For just the second time this season the New York Rangers scored more than three goals in a game and did so by matching their season high in a convincing 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was perhaps the most complete game the Rangers have played all year as Henrik Lundqvist was stellar in net while received contributions from all over their lineup to win for the fifth time in their past seven games.
NHL scores: Offensive explosions for Rangers, Predators
The New York Rangers and Nashville Predators had their struggling offenses wake up, while the Phoenix Coyotes had their five-game winning streak snapped against the Anaheim Ducks.
Bruce Bennett
In the later games, Nashville had breakout game offensively as well in a 6-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche. It's the first time since last March that the Predators scored six goals in a game as they handed Colorado just its second loss of the season.
Chicago was a big winner at home against Winnipeg in a game that featured one of the wildest moments of the season involving Adam Pardy and a couple of Blackhawks fans.
All the NHL Scores
Rangers 5, Penguins 1
Blackhawks 4, Jets 1
Predators 6, Avalanche 4
Five Questions
On Wednesday we asked you five burning questions about the day’s games. These are your cool, soothing answers.
1. How many teams will end the night with winning streaks still intact?
Would you believe none of them? The Penguins had their four-game winning streak snapped in New York, while the Avalanche lost a back-and-forth game against Nashville for just their second loss of the season. Phoenix also had its five-game streak stopped against Anaheim.
2. Can the Winnipeg Jets rebound from their loss against Chicago?
No. The Jets fell behind 4-0 before finally getting on the board, and it was a particularly rough night for defenseman Adam Pardy as he was knocked through the glass, was then hit in the face by the panel of glass, had his helmet stolen by a fan that decided to wear it, and then had a beer poured on him. And his team lost.
3. Can the Predators record at least one point against the Avalanche?
Nashville earned both points by winning a wild game in Colorado as the offense was there to pick up the slack for young goalie Carter Hutton as he surrendered four goals on the road.
4. Will the Coyotes go to a fourth straight shootout?
The Coyotes had their winning streak and their shootout streak snapped on Wednesday by allowing three consecutive goals to the Ducks after jumping out to a 2-1 lead.
5. Will Sidney Crosby extend his point streak?
The Penguins scored just one goal on Wednesday (a power play goal by Kris Letang) and Crosby did not have a hand in it. It's just the third time this season that Crosby has not recorded a point in a game for the Penguins, which is pretty incredible.
Impact Moment
The one play or moment from Wednesday’s games that will be making headlines over the next couple of days.
How about the simple fact that the Rangers and Predators found a way to break out offensively and score some goals? The Rangers in particularly really needed a game like this having entered the game scoring more than three goals just one other time this season and scoring two or fewer nine times.
Stat of the Night
Evgeni Malkin has hit a bit of a slump recently having gone nine straight games without a goal. That is his longest streak since he went 11 games without a goal during the 2009-10 season. He followed that streak by scoring eight goals in his next 11 games.
Post to Post
- An open letter to Canadiens coach Michel Therrien.
- The Buffalo Sabres are not a very good possession team.
- Functional toughness.
- Jonathan Quick's awful year for the Los Angeles Kings.
- The Nail Yakupov trade rumors.
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