SCOREBOARD
Saturday, March 15
Buffalo at Toronto (7 p.m. EDT). The Sabres and Maple Leafs are both trying to catch Philadelphia for the final playoff spot in the East.
Sunday, March 16
Edmonton at San Jose (8 p.m. EDT). The Sharks try to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 12 games when they host the Oilers.
STARS
Friday
-Derek Roy, Sabres, had two goals and an assist to lead Buffalo past Carolina 7-1.
-Brooks Laich, Capitals, scored two goals to lead Washington to a 4-1 win over Atlanta.
-Olli Jokinen, Panthers, scored the tiebreaking goal 7:12 into the third period to help Florida edge the New York Rangers 3-2.
ELEVENTH HEAVEN
San Jose scored four times in the first period and extended its franchise-record winning streak to 11 games with a 4-1 victory over St. Louis on Friday night. It is the longest winning streak in the NHL since New Jersey won its final 11 games of the 2005-06 season. The Sharks were 11 points behind Dallas last month, but have since moved three points ahead of the Stars and four in front of Anaheim, with two games in hand over both teams.
WAITING ANOTHER WEEK
Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said after practice Friday he will miss another week to recover from a high-ankle sprain. If Crosby remains out of the lineup that long, he will miss three more games: home Sunday against Philadelphia, Tuesday night at the New York Rangers, and home against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The Penguins are 12-6-4 without Crosby this season.
HERE COMES ALEX
Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin scored his league-leading 57th goal and added an assist for his 99th point in a 4-1 win over Atlanta on Friday night. He is now three goals shy of Dennis Maruk’s team record set in 1981-82.
SABRE DANCE
The Sabres outscored Carolina 15-2 over two meetings in Buffalo this season after a 7-1 rout on Friday night. The Sabres scored four goals on their first seven shots, snapping a four-game skid (0-2-2) and creeping within two points of eighth-place Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
STRETCHED AND SNAPPED
Florida extended its winning streak to a season-high six and handed the New York Rangers their first regulation loss in more than a month with a 3-2 on Friday night. The winning streak is the third-longest in the Panthers’ history. Florida won seven straight in the 1995-96 and 2005-06 seasons.
BACK ON TRACK
Chicago snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Columbus 6-3 on Friday night.
ANOTHER MAN DOWN
Carolina forward Ray Whitney will have ankle surgery on Saturday and could miss the rest of the regular season. Second on the team with 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists), Whitney has missed six games with a sore ankle, the result of an infection from earlier this season. The Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes are already missing captain Rod Brind’Amour, out indefinitely following reconstructive knee surgery last month.
SPEAKING
“I watch scores. That’s all I do. It’s a fun time of the year to be scoreboard watching. The biggest thing is when you don’t play, you lose.” – Washington coach Bruce Boudreau on his plans for Saturday with the Capitals on the fringe of the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Caps beat Atlanta 4-1 on Friday to move within three points of eighth-place Philadelphia.