It was an action-packed round of action in the NHL on Wednesday night, with a few surprising results that could have caught punters off guard. The Toronto Maple Leafs looked to get back to winning ways after their defeat against Edmonton Oilers, but could they beat the Winnipeg Jets at the Scotiabank?
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers were looking to end a nightmare run of five straight defeats as the Washington Capitals came to town. The final game in the NHL on Wednesday saw the Dallas Stars looking for a fifth straight win as they travelled to the Los Angeles Kings.
Maple Leafs Form Stuttering
It was a thrilling encounter in Toronto on Wednesday night, but the home side were unable to get back to winning ways as they eventually fell to a defeat in the shootout against the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets were ahead after the first period before they managed to maintain that in the second period. The Maple Leafs eventually levelled the scores in the final period as they scored the only goal.
However, the Jets got the upper hand in the shootout to win, and avenge their 6-3 defeat against the Maple Leafs from a few weeks ago. Auston Matthews scored a brace for the Leafs, while Dmytro Timashov scored the other goal. Frederik Andersen made 28 saves in the defeat. Mason Appleton, Nikolay Ehlers and Mark Scheifele scored the goals in regulation time for the Jets. Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves in the win.
Stars Extend Winning Run
The Dallas Stars started slowly against the Los Angeles Kings, but they were able to overcome their rivals in the end. The Kings were ahead after the opening period before the Stars scored twice in the second period. There were no further goals in the final period, as the Stars extended their winning run to five.
Anze Kopitar scored the only goal for the Kings. Jonathan Quick made 32 saves in the defeat, but he was helpless in the goals that he conceded. Jamie Benn and Blake Comeau scored the goals for the Stars, while Esa Lindell contributed assists for both of the goals. Anton Khudobin made 31 saves in the victory, including a vital save in the final minute to secure the victory. The Stars remain in second in the Central Division and are looking like the only team that could catch the St Louis Blues.
Flyers Losing Streak Ends
The Philadelphia Flyers recent form would have been a cause for concern for fans, as they have lost their last five. However, that losing streak was finally brought to an end on Wednesday evening as they overcame the Washington Capitals. The first period was a dramatic affair, as both sides scored twice. However, it settled down for the remainder of the match.
The match-clinching goal was scored in the second period by the Flyers. Philadelphia’s goals were scored by Robert Hagg, Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny. Carter Hart made 28 saves in the victory. Meanwhile, Nicklas Backstrom and Jakub Vrana scored the goals for the Capitals. The Flyers will look to add another win on Saturday when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning.
