec. 17-20 (0-3-0)
• Penguins forward Conor Sheary (2-0—2) registered his first career multi-goal game (30 GP)
• Rangers forward Derick Brassard scored for the third straight game (3-1—4)
• Teammates Derek Stepan (2-5—7) and Keith Yandle (1-4—5) both extended their point streaks to five games
• The NHL General Managers Meeting begins today in Boca Raton, Fla., and runs through Wednesday.

 

SUNDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
Pittsburgh 5, NY RANGERS 3
Tampa Bay 4, COLUMBUS 0
Toronto 1, DETROIT 0

 

SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Florida @ NY Islanders, 7:00 p.m.
Los Angeles @ Chicago, 8:00 p.m.
St. Louis @ Calgary, 9:00 p.m.
Nashville @ Edmonton, 9:00 p.m.
Winnipeg @ Vancouver, 10:00 p.m.
New Jersey @ Anaheim, 10:00 p.m.