TAMPA
http://www.officialpenguinsproshop.com/authentic-adidas-justin-schultz-jersey , Fla. (AP) — Anders Nilsson had a busy and productive first start of the season
for the Vancouver Canucks.Nilsson stopped 16 of 17 shots in the first period and
finished with 33 in the Canucks’ 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on
Thursday night.“I had to get going right away,” Nilsson said. “I felt confident
going in the game. I’ve been feeling good the last couple weeks so I’ve been
eager to get into a game eventually. I was excited to get the start and get to
play.”Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser scored 1:10 apart in the third period,
and Markus Granlund and Jake Virtanen added empty net goals for the Canucks.
Brayden Point scored for Tampa Bay, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24
saves.Vancouver’s rally was started when Pettersson, who has four goals and
three assists in four games, deflected Derrick Pouliot’s point shot past
Vasilevskiy at 11:07 of the third period.“I thought it was going to hit my
stomach and I was going to shoot a rebound,” Pettersson said. “After it hit me I
lost the puck and next thing you know it’s a goal. Very lucky, but I’ll take it.
Every goal is worth one goal so it doesn’t matter how ugly or nice it is.”Boeser
gave the Canucks the lead with his first of the season at 12:17.Tampa Bay, the
highest scoring team in the NHL last season
Kris Letang Jersey , has two goals in two games to start the season and is 0-for-8 on the power play, including 0 for 5 on Thursday.“We need to finish,”
Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We’re not finishing. We are shooting some
pucks at the net, but we’re not going there with a desire to score. That’s what
you have to do in this league.”Notes: Lightning C Tyler Johnson returned to the
lineup after missing the opener with an upper-body injury and logged 18:24 of
ice time. … Vancouver C Antoine Roussel missed his fourth consecutive game with
a concussion. Coach Travis Green said following Thursday’s morning skate Roussel
is getting close to return. … Tampa Bay scratched RW Cory Conacher, C Danick
Martel and D Slater Koekkoek. The Canucks scratched D Michael Del Zotto, D Alex
Biega and LW Brandon Leipsic. … The Canucks had allowed 14 goals in the opening
three games of the season.UP NEXTCanucks: At Florida on Saturday
night.Lightning: Host Columbus on Saturday night. PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Flyers
are riding high on confidence, and it’s showing in their results.Sean Couturier
had two goals and an assist, Brian Elliott made 33 saves and the surging Flyers
continued their dominance over Chicago in Philadelphia with a 4-0 victory over
the slumping Blackhawks on Saturday.Claude Giroux tallied a goal and two assists
and Nolan Patrick added an empty-netter for the Flyers, who have won five of six
overall and 15 in a row at home in the regular season against the Blackhawks.
Chicago last won a regular-season game in Philadelphia on Nov. 9
Mario Lemieux Jersey , 1996.“Confidence helps,” Couturier said. “Right now everything is going well. It’s huge when you have confidence to make plays.
We’re making it tougher to play against.”The Blackhawks have lost six straight
games and two in a row under coach Jeremy Colliton. The 33-year-old Colliton
replaced Joel Quenneville, the NHL’s second-winningest regular-season coach who
was fired on Tuesday after 10 seasons at the helm.“We’re doing some good
things,” Colliton said. “I just would like to see that sustained a little
more.”Elliott was solid all game and made some key saves in the third period,
including stopping Patrick Kane from close range on a Blackhawks power play,
while recording his 38th career shutout. He also denied Dominik Kahun and Nick
Schmaltz on shots from the slot that came right after the other early in the
third.It was the second straight strong performance for Elliott, who denied all
16 shots he faced in relief of Calvin Pickard in Thursday’s 5-4 overtime win
over Arizona.“He was our most important player,” coach Dave Hakstol said.“We’re
playing hard, feeling good
Matt Murray Jersey , feeling confident,” Hakstol added. “We’re battling hard and playing hard, and it’s resulting in points.”Giroux staked the Flyers to
a 1-0 lead with 5:04 left in the first period when he took advantage of a
Chicago turnover. Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith’s clearing attempt from the
end boards went right to Giroux, who faked a forehand shot before beating Corey
Crawford with a backhander from the slot.The lead was two goals with 11:06 left
in the second when Couturier used his backhand to score on a breakaway just as
time expired on a Chicago power play. Giroux passed ahead to Couturier, who had
one step on Blackhawks winger Chris Kunitz.And Couturier made it 3-0 with 15:43
left in the third when his centering pass went off the skate of Blackhawks
defenseman Brandon Manning and over the goal line.The Blackhawks have been
outscored 30-12 during their losing streak.“We’re making little mistakes here
and there,” Chicago center Jonathan Toews said. “We need to be better after we
give up goals.”Said Crawford, “It seems like there are always tough stretches
during the season. We just have to dig our way out of it.”Notes: Giroux has 11
points (4 goals, 7 assists) in his last six games. … Chicago LW Brandon Saad
(right arm) and C Marcus Kruger (left leg) did not play. . Giroux passed Rick
MacLeish to move into fourth place in club history in points. … Philadelphia
improved to 44-16-11 all-time at home against the Blackhawks. … The Flyers next
play the third game of their season-high five-game homestand on Tuesday against
Florida.UP NEXTChicago: At Carolina on Monday.Philadelphia: Host Florida on
Tuesday.
