SCOREBOARD
Sunday, Oct. 14
Minnesota at Anaheim (8 p.m. EDT). The teams split four meetings last season, with each being decided by one goal.
STARS
Friday
-Phil Kessel, Bruins, scored three goals for his first career hat trick and Boston beat Los Angeles 8-6.
-Matthew Lombardi, Flames, scored twice, including the overtime winner that gave Calgary a 3-2 victory at Dallas.
-Robert Lang, Blackhawks, scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and Chicago rallied for a 3-2 win at Detroit.
-Jaromir Jagr, Rangers, assisted on all three goals in New York’s 3-1 win over Washington.
STRONG PUNISHMENT
Philadelphia forward Jesse Boulerice was suspended 25 games by the NHL on Friday for striking Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler across the face with his stick, the longest single-season ban in league history. Boulerice is the second Flyer in two weeks to draw a long suspension – rookie Steve Downie was suspended 20 games for an intentional hit against Ottawa. In 1998, Boulerice was suspended for one year by the Ontario Hockey League for violent stick-swinging.
LASTING LEGACE
St. Louis goalie Manny Legace improved to 12-1 lifetime against Colorado after making 24 saves in Friday night’s 4-1 win. His career goals-against average against the Avalanche is 1.85.
MORE FROM MODANO
Mike Modano scored for Dallas in Friday night’s 3-2 overtime loss to Calgary to move within four points of matching Phil Housley’s record for U.S.-born players. Modano’s first goal of the season gave him 1,228 career points in 1,243 games and 508 goals for his career, the most for any U.S.-born player.
REMEMBER ME?
Robert Lang haunted his former team for the second time in less than a week on Friday night, scoring the go-ahead goal midway through the third period to help Chicago defeat Detroit 3-2. On Saturday, Lang tied the game late in the third period before the Blackhawks defeated the Red Wings 4-3 in a shootout.
POWERING UP
The New York Rangers scored all three of their goals with the man-advantage in Friday night’s 3-1 win over Washington. The Rangers had failed in all 15 power-play chances over the season’s first three games, while the Capitals hadn’t allowed a power-play goal in 12 short-handed situations while jumping to a 3-0 start.
STILL TRYING
Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie announced his continued interest in buying the Nashville Predators on Friday in a move that could disrupt the intended sale to a group of local businessmen. Balsillie, whose $220 million offer fell through earlier this year after he tried to move the team to Canada, now says he believes Nashville is a viable market for hockey, according to a letter sent to the Nashville Sports Authority by his spokesman. However, current owner Craig Leipold is committed to completing the sale to the local investors, the team announced Friday. The local group put down a $10 million deposit in August on a $193 million offer and has until Oct. 31 to complete the sale.
SPEAKING
“It’s just one of those teams that you have to be up for. Hopefully, it keeps up. I respect this team so much. They’re so talented, if you don’t show up against these guys, they’re going to bury you in a hurry.” – St. Louis goalie Manny Legace on improving to 12-1 lifetime against Colorado with 24 saves in Friday night’s 4-1 win over the Avalanche.