2015 NHL scores: Holtby earns another shutout, Devils make Kings implode

For better or worse, the NHL was defined by goaltending on Wednesday evening.

I suppose you could say that about any night, but it was especially true considering how each of the four games eventually came down to which netminders were on their game, from a star-studded duel in Columbus to a goaltending implosion in Los Angeles.

Both Sergei Bobrovsky and Carey Price were named to the 2015 NHL All-Star game last week, so their matchup on Wednesday was just a taste of what will come to Columbus in a couple of weeks. Both played exceptionally well, right up until the end when P.K. Subban punched through the Blue Jackets defense to seal a Montreal win.

Meanwhile, Braden Holtby continued to carry the Washington Capitals on his back against the Flyers. Rarely do you see a game between the Capitals and Flyers end with only a single goal scored, but that's all it took for Washington to down Philadelphia. Holtby was a rock, earning his fourth shutout of the year in his 20th consecutive start.

The night ended with the complete opposite of that show in Los Angeles, where the Kings couldn't stop leaking goals left and right. They seemed to have everything set up for them against New Jersey; the Devils can't score, the Kings were on home ice and they had Jonathan Quick as a backup option if things went sour. Instead, things went sour quickly and didn't improve as the Kings got embarrassed by the Devils.

All the NHL Scores

Canadiens 3, Blue Jackets 2

Capitals 1, Flyers 0

Ducks 4, Maple Leafs 0

Devils 5, Kings 3

1. Yet another reason why P.K. Subban should be an All-Star. The affable Canadiens defenseman was the most glaring omission when All-Star rosters were announced last week, and he continued to show why on Wednesday. The Blue Jackets and Habs were minutes away from giving up a point in overtime when Subban scored the game-winning goal.

2. Just because Randy Carlyle is gone doesn't mean the Leafs are suddenly going to improve. Granted, Toronto has played fairly well under Peter Horachek in the week or so since Carlyle was canned. But their performance on Wednesday in Anaheim was their worst game yet under new management, plagued by the same problems that cost Carlyle his job. Carlyle was a problem, but the Leafs are far from fixing all of their issues.

I am fairly confident that Carlyle was a possession drag. I am fairly confident there are still major roster issues. Both can be true!

— Travis Yost (@TravisHeHateMe) January 15, 2015

3. The Kings looked incredibly un-Kingly.

You'd think Los Angeles is well-suited for games against offensively-challenged opponents, but the Devils ripped them to shreds in their own barn. Martin Jones (three goals on eight shots) didn't exactly impress in net, but it's not like Jonathan Quick calmed things down either. All in all, the Devils scored four goals in 8 minutes in the second period to embarrass the defending champions and knock their stats down a few pegs. Goaltending is becoming a serious issue for them.

The #LAKings' team save percentage entering play on December 11 was an NHL-best .932. After the second period, it's now .908.

— Jon Rosen (@lakingsinsider) January 15, 2015

Zach Parise is struggling. Their coach is throwing tantrums at practice. They're so desperate for any decent goaltending they just traded for Devan Dubnyk. But just when you thought the Minnesota Wild's season couldn't get worse, they lose Ryan Suter to a two-game suspension. Suter's absence leaves a huge hole on a team desperately watching their playoff hopes fade away. It's not something Minnesota can afford right now.

Braden Holtby's updated 20-game run: 14-2-4, 1.98 GAA, .934 SV%, three shutouts.

— Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) January 15, 2015

Behind that performance, the Capitals have stormed to within three points of the Islanders for the Metropolitan Division lead. There's a decent chance Washington ends up with the best record in the Eastern Conference by the end of the season. Why are we not talking about Braden Holtby's chances of winning the Vezina yet?

• Montreal won despite falling victim to a near-impossible no goal call.
• One referee brought the Atlanta Thrashers back to life for a few seconds.