NEWARK
http://www.islandersfanproshop.com/authentic-adam-pelech-jer sey ,
N.J. (AP) ¡ª Goaltending has been a soft spot for the New Jersey Devils as they
tumbled into last place in the Eastern Conference.Rookie Mackenzie Blackwood
might be the solution as they try to climb back into the playoff chase.Blackwood
stopped 37 shots for his first shutout and Pavel Zacha scored short-handed as
the Devils beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 on Saturday.It was the second
straight victory for Blackwood, giving the Devils their first two-game winning
streak since Nov. 13-15.¡°It¡¯s huge,¡± said Blackwood. ¡°It¡¯s awesome. Everyone
dreams about this kind of stuff. The challenge here is to just keep going, keep
moving forward, keep having success.¡±The Devils certainly hope so. They are
without Cory Schneider who remains sidelined with an abdominal strain. Keith
Kinkaid, who helped backstop the Devils last season to their first playoff
appearance in six years, hasn¡¯t been as effective with a 12-10-6 record.Andy
Greene added an empty-netter to seal the win with Zacha picking up an
assist.Curtis McElhinney made 28 saves for the Hurricanes who have lost four of
their last five.Once again, the power play fizzled for the Hurricanes. They went
0 for 5 with the man advantage, and have not scored a power-play goal in six
straight games.¡°It¡¯s really frustrating,¡± Sebastian Aho said. ¡°All those chances
and you just can¡¯t score to help your team win. When you¡¯re on the first
power-play
unit
Anders
Lee Jersey , it¡¯s you job to score those goals.¡±Zacha broke a scoreless
deadlock with 36 seconds left in the second period. He poked the puck away from
Carolina¡¯s Justin Faulk and sped into the Hurricanes¡¯ zone. McElhinney made the
initial stop and Zacha stayed with the play to collar the rebound and flip it
into the net.¡°On the breakaway, I was trying to see what the goalie does but the
puck was a little bit wobbly there, so I tried to shoot it,¡± Zacha said. ¡°I was
lucky I got a rebound back.¡±Carolina pressed for the equalizer in the third but
couldn¡¯t beat Blackwood. He stoned Aho with a pad save with about six minutes
left to preserve the shutout.Teuvo Teravainen seemingly netted the tying goal
with 1:58 left only to have the goal waved off for accidental goalie
interference. The Hurricanes appealed the call, which was upheld by the video
review.¡°I had no idea what was going to happen there,¡± Blackwood said.¡°You never
know the way those go. It was fortunate enough to get waved off, and the boys
battled all the way.¡±Justin Williams, the Hurricane closest to Blackwood,
disagreed.¡°It¡¯s upsetting. Very upsetting,¡± Williams said. ¡°That¡¯s how we have
to score goals. Getting to the net and screening goaltenders. I was in front of
the net. I didn¡¯t feel him touch me and I didn¡¯t feel I touched him.¡±The
Hurricanes outshot the Devils 13-9 in the first period with most coming from the
point or the perimeter. In the final
seconds
Andrew
Ladd Jersey , Teravainen had one of the few good in-close chances, only to
be denied by Blackwood.NOTES: Both teams were missing important forwards. For
the Devils, Taylor Hall, last season¡¯s Hart Trophy winner sat out a second
straight contest with a lower-body injury. Jordan Staal remained sidelined for a
third game for the Hurricanes with an upper body injury. ¡ The game was delayed
briefly in the first period when linesman Tim Nowak was struck by the puck and
needed attention. He remained in the game. ¡ The goal light in one end of the
Prudential Center repeatedly malfunctioned, flashing when there was no puck in
the net.UP NEXTHurricanes: Host Philadelphia on Monday.Devils: Host Vancouver on
Monday. BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) As well as the Boston Bruins have been playing,
general manager Don Sweeney wasn¡¯t going to pass up an opportunity to make them
better. And bigger.Sweeney continued solidifying a playoff push Sunday by
acquiring forward Rick Nash in a multiplayer trade with the Rangers that leaves
New York retooling for the long-term future. The Rangers acquired the Bruins¡¯
first-round pick in this year¡¯s draft as well as forwards Ryan Spooner and Matt
Beleskey, prospect defenseman Ryan Lindgren and a seventh-round pick in the 2019
draft in a deal reached a day before the NHL¡¯s trade deadline.¡±Our players have
made a push and I wanted to inch that along if we could, and reward it in a
way,¡± Sweeney said.At
6-foot-4
Anthony
Beauvillier Jersey , Nash provides Boston an established power forward to
fill out their second line centered by David Krejci. And the 33-year-old Nash,
who has topped 30 goals in eight of his 15 seasons, also adds an offensive
dimension to a team that has leaned heavily on its top line, which has combined
to score 73 of Boston¡¯s 192 goals this season.The Bruins lost 4-1 to Buffalo in
Nash¡¯s debut and squandered an opportunity to jump into second place in the
Atlantic Division standings, a point ahead of Toronto.Nash arrived in Buffalo in
time for the game and was credited with five shots on goal and 17 1/2 minutes of
ice time.The game was Nash¡¯s first in nearly a week after the Rangers had him
sit out their previous two games to avoid the possibility of him getting
injured.¡±It was a strange last few weeks in New York, but I¡¯ve moved on and I¡¯m
excited about this opportunity,¡± he said.Nash knew he was on the move being in
the final year of his contract and eligible to become an unrestricted free agent
this summer, and after the Rangers asked him to submit a list of teams he¡¯d
consider joining.The Bruins topped his list, though Nash acknowledged he was
ready to go almost anywhere.¡±I wasn¡¯t going hold them hostage or anything like
that, but I wanted to go to a place that wanted me and a place that had a chance
to
win
Authentic
Brock Nelson Jersey ,¡± he said. ¡±And I think Boston fits those
perfectly.¡±Boston wasn¡¯t done adding to its roster by signing Brian Gionta to a
one-year $700,000 contract. Gionta returns for a 16th NHL season after serving
as captain of the United States Olympic team, which was eliminated following a
loss to the Czech Republic in the quarterfinal round at the Pyeongchang Winter
Games on Tuesday.For the Rangers, trading Nash further signaled their plans to
overhaul the aging core of a roster that helped New York make the playoffs in
each of the previous seven seasons, including the team that lost the 2014
Stanley Cup Final in five games to Los Angeles.The Rangers are slipping out of
playoff contention in going 5-16 in their past 21 games since Jan. 7, and have
lost six straight in preparing to host Detroit on Sunday.Adding the Bruins¡¯
first-round pick gives the Rangers nine selections in this year¡¯s draft,
including six in the first three rounds.This marked the second trade between the
two teams this past week. On Tuesday, the Bruins acquired veteran defenseman
Nick Holden for prospect Robbie O¡¯Gara and a draft pick.New York might not be
done dealing with captain Ryan McDonagh also considered to be on the trading
block.And with Nash off the market, the focus of trade attention also turns to
whether Sabres forward Evander Kane and Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson
will also be dealt by Monday afternoon.Kane has already acknowledged he expects
to be traded, and was held out of Buffalo¡¯s lineup for the second consecutive
game on Sunday.Nash has 18 goals and 28 points in 60 games this season. He was
selected by Columbus with the No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft and played his first
nine seasons with the Blue Jackets before being traded to the Rangers in a
multiplayer deal in July 2012.
Overall
Casey
Cizikas Jersey , he has 434 goals and 799 points.The Rangers saluted Nash
following the trade by posting a note on their Twitter account by thanking him
for ¡±6 memorable years as part of the New York Rangers family. ¡ Once a Ranger,
always a Ranger. We salute you!¡±The 26-year-old Spooner has 41 goals and 142
points in 252 NHL games since being selected by Boston in the second round of
the 2010 draft. Lindgren was selected by Boston in the second round of the 2016
draft and currently is playing his sophomore season at the University of
Minnesota.NOTES: Gionta, who lives in Buffalo, watched the game with his family
from a private suite. He declined an interview request following the game by
telling The Associated Press that the Bruins asked him to wait until Tuesday,
when he¡¯s scheduled to have his first practice with the team in Boston. ¡ The
Bruins also placed defenseman Paul Postma on waivers.¡ª