If you had told Flyers fans at the beginning of the season that they would have Steve Mason as their backup while Sergei Bobrovsky contended for the Vezina Trophy, would they have laughed at you? Or cried?
NHL Scores: Jackets keep marching toward playoffs
Sergei Bobrovsky’s stellar netminding has Columbus thinking playoffs and voters thinking Vezina.
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The latter could very possibly be true. Somehow, some way Sergei Bobrovsky is leading the Columbus Blue Jackets on an unstoppable charge toward the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Columbus held on for a 4-3 shootout win in Colorado on Monday, extending its win streak to four games and leapfrogging the Dallas Stars for ninth. Should Bob win the Vezina?
Here’s a more important question: Should he win the Hart?
All The NHL Scores
Get caught up on Monday's NHL scores with recaps from our network of SB Nation team blogs. Here's a quick glance at the full day of action:
Maple Leafs 2, Devils 0
Flyers 7, Canadiens 3
Blackhawks 5, Stars 2
Blue Jackets 4, Avalanche 3 (OT)
Five Answers
Prior to Monday's games, we presented five burning questions regarding the day's action. Here are your cool, soothing answers.
1. Will the Boston Bruins clinch a playoff spot?
The Bruins' game against the Senators was postponed due to the Boston Marathon tragedy.
2. Will Patrice Bergeron have any impact in Monday night’s game?
See above.
3. Will Matt Cullen and Devin Setoguchi re-kindle their chemistry?
Cullen has missed six games due to a lower-body injury. In the 16 games before the injury, Setoguchi recorded nine goals and six assists. In the six games since, Setoguchi has recorded a single assist. Will the return of his linemate boost his production?
4. Will Joffrey Lupul extended his point-streak?
The Leafs are clearly trying to protect Lupul for the playoffs, as they didn't dress him for the game on Monday. It was just one game, so the sample size is small, but the way the Leafs struggled to score against a struggling Devils squad has to make you wonder how far they can make it this spring if Lupul misses any more time. Leafs can attest that the chemistry between Lupul and Nazem Kadri is something Toronto needs to feed off in the playoffs.
5. How will the Edmonton Oilers respond to Steve Tambellini's firing?
Well, Edmonton didn’t play. But I can show you how Oilers fans responded.
Impact Moment
What moment from Monday's games will be making headlines in the coming days?
It might not have affected hockey directly, but the tragic events in Boston are going to be talked about for days. The NHL held a moment of silence before each of Monday's games to remember those affected.
Stat of the Night
The Devils miss Ilya Kovalchuk more than you can possibly understand:
Devils put 64 shots on goal in past two games. 0 goals.
— Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) April 15, 2013
Post to Post
- Oilers fans would be happy about the Craig MacTavish hiring if Kevin Lowe wasn't behind it.
- Ryan White will meet in person with the NHL for his hit on Kent Huskins, meaning he could be suspended for more than six games.
- The Stars are starting to get national attention.
- Finally, thank you to everyone who stopped by at Stanley Cup Of Chowder for our hockey watching thread last night. It was a great way to escape from the day's events and rally around the SBN hockey community for support. You guys are the best.
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