NHL March 22 2019 – WILD PLAYOFF POSITION

FRIDAY’S RESULTS – Home Team in Caps

• Minnesota 2, WASHINGTON 1
• ANAHEIM 4, San Jose 3 (OT)

WILD LEAP INTO PLAYOFF POSITION WITH WIN IN WASHINGTON

Ryan Donato (0-2—2) and Devan Dubnyk (21 saves) helped the Wild pick up their first win against the Capitals since March 5, 2015 – snapping an eight-game skid in the head-to-head series – and leapfrog the idle Avalanche (33-29-12, 78 points) into the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Minnesota last sat in a playoff position following games played through March 11.

* The Wild will face a team currently holding a playoff position in six of its seven remaining games, with the outlier being a meeting with the Coyotes (36-32-6, 78 points) next Sunday – one of five teams outside the playoff picture but within six points of Minnesota (with games in hand).

* Dubnyk improved to 13-4-2 in his last 19 road starts dating to Dec. 29 – the most such victories in that span – as Minnesota moved to 20-15-2 as visitors this season. The Wild travel to Carolina today before rounding out their road schedule against three Western Conference clubs battling for playoff spots: Vegas (March 29), Arizona (March 31) and Dallas (April 6).

* Dubnyk recorded his 29th win of 2018-19 to move within one of his fifth consecutive 30-win season. Only four active goaltenders have posted 30 or more wins in at least five straight campaigns: Roberto Luongo (7), Ryan Miller (7), Henrik Lundqvist (7) and Tuukka Rask (5).

* Donato, who was acquired Feb. 20, is averaging a point per game with the Wild (4-11—15 in 15 GP) after posting 11-7—18 in his first 46 NHL games with Boston. The 22-year-old has tallied the eighth-most points among in-season acquisitions, with each player ahead of him skating at least a dozen more games with their current club.

ANAHEIM CONTINUES TO PLAY SPOILER WITH OT VICTORY OVER SHARKS

Despite allowing three tying goals to the Sharks, Jakob Silfverberg (1-2—3) scored the OT winner for the Ducks as they held their intrastate rival to only one point. It marked the third time this season that San Jose has scored at least three tying goals in a game (tied with CGY, MIN and EDM for the most such outings), and their first loss under that circumstance (Nov. 3 vs. PHI: 4-3 OT W and Jan. 22 at WSH: 7-6 OT W)

* Nearly a tenth of all games this season have featured at least three tying goals (combined or by one team; 9.5%, 109 of 1,149 GP).

* San Jose (43-23-9, 95 points), which fell to 0-4-1 since March 14, gained one point on Calgary (46-21-7, 99 points) in the chase for first place in the Pacific Division. Vegas (42-27-5, 89 points) ranks third in the division and is 4-0-0 since March 13.

* The Ducks continue to affect the playoff standings, collecting six wins this month (12 GP) against opponents that now either occupy a playoff position or are within one point of one – posting victories over COL (2x), ARI, SJS, NSH and MTL.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Arizona@ New Jersey	1:00 PM ET
NY Islanders@ Philadelphia	1:00 PM ET
Chicago@ Colorado	3:00 PM ET
Ottawa@ Edmonton	4:00 PM ET
Nashville@ Winnipeg	7:00 PM ET
NY Rangers@ Toronto	7:00 PM ET
Buffalo@ Montréal	7:00 PM ET
Boston@ Florida	7:00 PM ET
Minnesota@ Carolina	7:00 PM ET
Tampa Bay@ St. Louis	8:00 PM ET
Pittsburgh@ Dallas	8:00 PM ET
Calgary@ Vancouver	10:00 PM ET
Detroit@ Vegas	10:00 PM ET
Anaheim@ Los Angeles	10:30 PM ET

14-GAME SATURDAY CARRIES GREAT WEIGHT WITH 15 DAYS REMAINING IN 2018-19

With 1,149 comeback-filled games and 6,945 goals in the rearview, the 2018-19 regular-season will come down to a two-week sprint to the finish that will determine 13 playoff berths, three division winners, one conference title and all eight matchups for the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. A few storylines to watch on the third-last Saturday of the regular season:

* The Avalanche (33-29-12, 78 points) and Blackhawks (32-31-10, 74 points) begin a back-to-back, home-and-home series at Pepsi Center with both clubs aiming to close the gap on the Wild (35-31-9, 79 points). They each will face only Western Conference teams for the balance of their schedules (Colorado: vs. CHI, at CHI, vs. VGK, vs. ARI, at STL, vs. EDM, vs. WPG, at SJS; Chicago: at COL, vs. COL, at ARI, at SJS, at LAK, vs. WPG, vs. STL, vs. DAL, at NSH).

* The Central Division-leading Jets (44-26-4, 92 points) welcome the second-seeded Predators (42-27-6, 90 points) for their fourth and final matchup of the regular season (WPG: 2-1-0 and NSH: 1-2-0). Both on the brink of clinching a playoff spot, Winnipeg and Nashville have been rotating between first and second place in the Central Division since Dec. 11.

* Two interconference matchups feature clubs in the thick of the playoff race. The Wild (35-31-9, 79 points) visit the Hurricanes (40-26-7, 87 points) with both clubs holding a Wild Card spot – Minnesota is aiming for its seventh straight playoff berth while Carolina eyes its first since 2008-09. The Penguins (40-24-11, 91 points) and Stars (38-30-6, 82 points) will meet at American Airlines Center, with Pittsburgh looking to move into second place in the Metropolitan Division and Dallas aiming to distance themselves from the second Wild Card spot.

* Meanwhile, two clubs can hit the 100-point mark Saturday. Boston (45-20-9, 99 points) aims for its second straight 100-point campaign, a mark they’ve hit 22 times before. This would be the second time in the last 27 years that the Bruins have reached 100 points in consecutive seasons – they hit triple digits in 2010-11 (103 points) and 2011-12 (102 points). Calgary (46-21-7, 99 points) looks to become the first team in the Western Conference to reach 100 points. The Flames have been the first 100-point team in their conference on two occasions, doing so in 1987-88 and 1988-89 en route to first-place finishes in the Clarence Campbell Conference.

Lightning’s Gourde Suspended Two Games for Illegal Check to the Head

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde has been suspended for two games, without pay, for an illegal check to the head of Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal during NHL Game No. 1138 in Carolina on Thursday, March 21, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 14:05 of the first period. Gourde was assessed a match penalty for illegal check to the head.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Gourde will forfeit $10,752.68. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Video shows full explanation of the decision.