SCOREBOARD
Friday, Feb. 9
Carolina at Washington (7 p.m. EST). Only two points separate the top four teams in the Southeast Division, and only the Capitals (26-24-5) have a winning record.
STARS
Wednesday
-Joni Pitkanen, Oilers, scored a goal and notched his 100th career assist to help Edmonton defeat Chicago 4-1 for its second straight win.
-Matt Bradley and Viktor Kozlov, Capitals, scored 64 seconds apart early in the third period to lift Washington over Philadelphia 4-3.
ALEX THE GREAT
NHL scoring leader Alexander Ovechkin got his league-best 46th goal to help Washington down Philadelphia 4-3 and who move into first place in the Southeast Division. Ovechkin has 12 goals and nine assists in 12 career games against the Flyers.
NOT THIS TIME
is season in shootouts.
SNAPPED
Jose Theodore returned from injury to make 30 saves, leading Colorado past San Jose 3-1 and ending the Sharks’ three-game home winning streak.
STRUGGLING
Mathieu Garon stopped 40 shots and Edmonton upended Chicago 4-1 on Wednesday to hand the Blackhawks their fifth straight loss.
BACK BEHIND THE BENCH
Rick Tocchet is rejoining the staff of Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky after an absence of two years while he dealt with legal issues surrounding his involvement with illegal gambling. He was sentenced last August to two years’ probation after pleading guilty to promoting gambling and conspiracy to promote gambling. Tocchet returns to his former job of associate head coach.
HONORED
Former Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall became the 19th person inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in a ceremony that took place between the first and second periods of Philadelphia’s 4-3 loss to Washington on Wednesday. Hextall, now an assistant general manager with Los Angeles, played 11 seasons in Philadelphia over two stints. He ranks first on the team’s all-time list with 240 wins, and was the first goalie to ever score a goal by shooting a puck into the net.
MOVES
All-Star defenseman Dion Phaneuf has signed a six-year contract extension with Calgary on Wednesday. … Columbus recalled goaltender Steve Mason from the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers and left wing Joakim Lindstrom from Syracuse of the AHL on Wednesday. The club also reassigned defenseman Duvie Westcott to Syracuse and signed left wing Jason Chimera to a four-year contract extension through the 2011-12 season. … Edmonton sent forward Patrick Thoresen to Springfield of the AHL on a conditioning assignment.
SPEAKING
“They’re not all going to be pretty. I think everybody on the bench knew we needed to get through.” – Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller, who made 24 saves in the Sabres’ 3-2 shootout victory over New Jersey on Wednesday. Miller hasn’t allowed more than two goals in his last six starts.