European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 40 stars and stripes sunday March 25 2007 Canadian press Jeff Nashville goalie Chris Mason makes a save on a breakaway by the Calgary flames Kristian Juselius during the third period in Calgary Alberta on thursday the flames beat the predators 32 in overtime but Nash Ville clinched its third straight playoff berth and took sole Possession of first place in the Central division predators Clinch playoff spot with overtime loss to flames the associated press the Nashville predators took a defeat to new Heights Nashville 32 loss in overtime at Calgary on thursday night gave the predators their third straight playoff berth sole posses Sion of first place in the Central division and a share of the top spot in the Overall standings with Buffalo not bad for an injury depleted squad that is limping to the finish once we get All our people healthy Well be a lot different team predators coach Barry Trotz said weve got a lot of pieces we can still add Peter Fursberg already is Back and he chipped in two assists now they Are wailing on Steve Sullivan Scott Hartnell and Martin Erat Calgary had lost eight straight against Nashville since last ing the predators on Jan 22 2004 Nashville has dropped four of five but stayed one Point ahead of the Detroit red wings who lost 21 to the Columbus Blue jackets in a shootout Jason Arnott and Vernon fid Dler scored for the predators the first team in the West to qualify for the playoffs but Nashville has plenty to play for in its final seven regular season contests it was a Good hockey game Forsberg said it was physical Good chances Back and Forth Good goal ending it was like a playoff game for sure Craig Conroy and Alex Tan Guay scored in regulation and de Senseman Rhett Warrener won it in overtime for the flames who stretched their Lead Over hard charging Colorado to six Points in the race for eighth place in the West Roundup Warrener unlikely tally his fourth of the season at gave the flames the Victory Calgary has earned four Points this week i was surprised to even be out there said the rugged defense Man who has scored 23 goals in 11 nil seasons when you get a Chance to do something like that and it goes in you feel pretty fortunate i dont think you expect it from Guys like myself islanders 3 penguins 1 at Uniondale by Rick Dipietro turned aside 35 shots As new York snapped its fou game los ing Streak Trent Hunter Jason Blake and Viktor Kozlov scored for the is Landers after spotting the pen Guins a 10 Lead the islanders moved one Point ahead of Toron to and into 10th place in the East Ern conference playoff race they Trail Carolina and Montreal at the playoff cutoff by one Point lightning 3 devils 1 at Tampa Fla Martin St Louis scored twice in the third period and Marc Denis made 34 saves Overall to Lead the lightning St Louis has 41 goals this sea son Vincent Lecavalier earned an assist for his 500th nil Point Jason Ward also scored for Tampa Bay which moved within two Points of Southeast Divi Sion leading Atlanta Martin Brodeur stopped 29 shots and Zach Parise had the Lone goal for the devils who have lost four of five hurricanes 4 capitals 3 at Raleigh no Eric Staal and an Drew Ladd scored in the first two minutes of the third period for the Host hurricanes who held a 3910 shots advantage Alex Ovechkis scored twice for Washington notching his second Multi goal game in six contests Blue jackets 2 red wings i at Detroit Sergei Fedorovas goal in the third extra round of the shootout gave Columbus the Victory Detroit had Todd Bertuzzi in the lineup for the first time since he was acquired by the red wings from the Florida panthers at last months Trade deadline Sharks 5 Thrashers 1 at at Lanta Jonathan Cheechov scored three goals Milan Michalek had one and set up two others and Lin mate Joe Thornton had three assists As san Jose ended the Thrashers franchise record Home winning Streak at seven wild 5 blues 1 at St Paul Minn Marian Gaborik scored twice and Lin mate Pavol Demi tra had a goal and two assists As Minnesota won its Tea record eighth consecutive game coyotes 2 ducks 1 at Glen Dale Ariz Curtis Joseph stopped 23 shots for the coyotes at Home Joseph earned his 16th Victory and the 444th of his nil career Hes one behind Terry Sawchuk for fourth on the Nils career list canadians 6 Bruins 3 at bos ton Tomas Plekanec and Chris Higgins each had a goal and two assists to lift Montreal senators 4 panthers 2 at Sunrise Fla Ray Emery made 35 saves to Lead Ottawa Eastern conference do Buffalo new Jersey Atlanta Ottawa Pittsburgh Tampa Bay by rangers 47 43 39 44 41 41 37 19 23 26 23 23 30 28 7 8 10 8 10 4 9 101 94 88 96 92 86 83 276 193 228 260 252 233 215 216 184 230 205 228 233 196 234 Carolina by islanders Toronto Florida Boston Washington 35 35 31 34 26 27 28 30 34 36 11 10 13 5 13 81 80 75 73 65 220 224 219 205 223 213 236 235 258 266 276 Western conference do Nashville Anaheim Vancouver Detroit san Jose Minnesota Dallas Calgary w lot Pis 6f a 47 21 7 101 251 197 43 19 12 98 237 192 45 23 6 96 199 180 45 19 10 100 230 185 4625 4 96231 179 44 24 7 95 217 182 44 24 5 93 198 177 39 25 10 88 236 203 Colorado St Louis Columbus Edmonton los Angeles Chicago Phoenix 38 29 6 82 243 225 30 31 12 72 191 226 30 37 7 67 184 227 30 37 7 67 182 222 25 35 14 64 212 256 27 37 9 63 182 234 29 41 4 62 198 255 two Points for a win one Point for Over time loss or shootout loss division Leader clinched playoff spot thursdays games san Jose 5 Atlanta 1 Carolina 4 Washington 3 Ottawa 4 Florida 2 Montreal 6 Boston 3 Columbus 2 Detroit 1 Sony islanders 3 Pittsburgh 1 Tampa Bay 3 new Jersey 1 Minnesota 5 St Louis 1 Calgary 3 Nashville 2 of Phoenix 2 Anaheim 1 fridays games Toronto at Buffalo los Angeles at Chicago Colorado at Edmonton Dallas at Anaheim saturdays games Atlanta at Pittsburgh by rangers at Boston by islanders at Philadelphia St Louis at Detroit san Jose at Carolina Buffalo at Toronto Washington at Montreal new Jersey at Florida Ottawa at Tampa Bay los Angeles at Minnesota Dallas at Phoenix Nashville at Edmonton sundays games Boston at Pittsburgh by rangers at by islanders Calgary at Chicago St Louis at Columbus Colorado at Vancouver thursday hurricanes 4 capitals 3 Washington 1 2 03 Carol a 0 2 first period1 Washington Ovechkis 42 Semin second period2 Carolina Commodore 6 Vasicek 3 Washington Clark 28 Semin 4 Carolina Cole 26 Williams 5 Washington Ovechkis 43 Giroux third period6 Carolina Staal 27 Cole 22 7 Carolina Ladd 9 Adams shots on Goa Washington 15410 Carolina 1022739 Power play opportunities Washington 1 of 1 Carolina 1 of 5 Oahe Washington Johnson 5156 39 shots35 Carolina Grahame 6 shots3 Ward 28176 third a18740 Sharks 5 Thrashers 1 san Jose 2 3 05 Atlanta 1 0 01 first period1 Atlanta Dupuis 13 Holik san Jose Cheechov 28 Thorn ton 3 san Jose Michalek 23 Cheechov second penod4 san Jose Cheechov 29 Thornton 5 san Jose Guerin 34 Bell san Jose Cheechov 30 shots on goal san Jose 1213732 Atlanta 65819 Power play opportunities san Jose 0 of 1 Atlanta 0 of 1 goalies an Jose Moskala 2691 19 shots18 Atlanta Lehtonen 32228 Hedberg second a16367 canadians 6 Bruins 3 Montreal i i 46 Boston 2 l 03 first period Boston Kessel 10 mow Montreal Markov 6 Koivu Hig 3 Boston Sturm 25 Bochen ski second penod4 Boston mowers 5 Kes Sel 5 Montreal Plekanec 18 Kast Tsyn third period6 Montreal Johnson 11 ple Kanec 7 Montreal Lapi Erre 5 Streit Montreal Hig gins 20 9 Montreal Ryder 24 Koivu shots on Goa Montreal 1016430 bos ton 1317535 Power play opportunities Montreal 3 of 7 Boston 0 of 4 goalie Montreal Halak 640 35 shots32 Boston Thomas 30254 a17026 islanders 3 penguins 1 Pittsburgh 1 0 01 by islanders o 2 13 first period1 Pittsburgh Armstrong 11 Roberts second period2 by islanders Hunter 20 satan 3 by Island ers Blake 36 Smyth third period4 by islanders Kozlov 22 Yashin missed penalty shot Malkin pit Sec Ond shots on Goa Pittsburgh 10151136 by islanders 1114732 Power play opportunities Pittsburgh 0 of 6 by islanders 1 of 4 goalie Pittsburgh Fleury 35158 32 shots29 by islanders Dipietro 31198 a14574 lightning 3 devils 1 new Jersey 0 1 01 Tampa Bay 1 0 first period1 Tampa Bay Ward 6 Rich Ards second period2 new Jersey Parise 29 Zajac third period3 Tampa Bay St Louis 40 4 Tampa Bay St Louis 41 Lecavalier shots on Goa new Jersey 11121235 Tampa Bay 1510732 Power play opportunities new Jersey 1 of 3 Tampa Bay oof 4 goalies new Jersey Brodeur 42227 32 shots29 Tampa Bay Denis 17162 a20326 senators 4 panthers 2 Ottawa 1 3 04 Florida 0 1 12 first period1 Ottawa eaves second period2 Ottawa Spezza 30 Corvo 3 Ottawa Heatley 43 Spezza Ottawa Mcammond 12 Schubert 5 Florida Stumpel 20 Olesz third period6 Florida Jokinen 35 Olesz shots on Goa Ottawa 64919 Florida 8141537 Power play opportunities Ottawa 1 of 3 Florida 0 of 4 goalie Ottawa Emery 30145 37 shots35 Florida Belfour 24178 Anderson second a14202 Blue jackets 2 red wings 1 so Columbus 001 02 Detroit 00101 Columbus won shootout 32 third period1 Detroit Matsyuk 24 2 Columbus Tollefson 2 Nash shootout Columbus 3 Vyborny g Platt no Zherdev no Nash g chimera no Fedorov Detroit 2 Matsyuk g Bertuzzi no fran zen no Cleary g Filppula no Samuelsson shots on Goa Columbus 10125330 Detroit 10418436 Power play opportunities Columbus 0 of 6 Detroit oof 5 goalie Columbus Norrena 21193 36 shots35 Detroit Osgood 935 a20066 wild 5 blues 1 Sll Otris 1 0 01 Minnesota 0 3 25 first period1 St Louis weight 12 Cajan second period2 Minnesota Demitra 25 Gaborik Minnesota Rolston 30 Bouchard 4 Minnesota Gaborik 27 Bouchard third period5 Minnesota Gaborik 28 6 Minnesota Koivu 18 Rolston shots on goals Louis 512623 Minne Sota 12141137 Power play opportunities St Louis 0 of 2 Minnesota 3 of 6 Goah esst Louis Sanford 7115 37 shots32 Minnesota Backstrom 2085 a18568 flames 3 predators 2 of Nashville 101 02 Calgary 101 13 first period Nashville Arnott 26 fors Berg 2 Calgary Tanguay 22jtginla third period3 Nashville fiddler 10 fors Berg 434 Calgary Conroy 12 in Ina overtime5 Calgary Warrener 4 Tan Guay shots on Goa Nashville 9106025 Cal Gary 9710228 Power play opportunities Nashville 1 of 5 Calgary 1 of 5 goalie Nashville Mason 24113 28 shots25 Calgary Kip Rusoff 36219 a19289 coyotes 2 ducks 1 Anaheim 0 0 Phoenix 0 2 second period1 Phoenix Taffe 4 Doan 2 Phoenix Thomas 6 rein Precht third period3 Anaheim Moen 11 Beauchemin shots on Goa Anaheim 610723 Phoe Nix 67821 Power play opportunities Anaheim 0 of 4 Phoenix 0 of 5 goalie Anaheim Bry Galov 884 21 shots19 Phoenix Joseph 16271 a15593